Books like Swallow Me Whole — picked by fans

Water for Elephants was a book I went into not knowing what to expect! It was another recommendation from my mom and she was so right!

I love watching people fall in love, especially when I’ve had my own trials and tribulations in relationships! Jacob and Marlena are such a testament to true love triumphing over everything, and that is my number one reason for suggesting this book!

It also gives an incredible depiction of the Great Depression. Because of this book, I came away with a better understanding of my grandparents’ childhood struggles.

I couldn’t compile a list of books without including Judy Blume. In the forty years since I read my first Blume novel, a lot of things have changed, and—many have stayed the same.
Forever, first published in the mid-70s, is mildly erotic—and raw, and sensuous, and tender, and all the things that love and sex are. The sensual scenes are peppered in with great dialogue between the characters.

I especially love this book because no matter how many experiences I’ve had, I can still find a small piece of myself in protagonist Katherine—first sex, first love, first breakup, first death, and the many “firsts” that I’ve carried through my own life (divorce, pandemic, post-divorce love).

Forever may not always last, but it never fails to define chunks of our lives—always. 

Kitty King does not play when it comes to writing erotica. It’s dark AF, featuring domination/submission and BDSM.
Red Night: Xavier’s Delight had more twists and turns than a mountain road, plus plenty of kinky sex. While I didn’t really like Xavier or his lover Marissa, their disturbing love dance left me wondering whether either one was a redeemable character.

What intrigued me the most was their codependent/narcissistic love affair—degrading, terrifying, and loving. I wasn’t sure whether to root for Marissa’s honesty to self and her eventual realization of Xavier’s motivation, or Xavier’s hot-and-cold nature. His impressively-described tool helped keep this reader attached to the story (just sayin’…).

The brilliance of this dark erotic piece: a sexy dichotomy between wanting what is safe and wanting what might destroy you. 

This book was a perfect combination of on-the-edge-of-my-seat sexy and tug-at-my-heartstrings romantic.

The author created phenomenal dialogue between Fisher and Reese, so good, in fact, that their flirting was almost as hot as their eventual hookups. I really did adore this story for the plot twists that seemed to come out of nowhere.

Reese’s growth into a confident young woman who stopped thinking about how things were just happening to her and took control to make the things she wanted to happen was remarkable; their second-chance love story with all the sexy feels was exactly the heart-mind turn-on I had hoped it would be.

The best part? The effortless way Fisher and Reese not only fell in love with each other but loved their tribe, too. It made me feel just really good to be a part of this story.  

When I tell you this book took my heart and ripped it out, I’m not even joking. I knew it was a dark book. I went in with this knowledge, but knowing and knowing are two totally different things. This was my first foray into contemporary omegaverse and I was fascinated beyond belief. This is one of those books that kept me up all night, downloading the next just so I could get my fix and find out the end of the story. Some of the scenes still live in my head rent-free.

While BDSM is not everybody’s cup of tea, curious readers might consider the Rescue Me saga an introduction to both the lifestyle and genre. The series highlights the key aspects of domination and submission, especially informed consent by all participants. It also grapples with the controversial question of whether a lifestyle that stresses clear rules, self-discipline, and absolute trust between Master and submissive can help heal survivors of trauma and abuse. Masters at Arms is a collection of short stories that introduces the male characters (they’re all ex-military and run a club/dungeon together) and Nobody’s Angel expands on Marc’s story. I read Masters’ saga when researching for my own books, and found it eye-opening and surprising in terms of the complexities of BDSM relationships.

It’s impossible to talk about kinky billionaires without mentioning Jonathan Drazen. Featuring an up-and-coming lounge singer and the rich man who wants to have his way with her, Reiss avoids the stereotypical BDSM tropes, delivering a fresh and unique look at a healthy kink relationship. Though the book is coming on its tenth anniversary, it remains legendary for any true dirty billionaire fan.

This is an erotica book. It dives right in with the heat. There's a mystery element snaked between all the hot and heavy steam. Yvonne is inexperienced at first, but there are a plethora of kinks by the end. Recommended for readers looking to learn more about the BDSM lifestyle, as well as to those with kinky experiences. Consent matters in this book, and all the hot scenes have only consensual adults.

Like any good romance, there's a happily-ever-after. The mystery creates a high-action scene. Y is for Yes, like a rollercoaster, is fast-paced with excellent twists and lots of fun. J.R. Vincente has a distinct, enjoyable voice.

Sierra Simone is the queen of diversity inclusion in romance. The Thornchapel series is my favorite by her. While I do recommend you start with Book 1, A Lesson in Thorns, Book 2 is where we get St. Sebastian Martinez’s voice and perspective. 

St. Sebastian is the first character I ever read in romance that embodied the otherness I felt growing up Mexican-American. 

This book is extremely taboo and not for the faint of heart. Come for a diverse cast with the dreamiest narrative voice (think an adult, BDSM, version of the secret garden), and stay for characters you will fall in love with. 

Although this book starts out without safe words or careful negotiations, I still recommend all of Joey W. Hill’s work and the Knights of the Board Room series as BDSM Romance. Sometimes, a Dom must dig deep to give a submissive what she needs, and this is what Matt Kensington does in Board Resolution. Savannah is trained to shield herself and I think Matt’s crazy plan is the only way through the tough outer shell and into the soft and loving woman she is. Piece by piece —with help from his team— he breaks her down, only to let her rise like a Phoenix from her ashes. Beautiful story.