Lorelei James Reading Order

8 books (2006–2025)

Lorelei James has edited and contributed to five anthologies published between 2006 and 2018, with the series now complete. These collections blend mystery, thriller, romance, and western elements across their pages. Readers should begin with Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology and progress through the remaining four books in publication order to experience the full scope of the anthology series.

Start with Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology, the first of 5 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Beginnings: A Samhain Anthology 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	At Risk 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Love is Murder 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Two to Tango 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Murder Under the Oaks 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	1001 Dark Nights: Compilation Seventeen 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Edgar & Shamus Go Golden 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Pride and Passion 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

14 books (2010–2019)

The Blacktop Cowboys series is a complete 14-book contemporary western romance collection published between 2010 and 2019. Each novel can be enjoyed as a standalone story while building on the interconnected lives of the tight-knit community, though reading in publication order starting with Corralled provides the richest experience of how relationships develop across the series. These books blend romance with rodeo culture and small-town western settings, following various characters through their romantic journeys.

Start with Corralled, the first of 14 books in the Blacktop Cowboys series.

#	Title
1	Corralled 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Saddled and Spurred 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Wrangled and Tangled 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	One Night Rodeo 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Turn and Burn 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Hillbilly Rockstar 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Roped In 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Stripped Down 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Wrapped and Strapped 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Hang Tough 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Strung Up 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Tripped Out 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Racked and Stacked 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Spun Out 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2022–2022)

#	Title
1	No Place for a Dame(As:Lori Armstrong) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (2014–2015)

The Mastered series by Lorelei James comprises five novels published between 2014 and 2015, blending Western, Romance, and Mystery & Thriller elements. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Bound and concluding with Unraveled. These interconnected books explore complex relationships and secrets within a Western setting, with each installment building on the narrative and character development of its predecessors.

Start with Bound, the first of 5 books in the Mastered series.

#	Title
1	Bound 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Schooled 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Unwound 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Caged 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Unraveled 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (2009–2013)

The Mercy Gunderson Mystery series consists of four complete books published between 2009 and 2013, blending mystery, romance, and western elements. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with No Mercy and continuing through Mercy Kill, Holding Mercy, and Merciless to fully experience the series.

Start with No Mercy, the first of 4 books in the Mercy Gunderson Mystery series.

#	Title
1	No Mercy 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Mercy Kill 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Holding Mercy 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Merciless 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (2016–2017)

Lorelei James's Need You series consists of four standalone romance and mystery novels published between 2016 and 2017. The books—Just What I Needed, What You Need, All You Need, and When I Need You—should be read in publication order to fully appreciate the interconnected storylines. This complete series blends Western romance with thriller elements and concludes with the final installment released in 2017.

Start with Just What I Needed, the first of 4 books in the Need You series.

#	Title
1	Just What I Needed 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	What You Need 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	All You Need 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	When I Need You 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (2005–2014)

The PI Julie Collins series comprises six mystery-thriller novels with romantic and western elements, following the investigations of private investigator Julie Collins across Wyoming. Published between 2005 and 2014, the complete series should be read in publication order beginning with Blood Ties and concluding with Baited. Each installment builds on previous cases and character development, making sequential reading essential for full enjoyment of the overarching narrative.

Start with Blood Ties, the first of 6 books in the PI Julie Collins series.

#	Title
1	Blood Ties 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Hallowed Ground 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Shallow Grave 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Snow Blind 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Dead Flowers 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Baited 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

25 books (2007–2024)

The Rough Riders series is a Western romance collection spanning 25 books published from 2007 to 2024, with the series still ongoing. This long-running saga should be read in publication order, beginning with Long Hard Ride and continuing through the most recent installments. The series combines elements of Western settings with romance and thriller themes, creating a rich narrative across its extensive catalog of interconnected stories.

Start with Long Hard Ride, the first of 25 books in the Rough Riders series.

#	Title
1	Long Hard Ride 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Rode Hard, Put Up Wet 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Cowgirl Up and Ride 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Rough, Raw, and Ready 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Tied Up, Tied Down 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	All Jacked Up 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Branded as Trouble 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Shoulda Been a Cowboy 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Strong Silent Type 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Cowgirls Don't Cry 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Raising Kane 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Slow Ride 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Wild Ride 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Chasin' Eight 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Cowboy Casanova 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Gone Country 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	King of Hearts 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Kissin' Tell 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Redneck Romeo 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Short Rides 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Cowboy Take Me Away 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Long Time Gone 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Wound Tight 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Silver-Tongued Devil 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Back in the Saddle 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2016–2016)

#	Title
1	Unbreak My Heart 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2007–2007)

#	Title
1	Running with the Devil 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2006–2006)

5 books (2009–2019)

Lorelei James's Short Story Collections series spans five books published between 2009 and 2019, blending mystery, thriller, romance, and western elements. The series begins with Three's Company and continues through various 1001 Dark Nights bundles and compilations, with some volumes featuring collaborations with Christopher Rice. This complete series should be read in publication order to follow the intended narrative progression. These interconnected short stories showcase James's versatility across multiple genres and themes.

Start with Three's Company, the first of 5 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	Three's Company 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Three(With: Christopher Rice) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Eight(By: Christopher Rice) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Nine(By: Christopher Rice) 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	1001 Dark Nights: Compilation Twenty-Three 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2006–2021)

Lorelei James authored three standalone novels published between 2006 and 2021, presenting a collection of works spanning mystery, thriller, romance, and western genres. These books should be read in publication order beginning with Dirty Deeds, followed by Wicked Garden, and concluding with Cowboy Bites: A Rough Riders Cookbook, co-authored with Suzanne M. Johnson. The series appears to be complete as of 2021.

Start with Dirty Deeds and read in order.

#	Title
1	Dirty Deeds 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Wicked Garden 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Cowboy Bites: A Rough Riders Cookbook(With: Suzanne M. Johnson) 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2012–2012)

The Two to Tango series is a complete mystery and romance collection spanning three books published in 2012. Written collaboratively with contributions from Jess Dee and Jayne Rylon alongside Lorelei James, this Western-themed series should be read in publication order beginning with A Touch of Confidence. The trilogy concludes with Where There's Smoke and combines elements of mystery, romance, and Western settings across its full arc.

Start with A Touch of Confidence(By: Jess Dee) and read in order.

#	Title
1	A Touch of Confidence(By: Jess Dee) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Ballroom Blitz 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Where There's Smoke(By: Jayne Rylon) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2019–2020)

The Want You series is a two-book contemporary romance and mystery collection by Lorelei James set in a western setting. Published between 2019 and 2020, the complete series consists of I Want You Back and Want You to Want Me, which should be read in publication order. Both books were released during this period, offering a finished narrative arc for readers looking for a self-contained romance experience with suspenseful elements.

Start with I Want You Back and read in order.

#	Title
1	I Want You Back 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Want You to Want Me 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2008–2010)

Lorelei James's Wild West Boys is a three-book romance series set in the western genre, blending mystery and thriller elements with contemporary storytelling. Published between 2008 and 2010, the series is now complete and should be read in publication order beginning with Mistress Christmas, followed by Miss Firecracker, and concluding with Wild West Boys. Each installment builds on the previous narrative, making sequential reading essential for following the full story arc.

Start with Mistress Christmas and read in order.

#	Title
1	Mistress Christmas 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Miss Firecracker 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Wild West Boys 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible