The Recommended Reading Order
The Boys of Clermont Bay series by Holly Renee is best read in publication order. Because the series is structured as three distinct character-focused duets where events build on one another and characters overlap, skipping around will spoil major plot points and relationship dynamics. Reading the series from start to finish ensures you experience the character arcs, scandals, and emotional tension exactly as the author intended.
Here is the recommended reading path for the series:
- The Touch of a Villain (2021) – Beck & Josie (Part 1)
- The Fall of a God (2021) – Beck & Josie (Part 2)
- The Taste of an Enemy (2021) – Carson & Allie (Part 1)
- The Deceit of a Devil (2021) – Carson & Allie (Part 2)
- The Seduction of Pretty Lies (2022) – Olly & Frankie (Part 1)
- The Temptation of Dirty Secrets (2022) – Olly & Frankie (Part 2)
Understanding the Duets and Subseries
The Boys of Clermont Bay is divided into three two-book character duets. Each duet focuses on a different couple within the same tight-knit, drama-fueled social circle. While the main romantic conflicts are resolved by the end of each duet, the overarching timeline flows sequentially from the first book to the sixth.
The Beck & Josie Duet (Books 1 & 2)
The series begins with The Touch of a Villain and concludes its first arc in The Fall of a God. This duet follows the stormy relationship between Josie Vos and Beck Clermont, the wealthy and arrogant leader of Clermont Bay's high school elite. Packed with intense enemies-to-lovers energy, dark family secrets, and high-stakes betrayal, their story sets the foundation for the entire series' setting and interpersonal dynamics.
The Carson & Allie Duet (Books 3 & 4)
The narrative shifts to Carson and Allie in The Taste of an Enemy and wraps up in The Deceit of a Devil. Allie and Carson share a history as childhood friends turned bitter rivals. This duet leans heavily into second-chance romance tropes, highlighting how former trust can morph into deep-seated resentment and, eventually, a passionate reunion. You will see Beck and Josie appear as supporting characters, making it highly recommended that you finish their duet first.
The Olly & Frankie Duet (Books 5 & 6)
The final arc consists of The Seduction of Pretty Lies and The Temptation of Dirty Secrets. It features Frankie Clermont (Beck’s younger sister) and Olly Warner (Beck’s best friend). Olly has long been warned by Beck that Frankie is strictly off-limits, creating an angsty, forbidden, brother's-best-friend romance. The story spans their secret high school affair, Olly leaving for college, a painful separation, and the shocking secrets that threaten to keep them apart permanently.
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
Unlike some sprawling romance universes, there is no difference between the publication order and the chronological order for The Boys of Clermont Bay. The timeline moves forward linearly, beginning with Beck and Josie's Senior year of high school and progressing through to college years by the time Olly and Frankie's duet wraps up. Reading out of order is not recommended because the characters in subsequent books frequently reference the events, breakups, reconciliations, and scandals of the previous installments.
What to Know Before You Start
To get the most out of your trip to Clermont Bay, keep these reading tips and content warnings in mind:
- Expect Cliffhangers: The first book in each duet (Books 1, 3, and 5) ends on a major cliffhanger. Because of this, it is highly recommended to have the sequel on hand before starting the first part of any couple's story.
- Tropes and Tone: This is a classic contemporary bully romance series. The heroes start off arrogant, frustrating, and sometimes cruel, but the focus is on their emotional redemption and growth. It features high angst, dual-point-of-view narratives, and high levels of steam.
- Standalones: While you can technically read a duet on its own (for instance, reading just Carson and Allie's books), you will miss out on the rich context of the friend group's history and risk spoiling the previous couples' happy endings.
Spin-offs and Connected Series
Currently, Holly Renee has not released any official spin-offs or companion novels set in the Clermont Bay universe. The main story is completely self-contained within these six books. If you enjoy the angsty, emotional, and steamy writing style of this series, the author's other contemporary romance projects, such as the Good Girls series or the Rock Bottom series, offer a very similar reading experience even though they take place in different fictional settings.