Eloisa James Books in Order

This page lists Eloisa James books in publication order, series order, novella placement, Mary Bly titles, and recommended reading paths.

Quick Index

  • Scope: Eloisa James historical romance, novellas, multi-author works, Mary Bly fiction, and nonfiction
  • Default Order: Publication order
  • Best Starting Point: Potent Pleasures, Duchess in Love, Desperate Duchesses, or Wilde in Love
  • Order Matters: Yes within Pleasures, Esme & Friends, Essex Sisters, Desperate Duchesses, Fairy Tales, Wildes of Lindow Castle, Would-Be Wallflowers, Seduction, and Accidental Brides
  • Includes: Pleasures, Esme & Friends, Essex Sisters, Desperate Duchesses, Fairy Tales, Wildes of Lindow Castle, Would-Be Wallflowers, Seduction, Accidental Brides
  • Pen Name Note: Eloisa James is the historical romance pen name of Mary Bly
  • Not to be confused with: E.L. James, author of Fifty Shades

Eloisa James’s official site groups her catalog by series, including Desperate Duchesses, Fairy Tales, Essex Sisters, Esme & Friends, Pleasures, Wildes of Lindow Castle, Seduction, Would-Be Wallflowers, and Accidental Brides. Fantastic Fiction identifies Eloisa James as a pseudonym used by Mary Bly.

Reading Paths

1. Publication Order

Use this path for a full release-history reading route.

  1. Pleasures
  2. Esme & Friends
  3. Essex Sisters
  4. Desperate Duchesses
  5. Fairy Tales
  6. Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers
  7. Wildes of Lindow Castle
  8. Mary Bly and standalone work
  9. Would-Be Wallflowers
  10. Seduction
  11. Accidental Brides

2. Series Order

Best for keeping each family, couple network, and linked setting intact.

  1. Pleasures
  2. Esme & Friends
  3. Essex Sisters
  4. Desperate Duchesses
  5. Fairy Tales
  6. Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers
  7. Wildes of Lindow Castle
  8. Would-Be Wallflowers
  9. Seduction
  10. Accidental Brides

3. Beginner Path

A compact entry route through major Eloisa James series.

  1. Duchess in Love
  2. Fool for Love
  3. Desperate Duchesses
  4. A Duke of Her Own
  5. A Kiss at Midnight
  6. When Beauty Tamed the Beast
  7. Wilde in Love
  8. How to Be a Wallflower
  9. Viscount in Love

4. Fairy-Tale Path

For readers who want the fairy-tale retelling line first.

  1. A Kiss at Midnight
  2. Storming the Castle
  3. When Beauty Tamed the Beast
  4. Winning the Wallflower
  5. The Duke Is Mine
  6. The Ugly Duchess
  7. Seduced by a Pirate
  8. With This Kiss
  9. Once Upon a Tower

5. Mary Bly Path

For books published outside the main Eloisa James historical romance label.

  1. Paris in Love
  2. Lizzie & Dante
  3. The Last Lady B

Publication Order Master List

The list below uses first known publication order, with series placement cross-checked against the official Eloisa James site, Fantastic Fiction, and FictionDB. FictionDB lists 56 Eloisa James titles and identifies The Last Lady B as the latest 2026 release.

