Bella Ellis / Rowan Coleman Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Rowan Coleman and Bella Ellis

Rowan Coleman is a remarkably versatile British novelist who writes emotional, character-driven contemporary fiction under her own name, and gothic historical mysteries under the pseudonym Bella Ellis. Because her books span different genres, tones, and target audiences, your starting point depends entirely on what kind of story you are looking for:

• For Historical Mystery Lovers: Start with The Vanished Bride (2019), written as Bella Ellis. This is the first book in the Brontë Sisters Mystery series, which reimagines Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë as amateur detectives.
• For Heart-Tugging Contemporary Fiction: Start with The Memory Book (2014) or The Summer of Impossible Things (2017). These are standalones that showcase Coleman's ability to blend deep emotional themes with elements of hope, love, and sometimes a touch of magical realism.
• For Lighthearted Family Dynamics: Start with The Accidental Mother (2005), which kicks off the Sophie Mills trilogy.
• For Younger Readers (YA/Middle Grade): Start with Ruby Parker Hits the Small Time (2005), the first installment in her horse-riding and acting adventure series.

The Brontë Sisters Mystery Series (Writing as Bella Ellis)

Written under the pen name Bella Ellis, this gothic mystery series features the famous Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily, and Anne—as "detecteurs" who solve crimes in the atmospheric landscape of Yorkshire. The series is best read in publication order, as the characters' lives, writing careers, and relationships progress chronologically alongside historical events.

Publication and Chronological Order:

1. The Vanished Bride (2019) – Introduces the sisters in 1845 as they investigate the mysterious disappearance of a young wife and mother from a nearby estate.
2. The Diabolical Bones (2020) – Set in the freezing winter of Haworth, the sisters investigate when bones are discovered walled up in a local home.
3. The Red Monarch (2021) – The sisters leave Haworth and travel to the bustling streets of London to search for a missing child and confront dangerous conspiracies.
4. A Gift of Poison (2023) – The sisters face a race against time when a local Haworth woman is accused of poisoning her husband.

The Sophie Mills Series (Writing as Rowan Coleman)

The Sophie Mills series follows a career-minded woman whose life is turned upside down when she suddenly finds herself caring for two young girls. It is a heartwarming contemporary romance trilogy that should be read in order to follow the natural progression of Sophie's family life.

Important Title Variation Caveat: The second book in this series was released under two different titles depending on the publisher and region. In some markets, it is titled Another Mother's Life, while in others it is titled The Accidental Wife. They are the exact same book.

Sophie Mills Reading Order:

1. The Accidental Mother (2005)
2. The Accidental Wife / Another Mother's Life (2008)
3. The Accidental Family (2009)

The Ruby Parker Series (Writing as Rowan Coleman)

For younger audiences, Rowan Coleman wrote the Ruby Parker books, which follow a young girl navigating the worlds of horse riding, acting, and growing up. These books should be read in publication order:

1. Ruby Parker Hits the Small Time (2005)
2. Ruby Parker: Soap Star (2007)
3. Ruby Parker: Film Star (2007)
4. Ruby Parker: Hollywood Star (2007)
5. Ruby Parker: Musical Star (2008)
6. Ruby Parker: Shooting Star (2009)

Rowan Coleman Standalone Novels

If you prefer standalone stories that do not require committing to a series, Rowan Coleman has written several bestselling novels. These can be read in any order, though reading them in order of publication shows her evolution as a writer.

Title Discrepancies to Note: Much like the Sophie Mills series, Coleman's standalones have seen regional title changes. Her award-winning 2012 novel Dearest Rose was also published under the title The Runaway Wife. Additionally, The Happy Home for Broken Hearts (2010) is identical to the release titled The Home for Broken Hearts.

Standalone Novels by Publication Year:

• Growing Up Twice (2002)
• After Ever After (2003)
• River Deep (2004)
• Mommy by Mistake (2007)
• The Baby Group (2007)
• The Happy Home for Broken Hearts (2010) (also published as The Home for Broken Hearts)
• Lessons in Laughing Out Loud (2011)
• Dearest Rose (2012) (also published as The Runaway Wife)
• The Memory Book (2014) – Follows a mother struggling with early-onset Alzheimer's as she writes a book of memories for her family.
• The Day We Met (2014)
• We Are All Made of Stars (2015) – A poignant tale centered around a hospice nurse who writes letters on behalf of her dying patients.
• The Other Sister (2016)
• The Summer of Impossible Things (2017) – A genre-bending story of a woman who travels back in time to 1977 to try to save her mother's life.
• Mirror, Mirror (2017) – A young adult mystery co-authored with actress and model Cara Delevingne.
• The Girl at the Window (2019) – A haunting mystery about secrets, motherhood, and hidden histories.

What to Know Before You Start

Rowan Coleman’s work is deeply emotional, frequently dealing with themes of memory, family relationships, loss, and female resilience. When she writes as Bella Ellis, she blends these domestic and emotional themes with classic gothic suspense and historical facts, taking great care to respect the real-life biographies of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë. Whether you pick up her contemporary novels or her historical mysteries, you can expect empathetic characters and a strong focus on relationships.