The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
I’ve been an avid romance reader for many years now. And one trope out of all makes me stop and pick up a book faster than any other and that’s the FORBIDDEN ROMANCE. Sometimes it’s not even that FORBIDDEN or taboo, but even a little vibe makes for some awesome reading. Also if you love enemies to lovers, or enjoyed MM romances I have you covered.
But if this trope is not for you, and that’s absolutely fine – in that case just skip this post. 😀
For everyone else, check out my most favorite forbidden romance books.
I love this trope!!
I’m not going to lie. It’s fascinating. Sexy. Full of tension and forbidden attraction. And it always makes for great entertainment.
Some of these books SIZZLE – so just be aware. Forbidden romances can be quite SEXY!
So, if you love this kind of trope, here are some for your tbr. I’ve read them all, and if you have any questions, just shoot me an email.
The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
| SEXY |
LOVER BY MARNI MANN, GIA RILEY
3.97 avg rating — 1,566 ratings — published 2017
I pretty much jumped into this book without knowing anything about the authors, their writing style or what the book would be about, all I knew was that the two couples were swingers!!!! Call me intrigued!! I was intrigued by the setting, and utterly enchanted by the characters. And I was immediately consumed by this emotional and electrifying novel. Long story short, I fell in love with West and Piper.
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AFTER THE NIGHT BY LINDA HOWARD
4.08 avg rating — 21,945 ratings — published 1995
This romance is an old school romance, it was released 25 years ago, it’s very sultry, and sexy, and the author’s best book in my option. And it’s set in the south, Louisiana. ♥︎
I don’t remember how often I’ve read this book, all I can say is I was blown away by it.
TURBULENCE BY WHITNEY G.
ATTENTION the author changed the title to MISTER WESTON
4.27 avg rating — 12,490 ratings — published 2016
I absolutely adored this book. It had my favorite kind of hero – a jerk, with a forbidden romance all wrapped in one. The banter and chemistry was through the roof in this spicy and sexy read. Honestly, it’s the author’s best book to date.
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The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
| STEP-BROTHER |
FALLEN CREST HIGH (FALLEN CREST HIGH #1) BY TIJAN
4.11 avg rating — 47,181 ratings — published 2012
This series is not for everyone, but if you love OTT drama, unputdownable stories, amazing chemistry, and a group of people that just mesh with each other, this is the series for you. But be warned – it’s addicting!
Trigger: school bullying
The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
| AGE GAP |
SCANDALOUS (SINNERS OF SAINT, #3) BY L.J. SHEN
4.26 avg rating — 23,398 ratings — published 2017
Scandalous is complex, emotionally riveting, and an intricately plotted work of art. It’s thought-provoking and guaranteed to steal your heart. I was in tears at the end. #BestEpilogueAward. I always expect the unexpected with the Hotholes and this book did not disappoint.
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BIRTHDAY GIRL BY PENELOPE DOUGLAS
4.14 avg rating — 27,488 ratings — published 2018
I love forbidden, taboo, and anything that’s edgy and outside the box. Birthday Girl was a much sweeter novel than anything I have ever read by this author. Nevertheless it was captivating, and alluring. Perfect for anyone who likes sexy with a dash of the forbidden.
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UNDENIABLE (UNDENIABLE #1) BY MADELINE SHEEHAN
4.05 avg rating — 47,583 ratings — published 2012
Madeline Sheehan’s books ruled my life for a long time. I went through a phase when I read one MC book after another, and Madeline Sheehan was considered the QUEEN of MC. Nothing could get even close to how heart wrecking and addicting her stories were. The age gap between her main characters also contributed to the “OMG – what am I reading?” kind of feeling. So be warned!
HOTHOUSE FLOWER (CALLOWAY SISTERS #2) BY KRISTA & BECCA RITCHIE
4.32 avg rating — 12,084 ratings — published 2014
Ryke is one of my favorite heroes in the KB RITCHIEverse, but he has one filthy mouth, he can’t say a sentence without my favorite F-word. So be aware of it. 😀
But his relationship with Daisy is a DREAM and something I would like to see more often with couples.
But if you want to get to meet one of my only book-boyfriends ever – meet Connor in Kiss the Sky ♥︎
The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
| TEACHER/COACH |
MISCONDUCT BY PENELOPE DOUGLAS
4.05 avg rating — 13,062 ratings — published 2015
Loved this teacher/parent novel. Wonderfully written, it was one of my first Penelope Douglas novels and it’s one of the only one I would consider rereading. HOT and sizzling, it delivered everything I love in a forbidden story.
