Lucia Franco Books in Order (Updated April 10, 2026)

Lucia Franco’s catalog is easier to read once you stop thinking of it as one long romance bibliography and instead divide it into three lanes: the main Off Balance saga, the Hush, Hush books, and the standalones. The reason order matters here is simple: Off Balance is a continuation story and should be read in sequence, while the rest of the catalog is much more flexible.

For most readers, the right starting point is Balance. It opens Lucia Franco’s best-known series and still defines her catalog more than any other book. If you do not want the gymnast-coach saga first, the clean alternative is Hush, Hush, which begins a separate continuity centered on Aubrey and James.

The cleanest way to read Lucia Franco

Read Off Balance straight through first. Then decide whether you want the Hush, Hush arc or the standalones. That gives you the strongest version of Lucia Franco’s work without mixing separate continuities too early.

Off Balance books in order

This is the part of the catalog where reading order matters most.

1. Balance (2016): An elite gymnast begins the series’ central forbidden relationship, setting up the emotional damage, ambition, and coach-athlete power imbalance that define everything after it.
2. Execution (2020): The fallout from book one turns harsher, pushing Adrianna deeper into high-performance pressure while the relationship grows more complicated and costly.
3. Release (2020): The series widens emotionally here, with the characters forced to reckon with consequences instead of pretending the original dynamic can stay contained.
4. Twist (2020): The tension sharpens again as the story keeps moving forward rather than resetting, making this a true continuation instead of a side entry.
5. Dismount (2020): The core arc reaches its main ending here, bringing the longest-running emotional and competitive threads to a head.
6. Out of Bounds (2022): This is not a full new main novel but a companion volume with deleted scenes, bonus material, notebook entries, and a preview of Avery and Xavier’s story, so it works best after the main five books.

Hush, Hush books in order

Despite the older “duet” label, the verified listings now show this branch as more than just two books because The Proposition and Liar Liar were added later. The safest practical order is the one below.

1. Hush, Hush (2019): Aubrey’s entry into a secretive, high-end arrangement with James launches this age-gap Manhattan romance and establishes the couple’s full emotional framework.
2. Say Yes (2020): The second main book continues Aubrey and James’s story directly, so it should be read without interruption.
3. The Proposition (2024): This is a novella-length follow-up, described by Lucia Franco as a new story featuring James and Aubrey and released as part of the Say Yes paperback material.
4. Liar Liar (2025): The newest listed Hush, Hush-related book extends this continuity beyond the original duet structure and is best read last.

Standalone Lucia Franco books

These books do not currently need to be inserted into either main series.

1. You’ll Think of Me (2014): An early standalone and one of Lucia Franco’s first published books, best read whenever you want a complete self-contained romance.
2. Hold On to Me (2015 / rewritten edition noted in 2024): A second-chance standalone that Goodreads notes was later completely rewritten, so older and newer editions may not align perfectly.
3. You’re Mine Tonight (2022): A later standalone that sits outside the two major series and can be read on its own.
4. Her Christmas Present (2022): A holiday novella-length standalone, best saved for readers who want a seasonal extra rather than a main entry point.
5. Tell Me What You Want (2023): A contemporary standalone that reflects Lucia Franco’s later catalog and works well once you know you like her style outside the long series.
6. Irresistible Stranger (2023): A short standalone with an age-gap twist, separate from both Off Balance and Hush, Hush.

Best Lucia Franco reading order for most readers

If you want one practical path, use this:

1. Balance (2016): Start with the signature book and the beginning of the author’s best-known continuity.
2. Execution (2020): Continue immediately, since the series is meant to be read in order.
3. Release (2020): Read third to preserve the emotional progression.
4. Twist (2020): Stay with the same arc while the central conflicts keep escalating.
5. Dismount (2020): Finish the core five-book saga here.
6. Out of Bounds (2022): Read the companion material after the main story, not before it.
7. Hush, Hush (2019): Then move to Lucia Franco’s other major relationship-driven continuity.
8. Say Yes (2020): Continue the Aubrey-James story in sequence.
9. The Proposition (2024): Add the novella-length follow-up once the two main books are done.
10. Liar Liar (2025): Finish the Hush, Hush branch with the newest listed entry.
11. You’ll Think of Me (2014): After the series work, go back to the early standalones in any order you prefer.
12. Hold On to Me (2015 / rewritten later): Another standalone to pick up once you are reading outside the main continuities.
13. You’re Mine Tonight (2022): A later standalone slot.
14. Her Christmas Present (2022): Optional seasonal reading.
15. Tell Me What You Want (2023): A modern standalone from the later catalog.
16. Irresistible Stranger (2023): A final standalone pick once you want something shorter and separate.

Where should you start?

Choose Balance if you want Lucia Franco’s defining work. Choose Hush, Hush if you want a separate age-gap romance without committing to the gymnast saga. Choose Tell Me What You Want if you want a standalone first. That is a better way into this catalog than forcing strict publication order across unrelated books.

Are there novellas or optional extras?

Yes. Out of Bounds is best treated as a companion book rather than a full main-series novel, and The Proposition is best treated as an additional Hush, Hush novella/follow-up rather than a replacement for the original two-book arc. Her Christmas Present also fits the optional category more naturally than the “start here” category.

Latest release status

The newest clearly listed Lucia Franco book in the sources I checked is Liar Liar (2025). Lucia Franco has also publicly discussed What’s Left of Us, tied to Avery and Xavier from the Off Balance world, but I did not find a reliable published-book listing for it, so it is better treated as announced or previewed rather than confirmed as released.

FAQ

Do Lucia Franco books need to be read in order?

Off Balance absolutely should be. Goodreads explicitly describes it as a continuation story. The standalones do not require that kind of strict sequence.

Is Out of Bounds a full Off Balance sequel?

Not in the usual sense. It is presented as bonus material and companion content for readers who want more from the series world.

Is Hush, Hush still just a duet?

Not really anymore. It began that way, but current verified listings also include The Proposition and Liar Liar in that branch of the catalog.

What is the best Lucia Franco book to start with?

For most readers, Balance is still the best first book because it opens the author’s signature series.

Final recommendation

Read Balance, Execution, Release, Twist, and Dismount first. Add Out of Bounds only after the main saga. Then move to Hush, Hush, Say Yes, The Proposition, and Liar Liar. After that, treat the standalones as flexible extras.

That order keeps the two major continuities clean, respects the companion-book boundary, and gives you Lucia Franco in the form readers usually remember her best.