Tue
Mar 6 2012 4:33pm

What to Read After Finishing Fifty Shades of Grey: Suggestions?

Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. JamesThe internet phenomenon of E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey has reached the mainstream—and so the Today show asked, in an addendum to its rant-inducing coverage, “Would you admit reading the scandalous novel Fifty Shades of Grey?

As though, once again, we should be ashamed of anything we’re reading.

But since perhaps you’ve already read it—and admitted it!—what other books would you suggest for people wanting to read more of the same type of book?

We’ll round up suggestions and do a recommendation post in a few days.

E.L. James's Fifty Shades Trilogy: ‹ previous | index | next ›
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56 comments
Alma Katsu
1. Alma Katsu
Okay, I'll be a jerk and suggest my book, The Taker--but it's gotten a lot of comments from readers about it's dark sexual/sensual tone.
Alma Katsu
2. Lege Artis
Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard- great book. And it's written by a man.
Broken by Megan Hart- I bought 5 more of her books because of this one.
Willing Victim by Cara McKenna-don't let the name turn you away.
The Principal's Office by Jasmine Haynes
Sweet as Sin by Inez Kelley
Alma Katsu
3. Lege Artis
@Alma Katsu - I love The Taker, can't wait for The Reckoning. I didn't mind dark sensual parts when writing was so skilled and rich.
Darlene Marshall
4. darlenemarshall
The Wicked West by Victoria Dahl; Top of Her Game by Emma Holly; Natural Law by Joey W. Hill; another vote for Willing Victim by Cara McKenna, and if you're looking for paranormal, The Vampire Queen's Servant by Joey Hill.
Alma Katsu
5. tgentry90
I haven't read the FIFTY SHADES books YET but several of my friends have & some of them read BEAUTIFUL DISASTER after they finished the series. They say if you like 50 SHADES you'll like BEAUTIFUL DISASTER.
http://www.amazon.com/Beautiful-Disaster-ebook/dp/B0052VUNHC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331075320&sr=8-2
marion bergner
6. ducky
I second the love for Megan Hart's BROKEN and Cara McKenna's WILLING VICTIM - both so good!

I didn't like FIFTY SHADES but would love to read a good erotic romance about a kinky guy falling for a vanilla woman and how they make it work. Anybody have any recs?
Jessica O'Brien
7. JLOBrien
@ducky- Lorelei James' "Cowboy Casanova" from her Rough Riders series has some BDSM, not incredibly hardcore (in my opinion)...but very kinky. And the main character Bennett McKay is smoking hot.
Alma Katsu
8. DeannaP
The Fifty Shades trilogy was awesome and I recommend it to all who will listen. I also liked Dante Inferno by Sylvain Renard, the Masters of the Shadowlands series by Cherise Sinclair, the Edge series by Eve Berlin and The Reluctant Dom by Tymber Dalton
marion bergner
9. ducky
@JLOBrian - thanks for the rec!

@DeannaP - Oh, I read one Cherise Sinclair called MAKE ME, SIR, I thought Marcus was so sexy.
Deanna
10. sharisse
@Ducky: I have read every Cherise Sinclair book (within a 2 week span) except The Starlight Rite. I love her books.
Alma Katsu
11. Lege Artis
@ducky
Provoke me by Cari Quinn
Liberating Lacey is quite famous...
Shugar and Spice by Mari Carr
The Principal's Office by Jasmine Haynes is new book (february 7.) and I loved it! One of the best things I read this year. And it's smoking hot... Try it, I think you won't be dissapointed.;)
Vanessa Ouadi
12. Lafka
I don't really understand why Fifty shades of grey is considered that scandalous a reading and creates such a phenomenon. I guess I'm just too much into erotic romance to really be shocked or even simply unsettled by E.L. James' book. The first "erotic" books I've ever read was Marquis de Sade's, and I was around 14 at the time, so... yeah, I guess one thing explains another. Nihil novi sub sole.

