Ladies, enjoy your guilty pleasure! Studies have shown that women who read romance novels not only have sex twice as often but experience greater sexual satisfaction as well. Patricia Love author "Hot Monogamy" routinely suggests in her workshops that women spend some time enjoying romance novels. "I believe that reading stories about lustful women can give a sexually inhibited woman the permission she needs she needs to be a more passionate lover- especially when she reads the books last thing at night."

An estimated twenty million women spend countless amounts of money on this form of stimulation. Romance novels account for 46% of the mass-market paperbacks sold in the U.S. Researchers conclude that "erotic romances provide a form of sexual stimulation for their readers similar to that provided by sexual fantasies and that they are a form of 'softcore' pornography that women find socially acceptable and nonthreatening".

So this summer rock your sex life by curling up by the pool or on the couch and getting lost in a good romance novel.

If you're new to the romance genre or are looking for some new authors here are a few of my favorites.

Sweet: historical and contemporary, very little sexual content

Catherine Anderson

Susan Wiggs

Contemporary Romantic Comedy:if you like movies like "How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days" or "Sweet Home Alabama" check out these authors.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips 
www.susanephillips.com

Jennifer Cruise

Carly Phillips

Something for everyone:

Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb

Paranormal/Erotic: these authors are extremely explicit, not all their titles are paranormal but most are. If you like it racy, these are the authors for you.

Laurel K Hamilton

Lora Leigh 
www.loraleigh.com