Erotic fiction gets a bad reputation, and it’s frankly unfair. Just because a work of literature can be a sexual turn-on does not inherently make it less than. Even "smutty" shouldn't have such a negative connotation. Don’t let the bad eggs like Fifty Shades of Grey (despite its rampant popularity) keep you from the sumptuous and diverse world of romance. There are plenty of *actually* good erotic novels and romance novels out there—and some of them are so good that they've also made their way to your screens. Like, did you see Bridgerton??
Maybe you’re someone who's looking to give erotic romance novels a shot. Maybe you’ve already got a collection of paperbacks proudly displayed and are looking for some new recommendations. Whatever the case, we've rounded up some of the best erotic novels of all time for your ~reading pleasure~, and we'll warn you now: They're seriously steamy. From Regency-era romances to sexy contemporary romps, here are all the sexy books you should add to your reading list (and maybe keep from reading in public). Enjoy!!
Contemporary Erotic Novels
Bared To You by Sylvia Day
Eva Tramell may have had a tragic past that makes it hard to be intimate with anyone, but she can't help but feel pulled towards the hot young billionaire Gideon Cross, whose experiences aren't all that different from her own. Their white-hot connection brings them together, and transforms them both.
Rush by Maya Banks
This book is the first of three, so there's more to enjoy once you finish up Rush. Gabe Hamilton is one of the richest and most powerful men in the country who can get anything he wants, and now he's set his sights on his best friend's little sister who, once he sees her walk into his hotel's grand opening, he realizes isn't so little anymore.
Seducing Cinderella by Gina L. Maxwell
When champion mixed martial artist Reid Andrews gets badly injured, he goes to see Lucie, a physical therapist who's desperate to get a certain doctor to notice her. So in exchange for helping him get back in fighting shape, Reid teaches Lucie the art of seduction.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
When a best-selling erotica writer and a reclusive, award-winning novelist cross paths at a New York City literary event, their chemistry is instantaneous...and only partially because the two had a steamy, weeklong affair 15 years earlier. Their reunion? Even hotter.
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
In The Right Swipe, two rival dating app creators find themselves at odds in the boardroom but all over each other in the bedroom. If you're looking for an edgy modern romance with razor-sharp dialogue, then look no further.
While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory
In While We Were Dating, an actress looking to be Hollywood's next big star and an advertising executive with a flirty side find themselves unexpectedly falling for each other, and their romance goes waaaay beyond just physical attraction.
The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
This swoon-worthy romance tells the story of Stella, an economist on the spectrum and the male escort she recruits to give her some sexual experience. Though Michael the escort attempts to keep his relationship with Stella as professional as possible, it isn't long before these two start falling for each other.
You Make a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
Legendary author Akwaeke Emezi's latest novel is an achingly tender romance following a young bisexual artist who—five years after losing the love of her life in an accident—decides she's ready to get back into the dating scene. However, her new relationship is made complicated by the fact that she can't stop thinking about her boyfriend's dad. Enter: literally all the spice and drama.
Mythology and Fantasy Erotic Novels
Kushiel's Dart by Jacqueline Carey
Phèdre nó Delaunay, a young woman in the land of Terre d'Ange, has spent her life in indentured servitude. When her bond is purchased by nobleman Anafiel Delaunay, she's finally recognized for what she truly is: one who's been pricked by Kushiel's Dart, forcing her to forever experience pain and pleasure simultaneously. When she uncovers a plot that could destroy her homeland, she must use her talents to save who and what she loves.
Dark Lover by J. R. Ward
Wrath is the only purebred vampire left on the planet, and he's on a mission to take down the slayers who killed his parents. But when his best fighter is killed, his mission changes, and he now must escort the fighter's beautiful daughter to another world. She's a little scared of Wrath, but can't help but find his darkness a little sexy.
Neon Gods by Katee Robert
Let's be honest, Hades and Persephone are definitely having their big moment in the book world right now. And we can't get enough of Katee Robert's Neon Gods, which brings our favorite couple to life in a new way that will make you feel as hot as it is in the underworld.
Girl Meets Boy by Ali Smith
Loosely based on Ovid's myth of Iphis and Ianthe, Ali Smith's genderfluid novel tells the love story between Anthea, who works for a company producing bottled water, and Robin, a genderqueer environmental activist, and it's as steamy as it is inventive.