I haven't read most of the books recommanded so far, thank you guys for adding new books to my TBR list (Gabriel's Inferno was already there)!
As to books I think Fifty Shades of Grey's enthousiasts might like :
- Barbara Elsborg's An Ordinary Girl _ just loved it!
- Samantha Blaire's Generational Sins (spicier than Fifty Shades, and with tougher BDSM elements)
- Laura Kaye's Hearts in Darkness (not an erotic book but with high sexual tension)
- Cherrie Lynn's Rock me (if you don't mind pierced/tattooed characters)
- Z Stefani's Insufferable Proximity (definitely steamy, the heroine is not a naive young girl)
Already mentionned, Jamie McGuire's Beautiful Disaster was very good too :)
MKJDobson
13. Rose In RoseBear
I can also recommend Cherise Sinclair, especially the Masters of the Shadowlands series and the connected Master of the Mountain / Master of the Abyss pair.

If you like wildly erotic SF/Master and Commander mashups, you cannot go wrong with Morgan Hawke's Star series!

Ann Jacobs' Heart of the West series features some interesting characters, including a physically disabled Dom.
Alma Katsu
14. Lege Artis
@Lafka- I'm with you, I don't know why it's such a big deal. There are more scandalous books with steamier sex. I read somewhere that people who are into BDSM find this book vanilla.:) I was laughing so hard on that ridiculous story in TodaysShow about suburb housewives and their dirty little fanatasies that can shock some viewers... I'm supporting this Fifty Shades frenzy, 'cause people are asking what else can they read and it leads them and me to some great new books.;)
Kristin O
15. krismas29
-Joey W. Hill's Ice Queen and sequel Mirror of My Soul; though both have much more intense BDSM elements.
-Wicked Ties by Shayla Black
-Tie Me Down by Tracy Wolff
marion bergner
16. ducky
@Lege Artis - thank you for your recs! Scurries off to look up the titles....

This is such an interesting and informative thread.
Alma Katsu
17. Annabel Joseph
I agree with the other recommendations and if you're looking for more in the vein of Beautiful Disaster and Fifty Shades, I'll put my book Mercy out there.

Last year around this time it was number one on Amazon's erotica bestseller list for a few weeks, I think because it was controversial and kind of hardcore to new BDSM romance readers. Even now it's still one of my best selling books and the dominant, Matthew, always comes out far and above at the top of my "hottest dom" contests. I wouldn't say it's a book to study appropriate BDSM by any stretch, but with that said, people tell me it rocked their worlds and was quite a guilty pleasure all the same. :-)
alyssa
18. phead427
i loved fiftys trilogy but mostly for how grey got be who he is and then change. okay so the sex was really great too. i second the suggestion of generational sins by samantha blair. and suggest Raw Desires by Kate Pearce . there is a menage relationship for those who may not care for that
Alma Katsu
19. Aninopeace
I loved reading the "Fifty Shades" trilogy, and yes, I was shocked when I first read it. But I'm glad that the members in my group, P.A Lupton for instance, encouraged me to get past the scandalous parts and just read the book. So glad that I did! Since I've finished the trilogy, what has helped to get past my "Fifty Shades" Withdrawal is reading anything written by Tymber Dalton. I found that "The Reluctant Dom" was really good..
Ginny Doremus
20. FaeRhi
Ok, so I have yet to read this Triology but now, after the whole Dr. Drew thing, and all the articles on here, I MUST!

But if you want fanfiction, BDSM, pushing boundaries, etc;

A.N. Roqueluare (a.k.a. Anne Rice) wrote a Sleeping Beauty Trilogy:
The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty
Beauty's Punishment
Beauty's Release

This takes the original idea of Sleeping Beauty into a WHOLE new world of BDSM, where young men and women are sent to a different kingdom to be trained as slaves, and Beauty is claimed by the Prince of this Kingdom. Immediately she is thrust into this world, but she doesn't necessarily go quietly. Also, she has quite a few loves throughout this series, and you find yourself loving each of them as well. With a happy ending (or quite a few, winkwinknudgenudge), it's a great trilogy.

