“To bask in passion’s glow. To bathe in love’s fountain. To swim in
the rivers of
Eros.”
“It sounds quite vile. No thank you.” It was very difficult not
to laugh. She
managed it, just. MUCH ADO ABOUT DUTTON by Claudia Dain
The other day one of the authors in one of the many online reading groups I’m in
posted a
question asking readers how many love scenes they demanded in a romance. I get why
authors ask this, but I feel like it’s a difficult thing for readers to answer.
I know there has been
a lot of debate and general discussion about how many love scenes/sex scenes put in
romances, and over how the quantity and quality of love scenes in a book should be
advertised to readers. I remember reading a few years ago that a favorite
romance author of
mine felt pressured by her publisher to include a specific number of sex scenes
in her book. I
felt that was unfair; not just because I think that she should be allowed
complete freedom in
her creative process, but also because those scenes weren’t what I found most
enjoyable
about her books. In the end, I took a break from her books because her normally
very funny
stories took a sharp turn toward being more adventure and suspense-filled. From
a reader’s
perspective, I think it’s fair to convey whether a romance has explicit sex
scenes with a naked
play-by-play (because some readers love that and some get freaked out), but I
understand
that a lot is very subjective. In this article, I’m going to list some of the
books with my favorite
erotic scenes and go into what I like about them.
Why was it that Blakesley’s eyes, which she had always known somewhere
in the
back of her mind were blue, scalded her in their blueness now? Certainly
Penrith’s rather
remarkable green gaze, which was certainly lovely, did not affect her in quite
the same way.
Nor did Mr. Grey’s, no matter how he leered. No, it was Blakesley, who had
always been quite
impossible and reliably unpredictable, who made every nerve quiver in both anger
and
interest. THE
COURTESAN’S
SECRET by Claudia Dain
I’ve read and enjoyed books with very few sex scenes and ones with one on every
other page.
Some are better than others. I’ve read ones that were very explicit that left me
totally cold and
ones that didn’t include a lot of physical intimacy revealed to the reader but
were intensely
erotic because of the verbal exchanges between the main characters and emotional
intimacy.
Some of my favorite historical romances are those by authors who are masters of
dialogue and
witty banter like Celeste Bradley, Theresa Romain, Jo Beverly, and Claudia Dain
to name a few.
With a few well-placed words or clever phrases, these authors can entertain as
well as have
the heat level go from zero to sixty in a matter of seconds. The first Claudia
Dain book I read
was HOW TO DAZZLE A DUKE.
HOW TO DAZZLE A DUKE is a great book if you want to laugh. THE COURTESAN’S
SECRET by
Claudia Dain showcases Dain’s razor-sharp wit but it is also super-hot. I love
unrequited love
and friends-to-lovers tropes and THE COURTESAN’S SECRET is a perfect example of
both.
Blakesley’s desire takes his friend Louisa by surprise when it’s revealed. Since
she was hung
up for years on bad boy Lord Dutton, Blakesley inadvertently got “friend-zoned”.
When
circumstances and certain individuals provoke Blakesley to confess his true
feelings and act
on them, the result is little short of “wow”. I admit to having a few copies of
this book stashed
throughout my house “just in case” – especially since an e-book copy is
currently unavailable.
Another of my favorite books is ROMANCING THE COUNTESS by Ashley March. This hero and heroine are
thrown together after the sudden death of their cheating spouses. Ashley March
uses words
to convey the depth of emotional wounds as well as to build on a surprising
attraction.
Because of her late husband’s behavior, Leah feels incapable of feeling
attracted to anyone or
feeling sexual at all. The hero is slowly enthralled by her and in one scene, as
he’s pleading for
her to give him a chance and see where things will go between them, he stumbles
upon a way
to verbally entice Leah. The tension is exquisite as he touches her mind without
and begins
the process of seducing her without ever laying a hand on her. His technique
elicits confusion
and ecstasy in Leah and makes readers cheer.
The desire wasn’t normal. In some distant part of her mind, she knew
that. Too
intense. Too fast. Too consuming. But – Screw normal. BITTER BLOOD by Cynthia
Eden
I’ve heard some romance fans say that they get to a point where they flip past
the sex scenes
in books because they find them to be repetitive and lacking in some way. I get
it. For me, it all
depends on the author. I have read books, some have even been by favorite
authors, which
have great characters and a fascinating story but the scenes with physical
intimacy seem to
have the characters just going through the motions. The key phrases and expected
acts are
there, but the scenes seem to be lacking any genuine chemistry between the
characters
involved. Some of the best writers of erotic physical scenes, in my opinion, are
Lauren Dane,
Jen Frederick, Olivia Cunning, and Cynthia Eden. I have authors that I love but
who seem lost
when it comes to writing a love scene. It goes on too long when a well-written
sentence or
paragraph says it all. With a Cynthia Eden book, whether it’s her romantic
suspense or
paranormal romances, there is always a sense of immediacy when it comes to the
passion
between the couple in question. Whether the hero and heroine have known each
other five
minutes or for years, Cynthia Eden is a master of building the tension – sexual
or otherwise –
with delicious results. Trust is a huge theme in Cynthia Eden’s books, and I
think she can use
that to bump up the “hot” factor without falling into the expected
betrayal-themed pitfalls.
