Welcome to the second micro-trope category of the Sapphic Book Bingo 2025! Today, we’re checking off one of the spiciest squares on the bingo card: sapphic books featuring up-against-a-wall sex (or, in some cases, up-against-a-door or up-against-a-countertop sex).
In these books, passion ignites with an irresistible urgency and raw desire that leaves no time for the characters to make it into the bedroom.
If you’re new to the Sapphic Book Bingo
If you’re discovering our reading challenge just now, head over to the Sapphic Book Bingo 2025 main post to read up on the rules and download your bingo card!
If you want more book recommendations, check out my Facebook reader group or the Sapphic Book Bingo Goodreads group.
15 recommended sapphic books in which the characters have up-against-a-wall sex
Below, you’ll find a list of 15 sapphic books with up-against-a-wall sex:
Another Stupid Love Song by Miranda MacLeod & Em Stevens
In a sizzling tale of love and redemption, two women embark on a journey that will test their hearts and ignite their passions when fame and music collide.
Maxine Gardner, a former rock and roll legend, is on the brink of obscurity and desperate for a comeback. Years have passed since her last hit, and she knows that a reunion tour with her old band is her last chance to revive her floundering career. But there’s a catch—one band member is dead, and the other despises her. To make her dreams a reality, Max’s only hope is a younger woman whose talent threatens to overshadow her own.
Jade Weathers, a gifted musician who hails from a family of rock royalty, is torn between a deathbed promise and her desire for rock stardom. When fate brings her face-to-face with Max, the woman who shattered her late mother’s career, Jade recognizes an opportunity to seize her destiny, even if it means partnering with the one person she should distrust the most.
What begins as a reluctant alliance quickly ignites into a collaboration where the attraction simmering beneath each soul-stirring note is as undeniable as it is forbidden. Heartbreak seems inevitable.
But is it possible everything they thought they knew about each other is wrong?
Available at:
House of Crimson Hearts by Ruby Roe
Once upon a time, a vampire corrupted a hunter.
Octavia Beaumont, one of the original three vampires, is determined to run the city.
Red, an expert hunter, is hell-bent on getting revenge on the vampire that turned her sister.
When deadly trials for the heir of the city begin, Red and Octavia are forced to work together.
Octavia wants a crown.
Red wants blood.
But there’s only one first place.
To win, they’re going to have to trust each other. But teamwork is not easy when their past is filled with betrayal…
A betrayal Red can’t remember.
Someone is lying.
Someone has a secret.
Everyone has a hidden agenda.
The last thing Red and Octavia want to do is fall in love… But hearts remember, even when the mind doesn’t.
To win the trials and get revenge…
They must reveal a truth that will shatter their souls.
Remember a past that will break their hearts.
And fight a war that will change the face of the city forever.
Three tasks. Three choices. Three sacrifices.
All of them have a cruel price. The question is, are they willing to pay it?
Available at:
An Unexpected Fate by Skye Von Triessen
Dr. Miranda Hayes never anticipated finding herself in a relationship with a woman, but her undeniable attraction to Lane Remington was too powerful to resist. As she surrenders to this unexpected connection, Miranda is forced to confront new facets of her identity. Is this newfound attraction to women just a passing curiosity, or is it the start of something more profound? And as she peels back the layers of Lane’s carefully constructed facade, what truths will she uncover, and how will they shape her choices?
Lane Remington has always lived by her own set of unbreakable rules—until Miranda Hayes shattered her iron-clad self-control. After nearly a year of longing, Lane finally has the woman she desires. But will she grow bored, as she has in all her past relationships? Or will the intense passion she feels for Miranda evolve into something deeper, something she’s never allowed herself to experience before?
As their lives become increasingly intertwined, both women must navigate a labyrinth of emotions, desires, and fears. In a world where control is everything, what happens when they surrender to the unexpected and let fate take the lead?
Available at:
You’re Still the One by Claire Highton-Stevenson
Natalie Shultz is a success in business but not in love. Although she’s built an empire of female-empowering sex toy stores, she’s never been able to find a deep, passionate connection of her own since running away from the girl of her dreams twenty-five years ago. But when she unexpectedly encounters Sadie again, who’s now an elegant, sensual woman, Natalie can’t quite smother a desperate hope of rekindling their long-ago spark.
Sadie Swanson is not the girl she once was. As a high-class escort, she exercises absolute control over who enjoys her body while keeping her heart securely locked away. Yet seeing a face from the past penetrates her artfully-constructed façade. The physical and emotional pull toward Natalie is as powerful as ever, but surrendering to it means risking another devastating heartbreak…and this time, Sadie may not survive it.
Memories of their glorious, youthful romance intertwine with the complexities of the present day as Natalie and Sadie rediscover the fire that has always burned between them. Will they embrace the warmth or quench the flames forever?
Available at:
Taming of a Rebel by Eada Friesian
Tori Frazee is unapologetic when it comes to falling in love before she’s thirty. When her marriage ended amicably, she knew she had to get back into the game to find her soulmate and have the family she wanted. Running face first into a cold but frazzled funeral director and a rebellious toddler at the grocery store isn’t how she expected to find love, and Miranda certainly isn’t her soulmate. Or is she?