I LOVED this series and I find myself reading it over and over again. You should definitely look this up (if you're ready) for a bit more hard-core BDSM with characters you know. I've recommended it to many of my friends, even those who had previously shown no interest in the darker areas of pleasure; the line where pain & pleasure gets blurred.
Alma Katsu
21. JTMurphy
Another vote for Beautiful Disaster!
Wiling Victim was pretty good, but not memorable for me.
Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia is one of my favorites of 2012 so far!
Janet Schneider
22. Janet Schneider
Great post! The exposion of FSG et al is turning into an opportunity to steer newbie library patrons in interesting ways. @Alma Katsu The Taker is wonderfully written and a beautiful story, on a much different literary level than FSG, which IMHO seemed more like an extreme Harlequin Presents--and I'm a huge series fan. I've been recommending The Taker all year. @FaeRhi the A.N. Roqueluare Sleeping Beauty trilogy is an excellent readalike thought-- for more 'adventurous' readers ...:)
Vanessa Ouadi
23. Lafka
Hum, I'm not sure I would have recommanded Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty to Fiftys trilogy afficionados. Don't get me wrong, I really, really liked Anne Rice' books! But there is kind of a yawning gap between the 2 trilogies!
It might be a little bit of a shocker to get down from a slightly vanilla-BDSM erotic book to Beauty trilogy, which is far far more "extreme" in terms of bondage and domination than even most erotic BDSM books. There are probably some intermediate books that will allow Fifty shades trilogy readers to accostumate themselves to harsher BDSM before reading Beauty trilogy. One might not want to go too far too fast there ;)
Ginny Doremus
24. FaeRhi
@Lafka:
I have not yet had the pleasure of reading the "50 Shades" trilogy (I get paid tomorrow!!!) so I'm not sure of the level -- though I did read that this trilogy is more vanilla than BDSM. Hence my cautionary words -- because even I was a bit shocked at some of the things in Sleeping Beauty and I'm a seasoned fan of all types of erotica (I've been writing it since I was 14 -- long story)
I'll definitely have to look into "The Taker" which has been mentioned several times. I LOVE this site because it is truly a great home for me in learning about new authors, books and sharing experiences. Love love love it! Thanks everyone!
Alma Katsu
25. NicNic
I checked out several recommendations. Are any of these books not set in a club or includes a third? Many that I saw were in a club setting and I don't enjoy those. I have also not been a fan of ménage or scenes with h/h having sex with others (even before the relationship starts)? Didn't enjoy beautiful disaster.

Thanks!
Megan Frampton
26. MFrampton
@NicNic: I've asked our readers to weigh in, based on your parameters. We'll have specific suggestions soon!
Alma Katsu
27. NicNic
Huge thank you!
Tori Benson
28. Torifl
NicNic-One problem your going to run into, especially with erotics, is the no mention of showing of sex with people before they meet heroine people. It's often used in the back story to show why one of the charatcers is the way they are and as a growth measurement.

Lauren Dane's Brown Siblings books are light BDSM one on one with the exception of Erin's story (Brown siblings #1).
Lorilei James Rough Riders also has some that is just one on one. Tied Up Tied Down.
A Tall, Dark, Cowboy by Mackenzie McKade
Promises Linger by Sarah McCarty
Jaci Burton Wild Riders series features both one on one and multiples-depends on book. Her Play by PLay is light erotic rom contemp with only one on one action.
Alma Katsu
29. NicNic
Thank you for recommends! I am okay with having experience, I have just read a couple of books in which the hero has sex with someone else after meeting and expressing interest in the heroine, another where the couple invited a third, and yet another where the hero shows heroine what to expect by showing what she can expect (not my cup of tea).

Thanks! I look forward to checking these out!
Tori Benson
30. Torifl
NicNic-Ewwww, yea, I don't buy that storyline either. Can't have hero sexing up all the ladies; it's skeeves me out a little. lol
Laura Gadbois
31. gadsgirl
I loved the Fifty Shades books! After hearing what Dr. Drew had to say I was laughed my butt off! I think the story is realistic because we all have a story that leads to who we are today and it could happen!!
Alma Katsu
32. Alma Katsu
*sniff* Lege Artis and Janet Schneider I lubs you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Alma Katsu
33. BigB
KC Youngblood's Lethal Choices is a sex charged novel with some real meat to it. It's a legal/political thriller with plenty of action above and beneath the sheets.
Alma Katsu
34. gumibear26
Love all the suggestions. I would also like to suggest Lora Leigh's "Pleasure" books (Dangerous Pleasure, Only Pleasure, Guilty Pleasure, Shameless Embraces). Many of the characters occur (at least incidentally) in more than one book. Dominant men, but you have to like ménage. Hot, hot, hot!
Alma Katsu
35. MyBooks86
Hi Ladies... I love all the recommendations you all have.. can't wait to add them to my tbr list!! I just had a question tho...Who is the author for
"The Taker"?
Vanessa Ouadi
36. Lafka
@MyBooks86 - Alma Katsu wrote "The Taker". A very good combination of erotism, paranormal and romance, well written, in a word, a must-read :)
Ginny Doremus
38. FaeRhi
A few more (authors/books/series)
Maya Banks - Sweet Series (currently reading)
Lauren Dane
Anya Bast
Dana Marie Bell
Selena Blake
Bianca D'Arc
Lori Foster (LOVE her!)
Cheyenne McCray
Alma Katsu
39. Author_PJParker
What else can I say but ROXELANA AND SULEYMAN by P.J.Parker.