Her heroes are alpha hotties – whether they’re vampires, shifters,
Frankenstein-like creations,
FBI types, or bad boys. Eden can convey a sense of masculine power and swagger
without
venturing into alpha-hole territory.
I was discussing Olivia Cunning’s Sinners on Tour books with a friend, and she said how one
particularly gross
scene in a book put her off. I completely forgot the scene she was referring to.
The thing is,
Olivia Cunning’s books are a mix of humor, grossness (depending on preference),
and utterly
amazing. Cunning gives reader’s an up-close view of the physical details in a
sex scene. What
makes these books worth reading is the way Olivia Cunning tailors the sex scenes
to the
specific couple involved and the temperature of their relationship at the time.
There is no
formula for an Olivia Cunning sex scene – except that the characters don’t
usually feel any
shame or force any moral judgements on others. In WICKED BEAT, the two main characters are physical from almost the
first
minute that they meet, but there is an authenticity to the way they fall for
each other. The way
they laugh together, almost as much as they connect physically, is endearing.
“Now, I am short on some props, and there isn’t nearly enough time in
one night to
run through all the ways I’ve fantasized about taking you, but I promise you
this…” His voice
deepened. “You’ll be scandalized in the morning when you can think again.”
ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE by
Jeaniene Frost
One beloved and often discussed bit of erotic gold is the infamous “Chapter 32”
in ONE FOOT
IN THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost. It is fabulous and yummy for sure, but for more
than one
reason. A big part of why the erotic scenes in a Jeaniene Frost book have so
much pull and
are so powerful is because of the emotional and spiritual connection between the
hero and
heroine. I don’t think “Chapter 32” would be quite so amazing if it wasn’t for
all the history
between the hero and heroine. In the previous book, HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE, Cat and
Bones first meet and seemingly experience a lifetime together in a very short
period as they
deal with the trials thrown their way. It’s the same with Jeaniene Frost’s
“Night Prince” and
“Night Rebel” series – the author doesn’t shy away from depicting physical
intimacy, but it has
resonance attached to it because of the character development and phenomenal
storytelling
describing how the characters got to that point.
Jeaniene Frost tells very character-driven stories about people you care about
and root for,
and that makes the love scenes more intense because of it. Years ago, I read the
first book in
Carolyn Jewel’s My
Immortals
series. Like Jeaniene Frost’s books, the My Immortals series tells very
character-driven stories
with paranormal elements and magic. The similarities end there. In the first
book in the series,
MY WICKED ENEMY, nothing
and
nobody is “safe”. I have called this series “cerebral erotica” because the
reader is thrown off
center, you don’t know what to expect next, and what you’ve read may affect you
in surprising
ways. There are antiheroes galore, and the erotic moments often involve unusual
exchanges of
power that are occasionally unsettling but always entrancing.
Books with some of my favorite erotic moments:
ROMANCING THE COUNTESS by Ashley March
WICKED DELIGHTS OF A BRIDAL BED by Tracy Anne Warren
MASKS by Evangeline Anderson
HOTTER THAN EVER by Elle Kennedy
SEDUCING THE DEMON HUNTRESS by Victoria Davies
MATE CLAIMED by Jennifer Ashley
THE COURTESAN’S SECRET by Claudia Dain
BEAUTY AND THE BILLIONAIRE by Jessica Clare
WICKED BEAT by Olivia Cunning
PRINCESS OF THE PACK by Saranna DeWylde
ONE KISS FROM YOU by Christina Dodd
STEALING KATHRYN by Jacquelyn Frank
SACKED by Jen Frederick
FIRST DROP OF CRIMSON by Jeaniene Frost
WRONG MAN, RIGHT KISS by Red Garnier
PLEASURE UNBOUND by Larissa Ione
THE DARKEST WARRIOR by Gena Showalter
MY FORBIDDEN DESIRE by Carolyn Jewel
UNLEASH THE NIGHT by Sherrilyn Kenyon
MARRIED BY MORNING by Lisa Kleypas
“Like a Wolf with a Bone” by Shelly Laurenston
A VERY PRIVATE MERGER by Day Leclaire
JACKED UP by Erin McCarthy
KISS OF STEEL by Bec McMaster
BLACK SILK by Sharon Page
NOT FIT FOR A KING? By Jane Porter
KINGPIN by Alexa Riley
WRONG BED, RIGHT GUY by Katee Robert
SAVOR THE MOMENT by Nora Roberts
A BITE TO REMEMBER by Lynsay Sands
DARK PRINCE by Eve Silver
DIRTY-TALKING COWBOY by Stacey Kennedy
***
SOME OF THE BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE:
More Courtesan Chronicles #1
It all began in The Courtesan's Daughter and continued through the next four
books of the
Courtesan Chronicles. The Marquis of Dutton didn't pay the slightest bit of
attention to Anne
Warren until he found out that she was the daughter of a courtesan. His
careless, confident,
ill-considered pursuit of her began upon that lurid foundation.
