Maybe Someday — spice level
Colleen Hoover · reviewed by Zakes Mdluli · 23 August 2026
2 out of 5 chillies
2 out of 5 — Steamy
A two. Restrained on the page and merciless everywhere else — the difficulty here is moral, not physical.
How we rate: from wide reading and what readers consistently report, not a fresh page-by-page re-read of every edition. Where we are less certain, we say so.
Rated on our five-chilli scale, the same one on every story here.
Where it sits
Two people who should not be together, and a situation that makes every choice cost somebody. The heat is present but modest; the book is far more interested in what wanting somebody does to the people around you.
Two chillies. Readers who arrive expecting Ugly Love will find this considerably cooler.
What to expect
Music, a love triangle with real weight, and a structural choice partway through that people either love or find gimmicky.
Who it is for
Readers who want the moral knot rather than the heat. If you want explicit, look elsewhere in this guide.
FAQ
What is the spice level of Maybe Someday?
2 out of 5 chillies. A two. Restrained on the page and merciless everywhere else — the difficulty here is moral, not physical.
Is Maybe Someday explicit?
Only in places. It is written for adults, but the heat is not the point of the book.
What do the chilli ratings mean?
One chilli is warm — attraction and a closed door. Two is steamy. Three is explicit and part of the story. Four is scorching, frequent and central. Five is filthy, with nothing faded out. Every story on No Safe Word carries a rating.
What should I read after Maybe Someday?
She chose the man who ticked all the boxes. Then found the one who ticks the box she did not have. Nobody in it is a villain, which is what makes it hurt. Chapter one is free on No Safe Word.
If you loved it, read this next
THE WRONG ONE
Hot
She chose the man who ticked all the boxes. Then found the one who ticks the box she did not have. Nobody in it is a villain, which is what makes it hurt.
Chapter one is free — no signup, no card.
More ratings on the spice level guide.