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Border Chronicles Books in Order

6 Books
2006 – 2011 Published
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How to Read Bertrice Small’s Border Chronicles

The Border Chronicles by Bertrice Small is a six-book historical romance series set in the rugged English-Scottish borderlands. Unlike many of Small’s multi-generational sagas, the books in this series are largely standalone stories. Each novel introduces a new strong-willed heroine navigating intense love, dangerous family feuds, and royal politics during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Because the novels function as standalones, you can read them in two different ways: by publication order or by the chronological order of their historical settings.

Option 1: Publication Order (Recommended)

Reading the books in the order they were written is the most popular way to experience the series. This allows you to enjoy Bertrice Small's writing progression as she developed the setting from 2006 to 2011. Here is the publication order:

  • A Dangerous Love (2006) – Set during the War of the Roses.
  • The Border Lord's Bride (2007) – Following a Highland heiress forced into marriage by King James.
  • The Captive Heart (2008) – Set in 1461, following a heroine fleeing a loveless marriage.
  • The Border Lord and the Lady (2009) – Set in 1424, featuring Lady Cicely Bowen at the court of King James I.
  • The Border Vixen (2010) – Set in the early 16th century, featuring a fierce heroine and King James V's cousin.
  • Bond of Passion (2011) – Set in 1565 during the mid-16th century.

Option 2: Chronological Order

If you prefer to read the series in the historical sequence of its settings, the order changes significantly. In particular, the fourth book, The Border Lord and the Lady, is set the earliest (starting in 1424). Here is how the chronological path shapes up:

  1. The Border Lord and the Lady (Book 4) – Opens in 1424.
  2. The Captive Heart (Book 3) – Set in 1461.
  3. A Dangerous Love (Book 1) – Set in the late 15th century (War of the Roses).
  4. The Border Lord's Bride (Book 2) – Set in the late 15th/early 16th century (reign of King James IV).
  5. The Border Vixen (Book 5) – Set in the early 16th century (reign of King James V).
  6. Bond of Passion (Book 6) – Set in 1565.

Series Connections and Spin-offs

While Bertrice Small is famous for her massive connected universes (like the O'Malley Saga and its spin-offs), the Border Chronicles stands entirely on its own. There are no direct tie-ins, crossover characters, or co-authored spin-offs linked to this series. It is a self-contained, six-book journey that provides a perfect entry point for readers new to Small's passionate historical storytelling.

Frequently Asked

QDo I need to read the Border Chronicles in order?

No, you do not. Each book in the Border Chronicles features a standalone romance with a different set of main characters, so they can be read in any order. However, reading them in publication or chronological order helps you appreciate the historical timeline of the borderlands.

QWhat is the chronological order of the Border Chronicles?

The chronological order is: The Border Lord and the Lady (1424), The Captive Heart (1461), A Dangerous Love (late 15th century), The Border Lord's Bride (late 15th/early 16th century), The Border Vixen (early 16th century), and Bond of Passion (1565).

QIs the Border Chronicles connected to the Skye O'Malley books?

No. While both series are written by Bertrice Small and feature strong heroines, the Border Chronicles is a separate, self-contained saga with no narrative ties to the O'Malley or Skye's Legacy series.

QWho is the author of the Border Chronicles?

The series was written by the late Bertrice Small, a New York Times bestselling author who was widely regarded as the 'queen of historical romance' and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times in 2004.

QWhat is the setting of the Border Chronicles?

The series is set in the turbulent English-Scottish borderlands during the 15th and 16th centuries, featuring real historical figures like King James I, King James IV, and King James V of Scotland.

QWhich book starts the Border Chronicles series?

In publication order, the series starts with A Dangerous Love, published in 2006. Chronologically, the earliest story is The Border Lord and the Lady (Book 4), which begins in 1424.