How to Start the Eternal Mates Series
If you are ready to plunge into the fated-mates universe created by Felicity Heaton, the best place to begin is at the very beginning with Kissed by a Dark Prince (2013). This book introduces the fundamental lore of the world: the existence of the mortal realm, the underworld, the celestial heavens, and the complex relationships between the various immortal species (including dark elves, demons, shifters, and angels).
While many of the romance novels in the Eternal Mates series can technically stand alone—each focusing on a different couple with a guaranteed happily-ever-after—reading them in sequence is highly recommended. The background plots, political tension, and war between the realms develop sequentially. In particular, Felicity Heaton recommends reading the first three books as a tight, continuous story arc: Kissed by a Dark Prince, Claimed by a Demon King, and Tempted by a Rogue Prince. These books lay the groundwork for the overarching conflict involving the dark elf schemes and the threat of the Archdemon Lord.
The Core Story Arcs and Reading Advice
As you progress through the series, the world expands from dark elves and demon kings to incorporate shifters, angels, and incubi. While you can read the books in the order they were published, keep in mind a few critical structural guidelines to maximize your enjoyment:
The Bleu Arc: Books 1 to 8 First
Before reading Book 9, Possessed by a Dark Warrior, which features the romance of the archangel Bleu and Taryn, you should definitely read the preceding eight books. Bleu's character is heavily featured as a supporting figure in the early novels, and his tragic background and motivations are built up gradually. Experiencing his path to love is far more impactful if you have watched his trials unfold from the beginning of the series.
The Tiger Shifters Trilogy
Books 12, 13, and 14 form a distinct mini-trilogy within the larger series, focusing on three tiger shifter brothers: Vane, Novian, and Talon. To understand their family dynamic and the danger they face, these three books must be read in order:
- Turned by a Tiger (Book 12)
- Tamed by a Tiger (Book 13)
- Treasured by a Tiger (Book 14)
Eternal Mates Publication and Chronological Reading Order
Since the chronological events follow the publication order, the list below is the definitive reading path for the main series. The series is complete at 21 books as of the release of Bewitched by a Vampire in 2022.
- Kissed by a Dark Prince (2013) – Features Loren, a dark elf prince, and Olivia, a human scientist.
- Claimed by a Demon King (2014) – Features the demon king Thorne and the human huntress Sable.
- Tempted by a Rogue Prince (2014) – Features the rogue dark elf Vail and the witch Rosalind.
- Hunted by a Jaguar (2015) – Features the jaguar shifter Jag and Mercedes.
- Craved by an Alpha (2015) – Features the pack leader Marcus and the executioner vampire Ceinwen.
- Bitten by a Hellcat (2015) – Features the hellcat shifter Cait and the vampire Owen.
- Taken by a Dragon (2015) – Features the dragon shifter Layne and Breanne.
- Marked by an Assassin (2015) – Features the demon assassin Kael and Aria.
- Possessed by a Dark Warrior (2016) – Features the archangel Bleu and Taryn.
- Awakened by a Demoness (2016) – Features the demoness Lily and the hunter Jarl.
- Haunted by the King of Death (2016) – Features the King of Death Yarek and Maeve.
- Turned by a Tiger (2017) – Features Vane and Anya.
- Tamed by a Tiger (2017) – Features Novian and Talia (often referenced as Cavanaugh and Eloise in early draft listings).
- Treasured by a Tiger (2017) – Features Talon and Roxie.
- Unchained by a Forbidden Love (2017) – Features the angel warrior Semyaza and the demoness Kissa.
- Avenged by an Angel (2019) – Features the angel warrior Alistair and Lilith.
- Seduced by a Demon King (2019) – Features the demon king Saber and Maya.
- Scorched by Darkness (2021) – Features the underworld lord/demon and his fated partner.
- Inflamed by an Incubus (2022) – Features the incubus Fenix and the witch Evelyn.
- Craved by a Wolf (2022) – Features the wolf shifter and his mortal mate.
- Bewitched by a Vampire (2022) – Features the vampire and the witch.
Wider Universe Connections: Spin-Offs and Companion Series
Felicity Heaton has crafted an expansive shared universe. If you finish the 21 main books and want to keep exploring this world, you can check out the related "Eternal Mates World" series, which contain crossover characters and shared locations:
Vampire Erotic Theatre (London Vampires)
This series centers around the owners of a premier vampire erotic theatre in London called Vampirerotique. It is a direct companion to the Eternal Mates series, sharing the same supernatural rules and featuring character cameos. For example, characters from the theatre show up in Eternal Mates, and Yarek’s story in Haunted by the King of Death has familial ties to characters in the theatre books. This series includes titles like Covet, Crave, Seduce, Enslave, Bewitch, and Unleash.
Black Ridge Bears
A shifter-focused spinoff series centered around a clan of bear shifters. Titles include Stolen by her Bear, Rescued by her Bear, and Saved by her Bear. This series is lighter on the overarching celestial war and heavier on localized shifter dynamics, but it remains a part of the same fated-mates world.
Cougar Creek Mates
Another parallel shifter series focusing on cougar shifters and their destined partners. It features titles such as Claimed by her Cougar, Captured by her Cougar, Courted by her Cougar, and Craved by her Cougar.
What to Know Before You Start
Before you jump in, keep in mind that the Eternal Mates series is a high-steam paranormal romance saga. It relies heavily on the fated-mates trope, meaning the romance develops quickly due to biological and magical pulls, but the characters must overcome external conflicts and internal trauma to secure their bonds. The books are written in third-person limited perspective, shifting to focus on a new couple in every volume. Because the main 21-book series is complete, you can safely read from the first page of Kissed by a Dark Prince to the final page of Bewitched by a Vampire without waiting for a sequel.