Carian Cole is an American romance author known for emotionally intense stories involving musicians, age-gap relationships, unconventional couples, grief, addiction, trauma, recovery, and second chances.
Her bibliography is compact, but its series labels can create confusion. Ashes & Embers and All Torn Up occupy the same broad fictional world, while All the Tomorrows is a separate group of interconnected standalones. Don’t Kiss the Bride and The Lovely Return are independent novels, although Don’t Kiss the Bride features a character previously seen in Asher.
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Most of Cole’s books provide a complete romance and can technically stand alone. Publication order is still the better choice for the connected titles because relatives, band members, established couples, and children move between the books.
Carian Cole’s Reading Map
There are three useful ways to approach the catalog.
For the Full Connected-World Experience
Read the Ashes & Embers books alongside the two All Torn Up novels:
- Storm
- Vandal
- Lukas
- Talon
- Torn
- Loving Storm
- Tied
- Asher
This order introduces the Ashes & Embers musicians before moving into stories involving Asher Valentine’s daughter, his best friend, and another member of the Grace family.
For One Complete Emotional Romance
Choose any of the following:
- No Tomorrow for a long second-chance story shaped by music, addiction, and mental illness
- Don’t Kiss the Bride for an age-gap marriage of convenience
- The Lovely Return for grief, reincarnation, and a love that appears to cross lifetimes
- Tied for two trauma survivors forming a relationship after years of isolation
For the Safest First Book
Begin with Storm when you intend to explore Carian Cole’s connected characters.
Begin with Don’t Kiss the Bride when you want one accessible standalone without committing to a band-centered series.
How Ashes & Embers and All Torn Up Connect
Ashes & Embers follows musicians and relatives connected to the fictional rock band of the same name. Each principal novel changes couples, but the characters form one extended family and regularly appear in one another’s stories.
All Torn Up takes place in that same world.
Torn follows Kenzi Valentine, the daughter of Ashes & Embers founder Asher Valentine, and Toren Grace, Asher’s lifelong best friend. Tied follows Toren’s reclusive brother, Tyler.
Because of those connections, All Torn Up works as a companion series rather than an unrelated two-book collection.
The author specifically recommends reading Torn before Asher. Kenzi and Toren receive significant attention in both books, and reading Asher first can disclose the outcome of their relationship.
Ashes & Embers Books in Order
The Ashes & Embers series contains five full-length couple-focused novels, one follow-up novella, and Asher, which expands a relationship present in the background of the earlier books.
The books have complete romantic endings, but publication order provides the smoothest progression through the band and Valentine family.
1. Storm
Storm (2014): Evelyn crashes during a blizzard and becomes trapped for two days in the back of a pickup truck with Storm Valentine, an intense stranger who neglects to mention that he is a famous rock musician.
Their forced proximity creates an immediate bond, but returning to ordinary life exposes the differences between Evie’s cautious personality and Storm’s public, impulsive world.
This is Carian Cole’s debut novel and the most natural introduction to Ashes & Embers. It establishes the band, the Valentine family, and several characters who later receive their own romances.
2. Vandal
Vandal (2015): Vandal Valentine meets Tabitha while both are overwhelmed by grief, but he hides the fact that he played a devastating role in the loss that shattered her life.
Their relationship develops through secrecy, emotional manipulation, submission, substance abuse, and two damaged people attempting to replace what they have lost.
This is the darkest Ashes & Embers installment. It follows a complete central romance, but its treatment of grief and control is significantly heavier than the surrounding books.
3. Lukas
Lukas (2015): Thirty-six-year-old mother Ivy discovers her husband’s affair and later meets Lukas Valentine, a twenty-four-year-old tattoo artist, musician, and committed romantic who is ready for a serious relationship.
Their reverse-age-gap romance must survive Ivy’s divorce, her responsibilities as a parent, and her fear that Lukas will eventually want a different life.
The story changes couples and can be read alone, although earlier appearances from the Valentine family make more sense after Storm and Vandal.
4. Talon
Talon (2015): Asia agrees to a private marriage experiment in which relationship experts select her spouse, only to discover at the altar that she has been matched with sarcastic rock star Talon Valentine.
The strangers must live as a married couple for six months while documenting whether the experts created a workable match. Initial dislike gradually gives way to friendship, attraction, and a relationship neither expected.
Talon is a complete arranged-marriage romance, but it also develops the wider Ashes & Embers family before the later follow-up books.
5. Loving Storm
Loving Storm (2017): Storm and Evie adjust to the future they chose after the blizzard, facing fans, former partners, unresolved fears, and the less romantic realities of loving a famous musician.
This is a short continuation of Storm, not a new-couple standalone. It revisits key events from Storm’s perspective and extends the original couple’s ending.
Read it after Storm. Waiting until after Vandal, Lukas, and Talon is even better because those characters make brief appearances.
