15 Books Like Fifty Shades of Grey to Turn Up the Heat
If you’ve been searching for books like Fifty Shades of Grey to fill the void of this popular romance then I’ve got the list for you. Check out some of my favorite books like Fifty Shades of Grey that are better than the original but still bring the heat and the steam.
Whether it’s a billionaire romance, an alpha male who knows what he likes in the bedroom or a young virgin captivated by the man who wants her and no one else, you’re bound to find a book like Fifty Shades of Grey that you’ll devour!
Podcast Episode 38: Books Like Fifty Shades of Grey
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Books like Fifty Shades of Grey That You Should Read Next:
Twisted Lies
by Ana Huang
Charming and smart enough to hide it, Christian Harper is a monster dressed in the perfectly tailored suits of a gentleman. He has little use for morals and even less use for love, but he can’t deny the strange pull he feels toward the woman living just one floor below him.
She’s the object of his darkest desires, the only puzzle he can’t solve. And when the opportunity to get closer to her arises, he breaks his own rules to offer her a deal she can’t refuse.
Every monster has their weakness. She’s his. His obsession. His addiction. His only exception. Sweet, shy, and introverted despite her social media fame, Stella Alonso is a romantic who keeps her heart in a cage. Between her two jobs, she has little time or desire for a relationship.
But when a threat from her past drives her into the arms—and house—of the most dangerous man she’s ever met, she’s tempted to let herself feel something for the first time in a long time. Because despite Christian’s cold nature, he makes her feel everything when she’s with him. Passionate. Protected. Truly wanted.
Theirs is a love twisted with secrets and tainted by lies…and when the truths are finally revealed, they could shatter everything.
Why I Love This Book: Twisted Lies totally gave me vibes like Fifty Shades of Grey because this Christian is just as obsessed with Stella as Christian is with Anastasia in Fifty. He may be a man of few words but he is constantly watching and aware and will do anything for Stella. And when their forced proximity gets the better of them, the steaminess is perfection.
Related: Twisted Love Series Order
Salt in the Wound
by Sierra Simone
The first time I meet the devil, he knows my name. The second time I meet him, the truth becomes clear: Mark Trevena is to be my husband.
No matter that we don’t know each other. No matter that he’s older than me; shameless and sinful; the owner of a secret club where the powerful come to play. My father has spoken, and I’ll be the devil’s bride the minute I graduate from college.
Except my future husband has one condition for this arranged marriage: we have to pretend it’s real. He’ll teach me, he says. How to pretend to be his in pain and pleasure both. How to pretend to arch and writhe under his touch. But his lessons are teaching me something else entirely…
…that Mark Trevena wants me in a way that’s not pretend at all. And no matter how I might fight it, the devil will have his due.
Why I Love This Book: This prequel to Simone’s brand-new Lyonesse series reminded me so much of Fifty Shades of Grey. You have an alpha male and a virgin heroine who have the makings of a Dom/sub relationship. Of course, you also have an arranged marriage and a polyamorous development in the first book of the series, Salt Kiss, but these two main characters totally gave me Christian and Anastasia vibes!
Neon Gods
by Katee Robert
Society darling Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the ultra-modern city of Olympus and start over, but her plans are ripped away when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus.
With no options left, Persephone flees to the forbidden undercity and makes a devil’s bargain with a man she once believed a myth. Hades has spent his life in the shadows, planning his revenge against Zeus.
When Persephone drops into his lap and offers an opportunity to grab his revenge, he takes it. Only the more days and nights he spends with Persephone, the more he’s willing to go to battle with Olympus itself to keep her his.
Why I Love This Book: This fantasy romance is a modern retelling of the Hades and Persephone story that also has Fifty Shades of Grey vibes. Hades is the leader of the undercity where he runs an adult club that he takes full advantage of with Persephone. She is more than willing to let Hades debauch her in any way he chooses and the steam is off the charts! I think Hades gives Christian Grey a run for his money.
Related: Neon Gods Series Books in Order
Owned by Fate
by Tessa Bailey
Journalist Caroline Preston can’t believe she set foot into Serve, New York City’s hottest BDSM club in the name of work. She’s determined not to like anything about this world but then she meets Jonah.
As the owner of Serve, Jonah Briggs doesn’t leave his post for just anyone. But when he sees Caroline, his only thought is that he wants her. Caroline can’t help but fall under Jonah’s spell but she’s not about to risk her family’s reputation by extending her time with him past one night, no matter how much she craves more.
