Colette Rhodes Books in Order (Updated July 1, 2026)

Colette Rhodes is a New Zealand paranormal romance author known for reverse harem, monster romance, shifter romance, omegaverse romance, myth retellings, and emotionally direct found-family relationships.

Her catalog is not one continuous timeline. It is better treated as a set of separate continuity shelves: Empath Found and its dragon spin-off, State of Grace, Cheeky Fairy Tales, Shades of Sin, On the Shelf, and a few standalones or co-written projects.

For most new readers, the best starting point is Luxuria for monster romance or Run Riot for a longer reverse-harem paranormal arc.

The fastest route through Colette Rhodes

Use this order for the cleanest introduction to her main work:

1. Luxuria (2022): A monster-king arranged marriage romance that opens the Shades of Sin world and gives the clearest entry into Rhodes’s most popular series.
2. Superbia (2023): A Hunter-centered follow-up that expands the Shade/Hunter conflict after Luxuria.
3. Gula (2023): A forced-proximity monster romance that continues the sin-themed structure with Selene and Austin.
4. Tristitia (2023): A monster/monster novella set inside Shades of Sin, best read after Gula.
5. Avaritia (2024): The fourth main Shades of Sin book, moving the series into another human-and-Shade pairing.
6. Invidia (2024): The fifth Shades of Sin book, continuing the completed seven-book monster-romance arc.
7. Ira (2024): The sixth Shades of Sin book, carrying the series toward its final pairing and larger resolution.
8. Acedia (2024): The final Shades of Sin novel, closing the seven-book series.

That is the best first path for readers coming to Colette Rhodes through monster romance.

For a full bibliography read, begin with The Terrible Gift and move series by series.

Continuity shelf 1: Empath Found

Empath Found is one of Colette Rhodes’s earliest paranormal reverse-harem series. It should be read in order because Fi’s identity, academy life, magic, bonds, and divine conflict develop across the trilogy.

1. The Terrible Gift (2020): Fi discovers she is not human after a night out brings her to the Academy of Avalon and into the path of powerful fae.
2. The Unwanted Challenge (2020): Fi tries to claim her place in Avalon while family pressure, fae politics, and her growing bonds complicate her new life.
3. The Reluctant Keeper (2020): Fi’s role becomes larger than romance as divine tasks, balance, and the future of magic move to the center.
4. My Name Is Saffir (2020): A bonus story about Saffir and the twins, best saved until after the full Empath Found trilogy.

Empath Found collection

• Empath Found: The Complete Trilogy (2022): A collected edition of The Terrible Gift, The Unwanted Challenge, and The Reluctant Keeper, with bonus content.

The collection is a packaging option. It does not change the order.

Continuity shelf 2: Deadly Dragons Duet

Deadly Dragons is connected to Empath Found. It can be read on its own, but it contains spoilers for Empath Found, so readers who care about reveals should read Empath Found first.

1. The [Not] Cursed Dragon (2020): Shira, a dragon who hates dragons, begins her fight for freedom, revenge, and independence from overprotective mates.
2. The [Not] Satisfied Dragon (2020): Shira’s story continues after the first book, making this a direct follow-up rather than a loose companion.

Deadly Dragons bonus material

1. Deadly Dragons Bonus (2020): Optional extra material for readers who already know Shira and her mates.
2. Deadly Dragons Extended Epilogue (2020): A spoiler-heavy follow-up scene set after the duet.

Read the two main books first.

Continuity shelf 3: Audax Pack

Audax Pack currently has one main novel. It is separate from Empath Found and Deadly Dragons.

• Fire & Gasoline (2020): A wolf-shifter romance about a lone wolf, a fated mate, and the secret that keeps the relationship from being simple.

This is a standalone series entry. No later Audax Pack novel is required before moving elsewhere in Rhodes’s catalog.

Continuity shelf 4: Standalone paranormal romance

These books do not need to be read before any numbered series.

1. Blood Nor Money (2021): A standalone vampire reverse-harem romance built around immortality, territory, human danger, and a guarded heroine.
2. Halloween in New Orleans (2021): A prequel short story introducing three of the central figures connected to Blood Nor Money.
3. Dead of Spring (2022): A Hades and Persephone retelling about Kore, Demeter’s control, Hades, and the choice between maidenhood and destructive power.

Read Halloween in New Orleans before Blood Nor Money only for a prequel-style experience. For most readers, Blood Nor Money works first.

Continuity shelf 5: Cheeky Fairy Tales

Cheeky Fairy Tales is made of two smaller duets: Three Bears and Little Red. The Little Red books mention characters from Three Bears, but the Little Red duet can still be read separately.