Miranda Hart doesn’t believe in love. When she’s saddled with her flakey sister’s kid, she has a choice to make—step up to break the cycle and keep her niece from being another victim or continue to live through her work. When she meets the cute, down to earth Tori, she can’t help but wonder if maybe she does want more than her career.
When opposites attract, steam rises, especially with an ice queen in the mix. Will these two single parents break down their preconceived notions enough to find a family they can rely on?
Available at:
Houseswap 101 by Jaime Clevenger
When Devyn Lancaster comes home from a busy shift at the hospital, the last thing she expects to find is a woman weed-whacking her garden. It gets worse when she learns her ex-husband invited the woman to trade houses with him—all without telling her a thing about the plan.
Robbie Price was looking forward to a month-long vacation in San Diego. A break from the Seattle rain in exchange for doing a few home repair projects and taking a cute dog to the beach seemed well worth a house swap. Then she meets her coworker’s ex-wife.
For Robbie and Devyn, even tolerating each other feels impossible at first. And neither expect to learn to like each other. But at the end of the month, parting ways is what feels impossible.
Available at:
The Connoisseur’s Christmas Courtship by L.M. Bennett
McKenna Washington’s heart is as burnt as her attempts at cooking, thanks to a recent painful breakup.
Enter Brette Hunt: charcuterie expert and owner of a smile that could melt the iciest of hearts. As McKenna reluctantly navigates her friends’ awkward attempts at matchmaking, farmers’ markets, and gourmet tastings, she wonders if Brette’s expertly curated flavors might be the perfect recipe to help her trust in love again.
Available at:
Magdalene Nox by Milena McKay
Magdalene Nox doesn’t cast wishes upon stars…
She simply makes them happen. But for this particular wish, she had waited for thirty years. Her retribution against those who discarded her three decades ago should be swift and simple.
Except a chance encounter and an unforgettable night turn her entire life upside down. Torn between vengeance and lust, Magdalene is forced to re-evaluate everything.
Can the Home of Dragons and lonely math teacher Sam Threadneedle—who finds herself stranded amidst longing and fury—withstand the storm that is Magdalene Nox, or will any and all be consumed by the flames of revenge?
Not everything is as it seems, and as Magdalene returns to the place that left her wounded and lost all those years ago, she realizes that old oak and stone hide more than secrets and pain. They also hold forgiveness and love.
Available at:
Caged by Reba Bale
Janie spent way too many years denying her true desires and wasting her life on an emotionally abusive man. It was only when she started secretly coming to Club Surrender that she realized that even in submission she could be in control. Free and finally able to explore her bisexuality, the last thing she wants to do is fall in love again, even though the rope expert who ties her up is very appealing…
Skye is the newest dominatrix at Seattle’s women only BDSM club. They call her “The Ice Queen” due to her cold and emotionless demeanor, something that has served her well in both her high-powered career and her dominatrix role. But after years of bad experiences at other clubs, she’s finally found a home. She’s also found something unexpected: her soul mate.
Skye wants to make Janie hers forever, but the younger woman doesn’t believe in romance – and there’s no way she’s willing to commit to a new relationship so soon. With a little patience and some help from their friends, Skye devises a plan to win her submissive’s heart.
Available at:
V.A.M.P. Book One—Serena & Katerina by Kimberly A. Todd
Being rich, powerful, and thirty years old for eternity has its perks. Being a heartbroken, 800-year-old lesbian vampire, not so much.
Serena Vanderen is chairman and CEO of V.A.M.P. Global. Advertiser by day; scientist, murderer, and cleanup artist for her pharmaceutical client by night.
Since her girlfriend was killed thirty years ago, Serena has been going through the motions of running her advertising agency while grieving and trying to armor her heart against any more pain. But when Katerina Davenport attends her company gala, everything changes.
Can this captivating, gorgeous, sexy redhead help Serena find love again? Will she reignite Serena’s long-dormant sexual desires? Will Katerina be able to accept that she is falling in love with a vampire? What dark secrets does the agency conceal that challenges their love—and Katerina’s safety?
Available at:
Duty & Monsters by J.L. Meyrick
Captain Grace Peregrine finds herself in a new, unwanted role. Leader of her community, helping the island rebuild after Valentine’s attempted coup.
Freddie, no longer a Princess, finally finds her place in the world. Training to master all the elements of ship life, she searches for a way to help people in a way she never could at the palace.
Sent on a joint mission to Ablunora to carry precious cargo across a sea at war, the pair learn to grow and love apart. Freddie meets a mysterious woman. Charged with her protection, she navigates the line between duty and romance.
Grace struggles to make meaningful connections after her recent loss, but a new face promises to introduce new challenges.
Available at:
The World Within by Dani Finn
Lila’s life is almost perfect.
She’s finally opened her luxury sex shop and wellness center in a rehabilitated ancient temple. The painted faces are lining up to buy the new alchemical vibrators and unwind in the spa and baths. And she gets to work with her two best friends every day.
