Honestly, if you've ever spent an entire Sunday morning ignored by your family because you were stuck in a drafty Victorian manor with a "ruined" heroine and a brooding aristocrat, you probably have Lisa Kleypas to blame. She's basically the high priestess of historical romance. Her books aren't just about the steamy scenes—though, let's be real, she writes some of the best in the business—they’re about finding a sense of belonging.
Whether it's the 1840s London season or the rugged plains of Texas, her world-building feels lived-in. It’s not just wallpaper historical; you can almost smell the coal smoke and the expensive beeswax.
Most people start with a random paperback they found at a thrift store. But if you want to actually understand how all these characters are secretly related (and they almost always are), you need a roadmap. The Lisa Kleypas book series landscape is vast, spanning decades of publishing and centuries of fictional history.
Why the Wallflowers Still Own the Genre
The Wallflowers series is arguably where the "modern" Kleypas era truly began. It’s the gold standard for a reason. You've got four women—Annabelle, Lillian, Evie, and Daisy—who are all social outcasts for different reasons (too poor, too American, too shy, or too... Daisy). They make a pact to help each other find husbands.
It’s genius.
It turns the "mean girl" ballroom trope on its head and replaces it with genuine female friendship. If you haven't read Devil in Winter, stop what you're doing. Sebastian St. Vincent is the blueprint for the "villain who would burn the world for her" trope. He starts as a genuine jerk in book two (It Happened One Autumn) and ends up being the most devoted husband in the entire Kleypas universe.
Wait. Before you dive into the official series, you should probably know about Again the Magic. It’s technically a prequel (Book 0). It tells the story of the Marsden sisters. It’s arguably one of the most emotional, gut-wrenching second-chance romances ever written. McKenna and Aline's story sets the stage for everything that follows in the Wallflowers world.
The Hathaways: When the Underdogs Inherit a Title
After the Wallflowers, Kleypas moved on to the Hathaways. This series follows a family that was perfectly content being "common" until an unexpected inheritance dumps a title and a crumbling estate in their laps.
They are chaotic. They have a pet ferret. They don't follow the rules of the ton.
The series kicks off with Mine Till Midnight, introducing Amelia Hathaway and Cam Rohan. Fun fact: Cam actually first appears in the Wallflowers series as a mysterious, wealthy Romany manager of a gaming hell. Seeing him get his own story is immensely satisfying. The standout for many, though, is Love in the Afternoon. It features Beatrix, the animal-loving youngest sister, and a series of letters sent to a soldier (Christopher Phelan) that will absolutely wreck you.
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Entering the Industrial Age with the Ravenels
If the Wallflowers were about the aristocracy and the Hathaways were about the "new" gentry, the Ravenels are about the Industrial Revolution. This is where Kleypas really shows off her research. We're talking department stores, steam engines, and the rise of the self-made man.
Marrying Winterborne is the heavy hitter here. Rhys Winterborne is a Welsh department store tycoon who has zero interest in being a "gentleman." He just wants Helen Ravenel. Their chemistry is explosive.
What’s cool is how this series circles back to the previous ones. In Devil in Spring, we meet Gabriel St. Vincent—the son of Sebastian and Evie from the Wallflowers. Seeing the "next generation" grow up and find love is like a warm hug for long-time fans. It makes the entire Lisa Kleypas book series feel like one giant, sprawling family tree.
The Chronological Guide You Actually Need
If you’re a completionist, reading in publication order is fine, but reading in universe order is better. It prevents spoilers and helps you catch the cameos.
- The Vallerands & Gamblers of Craven's: Set in the early 1800s. These are "Old School" Kleypas. Dreaming of You (featuring Derek Craven) is a cult classic.
- Bow Street Runners: Early Victorian. These focus on the first professional police force in London.
- The Wallflowers: The 1840s era. Start with Again the Magic, then move through the four main books and the Christmas novella.
- The Hathaways: Set shortly after the Wallflowers.
- The Ravenels: The late Victorian era (1870s). This is the most recent historical series.
Queen of Lombard Street: The 2026 Comeback
The romance community basically had a collective meltdown recently when news broke about the first new Kleypas book in years. Scheduled for release on October 20, 2026, Queen of Lombard Street is a massive departure from her usual "Duke meets Governess" plot.
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It’s set in Victorian England and follows Reina Martin, a female economist. Yeah, you read that right. An economist. She’s trying to build a bank for women. The hero? An undercover detective posing as her butler. It sounds like a mix of her classic romantic tension and a high-stakes heist.
The buzz around this is huge because it's being marketed as "sweeping historical fiction" but is still listed under romance. Whatever the label, if it has Kleypas's signature prose, it’s going to be a bestseller.
The Travis Family: Modern Kleypas
Lest we forget, she doesn't just do corsets and carriages. The Travis Family series is set in modern-day Texas. It’s gritty, emotional, and very different from her historicals.
- Sugar Daddy
- Blue-Eyed Devil
- Smooth Talking Stranger
- Brown-Eyed Girl
These deal with heavier themes—domestic abuse, class struggle in the South, and complex family dynamics. Hardy Cates from Sugar Daddy is one of those heroes you love to hate until you just plain love him.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Read
- Don't skip the novellas. A Wallflower Christmas and A Hathaway Wedding bridge the gaps between major books and give you glimpses of your favorite couples' domestic lives.
- Check the "Steam" levels. Earlier Kleypas books (the 80s/90s stuff) can be a bit more "bodice-ripper" in style, whereas the Ravenels series is much more focused on emotional intimacy and consent.
- Start with Secrets of a Summer Night if you're new. It's the perfect entry point. It introduces the Wallflower pact and the social stakes of the era without being too overwhelming.
- Join a community. Subreddits like r/HistoricalRomance are basically 50% Lisa Kleypas appreciation posts. If you're confused about a family connection, they'll have the answer in minutes.
If you’re looking to build your collection, keep an eye out for the older mass-market paperbacks. There was some news about production changes for mass markets at the end of 2025, so those classic small-format editions might become harder to find in favor of larger trade paperbacks. Grab the ones with the "clinch" covers while you can.