Alisha Rai is an American author of contemporary, erotic, and paranormal romance novels. She advocates for greater diversity in the romance genre.
Career Prior to becoming a romance author, Rai worked as a lawyer. She began publishing her work in 2009, focusing on e-publishing. She shopped her books to traditional publishers, but she was repeatedly told that romances with non-white characters would not sell. Over her career, she expanded into different publishing methods. Her Forbidden Hearts series and her novel The Right Swipe are published through Avon Romance. Rai's book Serving Pleasure, was the first self-published book to appear on The Washington Post'''s annual list of best books of the year.
Rai includes protagonists from a variety of ethnicities. Her writing also explores the spectrum of sexual identity.
Rai is a vocal participant in the discussion of misrepresentation and under representation of minorities in traditionally published romance. During a racially charged dispute involving Romance Writers of America (RWA), Rai's comments on Twitter were widely quoted as a demonstration of the romance community's dissatisfaction with the organization. She was among a group of best-selling romance authors that demanded the resignation of Damon Suede, the RWA president-elect during the controversy.
Rai has been on the receiving end of online harassment.
Her first young adult novel, While You Were Dreaming, was published in 2023.
Themes Rai's book The Right Swipe explores aspects of modern dating, specifically online dating and dating apps, along with the contentious research into the effect of concussions on athletes. The book includes feminist and intersectional elements, with the heroine being a woman of color who is a CEO of a Silicon Valley company that employs a work force made up largely of women.
Personal life Rai is Asian of Indian origin.
Rai began creating stories at the age of 13.
Bibliography +TitleSeriesPublication yearISBN/ASINGlutton for PleasurePleasure Series #12009B002GEDF2ICabin Fever20099781605047539Veiled DesireVeiled #120109781605048918Veiled SeductionVeiled #220109781609280475Never Have I EverReynolds Pack #120109781609283056Hot as Hades20119781609286286Night WhispersShadowLands #120129781609285449Play With MeBedroom Games #120139781301991358Risk & RewardBedroom Games #220139781301449187Bet on MeBedroom Games #320149781311537669A Gentleman in the StreetThe Campbell Siblings #120149781514616956Serving PleasurePleasure Series #220159781518710100Falling for HimThe Karimi Siblings #12015B00WTWI44GFalling for HerThe Karimi Siblings #22015B012X78XSSBe My FantasyThe Fantasy Series #120169781548839314Stay My FantasyThe Fantasy Series #22016B01H2PFGYKHate to Want YouForbidden Hearts #120179780062566737Wrong to Need YouForbidden Hearts #220179780062566751Hurts to Love YouForbidden Hearts #320189780062566775The Right SwipeModern Love #120199780062878090Girl Gone ViralModern Love #220209780062877888First Comes LikeModern Love #320219780063059436Partners in Crime20229780063119468While You Were Dreaming20239780063083967Enemies to Lovers20269780063119505
Awards
2015 - Serving Pleasure - Washington Post Best Romance Novels of 2015 2017 - Hate to Want You - Entertainment Weekly's 10 best romance novels of 2017 2019 - The Right Swipe'' - New York Public Library Best Books for Adults 2019
References
External links