Cat Gardiner Books in Order (Updated May 9, 2026)

Cat Gardiner writes Pride and Prejudice-inspired romance, modern Austen variations, time-travel romance, and WWII-era historical fiction. Her historical-fiction work is also associated with the name Cat T. Gardiner.

Her books are not one continuous series. The safest reading path is to keep each connected sequence together, then treat the standalones and collections as flexible additions.

Quick Answer

1. For a first Cat Gardiner book, start with Lucky 13: Matchmaking and Misunderstandings.
2. For her clearest connected series, start with Denial of Conscience.
3. For time-travel romance, start with Vintage Valentine.
4. For WWII historical fiction, start with The Lisbon Affair if you want a duology, or A Moment Forever if you want a standalone.

Cat Gardiner Books in Publication Order

Some smaller releases and revised editions have limited public date data. When a precise year could not be confirmed confidently, the title is placed by known series position and catalog context rather than by an invented date.

1. Lucky 13: Matchmaking and Misunderstandings (2014): A modern Pride and Prejudice-inspired romantic comedy built around matchmaking, mistaken assumptions, and a standalone Darcy-and-Elizabeth-style romance.
2. Denial of Conscience (2015): The first Conscience novel introduces Gardiner’s modern Darcy and Elizabeth adventure line, combining romance, danger, and emotional resistance.
3. A Moment Forever (2016): A WWII-era romance about love, separation, memory, and the long emotional reach of wartime choices.
4. Guilty Conscience (2016): A Conscience series novelette that belongs after Denial of Conscience, adding a bridge before the later full-length installments.
5. Vintage Valentine: The first Time & Again Antique Shop story uses an antique-shop time-slip premise to move a Pride and Prejudice-inspired romance into a 1940s setting.
6. Vintage Victory: The second Time & Again Antique Shop book continues the wartime time-travel romance structure after Vintage Valentine.
7. Vintage Halloween: The third Time & Again Antique Shop entry adds a seasonal turn while keeping the 1940s romance and time-slip continuity in place.
8. Vintage Beginning: The fourth Time & Again Antique Shop book brings the sequence back toward the emotional and timeline questions raised by the earlier stories.
9. Without a Conscience: The second full-length Conscience novel continues the suspense-romance arc after Denial of Conscience and Guilty Conscience.
10. In Good Conscience: A later Conscience installment that works best after the earlier books because it depends on the established relationship and series history.
11. Undercover: An Austen Noir: A 1950s-style Pride and Prejudice-inspired noir variation, separate from the Conscience and Time & Again continuities.
12. Villa Fortuna: Pride, Prejudice, and a Haircut: A standalone Austen-inspired romantic comedy with a lighter premise and separate continuity.
13. Yours: A Moment Forever Wedding: A companion follow-up to A Moment Forever, intended for readers who already know the couple and their wartime story.
14. The Darcy Files (2023): A compilation of Pride and Prejudice-inspired short romances, useful for readers who want Gardiner’s shorter Austen variations together.
15. The Lisbon Affair (2024): The first Flying with the Swallows volume begins the WWII historical-romance duology and sets up the wartime stakes.
16. Rendezvous in Berlin (2024): The second Flying with the Swallows volume continues the WWII storyline from The Lisbon Affair.
17. The Lizzy Chronicles (2024): A compilation of Pride and Prejudice-inspired romances centered on Lizzy-style stories and shorter variation material.
18. The Sound of Christmas (2024): A Jazz Age Pride and Prejudice Christmas variation, best treated as a short seasonal standalone.
19. Darcy’s Marriage Pact (2026): A modern Pride and Prejudice variation built around a marriage-pact premise, old heartbreak, and renewed romantic stakes.
20. The Gilded Masquerade (scheduled 2026): A Gilded Age Pride and Prejudice variation; because it is listed as upcoming, its release information should be treated as scheduled until publication is confirmed.

Conscience Series Books in Order

The Conscience books should be read in order. This is one of Gardiner’s clearest connected sequences, and the emotional continuity matters.

1. Denial of Conscience (2015): The series opener introduces the central modern Darcy-and-Elizabeth adventure setup and establishes the relationship tension.
2. Guilty Conscience (2016): A book 1.5 novelette that fits between the first and second major Conscience novels.
3. Without a Conscience: The next full-length installment expands the danger and romantic stakes after the first book and bridge story.
4. In Good Conscience: A later series entry that should be read after the earlier Conscience books because it relies on the established character history.

