Penelope Ward Books in Order

This page lists Penelope Ward books in publication order, plus solo titles, co-written books, series reading paths, and related works.

Quick Index

  • Scope: Penelope Ward solo books, co-written books, interconnected standalones, novellas, and collections
  • Default Order: Publication order
  • Best Starting Point: Stepbrother Dearest or RoomHate
  • Order Matters: Yes for Jake, Rush, Law of Opposites Attract, and linked interconnected sets
  • Includes: Solo romance, Vi Keeland collaborations, Rockstar, Jake, Stepbrother Dearest, The Aristocrat

This page is for Penelope Ward, the contemporary romance author. Not to be confused with Penelope Douglas. Penelope Ward’s official catalog separates her books into solo series, standalones, and co-written books, including the Vi Keeland collaborations.

Reading Paths

Publication Order, Default Path

Recommended for first-time readers who want the cleanest full bibliography path.

  1. Start with Gemini.
  2. Continue by release year through the master list.
  3. Read Jake, Rush, and Law of Opposites Attract in internal order.
  4. Place holiday collections and short fiction after the main books for the same year.

Series and Continuity Path

Best for readers who want linked titles grouped together.

  • Jake / Gemini: Gemini, Jake Undone, My Skylar, Jake Understood
  • Stepbrother Dearest: Stepbrother Dearest, Neighbor Dearest, Jaded and Tyed
  • The Aristocrat: The Aristocrat, The Surrogate
  • Rockstar: The Rocker’s Muse, The Drummer’s Heart
  • Rush: Rebel Heir, Rebel Heart
  • Law of Opposites Attract: The Rules of Dating, The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister, The Rules of Dating My One-Night Stand, The Rules of Dating a Younger Man

Beginner Path

Recommended for a compact introduction.

  1. Stepbrother Dearest
  2. RoomHate
  3. Mack Daddy
  4. Drunk Dial
  5. The Aristocrat
  6. Taylor’s Father

Co-Written Path

Best for Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland readers.

  1. Cocky Bastard
  2. Stuck-Up Suit
  3. Playboy Pilot
  4. Mister Moneybags
  5. Dear Bridget, I Want You / British Bedmate
  6. Hate Notes
  7. Rebel Heir
  8. Rebel Heart
  9. Park Avenue Player
  10. Dirty Letters
  11. My Favorite Souvenir
  12. Happily Letter After
  13. Not Pretending Anymore
  14. Well Played
  15. The Rules of Dating
  16. The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister
  17. The Rules of Dating My One-Night Stand
  18. The Rules of Dating a Younger Man
  19. Denim & Diamonds
  20. Crooked

Publication Order Master List

The master list follows publication year and series placement from Penelope Ward’s official catalog and consolidated bibliography listings. Fantastic Fiction lists the main series, novels, collections, and short fiction through Taylor’s Father and Crooked in 2026.

2013

  • Gemini (2013) – Novel – Interconnected standalone / Jake world
  • Jake Undone (2013) – Novel – Jake #1

2014

  • My Skylar (2014) – Novel – Jake #2
  • Stepbrother Dearest (2014) – Novel – Stepbrother Dearest #1

2015

  • Jake Understood (2015) – Novel – Jake #3
  • Sins of Sevin (2015) – Novel – Standalone
  • Cocky Bastard (2015) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland

2016

  • RoomHate (2016) – Novel – Standalone
  • Neighbor Dearest (2016) – Novel – Stepbrother Dearest #2
  • Stuck-Up Suit (2016) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • Playboy Pilot (2016) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • Felony Ever After (2016) – Collection – Multi-author anthology

2017

  • Mack Daddy (2017) – Novel – Standalone
  • Drunk Dial (2017) – Novel – Standalone
  • Mister Moneybags (2017) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • Dear Bridget, I Want You / British Bedmate (2017) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • Jaded and Tyed (2017) – Novella – Stepbrother Dearest related

2018

  • Gentleman Nine (2018) – Novel – Standalone
  • Love Online (2018) – Novel – Standalone
  • Rebel Heir (2018) – Novel – Rush #1, with Vi Keeland
  • Rebel Heart (2018) – Novel – Rush #2, with Vi Keeland
  • Hate Notes (2018) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland

2019

  • When August Ends (2019) – Novel – Standalone
  • The Day He Came Back (2019) – Novel – Standalone
  • Park Avenue Player (2019) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • Dirty Letters (2019) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • Scrooged (2019) – Collection – Holiday shorts, with Vi Keeland