ON THE ISLAND BY TRACEY GARVIS GRAVES
4.12 avg rating — 73,674 ratings — published 2011
I’m not a huge friend of the older woman/younger man trope, but this student/teacher novel was enchanting, alluring and captivating. Beautifully written, emotional and touching. It’s a MUST READ for anyone who loves to read unique and refreshingly different stories.
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A PLACE WITHOUT YOU BY JEWEL E. ANN
4.32 avg rating — 6,623 ratings — published 2018
Another student/teacher novel that was incredibly emotional. A touch of forbidden, but not too much out there. Well written, captivating, and an easy read. It had this gorgeous bohemian feel to it – perfect for summer
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DARK NOTES BY PAM GODWIN
4.18 avg rating — 8,641 ratings — published 2016
I loved the student/teacher feel of it. It was edgy, steamy with a spanking or two. All together it was an irresistible and unputdownable read!! A MUST READ for everyone that loves this trope.
SCORING WILDER BY R.S. GREY
4.05 avg rating — 26,561 ratings — published 2014
This is by far my most favorite sports romance, and one of my most favorite romances of all time!! I have read this book at least half a dozen times already, and probably will read it every year going forward. It combines two of my favorite tropes, student/coach and sports romances. I adored it from beginning to end. Wilder is one of the best book boyfriends ever and the author balances the NA angst perfectly with witty banter and funny LOL moments.
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The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
| OFFICE ROMANCE |
MR. PRESIDENT (WHITE HOUSE #1) BY KATY EVANS
4.11 avg rating — 13,293 ratings — published 2016
I really enjoyed Mr President. I read it right after the election in 2016 and it really resonated with me. And of course the aspect of it being a forbidden romance didn’t hurt either. I’m not usually a fan of Katy Evans, but the White House duet really worked for me.
BEAUTIFUL BASTARD (BEAUTIFUL BASTARD #1) BY CHRISTINA LAUREN
4.02 avg rating — 146,355 ratings — published 2013
Beautiful Bastard had everything I enjoy in an office romance. A jerk of a boss, lots of banter and pushing buttons on BOTH SIDES!!! It’s not just him that pushed buttons, she teased him non-stop too and I absolutely adored it!! Beautiful Bastard was sexy, steamy and utterly addicting.
DIRTY HEADLINES BY L.J. SHEN
4.21 avg rating — 21,362 ratings — published 2018
My favorite novel by this author. I just love the combination of office romance, a jerk of a boss (do you see a theme here?), banter, forbidden chemistry, and an overall fantastic storyline. It’s a book I can re-read again and again.
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The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
| MM ROMANCE |
DAMAGED LIKE US (LIKE US #1) BY KRISTA RITCHIE, BECCA RITCHIE
4.02 avg rating — 7,427 ratings — published 2017
WOW!!! I had no idea how much this book would speak to me. I was sceptic at first. And honestly didn’t think that this series could be as awesome as the Calloway Sisters – but wow I was soooo WRONG!!! Damaged Like Us is the beginning of an EPIC series. A wealthy celebrity falling in love with his tattooed and HOT bodyguard – I couldn’t have asked for a more addicting plot.
HEATED RIVALRY (GAME CHANGERS, #2) BY RACHEL REID
4.39 avg rating — 2,938 ratings — published 2019
BEST enemies to lover sports romance – EVER!!! Forbidden attraction, turns into forbidden hook-ups and eventually a forbidden romance – and I was there for it ALL!!!
RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE BY CASEY MCQUISTON
4.27 avg rating — 109,173 ratings — published 2019
I think most readers have heard about this book. The forbidden attraction between a President’s son and a Royal heir – great banter, and a novel that enchanted the readers.
CAPTIVE PRINCE (CAPTIVE PRINCE #1) BY C.S. PACAT
3.88 avg rating — 50,066 ratings — published 2013
This is an amazing trilogy that is not for everyone. I loved it, but for me this book is a work of fiction nothing else. And the forbidden attraction between prince and slave was unputdownable. I’ve read it already three times, and will be reading it again and again, because there just isn’t anything else that compares to this story.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME BY ANDRÉ ACIMAN
4.27 avg rating — 170,020 ratings — published 2007
Amazing book, an even more amazing audiobook. And most of all a movie that tops it all – ♥︎
MORE TO COME…
The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
The BEST Forbidden Romance Books
I love this trope too! After The Night was wow, kind of heartbreaking. I felt so sad and angry for the heroine for the unfair treatment she got but the ending was pretty great. I loved Scandalous and I re-read it a couple of months after I first read it lol.
