Recently, I picked up a new release in the fantasy romance genre—what’s often labeled as a “smut book.” It had all the makings of something I’d normally devour: a high-stakes world where dragon shifters battle for supremacy, and a juicy romance between a powerful shifter descended from Roman emperors and a fiery witch. But what started as an intriguing premise quickly made me uncomfortable. The heroine, the supposed central love interest, was captured and taken as a body slave by the dragon shifter—her eventual romantic partner.

I stopped reading.

I couldn’t shake the discomfort of the power imbalance. No matter how “steamy” the chemistry was written to be, I kept circling back to one question: what kind of meaningful consent can exist in a relationship that begins with slavery?

It got me thinking—are some smut tropes actually problematic, or is it just a matter of personal taste?

There’s no denying that smut, erotica, and steamy romance novels often play with extremes. Power dynamics, taboo themes, and dark fantasies are all over the genre. And for many readers, that’s exactly the appeal. Fiction is a space where we can explore desires, fears, and fantasies without consequence. Not everything has to mirror healthy real-life relationships. But when certain tropes—like sexual slavery or serial killer lovers—are romanticized without any critical distance or narrative unpacking, it raises some questions.

In the case of the dragon shifter book, the heroine is essentially coerced into a relationship. Even if the story attempts to frame their dynamic as consensual, the foundation is built on ownership and imbalance. That’s not inherently problematic—many dark romances operate within that space—but how it’s handled matters. If the book never acknowledges the disturbing elements or fails to give the heroine real agency, it stops being a fantasy exploration and edges into endorsing abuse.

So where’s the line?

For some readers, it is a “different strokes for different folks” scenario. We all have boundaries, and what feels problematic to one reader might feel like pure escapism to another. But intent and execution are crucial. There’s a difference between a story that uses dark tropes to challenge, question, or subvert harmful dynamics—and one that uses them for titillation without critical thought.

Writers can and should explore taboo themes if they choose. But they also need to be aware of the context and power of what they’re portraying. Readers can enjoy problematic content and still critique it. What matters is transparency: content warnings, acknowledgment of sensitive themes, and an awareness of the implications.

As readers, we get to decide what feels “icky,” unsafe, or just plain not for us. But it’s also okay to ask for better from the genre. Smut can be hot and responsible. It can be wild without being exploitative.

So yes, some smut tropes can be problematic—but the real question is whether we’re reading (and writing) them with awareness.