Where to Start with A.E. Wasp
For readers diving into A.E. Wasp's bibliography, the best entry point depends entirely on your favorite romance subgenre. If you love contemporary sports romance with high emotional stakes and tight-knit team dynamics, start with her widely popular Hot Off the Ice hockey series. If you prefer suspense, humor, and a heist-style premise, the Pros & Cons series is your best bet. For those who enjoy military elements and deep emotional healing, the Veterans Affairs series is a beautiful, interconnected journey.
1. Hot Off the Ice Series Reading Order
Set in the high-stakes world of professional hockey, this contemporary M/M romance series follows the players of the fictional Seattle Thunder team. While each book focuses on a different couple and can technically be read as a standalone, the characters' lives are highly interconnected. Reading them in publication order allows you to watch the team's dynamics and relationships evolve naturally.
- City Boy (2017) – Focuses on Bryce Lowery and Dakota, establishing the series with a poignant coming-out narrative.
- Country Boy (2017) – Follows Paul Dyson and teammate Robbie Rhodes, tackling faith, identity, and closeted players.
- Boy Toys (2017) – A bridging novella (often listed as Book 2.5) that offers a fun, lower-stakes check-in with the team.
- Skater Boy (2018) – Continues the series with a focus on rookie struggles and romance.
- Boy Next Door (2018) – Features childhood friends-to-lovers and next-door neighbor tropes.
- Boys of Summer (2019) – Follows the players during the off-season.
- Bad Boys (2023) – Reinvigorates the series after a short hiatus, bringing fresh drama to the locker room.
- Fanboy (2024) – The latest installment, exploring the romance between a player and a devoted fan.
2. Pros & Cons Series Reading Order
This series blends romantic suspense, humor, and M/M romance. The premise follows a group of men blackmailed by a deceased individual into completing dangerous operations to clear their records. It is highly recommended to read this series in strict chronological order, as the overarching mystery and team trust build from book to book.
- Pros & Cons of Vengeance (2018)
- Pros & Cons of Deception (2019)
- Pros & Cons of Desire (2020)
- Pros & Cons of Betrayal (2020)
- Pros & Cons of Obsession (2021)
- Pros & Cons of Christmas (2021)
3. Veterans Affairs & Private Passions Universe
The Veterans Affairs series follows military veterans healing and finding love in the small town of Red Deer, Colorado. The series is closely tied to Private Passions, which features steamy companion stories focusing on characters introduced in the main books. To get the complete picture of this tight-knit community, use the following chronological guide:
- Incoming (2016) – Veterans Affairs Book 1.
- Christmas Outing (2016) – Veterans Affairs Book 2 (A festive holiday novella).
- Paper Hearts (2017) – Veterans Affairs Book 3.
- Man in the Mirror (2017) – A Private Passions short story featuring Benny and Mikey from Paper Hearts.
- Paper Roses (2017) – Veterans Affairs Book 4.
- Bronze Star (2017) – Veterans Affairs Book 5.
Note: An additional prequel novella titled "Half Broke" and a second Private Passions installment titled "Showtime" exist in the wider universe, but the core books listed above contain the primary narrative arcs.
4. Soulbonded Series Reading Order
For readers who want a departure from contemporary romance, the Soulbonded series is Wasp's foray into urban fantasy and paranormal romance. Alexei and Nikolai's story is filled with ghosts, forbidden passion, and elements of horror. Wasp has noted that these were her first attempts at writing full-length novels, inspired by her interest in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and the TV show Supernatural.
- Buried Desire (2016)
- Shattered Destiny (2016)
5. Shared Worlds & Collaborative Projects
A.E. Wasp has contributed to several multi-author shared romance universes. When reading these, you only need to read Wasp's specific books, although reading the surrounding series will introduce you to other popular LGBTQ+ romance authors.
- Vino & Veritas: Wasp wrote Heartsong (2021), which is Book 13 in this multi-author series set in Sarina Bowen's True North world.
- Men of Hidden Creek (Season 1): Wasp contributed Score (2018), which is Book 6 in the first season of this shared-town contemporary romance series.
- A Cradle to Grave Mystery: Wasp contributed the mystery novel Spirit of the Rodeo (2017) to this multi-author collection.
6. Standalones & Short Stories
If you are looking for quick, independent reads, Wasp has published a few standalone holiday novellas and short stories:
- Believe in Magic (2018) – A short, heartwarming contemporary romance.
- Fairytale of LaGuardia (2018) – A holiday-themed contemporary romance novella.
- Heart2Heart, Volume 2 (2018) – An M/M romance charity anthology featuring a short story contribution by Wasp.