Why I Love This Book: The BDSM focus of this story definitely makes this one a book like Fifty Shades of Grey. While Jonah is the perfect alpha hero in this romance, he’s also got a softer, more relatable side which makes him unique.Caroline is a newbie to the BDSM scene, like Anastasia, and has her reservations and biases, but once she has a taste, she’s hooked.
Related: Tessa Bailey Books in Order: The Complete Guide
The Dark King
by Gina Maxwell
For Bryn Meara, a free trip to the exclusive and ultra-luxe Nightfall hotel and casino in Vegas should’ve been the perfect way to escape the debris of her crumbling career. But waking up from a martini-and-lust-fueled night to find herself married to Caiden Verran, the reclusive billionaire who owns the hotel and most of the city, isn’t the jackpot one would think.
It seems her dark and hot new husband is actual royalty—the fae king of the Night Court—and there’s an entire world beneath the veil of Vegas.
Whether light or shadow, the fae are a far cry from fairy tales, and now they’ve made Bryn a pawn in their dark games for power. And Caiden is the most dangerous of all—an intoxicating cocktail of sin and raw, insatiable hunger.
She should run. But every night of passion pulls Bryn deeper into his strange and sinister world, until she’s no longer certain she wants to leave…even if she could.
Why I Love This Book: Oh, how you are going to love Caidan if you loved Christian in Fifty Shades of Grey as this is a man with power, heart and control. I loved how Bryn totally captured his interest with just one look and the two end up tied to each other in more ways than one. This book too has BDSM elements like Fifty Shades of Grey but they are pretty minor so if you want something a bit lighter with a different take on the things you may have liked from Fifty Shades of Grey, give this one a try.
Check out my book review of The Dark King.
Carnal Urges
by J.T. Geissinger
The devil has blue eyes, an Irish accent, and a hatred for me that runs deep. He blames me for starting a battle. Consorting with his enemies. Sacrificing his men. Though I’m innocent on all charges, he wants his pound of flesh. With an eye on revenge, he makes me his captive.
But as we’ll both soon discover, there are more powerful urges than that for revenge. When the devil meets his match but she’s his sworn enemy, that’s when the real battle begins.
Why I Love This Book: This is another alpha male romance with one who likes to take control in the bedroom but it’s slightly different from Fifty Shades of Grey in that the heroine is not this meek virgin heroine but someone a character who is so bada$$. I loved Sloane who is one of my favorite heroines in romance.
Check out Carnal Urges for some really great dirty talk, some spanking, and for two characters who just bring out the best in each other and can banter with the best of them.
Related: Best Mafia Romance Books
Release Me
by J. Kenner
Wealthy, powerful, and exceedingly dangerous, Damien Stark wants to own me. Or at least my likeness. He’s offered me one million dollars to pose for a nude portrait that will become the diamond of his private art collection. And I need the money. Bad.
But it soon becomes obvious that this deal is too good to be true, and that Mr. Stark wants much more from me than I ever planned on giving. Except now I just might want him as much as he wants me. Some say this game of seduction could lead to my demise, but what if it’s worth the risk?
Why I Recommend This Book: Read this book like Fifty Shades of Grey for a lighter BDSM book but one that is still full of steam! If you love books that pit the wealthy alpha male with the young girl caught in his web, you won’t be disappointed with this book and the entire Stark Saga.
Dirty Billionaire
by Meghan March
I’ve got a big… ego and an even bigger bank account. That’s pretty much where my bio ends. Honestly, I don’t need to say anything else. I’ve just sold 99% of women on going home with me. Do I sound like a jerk to you? That’s because I am. And guess what? It works for me just fine. Or at least it did. Until I met her.
Books talk about sparks flying. Screw that. With her, it was like emergency flares mixed with jet fuel. Or maybe just straight up napalm. Only one problem. She wouldn’t tell me her name or her number when she disappeared from the hotel room after the hottest night of my life. Now I’ve had a taste of the perfect woman and I need it again. So what’s a jerk to do? I took this problem to the street. A missed connection gone viral. And when I find her? I’m keeping her.