This is Fifty Shades of Grey with a storyline that makes the former appear quite tame...

Roxelana was the most seductive, powerful, egotistical, intriguing, manipulative and enigmatic woman of the early sixteenth century. History had never known anyone of such beauty and cunning. She was fabulous. Yet very few know her story... Europe is in turmoil under the oppressive rule of the Hapsburgs and the incessent raids of marauding Tartar Warriors. Can the forces of The Ottoman Empire ensure the promised Renaissance? Istanbul, the eye of the Ottoman Sultanate and considered to be the centre of the Universe is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in the world. It is intoxicating and vibrant. But it is also a metropolis of mis-placed trust, of decadence, run by a sexually-charged, sexually-ambiguous drug-riddled beaurocracy. And in the middle of this city, high on an imposing promontory is the fabled Topkapi Palace - the Seraglio of Sultan Suleyman Khan - the Shadow of God on Earth. Within its multitude of gazel-filled courtyards, along its secluded arcades and twisting down through its labyrinth of corridors to the solidly locked doors of the Sultan's Harem are secrets and whispers that promise death by strangulation to some - and absolute power to others. It is in this world that a simple peasant girl, abducted by Tartars and sold into slavery, captured the heart of the greatest Ottoman Sultan and rose to control the largest armies on Earth from within the gilded cage of Topkapi Harem. But does she know that there are those who would see her dead? And yet another, who's undying love, if revealed, would lead to the destruction of all her well laid plans? The story of Roxelana has remained hidden for centuries and needs to be told. It is about someone we should all be acquainted with intimately
Alma Katsu
40. MichelleM
I loved Christian. I loved the eye candy of private jets, boats, apts etc....basically i like reading about being rich. Any recs for books similar in tone where the hero is wealthy? I definitely want some hot sex scenes too!

No vampires, no historical, no cowboys, no historical, no scifi please. I want contemporary settings so I can visualize the scene.
Eva / TXBookjunkie
41. TXBookjunkie
@MichelleM A new one that's out tomorrow is Sylvia Day's Bared to You. It has a fabously wealthy and handsome young bachelor set in contemporary New York City; however, it does not contain BDSM - just more of an erotic slant. Warning: it has a slight unresolved ending and book 2 is still in edits.
Alma Katsu
42. Jackie O.
I read Fifty Shades of Grey. Haven't read the other two books. The only other BDSM book I've read is Crash Into You by Roni Loren, which I really enjoyed reading. I read these books over spring break and would like to read more. Roni Loren has two more books coming out which I'm looking foward to reading. I'm the type of person who will read anything as long as there's a good story line.
Alma Katsu
43. Chloe19
I read the Fifty Shades Trilogy and believe me it's not the type of book I have ever been drawn too but I couldn't put it down. I loved Christian,! I usually read books like Unbrocken or one of my favorite's The Bell Jar so this was a first. ,After finishing them I heard that Beautiful Diaster was like it and believe me it's not. I hated it. I think if you are younger than 35 maybe but the immaturity of the characters was just too much for me. It was like a bad soap opera and the violence was over the top. Fifty explored different issues that made you think about what happens to kids that are so traumatized and who struggle to find themselves. We all wear masks to hide something but this book the masks where always on. The need for control was so intersting and the author made you feel so much for this child trapped inside of a man's body.I loved the journey of it, yes at times I started to get a little tired of it all but someone so wounded would be like that. I would like to read his version of the whole series. I think that would be an awesome read! To witness the making of the 50 shades of F#%^ed UP, now that would be a journey to explore.
Janet Moodie
44. emoodie
Bared To You by Sylvia Day is a very great book. Blindsided by Sayer Adams is also a good read.
R Reader
45. RReader
_Bared to You_, by Sylvia Day, the first novel in an anticipated trilogy called the Crossfire series. Day is a seasoned erotic romance writer who obviously did a bit of a take-off on the Shades of Gray (SOG) series using some of primary elements that makes the SOG series so compelling. Although it starts out a bit rough (not the quality I would normally expect of Day), she hits her stride after the first 30 pages and it's a definite page-turner. According to her website, Day expects the next novel in the series, _Deeper in You_ to be released in October 2012.
Alma Katsu
46. Christine_eyes
The Fifty Series was awesome... I finished all 3 books in 2 weeks, couldnt put them down... I have now moved onto another great book "Addiction" by Maya Banks... Ladies, warning much more detailed in wording, I believe that is how I want to explain it nicely.. Hope ELJ writes another series soon...
Alma Katsu
47. Deedee71
I read 50 and never thought id find anything else to top them but then I read insufferable proximity absolutely brilliant, highly recommend it.
Alma Katsu
48. Caz1981
aboslutely loved the 50 shades trilogy, couldnt put the books down! Ive also read, bared to you, gabriels inferno, sweet as sin, the marriage bargain, insufferable proximity, love v payne, and love unscripted. I loved all the books, but struggling to find something else to read, can anyone suggest anything?