  • Potent Pleasures (1999) – Novel – Pleasures #1
  • Midnight Pleasures (2000) – Novel – Pleasures #2
  • Enchanting Pleasures (2001) – Novel – Pleasures #3
  • Duchess in Love (2002) – Novel – Esme & Friends #1
  • Fool for Love (2003) – Novel – Esme & Friends #2
  • A Wild Pursuit (2004) – Novel – Esme & Friends #3
  • Your Wicked Ways (2004) – Novel – Esme & Friends #4
  • A Fool Again (2004) – Novella – Esme & Friends #2.5; Lucius Felton #0.5
  • Much Ado About You (2005) – Novel – Essex Sisters #1
  • A Proper Englishwoman (2005) – Novella – Also published as To Wed a Rake
  • Kiss Me, Annabel (2005) – Novel – Essex Sisters #2
  • The Taming of the Duke (2006) – Novel – Essex Sisters #3
  • Pleasure for Pleasure (2006) – Novel – Essex Sisters #4
  • Desperate Duchesses (2007) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses #1
  • An Affair Before Christmas (2007) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses #2
  • Duchess by Night (2008) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses #3
  • When the Duke Returns (2008) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses #4
  • This Duchess of Mine (2009) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses #5
  • A Duke of Her Own (2009) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses #6
  • Storming the Castle (2010) – Novella – Fairy Tales #1.5
  • A Kiss at Midnight (2010) – Novel – Fairy Tales #1
  • The Lady Most Likely… (2011) – Multi-author novel – Lady Most #1
  • When Beauty Tamed the Beast (2011) – Novel – Fairy Tales #2
  • Winning the Wallflower (2011) – Novella – Fairy Tales #2.5
  • The Duke Is Mine (2011) – Novel – Fairy Tales #3
  • Paris in Love (2012) – Nonfiction – Memoir
  • The Ugly Duchess (2012) – Novel – Fairy Tales #4
  • Seduced by a Pirate (2012) – Novella – Fairy Tales #4.25
  • The Lady Most Willing… (2013) – Multi-author novel – Lady Most #2
  • With This Kiss (2013) – Novella – Fairy Tales #4.5
  • Once Upon a Tower (2013) – Novel – Fairy Tales #5
  • Three Weeks With Lady X (2014) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers #1
  • Four Nights With the Duke (2015) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers #2
  • My American Duchess (2016) – Novel – Would-Be Wallflowers #0
  • The Official Essex Sisters Companion Guide (2016) – Companion – Essex Sisters
  • A Gentleman Never Tells (2016) – Novella – Essex Sisters #4.5
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven (2017) – Novel – Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers #3
  • A Midsummer Night’s Disgrace (2017) – Novella – Essex Sisters related
  • Wilde in Love (2017) – Novel – Wildes of Lindow Castle #1
  • Midsummer Delights (2018) – Collection – Novellas and short fiction
  • Too Wilde to Wed (2018) – Novel – Wildes of Lindow Castle #2
  • Born to Be Wilde (2018) – Novel – Wildes of Lindow Castle #3
  • Say No to the Duke (2019) – Novel – Wildes of Lindow Castle #4
  • Say Yes to the Duke (2020) – Novel – Wildes of Lindow Castle #5
  • My Last Duchess (2020) – Novella – Wildes of Lindow Castle #0.5
  • Wilde Child (2021) – Novel – Wildes of Lindow Castle #6
  • Lizzie & Dante (2021) – Novel – Mary Bly
  • A Mistletoe Kiss (2021) – Novella – Mistletoe Christmas anthology
  • How to Be a Wallflower (2022) – Novel – Would-Be Wallflowers #1
  • The Reluctant Countess (2022) – Novel – Would-Be Wallflowers #2
  • Two Dances and a Duke (2023) – Novella – Seduction #1
  • Not That Duke (2023) – Novel – Would-Be Wallflowers #3
  • Two Vows and a Viscount (2023) – Novella – Seduction #2
  • Two Masquerades and a Major (2023) – Novella – Seduction #3
  • Viscount in Love (2024) – Novel – Accidental Brides #1
  • Two Lies and a Lord (2024) – Novella – Seduction #4
  • Hardly a Gentleman (2025) – Novel – Accidental Brides #2
  • Ladies in Waiting (2025) – Collection – Multi-author
  • The Last Lady B (2026) – Novel – Standalone; catalog placement varies

Related Works and Where They Fit

Pleasures

  • Potent Pleasures (1999) – Novel – Book 1
  • Midnight Pleasures (2000) – Novel – Book 2
  • Enchanting Pleasures (2001) – Novel – Book 3

Placement: Read in numbered order.

