Lindsey became a romance author in the 1970s and continued writing bestseller-after-bestseller right up until her death in 2019. The Johanna Lindsey books in order often feature themes of abduction and seduction between her romantic pairings.
Her books also feature various other favorite romance tropes like marriages of convenience and beloved settings of Regency England, the Scottish Highlands, the American Frontier, and more. Lindsey also wrote in a variety of romance subgenres including medieval, Viking, and futuristic sci-fi.
About Johanna Lindsey
Johanna Lindsey wrote her first book on a whim. However, that whim lead to a career that spanned more than 40 years. Throughout that time, Lindsey wrote more than 50 additional books and sold at least 60 million copies.
Writing in the 1980s, Lindsey said that she was a romantic ever since she was old enough to appreciate a good novel. More than anything she enjoyed reading happily-ever-afters.
That is not to say that the path to the happily-ever-afters in her novels was straight-forward. As you will see throughout the Johanna Lindsey books in order, many of her heroes and heroines must first navigate a path of deception before love can prevail.
Particularly in her books from the first few decades of her career, her writing follows the themes and tropes of the larger historical romance genre at that time. This means that those earlier works feature strong themes of abduction, seduction, and surrender, which at times includes rape.
Other themes that she wrote about include revenge and marriages of conveniences. Lindsey favors strong heroines and roguish male leads in her books, but her frequent kidnapping trope also flips the expected gender roles in a few instances.
Lindsey wrote most of her books in the setting of 19th-century England, but also wrote about the American frontier, the Caribbean, and a fictional planet. She wrote science fiction romances along with medieval and Viking romances alongside her Western and Regency novels.
So, regardless of which subgenre of romance you prefer, there should absolutely be a Johanna Lindsey book which captures your attention in the list of all her books below.
What was the last book Johanna Lindsey wrote?
Sadly, Johanna Lindsey passed away on October 27, 2019 from complications of treatment for stage 4 lung cancer. The last book that was published before her death was in July 2019: Temptation’s Darling.
It is a standalone Regency romance that combines some of the themes that Lindsey used in many of her books.
It begins with a disastrous debutante who has grown up in the Scottish Highlands. Vanessa is the daughter of William Blackburn, Earl of Ketterham, and has grown up with all the freedom afforded to a boy. When it comes time for her to re-enter society, she has no idea the price she must pay.
Meanwhile, Lord Montgomery Townsend is a close friend of the Prince Regent and has been hiding out in the Ketterham home. The Countess has arranged for her daughter to marry the pompous son of a powerful family, which befuddles Monty. Still, he intercedes to help make her coming out as smooth as possible, except then he faces the temptation to ruin Vanessa’s nuptials so he can marry her himself.
Johanna Lindsey Books in Order
Standalone Books
Our list of the Johanna Lindsey books in order begins with her standalones, which features her debut novel. This is a great place to begin reading her bibliography. It will follow the trends and tropes that she frequently used in her writing throughout her career.
- Captive Bride (1977)
- A Pirate’s Love (1978)
- Paradise Wild (1982)
- So Speaks the Heart (1983)
- A Gentle Feuding (1984)
- Tender Is the Storm (1985)
- When Love Awaits (1986)
- Secret Fire (1987)
- Silver Angel (1988)
- Prisoner of My Desire (1991)
- Until Forever (1995)
- Home for the Holidays (2000)
- A Man to Call My Own (2003)
- Marriage Most Scandalous (2005)
- When Passion Rules (2011)
- Make Me Love You (2016)
- Temptation’s Darling (2019)
Viking Haardrad Family Books
The first series that Johanna Lindsey wrote follows different members of the Haardrad family, who are a Viking clan. As with most historical romance series, the characters from all books appear throughout the series in some capacity. So, if you wish to avoid spoilers and follow the chronological order, it is best to follow the publication order of these books.
The first book follows Lady Brenna who has been abducted by Vikings and swears no barbarian will enslave her Celtic heart. But Gerrick Haardrad is the son of the Viking chieftain and he ignites a fiery passion within her. The next book follows Kristen Haardrad, while the third and final book follows Selig Haardrad.
- Fires of Winter (1980)
- Hearts Aflame (1987)
- Surrender My Love (1994)
Southern Books
Next, Lindsey wrote a duology that takes place in the U.S. South. The first book in the series follows the daughter of a poor Alabama farmer, Angela Sherrington, who dreams of loving the heir to Golden Oaks, Bradford Maitland. Meanwhile, the second book follows the fiery Samantha Kingsley and the insolvent outlaw Hank Chavez.