Why I Love This Book: Creighton has one night with Holly before she flees and he’s not about to let her go making this is one hot billionaire romance novel. You’ll enjoy this book like Fifty Shades of Grey if you like dominant heroes and meek women who bring them to their knees.Be forewarned however that this book ends on a cliffhanger since it’s part of a triology, but you won’t mind diving into the rest of the series!
Reasonable Doubt
by Whitney G.
A huge and very particular appetite: Blonde, curvy, and preferably not a liar… (Although, that’s a story for another day.) As a high profile lawyer, I don’t have time to waste on relationships, so I fulfill my needs by anonymously chatting and sleeping with women I meet online.
My rules are simple:One dinner. One night. No repeats. This is only casual. Nothing more. Nothing less. At least it was, until Alyssa…
She was supposed to be a 27-year-old lawyer, a book hoarder, and completely unattractive. She was supposed to be someone I shared law advice with late at night, someone I could trust with details of my weekly escapades.
But then she came into my firm for an interview—a college-intern interview, and everything changed…
Why I Love This Book: This is a fun age gap romance book like Fifty Shades of Grey in that it pits a strong hero who knows what he wants with a college intern who completely captivates him. I really enjoyed the connection that they established online with one another and how he “saw her” as someone he could confide in before they even met in person.
Rush
by Maya Banks
When Gabe Hamilton saw Mia Crestwell walk into the ballroom for his hotel’s grand opening, he shouldn’t be having thoughts about his best friend’s little sister. Gabe has starred in Mia’s fantasies more than once. So what if he’s fourteen years older? She’s an adult now, and there’s no reason not to act on her most secret desires.
As Gabe pulls her into his provocative world, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know about him or how exacting his demands can be. Their relationship is intense and obsessive, but as they cross the line from secret odyssey to something deeper, their affair runs the risk of being exposed—and vulnerable to a betrayal far more intimate than either expected.
Why I Recommend This Book: This is a book for those who like the rich alpha male who likes to “own” his submissive. A man with demands who gets what he wants, Gabe is Mr. Dominant and gave me all the Christian Grey vibes in this book like Fifty Shades of Grey. The age gap and brother’s best friend romance only adds to the secrecy of their fling before it becomes more.
One Night Promised
by Jodi Ellen Malpas
Livy notices him the moment he walks into the coffee shop. He’s heart-stoppingly stunning, with a blue-eyed gaze so piercing she’s almost too distracted to take his order. When he walks out the door, she thinks she’ll never see him again. Then she finds the note he left on his napkin . . . signed M.
All he wants is one night to worship her. No feelings, no commitment, nothing but pleasure. Every defense mechanism Livy has adopted during her solitary life is at risk of being obliterated by this confounding man.
He’s obnoxious but well-mannered. He’s a gentleman but aloof. He’s passionate but emotionless. Yet the fascination is so powerful, Livy can’t deny him… or herself.
M awakens something in Livy, something deep and addictive that she never knew existed — and that she fears only he can satisfy. But she senses that behind the fast cars, fancy suits, and posh apartment, he’s aching inside.
To have him, body and soul, she’ll have to brave his dark secrets. Delving into his world and breaking down his defenses become her obsession – an obsession that could shatter her heart beyond repair.
Why I Recommend This Book: There are so many similarities to this book and Fifty Shades of Grey that it definitely deserves a place on your must-read list. You have the secretive, dominant male who gains pleasure from pleasing the meek, young woman he wants in his bed. But M is also holding tight to secrets and a darkness like Christian Grey that Livy may or may not want to know about. I also love that Livy is exposed to a world and pleasures that she never knew she’d love or want. Check it out!
Bad Boss
by Stella Rhys
I had always been the good girl – the workaholic with every second of her life mapped out to a tee. Then I got trapped in an elevator with Julian Hoult.
He was… irresistible. Sophisticated and hot in a crisp white shirt. His voice alone dropped me straight to my knees. What was I supposed to do? Well…I can tell you what I was definitely not supposed to do.
I was not supposed to run into him ever again. I was not supposed to be desperately unemployed, and I was definitely not supposed to accept his dirty little job offer. But I couldn’t resist.
As CEO of the Hoult Media empire, Julian will stop at nothing to get what he wants. So for his next venture with Manhattan’s most lecherous billionaires, he’s hired me to play the role of bait. And while my official title is that of Executive Assistant, my actual job requires low tops, tight skirts and flaunting everything I’ve got till his clients are easy to bend – till they can barely think for themselves anymore.
