Where to Start the Bitter Creek Series
For the best reading experience, we recommend starting with The Cowboy, the very first contemporary novel published in the series. This book establishes the central multi-decade rivalry between the Blackthorne and Creed ranching dynasties. However, if you prefer historical romance, you can begin with Texas Bride, which kicks off the historical prequel subseries and explores the nineteenth-century origins of the feuding families.
Contemporary Bitter Creek Series in Publication Order
Reading the contemporary books in order allows you to watch the Blackthorne, Creed, Grayhawk, and Flynn families evolve through various scandals, courtroom battles, and wilderness survival situations. While each book works as a standalone romance, the family dynamics develop chronologically:
- The Cowboy (2000)
- The Texan (2001)
- The Loner (2002)
- The Price (2003)
- The Rivals (2004)
- The Next Mrs. Blackthorne (2005)
- A Stranger's Game (2008)
- Shattered (2009)
- A Bitter Creek Christmas (2013 - Novella #8.5)
- Sinful (2014)
- Shameless (2015)
- Surrender (2018)
- Sullivan's Promise (2019)
- Winter Magic (2020 - Novella #12.5)
The King's Brats Subseries
Starting with Sinful, the Bitter Creek series shifts its spotlight to the Grayhawk and Flynn family feud. This four-book contemporary block is widely referred to as the King's Brats subseries. If you want a tighter, self-contained story arc within the contemporary timeline, you can read this block in sequence: Sinful, Shameless, Surrender, and Sullivan's Promise.
The Historical Prequels: Bitter Creek Mail-Order Brides
Joan Johnston expanded the Bitter Creek universe by traveling back to the late nineteenth century to show how these families began. These historical prequels can be read independently from the contemporary books, but are best enjoyed after establishing a connection to the modern family names:
- Texas Bride (2012)
- Wyoming Bride (2012)
- Montana Bride (2013)
- Blackthorne's Bride (2017)
The Hawk's Way Connection
Joan Johnston's fans will appreciate knowing that the Bitter Creek series is set in the same fictional universe as her famous Hawk's Way series. While Hawk's Way focuses primarily on the Whitelaw family, the characters share the same Texas ranching backdrop and minor family tree crossovers, making both series rewarding companions for long-time readers.