Three Bears books in order

1. Gilded Mess (2021): A reverse-harem Goldilocks retelling where Ria breaks into the wrong house and meets three bear shifters.
2. Golden Chaos (2021): Ria returns to New York after the first book, but the emotional fallout with the three bear shifters is not finished.

Three Bears bonus stories

1. Three Bears Extended Epilogue (2021): A short follow-up set soon after Golden Chaos, best read only after the duet.
2. Three Bears and Two Babies (2022): A bonus continuation for readers who want more of Ria and the bear shifters after the main story.
3. A Goldilocks Christmas (2022): A Christmas short story featuring Ria and the three bear shifters.

Little Red books in order

1. Scarlet Disaster (2021): A Little Red Riding Hood-inspired reverse-harem romance that begins Lou’s story and brings a new fairy-tale frame into the Cheeky world.
2. Seeing Red (2022): The second Little Red book completes Lou’s duet and should be read after Scarlet Disaster.

Cheeky Fairy Tales collections

1. Three Bears: The Complete Duet (2021): A collected edition of Gilded Mess and Golden Chaos.
2. Little Red: The Complete Duet (2022): A collected edition of Scarlet Disaster and Seeing Red.
3. Cheeky Fairy Tales: The Complete Duet (later print listing): A packaging label for the Little Red material, not a new story order.

Continuity shelf 6: State of Grace

State of Grace is a five-book paranormal reverse-harem series. This is one of the Rhodes series where order matters most.

1. Run Riot (2021): Grace begins the series as an agathos woman who has failed to bond as expected and is drawn toward darkness, power, and Riot.
2. Silver Bullet (2021): The second book keeps Grace’s bond story moving while the gods, danger, and her role in the larger conflict become harder to ignore.
3. Wild Game (2022): The third book returns to past mistakes and widening supernatural stakes as Grace’s relationships become more complicated.
4. Dare Not (2022): Grace watches the people around her find pieces of happiness while her own path becomes more dangerous and uncertain.
5. Saving Grace (2023): The final State of Grace novel brings the Prophêtis arc, the soul bonds, and the supernatural fight to resolution.

State of Grace bonus and collection

1. State of Grace Bonus Scene: A spoiler-heavy scene set between the final events of Saving Grace and its epilogue.
2. State of Grace Omnibus: A collected special edition containing all five State of Grace books.

Read the five main novels before any bonus scene.

Continuity shelf 7: Knotty by Nature

Knotty by Nature is co-written with T.S. Snow. It is a two-part omegaverse duet, so it should be read in order.

1. Allure Part One (2022): The first half of a why-choose omegaverse romance built around knotting humor, adult relationship stakes, and a continuing duet structure.
2. Allure Part Two (2022): The second half resolves the omegaverse relationship arc and should not be read before Part One.

This duet is separate from Colette Rhodes’s solo On the Shelf omegaverse books.

Continuity shelf 8: Shades of Sin

Shades of Sin is Colette Rhodes’s complete monster-romance series. The author recommends release order, and that is also the best reading order.

1. Luxuria (2022): Ophelia, a human Hunter with secret monster fantasies, is married to Allerick, the King of Shades, in an arranged marriage.
2. Superbia (2023): Astrid’s story expands the Hunter side of the world and continues the Shade/Hunter consequences after Luxuria.
3. Gula (2023): Selene and Austin’s book uses forced proximity and protection dynamics to keep the sin-themed monster world moving.
4. Tristitia (2023): A monster/monster novella set inside the Shades of Sin world, placed after Gula and before Avaritia.
5. Avaritia (2024): Verity’s book continues the human-and-Shade pattern while moving the series into its fourth main sin.
6. Invidia (2024): Tallulah and Evrin’s story gives the envy-themed entry its own pairing while maintaining the larger series world.
7. Ira (2024): Meera’s story carries the anger-themed entry and sets up the final stage of the completed series.
8. Acedia (2024): Iris and Damen’s book closes Shades of Sin and is the final main novel in the series.

Shades of Sin bonus material

1. Luxuria Holiday Bonus Scene (2022): A short extra for Luxuria readers, best read after book one.
2. Gula Bonus Scene: A spoiler-heavy bonus scene connected to Austin and Selene.
3. Shades of Sin: Complete Series: A collected or boxed reading option for the full seven-book series plus novella.

Continuity shelf 9: On the Shelf

On the Shelf is a tongue-in-cheek omegaverse romance series about characters over thirty. These are connected by concept more than by one heavy plotline, but publication order is still the easiest route.

