Where to Start with Elsie James
If you are new to the cozy, high-heat world of Elsie James, the absolute best place to start is the beloved Lumberjack Lagoon series. This series perfectly showcases her signature writing style: curvy heroines, ultra-protective alpha heroes who are softies at heart, zero cheating, zero cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.
We recommend starting with the very first book, A Nanny (2020), which introduces the coastal town of Lumberjack Lagoon and the romance between Poppy, a teacher, and Kaden, a rugged single-dad lumberjack. Although each book in this universe is designed to be read as a standalone, reading them in publication order allows you to watch the community grow and catch recurring appearances from previous couples.
The Lumberjack Lagoon & Spinoff Universes
The Lumberjack universe is Elsie James's most famous setting. It consists of three interconnected series that should ideally be read in order to preserve character timelines and community progression:
1. Lumberjack Lagoon (Original Series)
The original series features six core books plus a continuation story. It establishes the Oakes family and their logging company.
- A Nanny (2020)
- A Marriage of Convenience (2020)
- A Single Mom (2020)
- A Second Chance (2020)
- Thankful (2020)
- Mr. & Mrs. Oakes (2021)
- A Return to Lumberjack Lagoon (2022) - A next-generation return to the town.
2. Hideaway at the Lagoon
This spinoff series returns to the familiar lagoon setting with a new batch of rugged men finding love with curvy women. You can read these after finishing the original series.
- Grumpy Lumberjack (2023)
- Pretending with the Lumberjack (2024)
- Daddy Vibes Lumberjack (2024)
- Protected by the Lumberjack (2024)
- Captivated by the Lumberjack (2024)
3. Lumberjack Lodge
A festive, holiday-themed trilogy featuring lumberjacks during the Christmas season.
- Jingling Her Bells (2023)
- Decking Her Halls (2023)
- Frosting Her Cookies (2023)
The Brew by Brewer Mountain Resort World
Another massive corner of Elsie James's bibliography is the resort town of Brew by Brewer. The books follow the Brewer brothers and the staff and guests at their mountain resort. These series are heavily interconnected, and reading them in publication order is recommended to fully enjoy the resort's development.
1. The Brewer Brothers
The core series follows the brothers as they work to renovate their father's resort property while finding love. Start with Brandon and work your way through the brothers:
- Brandon (2021)
- James (2021)
- Brooks (2021)
- Wells (2021)
- Rob (2021)
- Jackson (2021)
- Drew (2021)
- Lucy (2021)
- Spooked at Brew by Brewer (2021)
- Merry at Brew by Brewer (2021)
- Love Struck at Brew by Brewer (2022)
- Mountain Man Summer Camp (2024)
2. Falling at Brew by Brewer
A three-part subseries set in the same cozy resort environment focusing on autumn romances.
- Falling for You (2021)
- Crisp Kiss (2021)
- Perfect Pick (2021)
3. The Hotel At Brew By Brewer
An 11-book companion series focusing on the staff members, guests, and service workers of the resort, from bellhops to room service workers.
- Bell Hop (2021)
- Forgotten (2021)
- Do Not Disturb (2021)
- Baggage (2021)
- Unwind (2021)
- No Vacancy (2021)
- Wakeup Call (2021)
- Occupied (2021)
- Lonely (2021)
- Room Service (2021)
- Check Out (2021)
Standalone and Small-Town Interconnected Series
Elsie James has written several smaller series. These are great to pick up when you want a quick, cozy standalone read that is part of a minor town setting.
- Peony Pointe: A 4-book sweet contemporary series starting with Jessa (2020) and followed by Ainsley, Juni, and Rachel.
- Candlelight Cove: A 4-book series starting with Cake for Three (2020) and ending with Plan On It.
- Findlay Farm: A 4-book farm-themed romance series starting with The Inn (2023) and followed by Haystack, Longhorn Findlay Farms, and Pasture Findlay Farms.
- Firehouse Twelve: A 3-book firefighter romance series comprising Sparks, Ignite, and Flame (all 2020).
- Sip Happens Neighborhood Pub: A 4-book pub-themed romance series starting with Faking It with My Best Friend (2022).
Understanding the Multi-Author Series Contributions
Many of the series listed in Elsie James's catalog are actually part of massive, collaborative multi-author projects. In these universes, multiple romance authors write standalone books sharing a common theme or setting. You do not need to read the entire multi-author series to understand Elsie's books, as they are fully self-contained. Here are her specific contributions to these shared projects:
- Dad Bod: Men Built for Comfort: A multi-author project celebrating everyday body types. Elsie James wrote Paws Up for the Dad Bod (2022). (Other books in this list from the database, like Doctor Dad Bod or Dad Bod Outlaw, were written by other authors in the collaboration).
- Heart of a Wounded Hero: A project centered on military veteran romance. Elsie contributed Finding Home (2022) to this project.
- The Boss Books: Workplace romances where the boss finds love. Elsie James contributed Planning on the Boss (2021).
- Girl Dad Books: Single-dad romances. Elsie James contributed Second Chance with the Girl Dad (2021).
- Curvy Girl's Best Friend: Romances focusing on best friends finding love. Elsie James contributed books like Theo & His Cat, Caden & His Cat, and Devon & His Goat (2021).
- Merry Fudgin' Christmas: A festive holiday-themed romance series where Elsie contributed books like Oh Fudge and Royally Fudged (2022).