Elissa Strati Books in Order

How to Read Elissa Strati's Books

Elissa Strati is a beloved voice in clean, inspirational historical Western and holiday romance. Because she primarily contributes to collaborative, multi-author shared-world series, her books are interconnected with other authors' works. Readers generally follow one of two paths when starting her stories:

• The Strati-Only Reading Path: If you want to read only the books penned by Elissa Strati, you can jump directly to her specific volumes. Since her books are written as standalones, you will not lose track of the plot, though you might miss some recurring background characters or town development.
• The Complete Shared-World Path: To fully immerse yourself in the collaborative settings, read the multi-author series in their chronological publication order. This allows you to experience the full communal atmosphere of the shared towns and recurring characters.

What to Know Before You Start

Strati's novels are celebrated for their clean, wholesome, and Christian-inspired themes, often centered around the popular mail-order bride trope. Her characters face real hardships, from post-Civil War struggles to personal loss, but faith, family, and happy endings always prevail. The settings—ranging from snowy frontier outposts to dusty Texas towns—are rich in historical details, drawing on her own global travels and love for antiques.

The Core Shared-World Collaborations

The Proxy Brides

This massive collaborative series follows women who marry men they have never met by proxy before traveling to their new homes. Elissa Strati's contributions include key entries such as A Bride for Alexander (2021) and A Bride for Harrison (2023). The series publication order includes:

• A Bride for Jeremiah (2018)
• A Bride for Clay (2018)
• A Bride for Nathan (2018)
• A Bride for Abel (2018)
• A Bride for Finn (2018)
• A Bride for Carter (2018)
• A Bride for Sterling (2018)
• A Bride for Henry (2018)
• A Bride for Elijah (2019)
• A Bride for Travis (2019)
• ...and continuing up to A Bride for Harrison (2023) and A Bride For Brooks (2023).

The Secret Baby Dilemma

One of Strati's most popular entry points is the Secret Baby Dilemma series. She wrote the fan favorite Mail Order Nancy (2021), which is the fourth book in the sequence. The series features:

1. Mail Order Jewel (2021)
2. Mail Order Amelia (2021)
3. Mail Order Melissande (2021)
4. Mail Order Nancy (2021) - Written by Elissa Strati
5. Mail Order Merry (2021)
6. Mail Order Martina (2021)
7. Mail Order Tamsyn (2021)
8. Mail Order Blythe (2021)
9. Mail Order Madeline (2021)
10. Mail Order Blaze (2021)
11. Mail Order Emma (2021)
12. Mail Order Kaitlyn (2021)

The Matchmaker: Agatha Returns

In this humorous matchmaking series, Strati contributes A Match for Lance (2022) as Book 5, following a reluctant groom facing an unexpected reunion with a past love. The series runs in this order:

• A Match for Ethan (2022)
• A Match for Wyatt (2022)
• A Match for Monty (2022)
• A Match for Griff (2022)
• A Match for Lance (2022) - Written by Elissa Strati
• A Match for Korban (2023)
• A Match for Marshall (2023)
• ...and concluding with A Match for Thorne (2024).

Christmas Rescue & Holiday Series

Strati is also famous for her heartwarming Christmas romances. In the Christmas Rescue series, she penned the fourth installment, Rescuing Christmas (2019). Similarly, in the Imposter for Christmas series, she contributed Book 4, Mail Order Carol (2021). The books are perfect seasonal reads and can be enjoyed individually during the holidays.

Practical Reader Advice

If you are new to Elissa Strati, the best starting point is Mail Order Nancy due to its high reader ratings and perfect blend of historical suspense and sweet romance. If you prefer holiday-themed books, begin with Rescuing Christmas. Because all of her books in these collaborative series are designed as standalones, you do not need to worry about cliffhangers or strict reading orders between different series.