1. Scheme (2023): Margot and Kit enter a practical arrangement to keep family and social pressure away, only for the plan to become emotionally real.
2. Excess (2024): Inika and Blake begin with a no-strings arrangement, then have to deal with the feelings that the setup was supposed to avoid.

This series is sometimes labeled with The Knotting Hill Omegaverse branding. Treat Scheme as book one and Excess as book two.

Anthologies and shared projects

These are optional. They are not needed before any main Colette Rhodes series.

1. Unwritten (2021): An anthology appearance, best treated as extra material for completionist readers.
2. Death Match project material (2022): A multi-author reverse-harem project appearance noted in author news, not part of a core Colette Rhodes series order.

Full Colette Rhodes publication order

Use this only for a completionist read. For a smoother experience, the series shelves above are easier.

1. The Terrible Gift (2020): Fi’s Avalon story begins with her discovery that she is not human.
2. The Unwanted Challenge (2020): Fi’s place in Avalon becomes more contested as her bonds and powers develop.
3. The Reluctant Keeper (2020): Fi’s role expands into a larger magical and divine conflict.
4. Fire & Gasoline (2020): A lone wolf shifter meets the fated mate who disrupts her hard-won independence.
5. The [Not] Cursed Dragon (2020): Shira begins the Deadly Dragons duet with revenge, captivity, and five protective mates.
6. The [Not] Satisfied Dragon (2020): Shira’s dragon story continues and completes the duet’s central arc.
7. My Name Is Saffir (2020): A bonus Empath Found story that belongs after the trilogy.
8. Deadly Dragons Bonus (2020): Optional extra material for readers who have finished Shira’s main story.
9. Deadly Dragons Extended Epilogue (2020): A post-duet bonus scene for Shira and her mates.
10. Blood Nor Money (2021): A standalone vampire reverse-harem romance with immortality rules and territorial danger.
11. Halloween in New Orleans (2021): A prequel short story connected to Blood Nor Money.
12. Gilded Mess (2021): The Goldilocks-inspired Three Bears duet begins with Ria and three bear shifters.
13. Golden Chaos (2021): Ria’s story continues after the first fairy-tale disruption.
14. Three Bears Extended Epilogue (2021): A short follow-up placed after Golden Chaos.
15. Run Riot (2021): Grace’s State of Grace arc begins with failed bonds, darkness, and supernatural pressure.
16. Scarlet Disaster (2021): The Little Red duet opens with Lou and a new fairy-tale retelling frame.
17. Silver Bullet (2021): Grace’s second book continues the slow-burn reverse-harem structure.
18. Wild Game (2022): Grace’s third book raises the stakes around past mistakes and supernatural conflict.
19. Seeing Red (2022): Lou’s Little Red duet concludes.
20. Empath Found: The Complete Trilogy (2022): A collected edition of Fi’s trilogy, not a new standalone story.
21. Luxuria (2022): Shades of Sin begins with Ophelia and Allerick’s human/monster arranged marriage.
22. Dead of Spring (2022): Kore and Hades anchor a separate Hades and Persephone retelling.
23. Allure Part One (2022): The co-written Knotty by Nature duet begins.
24. Allure Part Two (2022): The Knotty by Nature duet concludes.
25. Dare Not (2022): Grace’s fourth book moves the State of Grace arc toward its endgame.
26. Three Bears and Two Babies (2022): Optional Three Bears bonus content after the duet.
27. A Goldilocks Christmas (2022): A holiday bonus for readers who already know Ria and the bear shifters.
28. Saving Grace (2023): The State of Grace series reaches its final book.
29. State of Grace Bonus Scene (2023): Spoiler-heavy extra material after Saving Grace.
30. Superbia (2023): Shades of Sin continues with the second monster-romance entry.
31. Scheme (2023): On the Shelf begins with Margot and Kit’s practical omegaverse arrangement.
32. Gula (2023): Shades of Sin book three adds Selene and Austin’s monster-romance pairing.
33. Tristitia (2023): Shades of Sin adds a monster/monster novella after Gula.
34. Avaritia (2024): Shades of Sin book four continues the sin-based monster-romance sequence.
35. Invidia (2024): Shades of Sin book five gives the envy-themed entry its own romance.
36. Excess (2024): On the Shelf book two follows Inika and Blake’s no-strings omegaverse setup.
37. Ira (2024): Shades of Sin book six moves the complete series toward its closing arc.
38. Acedia (2024): Shades of Sin book seven finishes the series.

Recommended reading order

For most readers, choose one lane first rather than reading the entire bibliography in strict date order.

