This page lists L.J. Shen books in publication order, plus LJverse reading paths, series groupings, and related titles.
Quick Index
- Scope: Novels, novellas, series, co-authored works, standalones, and announced titles
- Default Order: Official connected-world order
- Best Starting Point: Vicious
- Order Matters: Yes for connected-world context, but most books are standalone romances
- Includes: Sinners of Saint, All Saints High, Boston Belles, Forbidden Love, Society of Villains, Cruel Castaways, and Dark Prince Road
This page covers L.J. Shen, the romance author. Not to be confused with LJ as a music name, abbreviation, or unrelated public figure. Shen’s official reading-order page states that many of her independently published books share the same “LJverse,” while Cruel Castaways and Dark Prince Road are listed separately from that universe.
Reading Paths
Publication Order
Recommended for full catalog tracking.
Read the Publication Order Master List below in year order. This path includes series books, standalones, co-authored books, novellas, and announced titles.
Official Connected-World Order
Recommended for first-time readers who want the main LJverse sequence.
- Defy
- Vicious
- Ruckus
- Scandalous
- Bane
- Pretty Reckless
- Broken Knight
- Angry God
- Damaged Goods
- The Hunter
- The Villain
- The Monster
- The Rake
- Truly, Madly, Deeply
- Wildest Dreams
- Handsome Devil
- Bad Bishop
- Twisted Pawn
- Fallen Rook
- Corrupt Knight
- Heartless King
- Wicked Queen
- Devil’s Gambit
Shen’s official order places Sinners of Saint first, then All Saints High, Boston Belles, Forbidden Love, and Society of Villains. It also notes that books can generally be read independently.
Series-by-Series Order
Best for reading one group at a time.
Sinners of Saint
- Defy
- Vicious
- Ruckus
- Scandalous
- Bane
All Saints High
- Pretty Reckless
- Broken Knight
- Angry God
- Damaged Goods
Boston Belles
- Sparrow
- The Hunter
- The Villain
- The Monster
- The Rake
Forbidden Love
- Truly, Madly, Deeply
- Wildest Dreams
- Handsome Devil
Society of Villains
- Bad Bishop
- Twisted Pawn
- Fallen Rook
- Heartless King
- Corrupt Knight
- Wicked Queen
- Devil’s Gambit
Cruel Castaways
- Ruthless Rival
- Fallen Foe
- Cold Hearted Casanova
Dark Prince Road, with Parker S. Huntington
- My Dark Romeo
- My Dark Desire
- My Dark Prince
Chronological and Generation Order
Best for LJverse family and spin-off continuity.
- Sinners of Saint
- All Saints High
- Boston Belles
- Forbidden Love
- Society of Villains
All Saints High is identified by Shen as a spin-off of Sinners of Saint. Boston Belles is identified as a spin-off of All Saints High. Forbidden Love and Society of Villains are listed as existing in the same world.
Beginner Path
Best for a compact start.
- Vicious
- Ruckus
- Pretty Reckless
- The Hunter
- The Kiss Thief
- Ruthless Rival
- Truly, Madly, Deeply
- Bad Bishop
Core-Only Path
Best for the main connected series.
- Sinners of Saint
- All Saints High
- Boston Belles
- Forbidden Love
- Society of Villains
Publication Order Master List
Publication years and series placements are cross-checked against Shen’s official reading-order page and current bibliographic listings.
- Tyed (2015) – Novel – California Love
- Sparrow (2016) – Novel – Standalone, also listed as Boston Belles #0.5
- Blood to Dust (2016) – Novel – Standalone
- Defy (2016) – Novella – Sinners of Saint #0.5
- Vicious (2016) – Novel – Sinners of Saint #1
- Ruckus (2017) – Novel – Sinners of Saint #2
- Scandalous (2017) – Novel – Sinners of Saint #3
- Team Player (2017) – Anthology – Includes work by L.J. Shen
- Midnight Blue (2018) – Novel – Standalone
- Bane (2018) – Novel – Sinners of Saint #4
- The End Zone (2018) – Novella – Standalone
- Dirty Headlines (2018) – Novel – Standalone
- The Kiss Thief (2019) – Novel – Standalone
- Pretty Reckless (2019) – Novel – All Saints High #1
- Broken Knight (2019) – Novel – All Saints High #2
- In the Unlikely Event (2019) – Novel – Standalone
- Filthy (2019) – Anthology – Includes work by L.J. Shen
- The Hunter (2020) – Novel – Boston Belles #1
- The Villain (2020) – Novel – Boston Belles #2
- Angry God (2020) – Novel – All Saints High #3
- Just the Tip (2020) – Novella – With Helena Hunting
- Playing with Fire (2020) – Novel – Standalone
- The Monster (2021) – Novel – Boston Belles #3
- The Devil Wears Black (2021) – Novel – Standalone
- Bad Cruz (2021) – Novel – Standalone
- Eternal Sunshine (2021) – Short story – Related short fiction
- Rock Hard (2021) – Short story – Related short fiction
- The Rake (2022) – Novel – Boston Belles #4
- Ruthless Rival (2022) – Novel – Cruel Castaways #1
- Beautiful Graves (2022) – Novel – Standalone
- Punk Love (2022) – Short story – Related short fiction
- Fallen Foe (2023) – Novel – Cruel Castaways #2
- My Dark Romeo (2023) – Novel – Dark Prince Road #1, with Parker S. Huntington