Esme & Friends

  • Duchess in Love (2002) – Novel – Book 1
  • Fool for Love (2003) – Novel – Book 2
  • A Fool Again (2004) – Novella – Book 2.5
  • A Wild Pursuit (2004) – Novel – Book 3
  • Your Wicked Ways (2004) – Novel – Book 4

Placement: Start with Duchess in Love. Add A Fool Again after Fool for Love.

Essex Sisters

  • Much Ado About You (2005) – Novel – Book 1
  • Kiss Me, Annabel (2005) – Novel – Book 2
  • The Taming of the Duke (2006) – Novel – Book 3
  • Pleasure for Pleasure (2006) – Novel – Book 4
  • The Official Essex Sisters Companion Guide (2016) – Companion
  • A Gentleman Never Tells (2016) – Novella – Book 4.5
  • A Midsummer Night’s Disgrace (2017) – Novella – Related

Placement: Read the four main novels first. Add companion and novella material afterward.

Desperate Duchesses

  • Desperate Duchesses (2007) – Novel – Book 1
  • An Affair Before Christmas (2007) – Novel – Book 2
  • Duchess by Night (2008) – Novel – Book 3
  • When the Duke Returns (2008) – Novel – Book 4
  • This Duchess of Mine (2009) – Novel – Book 5
  • A Duke of Her Own (2009) – Novel – Book 6

Placement: Read in sequence. The series has recurring characters and an ongoing social world.

Fairy Tales

Fantastic Fiction lists the Fairy Tales sequence from A Kiss at Midnight through Once Upon a Tower, with Storming the Castle, Winning the Wallflower, and Seduced by a Pirate placed as novellas.

  • A Kiss at Midnight (2010) – Novel – Book 1
  • Storming the Castle (2010) – Novella – Book 1.5
  • When Beauty Tamed the Beast (2011) – Novel – Book 2
  • Winning the Wallflower (2011) – Novella – Book 2.5
  • The Duke Is Mine (2011) – Novel – Book 3
  • The Ugly Duchess (2012) – Novel – Book 4
  • Seduced by a Pirate (2012) – Novella – Book 4.25
  • With This Kiss (2013) – Novella – Book 4.5
  • Once Upon a Tower (2013) – Novel – Book 5

Placement: Read the numbered sequence if following all retellings. The novellas are optional but useful for a complete Fairy Tales shelf.

Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers

The author’s site describes 9-to-5, Duchess Style as a trilogy that follows from Desperate Duchesses, with two heroes appearing earlier as children.

  • Three Weeks With Lady X (2014) – Novel – Book 1
  • Four Nights With the Duke (2015) – Novel – Book 2
  • Seven Minutes in Heaven (2017) – Novel – Book 3

Placement: Read after the original Desperate Duchesses sequence.

Wildes of Lindow Castle

  • My Last Duchess (2020) – Novella – Prequel
  • Wilde in Love (2017) – Novel – Book 1
  • Too Wilde to Wed (2018) – Novel – Book 2
  • Born to Be Wilde (2018) – Novel – Book 3
  • Say No to the Duke (2019) – Novel – Book 4
  • Say Yes to the Duke (2020) – Novel – Book 5
  • Wilde Child (2021) – Novel – Book 6

Placement: Publication order begins with Wilde in Love. Prequel-first readers can start with My Last Duchess.

Would-Be Wallflowers

  • My American Duchess (2016) – Novel – Book 0
  • How to Be a Wallflower (2022) – Novel – Book 1
  • The Reluctant Countess (2022) – Novel – Book 2
  • Not That Duke (2023) – Novel – Book 3

Placement: My American Duchess can be read first as a prequel-style entry or separately before the trilogy.

Seduction

  • Two Dances and a Duke (2023) – Novella – Book 1
  • Two Vows and a Viscount (2023) – Novella – Book 2
  • Two Masquerades and a Major (2023) – Novella – Book 3
  • Two Lies and a Lord (2024) – Novella – Book 4

Placement: Read as a connected novella sequence.