6. Asher
Asher (2020): Asher Valentine’s wife wakes after an eight-year coma with no memory of her husband, their daughter, her own music career, or the marriage everyone expects her to reclaim.
Asher remains devoted to the woman he remembers, while she struggles with the feeling that she is an inadequate replacement for a past version of herself. Their story becomes a second-chance romance within an existing marriage.
Although Asher is officially Ashes & Embers Book 6, it is best read after Torn. Kenzi Valentine and Toren Grace are important in both novels, and Torn establishes their adult relationship first.
The Best Ashes & Embers Reading Order
A strict series-only list is:
- Storm
- Vandal
- Lukas
- Talon
- Loving Storm
- Asher
A stronger connected-world order is:
- Storm
- Vandal
- Lukas
- Talon
- Torn
- Loving Storm
- Tied
- Asher
The second route delays Asher until the reader understands Kenzi and Toren’s story. It also keeps the Grace brothers’ books together without seriously disrupting publication order.
Can the Ashes & Embers Books Be Read Out of Order?
Yes, with qualifications.
Each principal novel focuses on a different couple and reaches a happy ending. A reader interested only in the reverse age gap in Lukas or the marriage experiment in Talon can begin there.
However, reading selectively means encountering established marriages, children, relatives, and band relationships before their introductions. The books do not depend on one unresolved mystery, but they do reward familiarity with the group.
The one particularly important rule is to read Storm before Loving Storm. The novella is a direct continuation, not an alternate entry point.
All Torn Up Books in Order
All Torn Up contains two emotionally heavy romances connected through the Grace family.
The books follow different couples and can stand independently. They also belong to the Ashes & Embers world, so readers familiar with the Valentine family will recognize several connections.
1. Torn
Torn (2016): Kenzi Valentine has loved Toren Grace since childhood, but Tor has always been her father’s closest friend and a trusted adult presence in her life.
As Kenzi reaches adulthood, their attachment changes into a forbidden age-gap romance that threatens Tor’s friendship with Asher and his place within the Valentine family.
Read Torn before Asher. The later book openly continues Kenzi and Toren’s family story and assumes that their romantic outcome is already known.
2. Tied
Tied (2017): Holly was abducted at five years old and held captive for eleven years before Tyler Grace, a scarred and nearly silent recluse, found and rescued her.
Years later, Holly remains drawn to the man others regard as dangerous. Tyler carries his own traumatic past, and their relationship develops through isolation, fear, mutual recognition, and the possibility that two survivors can build a life together.
Tied follows a different couple from Torn. It can be read independently, but reading Torn first clarifies Tyler’s family and the way others perceive him.
Are Torn and Tied Direct Sequels?
No. They are connected standalones rather than two halves of one romance.
Torn centers on Kenzi and Toren. Tied shifts to Tyler and Holly.
The books share the Grace family and take place in the same world, so their official order remains useful. Neither ends on a cliffhanger requiring the next book.
All the Tomorrows Books in Order
All the Tomorrows is planned as a series of interconnected standalones about different characters.
Only the first book has been released. The second remains planned but is currently on hold without a confirmed publication date.
1. No Tomorrow
No Tomorrow (2018): Nineteen-year-old Piper meets a homeless guitarist called Blue in a park and forms an immediate attachment to him, only for Blue to disappear without explanation.
Five years later, she finds him again as a successful musician. Their second chance is shaped by his mental illness, addiction, disappearances, self-destructive behavior, and Piper’s refusal to stop believing that their love has a future.
The novel follows one couple across many years and delivers a complete ending. Blue later makes a very brief appearance in Asher, but Ashes & Embers is not required preparation.
2. Wish of My Heart
Wish of My Heart: Reece’s planned romance is intended to become the second All the Tomorrows novel.
The author continues to list the book as forthcoming but on hold. No reliable publication date has been announced as of July 18, 2026.
It should remain after No Tomorrow in the series order, but it should not be counted as a released novel.
Is No Tomorrow a Standalone?
Yes.
It is officially All the Tomorrows Book 1, but Piper and Blue’s romance has a full conclusion and no sequel is needed to complete their story.
The series label refers to connected characters and future romances rather than an unfinished plot continuing into Wish of My Heart.
Carian Cole Standalone Books
Carian Cole currently has two novels presented as independent stories outside her named series.
Both contain complete romances and can be read without any earlier book.
Don’t Kiss the Bride
Don’t Kiss the Bride (2021): Eighteen-year-old Skylar is struggling with an unstable home, health concerns, and a life that offers little security when thirty-four-year-old construction worker Jude “Lucky” Lucketti proposes a marriage of convenience.
Their legal arrangement gives Skylar a safe home and practical support, with one clear boundary: they will not behave like a real married couple. Friendship and attraction eventually make that rule impossible to maintain.
