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Dirty Martini Running Club Books in Order

5 Books
2019 – 2023 Published
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Reading order

The Recommended Reading Order

For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to read the Dirty Martini Running Club series in its publication order. While each full-length novel features a self-contained love story with a different couple and can technically be read as a standalone, reading them in sequence allows you to enjoy the ongoing friendships, watch the characters interact, and avoid minor spoilers regarding who ends up with whom. The tight-knit friend group—often referred to as the Circle of Trust—shares continuous banter and life developments across the books.

Here is the recommended reading path for the series:

  1. Everly Dalton’s Dating Disasters (Prequel Novella #0.5) – Focuses on Everly's hilariously disastrous series of dates before her main story begins.
  2. Faking Ms. Right (Book 1) – Follows Everly Dalton and her billionaire boss, Shepherd Calloway, in a sparkling fake-dating rom-com.
  3. Falling for My Enemy (Book 2, also published as Love According to Science) – Features Hazel and Corban in an academic, nerdy enemies-to-lovers story.
  4. Marrying Mr. Wrong (Book 3) – Focuses on Sophie and Camden Cox, who wake up married in Las Vegas after a wild night.
  5. Flirting with Forever (Book 4) – Concludes the main series with Nora Lakes and Dex St. James, a tattoo artist and single dad, in an opposites-attract, neighbors-to-lovers romance.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

Unlike some complex fantasy or sci-fi universes, the chronological order of the Dirty Martini Running Club series perfectly matches its publication order. The prequel novella, Everly Dalton’s Dating Disasters, takes place immediately before the events of Faking Ms. Right. Reading the prequel first is the ideal way to get introduced to the humor and the core friend group, though some readers choose to start directly with the first full-length novel and read the prequel later as a fun bonus.

Publication Timeline:

  • Everly Dalton’s Dating Disasters (2019)
  • Faking Ms. Right (2019)
  • Falling for My Enemy (2020)
  • Marrying Mr. Wrong (2021)
  • Flirting with Forever (2023)

What to Know Before You Start

Claire Kingsley's Dirty Martini Running Club books are set in modern Seattle, Washington. The series gets its name from the group’s favorite post-run (or instead of running!) cocktail. The stories are lighthearted, emotionally rich, and steamy, balancing laugh-out-loud comedy with genuine emotional depth. They feature popular romance tropes such as fake relationships, enemies-to-lovers, accidental marriage, and single-parent romance.

One of the standout features of this series is the realistic depiction of female friendships. The main heroines—Everly, Hazel, Sophie, and Nora—form a supportive circle that acts as a anchor throughout their respective romantic struggles. The books are written in dual first-person point-of-view, giving readers deep insights into both the hero and heroine's perspectives.

Shared Universe Connections and Spin-offs

While the Dirty Martini Running Club is a standalone series, it exists in a larger shared universe alongside several of Claire Kingsley's other popular contemporary romance series. Readers who enjoy spotting cameos and recurring settings should look out for these connections:

  • The Miles Family Series: Direct crossovers link these books. For example, Cooper Miles makes an appearance in the prequel novella Everly Dalton’s Dating Disasters. In Reckless Miles, characters visit a bar to listen to a band that features Shepherd Calloway, the hero of Faking Ms. Right.
  • The Bailey Brothers Series: This small-town romance series set in the town of Tilikum features Grace Miles (from the Miles Family) and continues the broader shared universe timeline.
  • Shared Locations: Recurring settings such as the Salishan Cellars winery (prominent in the Miles Family books) and Brody’s Bar (the main hangout in the Dirty Martini series) tie these stories together.

If you plan to read Claire Kingsley’s entire catalog, starting with either the Dirty Martini Running Club or the Miles Family series is an excellent choice, as both serve as perfect entry points to her interconnected romance world.

Frequently Asked

QCan the Dirty Martini Running Club books be read as standalones?

Yes, each full-length novel in the series features a different couple and a self-contained story with a happy ending, so they can be read in any order. However, reading them in order is recommended to fully appreciate the character crossovers and friendship dynamics.

QWhere should I start reading the Dirty Martini Running Club series?

The best place to start is the prequel novella, Everly Dalton’s Dating Disasters, which introduces the core friendship group. If you prefer to jump straight into a full-length novel, start with Book 1, Faking Ms. Right.

QIs Love According to Science the same book as Falling for My Enemy?

Yes. Falling for My Enemy was also published under the title Love According to Science. The contents of the book are the same.

QWhat is the relationship between this series and the Bailey Brothers?

Both series are set in the same shared universe. While the Dirty Martini Running Club takes place in Seattle, characters and locations from the series occasionally crossover with the Miles Family and the Bailey Brothers series.

QWho are the main couples in each of the books?

The couples are Everly and Shepherd in Faking Ms. Right, Hazel and Corban in Falling for My Enemy, Sophie and Camden in Marrying Mr. Wrong, and Nora and Dex in Flirting with Forever.