It’s sleazy and wrong. Against everything I’ve worked for. But with Julian as my audience, I can’t help but enjoy every second. Thanks to him, I’m embracing the bad, and I swear… I’ve never in my life felt this damned good.
Why I Love This Book: This one may be a stretch with its likeness to Fifty Shades of Grey but it’s oneof my most favorite romance books of all-time, so I had to include it. Julian and Sara have the best chemistry in this hot, office romance between a billionaire and his new assistant. There is this forbidden nature to their relationship which is similar to Christian and Anastasia’s eventual relationship and makes this one quite the read.
Check out my book review of Bad Boss.
Related: Best Stuck in an Elevator Books
The Villain
by L.J. Shen
Cruel. Coldblooded. Hades in a Brioni suit. Cillian Fitzpatrick has been dubbed every wicked thing on planet earth. To the media, he is The Villain. To me, he is the man who (reluctantly) saved my life.
Now I need him to do me another, small solid. Bail me out of the mess my husband got me into. What’s a hundred grand to one of the wealthiest men in America, anyway? Only Cillian doesn’t hand out free favors. The price for the money, it turns out, is my freedom.
Now I’m the eldest Fitzpatrick brother’s little toy. To play, to mold, to break. Too bad Cillian forgot one, tiny detail. Persephone wasn’t only the goddess of spring. He thinks I’ll buckle under the weight of his mind games. He is about to find out the most lethal poison is also the sweetest.
Why I Love This Book: There’s just something about a cold, quiet, calculated hero that I can’t help but fall in love with. Cillian Fitzpatrick is a man who takes what he wants and always has an angle. But I love how Persephone didn’t just cower under his demands but stepped up to bring the man to his knees. Check it out for another book like Fifty Shades of Grey you’ll enjoy.
Check out my book review of The Villain.
Related: Best Marriage of Convenience Romance Books
Taken
by Jennifer Dawson
Brandon Townsend III is rich, beautiful and entitled, and once upon a time he was king of the trust fund babies. He took anything and anyone he wanted, until one day, he walked away without explanation.
Now, he’s an untouchable mystery, one I’m determined to crack. And I’m not talking about anything mundane like his bed. No, I want something far more valuable. I want into his head.
Veronica Westwood has blown into my life creating chaos in her wake, and I don’t know quite what to do with her. Rich, beautiful and entitled, she represents everything I’ve sworn off in life, and her being unexpectedly clever doesn’t change that.
Instincts warn me to stay away, and that’s just what I intend to do, no matter her attempts to wear me down. I’m good at saying no, or at least I was until I met her. I don’t understand it, but she’s like a weakness, and a man like me can’t have weakness. I simply won’t allow it.
Why I Recommend This Book: Dawson’s Undone series is a great one to devour for BDSM books but I included Taken on this list because I like how Veronica tempts Brandon so much! He caves and hires her even though he wants her in his bed and shouldn’t fraternize but that doesn’t last long. That’s when we really get to see his dominant side in the bedroom. Dawson never disappoints with her alpha males!
Dirty Filthy Rich Men
by Laurelin Paige
When I met Donovan Kincaid, I knew he was rich. I didn’t know he was filthy. Truth be told, I was only trying to get his best friend to notice me.
I knew poor scholarship girls like me didn’t stand a chance against guys like Weston King and Donovan Kincaid, but I was in love with his world, their world, of parties and power. I knew what I wanted—I knew who I wanted—until one night, their world tried to bite me back and Donovan saved me.
He saved me, and then Weston finally noticed me, and I finally learned what it was to be in their world. And then what it was like to lose it.
Ten years later, I’ve found my way back. Back to their world. Back to him. This time, I’m ready. I’ve been down this road before, and I know all the dirty, filthy ways Donovan will try and wreck me. But it’s hard to resist. Especially when I know how much I’ll like it.
Why I Love This Book: Paige is no stranger to the billionaire romance novel with amazing alpha males and this is one of her most popular. This book completely reminded me of the romance movie, Sabrina, where the man you’re trying to get is not the one you end up falling for. It made the list because it is dirty, filthy and hot, but it does end on a cliffhanger since it’s part of a duet so be forewarned.
Related Book Lists:
- Best BDSM Books Better Than Fifty Shades of Grey
- Fifty Shades of Grey Books in Order
- Best Billionaire Romance Novels
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