Anne had been smitten by the dashing Lord Dutton from her first encounter with
him. But to
be pursued because her mother was a woman of the demi-monde? No. That was
unacceptable. Anne was not going to make the mistakes her mother had made, each
decision
taking her further down the social ladder. Anne meant to improve her station,
not hobble it
with an amorous encounter with the nearly irresistible Lord Dutton.
Over the course of the London Season of 1802, Dutton pursued and lost Anne again
and
again. He became something of a drunken sot about it all, even a laughingstock.
When Anne
married Lord Staverton, his fall was complete. Anne married wisely, and Dutton
was befuddled
by it.
Two years later, in the 1804 Season, Anne is a widow and Dutton is sober. Lady
Staverton and
Lord Dutton, both available and both still interested, continue the seductive
dance they began
when she was his social inferior. She is no longer his inferior, and because of
that, the tables
have turned and Dutton is at her mercy.
Or perhaps Anne is at Dutton's mercy.
It all depends upon whom you ask.
Romance Historical [Author Self-Published,
On Sale: August 23, 2013, e-Book, ISBN: 2940148789345 / eISBN: 9781940940021]
***
Blood and Moonlight
#3
Some bonds go deeper than blood…they go to the very soul.
New Orleans detective Jane Hart is a vampire. She craves blood, has supernatural
strength,
and when the mood hits her just right, she can grow one killer pair of fangs.
She never
counted on being a vamp, but she also never counted on falling hard for werewolf
alpha Aidan
Locke. Now she’s mated to the wolf, and even though she’s living the undead
life, Aidan
refuses to leave her side.
But Jane is being watched, hunted…tested. And each deadly test that she faces
puts Jane—
and the people she loves—in the path of a determined killer. She has to find out
who is setting
her up, before it’s too late. Too late for Jane. Too late for Aidan.
He claimed her…and she obsessed him.
Because now her lover is the one who is changing. Jane’s blood has infected
Aidan and the
wolf that lives within him is fighting for survival. Each battle…each dark test
that their enemy
puts in their path…each move slides Aidan closer to the edge. A darkness is
growing inside of
him. A darkness that is slowly consuming the man he’s been… And leaving only the
monster
behind.
When blood and darkness rule, even mates can be torn apart.
In the final book of the BLOOD AND MOONLIGHT trilogy, Jane and Aidan will find
out who they
can really trust…and who has been waiting to destroy them all along. Are you
ready for the
end?
Romance Paranormal [Self Published, On Sale:
April 12, 2016, e-Book, ISBN: 9781942840138 / eISBN: 9781942840138]
An
epic love
story, and danger and excitement in spades!
***
Sinners on Tour
#4
On stage, on tour, in bed, they'll rock your worldOlivia Cunning delivers the perfect blend of steamy sex, heartwarming romance,
and a wicked
sense of humor in her wildly popular erotic romance series, The Sinners on
Tour. Wicked
Beat, fifth in this racy rock 'n' roll series, is the hottest yet.
From the moment he lays eyes on Sinners' new soundboard operator, drummer Eric
Sticks is
completely smitten. Rebekah Blake loves the uninhibited fun she's having and
thrives on Eric's
daring in the bedroom, but she's got good reasons for not committing. Through
role play,
voyeuristic games, and lots of sex talk, this pair of kinky lovers must overcome
their inner
demons to have the perfect relationship they both secretly desire.
Erotica | Romance
Erotica
Sensual | Romance
Music
[Sourcebooks Casablanca, On Sale: August 6, 2013, Paperback
/ e-Book, ISBN: 9781402245862 / eISBN: 9781402245886]
A
perfect
addition to the Sinners On Tour series.
***
Night Huntress #2
You can run from the grave, but you can't hide . . .
Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the
government to
rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy
and dangerous
ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can
help her is
the vampire she left behind.
Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying
vamps side by
side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted:
dead or
half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter
how hard
she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire
lasts forever . . . and
that Bones won't let her get away again.
Romance Paranormal | Fantasy Urban [Avon, On Sale: April 29, 2008,
Mass Market Paperback / e-Book, ISBN: 9780061245091 / eISBN: 9780061736490]
This follow-up to
HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE is a thoroughly entertaining urban fantasy romance.
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