- Glorious Angel (1982)
- Heart of Thunder (1983)
Wyoming Books
As you might imagine, the Wyoming trilogy by Johanna Lindsey takes place on the Wyoming frontier. The first book follows Jessie Blair and Chase Summers through a refusal of marriage, land-hungry villains, and a fierce passion. The next book follows a lady from London society who escapes to the American West and headfirst into an affair with Colt Thunder.
Finally, the last book features a decades-long feud between families that Cassie Stuart only ends up making worse. That is why she needs the protection of Angel, even if she does not want his help. But Angel won’t back down.
- Brave the Wild Wing (1984)
- Savage Thunder (1989)
- Angel (1992)
Malory-Anderson Family Books
For the next Johanna Lindsey books in order, she returned to a family saga with each book following a new pairing. This series takes place in regency England, but does cross over the Atlantic during the course of the books. It begins when the rake Nicholas Eden kidnaps Regina Ashton and ruins her good name and reputation, which leads her to vow that she will marry him.
This is Lindsey’s longest series and the other books feature marriages of convenience, rogues, and much more from within the Malory and Anderson families that spans two generations.
- Love Only Once (1985)
- Tender Rebel (1988)
- Gentle Rogue (1990)
- The Magic of You (1993)
- Say You Love Me (1996)
- The Present (1998)
- A Loving Scoundrel (2004)
- Captive of My Desires (2006)
- No Choice But Seduction (2008)
- That Perfect Someone (2010)
- Stormy Persuasion (2014)
- Beautiful Tempest (2017)
Straton Family Books
With her next family series, Lindsey returned to the American Western frontier.
The first book follows Courtney Harte who is searching for her father. In her trek through the unfamiliar country, she hires Chandos, who is as wild and unpredictable as the land. They have no choice but to trust each other and along their treacherous path, only love will tame their passion.
The sequel, All I Need Is You, follows the next generation as East and West collide once again.
- A Heart So Wild (1986)
- All I Need Is You (1997)
Shefford’s Knights Books
This duology is a medieval historical romance. In the first book Reina has been kidnapped by the knight Ranulf to be taken to the loathed Lord Rothwell’s bed. Instead, she offers herself to Ranulf instead to avoid such a horrible fate and promises to make him a lord, but Ranulf wants much more: He wants her heart.
The next book features an arranged marriage between Milisant Crispin and the future Earl of Shefford, Wulfric. Milisant desperately searches for a way out of the betrothal as Wulfric falls deeper under her spell.
- Defy Not the Heart (1989)
- Joining (1999)
Ly-San-Ter Family Books
With the next series on our list of the Johanna Lindsey books in order, Lindsey jumps into the future with these science fiction romance reads. It begins in 2139 when Tedra De Arr flies to Crad Ce Moerr to rescue her planet of Krystran from its tyrannical rule. She does not expect to find a bronzed barbarian, Challen Ly-San-Ter, who ignites passionate desires like no man has ever done before.
The next book follows Shanelle Ly-San-Ter in search of a true and gentle love, who flees her arranged lifemate Falon Vanyer. The final book follows Shanelle’s twin brother who travels to Earth and falls hard for a strong, independent woman.
- Warrior’s Woman (1990)
- Keeper of the Heart (1993)
- Heart of a Warrior (2001)
Cardinia’s Royalty Books
Another historical romance series from Johanna Lindsey, Cardinia’s Royalty begins in a Mississippi tavern with a princess in exile. She has become a dancer in her plight, but then a bold and brazen prince, Stefan Barany, crosses an ocean to find his promised wife.
The second book in the duology also follows an arranged marriage between Alexandra Rubilov and Count Vasili Petroff. It is a ruse by her father to tame her wild ways, but with neither of them wanting to be married, they each decide to try and disgust the other. Except the deception does not go as planned, and love begins to blossom instead.
- Once a Princess (1991)
- You Belong to Me (1995)
Sherring Cross Books
This is another historical romance series that takes place in Regency England. It begins as Megan Penworthy sets her sights on Ambrose St. James for marriage. Even though she has never met him, no other suitor will do, not even the handsome horse breeder Devlin Jefferys.
Except Sir Ambrose is posing as the lowborn Jefferys and vows to seduce Megan, never imagining that it would soon be his own heart on the line. The other two books feature new pairings and passionate affairs.
- Man of My Dreams (1993)
- Love Me Forever (1995)
- The Pursuit (2002)
Reid Family / Locke Family Books
This next series is also a family saga that takes place in Regency England. Similar to the Sherring Cross books, it also features handsome Scottish men and London society. Each book in this series follows a new pairing. However, main characters from later books do appear in earlier ones, and vice versa, so it is best to read these books in order of publication if you intend to read them all.