Recommended status: Included.

Best starting point: Denial of Conscience.

Order note: Do not skip Guilty Conscience if you want the fullest series experience, but readers focused only on the main novels can treat it as a bridge rather than a core opener.

Time & Again Antique Shop Books in Order

The Time & Again Antique Shop series is a four-book 1940s time-travel romance sequence. It was formerly associated with the Memories of Old Antique Shop name, so older listings may use that label.

1. Vintage Valentine: The first book opens the antique-shop time-slip premise and places an Austen-inspired romance inside a 1940s frame.
2. Vintage Victory: The second book continues the wartime romance thread and should be read after the first entry.
3. Vintage Halloween: The third book adds a seasonal mood while preserving the ongoing antique-shop and time-travel structure.
4. Vintage Beginning: The fourth book closes the sequence by returning to the larger emotional and timeline questions.

Recommended status: Included.

Best starting point: Vintage Valentine.

Collection option: Seasons in Time collects the four Time & Again Antique Shop books.

Flying with the Swallows Books in Order

Flying with the Swallows is a two-volume WWII historical-romance and women’s-fiction duology. Read it in order.

1. The Lisbon Affair (2024): The first volume begins the wartime story and establishes the romantic, political, and emotional stakes.
2. Rendezvous in Berlin (2024): The second volume continues the storyline and should not be read before The Lisbon Affair.

Recommended status: Included.

Best starting point: The Lisbon Affair.

Continuity note: This is a direct duology, not a pair of interchangeable standalones.

A Moment Forever Books in Order

This is best understood as one main WWII-era novel with a companion follow-up.

1. A Moment Forever (2016): A WWII-era romance shaped by war, distance, loyalty, and the lasting effects of memory.
2. Yours: A Moment Forever Wedding: A wedding companion that follows the emotional resolution of A Moment Forever.

Recommended status: Main novel included; companion optional.

Best starting point: A Moment Forever.

Order note: Read Yours only after A Moment Forever.

Pride and Prejudice-Inspired Standalones

These books share Austen inspiration, but they are not one single continuing plot. They can be read independently.

1. Lucky 13: Matchmaking and Misunderstandings (2014): A modern romantic comedy and the easiest standalone starting point for most new readers.
2. Villa Fortuna: Pride, Prejudice, and a Haircut: A standalone romantic-comedy variation with a lighter premise and separate continuity.
3. Undercover: An Austen Noir: A 1950s noir-style Austen variation that stands apart from Gardiner’s modern rom-coms and WWII books.
4. The Sound of Christmas (2024): A short Jazz Age Christmas variation suited to readers who want a seasonal Austen-inspired story.
5. Darcy’s Marriage Pact (2026): A modern Pride and Prejudice variation centered on a pact, unresolved feeling, and second-chance romantic pressure.
6. The Gilded Masquerade (scheduled 2026): A Gilded Age Pride and Prejudice variation, separate from the Conscience, Time & Again, and Flying with the Swallows continuities.

Collections and Box Sets

These are optional formats. They are useful for convenience, but they should not be treated as new main-series installments.

1. The Darcy Files (2023): A collection of four Pride and Prejudice-inspired short romances.
2. The Lizzy Chronicles (2024): A compilation of shorter Lizzy-centered Pride and Prejudice-inspired romances.
3. Seasons in Time: A collected edition of the four Time & Again Antique Shop books.
4. Conscience Rising: A boxed-set format for the Conscience series rather than a separate sequel.

Recommended Cat Gardiner Reading Order

This order keeps connected books together and avoids mixing unrelated continuities too early.

