Dirty Words and Where to Find Them :: Romance Books to Get You In the Mood

Need an escape into pure entertainment and want to get in the mood? We’ve got a collection of romance books that will do the trick.

Dirty Words and Where to Find Them: Romance Books to Get You in the Mood. Logo: Houston moms blog. A woman holds an open book in front of her face.

What makes you blush?

For me, it’s not what you would expect.

I don’t get embarrassed easily. I’ve flashed my neighbors so often {I don’t believe in wearing a bra to check the mail} that I’ve learned to just live with the uncomfortableness of block parties.

Last week, I blew a kiss to the principal of my children’s school. Completely unintentional. But likely, to happen again.

And in my mothering prime, I once soaked an entire Starbucks counter with breastmilk. Directly from my bare chest, in a million little directions. Because I thought I could quickly order while nursing and couldn’t possibly have known that my babe would release her hold on my nipple at the exact moment I said, “extra shot, please” to the unexpecting barista.

NO ONE is gonna buy those overpriced almonds now.

A baby pulls on the side of the face and mouth of a mother.

But if you try to pay me a compliment, heat hits my cheeks immediately.

If I think I have offended someone in any way, I’m red as a Cardinal.

And if you dare to ask me ANY serious question about things I haven’t heavily researched but probably should have an opinion on by now WHILE drinking my $13.99 wine, I go full body blush and it’ll linger until the detox.

Also, my skin pretty much stays crimson throughout any conversation with a teacher.

But hand me a naughty book, ANY will do, and my hands remain steady as I calmly devour its contents.

Not a hint of rose on those fluffy cheeks.

An open book with the pages folded in the shape of a heart.

No one will ever seek me out for meal prep advice.

They won’t ask my thoughts on organizing a playroom, preparing age-appropriate Montessori activities, or my thoughts on ANY upcoming election.

And I’m not known for my fashion. 

But I am often called upon to delve out my latest discoveries in the romance section.

Specifically, the ones that make a good woman clutch her pearls.

Hide her paperback.

Blush.

A book shelf with a book pulled out, which has a man and woman kissing on the cover.

Research is important. Grammar, in romance, not necessary.

And I’m obviously not reading these kind of books for their literary impact or, and most often, lack of.

This is for entertainment. For escaping for a bit.

It doesn’t have to be more profound than that. Sometimes a mom just needs to read a different kind of bedtime story.

A photograph of a man and woman kissing in a car. The woman's hand is pressed against a steamy window.

The upcoming list is compiled from my own fantastic research and recommendations from friends.

I’m not an expert, just a fan.

There’s a reason why Romance/Erotica is the biggest selling genre, ya’ll. 

At least you know you’ll be in excellent company.

Bonus, you can even read these romance books in the car-rider line and teacher of the year, Mrs. Smith, will be none the wiser.

A fluorescent light in the shape of a heart.

Steamy Stories for Everyone 

Book: The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang.
Book: The Idea of you by Robinne Lee.
Four books by Diana Gabaldon: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn.
Book: The wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Book: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton.

Paranormal Romance Books {My personal fave} 

10 Books by Charlaine Harris in the Southern Vampire Mysteries Series.
Book: Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K. Hamilton.
12 books by J. R. Ward.
Book: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter.
Book: Dark Desires after Dusk by Kresley Cole.
Book: Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione.

The Southern Vampire Mysteries {aka, Sookie Stackhouse novels, aka, True Blood on HBO}

Black Dagger Brotherhood series

Immortals After Dark series 

Guilty Pleasures {Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series}

The Darkest Night {Lords of the Underworld series}

Pleasure Unbound {Demonica series}

LGBTQ Romance Books

Book: And playing the role of herself by K. E. Lane.
Book: Call me by your name by Andre Aciman.
Book: Kiss the Girl by Melissa Brayden.
Book: The Gravity Between us by Kristen Zimmer.
Book: Red, White And Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.
Book: Bared to you by Sylvia Day.
Book: Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard.
Book: Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren.
Book: Backstage pass by Olivia Cunning.
Book: Craving by Helen Hardt.

A backlit photograph of a man and woman kissing.

What are your favorite romance books that you didn’t see mentioned? I’m always looking for something new to keep me up at night.


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Dirty Words and Where to Find Them: Romance Books to Get You in the Mood. Logo: Houston moms blog. A woman holds an open book in front of her face.

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Britany B
Britany is currently lost in Houston, but not worried because she brought plenty of snacks. An avid traveler with a wild, squishy heart--she birthed one baby in New Orleans, the other, in Amsterdam. She recently bought a dog, named him Dragon, and brags to strangers about it. In a former life, she owned a wedding planning business; misses the free cake, the most. When she isn’t avoiding cooking AT ALL COSTS, she is trying to squeeze out some good words, hoping to make a living by using her imagination and pen to scare children (the next great kidlit series, they say). She prefers her drinks dirty. Is anxious. Kind of wishes it was Halloween. And will likely hug you a beat too long and make it weird.

1 COMMENT

  1. I’m also a fan of Illona Andrews’ paranormal romances. I think their best series so far are Kate Daniels (starts with Magic Bites) and the first trilogy in The Hidden Legacy series (starts with Burn for Me). They’re slow burn, but the world-building is so much fun that you don’t care.

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