2020

  • Just One Year (2020) – Novel – Standalone
  • The Anti-Boyfriend (2020) – Novel – Man Next Door
  • My Favorite Souvenir (2020) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • Happily Letter After (2020) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • The Christmas Pact (2020) – Novella – Holiday romance, with Vi Keeland

2021

  • The Crush (2021) – Novel – Standalone
  • Not Pretending Anymore (2021) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • The Aristocrat (2021) – Novel – The Aristocrat #1
  • Well Played (2021) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland

2022

  • The Assignment (2022) – Novel – Standalone
  • Moody (2022) – Novel – Standalone
  • The Rules of Dating (2022) – Novel – Law of Opposites Attract #1, with Vi Keeland
  • Sleighed (2022) – Collection – Holiday stories, with Vi Keeland

2023

  • Toe the Line (2023) – Novel – Standalone
  • I Could Never (2023) – Novel – Standalone
  • The Rules of Dating My Best Friend’s Sister (2023) – Novel – Law of Opposites Attract #2, with Vi Keeland
  • The Rules of Dating My One-Night Stand (2023) – Novel – Law of Opposites Attract #3, with Vi Keeland

2024

  • The Surrogate (2024) – Novel – The Aristocrat #2
  • The Rocker’s Muse (2024) – Novel – Rockstar #1
  • The Rules of Dating a Younger Man (2024) – Novel – Law of Opposites Attract #4, with Vi Keeland

2025

  • The Drummer’s Heart (2025) – Novel – Rockstar #2
  • Denim & Diamonds (2025) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland
  • The House Guest (2025) – Novel – Standalone
  • Snowed (2025) – Collection – Holiday stories, with Vi Keeland

2026

  • Taylor’s Father (2026) – Novel – Standalone
  • Crooked (2026) – Novel – Co-written standalone, with Vi Keeland

Related Works and Where They Fit

Vi Keeland Collaborations

Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland co-wrote Rush, Law of Opposites Attract, several standalone romances, and holiday collections. The author’s co-written page groups these works separately from Ward’s solo catalog.

Rockstar Interconnected Standalones

  • The Rocker’s Muse (2024) – Novel – Rockstar #1
  • The Drummer’s Heart (2025) – Novel – Rockstar #2

The official pages list both books under the interconnected Rockstar series. The Drummer’s Heart is listed with a February 24, 2025 release date.

Recent and Upcoming Status

  • Taylor’s Father is listed on the author’s official site as a standalone with a February 22, 2026 release date.
  • Crooked, co-written with Vi Keeland, was published on March 29, 2026.
  • The official upcoming releases page currently states that there are no scheduled books listed.

Dependencies & Notes

  • Read Jake Undone before Jake Understood because Jake Understood revisits and extends Jake’s story.
  • Read My Skylar before Jake Understood for full character context.
  • Read Stepbrother Dearest before Neighbor Dearest for the cleanest connected-world order.
  • Read Rebel Heir before Rebel Heart because Rush is a duet.
  • Read Law of Opposites Attract in numbered order.
  • The Aristocrat books are interconnected standalones. Publication order is recommended.
  • Rockstar books are interconnected standalones. Publication order is recommended.
  • Most solo standalones can be read independently.
  • Holiday collections and short fiction are optional unless completing the full catalog.

FAQs

What Penelope Ward book should I read first?

Start with Stepbrother Dearest for a major early entry. Start with RoomHate for a standalone-first route.

Do Penelope Ward books need to be read in order?

Some do. Jake, Rush, and Law of Opposites Attract should be read in order. Most solo standalones are flexible.

What is the Jake reading order?

Read Gemini, Jake Undone, My Skylar, then Jake Understood.

What is the Penelope Ward and Vi Keeland reading order?

Read their co-written books in publication order, starting with Cocky Bastard. Read Rush and Law of Opposites Attract in numbered order.

Is The Aristocrat a series?

Yes. Penelope Ward’s official catalog lists The Aristocrat and The Surrogate under the interconnected standalone series label.

What is the most recent Penelope Ward book included here?

The most recent known release included here is Crooked, co-written with Vi Keeland and published March 29, 2026.

Change Log

  • Last checked: June 13, 2026
  • What changed: Added Taylor’s Father, added Crooked, added Snowed, and clarified Rockstar as an interconnected standalone series
  • Most recent known release included: Crooked (2026)