Lex Martin Books in Order (Updated 2026-02-14)

Lex Martin’s romances are built as companion-standalone series that share a wider world. You can jump in anywhere, but there is a “cleanest flow” because a few characters step from one series into the next.

The simplest way to avoid accidental spoilers is to finish one series before starting the next, especially if you care about cameos and “where are they now” moments.

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Continuity at a glance

What’s connected:

• Dearest → Texas Nights → Varsity Dads is the main overlap chain.

What’s easy to treat separately:

• Wild at Heart stands on its own as a companion-standalone set (cowboy-family/small-town romantic suspense flavor).
• The co-written romantic comedies are their own mini-lane.

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The cleanest “start-to-finish” path (if you want the world in order)

1. The Dearest Series
2. Texas Nights
3. Varsity Dads
4. Wild at Heart (anytime after, or even first if you want that vibe)

If you only want one entry book, skip to the “Start Here” section near the end.

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The Dearest Series (read in order)

These three follow best friends and overlapping circles; order helps the friendships and callbacks land naturally.

1. Dearest Clementine: A sharp, funny love story where friendship loyalties get tested by a romance that won’t stay casual.
2. Finding Dandelion: A sports-leaning romance that turns a familiar face into the one complication neither of them planned for.
3. Kissing Madeline: The emotional “final turn” that resolves lingering tensions and gives the friend group its payoff.

Edition note (not a new book):

• Dearest Clementine: 10 Year Anniversary Special Edition is an expanded edition of book 1 (bonus material), not a separate story you must read to follow the series.

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Texas Nights (read in order)

Small-town romances with shared characters; best read straight through.

1. Shameless: A single dad’s carefully controlled life gets disrupted by the one woman who won’t treat him like a project.
2. Reckless: Chemistry comes with consequences when two people who should know better stop trying to be careful.
3. Breathless: Friends-to-lovers tension snaps into something real when timing stops cooperating.

Extra that may appear on some lists:

• Shameless for the Holidays is commonly listed as a 1.5 seasonal novella; it’s optional and lands best after Shameless.

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Varsity Dads (read in order)

Sports romance energy with recurring roommates/friends; you can start here, but the earlier series add extra context.

1. The Varsity Dad Dilemma: A baby-drop surprise turns a house of athletes into chaos, and forces two people with history to work together.
2. Tight Ends & Tiaras: Fake dating stops feeling fake when real attraction starts rewriting the rules.
3. The Baby Blitz: Enemies-to-lovers sparks fly when a surprise pregnancy makes “temporary” impossible.
4. Second Down Darling: A relationship shifts from flirting to faith when real-life pressure demands follow-through.
5. Heartbreaker Handoff: Two guarded hearts collide, and the only way out is honesty that actually costs something.
6. Blindside Beauty: A marriage-of-convenience setup turns tender when the couple starts wanting it to be real.

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Wild at Heart (companion standalones, best in order)

A cowboy-family small-town lane with romantic suspense notes. Each book is a new couple, but the family context builds.

1. Stealing Hearts: A long-held crush meets a ticking-clock arrangement, and the “business deal” starts feeling dangerously personal.
2. Falling Stars: A single mom and an NFL tight end collide with old feelings, while a threat forces them too close to stay calm.
3. Burning Skies: A forbidden spark ignites between rivals’ families, and danger shows up right when the attraction does.
4. Gathering Storms: A single-father, forced-proximity setup promises high stakes as the Walker-family world expands.

Release note: Gathering Storms is listed as “Coming July 9” on the author’s site; some book-listing sources also show it as a 2026 release. If you’re planning a binge, treat it as upcoming until it appears in your preferred store format.

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Romantic comedies co-written with Leslie McAdam (read in order)

A short, two-book mini-lane designed for easy, breezy reading.

1. All About the D: A rom-com built around a bold premise where confidence meets consequences fast.
2. Surprise, Baby!: A relationship gets accelerated by unexpected news, forcing grown-up choices with comedic fallout.

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Start Here (pick the door that matches your mood)

• Want the “from the beginning” experience: Dearest Clementine
• Want small-town adult contemporary with a tight trilogy: Shameless
• Want sports romance + roommates + ongoing cast: The Varsity Dad Dilemma
• Want cowboy-family vibes with a suspense edge: Stealing Hearts

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What to ignore (so you don’t accidentally double-buy)

• Boxed sets, bundles, and omnibus editions are collections of the same books, not new stories.
• Anniversary/special editions usually add bonus scenes and extras, but they don’t replace the basic reading order.

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Best simple rule

If you care about cameos and overlap, read Dearest → Texas Nights → Varsity Dads in that sequence, then add Wild at Heart whenever you want a setting change. If you don’t care about overlap, pick any series and read that series in order.