Jo Watson (the romantic-comedy author published in the Destination Love and Elevated Love lines) writes books that are mostly standalones, with two small series that are easiest to read in sequence. The only real “gotcha” is that one early title exists in multiple publication timelines (an original release, then later trad editions), so the year on your copy may not match your friend’s.
Instead of one giant list, this guide works like a map: pick the track you’re on, then read straight down.
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Pick a track
If you want travel romance with a shared vibe: read Destination Love in order.
If you want “starting over” romcoms with a looser theme-link: read Elevated Love in order.
If you just want the biggest, modern breakout: start with Love to Hate You and continue with the later standalones.
Destination Love series (read in order)
These are connected by series branding and tone; each book is a complete romance, but the series order keeps your experience smooth.
- Burning Moon (2013): A jilted bride goes on her honeymoon alone, forcing her to rebuild confidence in real time while a holiday fling threatens to become a life change.
- Almost a Bride (2017): A wedding-adjacent setup turns into a personal reckoning, forcing the heroine to face what she actually wants before the “big day” writes the story for her.
- Finding You (2017): A fresh start in a new place becomes emotionally complicated, forcing a heroine to stop running the moment connection feels real.
- After the Rain (2018): An opposites-attract collision pushes two people into uncomfortable honesty, forcing attraction to survive the parts of life that aren’t romantic.
- The Great Ex-Scape (2018): A getaway meant to be escapist turns into a pressure-cooker, forcing old choices and new chemistry to share the same space.
Edition note: Burning Moon is commonly listed as first published in 2013, but many widely sold trade editions show 2016, it’s the same book, just a later publishing life.
Elevated Love series (read in order)
A tighter “starting over” mood run. Each book stands alone, but the series label is consistent, and reading in order keeps the progression clear.
- You, Me, Forever (2020): A relationship that should be simple turns into a full reset, forcing the heroine to choose between the life she planned and the one that finally fits.
- Truly, Madly, Like Me (2020): A public-facing life collides with private needs, forcing the heroine to decide what parts of herself she will no longer perform.
- Just the Way I Am (2021): A woman who’s tired of being managed by other people’s expectations is pushed into a new definition of love, forcing her to take up space without apology.
Standalone novels (best read by premise)
No required order. These are the “grab whatever sounds good” books.
- Love to Hate You (2018): A workplace clash turns into chemistry with consequences, forcing two rivals to admit the line between irritation and attraction has disappeared.
- Love You, Love You Not (2019): A “pretend” setup spins into a very real mess, forcing the heroine to choose truth before the role becomes permanent.
- Big Boned (2021): A young woman fighting to be seen as more than her body is pushed into a sharper self-definition, forcing her to claim respect in romance and in life.
- What Happens on Vacation (2023): A holiday that should be healing becomes emotionally complicated, forcing the heroine to face grief, family tension, and the feelings she tried to leave at home.
- Love at First Flight (2024): A practical fake-date plan meets real compatibility, forcing two people to stop treating connection like a problem to be solved.
- The Ex Effect (2025): A second-chance situation becomes a test of growth, forcing the heroine to decide whether the past is a pattern or a lesson.
- Undercover Honeymoon (2026): A covert setup on a romantic trip turns into enemies-to-lovers friction, forcing the leads to keep the mission intact while attraction keeps interfering.
Recommended reading order
The “one series + the best of the standalones” route
- Love to Hate You (2018): Start here for the clearest “this is Jo Watson’s voice” entry point.
- Love You, Love You Not (2019): Keep the romcom escalation and bigger set pieces.
- Love at First Flight (2024): Jump to the more recent style and pacing.
- Then pick one complete sequence:
- Destination Love (start at Burning Moon), or
- Elevated Love (start at You, Me, Forever).
The “travel-first binge” route
Read Destination Love straight through from Burning Moon → The Great Ex-Scape, then jump to What Happens on Vacation as your next holiday read.
FAQs
Do I have to read the series books in order?
You won’t be lost if you don’t, but reading in order keeps the branding, tone, and progression consistent, especially in Destination Love.
Why is the year on Burning Moon confusing?
Because it has an earlier “first published” life and later widely sold trade editions; your edition’s date may reflect the re-release rather than the original debut.
What’s the newest title right now?
Undercover Honeymoon (2026) is the newest listed release in the current lineup.
Bottom line
If you want one clean starting point, begin with Love to Hate You (2018). If you specifically want a labeled sequence, choose Destination Love and read it from Burning Moon onward.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.