The ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas is known for its romance as much as its fantasy world, but the level of spice varies a lot from book to book.
While A Court of Thorns and Roses starts relatively mild, the series becomes more explicit over time — especially once you reach A Court of Silver Flames.
If you’re looking for a quick refresher, want to revisit your favorite scenes, or prefer to know where the more explicit chapters appear before reading, this guide lists the main ACOTAR spicy chapters in reading order, plus softer romantic chapters with kissing, tension or important relationship development.
Light spoiler warning: this guide does not describe the scenes in explicit detail, but it does identify the characters involved and where major romantic moments happen.
Quick Answer: What Chapters Are Spicy in ACOTAR?
The ACOTAR series has romantic and spicy scenes throughout all five books, but A Court of Silver Flames contains by far the most explicit chapters.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses: Chapters 21, 27, 42 and 46
- A Court of Mist and Fury: Chapters 2, 42, 48 and 55
- A Court of Wings and Ruin: Chapters 14, 29, 39 and 56
- A Court of Frost and Starlight: Chapter 22
- A Court of Silver Flames: Main spicy chapters 19, 22, 26, 37, 41, 51 and 58, plus Chapter 15 and the Feyre & Rhysand bonus chapter as additional explicit scenes
Not every chapter on this list is equally explicit. Some are included because they contain kissing, fantasies or strong romantic tension rather than a full open-door scene.
ACOTAR Romance Chapters: Spicy vs Romantic
Not every romantic chapter in ACOTAR is a full spicy scene. Some chapters contain kissing, attraction, fantasies or emotional intimacy without becoming explicitly sexual.
In this guide, 💋 Romantic means kissing, chemistry, emotional intimacy or relationship development, while 🌶️ Spicy means an open-door intimate scene or clearly explicit sexual content.
This distinction matters most in the earlier books, where the romance is important but the series is considerably less explicit than A Court of Silver Flames.
ACOTAR Spicy Chapters at a Glance
| Book | Main Chapters | Main Romance | Overall Spice |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Court of Thorns and Roses | 21, 27, 42, 46 | Feyre & Tamlin | 🌶️🌶️☆☆☆ |
| A Court of Mist and Fury | 2, 42, 48, 55 | Feyre & Rhysand | 🌶️🌶️🌶️☆☆ |
| A Court of Wings and Ruin | 14, 29, 39, 56 | Feyre & Rhysand | 🌶️🌶️🌶️☆☆ |
| A Court of Frost and Starlight | 22 | Feyre & Rhysand | 🌶️🌶️☆☆☆ |
| A Court of Silver Flames | 19, 22, 26, 37, 41, 51, 58 + extras | Nesta & Cassian Feyre & Rhysand (bonus) | 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️☆ |
There is a little variation between fan-made spice lists depending on whether they count kisses, fantasies and suggestive scenes or only explicit sexual encounters. For A Court of Silver Flames, Chapters 19, 22, 26, 37, 41, 51 and 58 are the main spicy chapters, while Chapter 15 is an additional explicit solo/fantasy scene. The separate Feyre & Rhysand bonus chapter is also explicit but is not part of the standard chapter numbering.
A Court of Thorns and Roses Spicy Chapters
The first ACOTAR book is comparatively mild. Most of its romance centers around the growing attraction between Feyre and Tamlin, with only one scene that would generally be considered genuinely spicy.
Chapter 21 — Romantic Tension
Calanmai brings a much more sensual tone to the story and makes the attraction between Feyre and Tamlin harder to ignore. The chapter contains sexual themes and tension, but it is more steamy than explicit.
Spice level: 💋
Type: romantic tension
Can you skip it? Not recommended. Calanmai also matters to Feyre’s understanding of Prythian and the Spring Court.
Chapter 27 — Main Spicy Scene
This is the main spicy chapter in A Court of Thorns and Roses and contains the book’s most detailed intimate scene between Feyre and Tamlin. By this point, their relationship has moved well beyond the distrust that defined their earliest interactions.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: main spicy scene
Can you skip it? You can skim the explicit section, but the chapter still contributes to their relationship.
