Aimee Friedman Books in Order (Last verified 2026-02-06)

Aimee Friedman writes young adult fiction in two main modes: a three-book “best friends in glamorous places” trilogy and a set of standalone YA novels (plus a graphic novel and a few anthology pieces).

Nothing here is one long, continuous universe, but the trilogy should be read in sequence. Everything else is flexible.

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Quick pick

• Want the friend-duo trilogy (most continuity): start with South Beach and read straight through.
• Want a standalone with a high-concept twist: start with Two Summers.
• Want a summer-with-a-secret, slightly magical feel: start with Sea Change.
• Want a realistic sisters story: start with The Year My Sister Got Lucky.

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Alexa & Holly trilogy (read in order)

These three books follow the same two best friends, and later books assume you already know the earlier fallout.

1. South Beach (2005): Two on-again, off-again best friends chase reinvention in Miami, until their friendship becomes the messiest part of the trip.
2. French Kiss (2005): A glamorous escape turns complicated when old jealousy and new attention start pulling the girls in different directions.
3. Hollywood Hills (2006): In Los Angeles, ambition and romance raise the stakes, and the friendship faces its biggest stress test yet.

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Standalone YA novels (publication order)

These do not share characters or required continuity. Read in any order; the list below is simply earliest to latest.

1. A Novel Idea (2005): A teen starts a book club to rewrite her social life and discovers that feelings don’t follow a meeting agenda.
2. The Year My Sister Got Lucky (commonly listed 2008; some editions list 2009): Two ballet-sister rivals are forced into a small-town reset where secrets and first crushes don’t stay contained.
3. Sea Change (2009): A science-minded girl spends a summer on a mysterious island where folklore starts behaving like evidence.
4. Two Summers (2016): One split-second choice creates two parallel summers, two romances, two routes, while one family truth refuses to stay hidden.

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Graphic novel (separate lane)

• Breaking Up (2007, with Christine Norrie): At an arts high school, friendship and rivalry blur as one relationship fracture ripples through the whole social orbit.

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Anthologies and short fiction (optional extras)

These are best treated as “bonus reads,” not required steps.

• Mistletoe (2006, anthology): A holiday romance collection where one story delivers a seasonal crush with real emotional stakes.
• 21 Proms (anthology): A multi-author prom collection that plays with the idea that one big night can go wildly wrong, or unexpectedly right.
• Snow in Love (2018, anthology): Four wintry romances, including Friedman’s Hanukkah-set story where a seasonal job turns into a surprising connection.

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Books written as Ruth Ames (separate continuity)

If you want everything Friedman has published, these are part of her bibliography under a pen name. They are not connected to her YA novels above.

1. This Totally Bites! (Poison Apple #2) (2010): A girl suspects she’s different for a reason, and the answer has fangs.
2. At First Bite (Poison Apple #8) (2011): A vampire secret gets harder to hide when a new school comes with new predators.

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Recommended reading order

If you want a smooth, satisfying run without hopping styles too fast:

1. South Beach → French Kiss → Hollywood Hills (finish the trilogy first)
2. A Novel Idea (lighter palate cleanser)
3. The Year My Sister Got Lucky (family tension and realism)
4. Sea Change (summer mystery with folklore)
5. Two Summers (high-concept finale, best when you already trust her voice)

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FAQs

Do I have to read everything in order?
Only the Alexa & Holly trilogy benefits from strict order. The standalones can be read anytime.

Is there a “chronological timeline” different from publication order?
No. These stories don’t share one timeline.

What’s the newest YA novel?
Two Summers (2016) is the most recent full-length YA novel found in the sources checked for this guide.

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Best simple plan

Read the trilogy in order if you want recurring characters and ongoing friendship drama. Otherwise, pick a standalone by vibe, Two Summers for the bold structure, Sea Change for the moody island mystery, or The Year My Sister Got Lucky for sister tension and secrets.