Brooke O’Brien writes contemporary and new adult romance, with a particular focus on college athletes, professional sports players, musicians, small towns, and relationships complicated by family or team loyalties.
Her bibliography began with the romantic suspense series A Heart’s Compass. It later expanded into the Tattered Heart duet, A Rebel’s Havoc, Men of Blaze, Braysen U, Rixton U, and Pucks & Presents.
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Most of the sports and rock-star books are interconnected standalones. Each novel follows a different couple and reaches its own romantic conclusion. The Tattered Heart books are the major exception because Torn and Tattered follow one continuous relationship.
The Catalog in Six Lines
- A Heart’s Compass contains five connected small-town romantic suspense novels.
- The Tattered Heart duet must be read as Torn, then Tattered.
- A Rebel’s Havoc follows four members of a rock band, with an optional novella about Brix.
- Men of Blaze contains two professional basketball romances.
- Braysen U follows college football players and begins with an optional prequel.
- Rixton U follows college hockey players and also begins with an optional prequel.
The newer Pucks & Presents and Bad Boy Rules books occupy separate series positions unless a later crossover is explicitly confirmed.
Best Book to Read First
The best starting point for Brooke O’Brien’s early work is Where I Found You. It introduces Arbor Creek, the close friendship group, and the suspense-driven relationships of A Heart’s Compass.
For rock-star romance, begin with Brix.
For college football romance, begin with The Games We Win for the full Braysen U experience or The Rivals We Hate for the first numbered novel.
For college hockey romance, begin with The Pucks We Freeze or move directly to The Players We Hate.
For a strict two-book relationship, begin with Torn and continue immediately into Tattered.
A Heart’s Compass Books in Order
A Heart’s Compass is a small-town romantic suspense series set around Arbor Creek. The books change central couples, but friendships, family relationships, earlier traumas, and established romances continue across the series.
The fifth book was previously published through the Salvation Society shared world under the title Sacrifice. It was revised and repositioned as Where You Belong.
1. Where I Found You
Where I Found You (2017): Ellie leaves her hometown after her grandmother’s death and settles temporarily in Arbor Creek, where Callum helps her face a painful childhood and the secrets she has tried to outrun.
This is Brooke O’Brien’s first published novel and the intended introduction to the series.
2. Lost Before You
Lost Before You (2017): A connected Arbor Creek couple confronts emotional damage, buried history, and a relationship that becomes harder to resist as danger moves closer.
Earlier characters continue in supporting roles, so the book works best after Where I Found You.
3. Until I Found You
Until I Found You (2019): Another member of the friendship group finds an unexpected relationship while unresolved pain and outside complications threaten the stability both characters want.
The romance concludes within the book, but the Arbor Creek relationships continue.
4. Now That I Found You
Now That I Found You (2019): A later couple must protect the future they have begun building as earlier decisions and personal danger return to disrupt their lives.
This is the fourth primary Arbor Creek romance.
5. Where You Belong
Where You Belong (2023): Corbin, the son connected to Callum and Ellie’s family, receives his own romance while searching for belonging beyond the expectations and history surrounding him.
The story was originally published as Sacrifice in 2022. It was later revised and added to A Heart’s Compass as book five.
Readers who own Sacrifice should compare editions before purchasing Where You Belong. They are not two entirely separate central stories.
A Heart’s Compass Collection
A Heart’s Compass: The Complete Series packages the five connected books.
Older editions of the collection may reflect the earlier four-book structure or use different numbering. Check the contents for Where You Belong before assuming the newest version is included.
Tattered Heart Duet Books in Order
The Tattered Heart duet follows one central romance through two novels. The emotional conflict and relationship remain unfinished after the first book.
1. Torn
Torn (2018): A woman becomes caught between painful history, powerful attraction, and a relationship that forces her to confront the parts of herself she has tried to protect.
The ending leads directly into Tattered.
2. Tattered
Tattered (2018): The couple faces the consequences of the revelations and emotional damage exposed in Torn, bringing their continuing relationship to its final resolution.
Do not begin with Tattered. It assumes complete knowledge of the first novel.
A Rebel’s Havoc Books in Order
A Rebel’s Havoc follows the members of a rock band. Each numbered novel focuses on a different musician and provides a complete central romance.
The band, friendships, touring life, and earlier couples continue throughout the series.
