So I once did a post on my writing blog about "gateway" books. In other words, books that acted like a "gateway drug" into a genre or subgenre. We all probably have a few of those. For instance, the first fantasy/sci-fi I read was A Wrinkle In Time in 5th grade. And it hooked me. I went on to read a ton more.
Image by Roger Robberstad (click pic for link)
Books can also slam doors shut on the genre if you pick up the wrong one first. I think this is a risk you run in erotic romance in particular because there is such a wide variety of subgenres within the subgenre, styles, and intensity levels out there. If you've never read a BDSM romance and you pick up Joey W. Hill's Nature of Desire Series (which is absolutely amazing, btw), it may be a little overwhelming because her stories go pretty deep into the lifestyle, the psychology of it all, and can get pretty extreme. You sort of have to "graduate" up to reading her.
But if you're curious and interested in testing out this subgenre, where should you start?
First, if you're really new to erotic romance, let's define BDSM.
BDSM is a type of adult roleplay between two or more individuals. The compound acronym, BDSM, is derived from the terms bondage and discipline (B&D), dominance and submission (D&S), and sadism and masochism (S&M). BDSM includes a wide spectrum of activities, forms of interpersonal relationships, and distinct subcultures.
--Wikipedia
Another key part of BDSM is that everything is supposed to be SSC (Safe, Sane, and Consensual), so these books (when well written) are NOT about real force. These relationships are negotiated.
Now, even hearing all that if you've never read or been exposed to any of that can be a little intimidating. But fear not. :) These romances are at their heart, romances. Love is the core of the story and you'll get all the conflict, heart break, tension you get in any well-written romance.
So, if you want to give it a try, where should you start? Besides my first book, Crash Into You, obviously. ;)
Here's the book I've recommended time and again to my non-erotic romance reading friends. And so far, I haven't had one not like it. This is a book that has a slow build of tension, has a suspense subplot, and has a great couple that you root for.
Here's the blurb from Maya Banks' Website:
Sometimes the first step in taking control is surrendering.
Under Faith Malone’s deceptively soft exterior lies a woman who knows exactly what she wants. A strong man who’ll take without asking—because she’s willing to give him everything...
Dallas cop Gray Montgomery is on a mission: find the guy who killed his partner—and bring him to justice. So far, he’s found a link between the killer and Faith—and if Gray has to get close to her to catch the killer, so be it.
Faith is sweet and feminine, everything Gray wants and desires in a woman, but he suspects she’s playing games. No way she would allow a man to call the shots in their relationship. Or would she?
Faith sees in Gray the strong, dominant man she needs, but he seems determined to keep her at a distance. So she takes matters into her own hands to prove to him it’s no game she’s playing. She’s willing to surrender to the right man. Gray would like to be that man. But catching his partner’s killer has to be his first priority. Until Faith is threatened and Gray realizes he will do anything to protect her.
Love, love, love this book. And even if you've read a thousand BDSM romances, this is one not to miss.
Have you ever read a BDSM romance? Why or why not? And if you already read in this genre, what gateway book would you recommend? And who are your favorite authors in the genre?