8 Erotica Books That Will Make Your Night WAY More Interesting

As a sex educator and coach, I often have women tell me they want to explore new sexual fantasies, but aren’t sure where to begin; they lack the material to get the creative juices flowing. In response, I offer up one simple word: erotica.

While mainstream porn is catered to the male gaze, erotica is designed for the ladies. It's an amazing escape from everyday life, and a truly great way to explore one’s darkest and most intimate fantasies. It opens you up to a whole new world of sexuality, all packaged up into a thrilling storyline that keeps you on (and curling) your toes.

You never know what might tickle your fancy, so be sure to explore lots of different genres—one heterosexual reader told me she swears by lesbian erotica to get off.

No clue where to start? I did the dirty work for you: 

1The Best Lesbian Erotica, Volume 2

Say it with me, ladies: NO MORE BORING SEX BOOKS. Give me that sweet, sweet lesbian sexiness on high.

It’s no secret that most erotica is geared towards male/female couples. Luckily, this book blows that notion out of the water. The author, Sacchi Green, is a well-known editor in the erotica world, and she gathered her fave queer erotic short stories published this year for her book.

Ever imagined kissing a beautiful woman while she slides a hand up your thigh? Yeah, me too. Every girl-on-girl first-time experience, threesome fantasy, and ferocious group sex scene you’ve ever thought of is here for your reading pleasure.

2Best Women’s Erotica of the Year, Volume 3

Sometimes you just need a bite-sized quick n’ dirty before you go to bed. Totally get that. You’re a busy lady.

I've found this anthology of short stories is perfect for that. If you’re more interested in quickie stories than committing to an entire book, check out this anthology of the best women’s erotica.

This book was edited by Rachel Kramer Bussell, another prominent author in the industry. And with her expertise, she's compiled a collection of bite-sized stories for brief moments of bliss.

The stories focus on female characters, exploring everything from posing nude, to bondage scenes, to role play, to titillating threesomes. The third volume just came out a few months ago, and it's hot and ready for you to order.

3Night Shift

Sometimes I read erotica and I’m like, “Why would you do that? That isn’t even something a person would ever do. No! Don’t just have sex without foreplay. Nipple stimulation isn’t enough, Jonathan!” Well, good news: Thanks to this book, the frustration is over, my friends.

Night Shift starts out as a story about a young college girl who's working at an adult toy store. But from the first page, this book becomes a choose-your-own-adventure. It's like those books you loved as a kid, but with a much sexier theme.

There are seemingly endless options. From a robbery, to a truckstop hookup, to the wild world of butt plug exploration—you may just learn a few things about your own preferences along the way.

4Asarotica

All hail porn star Asa Akira. Did you know she was dubbed the Anal Queen? The more you know...

Anywho, this world-famous porn star and author has gifted us with a collection of stories written by adult film actors, inspired by their own experiences. That’s right! Porn stars writing erotica. What could be better than that?

It's a look inside the true fantasies of the very people we see in our favorite porn scenes. Authors include famous names like Joanna Angel, Tasha Reigen, Rachel Madori, and Charlotte Cross.

This 22-story collection has everything you could ever want in a sexy storybook, from threesomes to anal play, and every weird fetish you’ve wondered about, too. What’s more, many of the stories explore what it’s like to be a porn star, off-camera. Intrigued yet?

5Double Life

I love me some Grey’s Anatomy and I love me some Al Pacino movies. Which means, I love medical/stripper/gangster sex books, like Double Life. Get on this book. It’s a two-volume series fans are obsessed with (myself included).

Here's the deal: The main character, Vanessa Xanderlewski, is newly divorced from an abusive man (who's also a drug lord—drama!), and she's working as a surgical nurse. Vanessa is trying to raise and provide for her children, but nursing just isn’t enough to keep them afloat. So she becomes an exotic dancer at a gentlemen's club.

It's all smooth sailing until, one day, she makes a choice that changes everything. Spoiler: She gives into lust. You know the drill. *wink wink*

6Hidden

As an empowered woman, I struggle with two strong desires: to be totally autonomous, and to be, well, a submissive slut in bed. It’s a power dynamic that gets complicated, y'all! Luckily for me (and you, if you relate) this sexy, sexy book satisfies that very dual need.

The story is about a small-town Connecticut art teacher named Ellie James (independent lady), who's life is turned upside down when she meets Will Hastings, an Englishman with a sexy dark side. Fifty Shades tingles, anyone?

Days after they meet, Ellie's sister and grandmother are murdered, and she must confront the unthinkable: Is Will a man she can trust, a killer, or what?

From there unfolds an insane story of passion, obsession, HOT sex scenes, and so many twists and turns. (Here's where that submissive slut part comes in.)

This seductive thriller will keep you on your toes…and probably on your back.

7Untamed Cowboy

Did you love that Nicholas Sparks movie The Longest Ride? The one about the super hot sorta-forbidden romance with a cowboy? Okay, well this book is like that, only with way more sex and deception. Give me a cowboy and a double life and I am HERE FOR IT.

In Untamed Cowboy, nothing is as it seems. The main character, Kaylee, appears to have a perfect relationship with her boyfriend Bennett.

Except there's a catch: Kaylee is still holding on to feelings for her high school boo. So when she has an unexpected, sexual-tension-filled run-in with her long-lost sweetheart, it changes everything. Nothing like a good love triangle, amiright?!

Eventually, they can't keep denying their chemistry, and Kaylee has to choose between Bennett and this untapped passion for another man. (Yeah, she's balancing two hot dudes. I'll just let you think about where this one might go...)

8Unspeakably Erotic: Lesbian Kink

Now, I’m not saying you ARE a queer girl like me, but you know you’ve thought about it. No shame. Lesbian sex is HOT.

And what could be better than a collection of queer-girl erotic scenes? A collection of queer-girl erotic BDSM scenes, that's what. Pain play, sadist mastery, leather—this collection certainly doesn't fall short on the erotic charge. I guarantee it'll give you a sex flush.

With stories from famed erotica authors such as Sacchi Green and Kiki DeLovely, you have plenty of scenes to look forward to: a cuckolding fantasy played out, a girl who dreams of becoming a kitten (yes, the animal) during sex, and a seriously fiery femme dom.

This book is a hybrid of stories that may push you far outside your comfort zone (and scare you a tad), into a world of leather fantasies galore.