Best monster-romance route

1. Luxuria (2022): Start here for the central Shades of Sin world.
2. Superbia (2023): Continue the Hunter/Shade fallout.
3. Gula (2023): Read third for the next main pairing.
4. Tristitia (2023): Add the novella after Gula.
5. Avaritia (2024): Continue with book four.
6. Invidia (2024): Read fifth for the envy-themed romance.
7. Ira (2024): Read sixth.
8. Acedia (2024): Finish the completed series.

Best reverse-harem paranormal route

1. The Terrible Gift (2020): Begin with Fi and Avalon.
2. The Unwanted Challenge (2020): Continue Fi’s academy and fae conflict.
3. The Reluctant Keeper (2020): Finish the Empath Found trilogy.
4. My Name Is Saffir (2020): Add the bonus story.
5. The [Not] Cursed Dragon (2020): Move to the Empath Found spin-off.
6. The [Not] Satisfied Dragon (2020): Finish Shira’s duet.
7. Run Riot (2021): Begin State of Grace.
8. Silver Bullet (2021): Continue Grace’s bonds.
9. Wild Game (2022): Read third.
10. Dare Not (2022): Read fourth.
11. Saving Grace (2023): Finish Grace’s arc.

Best fairy-tale route

1. Gilded Mess (2021): Start the Goldilocks-inspired Three Bears duet.
2. Golden Chaos (2021): Finish Ria’s main story.
3. Three Bears Extended Epilogue (2021): Add the first bonus.
4. Three Bears and Two Babies (2022): Continue with later bonus material.
5. A Goldilocks Christmas (2022): Read the holiday short.
6. Scarlet Disaster (2021): Begin the Little Red duet.
7. Seeing Red (2022): Finish Lou’s story.
8. Dead of Spring (2022): Add the myth retelling after the fairy-tale duets.

Best omegaverse route

1. Allure Part One (2022): Begin the co-written Knotty by Nature duet.
2. Allure Part Two (2022): Finish the duet.
3. Scheme (2023): Start On the Shelf with Margot and Kit.
4. Excess (2024): Continue with Inika and Blake.

Chronological order

A full chronological order is not useful for Colette Rhodes.

The series are separate enough that timeline order would not help most readers. Publication order inside each series is safer because it preserves character reveals, world-building, and emotional escalation.

The main continuity rule is this:

Read Empath Found before Deadly Dragons if spoilers matter.

After that, each shelf can be read on its own.

Latest release status

At the time of writing, such as July 1, 2026, the newest confirmed Colette Rhodes release I found is Acedia, the final Shades of Sin book. Its Kindle release is listed as December 18, 2024, while some print and database listings show 2025 dates.

Shades of Sin is complete.

Colette Rhodes’s official site mentions Monsters at Sea as a coming series, but I did not find confirmed book titles or firm publication dates for it. Do not add Monsters at Sea titles to the reading order until they are officially listed.

FAQs

What Colette Rhodes book should I read first?

Start with Luxuria for monster romance. Start with The Terrible Gift for early paranormal reverse harem. Start with Run Riot for State of Grace.

Do Colette Rhodes books need to be read in order?

Yes inside each series. Across the whole catalog, no. The most important spoiler boundary is Empath Found before Deadly Dragons.

Is Shades of Sin complete?

Yes. Shades of Sin has seven main books plus the Tristitia novella.

What order should I read Shades of Sin?

Read Luxuria, Superbia, Gula, Tristitia, Avaritia, Invidia, Ira, then Acedia.

Is Tristitia required?

Tristitia is a novella, not one of the seven main Shades of Sin novels. It is still best read between Gula and Avaritia.

Should I read Empath Found before Deadly Dragons?

Yes for the cleanest experience. Deadly Dragons can stand alone, but it contains spoilers for Empath Found.

Is Cheeky Fairy Tales one series or two duets?

It is best treated as two duets: Three Bears first, then Little Red. The Little Red duet mentions Three Bears characters but can be read separately.

Are the bonus scenes required?

No. Bonus scenes are optional and should be read after the main books they follow.

What is Colette Rhodes’s newest book?

Acedia is the newest confirmed released Colette Rhodes novel I found, with the Kindle edition listed for December 18, 2024.

What is Colette Rhodes’s next book?

Monsters at Sea is mentioned as a coming series, but I could not verify a final title or release date. Treat it as announced but not yet orderable in the main sequence.

Final guidance

Start with Luxuria for the strongest current entry point.

For a longer paranormal reverse-harem path, begin with The Terrible Gift, finish Empath Found, then read Deadly Dragons and State of Grace.

Colette Rhodes’s catalog is easiest to navigate by shelf. Keep each series together, save bonus scenes for later, and do not force the standalones into a single timeline.