13 Sexy and Romantic YA Books That Will Make You Swoon

The books in Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series are by far the sexiest YA novels I've ever read. The books are full of magic, adventure, impending war, betrayal, and steamy romances that might make you blush and will definitely have you desperate for more. Maas does not hold back when it comes to sexual tension, sweet love stories, and full-on sexy scenes. The first two books in the trilogy are already out — A Court of Mist and Fury came out in May 2016, and the third installment will be released in May 2017.

Judy Blume's novel Forever caused quite the controversy when it was first published back in the 1970s, due to it's sexually explicit themes. The story is about two young people who experience their firsts together — both their first love and their first times. The novel has several steamy scenes, as well as a riveting story about young love and all that goes along with it.

OK, so let's just be honest and admit that we all love a YA relationship that has some seemingly impenetrable barrier that keeps the two lovers apart. The tension! The intrigue! Welcome to the world of Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me, a book whose protagonist is a girl who literally paralyzes and kills people with her touch. So it doesn't seem like there's much hope for romance here. But don't worry, with the introduction of both Aaron Warner (cold and misunderstood) and Adam Kent (a handsome, kind soldier), we actually end up getting double the lovin'. The romance heats up more and more throughout the trilogy, and by the series' third and final installment Ignite Me, it is completely on fire.

Perfect Chemistry is a the right read for anyone looking for your classic bad-boy-turned-good-by-love story. Two high schoolers — one a student with a perfect reputation and one a guy from the wrong side of town — meet and have instant chemistry, but there's a lot standing in their way. The sexiness of the book is definitely due in part to the "forbidden" romance theme that we all know and love.

"A sacred oath, a fallen angel, a forbidden love." That's the tag line for Becca Fitzpatrick's Hush, Hush, the first installment in the series. The seductive novel is about a normal girl falling for an angel and following him down a dark path.

Publisher's Weekly says of the novel, "Nora's tempestuous relationship with prototypical bad boy Patch is genuinely, even unsettling seductive — fans of paranormal romance should be rapt."

The Throne of Glass series — one of my favorite book series of all time — is a lot of things: it's action-packed; it's beautifully written; it's magical; and it's very, very sexy. The fifth book in the series, Empire of Storms, came out in Fall 2016, and is by far the sexiest in the series to date. Like with her A Court of Thorns and Roses series, Sarah J. Maas doesn't hold back in giving readers what they really (really) want: steamy scenes between multiple characters — establishing some very devoted fan bases to the various couplings and triangles.

Simone Elkeles's Leaving Paradise is an unconventional love story that follows the victim of a drunk driving accident and the boy who hit her — both dealing with the aftermath of that one fateful night. The two find themselves forming an unlikely relationship in order to cope, and the complications of their romance make it all the sexier.

Instead of fast-forwarding to a dystopian future, Kristin Cashore's Graceling takes us to an older and more magical time and place. The Seven Kingdoms, packed with ladies, lords, and kings, is the backdrop of Lady Katsa and Prince Po's journey to find out what happened to Po's grandfather, who went missing under suspicious circumstances. Both are "Gracelings," or those graced with a magical talent. Initially skeptical of each other's skills, the two form a deep bond throughout their mission to discover the truth, and they discover quite a few other things about each other, too. The Graceling series is notable for its sexiness, but also for the empowering characters who embrace their sexuality (and the sexuality of others) openly and in a positive, forward-thinking way.

The steampunk Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare begins with Clockwork Angel, which will draw you in with its unique story line, and hold you until the very end of the final installment of the trilogy. For readers who can't get enough of love triangles, of sexual tension, of will-they-won't-they romance, and for heartbreak that borders on masochism, these are the books for you. You'll fall in love with every character, and somehow find yourself hoping that there's a way for all of them to make it work together. Hey, it's a magical world — maybe there is!

It may come as a surprise that a book series based on tragedy — If I Stay's protagonist lies in a coma deciding whether to live or die after losing her entire family — could actually have some pretty steamy romance in it as well. Both If I Stay and the second installment, Where She Went, have some very sexy moments in them, which have all the more meaning due to the background of the sad story, and what two people who love each other have to overcome to be together.

If you haven't picked up this fast-paced fantasy Mortal Instruments series, now is the time. Clary and Jace, the star-crossed lovers and heroes of the series — which begins with City of Bones — go through trials with demons, vampires, corrupt Shadowhunters, and more. The six-book series follows a group of characters who fall in and out love, who explore their sexualities, and who go through countless life-and-death challenges in order to find the people they are destined to be with. The love stories in the series are super sexy, inclusive, diverse, and surprisingly human considering not all those involved actually are.

For readers looking for something lighter, but still cute and sexy, Rachel Cohn and David Levithan's beloved novel-turned-motion-picture Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist is the perfect fit. The story follows titular characters Nick and Norah, who share similar taste in music, as they go on a crazy adventure throughout a night that changes their lives.

Forbidden romance between student and teacher? Check. Vampires and other supernatural drama? Double check. Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy is the first in the fast-paced, six-book series loaded with action, suspense, and most importantly, a ton of juicy romance.