Summary
- E.L. James’ Christian Grey series offers a healthier, more well-written perspective on the Fifty Shades story.
- Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series shares a similar dynamic of a wealthy, controlling love interest with a possessive streak.
- Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses series provides spicy romantasy with intense, erotic scenes for fans of Fifty Shades.
Now that Fifty Shades of Grey is on Netflix, it might have prompted readers to visit (or revisit) the books, but there are plenty of other book series to scratch the itch after reading E.L. James’ erotic book series. The Fifty Shades of Grey books (and movies) exploded onto the pop culture scene and ushered in a new era of erotic literature and kinky romance. While it had its detractors, and plenty of valid criticism about the toxicity of the relationship, it was still an enormous hit – the bestselling books of the decade.
That said, readers should be forewarned: Like the Fifty Shades of Grey books, some of the series on this list are problematic, so read with a cautious eye. Some definitely do BDSM better, in a healthier way that’s truer to the lifestyle. Others, however, should be read purely for the erotic scenes and not for any relationship or life lessons.
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The Christian Grey Series
E.L. James
This may seem like a no-brainer, but the best book series to read after Fifty Shades of Gray is…Fifty Shades of Gray. Some readers may not know this, but E.L. James released a trilogy that’s the Fifty Shades story but told from Christian’s POV. The three books – Grey, Darker, and Freed – are generally much better received than the original trilogy, with their Goodreads scores reflecting as much. In general, they’re a little better written with a more interesting protagonist. For those who loved the Fifty Shades trilogy, the best way to revisit that feeling may very well be to reread, this time through Christian’s eyes.
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The Twilight Series
Stephenie Meyer
The next-closest thing to Fifty Shades of Gray than reading the follow-up trilogy is reading the books that inspired them. Fifty Shades of Grey originally started as Twilight fanfic, but eventually, enough was changed for legal reasons that they became the books known today. While the BDSM element is obviously missing from Stephenie Meyers’ rather chaste Twilight, the dynamic of the cultured and wealthy love interest with a possessive, controlling streak is well-documented in the books. Those who also like the trope of the mousy, plain girl catching the eye of the (on paper, at least) perfect guy will also really like Twilight, if they haven’t already read it. Maybe it’s time for a reread.
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A Court of Thorns and Roses Series
Sarah J. Maas
It was thanks to the Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas that the concept of the spicy romantasy (and the word itself) really picked up steam a few years ago. While the first ACOTAR book was published in 2015, it was in the past few years during the pandemic that BookTok got ahold of them and blew up their popularity to new heights. The erotica is very erotic, with some readers criticizing the books for having perhaps a bit too much sex. If the spicier scenes were your favorite parts of the Fifty Shades of Grey books, then A Court of Thorns and Roses is sure to scratch that libidinous itch.
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The After Series
Anna Todd
To be frank, there was some debate about whether to include the After series by Anna Todd on this list. There’s no other way to put it: the After series is more toxic and unhealthy than the Fifty Shades of Grey series. Similar to Fifty Shades itself, the After series started out as fanfic on Wattpad, this time about Harry Styles of One Direction. If you’re into messy drama and passionate romance between two young people, however, then the After series can be an entertaining read for you. Be forewarned, though: Tessa and Hardin sometimes make Ana and Christian’s relationship seem healthy and balanced. Just keep that in mind as you read.
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The Eighty Days Series
Vina Jackson
Sometimes in a romance book, you don’t want realism, but perfectly beautiful, talented, passionate people. Vina Jackson’s Eighty Days series has all that and more, and, as a bonus, there are half a dozen books in the series and a few short stories to keep the seduction going. Summer is a talented violinist in a passionless relationship, but when she meets the suave university professor Dominik, his passion for her music ignites a part of her she’d kept leashed. Those who are into female protagonists exploring their darker, kinkier desires will surely like the Eighty Days series. There’s a nice balance of romance and sex, so readers get a bit of both.
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Crossfire Series
Sylvia Day
In book recommendations like Fifty Shades, the Crossfire series by Sylvia Day comes up frequently. The consensus among those who read and enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey is that the Crossfire books are very similar to Fifty Shades, but the writing is stronger and the dynamic between the characters is healthier. Granted, both the lovers can be quite toxic thanks to their troubled and abusive upbringings, but the character development is far stronger and the pair actually make an effort to work on themselves and their relationships. The sex scenes are well written and hot, so there’s a good balance of story and sex between the pages.
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Salacious Players Club Series
Sara Cate
The Salacious Players Club series by Sara Cate, starting with the first book, Praise, is also a complementary series that comes up often among the readership when discussing Fifty Shades of Grey. This one has the eroticism built right in: the male love interest is the owner of a sex club that allows people to safely explore their most private desires and kinks. Things get more complicated when he hires his son’s ex-girlfriend as his secretary. For those who love the boss-secretary power dynamic or a slightly older male protagonist, Praise will fulfill those niches. The BDSM and kink are explored in sexy, interesting ways, too, which is always a bonus.
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Masters Of The Shadowlands Series
Cherise Sinclair
Fifty Shades-inspired books love to set part of the action in sex clubs, and it’s easy to see why: BDSM and kink rein supreme. Such is the case with the Masters of the Shadowlands series by Cherise Sinclair. It’s a very lengthy series, with at least 15 books so far. Masters differs from most of the series on this list in that it follows a new protagonist every book, but all revolves around the bondage club, Club Shadowlands. Each book has a new master and a new student, keeping things fresh and kinky for readers. They’re quick, seductive reads for those who are more into the erotica than the story.
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The Stark Saga
J. Kenner
A hot, rich entrepreneur with a dark past and a control freak problem. A beautiful woman he’s set his sights on. A contractual proposition that leads to an intense relationship. Sound familiar? The Stark Series by J. Kenner has quite a few beats that overlap with Fifty Shades, including the rich boss/submissive subordinate dynamic. This time, though, the submissive female protagonist has some dark secrets of her own. There’s less kink and BDSM in the sex than one might expect, but the erotic scenes are still hot and the love story is honestly earned. It’s a nice balance of love and lust, with neither beating the other out.
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The Club Wyld Series
Violet James
The last book series on the list, the Club Wyld series by Violet James, s another that leans heavily into the sub-dom, BDSM dynamic of the characters. While protagonist Rebecca willingly enters the submissive lifestyle at the club, she finds it’s not like she thought it would be and instead involves a lot of pain and abuse. Unlike Fifty Shades of Grey, however, Rebecca gets herself into a proper BDSM relationship with a new man, and the series explores the lifestyle and sex with more nuance and respect than the E.J. James novels, which have been heavily criticized for its “BDSM” not being a BDSM relationship at all, but simply abuse. Those who love the insta-love trope, too, will find much to enjoy in the quick, breezy reads.
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