Recommended Reading Order for the Scorch Series
The Scorch series, co-authored by romantic suspense and thriller veterans Emily Kimelman and Toby Neal, is a six-book saga set during a society-collapsing pandemic. To fully appreciate the character arcs, the developing romance, and the overarching survival plot, you should read the books in their official publication order, which matches the chronological flow of the story.
- Scorch Road (2017) – Follows JT Luciano, a widowed environmental biologist and survivalist, and Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, a virologist carrying critical elements for a vaccine.
- Cinder Road (2017) – Centers on Dolf (Adolfo) Luciano, a cold investment banker and climber, and Avital, the widow of his late twin brother Nando, as they flee a collapsing city.
- Smoke Road (2017) – Follows Luca Luciano, the eldest brother and ex-special forces soldier, and Dr. Haunani Kagawa, a medical researcher and national security advisor.
- Burnt Road (2017) – Centers on Dante Luciano, a neurodivergent tech genius, and Melody Parker, an actress escaping California.
- Flame Road (2017) – Follows Cash Luciano, a man haunted by his past, and a mysterious woman with amnesia who wakes up branded in the woods.
- Smolder Road (2018) – Features the youngest sibling and only sister, Lucy Luciano, and survivalist Roan Winters, taking place entirely within the Idaho compound known as the Haven.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
For some series, reading chronologically means jumping around the release schedule. Fortunately, the Scorch series is simple: the publication order and the chronological order are identical. Each book progresses the timeline of the Scorch Flu pandemic, tracing the collapse of the United States and the journey of the Luciano family to their safe house.
While each book features a self-contained romance with a satisfying resolution (no cliffhangers for the main couples), the background plot involving a bioterrorism conspiracy and the construction of the Haven compound develops continuously. Reading them out of order will spoil major plot points, survival outcomes, and family dynamics.
Meet the Luciano Siblings
The beating heart of the series is the Luciano family. Raised by their matriarch Ana Luciano, the family consists of six brothers and one sister. Understanding their roles is key to following their survival paths:
- JT Luciano: The survivalist and biologist who provides the physical and scientific foundation for the family's flight.
- Nando Luciano: Dolf's twin brother, whose death prior to the second book sets a somber, emotional tone for the family's survival path.
- Dolf (Adolfo) Luciano: The analytical investment banker who must learn to let go of control to save the woman he loves.
- Luca Luciano: The eldest sibling, whose military background makes him a protector, though his faith is severely tested.
- Dante Luciano: The tech and gaming wizard on the autism spectrum whose unique mind helps the family stay connected and secure.
- Cash Luciano: The brother carrying deep guilt and emotional scars, who finds purpose in helping a stranger.
- Lucy Luciano: The youngest sibling and only sister, who has grown up in a world of men and must prove her own strength in the final survival compound.
Collaborative Writing Mechanics: Kimelman and Neal
The collaboration between Emily Kimelman (who has also written under the name Emily Reed) and Toby Neal (who has also written under the pseudonym Toby Jane) makes the Scorch series unique. Rather than dividing the series book-by-book, they co-wrote the chapters dynamically. They often split perspectives, with one author writing the male protagonist's chapters and the other writing the female lead's chapters. They would then swap roles for subsequent books, creating a unified narrative voice with distinct, highly authentic dual POVs.
What to Know Before You Start
The Scorch series is a mashup of genres. If you are expecting a purely dark, bleak dystopian tale like Stephen King's The Stand, you will find a much stronger focus on hope, family, and steamy romance here. The romance elements are prominent, with high heat levels and strong emotional connections. However, the thriller elements — including bioterrorist plots, rogue militias, and the breakdown of basic infrastructure — are treated with high stakes and realism. The series concludes definitively with Smolder Road, resolving both the romantic threads and the fate of the Haven compound.