Jude appears briefly in Asher, but that appearance is not essential. Don’t Kiss the Bride works completely on its own and has no cliffhanger.
The Lovely Return
The Lovely Return (2023): A gifted young artist grows up drawing a red-doored house, a grieving man, and a family she has never consciously known, then discovers that the house and widower Alex Fox are real.
Her connection to Alex deepens as she experiences what appear to be memories belonging to his late wife. The romance explores grief, reincarnation, a twenty-one-year age gap, and the possibility that a relationship interrupted by death can return in another life.
The story spans many years, but no romance begins while the heroine is a child. It is a complete standalone with no connection to Ashes & Embers or All Torn Up.
Carian Cole Books in Publication Order
Publication order shows how the shared world developed before Cole moved into longer independent romances.
- Storm (2014): A blizzard traps Evie with a stranger who turns out to be rock star Storm Valentine, beginning the Ashes & Embers world.
- Vandal (2015): Two grieving people enter a dark relationship while Vandal conceals his connection to the tragedy that brought them together.
- Lukas (2015): A divorced mother falls for a younger tattoo artist and musician who wants a permanent place in her family.
- Talon (2015): A rock star and a woman selected by relationship experts agree to test a six-month marriage between strangers.
- Torn (2016): Asher Valentine’s adult daughter falls for his lifelong best friend, turning an old family bond into a forbidden romance.
- Loving Storm (2017): Storm and Evie face the complications that follow their original whirlwind relationship.
- Tied (2017): A former captive seeks a future with the scarred recluse who rescued her and understands her isolation.
- No Tomorrow (2018): Piper and Blue’s relationship unfolds across years of separation, fame, addiction, and mental illness.
- Asher (2020): A woman wakes after eight years with no memory and must decide whether she can fall in love with her husband again.
- Don’t Kiss the Bride (2021): An eighteen-year-old woman enters a practical marriage with an older construction worker who wants to give her a safer life.
- The Lovely Return (2023): A young artist believes she carries the memories of a widower’s late wife and attempts to reclaim a love from another lifetime.
Wish of My Heart remains planned but unpublished and therefore does not belong in the released publication order.
Recommended Carian Cole Reading Order
The best route balances publication order with the strongest continuity placement.
Stage One: Meet Ashes & Embers
- Storm: Introduces the band and Valentine family through Evie and Storm’s forced-proximity romance.
- Vandal: Moves to a darker relationship built around guilt, grief, and concealed responsibility.
- Lukas: Expands the Valentine family with a reverse-age-gap romance involving a divorced mother.
- Talon: Gives another Valentine musician an experimental marriage to a stranger.
Stage Two: Move into the Grace Family
- Torn: Establishes the adult relationship between Kenzi Valentine and Toren Grace.
- Loving Storm: Revisits Storm and Evie after the first four band romances have introduced the recurring cast.
- Tied: Follows Toren’s brother Tyler and the woman he rescued from captivity.
Stage Three: Complete the Shared World
- Asher: Returns to the Valentine family for a marriage tested by coma, memory loss, and an eight-year separation.
This placement preserves Kenzi and Toren’s introduction before their later appearances.
Stage Four: Read the Independent Stories
- No Tomorrow: Begins All the Tomorrows but completes Piper and Blue’s full relationship.
- Don’t Kiss the Bride: Offers a self-contained marriage-of-convenience romance.
- The Lovely Return: Moves into a separate reincarnation and second-chance story.
The independent novels may be moved earlier without causing major continuity problems.
Chronological Order Versus Publication Order
No separate chronological order is needed for Carian Cole’s books.
The central couples change from book to book, and the shared-world events are presented clearly enough in publication order. Attempting to reconstruct every family event chronologically would provide little benefit and could reveal relationships before their books.
The only meaningful adjustment is placing Torn before Asher, which the author recommends because Kenzi and Toren are important in both.
Novellas and Shorter Books
Loving Storm
Loving Storm (2017): A direct follow-up to Storm that revisits Storm and Evie’s relationship and shows more of their future together.
This novella is included in the numbered Ashes & Embers series and should be counted as Book 5, even though it is shorter than the surrounding novels.
It is not optional for readers who want every development in Storm and Evie’s story, but the other couples’ romances remain understandable without it.
No separate collection of essential short stories needs to be inserted elsewhere in the current reading order.
Boxed Sets and Alternate Editions
Ashes & Embers Series Collection
Ashes & Embers Series Collection: An omnibus containing Storm, Vandal, Lukas, and Talon.
The collection replaces the first four individual purchases but does not count as an additional book. Some editions also contain preview material for Asher, which is not the complete sixth novel.
Alternate Covers
Several Carian Cole novels have been issued with model covers, illustrated or discreet covers, special-edition hardbacks, and redesigned paperbacks.
These are format and artwork variations. A new cover does not create a new story or a different reading-order position.