thanks :-)

p.s preferably something i can download to my kindle, as I note some of the titles mentioned already are not available on kindle yet.
Alma Katsu
49. pamelia
@ Cazi1981 -- did you check out "Knight" by Kristen Ashley?
Alma Katsu
50. Magz
Bared to You by Sylvia Day... eagely waiting for the second book of this promising series. I must admit (stop rolling your eyes, lol) but I liked this book more than I likes FSoG. It just seemed more realistic. Read Beautiful Disaster... liked it but could not deal with the large sum of errors in the editing. It was entertaining but not nearly as much kinky action as the others mentioned above. Thinking The Principal's office might be next as I patiently/anxiously await the next book to follow Bared to You!
Jessica O'Brien
51. JLOBrien
Magz- I just finished Bared to You today...and I agree with you. I found that Eva and Gideon were much better characters and the story in all was much better written than 50 Shades. Plus, I found Eva's character, well to be honest, much easier to stomach than Ana. I didn't find myself yelling at the book (yeah I know crazy lol) going "Are you serious??"

I can't wait for Deeper...October is so far away!
Janis Clark
52. maliamartin
The Bound Hearts series by Lora Leigh it at the top of my recommend list but new author Roni Loren's Crash Into You is my latest favorite. It pulls you right in.
Alma Katsu
53. Grey -
Hey everyone,

I just want to say I love this website and I loved Fifty Shades. Oh and my name (grey) is really a nickname of mine since I have been a child :-) This is my first trilogy with BDSM, I found it very entertaining. I loved everyone's suggestions!! I would love to start another trilogy with a similar love story as Christian and Ana, I do not think I would have enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey is Ana would have just accepted to become a submissive person. Are there any stories like that of Christian and Ana?



Thanks
Alma Katsu
54. Shannon333
I'm almost finished the second book of the Grey trilogy...I'm trying to prolong it as I don't want the books to end!@MichelleM (post #40) - I'm looking for the exact same kind of book as you. If you have any to suggest...Please let me know!!!
Charlene Bourne
55. CharBourne
Okay, so I am new to the site and decided to join to get some feedback...

I have completed the Fifty Shades trilogy in less that 2 weeks (which is a major accomplishment for me) and I am looking to start another series.

Here is my dilemma:
1) I can only follow a book that is written in first person, preferably female
2) I loved the diversity and evolution of Christian and Ana
3) I only enjoy books written in current period (1990's +)
4) I enjoy the sexual context, but it is not a deal breaker

So... Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance....and I am anxiously waiting for more volumes of FSoG :)
Alma Katsu
56. Tessa24
Recommend Gabriel's Inferno and the sequel, Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

If you want to read about rape and torture, read the Anne Rice Sleeping Beauty series which is nothing like the Fifty Shades series (a romance that turns into a love story).
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