Literature erotica: Seven creatives share their favourite sexy, smutty reads
image via @oloffffy/INSTAGRAM
words by daisy henry
Happy reading.
Winter has well and truly arrived, and with it, brought an endless stream of rain and increasingly dark days. There are plenty of ways to add a little dose of romance into your life in these months, whether that’s seeking refuge inside and browsing through a gallery or taking up residence by the fire at your local pub.
For more author interviews and book recommendations, head to our Life section.
Another way to add some heat to your life is by staying in and opening up the pages of a smutty book. Whether it’s a romantasy full of sex, magic and dragons, or a contemporary fiction exploring desire and power dynamics, the genre itself is vast and varied. What you can be sure to expect with these books are plenty of chapters full of hot, steamy encounters.
To help you get started, we asked seven Australian creatives to share with us their favourite sexy reads to keep you company in the winter months.
Delta of Venus, by Anaïs Nin
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Recommended by: Laura Roscioli, sex writer and founder of Sexy Book Club
This might seem like a basic recommendation coming from a sex columnist, but Delta of Venus was genuinely my introduction to smutty literature — and, in many ways, the world’s too. In the 1940s, Anaïs Nin was approached by an anonymous collector who paid her to write erotic stories for him. She was a struggling writer at the time, so she agreed, though the stories weren’t published until years later.
The result is a collection of short erotic stories that feel remarkably ahead of their time. The book explores taboo subjects like incest, voyeurism, power dynamics, queer desire and infidelity, but what makes it so compelling is that she approached female desire with such intelligence and curiosity at a time when women weren’t really allowed to.
You can feel the foundations of so much modern erotic literature in these pages. If you’re interested in smut, sexuality or the history of women writing about desire, this is essential reading. A true staple of the genre.
Endless Love by Scott Spencer
Recommended by: Madeleine Ryan, author
Endless Love is a classic novel first published in 1979. It blends a potent story with piercing insight and sensuality. It’s tormented. It’s raw. It’s sexy. It’s unforgettable.
David is obsessed with Jade. They’re teenagers and their love is forbidden. The first time I read their story, I wept repeatedly. The passion of Endless Love is unmatched. It also contains one of the longest sex scenes ever depicted in modern fiction, which is over 20 pages. You’re welcome.
Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl by Andrea Lawlor
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Recommended by: Charlee Brooks, book blogger
Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl is an erotic queer romp following a 23-year-old shapeshifter who changes his body at will as he ploughs his way across several iconic queer and punk subculture havens in the United States… and if that doesn’t sound like fun, I don’t know what does.
Not only is this book gloriously horny but it also had a significant impact on publishing, challenging traditional industry bottlenecks and helping pave the way for a wider range of queer voices on mainstream lists. Steamy, sweaty and urgent, this novel is a celebration of what it means to be young, queer and hot. I will never get enough of Andrea Lawlor’s work.
Female Fantasy by Iman Hariri-Kia
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Recommended by: Jing Xuan Teo (Xuan), co-founder of Amplify Bookstore
Half brother ‘s-best-friend-slow-burn, half mermaid-romantasy, Female Fantasy follows Joonie, who is on a quest to find a man she’s convinced is the love of her life. What entails is a funny, sexy and wild road trip to New York City with her brother’s best friend. This is an unhinged and brilliant take on the romance genre and a wild, steamy romp.
Becoming Venus by Dr Esme Louise James
Recommended by: Dee Salmin, author and Triple J presenter
I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of sex historian Dr Esme Louise James’ debut fiction novel Becoming Venus and let me tell you right now it’s so hot. As someone who talks about sex for a living and as someone who can’t stand cringe smut stories, Esmé has completely nailed the world of BDSM.
Without giving too much away, Becoming Venus is about a PHD student called Rose who, after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, ends up distracting herself with a lot of sex. With a lot of different people. And of course. Things get messy. But most importantly, Rose really discovers her sexuality and confidence through a world of play. My favourite part about the book is that it’s very feminist and Esmé does the most incredible job of showing how hot consensual, respectful and safe dom/sub dynamics can be. It’s out in September!
Spy in the House of Love and Little Birds by Anais Nin
Recommended by: Olivia Henning, book blogger
Honestly, if it’s not a hockey romance at the moment, it’s anything by Anaïs Nin. Spy in the House of Love is a psychologically electric novella about a woman conducting secret affairs. It’s completely intoxicating. I recommend Little Birds if you want something more explicitly sensual; it’s a collection of short stories that are strange, dreamy and utterly unapologetic about female pleasure.
Acts of Service by Lillian Fishman
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Recommended by: Daisy Henry, Fashion Journal‘s Assistant Editor
Acts of Service is one of the most explicit, erotic books I’ve read. The story follows a woman in Brooklyn, who, after posting naked photos online, finds herself pulled into a sexual relationship with Olivia and Nathan. It delves into taboo topics, exploring different facets of desire, attraction and power dynamics. I will warn you, they’re not particularly likeable characters, but it’s a boundary-pushing read full of a lot of sex.
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