I don’t read romance. Nor do I read erotica.
I should, though.
You read the work of, say, Delilah Dawson?
Or Karina Cooper?
Or Tiffany Reisz?
They’re damn fine writers.
And they’re writing damn fine books.
Books that are, by genre taxonomy, romance or erotica.
See, it’s starting to occur to me that in a lot of ways even books that are “one genre” should really have labels where the genre components are broken out like ingredients. Horror is a genre. So is mystery. And yet, so many books contain both horror and mystery in some percentage. Further, some books contain romance and erotica (love and sex, baby) in some percentage. These aren’t mere categorizations; these are storytelling components.
Anyway. So.
I’m writing the second book in my YA trilogy.
And it has a lot more romance than the first book.
It even has some sexytimes.
So, I want to read more romance. And erotica.
And you’re going to tell me what to read.
Make recommendations. Excellent writing. Good story. Romance and/or erotica.
Make with the books. *slaps own ass then feels embarrassed about it*
Shae Connor says:
S.A. already mentioned several great M/M romance authors. I’d recommend reading some in this genre specifically because you’ll find more male authors than in most other romance genres. In addition to those S.A. mentioned, try Rick R. Reed (who also writes horror), Christopher Koehler, and Geoffrey Knight; in the YA romance arena, James Erich, Jeff Erno, and John Goode.
April 8, 2013 — 8:51 PM
Kari Young says:
I’m sure you’ve heard these before but Victoria Dahl’s Start Me Up, Jennifer Crusie’s Bet Me and Samantha Young’s On Dublin Street.
April 8, 2013 — 8:54 PM
Andys says:
It’s listed as m/m romance, but it’s really a very good science fiction story: Incursion – http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/incursion Check it out. (I also have some books classified as m/m romance, and one of my Infected series books won a Rainbow Award last year, But I’d be the first to admit, my books aren’t romance. They just have gay characters.)
April 8, 2013 — 9:46 PM
Jean T. says:
I’m huge into the romance genre and a bit picky, but I want to toss out recommendations for Tessa Dare, Jennifer Ashley, and Mary Jo Putney for excellent historical romances, and Shannon K Butcher and Lilith Saintcrow(particularly ‘Taken’ from the Harlequin Nocturne imprint) for paranormal romance. Putney and Saintcrow also have YA series out.
April 8, 2013 — 10:41 PM
Karen says:
I’d recommend Shiloh Walker’s new book Wrecked. Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire, Easy by Tammara Webber, Taken by Kelli Maine. I’d also say Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely series, and in particular Ink Exchange. I could go on, but I’ll stop now.
April 8, 2013 — 10:46 PM
Heather says:
I suggest the first Kushiel Trilogy (Kushiel’s Dart, Kushiel’s Chosen, Kushiel’s Avatar), by Jacqueline Carey.
April 8, 2013 — 11:52 PM
Dana Delamar says:
Having read several of your books, Chuck, I think you’re the last writer I ever expected to be writing anything romantic! But I’m glad you’re not afraid to go there. (Obviously, I’ve forgotten who I’m talking to. Of course you’ll go anywhere. Probably without pants.) I highly recommend Megan Hart’s BROKEN and Livia Ellis’s MEMOIRS OF A GIGOLO series as great examples of intelligent, well-written erotica.
April 9, 2013 — 2:13 AM
Jess says:
In the eyes of Mr Fury by Philip Ridley. A YA book that changed my worldview as a teenager, dealing with love, friendship and how others shape our view of ourselves. It should be much better known than it is.
And of course, my fantastic book, First Cut is the Deepest. Love, erotica, grief, self-harm, families, and lots of swearing. It’s brilliant. You should read it. You’ll like it.
April 9, 2013 — 5:25 AM
Laurie Evans says:
Loretta Chase. Lord of Scoundrels. I (fourth? fifth?) that book.
April 9, 2013 — 4:49 PM
Veronica Rundell says:
Simone Elkeles–Perfect Chemistry/Rules of Attraction/Chain Reaction are realistic YA romance that is a nice mix of sensuality and some small sex scenes. She also writes both male and female first-person POV, so this is a good perspective.
April 9, 2013 — 7:13 PM
matt blissett (@mattblissett) says:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Love-We-Make-ebook/dp/B007X6V2II/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365591534&sr=8-1&keywords=matt+blissett
I did this as a series of short episodes, somewhere between drama and erotica and working on things that aren’t necessarily transgressive but that I haven’t seen. Eight episodes for the first season and I am working on a second. It is written from a female first person POV, about a married woman having an affair because I found that women’s approach to sexuality and experiences of sex makes for more poetic expression.
April 10, 2013 — 7:03 AM
Gabryyl Pierce (@Gabryyl) says:
I always say Tiffany but you have her, so Kait Nolan doeas great YA romance with kick ass girls – no Bellas allowed. For erotica/erotic romance, definitely Mary Calmes, Kitty Thomas & Scarlet Parrish. For fun/romcom the one and only Tawna Fenske.
April 10, 2013 — 7:22 PM
Michele Bardsley says:
Anything by Joey Hill ( http://www.storywitch.com/ ) or Evangeline Anderson ( http://www.evangelineanderson.com/ ). Very emotionally charged, but lots of naughty, naughty, too!
April 12, 2013 — 3:28 PM
draconismoi says:
Ilona Andrews’ The Edge Series or Meljean Brook’s Iron Sea Series.
I think you particularly enjoy the latter as it is romance in a futuristic steampunk world with nanotechnology and zombies. Also, as is sadly uncommon in romance series, it does incorporate safe sex.
April 14, 2013 — 3:12 PM