Jodi McAlister Books in Order (Updated March 30, 2026)

Jodi McAlister writes across three distinct shelves: adult contemporary romance, YA romance, and YA paranormal fantasy. That matters here, because the right reading order is less about one master bibliography and more about choosing the version of Jodi McAlister you want first.

For adult romance readers, the two main entry points are her reality-TV rom-com trilogy and her newer academic romance line. For younger readers or readers who want fantasy, the order changes completely.

Three very different ways into Jodi McAlister

1. The clearest opening for readers who want romantic comedy with a strong hook is Here for the Right Reasons. It begins the Marry Me, Juliet trilogy and introduces the reality-dating-show setup that carries the full series.
2. A better first choice for readers who prefer adult romance without a trilogy commitment right away is An Academic Affair. It opens her newer adult romance line and works well as a standalone-style introduction even though it now has a follow-up.
3. For readers coming to her for YA fantasy and fairytale danger, start with Valentine. That is the first book in her completed paranormal trilogy and still the correct way into that side of her work.

Read these first if you want the adult romances

Marry Me, Juliet trilogy

1. Here for the Right Reasons (2022): The trilogy starts inside a Bachelor-style reality dating show, making this the best place to begin if you want Jodi McAlister’s sharpest romantic-comedy premise first.
2. Can I Steal You for a Second? (2023): The second book stays inside the same reality-TV world, so it works best once the show format and recurring setup are already familiar.
3. Not Here to Make Friends (2024): The trilogy closes with a producer-and-villain pairing, paying off the established TV universe and landing best after the first two books.

Love Notes / Literary Lovers

1. An Academic Affair (2025): Two English professors fake a relationship in this campus-set adult romance, which also serves as the easiest standalone entry into McAlister’s current adult work.
2. A Study in Sparkling (2026): The second book shifts to a new couple and keeps the literary-romance line going, so it belongs after An Academic Affair if you want the series in order.

If the younger-skewing books are what you are after

Valentine trilogy

1. Valentine (2017): Smart girls, a small town, and dangerous fairies define the opening of McAlister’s YA paranormal trilogy, and this is the only good place to start it.
2. Ironheart (2018): The second book deepens the fantasy conflict and should be read directly after Valentine.
3. Misrule (2019): The trilogy concludes here, so it is best saved for last.
4. Galentine (2019): A short companion story commonly listed as Book 0.5, best treated as optional extra material rather than the true entry point.

YA contemporary

Libby Lawrence Is Good at Pretending (2022): A theatre-heavy campus-set YA contemporary romance that stands alone and does not require the fantasy books first.

The cleanest reading order by category

If you want adult romance only, read:

1. Here for the Right Reasons
2. Can I Steal You for a Second?
3. Not Here to Make Friends
4. An Academic Affair
5. A Study in Sparkling

If you want YA fantasy first, read:

1. Valentine
2. Ironheart
3. Misrule
4. Galentine (optional)

If you want the standalone YA contemporary, read:

Libby Lawrence Is Good at Pretending

What I would actually recommend to most readers

1. Start with Here for the Right Reasons if you want the most overtly high-concept Jodi McAlister book.
2. Start with An Academic Affair if you want the most current adult-romance version of her voice.
3. Start with Valentine if fantasy is the reason you are here.

That split is the simplest way to avoid a false “one order fits all” answer.

Does chronology matter much?

Yes, inside the trilogies.

The Marry Me, Juliet books should be read in order because they share a reality-show framework and are built as a trilogy. The Valentine books should also be read in order because they are a continuous YA paranormal story. By contrast, Libby Lawrence Is Good at Pretending stands alone, and the newer adult-romance line is easier to enter without as much continuity pressure.

The newest Jodi McAlister books

The latest published Jodi McAlister novel is An Academic Affair from 2025. The next confirmed book is A Study in Sparkling, scheduled for 2026 as Book 2 in her current adult-romance series.

That means new readers now have two equally sensible starting points on the adult side: the completed Marry Me, Juliet trilogy or the newer An Academic Affair line.

Questions readers usually ask

What is the first Jodi McAlister book to read?

For most adult-romance readers, Here for the Right Reasons is the best starting point. For fantasy readers, it is Valentine.

Is An Academic Affair part of a series?

Yes. It now sits as Book 1 in her current adult-romance line, followed by A Study in Sparkling.

Can I read Libby Lawrence Is Good at Pretending on its own?

Yes. It is a standalone YA contemporary.

Which Jodi McAlister series is complete?

Both Marry Me, Juliet and Valentine are complete trilogies.

Final recommendation

If you want one simple answer, begin with Here for the Right Reasons.

If you want the newest adult-romance entry instead, choose An Academic Affair.

If you want the fantasy books, go straight to Valentine and read the trilogy in order.