It all comes down to how a story treats tension. Most spicy books rely on predictable beats—the meet-cute, the misunderstanding, the inevitable steamy resolution. Exotic settings disrupt that rhythm. The unfamiliar isn't just a backdrop; it forces a different kind of intimacy. Characters aren't just navigating desire, they're navigating an entire culture or hidden world where the rules of engagement are rewritten.
Take something like 'The King of Wrath'. Sure, it's a mafia romance, but the real heat for me came from the opulent, closed-off settings—luxury yachts in Monaco, private islands—where the usual social constraints dissolve. That isolation amps up the power dynamics in a way a standard contemporary setting rarely can. It's less about the physical acts described and more about the entire atmosphere of transgression. The exotic becomes a character itself, shaping every touch and glance.
I find I get bored if the world feels like a painted set. The standout stuff makes the location integral to the emotional stakes. If you could transplant the couple to a suburban coffee shop and the plot still works, it's probably not hitting that exotic sweet spot.