ABC in the Wild: Spicy & Steamy Book Event 2026

by Naomi

On Saturday, September 26th, the third edition of the Spicy & Steamy Book Event took place in Utrecht. It was ABC’s first time participating, so we didn’t really know what to expect. We’re very happy to report that it was a great success! Together with Else, who organized ABC going to Spicy & Steamy in the first place and who has lots of experience going to events with ABC in the Wild, we set up bright and early at the Beatrix building. We brought about 600 books, ranging from cozy romance to dark romantasy. The Spicy & Steamy book event is, after all, the event for readers of spicy and smutty romance.

Our Else, ready to sell books!

According to their own website:

The Spicy & Steamy Book Event began in 2023, sparked by a simple idea: creating a space where lovers of spicy, steamy, and smutty romance could feel completely at home

There were lots of independent authors, small businesses selling bookish merchandise, and publishers small and bigger to promote all things spicy and steamy. The doors opened at 10.30 am, and by 4.00 pm there was barely anything left to sell, it felt like! It was a full and busy day, with visitors coming from near and far. The organizers of the book event also hosted several panels during the day, with interesting topics such as spice levels and consent, the popularity of dark romance, and inclusivity and representation.

ABC also hosted two authors, Rachel Lynn Solomon and Sophie Davies, who were there to sign their books and to participate in the panels. Both authors were very popular with visitors: we sold dozens of copies each of Extracurricular, Rachel Lynn Solomon’s most recent release, and Head over Skis, Sophie Davies’ debut novel! We’re very grateful to both authors for joining us and sharing their passion for books and readers that day.

Our booth was busy all day! We got to introduce ABC to a whole new audience, and some regulars also stopped by. Despite the crowds, I managed to slip away for a bit so I could take a look at all the other vendors’ booths. I ended up spending quite a bit of money, but how could I resist all those lovely bookmarks? It’s also nice to support independent authors and artists, and we got to chat with some amazing people. It was lovely to see so many people who are passionate about (smutty) romance in one place, and the energy in the event hall was so joyful.

If you feel like you missed out, fear not! ABC will be at the next edition of the Spicy & Steamy Book Event. Keep an eye on our and their website, and come find us next year.