Chapter 42 — Steamy Kiss
A romantic and physically charged moment takes place Under the Mountain, but this is primarily a steamy kissing scene rather than an explicit one.
Spice level: 💋
Type: kissing / romantic tension
Can you skip it? Not recommended because it happens during an important part of the main plot.
Chapter 46 — Light Spice
The book ends with another intimate moment, although the scene is relatively brief and largely fades away rather than becoming especially explicit.
Spice level: 🌶️
Type: light spice / fade to black
Overall spice level: 🌶️🌶️☆☆☆
Most explicit chapter: Chapter 27
Is A Court of Thorns and Roses Spicy?
Yes, but only mildly compared with later ACOTAR books. The first novel contains one main explicit scene and several steamy moments, while most of the book focuses on Feyre’s introduction to the fae world, the curse on the Spring Court and the danger Under the Mountain.
A Court of Mist and Fury Spicy Chapters
A Court of Mist and Fury increases both the romantic tension and the spice, particularly as Feyre’s relationship with Rhysand develops.
Chapter 2 — Early Intimate Scene
An early intimate scene continues Feyre’s relationship from the first book. It is not the scene most readers associate with ACOMAF, but it is one of the book’s first sexually charged moments.
Spice level: 🌶️
Type: intimate scene
Chapter 42 — Romantic Tension
The tension between Feyre and Rhys becomes much more physical. Their attraction is no longer subtle, and this chapter is an important step in the slow burn even though it stops short of their relationship fully progressing.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
Type: steamy / relationship build-up
Can you skip it? Not recommended. It matters to the progression of Feyre and Rhys’s relationship.
Chapter 48 — Steamy Relationship Development
Another highly charged Feyre-and-Rhys moment that pushes their relationship forward. By this point, the emotional and physical sides of their relationship are becoming increasingly difficult to separate.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
Type: steamy / romantic development
Chapter 55 — Main Spicy Scene
This is easily the most famous spicy chapter in A Court of Mist and Fury and one of the most widely discussed chapters in the entire ACOTAR fandom.
It marks a major turning point in Feyre and Rhysand’s relationship and contains the book’s most explicit intimate scene. The scene carries emotional weight beyond the physical moment itself.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: main spicy scene
Can you skip it? Better to skim than skip, because it is closely tied to their relationship arc.
Overall spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️☆☆
Most explicit chapter: Chapter 55
Is A Court of Mist and Fury Spicy?
Yes. ACOMAF is noticeably spicier than the first book, although it is still not packed with explicit scenes from beginning to end. Much of the romantic payoff comes from the slow build between Feyre and Rhys, which is why Chapters 42, 48 and especially 55 are so memorable.
A Court of Wings and Ruin Spicy Chapters
A Court of Wings and Ruin shifts more heavily toward war and politics, but there are still several intimate moments throughout the book.
Chapter 14 — Romantic Reunion
Feyre and Rhys reunite, leading to one of the book’s early romantic scenes.
Chapter 29 — Steamy Scene
A sensual scene between Feyre and Rhys adds a lighter romantic moment amid the growing political tension.
Chapter 39 — Steamy Scene
Chapter 39 includes another intimate Feyre-and-Rhys moment. It is more steamy than plot-defining, but it belongs on a complete ACOWAR romance and spice list.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
Type: steamy / intimate scene
Chapter 56 — Main Spicy Scene
Chapter 56 contains one of the book’s clearest explicit encounters between Feyre and Rhys and is generally the chapter readers mean when looking for the main ACOWAR spicy scene.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: main spicy scene
Can you skip it? You can skim the explicit portion, but the broader section still sits inside the main war storyline.
Overall spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️☆☆
Is A Court of Wings and Ruin Spicy?
Yes, but romance takes up less of the spotlight than it does in ACOMAF. ACOWAR has several intimate scenes, while most of the book focuses on the coming war, political alliances, the courts of Prythian and the conflict with Hybern.
A Court of Frost and Starlight Spicy Chapters
A Court of Frost and Starlight is primarily a quieter bridge novella focused on the characters recovering after the war.