I think I need to do a re-read of After The Night – what a classic ♥︎ I’m really bad when it comes to the HOTHOLES, the only book I really remember is VICIOUS – all the other blended into each other, and now I can barely remember a thing 😳
I hated Vicious and Ruckus. I really hated them, Ugh – especially when I think over how much heartache could have been avoided if the two heroines had just been truthful. And Vicious and Dean as well, they just pissed me off. Scandalous was the only one I loved – to the point of reading it twice.
Oh yeah, they weren’t easy to read. I had a hard time with Ruckus too, the rain scene broke my heart. I think the reason why Vicious is so vivid in my mind, because he started it all, good and bad.
I really like this post, I’m a romcom person and most of these suggestions were awesome and sound pretty hot.
Dirty Headlines and dark notes sound like my type of books…might give them a try.
Are they as good as the cover looks? 😏🤔
lol – are they ever?
I’m not a big rom-com reader, but TURBULENCE was fun thanks to the banter, and A PERFECT TEN is probably one of the sweetest books from the list, SCORING WILDER is FUN the author is known for her rom-coms, and BEAUTIFUL BASTARD would probably fit the rom-com trope too.
Dark Notes is not rom-com material, side eye “spanking” – lol
Hmm, might check those out too…
Thank you for the recommendation!
Yeah, but dark notes looks and sounds great anyway!
Lol 😂
three words – GO FOR IT 😀
😉Trust me – I will 😁😁😁
Wow! LOTS of great ones on here. So many that I read and loved. I even found a couple I want to try!
Glad I could help. And I’m always looking for new ones to find. SO if you have books that I’m missing, or haven’t read yet, don’t be shy – and let me know. 😀
Well, I DID read this REALLY steamy one by Katee Robert called Your Dad Will Do. And I read Nina West’s entire Wolf Hotel series, which is kind of a forbidden office romance between a 21 year old virgin and her 31 year old boss. (KA Tucker is Nina West, if you haven’t heard that before.)
OMG, so I heard about her pen-name last month when she got live with the announcement, but I haven’t picked them up yet. Are they good? I’ll put them into my KU folder for when I sign up again. And OMG to Your Dad Will Do 😍just read the blurb
I actually really enjoyed them. I mean, the Wolf Hotel one was a little on the tropey side, but the writing is good. The other mob series was fun, too. I actually wish there were more of her books now so I could read more.
Yes, that one was on the scandalous side, but so much fun. LOL.
I just read Lover based on your recommendation and was surprised by it. Great recommendation!
ooooh, you read it? AND you enjoyed it? woohoo!!!!!! 😀
Yep!
I keep hearing about that Fallen Crest series!! And omg LJ Shen is one of my fav authors! I love her Hot Hope series and am currently reading The Hunter by her. Forbidden romance is one of my fav tropes… thanks so much for all the recs 😱😱💛
You’re welcome ;D
And Sam, Mason and Logan are EPIC!!!!! And if you love Shen’s books, you’l love the Fallen Crest Series too – lot’s of drama, amazing characters, and stories that suck you in.
Ooh I LOVE this list here and Forbidden Romance is such a great trope. I loved Mr President so much and Undeniable was really awesome as well. I haven’t read too much Shen but I need to read more of her soon. Red White and Blue and R.S. Grey is on my list for this year to read.
Some of my favorites are The Price of a Kiss by Linda Kage, Say You Love Me by Johanna Lindsey, and Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh
Kiss of Snow – ALL TIME FAVORITE shifter book – could read Hawke and Sienna all the time.♥︎
I haven’t read a Johanna Lindsey book in YEARS but I know there isn’t one that I haven’t already read 😀 Loved her books to the moon and back!!
Thank you for this list!!! I love Linda Howard’s After The Night ❤️. I’ve also re-read it multiple times. Will have to check out the rest of these books!
It’s my favorite by her, but I also love to read Mr Perfect and Open Season, those are my three favorite books by her. If you want to talk books from this list, let me know. I can point you to the right direction. 😊