If you loved
Fifty Shades of Grey and are on the lookout for another great love story and erotic read, look no further. We polled our Facebook friends to discover the best books to read after the bestselling Fifty Shades trilogy. If you are looking for exciting love stories, compelling wounded heroes, and some emotional roller coasters to satisfy your inner bookworm, here are the most engaging (and kinky) books out there.
Bared to You Vol 1, (Berkley Trade, 2012) and
Reflected in You (Berkley Trade, 2012) by Sylvia Day: The Crossfire trilogy tells the story of handsome, controlling businessman Gideon Cross and beautiful, sweet Eva Tramell. Many have compared the series with
Fifty Shades of Grey, but Day has unique and powerful twists in store for readers that make this erotic trilogy completely her own. Everyone is waiting breathlessly for the third book,
Entwined With You (Berkley Trade), which is due out this year.
Thoughtless (Gallery Books, 2012) and
Effortless (Gallery Books, 2013) by S.C. Stephens: These books tell of the love triangle between the main character Kiera, her handsome Aussie boyfriend, Denny, and the sexy musician, Kellan Kyle, who happens to be their roommate…and Denny’s best friend. Will Kiera be able to resist the temptation or will she end up betraying Denny to satisfy her desires? Read these two page-turners to find out!
Reckless come out soon
Love Unscripted (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2010) and
Love Unrehearsed (Atria Books, 2013) by Tina Reber: Like your erotica with a side of Hollywood glamour? Love Unscripted tells the story of A-list actor Ryan Christensen and the “everyday” woman Taryn Mitchell, whom he cannot seem to resist. Can their passionate bond survive the threat of paparazzi, tabloids, and the never-ending jealous and sometimes dangerous legions of women who want nothing more than to be with Ryan?
Backstage Pass (Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2010),
Rock Hard (Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2011), and
Double Time (Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2012) by Olivia Cunning: If you have ever fantasized about spending an erotic night with a famous, tattooed rock musician, then look no further than the Sinners on Tours series. This five-book series (Backstage Pass features the delectable Brian Sinclair) follows the individual rockers in their sexual exploits as they search for inspiration and true love while on the road and beyond. Double Time is the fifth book, but was released earlier than books three and four, which are due out this year.
Hot Ticket coming soon.
The Mighty Storm (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012) by Samantha Towle: This is the story of two childhood best friends who reconnect in a very passionate and powerful way after decades of separation. Jake Wethers is now a famous musician, and Trudy Bennett is a successful music journalist, but numerous roadblocks seem to prevent their happy ending, including Jake’s drug addiction and the fact that Trudy is in a relationship with someone else.
Gabriel’s Inferno (Penguin Publishing, 2012) and
Gabriel’s Rapture (Penguin Publishing, 2012) by Sylvain Reynard: If you enjoy erotica with a touch of classical literature, then look no further than this inspired series. Professor Gabriel Emerson is a Dante specialist with a troubled and dark personality, and Julia Mitchell is his innocent and virginal student that he cannot seem to resist…even though student/teacher relationships are strictly off-limits.
Anything He Wants #1,
Anything He Wants #2,
Anything He Wants #3 Anything He Wants #4
Anything He Wants #5 Anything He Wants (Paperback)(St. Martin's Griffin, 2012) by Sara Fawkes: This five-part series began as a USA Today bestselling e-serial novel and was picked up by a major publisher and released in paperback. Fawkes’s serial is already being compared with Fifty Shades of Grey, as the erotic story focuses on the dominating billionaire Jeremiah Hamilton and the beautiful Lucy Delacourt. Fawkes brings unique excitement and danger to this series thanks to Jeremiah’s dangerous business dealings, and Lucy soon finds herself at risk of having more than just her heart broken.
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty (Plume, 1983),
Beauty’s Punishment (Plume, 1984),
Beauty’s Release (Plume, 1985) by Anne Rice: Anne Rice’s trilogy is well known by erotica lovers across the world. However, this is far from the classic fairy tale. Instead, Beauty and her fellow Princes and Princesses are forced into sexual servitude at the hands of “masters” who employ all forms of BDSM to keep their subjects in excited submission.
On Dublin Street (NAL Trade, 2012) by Samantha Young: Beautiful Jocelyn tries to escape her tragic past (she recently lost everyone from her family to her best friend) by running away to Scotland where she tries to make a fresh start. She works quietly in a pub and tries to keep to herself, but all that changes when she runs into Braden Carmichael, a handsome, devil-may-care Scot who won’t take no for an answer. Soon he makes his way into her bedroom…and her heart.