That means there is considerably less spice overall.
Chapter 22 — Main Spicy Scene
Chapter 22 contains the novella’s main explicit Feyre-and-Rhys scene and is the chapter readers usually mean when searching for the spicy chapter in A Court of Frost and Starlight.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: main spicy scene
Can you skip it? Yes, although readers invested in Feyre and Rhys may still want the relationship context.
Is A Court of Frost and Starlight Spicy?
Only moderately. The novella contains one main explicit scene, but most of the story is focused on healing, friendships, family dynamics and life in Velaris after the war.
A Court of Silver Flames Spicy Chapters
This is where the ACOTAR series becomes significantly more explicit.
A Court of Silver Flames follows Nesta Archeron and Cassian, and their relationship contains considerably more sexual content than the previous books.
Chapter 15 — Explicit Fantasy / Solo Scene
Nesta has an intimate solo moment while thinking about Cassian. Some lists leave this chapter out because Nesta and Cassian are not physically together, but it still contains explicit sexual content.
Spice level: 🌶️
Type: explicit fantasy / solo scene
Chapter 19 — First Major Spicy Scene
One of Nesta and Cassian’s first major physically charged encounters. Their attraction has been building through conflict, training and constant proximity, and this chapter pushes that tension into more explicit territory.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
Type: spicy scene
Chapter 22 — Spicy Scene
Their relationship becomes more physically intimate while their emotional boundaries remain complicated. The scene is part of the book’s broader push-and-pull dynamic between them.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
Type: spicy scene
Chapter 26 — Explicit Scene
Another explicit scene follows as Nesta and Cassian’s attraction continues to intensify. By this point, their physical relationship is becoming a recurring part of the book rather than a single isolated moment.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: explicit scene
Chapter 37 — Major Spicy Scene
Chapter 37 contains one of the book’s major explicit encounters and comes at a point when Nesta and Cassian’s emotional connection is becoming harder to separate from their physical relationship.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: major spicy scene
Chapter 41 — The Headboard Scene
One of the most frequently referenced spicy scenes in the book — and probably one of the most recognizable ACOSF chapters among fans.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: major explicit scene
Can you skip it? You can skim the explicit content, but the surrounding relationship context still matters.
Chapter 51 — Explicit Scene
Chapter 51 contains another intimate encounter between Nesta and Cassian. Their relationship has developed significantly by this point, giving the scene more emotional context than some of their earlier encounters.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: explicit scene
Chapter 58 — Romantic and Spicy
Chapter 58 includes another major intimate moment late in the book, but it carries more emotional weight as Nesta and Cassian’s relationship continues to evolve.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: romantic / explicit
There are also additional sexual fantasies and references elsewhere in the novel. For example, Chapter 23 includes Nesta fantasizing about Cassian and Azriel, while Chapters 44 and 56 contain references to previous intimate moments.
Bonus Chapter — Feyre & Rhysand
The Feyre and Rhysand bonus chapter from A Court of Silver Flames also contains a full explicit scene between them, alongside important relationship moments connected to Feyre’s pregnancy and their future child.
Because it was published as a retailer-exclusive bonus chapter rather than as part of the standard novel, it does not have a regular ACOSF chapter number. However, it belongs on a complete list of ACOTAR spicy scenes.
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Type: major explicit scene / bonus chapter
Main couple: Feyre & Rhysand
Can you skip it? Yes for the main ACOSF plot, but it includes additional Feyre-and-Rhys relationship and pregnancy context.
For all three ACOTAR bonus scenes and where they fit in the reading order, see our ACOTAR Bonus Chapters Guide.
Overall spice level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️☆
Spiciest ACOTAR book: A Court of Silver Flames
Is A Court of Silver Flames Spicy?
Yes. A Court of Silver Flames is the most sexually explicit ACOTAR book published so far. Nesta and Cassian have more frequent open-door scenes than the central couples in the earlier books, and sexual tension is woven through a much larger portion of their relationship.
Which ACOTAR Book Is the Spiciest?
A Court of Silver Flames is by far the spiciest ACOTAR book.