Accidental Brides

  • Viscount in Love (2024) – Novel – Book 1
  • Hardly a Gentleman (2025) – Novel – Book 2

Placement: Read from Viscount in Love to Hardly a Gentleman. FictionDB lists The Last Lady B as Accidental Brides #3, but the official book page describes it as a stand-alone novel, so this page keeps it separate with a catalog-variation note.

Lady Most

  • The Lady Most Likely… (2011) – Multi-author novel – Book 1
  • The Lady Most Willing… (2013) – Multi-author novel – Book 2

Placement: Optional multi-author works with Julia Quinn and Connie Brockway.

Mary Bly and Nonfiction

  • Paris in Love (2012) – Nonfiction – Memoir
  • Lizzie & Dante (2021) – Novel – Mary Bly
  • The Last Lady B (2026) – Novel – Standalone, published on the Eloisa James site

Placement: Paris in Love and Lizzie & Dante sit outside the main historical romance series. The official Lizzie & Dante page identifies it as a novel written by Mary Bly, Eloisa’s other self.

Collections, Anthologies, and Buying Editions

  • The One That Got Away (2004) – Anthology – Includes A Fool Again
  • Talk of the Ton (2005) – Anthology – Includes A Proper Englishwoman
  • As You Wish (2013) – Collection – Novella collection
  • Midsummer Delights (2018) – Collection – Eloisa James short fiction
  • Mistletoe Christmas (2021) – Multi-author anthology – Includes A Mistletoe Kiss
  • Ladies in Waiting (2025) – Multi-author collection

Placement: Check contents before buying collections, because several contain stories already listed separately.

Dependencies & Notes

  • Publication order is the safest route for a full bibliography.
  • Series order is better for actual reading, especially Desperate Duchesses, Essex Sisters, Wildes of Lindow Castle, and Would-Be Wallflowers.
  • Read Desperate Duchesses before Desperate Duchesses by the Numbers because later books draw on the earlier generation.
  • My Last Duchess is a prequel to Wildes of Lindow Castle, but Wilde in Love remains the main entry point.
  • My American Duchess functions as a preliminary Would-Be Wallflowers placement in major catalogs.
  • A Proper Englishwoman and To Wed a Rake refer to the same novella listing.
  • The Lady Most books are co-authored projects and are optional for Eloisa James-only reading.
  • The Last Lady B has mixed catalog treatment. Official copy calls it stand-alone, while FictionDB places it as Accidental Brides #3.
  • Mary Bly titles should be identified separately when the page is limited to Eloisa James historical romance.

FAQs

Do Eloisa James books need to be read in order?

Yes within each series. The broader catalog does not require one universal order.

What is the best Eloisa James book to start with?

Duchess in Love is a practical early-series start. Desperate Duchesses begins one of her major connected historical romance lines. Wilde in Love is a later-series entry point.

Are Eloisa James and Mary Bly the same person?

Yes. Eloisa James is the pen name used by Mary Bly for historical romance. Mary Bly also publishes under her own name.

Is E.L. James the same as Eloisa James?

No. E.L. James and Eloisa James are different authors.

Where should I read the Fairy Tales novellas?

Read Storming the Castle after A Kiss at Midnight, Winning the Wallflower after When Beauty Tamed the Beast, and Seduced by a Pirate before With This Kiss.

Is The Last Lady B part of Accidental Brides?

Catalogs differ. FictionDB lists it with Accidental Brides, while the official Eloisa James page calls it stand-alone. Keep it after Hardly a Gentleman if reading by release order.

What is Eloisa James’s newest book included here?

The Last Lady B is the newest book included here, with May 2026 catalog placement.

Change Log

  • Last checked: June 15, 2026
  • What changed: Initial OrderedBooklist index created with publication order, series order, novella placement, Mary Bly separation, collection notes, and The Last Lady B catalog-variation note.
  • Most recent known release included: The Last Lady B (2026)