Affiliate Disclosure & Image Credits
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This article may contain affiliate links. If you click one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Book cover images in this article are provided courtesy of Open Library.
Tish Cohen’s novels are standalones. There is no shared timeline, no recurring cast you need to track, and no hidden series structure. Reading order is therefore about taste and timing, not continuity.

That said, reading in publication order does highlight how her work shifts, from sharper, satirical relationship stories toward warmer, more reflective novels about reinvention and second chances.
The clean list: novels in publication order
- The Next Big Thing (2006): A struggling writer collides with fame, ambition, and moral compromise when success finally comes calling.
- Inside Out Girl (2009): A young woman wrestling with self-image and family pressure searches for a version of adulthood that feels honest.
- The Truth About Delilah Blue (2016): A drifting woman reinvents herself in a small town, only to find that secrets have a way of demanding witnesses.
- The Summer We Danced (2023): Two former lovers reconnect later in life, testing whether unfinished feelings can become something steadier and braver.
Order note: These books do not spoil each other. Publication order simply shows the widening emotional range of her storytelling.
If you only want one place to start
- For a warm, later-career novel about second chances: The Summer We Danced
- For a small-town reinvention story: The Truth About Delilah Blue
- For an earlier, sharper look at ambition and identity: The Next Big Thing
Pick by mood, you won’t miss background either way.
What you don’t need to worry about
- No sequels
- No connected universe
- No required order
- No companion novellas or hidden extras
If you see boxed sets or alternate covers, they’re just new editions of the same novels.
Suggested reading paths (depending on what you like)
Softer, reflective route
- The Summer We Danced
- The Truth About Delilah Blue
- Inside Out Girl
- The Next Big Thing
Career-arc route
Read straight through from 2006 → 2023 to see the tonal shift from satire to emotional depth.
Common questions
Do any of Tish Cohen’s books connect to each other?
No. Each novel tells a complete, independent story.
Is there a “chronological” order different from publication order?
No. Because the books are separate, timeline-based ordering doesn’t apply.
Which book best represents her current style?
The Summer We Danced is the clearest snapshot of her later voice.
Bottom line
If you want a single, confident recommendation: start with The Summer We Danced. If you prefer seeing how an author evolves, read the four novels in publication order and let the shift happen naturally.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.