- Thorne Princess (2023) – Novel – Standalone
- Cold Hearted Casanova (2024) – Novel – Cruel Castaways #3
- Truly, Madly, Deeply (2024) – Novel – Forbidden Love #1
- My Dark Desire (2024) – Novel – Dark Prince Road #2, with Parker S. Huntington
- Damaged Goods (2024) – Novel – All Saints High #4
- Mine to Ruin (2024) – Novel – With Parker S. Huntington
- Wildest Dreams (2025) – Novel – Forbidden Love #2
- Handsome Devil (2025) – Novel – Forbidden Love #3
- My Dark Prince (2025) – Novel – Dark Prince Road #3, with Parker S. Huntington
- Bad Bishop (2025) – Novel – Society of Villains #1
- Petty in Pink (2026) – Novella – The Devil Wears Black related short fiction
- Twisted Pawn (2026) – Novel – Society of Villains #2
- Fallen Rook (2026) – Novel – Society of Villains, announced
- Heartless King (2027) – Novel – Society of Villains, announced
- Corrupt Knight (2027) – Novel – Society of Villains, announced
- Wicked Queen – Novel – Society of Villains, announced, date not confirmed in official reading order
- Devil’s Gambit – Novel – Society of Villains, announced, date not confirmed in official reading order
Related Works and Where They Fit
LJverse
- Sinners of Saint – Main starting sequence
- All Saints High – Spin-off of Sinners of Saint
- Boston Belles – Spin-off of All Saints High
- Forbidden Love – Same world as the earlier LJverse series
- Society of Villains – Same world as the earlier LJverse series
Outside the LJverse
- Cruel Castaways – Montlake series, not in the LJverse
- Dark Prince Road – Co-written with Parker S. Huntington, not in the LJverse
Shen’s official reading-order page explicitly labels Cruel Castaways and Dark Prince Road as outside the LJverse.
Co-Authored Works
- Just the Tip – With Helena Hunting
- Dark Prince Road – With Parker S. Huntington
- Mine to Ruin – With Parker S. Huntington
Anthologies and Short Fiction
- Team Player – Anthology appearance
- Filthy – Anthology appearance
- The End Zone – Novella
- Eternal Sunshine – Short story
- Rock Hard – Short story
- Punk Love – Short story
- Petty in Pink – Short fiction connected to The Devil Wears Black
Dependencies & Notes
- Read Vicious, Ruckus, Scandalous, and Bane in Sinners of Saint order for best character continuity.
- Read Defy before Vicious if you want prequel placement.
- Read All Saints High after Sinners of Saint for next-generation context.
- Read Boston Belles after All Saints High for connected-world placement.
- Read Forbidden Love after Boston Belles in the official connected-world path.
- Read Bad Bishop before Twisted Pawn.
- Later Society of Villains titles are announced, but Shen’s official reading order lists several later names “in no particular order.”
- Read Ruthless Rival, Fallen Foe, and Cold Hearted Casanova in order for Cruel Castaways.
- Read My Dark Romeo, My Dark Desire, and My Dark Prince in order for Dark Prince Road.
- Standalones can be read separately unless following full publication order.
- Alternate covers, special editions, box sets, and translated editions are not counted as separate story entries.
FAQs
What is the best L.J. Shen reading order?
The best default is Shen’s official connected-world order: Sinners of Saint, All Saints High, Boston Belles, Forbidden Love, and Society of Villains.
Where should I start with L.J. Shen?
Start with Vicious for the main LJverse. Start with The Kiss Thief for a standalone. Start with Ruthless Rival for Cruel Castaways.
Do I need to read Defy before Vicious?
No. Defy is a prequel novella. It can be read first for timeline order or after Vicious as bonus background.
Are L.J. Shen’s books standalones?
Mostly yes. Shen’s official reading-order page says her books are interconnected standalones and can be read independently.
Is All Saints High connected to Sinners of Saint?
Yes. All Saints High is a spin-off of Sinners of Saint.
Is Boston Belles connected to All Saints High?
Yes. Shen’s official reading-order page identifies Boston Belles as a spin-off of All Saints High.
Are Cruel Castaways and Dark Prince Road part of the LJverse?
No. Shen’s official reading-order page lists Cruel Castaways as a Montlake series outside the LJverse and Dark Prince Road as a co-write outside the LJverse.
What is the newest L.J. Shen book included here?
The newest known published L.J. Shen title included here is Twisted Pawn. The next listed Society of Villains title is Fallen Rook, scheduled in 2026 in current bibliographic listings.
Change Log
- Last checked: June 13, 2026
- What changed: Added Twisted Pawn as a 2026 Society of Villains release; added Fallen Rook, Heartless King, Corrupt Knight, Wicked Queen, and Devil’s Gambit as announced Society of Villains titles
- Most recent known release included: Twisted Pawn (2026)
- Most recent announced title included: Devil’s Gambit, date not confirmed in official reading order