The Pisces by Melissa Broder
While not based on any specific myth, Melissa Broder's wildly erotic novel does tell the tale of a woman who—after moving to Venice Beach to finally finish her dissertation on Sappho—finds herself falling for a merman and questioning everything she once held to be true. Just trust us on this one.
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
The first installment in a series, A Court of Thorns and Roses revolves around 19-year-old huntress Feyre who finds herself captured by a beast...except, he's not actually a beast, but instead an immortal faerie for whom she starts to develop feelings after he drops his icy facade. Plot twist!
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty by Anne Rice
In this dark retelling of the Sleeping Beauty fairy tale, the Prince wakes Sleeping Beauty with way more than a mere kiss. Admittedly, this '90s classic could use a lesson on consent, but the four-part series is still undeniably hot.
Science Fiction Erotic Novels
Fury by Laurann Dohner
Ellie makes a shocking discovery at the pharmaceutical company she works for: they're doing illegal experiments, manipulating human and animal DNA to create new species. One of those experiments, Fury, has spent his life chained up in a cell, and Ellie finds herself wanting to save him at any cost, even though he'll hate her for it. But once he's free and looking for vengeance, he can't actually bring himself to do anything to Ellie. Well, nothing deadly anyway.
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
Listen, you knew this one was going to be on here. Ruby Dixon's 22-part series about blue aliens abducting women and taking them back to their planet has been a monster hit and taken the book world by storm. So much so, that the series has been recently republished with a special new cover so you don't feel too embarrassed when you take it with you for a hot beach day.
Lilith's Brood by Octavia E. Butler
Chances are you're familiar with sci-fi legend Octavia E. Butler, but you may not be as familiar Lilith's Brood, which was originally written as three separate parts of a trilogy—Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago—with stories revolving around the evocative and sensual process of human transformation. Warning you now: You're not ready for Dawn.
Naked in Death by J. D. Robb
The first installment in the (very lengthy) Death series, this novel is set in the year 2058, following New York detective Eve Dallas as she investigates a series of grisly murders...and starts developing feelings for her prime suspect. Oh, and did we mention that J. D. Robb is actually a pseudonym for Nora Roberts?
Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
Best known as the book that inspired The Shape of Water, this 1982 classic recounts the love story between a lonely housewife and the monster that's just escaped the Institute for Oceanographic Research—and yep, it's as wild as unexpectedly sexy as it sounds.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
In this time travel romance, a former amateur detective named August who recently moved to New York City finds love with a rather interesting person: punk-rock lesbian Jane who's from the 1970s and trapped on the subway, having been misplaced by time. Expect the unexpected with this one.
Classic Erotic Novels
Tropic of Cancer by Henry Miller
This book caused quite the stir when it came out in 1934, and was even banned in the US for being "obscene." These days, it's usually included on lists of books everyone has to read at least once in their life. It's set in France during the late '20s to early '30s and is based on the author's own life as a struggling writer, including many candid descriptions of his sexual conquests.
Emmanuelle by Emmanuelle Arsan
Told from the perspective of a young bisexual Frenchwoman in 1967, the (many) erotic scenes in this one seem to unfold like a hazy dream. The language is literary, but the plot is minimal, not getting in the way of the many ways Emmanuelle explores her desire with women and men everywhere from her overnight flight to a squash court to an opium den.
The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough
Get this book ASAP if sweeping, soap-opera-style romance turns you on...or you're wondering why this book—which was later adapted into one of the most highly rated TV miniseries of the '80s—had your moms and grandmothers all aflutter.
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawrence
While now considered a masterpiece, this steamy love story—which revolves around an extramarital affair between an unhappy woman married to an aristocrat and a gamekeeper—was banned as pornography until 1960. Be sure to read it before it becomes a movie starring Emma Corrin.
Story of O by Pauline Réage
Published in 1954 by French author Anne Desclos under the pen name Pauline Réage, Story of O tells the story of a Parisian fashion photographer who wants nothing more than to bring sexual satisfaction to her lover, René, and phew, it is hot!!
A Sport and a Pastime by James Salter
Considered one of the sexiest books of all time, James Salter's classic takes place in provincial France in the 1960s, following the wildly carnal love affair between a carefree Yale dropout and a young French woman.
Historical Erotic Novels
The Lady's Tutor by Robin Schone
Elizabeth is leading what seems to be the ideal Victorian lady life, married to the man her father chose for her. The only problem is there's zero passion there and Elizabeth wants to feel wanted. So, she seeks out a man who can teach her to seduce her husband, but soon, she and her tutor find themselves feeling a forbidden passion for each other.