1. Brix
Brix (2020): Lead singer Brix Ward is forced to live with the woman who has become his stepsister, reviving years of hostility and attraction after their parents unexpectedly marry.
The novel combines enemies to lovers, step-sibling tension, forced proximity, and rock-star romance.
1.5. Sins of a Rebel
Sins of a Rebel (2022): A shorter story returns to Brix and his established relationship, providing additional events and emotional context after the first novel.
Read it after Brix. It is not the introduction to a new band member.
2. Tysin
Tysin (2022): Another member of A Rebel’s Havoc receives his own relationship as touring, fame, family connections, and the complications of a public music career interfere with private attraction.
Brix and the other band members remain part of the surrounding world.
3. Trey
Trey (2022): Trey’s public confidence and rock-star lifestyle are challenged by a woman capable of seeing the vulnerabilities behind his image.
The romance adds another established couple to the band’s found family.
4. Madden
Madden (2023): The fourth band member confronts a relationship that forces him to reconsider loyalty, commitment, and the emotional cost of keeping his private life separate from the band.
This is the final confirmed full-length A Rebel’s Havoc novel.
Is A Rebel’s Havoc Complete?
Four main novels and the Sins of a Rebel novella have been published.
Brooke O’Brien has stated that she has no current plans to return to the series for another full novel. Abel has been considered as a possible future character, but no confirmed title or publication date has been announced.
The stable order is:
- Brix
- Sins of a Rebel
- Tysin
- Trey
- Madden
Men of Blaze Books in Order
Men of Blaze follows professional basketball players associated with the Miami Blaze. The books feature different couples and complete romances.
1. Personal Foul
Personal Foul (2020): A professional basketball player becomes involved with the coach’s daughter, placing attraction, team rules, and his career in direct conflict.
The book introduces the Miami Blaze organization.
2. Reckless Rebound
Reckless Rebound (2022): A Blaze player faces a forbidden workplace relationship, close proximity, and an unexpected pregnancy that changes the stakes of what began between the couple.
The novel was published through the Hero Club shared world but also functions as Men of Blaze book two.
Braysen U Books in Order
Braysen U is a college football romance series set in Braysen, South Carolina. The books follow players from the Braysen Bulldogs and the people connected to them.
Each full-length book has a different couple. Read them in order to preserve friendships, team changes, family relationships, and earlier romantic outcomes.
0.5. The Games We Win
The Games We Win (2024): A young woman who has been warned to avoid football players becomes involved with one of the Braysen Bulldogs, creating an early relationship inside the team’s social circle.
This is an optional prequel. It establishes the university setting before the numbered novels.
1. The Rivals We Hate
The Rivals We Hate (2023): Star quarterback Beckham Carver becomes involved in a rivals-to-lovers relationship where competition, reputation, and strong mutual hostility conceal attraction.
This is the first numbered Braysen U novel and the simplest full-length starting point.
2. The Plays We Fake
The Plays We Fake (2024): A football player enters a fake relationship that becomes difficult to separate from genuine feelings as the couple spends more time together.
Previous Bulldogs and their partners remain visible around the romance.
3. The Fouls We Make
The Fouls We Make (2024): Close proximity pushes longtime friends toward a relationship, forcing them to decide whether becoming a couple is worth risking the friendship they already depend upon.
This friends-to-lovers installment builds on the established Braysen U group.
4. The Hearts We Fumble
The Hearts We Fumble (2025): A relationship involving the football circle becomes complicated by poor timing, emotional mistakes, and the fear of fumbling a lasting chance at love.
The book completes the current four-novel Braysen U sequence.
Recommended Braysen U Order
The fullest reading order is:
- The Games We Win (2024): Optional prequel.
- The Rivals We Hate (2023): Rivals-to-lovers series opener.
- The Plays We Fake (2024): Fake dating.
- The Fouls We Make (2024): Friends to lovers and close proximity.
- The Hearts We Fumble (2025): Fourth primary Bulldogs romance.
The prequel was published after The Rivals We Hate. Reading it first follows the current series numbering, while reading it second preserves original publication order. Neither choice creates major confusion.
Rixton U Books in Order
Rixton U follows hockey players from the Rixton Wolves in the fictional town of Rixton, Tennessee.
The series is presented as a connected college sports world. The prequel establishes a family and relationship connection before the numbered hockey romances.
