Brenda Rothert Books in Order

Where Should You Start Reading Brenda Rothert?

Brenda Rothert has written over fifty romance novels, spanning sports romance, emotional contemporary sagas, and steamy romantic comedies. With such a massive catalog, deciding where to begin can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, Rothert’s books are written in distinct series, and you have two excellent starting paths depending on your favorite romance subgenres:

• Path A: The Sports Romance Route (Recommended) - Start with Anton (2019), the first book in the Chicago Blaze series. It is one of her most popular books, featuring a grumpy team captain and a sunny heroine. It serves as the perfect introduction to her signature style of blending high-stakes hockey action with deep emotional healing.
• Path B: The Small-Town & Family Route - Start with Deep Down (2015), the first installment of the Lockhart Brothers series. Set in the charming town of Lovely, this series focuses on family secrets, second chances, and tight-knit community dynamics.

Key Reading Order Caveats & Standalone Status

Before you start tracking down every book, here are a few practical rules of thumb for navigating Brenda Rothert’s universe:

• Most books work as standalones: Within almost every series, each book focuses on a completely different couple. This means you do not technically have to read them in order to understand the main romance.
• Read in order for the best experience: Even though the romance plots resolve in each book, characters from previous books frequently make cameos, and team or family dynamics evolve over time. Reading in order prevents minor spoilers about which couples ended up together in earlier books.
• Crossover universes: Her hockey series (like Fire on Ice, Chicago Blaze, and Colorado Coyotes) exist in a shared sports universe. While it isn't mandatory to read the entire sports catalog chronologically, starting with the older series (such as Fire on Ice) will help you catch all the background cameos when you read the newer series.

The Sports Romance Collections

Rothert is widely celebrated for her hockey romances. These series follow professional athletes navigating intense careers, injuries, and finding love off the ice.

Fire on Ice Series

This is Rothert's debut sports romance series. It deals heavily with themes of grief, recovery, and finding love after tragedy. Readers should follow the publication order:

1. Bound (2013)
2. Captive (2014)
3. Edge (2014)
4. Drive (2014)
5. Release (2014)

On the Line Series

Another beloved hockey series focusing on the personal lives and high-pressure careers of professional players:

1. Killian (2015)
2. Bennett (2016)
3. Liam (2020)

Chicago Blaze Series

This fan-favorite series centers on the players of the fictional Chicago Blaze hockey team. It is highly recommended to read these in order to watch the team’s camaraderie grow:

1. Anton (2019)
2. Luca (2019)
3. Victor (2019)
4. Knox (2019)
5. Alexei (2020)
6. Easy (2020)
7. Jonah (2020)
8. Kit (2021)
9. Olivier (2021)

Sin City Saints Hockey Series

Set against the neon backdrop of Las Vegas, this series features players from the Sin City Saints team finding love:

1. Maverick (2021)
2. Pike (2022)
3. Pax (2022)

St. Louis Mavericks Series (Co-authored with Kat Mizera)

Rothert teamed up with author Kat Mizera to write this emotional and steamy series about the St. Louis Mavericks hockey players. Because the books are closely tied to the team's season progression, they are best read in order:

1. Hard Fall (2021)
2. Hard Limit (2022)
3. Hard Pass (2022)
4. Hard Luck (2022)
5. Hard Hit (2023)

Colorado Coyotes Series

This series moves the hockey action to Colorado, focusing on team drama, secrets, and high-heat romance:

1. The Donor (2022)
2. The Opponent (2023)
3. The Proposal (2023)
4. The Imposter (2023)
5. The Face-Off (2024)
6. The Fall (2024)

Contemporary & Small-Town Romance Series

If you want a break from the ice rink, Rothert has several contemporary series that focus on emotional depth, family dynamics, and small-town charm.

Now Series

This emotional contemporary trilogy is Rothert's debut series, following the journey of characters finding second chances at love and healing from past wounds:

1. Now and Then (2013)
2. Now and Again (2013)
3. Now and Forever (2014)

Lockhart Brothers Series

Set in Lovely, Illinois, this series focuses on the tight bond of the Lockhart brothers as they navigate family secrets and find romance:

1. Deep Down (2015)
2. In Deep (2015)
3. Drawn Deeper (2016)
4. Hidden Depth (2017)

Filthy Series (Co-authored with Chelle Bliss)

Co-written with Chelle Bliss, this series (sometimes referred to as the Filthy Politics series) is a high-stakes, enemies-to-lovers political romance following rival candidates Reagan Preston and Jude Titan. Unlike her other series, this one tells a continuous story and must be read in order:

1. Dirty Work (2016)
2. Dirty Secret (2017)
3. Dirty Defiance (2018)

Shared Universes and Crossovers

Brenda Rothert participated in the massive multi-author Hero Club (originally the Cocky Hero Club) project, a shared universe inspired by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward's bestselling novels. Her specific contribution is Pompous Player (2021). Notably, Pompous Player features crossover elements with her own Chicago Blaze series, making it a fun side-read for fans of her hockey books.

Standalone Novels and Novellas

Rothert has written several standalone contemporary romances and romantic comedies that can be read at any time without any prior series knowledge:

• Unspoken (2014)
• Barely Breathing (2015)
• Healing Touch (2015 - Novella)
• Blown Away (2016)
• His (2016)
• Hooked (2016)
• Come Closer (2017)
• Alpha Mail (2017)
• Do You Like My Wiener? (2018)
• Sweet Sixteen (2018)
• Buried (2018)
• Exiled (2022)