How to Read Anita Kelly: Where to Start
Anita Kelly has quickly become a standout voice in contemporary queer romance, known for writing deeply empathetic, consent-driven, and diverse stories that celebrate queer joy and personal healing. If you are new to their catalog, you have a few excellent paths to choose from depending on your preferred reading length and format.
For readers who love full-length, traditionally published contemporary romance novels with high-energy backdrops and deep emotional growth, the best place to start is the Nashville Love series, beginning with their hit debut novel, Love & Other Disasters. If you prefer short, cozy, indie-style romances with a tight-knit found family feel, you should start with the Moonlighters novella series, starting with Sing Anyway. For those who enjoy small-town, coastal settings centered on processing grief and starting over, the Greyfin Bay series, beginning with Heartwaves, is your perfect entry point.
The Nashville Love Series
The Nashville Love series consists of full-length companion novels. While each book focuses on a different couple and can easily be read as a standalone, they are interconnected by the members of the Parker sibling family. Reading them in publication order allows you to follow the siblings' lives and see recurring characters drop in and out of the stories.
- Love & Other Disasters (2022): The author's debut novel introduces Dahlia Woodson, a recently divorced woman trying to reinvent herself, and London Parker, the first openly nonbinary contestant on a popular reality cooking show. As they compete, they navigate fish taco disasters, internet trolls, and a sizzling romance. It is celebrated for its tender representation and reality TV charm.
- Something Wild & Wonderful (2023): This second installment follows Alexei Bay (London's brother) and Ben Cheng as they hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Both characters carry significant emotional baggage and family trauma, making their slow-burn romance a beautiful journey of mutual healing, trust, and survival against the backdrop of the rugged outdoors.
- How You Get the Girl (2024): The third book focuses on Julie Parker (sibling to London and Alexei), a high school basketball coach in East Nashville who struggles with insecurity and dating. When former college basketball star and WNBA player Elle Cochrane joins as her assistant coach, they enter a fake-dating arrangement that slowly evolves into real love. The book is highly praised for its slow-burn romance and thoughtful asexual-spectrum representation.
The Moonlighters Novella Series
The Moonlighters series is a collection of cozy, low-stakes contemporary novellas centered around the Moonlight Café, a queer karaoke bar in Chicago. These stories are shorter, intimate, and focus heavily on characters finding acceptance and love within a supportive queer community. While they are quick reads, they carry a surprising amount of emotional depth.
- Sing Anyway (2021): The first novella follows Hennie, a history professor who is self-conscious about her body, and Sam, a sweet and supportive nonbinary bartender at the Moonlight Café. It is a soft, body-positive romance that sets the tone for the series.
- Our Favorite Songs (2021): The second novella focuses on Jax, a quiet librarian, and Oliver, a outgoing regular at the karaoke bar. Their opposite-attracts dynamic explores vulnerability and overcoming personal anxieties.
- Wherever Is Your Heart (2022): The third installment is a butch/butch romance featuring June, a long-haul truck driver who is tired of being lonely on the road, and Mal Edwards, a warm and welcoming bartender at the Moonlight Café.
- I Didn't Sign Up for This (2023): A Swiss-set companion holiday story (often numbered #3.5) about a character who gets dumped right before a planned ski trip in Switzerland and ends up finding unexpected warmth and connection.
For readers who prefer physical books, the first three novellas and the companion short story are collected in a single paperback edition titled Moonlighters: The Novella Collection, which also includes a personal essay by the author about the series' origins.
The Greyfin Bay Series
With the Greyfin Bay books, the author shifts their focus to small-town, coastal romance. These books explore second chances, the journey of healing after difficult life transitions, and what the author calls the "expansiveness of love"—challenging the idea that individuals only get one great love in their lifetime.
- Heartwaves (2024): Set in a quiet coastal town, the first book deals heavily with themes of grief, starting over, and the tentative steps of letting someone new into your heart after a devastating loss.
- Among the Wildflowers (2026): The second book follows Emerson King, a divorced farmer struggling to keep his property afloat, and Luca Yaeger, a rejected writer turned fisherman. When Luca agrees to help Emerson prepare his farm for a wedding in exchange for room and board, they navigate their growing feelings and the complexities of moving past old heartbreaks.
Young Adult Standalones
In addition to their adult romance catalogs, the author has expanded into the Young Adult market, bringing their signature focus on queer identity, neurodivergence, and emotional sincerity to teenage readers.
- Donut Summer (2025): This YA debut follows Penny Dexter, a chronically anxious teenager working at a local donut shop to save money for college, and Mateo della Penna, her genderqueer workplace rival. When their beloved local shop faces a corporate takeover, the two must set aside their academic feud to save the business, sparking a sweet summer romance along the way.
Summary of Reading Order Options
If you want to read by publication year across all series, follow this sequence:
- Sing Anyway (2021)
- Our Favorite Songs (2021)
- Love & Other Disasters (2022)
- Wherever Is Your Heart (2022)
- Something Wild & Wonderful (2023)
- I Didn't Sign Up for This (2023)
- How You Get the Girl (2024)
- Heartwaves (2024)
- Donut Summer (2025)
- Among the Wildflowers (2026)
No matter where you choose to dive in, you will find stories that emphasize open communication, mutual respect, and the healing power of supportive relationships.