0.5. The Pucks We Freeze
The Pucks We Freeze (2025): A small-town stepbrother romance introduces the Rixton setting through a relationship complicated by family ties, shared space, and feelings the characters believe they should resist.
The book functions as the Rixton U prequel.
1. The Players We Hate
The Players We Hate (2025): A Rixton hockey player and a woman who openly dislikes him are repeatedly drawn together, turning hostility into an enemies-to-lovers romance.
This is the first numbered Wolves novel.
2. The Blocks We Make
The Blocks We Make (2026): A hockey player becomes protective of the coach’s secret daughter while scandal threatens the team and exposes circumstances that have kept her hidden.
The novel was published on April 3, 2026.
3. The Shots We Take
The Shots We Take (announced): A third numbered Rixton U romance has been added to current series records.
Its final synopsis, cover, and confirmed publication date were not available as of August 4, 2026. It should be treated as forthcoming rather than released.
Rixton U Reading Order
Read the series as:
- The Pucks We Freeze (2025): Optional stepbrother prequel.
- The Players We Hate (2025): First numbered hockey romance.
- The Blocks We Make (2026): Coach’s secret daughter romance.
- The Shots We Take: Upcoming third numbered novel.
Later Rixton U books may reveal the settled relationships from the earlier installments.
Pucks & Presents Books in Order
Pucks & Presents is a holiday hockey romance series. Each story combines professional hockey with Christmas, forced proximity, family connections, or another seasonal complication.
1. Sin Bin with the Scrooge
Sin Bin with the Scrooge (2025): Tessa is snowed in with Clay, her former boyfriend’s brother and the man she secretly wanted, turning a Christmas gathering into an ex’s-brother romance with only one bed.
The book was published on November 11, 2025.
2. Christmas with the Coach
Christmas with the Coach (announced title): A second Pucks & Presents romance has appeared in current official catalog material under a coach-centered Christmas title.
The final release details were not consistently available as of August 4, 2026. It should remain listed as forthcoming until the author confirms the publication date and final title.
Some promotional material has displayed different wording for the second holiday book. Readers should rely on the title printed on the final retail edition.
Bad Boy Rules Books in Order
Bad Boy Rules is a newer sports romance series beginning with a revised version of an older Brooke O’Brien novel.
1. Drop Your Gloves
Drop Your Gloves (2026): A hockey romance follows a rule-breaking player whose reputation and personal history complicate the relationship he wants.
The book was released on May 1, 2026.
It was previously published as Wild Irish in 2021. The new edition was revised and expanded before being positioned as the first book in the newer series.
Readers who own Wild Irish should not automatically purchase Drop Your Gloves as a wholly separate story. The newer version contains changes and added material, but it is built from the same original novel.
Standalone and Shared-World Books
Wild Irish
Wild Irish (2021): An earlier sports romance featuring a reckless athlete and a relationship complicated by his public reputation and personal choices.
This edition has been replaced in the current catalog by the revised and expanded Drop Your Gloves.
It should not be counted in addition to Drop Your Gloves when calculating unique original stories.
Ad Spes
Ad Spes (2021): A standalone contemporary romance centered on hope, emotional recovery, and a relationship that becomes important during a difficult period in the characters’ lives.
The novel does not belong to A Heart’s Compass, A Rebel’s Havoc, or the college sports series.
Sacrifice
Sacrifice (2022): Corbin’s romance was originally released through the multi-author Salvation Society world.
The story was later revised and republished as Where You Belong, A Heart’s Compass book five.
Treat Sacrifice and Where You Belong as alternate versions of the same core story.
Playing to Win Anthology
Playing to Win (2020): A multi-author sports romance anthology containing a Brooke O’Brien contribution alongside stories by other writers.
The anthology is optional and does not add another numbered Men of Blaze or Braysen U novel.
Retitled and Revised Books
Two title changes are especially important.
Sacrifice became Where You Belong. The revised book now belongs to A Heart’s Compass.
Wild Irish became Drop Your Gloves. The revised and expanded book now opens Bad Boy Rules.
These are not four unrelated original novels. They represent two stories that were repositioned and updated.
Collections and Special Editions
Brooke O’Brien has released complete-series collections, illustrated editions, discreet-cover editions, and alternate special editions.
A Heart’s Compass: The Complete Series packages the Arbor Creek romances.
Illustrated and alternate special editions of Braysen U and Rixton U contain the same central stories as their standard editions.