Unlike the earlier novels, where explicit scenes are relatively occasional, Nesta and Cassian’s relationship includes sexual tension and intimate encounters throughout a much larger portion of the story.
That also matches the general consensus among ACOTAR readers: Silver Flames is usually considered the series’ most sexually explicit installment.
A rough ranking from least to most spicy would be:
- A Court of Thorns and Roses
- A Court of Frost and Starlight
- A Court of Wings and Ruin
- A Court of Mist and Fury
- A Court of Silver Flames
The exact middle ranking is subjective because ACOMAF and ACOWAR balance romance and explicit content differently, but ACOSF is the clear outlier in both frequency and explicitness.
Can You Skip the Spicy Chapters in ACOTAR?
Usually, yes — but not every spicy chapter is completely separate from the story.
Sarah J. Maas often includes important emotional conversations, relationship developments or character revelations inside intimate scenes. Skipping an entire chapter can therefore occasionally mean missing something beyond the sexual content.
If you want to avoid explicit scenes while still following the story, skimming rather than skipping the full chapter is generally the safer option.
Is ACOTAR More Romance or Fantasy?
ACOTAR is best described as fantasy romance, but the balance changes across the series. The books spend substantial time on Prythian’s courts, magic, war, political alliances and character arcs outside the central romances.
Romance is still essential to the series, especially in A Court of Mist and Fury and A Court of Silver Flames, but the spicy chapters make up only a relatively small portion of the total story.
Is ACOTAR Appropriate for Younger Readers?
The ACOTAR series includes sexual content, violence, death, trauma, strong language and other mature themes. The level of sexual content also increases as the series progresses, with A Court of Silver Flames being considerably more explicit than the first book.
Readers or parents who want to avoid explicit sexual material can use the chapter list above as a guide, although the books still contain other mature content outside the spicy scenes.
Are the ACOTAR Books Very Spicy?
Not as much as their reputation sometimes suggests.
The earlier ACOTAR books contain romance and sexual content, but explicit scenes make up a relatively small part of the overall story. Even readers in the ACOTAR community frequently point out that the series is less smut-heavy than its online reputation suggests.
The major exception is A Court of Silver Flames, which contains substantially more explicit content than the previous books.
More ACOTAR Guides
If you want to go deeper into Sarah J. Maas’s world, read these next:
ACOTAR Spicy Chapters FAQ
What chapter is the spicy chapter in A Court of Thorns and Roses?
Chapter 27 contains the main explicit scene in A Court of Thorns and Roses. Chapters 21, 42 and 46 also contain romantic or steamy moments.
What chapter is Chapter 55 in ACOTAR?
Chapter 55 is in A Court of Mist and Fury and contains one of Feyre and Rhysand’s most famous intimate scenes.
What are the spicy chapters in A Court of Silver Flames?
The main ACOSF spicy chapters are 19, 22, 26, 37, 41, 51 and 58. Chapter 15 also contains explicit sexual content involving Nesta alone, and the separate Feyre & Rhysand bonus chapter includes another major explicit scene.
Is A Court of Silver Flames the spiciest ACOTAR book?
Yes. A Court of Silver Flames contains significantly more explicit sexual content than the four previous ACOTAR books.
Does ACOTAR have smut?
Yes, ACOTAR contains open-door sexual content, although the amount varies considerably by book. The first novel is relatively mild, while A Court of Silver Flames is much more explicit.
Which ACOTAR book has the most romance?
A Court of Mist and Fury and A Court of Silver Flames are the most romance-focused books in different ways: ACOMAF is built around a major slow-burn relationship arc, while ACOSF contains the highest amount of explicit sexual content.
Is ACOTAR spicier than Fourth Wing?
It depends on the ACOTAR book. A Court of Thorns and Roses is milder than Fourth Wing, while A Court of Silver Flames contains more frequent explicit scenes. Across the full ACOTAR series, the spice level changes much more from book to book.
Do you need to read the spicy scenes in ACOTAR?
Not necessarily, although some contain important relationship developments and dialogue. Readers who want to avoid explicit material may find it easier to skim those sections rather than skip entire chapters.
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