Alyssa Cole Books in Order

Where to Start with Alyssa Cole

Alyssa Cole is a incredibly versatile author whose works span historical romance, contemporary rom-coms, post-apocalyptic sci-fi, and psychological thrillers. Because she writes across such diverse genres, your ideal starting point depends entirely on what you like to read:

• For Historical Romance Fans: Start with An Extraordinary Union. This Civil War espionage romance is widely considered her breakout masterpiece and showcases her signature blend of high-stakes action and deep emotional connection.
• For Modern Romance & Comedy Fans: Start with A Princess in Theory. It is a witty, modern spin on royal romance tropes mixed with a fake-identity twist and plenty of humor.
• For Thriller & Suspense Fans: Start with When No One Is Watching. This award-winning thriller explores the terrifying realities of gentrification in Brooklyn and is perfect for readers who prefer suspense over romance.

The Loyal League Series

Set during the American Civil War, this trilogy follows the clandestine operations of the Loyal League, an actual historical network of Black spies who gathered intelligence for the Union. Cole weaves meticulous historical research with gripping romance and rebellion. Reading these in order is highly recommended as the overarching conflict and character relationships develop sequentially.

1. An Extraordinary Union (2017) – Follows Elle Burns, a former slave with an eidetic memory turned Union spy, and Malcolm McCall, a white detective infiltrating the Confederacy.
2. A Hope Divided (2017) – Follows Marlie Lynch, a free woman of color who understands herbal medicine, and Ewan McCall, an escaped Union prisoner hiding in her home.
3. An Unconditional Freedom (2019) – Follows Marcus Ashford, a bitter former slave who becomes a Loyal League agent, and Penelope Lifton, a double agent with her own secrets.

Reluctant Royals & Runaway Royals

The Reluctant Royals series is a contemporary romantic comedy series about modern-day African princes and princesses navigating love, duty, and careers. The spinoff series, Runaway Royals, expands this universe with new royal couples.

Chronological vs. Publication Order

While publishing order is the default way to read the series, the chronological order shifts the prequel novella Once Ghosted, Twice Shy to the very beginning. However, most fans recommend reading the books in publication order. This is because the emotional payoff of the reunion in Once Ghosted, Twice Shy is much stronger after meeting the characters in the first two novels. Additionally, the novella Can't Escape Love is best read after A Duke by Default, as it stars Regina Yates, the twin sister of the second book's heroine.

Recommended Reading Order (Publication Order):

1. A Princess in Theory (2018) – Book 1
2. A Duke by Default (2018) – Book 2
3. Once Ghosted, Twice Shy (2019) – Novella (Book 2.5)
4. Can't Escape Love (2019) – Novella (Book 2.6)
5. A Prince on Paper (2019) – Book 3

Runaway Royals Spinoff:

1. How to Catch a Queen (2020) – Book 1
2. How to Find a Princess (2021) – Book 2

Off the Grid Series

Cole's early foray into self-publishing includes this post-apocalyptic science fiction romance trilogy. The series takes place in a world where the power grid has permanently failed, forcing survivors to band together in the wilderness. It is best read in publication order, though the trilogy has also been bundled as the Off the Grid Collection.

1. Radio Silence (2015)
2. Signal Boost (2015)
3. Mixed Signals (2015)

Standalone Thrillers & Science Fiction

Outside of her romance series, Cole has written critically acclaimed standalone novels. These stories feature intense suspense, near-future sci-fi, and psychological depth.

• Eagle's Heart (2014) – A romantic suspense novel following a Brooklyn teacher who gets mixed up with a special agent tracking the Albanian mafia. Note: This book is currently out of print following the closure of its original publisher.
• The A.I. Who Loved Me (2019) – A near-future sci-fi romance originally produced as an Audible Original, following a woman who suspects her handsome neighbor might not be entirely human.
• When No One Is Watching (2020) – An Edgar Award-winning psychological thriller about a woman who notices her Brooklyn neighborhood is changing rapidly—and its longtime residents are disappearing under suspicious circumstances.
• One of Us Knows (2024) – A psychological thriller set in a historic island home, centering on a woman with dissociative identity disorder who becomes the prime suspect in a murder.

Short Stories, Novellas, and Collections

Alyssa Cole has a rich collection of shorter fiction, much of which has been packaged into thematic anthologies.

The Historical Quartet (Four Novellas)

Cole has published four standalone historical novellas exploring romance across different eras of Black American history. They can be read in any order, but are often collected together in the Four Novellas omnibus (2019):

• Be Not Afraid (2016) – Set during the American Revolutionary War. It was originally published in the 2014 anthology For Love & Liberty.
• That Could Be Enough (2018) – A Revolutionary-era romance that acts as a thematic successor to Be Not Afraid, focusing on the granddaughter of the original protagonists.
• Let Us Dream (2017) – Set in Harlem during the 1917 suffrage movement.
• Let It Shine (2016) – Set during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in the American South.

Other Shorter Works

• Sweet to the Taste (2014) – An early contemporary romance short story about a woman who meets a singer at her friend's traditional Indian wedding.
• Agnes Moor's Wild Knight (2014) – A historical romance novella set in the medieval court of King James IV of Scotland.

The Obsession Collection Clarification

Readers should note that the Obsession Collection (2023) is a multi-author psychological thriller series published by Amazon Original Stories. While retail lists often group these six titles together under Cole's name, she only authored the sixth installment: Just a Girl. The other entries in the collection were written by different authors, such as Chris Bohjalian, Julie Clark, B.A. Paris, Minka Kent, and Nita Prose.

What to Know Before You Start

While many of Alyssa Cole's books can technically be read as standalones, her romance series strongly benefit from being read in order. The characters in the Reluctant Royals series frequently reappear in subsequent books as supporting characters, and the political stakes of The Loyal League escalate significantly from one book to the next. If you are brand new to her style, starting with her full-length novels will give you the best sense of her wit, character depth, and signature "competency porn" elements where characters excel at their chosen professions.