Discreet editions of A Rebel’s Havoc change the cover presentation rather than the reading order.
Audiobooks are adaptations of the existing novels, not additional installments.
Always compare the original title, featured couple, and series number before buying multiple editions.
Complete Brooke O’Brien Publication Order
This list follows first publication dates and counts retitled stories once.
2017
- Where I Found You (2017): Ellie runs to Arbor Creek and forms a relationship with Callum.
- Lost Before You (2017): Another Arbor Creek couple faces buried pain and suspense.
2018
- Torn (2018): A continuing relationship begins under emotional pressure.
- Tattered (2018): The relationship and conflict from Torn reach their conclusion.
2019
- Until I Found You (2019): A new Arbor Creek romance develops inside the established friendship group.
- Now That I Found You (2019): Another couple confronts danger while building a future.
2020
- Brix (2020): A rock star is forced to live with the woman who becomes his stepsister.
- Personal Foul (2020): A professional basketball player falls for his coach’s daughter.
- Playing to Win (2020): A sports anthology includes a Brooke O’Brien contribution.
2021
- Wild Irish (2021): The original version of the story later revised as Drop Your Gloves.
- Ad Spes (2021): A standalone romance focuses on hope and emotional recovery.
2022
- Sins of a Rebel (2022): Brix receives an additional shorter story.
- Tysin (2022): A second A Rebel’s Havoc musician receives his romance.
- Trey (2022): Another band member finds a lasting relationship.
- Reckless Rebound (2022): The Miami Blaze world continues through a forbidden basketball romance.
- Sacrifice (2022): The original shared-world version of Where You Belong.
2023
- Madden (2023): The fourth band member completes the main A Rebel’s Havoc sequence.
- The Rivals We Hate (2023): Beckham opens the numbered Braysen U football series.
- Where You Belong (2023): A revised edition of Sacrifice joins A Heart’s Compass.
2024
- The Games We Win (2024): A prequel expands the Braysen U football setting.
- The Plays We Fake (2024): Fake dating continues Braysen U.
- The Fouls We Make (2024): Friends become lovers within the Bulldogs circle.
2025
- The Hearts We Fumble (2025): The fourth primary Braysen U romance.
- The Pucks We Freeze (2025): A stepbrother prequel introduces Rixton.
- The Players We Hate (2025): Enemies become lovers in the first numbered Rixton U novel.
- Sin Bin with the Scrooge (2025): An ex-boyfriend’s brother and a snowstorm create a Christmas hockey romance.
2026
- The Blocks We Make (2026): A hockey player protects the Rixton coach’s secret daughter.
- Drop Your Gloves (2026): The revised and expanded version of Wild Irish opens Bad Boy Rules.
Because Wild Irish and Drop Your Gloves share the same core story, readers may count one or both depending on whether they are cataloging editions or unique narratives. The same principle applies to Sacrifice and Where You Belong.
Publication Order Versus Recommended Order
Publication order is not ideal for the complete catalog because it separates connected series and places revised editions years after their original forms.
Series order is clearer:
- Complete A Heart’s Compass.
- Read the Tattered Heart duet.
- Complete A Rebel’s Havoc.
- Read Men of Blaze.
- Complete Braysen U.
- Continue with Rixton U.
- Add Pucks & Presents for holiday hockey.
- Begin Bad Boy Rules with the current edition of Drop Your Gloves.
No single chronology links every group.
Recommended Brooke O’Brien Reading Order
A new reader seeking the widest view of Brooke O’Brien’s development can begin with A Heart’s Compass. The five books establish her early blend of romance, suspense, small-town friendships, and family connections.
Read Torn and Tattered together next. This is the only major series where stopping after book one leaves the featured relationship incomplete.
Move to A Rebel’s Havoc for four interconnected rock-star romances.
The newer sports period begins with Men of Blaze, then expands through Braysen U and Rixton U. The two university series have separate teams and locations, so one is not required before the other.
Pucks & Presents and Bad Boy Rules can be added independently.
Latest Brooke O’Brien Book
The latest confirmed released Brooke O’Brien book as of August 4, 2026 is Drop Your Gloves, published on May 1, 2026.
Drop Your Gloves (2026): A rule-breaking hockey player becomes involved in a relationship threatened by his reputation and the expectations surrounding his career.
