Ginger Scott Books in Order (Updated March 30, 2026)

Ginger Scott writes contemporary romance across YA, new adult, sports romance, and a few more standalone-style emotional dramas. Her catalog is large enough that a single “start here” answer is not always enough, so the best entry point depends on whether you want high school romance, college-age angst, sports-heavy series, or a newer small-town branch.

For continuity, several of her series are best read in publication order, especially The Waiting, Falling, Fuel, Varsity, The Final Score, and the connected next generation books. Her standalones are easier to pick up individually.

Where to Start

• If you like emotional high school romance with long-running character payoff, you can start with Waiting on the Sidelines (2013).
• If you like new adult romance and want one of her best-known series openers, start with This Is Falling (2014).
• If sports romance is your thing and you want a newer series with a faster, lighter entry point, start with Varsity Heartbreaker (2020).
• If you want a standalone first, start with The Hard Count (2016).
• If you want Ginger Scott’s most current small-town direction, start with Easy Tiger (2026).

If You Want the Original Series First

The Waiting series

1. Waiting on the Sidelines (2013): The series opener and the best place to begin Ginger Scott’s early sports-romance world, setting up the emotional tone that carries through the rest of the arc.
2. Going Long (2013): A direct continuation that works best after the first book because the relationship and family beats matter more in sequence.
3. The Hail Mary (2019): A later return to this series that lands best once you already know the original emotional history behind these characters.

The Waiting Series Next Generation

1. Home Game (2024): This starts the next-generation branch and is the right entry point once you have finished the original Waiting books.
2. Game Face (2025): Continues the younger-generation storyline and benefits from the family context already established in the earlier books.
3. Final Down (2025): The current endpoint of this branch, best saved until after the first two next-generation books.

If You Want Her Best-Known New Adult Run

Falling series

1. This Is Falling (2014): One of Ginger Scott’s signature starts, opening a character-driven new adult romance line with strong emotional momentum.
2. You and Everything After (2014): Builds directly from the first book’s emotional groundwork and is best read as part of the same continuous experience.
3. The Girl I Was Before (2015): Expands the series by shifting focus while still rewarding readers who already know the earlier world and tone.
4. In Your Dreams (2016): The fourth Falling novel, best read after the first three because it belongs to the same broader relationship-centered universe.

If You Like Racing, Heat, and Higher Stakes

Fuel series

1. Shift (2021): The correct starting point for Ginger Scott’s racing-centered trilogy, opening the series with the main setup and tone.
2. Wreck (2021): Continues the trilogy’s momentum and should be read second to preserve both the romance and the competitive tension.
3. Burn (2021): Closes out the Fuel trilogy and works best after the first two books have established the full arc.

If You Want Duets Instead of Longer Series

Harper Boys duet

1. Wild Reckless (2015): The first half of the duet and the only sensible place to begin this intense, emotionally charged two-book story.
2. Wicked Restless (2015): The follow-up that completes the duet, making much more sense once the first book’s relationship groundwork is in place.

Like Us duet

1. A Boy Like You (2017): The opener for this two-book sequence and the best entry point if you want a more compact Ginger Scott romance.
2. A Girl Like Me (2017): The second book, designed to be read after the first rather than as a separate standalone.

If You Want School and Team-Sports Romance

Varsity series

1. Varsity Heartbreaker (2020): The strongest place to start this school-sports series, introducing the tone and structure that define the rest of the run.
2. Varsity Tiebreaker (2020): Keeps the same universe moving and is best read after book one for continuity and tonal flow.
3. Varsity Rulebreaker (2020): A later entry in the same line that works better once you already know how the series handles its character dynamics.
4. Varsity Captain (2021): The current final main entry in the series, best read after the first three books.

The Final Score series

1. The Tomboy and the Captain (2024): Opens this newer sports-romance set and is the natural entry point for readers who want a recent Ginger Scott series.
2. The Wallflower and the Running Back (2024): Continues the same line with a new pairing while still fitting into the series order.
3. The Best Friend and the Shortstop (2024): A mid-run installment that works best once you already know the series tone and setup.
4. The Goalie and Santa’s Little Helper (2024): The latest listed book in this series, placed best at the end of the current run.