1. Lucky 13: Matchmaking and Misunderstandings (2014): Start here for a standalone modern Austen-inspired romance with an accessible romantic-comedy setup.
2. Villa Fortuna: Pride, Prejudice, and a Haircut: Read next for another standalone romantic comedy before moving into darker or more connected material.
3. Denial of Conscience (2015): Begin the Conscience series here, since it establishes the central relationship and suspense framework.
4. Guilty Conscience (2016): Place this shorter Conscience entry between the first and second major installments.
5. Without a Conscience: Continue the Conscience arc after the bridge novelette.
6. In Good Conscience: Finish the main Conscience sequence after the earlier character history is in place.
7. Undercover: An Austen Noir: Move to this separate noir-style variation after completing the Conscience continuity.
8. Vintage Valentine: Begin the Time & Again Antique Shop sequence with the first time-travel romance.
9. Vintage Victory: Continue the Time & Again storyline in its proper order.
10. Vintage Halloween: Read third to keep the antique-shop continuity intact.
11. Vintage Beginning: Finish the Time & Again arc here.
12. A Moment Forever (2016): Move into Gardiner’s WWII-era historical romance with the main standalone novel.
13. Yours: A Moment Forever Wedding: Read this after A Moment Forever, since it works as a companion follow-up.
14. The Lisbon Affair (2024): Start the Flying with the Swallows duology here.
15. Rendezvous in Berlin (2024): Complete the Flying with the Swallows storyline after The Lisbon Affair.
16. The Darcy Files (2023): Read this collection once you are familiar with Gardiner’s Austen-inspired range.
17. The Lizzy Chronicles (2024): Continue with this compilation if you want more shorter Pride and Prejudice-inspired pieces.
18. The Sound of Christmas (2024): Add this as a seasonal Jazz Age Christmas variation.
19. Darcy’s Marriage Pact (2026): Read this modern variation independently or after the earlier standalones.
20. The Gilded Masquerade (scheduled 2026): Read after release as a separate Gilded Age variation.

Chronological Reading Order

A full chronological order across Cat Gardiner’s catalog is not useful because the books do not share one continuous timeline.

Chronology only matters inside individual series.

Conscience Chronology

1. Denial of Conscience (2015): Establishes the modern adventure-romance relationship and series premise.
2. Guilty Conscience (2016): Follows as a short bridge between the first and second major books.
3. Without a Conscience: Continues the main Conscience arc.
4. In Good Conscience: Belongs after the earlier Conscience installments.

Time & Again Antique Shop Chronology

1. Vintage Valentine: Opens the antique-shop time-travel premise.
2. Vintage Victory: Continues the sequence after the first book.
3. Vintage Halloween: Follows as the third seasonal entry.
4. Vintage Beginning: Completes the four-book arc.

Flying with the Swallows Chronology

1. The Lisbon Affair (2024): Begins the WWII duology.
2. Rendezvous in Berlin (2024): Continues and completes the duology structure.

Latest Release Status

Darcy’s Marriage Pact is listed as a 2026 modern Pride and Prejudice variation.

The Gilded Masquerade is listed for 2026. Because it is an upcoming title, treat that timing as scheduled rather than final until release is confirmed.

FAQs

Do Cat Gardiner’s books need to be read in order?

Only the connected sequences need strict order. Read the Conscience, Time & Again Antique Shop, Flying with the Swallows, and A Moment Forever companion material in sequence.

The standalone Austen-inspired books can be read separately.

What is the best Cat Gardiner book to start with?

Lucky 13: Matchmaking and Misunderstandings is the safest first book because it is standalone and gives readers a clear sample of Gardiner’s modern Austen-inspired romance.

For a connected series, start with Denial of Conscience.

Are all Cat Gardiner books Pride and Prejudice variations?

No. Many are Pride and Prejudice-inspired, but Gardiner also writes WWII-era historical romance and historical fiction.

A Moment Forever and Flying with the Swallows belong more clearly to the WWII side of her catalog.

Is Flying with the Swallows a series?

Yes. It is a two-book WWII duology made up of The Lisbon Affair and Rendezvous in Berlin.

What is Seasons in Time?

Seasons in Time is a collected edition of the four Time & Again Antique Shop books: Vintage Valentine, Vintage Victory, Vintage Halloween, and Vintage Beginning.

What is Conscience Rising?

Conscience Rising is a boxed set for the Conscience series. It is not a separate sequel after In Good Conscience.

Should I read The Darcy Files and The Lizzy Chronicles as novels?

No. Treat them as collections of shorter Pride and Prejudice-inspired material rather than as core novels in a single continuing storyline.

Conclusion

The best Cat Gardiner starting point is Lucky 13: Matchmaking and Misunderstandings for a standalone read.

For connected reading, choose Denial of Conscience, Vintage Valentine, or The Lisbon Affair, depending on which side of her catalog interests you most.