So why is there an empty place in her chest?
Enter Avisse, the delivery woman, a single mom with a quick smile and eyes that flash from hard to soft in an instant. There’s a spark, and a kiss, and a promise of dinner next time Avisse is in town.
Until then, Lila’s got her hands full with the shop, not to mention the mystic portal she’s discovered in the temple basement. What lies beyond will turn their lives—and the World Within—inside out.
Available at:
Make Room for Love by Darcy Liao
Starting over is hard. Falling for her gorgeous butch roommate might make it impossible.
When a tall, stunning butch protects Mira from her ex-boyfriend at the club—and offers her a safe place to stay—Mira should be relieved. Not flustered. She’s not into women.
Yet this tough electrician with curves for days makes Mira’s heart race like never before.
But Isabel, wounded by grief, forces Mira to keep her distance. Until Mira’s desperate to win a union election at work—and only Isabel has the experience to teach her how.
Soon they’re lingering over dinner, teasing each other as the apartment heats up. And Isabel is making her coffee every morning, hanging her shelves, giving her smoldering looks before bed…
But Mira can’t afford temptation. Not after living with her nightmare ex.
No matter how well Isabel takes care of her…or how much Isabel needs healing, too.
She can’t risk her freedom—or her heart.
Available at:
The Unfinished Line by Jen Lyon
When Kameryn Kingsbury lands one of the most coveted roles in cinema history, she’s certain it’s the most monumental thing that’s ever happened to her—until a twist of fate introduces her to Dillon Sinclair.
Dillon is unlike anyone Kam has ever met: bold, certain of herself, and fiercely driven by an ambition that has skyrocketed her to the top of her career. A famed British triathlete who remains on a quest to secure the one accolade she’s yet to achieve: an Olympic gold medal.
The connection between the two women is intense and unexpected, challenging Kam’s understanding of herself as she’s drawn into a relationship with Dillon. From the Hawaiian islands to the Santa Monica Pier, to the tropical paradise of the Keys, and the tranquil coast of Wales, a love story begins to unfold.
But when Dillon’s turbulent past collides with Kam’s overnight fame, the challenges escalate and the pressure of the relationship is heightened.
Available at:
Love by the Numbers by Karin Kallmaker
As a behavioral scientist, Professor Nicole Hathaway’s work strips away the foolish mystique that surrounds the human mating dance. When her academic tome is treated as a viral “love manual” her ecstatic publisher books her to appear all over the U.S. and Europe. Worse yet, her quiet, managed life has been shattered by a series of incompetent assistants. And she’s certain this Lily Smith creature isn’t going to be any less a burden than the last assistant they sent her. Or the one before that. Or before that…
Lillian Linden-Smith needs this job. With a relentless TV lawyer and public mob still out for her blood for crimes committed by her “American royalty” parents, getting out of the country is her only hope for anonymity. If that means cleaning up and presenting an antisocial know-it-all Ph.D. for bookstores, clubs and lectures, fine. Dr. Hathaway may have succeeded in driving away all the others, but not this time.
From their first meeting the sparks fly, and each is thinking: She has no idea who she’s dealing with.
Available at:
The Lie That Binds by S.E. Chandler
Ehra Havel is pretending to live like the elitist Omeo class that is trying to exploit and extinguish unmatched people just like her. Adopted from the streets of futuristic Chicago by an Omeo couple, she’s raised to follow the rules and emulate their marathon-length marriages by her counselor father.
Rules are made to be broken.
“Unmarried” to steamy and stormy, nonconformist Mamara, Ehra’s rollicking ride begins with her partner’s derelict brother missing from prison. Can they find him and undo his misdeeds before getting caught by cops and unraveling their rocky relationship?
Available at:
Subscribe to my blog for more Sapphic Book Bingo posts
If you’d like to get all Sapphic Book Bingo posts sent to your inbox, subscribe to my blog. The next recommended reading list will be posted next Thursday.
Leave a comment
What sapphic book will you read for the “sapphic book with up-against-a-wall sex” category? Let us know in the comments!
6 Responses
Jae there’s an additional title to add your list. At Christmas time, I read Sleigh Bells Ring by Alyson Root and there’s a scene that fits the category.
Hi Karen! I recently read “Sleigh Bells Ring” by Alyson Root and that scene is the best “up against a wall” sex scene I’ve ever read! That book is awesome.
Three come to mind immediately:
Truth and Measure, Roslyn Sinclair
Her Mafia Queen, Persephone Black (more an “up against the shower bench” scene)
The Headmistress, Milena McKay (the perspective of the other protagonist to complement your listing of Magdalene Nox by McKay)
I think Waking Up Gray by R E Bradshaw makes excellent use of this scene.
cw
I’d recommend Home for the Holidays by Erin Zak.
Great list! A few i’ve read recently: View From the Top – Rachel Lacey. The Woman at the Top of the Stairs – Jamey Moody. Guarded Desires – Anna Stone (twice up against a wall in this one!!!)