Latest Carian Cole Book
As of July 18, 2026, Carian Cole’s latest released novel is The Lovely Return, originally published in December 2023.
The Lovely Return (2023): A young artist discovers that her lifelong drawings and visions may be memories from the dead wife of grieving widower Alex Fox, leading to an age-gap romance framed as a second chance across lifetimes.
No newer novel has been released reliably enough to replace it as the current latest title.
Upcoming Carian Cole Books
Wish of My Heart
Wish of My Heart: Reece’s story is planned as All the Tomorrows Book 2 and will follow a different central romance from No Tomorrow.
The official catalog describes the project as on hold but still intended for future publication. No firm release date is available.
Because undated projects can change, readers should not treat placeholder dates in retailer or community listings as confirmed publication information.
No other upcoming Carian Cole novel has been announced with a stable title and release date as of July 18, 2026.
Content and Continuity Notes
Carian Cole’s books often use emotionally difficult circumstances as part of the central romance.
Vandal includes grief, deception, substance abuse, depression, manipulation, and light BDSM.
Tied involves childhood abduction and long-term trauma, while Asher addresses coma, traumatic brain injury, and amnesia.
No Tomorrow includes homelessness, addiction, mental illness, suicide-related subject matter, miscarriage, and grief.
Don’t Kiss the Bride, Torn, and The Lovely Return contain substantial age gaps. Torn also involves a hero who knew the heroine throughout her childhood, while The Lovely Return follows an adult romance after a friendship that began when the heroine was young.
Readers concerned about particular subjects should review the author’s current content guidance before selecting a book.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Carian Cole’s first book?
Storm (2014): A woman becomes stranded in a blizzard with a tattooed stranger and learns only later that he is a famous musician.
It is the first Ashes & Embers book and the beginning of Cole’s connected fictional world.
What order should the Ashes & Embers books be read in?
Read Storm, Vandal, Lukas, Talon, Loving Storm, and Asher.
For stronger crossover continuity, insert Torn before Asher. Tied may also be read before Asher to keep the All Torn Up books together.
Can Ashes & Embers be read out of order?
Yes. The principal novels follow different couples and include complete romantic endings.
Publication order is still recommended because band members, relatives, marriages, and children recur.
Is Loving Storm a full novel?
No. It is a follow-up novella about Storm and Evie.
Read Storm first, and preferably complete Vandal, Lukas, and Talon before returning to the original couple.
Is All Torn Up connected to Ashes & Embers?
Yes.
Kenzi from Torn is Asher Valentine’s daughter, and Toren Grace is Asher’s best friend. Tyler, the hero of Tied, is Toren’s brother.
Should Torn be read before Asher?
Yes.
The author recommends this order because Kenzi and Toren have substantial relevance to Asher. Reading Torn first preserves their romantic development.
Do Torn and Tied follow the same couple?
No.
Torn follows Kenzi and Toren. Tied follows Holly and Tyler.
Can Tied be read as a standalone?
Yes. The central romance and emotional resolution are complete.
Reading Torn first gives additional context for Tyler’s brother and family, but it is not essential to understanding Holly’s rescue and recovery.
Is No Tomorrow part of Ashes & Embers?
No. It is All the Tomorrows Book 1.
Blue makes a brief appearance in Asher, but that cameo does not turn the series into an Ashes & Embers continuation.
Does No Tomorrow end on a cliffhanger?
No.
Piper and Blue’s story is lengthy and turbulent, but it reaches a complete romantic ending.
Is Wish of My Heart available?
No confirmed released edition was available as of July 18, 2026.
The author continues to identify it as a future All the Tomorrows book, but the project is on hold and has no firm publication date.
Is Don’t Kiss the Bride part of a series?
No. It is a standalone age-gap marriage-of-convenience romance.
Jude appears briefly in Asher, but reading Asher is not required.
Is The Lovely Return connected to Carian Cole’s other books?
No shared continuity has been confirmed.
It is a standalone romance involving grief, art, reincarnation, and a large age gap.
What is the best Carian Cole book to read first?
Start with Storm for the connected rock-star world.
Start with Tied for a darker standalone-friendly trauma-recovery romance, Don’t Kiss the Bride for marriage of convenience, or No Tomorrow for a long, emotionally difficult second chance.
Final Reading Recommendation
Begin with Storm and read through Talon to establish the musicians and Valentine family. Move next to Torn, return to Storm and Evie with Loving Storm, and then read Tied before completing the shared-world route with Asher.
After that, choose the independent books by premise. No Tomorrow offers a long relationship shaped by mental illness and addiction, Don’t Kiss the Bride uses an age-gap marriage of convenience, and The Lovely Return explores reincarnation and love after bereavement.
Readers choosing only one book can safely begin with any standalone-friendly title. Readers who want every recurring character and family connection should preserve the crossover order and place Torn before Asher.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.