The advent of the internet has meant that making otherwise embarrassing purchases needn’t be done face-to-face. Whether it’s racy underwear, naughty goods or erotic books, one factor that put many off in the past was having to purchase it at the counter. With online shopping, however, blushes can be spared and even the most X rated items can be purchased discreetly and easily.

It is because of this that erotic books are seeing something of a boom, now being open not only to those brazen enough to buy them in the shop but also those who would prefer to be a little more secretive with their purchasing habits.

Erotic books, however, need not be all sexy-romance stories popularised by Mills & Boon and their more explicit peers. The erotic section in any bookshop, high street or online, is positively bulging with all manner of different titles.

Self-help

Whilst a little more fun and promiscuous than the typical titles in the self help section, erotic books such as this can offer a more hands-on kind of help to those looking for it.

This, of course, doesn’t stop at the genre-defining Karma Sutra. There is a plethora of books covering all manner of aspects of sex, from the different techniques and positions to niche books covering the practical implications of anal sex.

Interactive books

Something you’d undertake more as part of a couple than settle down to read alone, interactive books suggest different ways of spicing up a sexual relationship, assigning tasks to each partner and making for a slightly different and more involved night than the norm.

Of course, there is also the vast selection of erotic fiction for which the section became infamous. These can cover a range of scenarios and even individual novels written specifically more males or females. There is much more to the erotic section than just fanciful tales of smut, for those brave enough to look.