I hope you enjoyed my previous post on erotic classics from decades past.  But if you enjoy modern erotica more than the older stuff, give these titles a look!

Bared to You by Sylvia Day (June 2012)

There’s a lot of buzz about this book, and it seems to be at the top of a lot of summer to-read lists.  Some dismiss it as just a Fifty Shades copycat, while others say it’s better and even hotter.  The first in a new erotica trilogy (of course), Bared to You is the story of a young woman’s relationship with a possessive but emotionally distant millionaire.

Okay, so it’s pretty much exactly like Fifty Shades.  Come on, even the cover art is similar!  The only major differences between the two are the settings (Bared is set in New York) and the personality of the female protagonist.  Unlike the virginal Ana in Fifty Shades, Eva is just as emotionally damaged as her lover Gideon.  She was sexually abused as a child, and this makes it difficult for her to trust men, especially men like Gideon, who is hiding secrets of his own.

The sex scenes are a lot of fun and main characters are passable, but the story doesn’t really go anywhere other than “I like him but I’m not sure he’s right for me.”  Plus it’s so hard not to keep comparing this book to Fifty Shades when it’s so similar.  However, I will give the writing credit for being a lot more adult (i.e. no “inner goddess” or “holy Moses”).  There are hints that Eva and Gideon will enter into a D/s relationship in the next book, but this book contains very few BDSM elements.

If you want hot sex scenes with gorgeous people in them, Bared to You delivers.  The writing is pretty good, I just wish there was more to the plot and the characters.  I’m optimistic that the next book will explore the main characters in more depth.  The sequel is due out this October, and I’ll probably read it and review it in a future post, because I am curious to find out what happens!

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Please, Sir: Erotic Stories of Female Submission by Rachel Kramer Bussel (2010)

If short stories are your thing, then this collection will definitely get you all hot and bothered!  Please, Sir contains twenty-two BDSM stories involving female submissives.  This is a very diverse collection that spans across the BDSM spectrum, from spanking and light bondage to choking, punishment, heavy bondage, and multiple partners.  While there is some hard play in some of these stories, there is also an aspect of love and caring depicted as well, which makes this book rather intriguing.

This is a very well-edited collection, with a pretty wide range of topics to suit a variety of tastes.  There were only one or two stories that didn’t appeal to me (one involved “water sports”…but hey, to each her own), but I definitely enjoyed the vast majority of them.  A few of my favorites were “Anticipation,” “Long Time Gone,” and “The Negotiation.”

Aside from being engaging and arousing, what’s also appealing about these stories is how all the characters are regular people.  No gorgeous billionaires or geniuses with perfect bodies here.  The characters in Please, Sir could be your friends, coworkers, or neighbors.  Reading this book might make you look at the people around you and wonder who among them has a secret kinky side!

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Best Erotic Romance by Kristina Wright (2011)

If you’re in the mood for steamy sex but BDSM isn’t quite your cup of tea, then pick up this collection of hot short stories.  Trust me, it’s anything but vanilla!  From Cleis Press, the same company that published Please, Sir, this book offers passionate sex in a variety of fun situations.  The writers include Bared to You author Sylvia Day.

The main theme of this collection is romantic relationships.  The men and women in this book find themselves at different points in their relationships, and for them, sex and emotion are always connected.  ”First Night” tells the story of a couple’s wedding night, while in “Memories for Sale,” a couple wonders whether to end their marriage.  The couple in “What Happened in Vegas” decide to turn their off-and-on tryst into a long-term relationship, and in “Drive Me Crazy,” a manager and her subordinate decide to become more than just coworkers.

The sex is passionate, and the stories all portray loving couples in different kinds of relationships.  This collection is a great combination of romance and erotica, and is perfect for those who prefer more upbeat stories with happier endings.

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SM 101: A Realistic Introduction by Jay Wiseman (1998)

OK, so this one isn’t fiction, but I have a good reason for adding it in here!  I keep hearing about how the resurgence in the erotica genre has led to a huge boost in sales of ropes, cable ties, and other things that can be used to spice up one’s sex life.  And while that’s totally awesome, what some may not realize is that there are certain techniques involved in using this “equipment,” and everyone should know how to play safely.

SM 101 is written by an active member of the BDSM lifestyle, and is a great guide for newbies who are interested in experimenting with different types of play.  It covers everything, from spanking (yes, there are different ways to spank ) to bondage, clamps, knots, and any kinky thing you can think of.  It also covers safe words and contracts, and I’m willing to bet that EL James used this book as a reference for the Fifty Shades trilogy.

This book is extremely useful not only because it emphasizes safety, but because it tells you how to use toys and equipment in the most pleasurable way.  It could definitely use an update so that it’s more up to date with today’s technology  (it mentions payphones as opposed to cellphones for example), but it’s still a great book to get if you’re looking for bold new things to try with your significant other.  And it’s available for Kindle so no one has to know what you’re reading