5 BDSM Romances to Start With

Maybe you’re a fan of Fifty Shades of Gray, maybe not—but either way, BDSM romance (that’s a combo of Bondage, Dominance/Discipline, submission or Sadism/Sadomasichism, depending on who you ask) has definitely become more popular because of it. Discovering a new genre of romance can be really exciting, especially when it feels a bit provocative, forbidden, and full of tension. (And, in some cases, more explicit sex scenes.)
Here are a few romances that I like for an introduction into the genre—but be warned, once you go BDSM, you probably won’t go back.

The Siren, by Tiffany Reisz
If you’ve read any of my posts you know that this is where you should start with BDSM romance. Tiffany’s series about a Dominant Priest, Soren, and Switch (someone who goes back and forth between Dominance and submission) Dominatrix of The 8th Circle Sex Club, erotica writer, and submissive to aforementioned Dominant Priest Nora Sutherland is complex, impeccably written (all dynamics are explored as are concepts like RACK, SSC, and various fetishes which are essential to understanding BDSM “lingo”, which some other books ignore…but Tiffany makes them sexy and funny!) With dialogue and characters you will literally fall in love with, all I can say is: start here, and recommend them to your friends when you’re done, because eight books in this series is NOT. ENOUGH.

Natural Law (Nature of Desire #2) by Joey Hill
Another story about a powerful, strong heroine who meets her match—and finds more passion than she bargained for. Violet is a professional Dominatrix who agrees to help a cop, Mac, find a member of her community who is gaining the trust of submissives and then murdering them. But in the process of the investigation, as tensions and danger flare, Mac discovers that in Violet’s care, he can find true release—even if it means letting go of his preconceived notions about sex and relationships in the process. If you like a mystery element to your romance, definitely add this to your TBR!

Exit to Eden, by Anne Rampling aka, Anne Rice
Written under a pseudonym, Exit to Eden is Anne Rice’s answer to a contemporary BDSM novel (now a bit dated, seeing as it was written decades ago), but a classic nonetheless. Eden is a mysterious island where those with bulging bank accounts can go to fulfill their deepest, darkest desires for Dominance and submission. When the owner of Eden, Lisa, a Domme (female Dominant) finds her identity as a perfectionist with a cool exterior challenged by the arrival of a male submissive, Elliott—she realizes that true paradise could be beyond the walls of Eden, and the rules she’s made for herself. This novel isn’t purely erotic and delves into the unique power dynamics and psychology behind Dominants, Dommes, and submissives. And it’s super romantic!

Club Shadowlands by Cherise Sinclair
If you’re looking for a another story about an innocent girl who stumbles (literally, after her car breaks down after a terrible date and she asks a private residence for assistance) upon the world of D/s and is forever changed, this series is for you. Jessica is an average girl—but is she, really? Or does it just take the skilled and passionate tutelage of Club Shadowlands’ Master, Z, to unleash a side of herself that she never knew…and that could be the answer to her deepest unspoken fantasies?

Kushiel’s Dart, by Jacqueline Carey
BDSM in fantasy is like a cherry on top of an already awesome sundae. (Except I don’t like cherries so that’s a terrible metaphor, but you know what I mean.) Kushiel’s Dart is my go-to Intro to “BDSM for Fantasy” fans, because the erotic scenes read similarly (aka, lush and beautiful) to how they would in any other good fantasy…but there are the added elements of pain, pleasure, control, and submission. Phedre is a servant of Naamah, a Goddess in her world that serves lovers and pleasure. But Phedre is unique, marked by a scarlet spot in her right eye, that shows that she is capable of experiencing pain as pleasure—and therefore serving a very particular clientele: those who wish to inflict pain to serve their own desires. Phedre’s experience as a sexual submissive is rooted in a unique political and magical system including spies and villains, royalty and rebels, and a conspiracy that only she can unravel.
What BDSM romances would you recommend?