The Lost Duke of Wyndham by Julia Quinn
If you love the Bridgerton series then this book by the same author needs to be your next read. Jack Audley is happy in his life as a soldier (and a rake), but when he's recognized as the long-lost heir to the House of Wyndham, he finds himself facing a title he never wanted. But Grace Eversleigh might just make his new world a little more exciting. He desperately wants her and she can't help but feel a passionate spark with him, but if he is the real Duke, he's the one man she can't ever be with.
An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
Set against the backdrop of the Civil War, Alyssa Cole's suspenseful (and suuuuper sexy novel) follows two undercover agents who share a common cause...as well as a whole lot of chemistry in the bedroom.
Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters
Sarah Waters' first novel takes place in late 19th-century England, telling the story of an inexperienced young oyster girl who falls for music hall phenomenon and famed male impersonator Kitty Butler, eventually following her to London. Prepare yourself for cunnilingus euphemisms aplenty.
A Night to Surrender by Tessa Dare
Everything Tessa Dare writes is sexy AF, but the first book in her Spindle Cove series is supremely hot, following a wounded war hero eager to prove himself and his unexpected encounter with a strong-willed spinster.
The Last Nude by Ellis Avery
Inspired by the life of artist Tamara de Lempicka, The Last Nude takes place in 1927 Paris, following the love affair between a young Italian-American runaway named Rafaela and a wealthy aspiring painter, who convinces Rafaela to serve as her muse.
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
Loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn, this definitely-not-historically-accurate historical novel tells the tale of how Mary fell for King Henry VIII before his ill-fated marriage to Queen Catherine…and before he fell in love with—and murdered—her sister, Anne.
Erotic Novels with Film and TV Adaptations
Normal People by Sally Rooney
If you haven't read the book that inspired the incredibly horny Hulu series, then you really should. Normal People follows the tumultuous romance between Connell and Marianne, two Irish students who fight, fail to communicate, and have lots of sex between their final year in secondary school and their final year at Trinity College.
Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
You'll love this book if you loved the movie adaptation, ofc, and want to see how Aciman originally wrote that peach scene. But also, you will love it if you were ever a teenager with a massive, confusing crush on someone who would definitely leave you at the end of the summer, making every single touch of theirs intense and explosive.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
This romance follows the hot-and-heavy marriage between an artist and her husband, who has a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel...which obv complicates things. If you thought the Rachel McAdams movie was hot, then you should def check out the HBO series.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Before it became a sexy historical time-travel series on Starz, Outlander was a bestselling book series by Diana Gabaldon, following the love story between a former World War II combat nurse and an 18th-century Scottish Highland warrior. There are eight books in the series, so these should keep you amused for a while.
The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Just like Outlander, Julia Quinn's erotic Regency romance novels were a book series before they were adapted into the Netflix smash hit Bridgerton, and if you haven't read all eight book in the series yet, then what are you waiting for??
Internet-Famous Erotic Novels
Praise by Sara Cate
Praise is book one in the Salacious Players' Club series and you're going to be hooked from the very first page. Meet Charlotte and Emerson as they start to explore a relationship where one finally gets what they've wanted and another discovers something about themselves that they never knew before. The title alone should give you a big hint as to what to expect.
Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren
Before they became a household name under Christina Lauren, our favorite writing duo released this story as fanfiction and readers have been obsessed ever since. Not only is it another Twilight fanfic that has surprised readers, but it might also just be Christina Lauren's hottest book yet.
Priest by Sierra Simone
If you found yourself drooling over the Hot Priest in Fleabag, then you definitely have to pick up this title. What happens when a priest breaks his vow of celibacy? You're going to have to read to find out.
The Mindf*ck Series by S.T. Abby
Not only did this series introduce us to one of the most incredible pen names to have ever existed (just repeat it a few times in your head), but it also give us a hot new story that will literally live up to its name. She's a serial killer and he's an FBI Agent who is trying to find her. Thankfully, all five books are now available in an anthology that you won't be able to put down.
Night Shift: A Choose-Your-Own Erotic Fantasy by Joanna Angel
Simon & Schuster Night Shift: A Choose-Your-Own Erotic Fantasy by Joanna Angel
If you want a Choose Your Own Adventure but with ~sexploration~, then this is the book for you. Adult film actress, director, and author Joanna Angel dreamed up this witty tale of college grad Taryn, a young woman working the titular shift at a sex shop in central Florida, and her night gets as wild as you would like.
