Since I was a small child, I’ve been fascinated by fairytales and folklore. I used to wander my local library, looking for tales that caught my attention. At the time, fairytale retellings weren’t really a thing (yes, I’m that old!), but there were a lot of books that had collections of the original tales. I ate them up, completely enthralled. So, it’s probably not a big surprise that I not only read a lot of retellings, but I also write them, too. (You can check them out HERE.) I know I’m not alone. That’s why I’m sharing a dozen fairytale no-spice retellings just for you!
Just a quick note here. Words like no-spice or clean mean different things to different people. That’s why I rate all of the books I share for Heat, Violence, and Language because we all have different preferences and tolerances for those things. You’ll see it noted like this: Heat 1 · Violence 2 · Language 0. To get the full explanation about each of those ratings, you can check out my full Content Rating Guide here. Short version: none of the books in this post contain explicit content or gory violence, and any language is mild at most.
Jabberwock’s Curse by R.V. Bowman
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
Swept into Wonderland by a sharp-tongued cat, Alice Cavendish must free the fearsome Jabberwock to earn her way home, but as she uncovers the Red Queen’s tragic past and a dark hunger for power, she must decide how much she’s willing to risk—including her heart.
Stolen Kingdom by Bethany Atazadeh
Heat: 1 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When princess Arie develops a forbidden mind-reading Jinni Gift that could cost her crown and her life, she flees a ruthless king and teams up with a charming thief to hunt down the Jinni who can strip her magic away.
Beastly Dreams by Gabrielle Landi
Heat: 2 Violence: 1 Language: 0
When a sorcerer’s curse traps grumpy tavern owner Roan and his cheerful, secretly magical barmaid Abigail together while everyone else sleeps, the pair must break the spell before he loses everything—even as breaking it may shatter the love quietly blooming between them.
Beyond the Tower by JacQueline Vaughn Roe
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When the boy who inspires Rapunzel to dream of escape is killed for it,she’s cast out alone into an unfamiliar world and must learn to survive—and discover who she is beyond the witch’s control.
Content note: This is the first in a series that contains these possible triggers: incidents of alcohol abuse, death of a loved one, grief, miscarriage, kidnapping, and war.
Cloak of Shadows by R.V. Bowman (Coming Nov. 12, 2026)
Heat: 1 Violence: 3 Language: 0
When master thief Vivi’s rare act of compassion pits her against the ruthless Huntsman, she’s forced into a dangerous bargain with the feared gang leader known as the Wolf—steal a dragon-guarded magical amulet with the help of the very boy who got her into this mess, risking not just her freedom and her life, but her carefully guarded heart. Cloak of Shadows kicks off a YA fantasy duology reimagining Red Riding Hood.
Never Heir by Courtney Millecam
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
After breaking Pan’s hold on the Lost Boys, Charlie “Tootles” Tulane learns his past actions caused the abduction of Evie’s sister, and he joins the scandal-shadowed socialite on a dangerous bargain with the Fae that may demand a devastating price.
Hunting Sirens by Mary Mecham
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When a pixie’s revelation exposes Peter Pan as a kidnapper of innocent children, James Hook abandons his best friend to rescue the Lost Boys—risking his heart and his reputation to become Neverland’s most notorious villain in pursuit of justice.
Burning Snow by Abigail Manning
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
Left to freeze by her faithless fiancé, Princess Safara wakes months in the past with a second chance—and to save her kingdom from a deadly winter, she must win the frozen heart of the snow king who created it.
Transformed Tail by Leialoha Humphreys
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When mermaid princess Aulani trades her fins for legs, and one month to win a prince’s love, she surfaces in the wrong kingdom and finds her fate entwined with a cursed prince trapped in a frog’s body—where saving each other may be the strongest magic of all.
The Rose Gate by Hanna Sandvig
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
When librarian Isobel stumbles through a portal to Faerie and is rescued by a bear who turns out to be a cursed, scarred prince, she finds herself enchanted by his castle of talking creatures and starlight gowns—determined to unravel its secrets and break the curse before she’s sent home, even if it means losing her heart.
The Game of Hearts
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
After torching her reputation in 1920s London, Alice Liddell enters Faerie to compete in the queen’s deadly Game of Hearts, where winning grants a wish—but the closer she gets to victory, the clearer it becomes the price may be betraying those she loves most. A dark, atmospheric Alice in Wonderland reimagining with slow-burn romance.
Escaping Pirates by Mary Mecham
Heat: 2 Violence: 2 Language: 0
Captured and enslaved aboard a pirate ship, Elena finds an unexpected ally and forbidden love in a defiant fellow prisoner named Harlan—but when a sinister buyer and a world-altering secret threaten them both, she must choose between the freedom she craves and the love she can’t deny.
Whether you’re looking for a light romp in a fantasy world or something more intensely adventurous, this list has a wide range of clean fairytale retellings to choose from.
Want even more options? Grab my free 100+ Spice-Free Reading List. It covers everything from dragon books to fae fantasy to heist stories, all rated for heat, violence, and language just like this list. Click the link: rvbowman.com/readinglist, and I’ll send it straight to your inbox.