Where to Start with Elissa Sussman
Elissa Sussman has established a versatile career spanning two distinct styles: young adult (YA) fiction—featuring both dystopian fantasy and contemporary industry drama—and bestselling adult contemporary romances. How you begin depends on what you enjoy most:
- For Romance and Pop Culture Fans: Start with her breakout hit, Funny You Should Ask (2022). It serves as the perfect introduction to her dual-timeline storytelling, witty dialogue, and high-profile celebrity settings. It also opens the door to her 2025 companion novel.
- For Fantasy Lovers: Begin with her debut novel, Stray (2014), which launches her YA fantasy duology.
- For YA Contemporary Readers: Pick up Drawn That Way (2021), which draws heavily on Sussman's real-life background in the animation industry.
The Hollywood & Celebrity Romance Universe
Sussman's adult romance novels are celebrated for their glamorous backdrops, emotional depth, and dual-timeline structures that alternate between the past ("Then") and the present ("Now"). Two of these novels are directly connected, while the third stands completely on its own:
1. Funny You Should Ask (2022)
The book that became a viral TikTok sensation follows journalist Chani Horowitz and movie star Gabe Parker. After a whirlwind weekend interview ten years ago that sparked endless rumors, the two reunite for a second-chance encounter in the present day.
2. Totally and Completely Fine (2025)
This companion novel is set in the same world as Funny You Should Ask. It shifts the spotlight to Lauren Parker, the widowed sister of superstar Gabe Parker. When Lauren meets Ben Walsh, a younger actor filming a movie alongside her brother in her small Montana hometown, she has to balance small-town gossip, the pressures of Ben's fame, and her own grief. Readers will spot familiar cameos from Gabe Parker and Chani Horowitz, though the book is designed to be read as a standalone.
3. Once More with Feeling (2023)
This is a standalone adult romance that does not share characters with the Gabe Parker books. It centers on Kathleen Rosenberg, a former pop star whose career fell apart after a public cheating scandal. Years later, she gets a shot at redemption on Broadway—but she has to work with her former bandmate and rival, Cal Kirby.
The Four Sisters YA Fantasy Duology
Before writing contemporary romance, Sussman debuted with a YA fantasy duology. Set in a dystopian world governed by a strict, religious-like doctrine called "The Path," magic is treated as a curse that only women carry.
1. Stray (2014)
The first book introduces Princess Aislynn, a young woman struggling to fit into the rigid expectations of society while hiding and learning to control her forbidden magical abilities.
2. Burn (2016)
Rather than a direct sequel, Burn is a companion novel told from a different perspective. It follows Elanor, a former captive of the Wicked Queen who has joined a rebel camp. While Aislynn and other characters from the first book return, the story focuses on Elanor's fight to dismantle the queen's rule and face her own past. It should be read second to avoid major spoilers for the events of Stray.
Standalone YA Contemporary
Drawn That Way (2021)
This feminist YA novel follows Hayley Saffitz, a high schooler navigating the male-dominated world of animation. Sussman used her own decade-long career managing animators at studios like Disney and DreamWorks to build an authentic, behind-the-scenes look at the industry.
Elissa Sussman Books in Publication Order
If you prefer to watch the author's writing style evolve from fairy-tale fantasy to Hollywood romance, follow this publication order:
- Stray (2014) – YA Fantasy (Four Sisters Book 1)
- Burn (2016) – YA Fantasy (Four Sisters Book 2)
- Drawn That Way (2021) – YA Contemporary
- Funny You Should Ask (2022) – Adult Romance
- Once More with Feeling (2023) – Adult Romance
- Totally and Completely Fine (2025) – Adult Romance