The book is a revised and expanded edition of Wild Irish and is now positioned as Bad Boy Rules book one.
The latest completely new story, rather than a revised earlier novel, is The Blocks We Make, published on April 3, 2026.
Upcoming Brooke O’Brien Books
The Shots We Take is confirmed as Rixton U book three.
A final synopsis and reliable publication date had not been announced as of August 4, 2026.
A second Pucks & Presents holiday romance has also appeared in official catalog material. Its final title and publication details were not stable enough to state as confirmed.
Books without a firm date should remain marked as announced rather than scheduled.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Brooke O’Brien’s first book?
Where I Found You was published on May 8, 2017.
Where I Found You (2017): Ellie flees her past and begins again in Arbor Creek, where Callum helps her face the memories and secrets she tried to leave behind.
What Brooke O’Brien book should I read first?
Begin with Where I Found You for romantic suspense and small-town connections.
Begin with Brix for rock stars, The Rivals We Hate for football, or The Players We Hate for hockey.
Are Brooke O’Brien’s books standalones?
Most numbered sports and rock-star books are interconnected standalones.
Torn and Tattered form a continuing duet and should be read together.
Do the A Heart’s Compass books follow the same couple?
No. The books change central couples while remaining inside the Arbor Creek friendship and family world.
Is Where You Belong the same book as Sacrifice?
It is a revised version of the story originally published as Sacrifice.
The newer edition places Corbin’s romance inside A Heart’s Compass as book five.
Is Wild Irish the same book as Drop Your Gloves?
Drop Your Gloves is a revised and expanded version of Wild Irish.
The current edition opens Bad Boy Rules. Readers should not count the two as completely separate original stories.
Does Torn end the relationship?
No.
Continue directly with Tattered for the complete romance and resolution.
Where does Sins of a Rebel fit?
Read it after Brix.
It is a shorter return to Brix’s story, numbered 1.5 in A Rebel’s Havoc.
Is A Rebel’s Havoc complete?
Four main band romances have been published.
No fifth full-length book currently has a confirmed title or date.
Are Personal Foul and Reckless Rebound connected?
Yes. They form the two-book Men of Blaze professional basketball series.
Each novel follows a different central couple.
Is The Games We Win required before The Rivals We Hate?
No. It is an optional Braysen U prequel.
Reading it first provides more background, while beginning with The Rivals We Hate follows the original release experience.
Do Braysen U books need to be read in order?
Each romance is complete, but publication order preserves the development of the Bulldogs team and recurring friendships.
Is Braysen U complete?
Four main novels and one prequel have been published.
No fifth numbered Bulldogs novel had a confirmed title as of August 4, 2026.
What order should I read Rixton U?
Read The Pucks We Freeze, The Players We Hate, The Blocks We Make, and then The Shots We Take when it is released.
Is The Pucks We Freeze a full Rixton U novel?
It is the series prequel, numbered 0.5.
It introduces the town and a stepbrother romance before the numbered hockey books.
Is The Shots We Take already published?
No reliable release record confirmed publication by August 4, 2026.
It has been announced as Rixton U book three.
Is Sin Bin with the Scrooge connected to Rixton U?
It belongs to Pucks & Presents rather than the numbered Rixton U series.
Both involve hockey, but no required placement inside the Rixton sequence has been confirmed.
Are special editions new books?
No.
Illustrated, discreet-cover, and alternate-cover editions contain the same central stories as the standard novels.
What is Brooke O’Brien’s latest book?
Drop Your Gloves is the latest released edition.
Because it revises Wild Irish, The Blocks We Make is the latest fully new story.
Conclusion
Begin with Where I Found You for Brooke O’Brien’s earliest connected world. Continue through A Heart’s Compass in order, finishing with the revised fifth book, Where You Belong.
Keep Torn and Tattered together. They form the catalog’s only major continuing duet.
For rock-star romance, read Brix, Sins of a Rebel, Tysin, Trey, and Madden. For sports romance, choose Men of Blaze, Braysen U, or Rixton U according to the preferred sport.
The most important duplicate warnings concern Sacrifice and Where You Belong, plus Wild Irish and Drop Your Gloves. Each pair represents an original version and a later revised edition of the same core story.
As of August 4, 2026, Drop Your Gloves is the latest released edition. The Shots We Take is the next confirmed Rixton U title, but its release date remains unannounced.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.