1. E.L. James

 Best Known For: The ‘Fifty Shades’ Trilogy (Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed)

“There’s a very fine line between pleasure and pain. They are two sides of the same coin, one not existing without the other” – Fifty Shades of Grey  

British author E.L. James hit the erotic big leagues when her ‘Fifty Shades’ trilogy was published in 2011. The story follows the journey of American college student Anastasia Steele, and her relationship the elusive and sexually dominant Christian Grey.

Fifty Shades sent sizzling waves through the erotic reading community with its explicit depiction of sex, bondage, dominance/submission and sadomasochism. The first book in the trilogy – Fifty Shades of Grey – was the fastest selling paperback of all time and is a fantastic book to read if you want to truly put a hardcore spark into your sex life.

Read It If: You want to challenge your sexual comfort zone, push those hot bedroom boundaries or simply gain a seductive insight into the world of bondage and masochism. Laters, baby.

2. K. Bromberg

Best Known For: The ‘Driven’ Trilogy (Driven, Fueled, Crash)

“I will revel in that moment with him which will be filled with reverent sighs and entangled bodies, and I’ll be devastated when he walks away after having his fill of me” – Driven

There are few men like Colton Donovan – he’s a racing car driver, he’s steamingly good-looking and he likes to be in charge. Unfortunately, so does Rylee Thomas. And when the two collide unexpectedly, passion, heat and the need for control boil to the brink … and then spill over in erotic fury.

Packed with fiery, fast-paced tension and juicy sex scenes, the Driven Trilogy is a must if you love to see racy eroticism come to life in the midst of strong-willed characters, punchy dialogue, twisted bodies and even the possibility of real love.

Read It If: You enjoy a feisty power play (both in and out of the bedroom), coupled with the pressure of sexual surrender and a hot yet tear-jerking lovers’ journey.

3. J. Kenner

 Best Known For: The ‘Stark’ Trilogy (Release Me, Claim Me, Complete Me)

“Pleasure? We’re going to blow the roof off pleasure. I’m going to make you beg for it. I’m going to claim you. I’m going to tease you…” – Release Me

With her origins in writing, filmmaking and law, Julie Kenner is now a New York Times best selling erotic writer. Often compared to the Fifty Shades series, the Stark Trilogy is Kenner’s most loved erotic work. Damien Stark springs off the page in rippled, dominant glory and when Nikki Fairchild becomes his submissive, we dive into a world of no-holds-barred eroticism, pleasure and pain and the enthralling satisfaction of BDSM.

Read It If: You love seeing a good power struggle develop into throbbing love scenes or if you enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey but want something slightly less explicit.

4. Olivia Cunning 

 Best Known For: ‘Sinners On Tour’ series, ‘One Night With Sole Regret’ series

“Sometimes a beautiful woman just needs a hard, slow f**k against a wall with a perfect stranger. I understand” – Double Time

We all know that touring as a famous rock band involves plenty of groupies, not to mention sinful, pumping sex.

Each book in Cunning’s erotically charged series (both ‘Sinners On Tour’ and ‘One Night With Sole Regret’) focuses on a different male member of the band, and a different female character. Each narrative delves into what it really means to hook up with a rock star – to be ravaged, to be insatiably out of control and to even find the possibility of passionate, racy true love.

Read It If: You have ever dreamed of being a naughty groupie or if you simply want to indulge your rock star or celebrity fantasies!

 5. Jennifer Probst

 Best Known For: ‘Married to a Billionaire’ series, ‘Steele Brothers’ series, ‘Searching’ series

“He invaded her mouth, plunging his tongue inside the slick, silky cave, then closed his lips around the wet flesh and sucked hard. She grabbed for his shoulders, and made a little moan deep in her throat. Then she exploded” – The Marriage Bargain

One of the much-loved masters of contemporary, erotic romance, Jennifer Probst is a writer who will have you aching for more lust, more love and even more head-butting, emotion-sizzling, body-bumping antics!

Like Olivia Cunning, each of Probst’s books focuses on a new couple and a new, lust-driven relationship, with lots of obstacles to overcome and fierce, blazing, fervent sex scenes to be had along the way.

Read It If: You want your erotic tales to be a little more emotionally charged. Also great if you love to get in bed with new characters, rather than follow the same couple over a trilogy or series.

By Jenifer Grant