The Recommended Reading Order
The best way to read the Seattle Chinooks series is in publication order. Because characters grow, marry, and appear as cameos in later books, reading them chronologically as they were published ensures you catch all the inner-team dynamics and recurring jokes. Best of all, the final book brings the entire series full circle by focusing on the daughter of the couple from the very first book!
- Simply Irresistible (1998) – John Kowalsky & Georgeanne Howard
- See Jane Score (2003) – Luc Martineau & Jane Alcott
- The Trouble with Valentine's Day (2005) – Rob Sutter & Kate Hamilton
- True Love and Other Disasters (2009) – Ty Savage & Faith Duffy
- Nothing But Trouble (2010) – Mark Bressler & Chelsea Ross
- Any Man of Mine (2011) – Sam LeClaire & Autumn Haven
- The Art of Running in Heels (2017) – Sean Knox & Lexie Kowalsky
Where to Start
While each book can technically be read as a standalone sports romance, we highly recommend starting with Simply Irresistible. It introduces the fictional Seattle Chinooks franchise and establishes John Kowalsky, whose daughter Lexie becomes the heroine of the final book, The Art of Running in Heels. If you prefer a slightly more modern starting point, True Love and Other Disasters is also a fan favorite that introduces key players who dominate the back half of the series.
Chronological Connections & Cameos
There are no complex prequels or alternate timelines in this series, so the publication order perfectly matches the chronological flow. However, keep these fun connections in mind:
- The Gospel, Idaho Connection: The Trouble with Valentine's Day takes place in the small town of Gospel, Idaho, rather than Seattle. Rob Sutter is a retired Chinook recovering in the mountains. This book connects to Gibson's other non-hockey novels set in Gospel.
- The Wedding Cameo: Any Man of Mine features the wedding of team owner Faith Duffy and player Ty Savage (the main couple of True Love and Other Disasters), making it essential to read Book 4 before Book 6.
- Full Circle Family: Lexie Kowalsky (the heroine of The Art of Running in Heels) is the daughter of John and Georgeanne from the first book, Simply Irresistible. Reading their story first makes Lexie's journey and her father's reactions as the team coach much more satisfying!
Spin-Offs and Co-Authored Projects
Rachel Gibson wrote the Chinooks Hockey Team series entirely on her own, with no co-authors or official spin-off series. However, fans of her work will find that her other contemporary romance novels share a similar witty tone and occasionally share fictional geographical settings, like Gospel, Idaho, which serves as the backdrop for several of her standalone books.