Where to Start Reading Diana A. Hicks
For readers diving into Diana A. Hicks's catalog for the first time, your starting point depends on your preferred romance subgenre. If you love emotional, high-heat contemporary billionaire romance, start with the Cole Brothers series. If you prefer darker, high-stakes mafia romance, start with the Crime Society universe.
Regardless of where you begin, Hicks's books are highly interconnected. While many of them can be read as standalones, reading them in their respective duets or publication order prevents spoilers and tracks character crossovers perfectly.
The Cole Brothers & Desert Monsoon Series
Understanding this series requires a quick look at its publishing history. Diana A. Hicks originally launched her contemporary romance career with the Desert Monsoon series. However, after her initial publishing contracts ended, she reworked, retitled, and integrated these books into the self-published Cole Brothers (also marketed as Cole Hearts) series.
- Love Over Lattes (2018) was revised and re-released as Entangle You (2023), forming the first part of the Stolen Hearts Duet.
- Love Over Logic (2018) became Ignite You (2018), which functions as the first numbered book in the Cole Brothers series.
- Love Over Time (2019) was reworked into Release You, focusing on the second-chance romance of Nikki and Henry.
- Unravel You (2023) was released to conclude the story of Derek and Valentina that began in Entangle You.
Recommended Cole Brothers Reading Order
To follow the family dynamics of the Cole siblings, we recommend reading them in this order:
- Entangle You (2023) – Derek & Valentina (Part 1 of the Stolen Hearts Duet)
- Unravel You (2023) – Derek & Valentina (Part 2 of the Stolen Hearts Duet)
- Ignite You (2018) – Dom & Emilia
- Provoke You (2019) – Matt & Ela
- Escape You (2020) – Tyler & Mia
- Defy You (2020) – Zack & Rebecca
- Unleash You (2020) – Wesley & Anabelle
The Crime Society Mafia Universe
If you prefer dark mafia romance, the Crime Society world is a sprawling web of dangerous power struggles, forced proximity, and intense steam. It is divided into distinct duets and standalone novellas, each focusing on a different couple. While they can be read independently, they share characters and an overarching narrative timeline.
Beast Duet
This duet centers on the enemies-to-lovers romance between Rex Valentino and Caterina Alfera. It is the best starting point for the Crime Society world.
- King of Beasts (2021)
- King of Beasts, Book 2 (2021) – Also published as Queen of Beasts.
- Lost Raven (2022) – A standalone companion novella focusing on Caterina's brother, Massimo Alfera, and EJ Holt.
Wolf Duet
This subseries features the captive romance between Santino Buratti and Luce O'Brien, set against a gang war between Irish and Italian factions.
- Wolf's Lair (2022) – A prequel novella that sets up the events of the duet.
- Big Bad Wolf (2021)
- Big Bad Wolf, Book 2 (2021) – Also known as Big Bad Red.
- Once Upon A Christmas (2022) – A holiday epilogue novella focusing on Santino and Luce's first Christmas as newlyweds.
Raven Duet
This high-school bully romance features Enzo Alfera and Aurora Vitali, set in the elite Midtown High school founded by the mafia.
- Dark Beauty (2022) – A prequel novella that ends on a cliffhanger.
- Fallen Raven, Book 1 (2022)
- Fallen Raven, Book 2 (2022)
Knight Duet
A forbidden dark romance following Luca Gallo, Donata Salvatore, and Maxim Belov.
- Wicked Knight (2023) – Also released in parts as Wicked Seduction and Wicked Temptation.
The Hero Club Multi-Author World
Diana A. Hicks also contributed to Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward's shared Cocky Hero Club universe. Her contribution, Irresistible Bastard (2021), was later re-released as a standalone titled The Billionaire's Accidental Daddy Duty. While it features characters from the broader Hero Club universe, it reads perfectly as a standalone contemporary romance.