We all know watching sexy movies
can be fun, but reading our vicarious thrills can be just as
entertaining. In the words of Romance novel specialist, Anne Rice,
“Women have just as much right to pornography as men do, and I’m talking
about literary porn, erotica. If a woman wants to read about being
overwhelmed by a pirate, that’s her right.” Rather than ignoring the
existence of love in our lives, these romances celebrate how the best
love helps us to grow. If you’ve never picked up a romance novel, it
would be pretty easy to get trapped in the false assumption all romance
novels fall into the stereotype of “bodice-rippers” – heroes captured
heroines against their will and the women succumbed to heroes in
barely-disguised rape scenes. But as women evolve in society, so do the
women in romance novels.
While some popular erotica does little to displace this stereotype (looking at you, Fifty Shades of Grey), if
you peak into romance section of your local bookstore, you’ll find a
lot more than that. You’ll even find well-written books that
explore BDSM relationships and don’t glorify abuse and novels
featuring strong, smart, savvy women with independent minds and
relationships. So curl up on your couch with a glass of wine and one of
these steamy books!
1. In His Keeping by Maya Banks
“A sizzling story of a woman who risks her life and her
heart to find a wealthy man’s missing sister. Even though his sexual
intensity draws her like a magnet, she needs to get as far away from him
as she can.”
2. The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by Anne Rice
“In the traditional folktale of ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ the
spell cast upon the lovely young princess and everyone in her castle can
only be broken by the kiss of a Prince. It is an ancient story, one
that originally emerged from and still deeply disturbs the mind’s
unconscious. Now Anne Rice’s retelling of the Beauty story probes the
unspoken implications of this lush, suggestive tale by exploring its
undeniable connection to sexual desire. Here the Prince reawakens
Beauty, not with a kiss, but with sexual initiation. His reward for
ending the hundred years of enchantment is Beauty’s complete and total
enslavement to him as Anne Rice explores the world of erotic yearning
and fantasy in a classic that becomes, with her skillful pen, a
compelling experience.”
3. Lace by Shirley Conran
“A huge novel that was turned into a
Warner Brothers mini-series. Lili went from porno princess to Hollywood
star, and now she has mommy-issues: she wants to know which of four
women she’s summoned to her New York hotel is her mother, because she’d
like to destroy her. Let the over-the-top theatrics begin.”
4. Mr. Impossible by Loretta Chase
“This tale takes place in 1821, and hieroglyphics expert
Daphne comes into her own and learns that female intelligence and sexual
desire are, in fact, normal–not wrong. Daphne does not fall in love
with Rupert because of his looks (that’s why she lusts after him), but
rather because of his acceptance of and enthusiasm for her prodigious
intellect and healthy sexuality.”
5. Stolen by Jinx Jamison and Minx Malone
“The Madame X School of Sex series of
short ebooks are steamy cheap buys. This story is a prequel of sorts,
featuring characters from the series and showing how they started. Stolen
features a pickpocket with a cleavage to kill for who gets caught and
has to return a wallet. Perhaps readers who’ve seen the film 1959 French
film Pickpocket would find stirrings of a shared ecstasy, but honestly Stolen would probably kill the stoic and gaunt director Robert Bresson with a heart attack.”
6. My Secret Garden by Nancy Friday
“Nancy Friday broke new ground in her bestseller My Secret Garden
by revealing the real-life sexual fantasies of women, asserting that
“sexual freedom was never a part of modern feminism.” Her scenarios are
riotously fun to read. Here’s a fantasy about cheering on the Baltimore
Colt (ha!) football player Johnny Unitas from the stands.”
7. Collide by Gail McHugh
“Recent college graduate Emily Cooper
moves to New York City to cope with the death of her mother. She’s
comforted by a loving (but somewhat boring) dream boyfriend, but can’t
help being drawn to wealthy playboy Gavin Blake. Will she give in to her
temptations?”
8. In Death By JD Robb
“In a world of danger and deception, she walks the line
between seductive passion and scandalous murder. Eve Dallas is a New
York police lieutenant hunting for a ruthless killer. In over ten years
on the force, she’s seen it all, and knows her survival depends on her
instincts. And she’s going against every warning telling her not to get
involved with Roarke, an Irish billionaire, and a suspect in Eve’s
murder investigation. But passion and seduction have rules of their own,
and it’s up to Eve to take a chance in the arms of a man she knows
nothing about except the addictive hunger of needing his touch.”
9. Beauty from Pain by Georgia Cates
“Cocky Australian wine mogul Jack
McLachlan is content to treat girlfriends like they’re clients until he
meets Laurelyn Prescott, who might even be better at the game than he
is.”
10. I Can’t Think Straight by Shamim Sarif
“When Tala meets Leyla, they couldn’t be
worse for each other. But Tala, Palestinian, Christian, and planning her
wedding and Leya, British, Indian, Muslim, and dating Tala’s best
friend, can’t deny their chemistry. In a clash of culture, religion,
identity, and sexuality, their romance is poignant and titillating.”
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