Down to You (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012) by M. Leighton:
Down to You opens with Olivia out at a club with her friends for a group bachelorette party. There she meets sexy bad-boy and club owner Cash, whom she cannot seem to stop thinking about. Imagine her surprise when she runs into his identical twin Nash the next morning in the apartment she shares with a relative. Nash is the responsible and respectful guy Olivia is looking for, but there is just one problem — he is dating her cousin. Can Olivia resist her temptation for Nash, or will he end up being the right twin for her?
Up To Me just released
The Marriage Bargain (Entangled Select, 2012) by Jennifer Probst: Alexa Maria McKenzie is in dire financial straits when her best friend’s brother Nick Ryan (who happens to be a billionaire) offers her a proposal she can’t refuse: Marry in name only so that they each can have the stability they desire, but with no feelings or strings attached. Of course that might be difficult, especially since Alexa had a crush on the handsome Nick when they were growing up. Can the two stick to their bargain or will the temptation be too great? The author continues the love stories of other characters from the first book in
The Marriage Trap (Entangled Select, 2012) and
The Marriage Mistake (Entangled Select, 2012).
Rock Me (Samhain Publishing, Ltd., 2010) by Cherrie Lynn: If you like your bad boys with a little ink on them, look no further than this erotic tale of the sexual connection between good girl Candace Andrews and Brian, the sexy, tattooed bad-boy she can’t resist, no matter what her conservative family has to say about it.
Unleashed (Samhain Publishing, Ltd., 2010) by Cherrie Lynn: Kelsey had her heart shattered when her husband cheated on her and left her for another woman. Her best friend Evan can certainly relate — because Kelsey’s husband cheated with none other than his fiancée! The betrayal makes Evan see that Kelsey is the one for him, and he takes her away on what was meant to be his honeymoon…and from there the sexcapades and hot hookups take flight.
Blindfolded Innocence (Harlequin HQN, 2012) by Alessandra Torre: This book tells of the connection between divorce attorney Brad DeLuca and his hot new intern Julia Campbell. Although Julia tries to resist the handsome older man’s advances, the two soon find themselves entwined in a world of erotic sex that pushes the boundaries of what neither of them ever imagined.
Naked (Raine Miller Romance, 2012) and
All In (Atria Books, 2012) by Raine Miller: Naked is the first installment in a trilogy about model and art student Brynne Bennett and her relationship with Ethan Blackstone. Brynne is an American living abroad in London, and she poses as a photography model to help make ends meet — and when successful and rich Ethan lays eyes on her seductive photograph, he knows he has to have her. Their intense sexual connection unfolds dramatically, but ultimately they each must face the hidden secrets that keep peeking out of their past. The follow-up to this popular book, All In, takes the romantic thriller to even new depths of passion and mystery, and fans are already excited about the release of the third book, Eyes Wide Open, which is due out this year.
Losing It (William Morrow Paperbacks, 2012) by Cora Carmack: Bliss Edwards is a smart, beautiful college student who doesn’t want to graduate while still a virgin. She decides to lose her virginity in a passionate one-night stand, but she gets cold feet and leaves the gorgeous guy naked in his bed. Imagine her surprise when she walks into theater class and discovers her almost one-night stand is actually her new professor. Will Bliss be able to resist his charms? Or will she end up in bed with him once again?
When Summer Ends (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012) by Isabelle Rae: Beautiful high-school student Chloe Henderson sneaks out with her friends the summer before senior year and, with a fake ID, gets into a club where she meets the handsome bartender, Will Morris. They spend the summer connecting on physical and emotional levels, but imagine Chloe’s surprise when she walks into high school on the first day of school and finds out that Will is there…and that he is her calculus teacher. The two end things, but their connection is so intense that they can’t resist making each other jealous and desperately trying to forget each other to no avail.
Fade Into You, Fade Into Me, and
Fade Into Always (all by Amazon Digital Services Inc., 2012) by Kate Dawes: Beautiful Olivia Rowland is looking for a change after discovering her boyfriend’s infidelity. She leaves behind her Midwestern roots and heads out to L.A., where she finds a completely new world, as well as a very hot and very successful Hollywood producer, Max. Their sexual connection is undeniable, and he takes control in the bedroom like no other man Olivia has ever had — but will his personal demons threaten to leave her brokenhearted?
In Flight and Mile High (Up in the Air series, Amazon Digital Services Inc., 2012) by R.K. Lilley: Bianca is a beautiful but shy flight attendant. Despite her reserved nature, she is used to dealing with everyone from billionaires to supermodels; however, when she meets handsome and powerful James Cavendish, she can barely control herself. In Flight and Mile High tell the story of Bianca and James’s erotic and intense relationship, and the way the line between pain and pleasure can become blurred, as can the lines between sex and love.
Special thanks to the members of “What to Read After 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Book Club” for their suggestions.