If You Like Elite-School Drama

Boys of Welles series

1. Loner (2022): The opener to this boarding-school-based trilogy and the right place to begin its more insular, elite-school atmosphere.
2. Rebel (2022): Builds on the first book’s world and works best in order as the trilogy deepens.
3. Habit (2022): Finishes the currently listed Boys of Welles arc and should be read after the first two books.

If You Want the Newest Small-Town Branch

Boys of Sweetwater Springs

1. Easy Tiger (2026): The first confirmed book in Ginger Scott’s newer Sweetwater Springs line and the best current entry point into this branch.
2. Hey There Slugger (2026): Officially announced alongside Easy Tiger as part of the same new series, making it the next stop after book one.

If You’d Rather Read Standalones First

1. Blindness (2014): An early standalone and a good pick if you want Ginger Scott without committing to a series.
2. How We Deal With Gravity (2014): A standalone emotional drama that suits readers who want character-driven contemporary romance outside a series structure.
3. The Hard Count (2016): One of her best-known standalones, pairing sports and romance in a way that makes it an excellent first taste of her writing.
4. Hold My Breath (2016): Another standalone choice for readers who want a full emotional arc in one book.
5. Memphis (2018): A standalone that fits the more intense, feeling-forward side of Ginger Scott’s catalog.
6. Bred (2019): A later standalone option for readers who want a single-book commitment.
7. Drummer Girl (2019): A standalone that leans into music-centered romance territory rather than a team-sports setup.
8. Cowboy Villain Damsel Duel (2020): A standalone with a more playful title and a separate reading path from her main series lines.
9. Candy Colored Sky (2021): A standalone contemporary romance that sits outside her major continuing series.
10. Southpaw (2023): A later standalone and a good choice if you want a more recent single-book entry point.
11. The Moon and Back (2023): Another newer standalone for readers who prefer a complete story in one book.
12. The Older Brother (2025): One of her newest standalone-style releases, positioned as a rival-brothers, age-gap romance.

A Good Reading Order for Most Readers

If you want the smoothest way into Ginger Scott’s catalog, this is the safest route:

1. Waiting on the Sidelines
2. This Is Falling
3. Read the rest of Falling
4. Try The Hard Count
5. Move into Varsity or The Final Score
6. Read The Waiting Series Next Generation after the original Waiting books
7. Explore Fuel, Boys of Welles, and Sweetwater Springs after that

This order works because it gives you one early series, one signature new adult series, one strong standalone, and then her newer sports-heavy branches.

If You Prefer Newer Books First

You can also start here:

1. The Tomboy and the Captain
2. Home Game
3. Southpaw
4. The Older Brother
5. Easy Tiger

That route skips the older catalog and moves straight into the books and series Ginger Scott has been highlighting most recently.

Do You Need a Chronological Order?

Not really.

For Ginger Scott, publication order by series is the most useful approach. Her books are not usually arranged around a complicated internal chronology, but several of the series do reward reading in the order they were released.

The Newest Ginger Scott Books Right Now

The newest confirmed Ginger Scott release is Easy Tiger (January 2026), which starts The Boys of Sweetwater Springs.

Her official site also highlights Hey There Slugger as part of that same new series, and it continues to feature recent books like The Older Brother, Home Game, Game Face, and Final Down as part of her current catalog focus.

Questions Readers Usually Ask

What is the best Ginger Scott book to start with?

For most readers, This Is Falling or Waiting on the Sidelines are the safest starts. If you only want one standalone, choose The Hard Count.

Which Ginger Scott series should be read in order?

The clearest “read in order” series are The Waiting, The Waiting Series Next Generation, Falling, Fuel, Varsity, The Final Score, and Boys of Welles.

Can I read Ginger Scott’s standalones without reading the series?

Yes. Books like The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, Southpaw, The Moon and Back, and The Older Brother are the easiest places to sample her work without committing to a longer sequence.

What should I read after The Waiting series?

Read The Waiting Series Next Generation next if you want to stay with that family line and continuity thread.

Final recommendation

If you want one classic Ginger Scott path, start with Waiting on the Sidelines, then move to This Is Falling, then choose between The Hard Count and Varsity Heartbreaker depending on whether you want a standalone or another series.

If you want the most current Ginger Scott instead, start with Easy Tiger.