- The Heir (2000)
- The Devil Who Tamed Her (2007)
- A Rogue of My Own (2009)
- Let Love Find You (2012)
Callahan-Warren Books
Finally, the last series on our list of the Johanna Lindsey books in order are the Callahan-Warren books. Each book in the trilogy follows a new pairing against the background of America in the late-1800s.
It begins with an arranged marriage to end a family feud between the Callahans and Warrens. The other two books in the series then follow minor characters from the background on their own journey towards true love.
- One Heart to Win (2013)
- Wildfire In His Arms (2015)
- Marry Me By Sundown (2018)
A Summary of Johanna Lindsey Books in Order
Below you will find the summaries of the first ten Johanna Lindsey standalone books in order. This is a great place to begin reading her books because it begins with her debut novel. This will follow the trajectory of her career as an author and be the perfect example of some of the tropes and themes Lindsey used in her writing throughout her career from beginning to end.
1. Captive Bride
Christina Wakefield travels to the Arabian desert to answer the call of adventure. Once there she meets Sheik Abu, who she knew in England as Philip Caxton. He is as strikingly handsome as he is arrogant.
Back in England Christina had rejected his proposal of marriage, but now in the Arabian desert she is his slave. She is desperate for freedom, while simultaneously willingly to explore her virile captor’s most sensuous cravings with a blazing desire.
2. A Pirate’s Love
Bettina Verlaine is sailing toward the Caribbean to fulfil her part in the marriage her father arranged for her. Then the notorious Captain Tristan’s pirate ship appears.
He abducts her and Bettina surrenders her innocence in the warm caress of the tropical winds. She detests Tristan for enslaving her, but she also loves him for the passionate spell he casts over her fragile, yearning heart.
3. Paradise Wild
Hailing from Boston, Corinne Barrows has traveled halfway around the world searching for Jared Burkett. The dashing rogue seduced her, then abandoned her.
She finds him in Hawaii and will finally have the revenge she craves. She desires his total ruin for the shame and scandal he caused in her life. But Jared is still able to ignite a fire in her like no other man has ever done.
His own reckless heart is taken captive in their war of wits and will. Soon the fire of desire could consume them both unless they surrender with wild abandon in the heat of the tropic night.
4. So Speaks the Heart
Brigitte de Louroux was born a wealthy French heiress but betrayed into bondage. She swears that she will never be a man’s slave.
Meanwhile, Rowland of Montville sees only a beautiful woman in peasant’s clothing, who could be a wench to serve his every need. Brigitte is defenseless to his passion and forced to yield her innocence to desires the rugged warrior lord arouses in her heart.
But her surrender will transform the knight. It will awaken within Rowland a love as mighty and relentless as his conquering sword.
5. A Gentle Feuding
Sheena is the beautiful jewel of the Fergusson clan. Duty demands that she must marry to end the violent feud plaguing her family. But Jamie MacKinnon is the most feared man in the Scottish Highlands, and Sheena does not think she could ever fully give herself to him.
Sheena struggles to escape the desire Jamie’s touch awakens in her, but it is in vain. Pride dictates that she must hate her enemy, but her heart is begging her to surrender to Jamie’s passionate love.
6. Tender Is the Storm
A headstrong heiress, Sharisse Hammond has no interest in the New York society marriage that has been arranged for her. Instead, she heads west across a vast and dangerous land. She has no intention of honoring her agreement to become the mail-order bride of a rugged Arizona rancher.
But Lucas Holt requires a wife if he wants his plan to destroy his worst enemy to succeed. He thinks a gullible lady from the East Coast will do quite nicely.
However, neither anticipates finding a raw, aching passion when together. Lucas’s unsuspecting pawn was never meant to be so irresistibly alluring. Meanwhile, Sharisse never dreamed she could desire one man so much.
7. When Love Awaits
Lady Leonie once cursed Rolfe d’Ambert, known as the Black Wolf, for the cruel way he treated the local peasants and his bloody deeds. Now she must marry him. It is the only thing that will bring peace to their land.
Leonie is young and innocent with a rare, exquisite beauty. She would be a prize for any man, but Rolfe is seeking their union for revenge.
However, when they kiss, it ignites a passion within him and a fervent need to claim her. Now Rolfe wants to unite their hearts in glorious love.
8. Secret Fire
Even though he only saw her for a moment through his carriage window, the prince knew he wanted to have her. As a result, Lady Katherine St. John was dragged from the London street and taken to a townhouse for the pleasure of her royal admirer.
From the tempestuous passion of their first encounter, across stormy seas, to the golden splendor of palaces in Moscow, she was his prisoner. Katherine is consumed with rage towards her royal captor while also stoking an all-consuming need. Theirs was a fervor beyond her understanding, carrying them irrevocably toward final surrender to the power of undeniable love.
9. Silver Angel
Chantelle Burke has been abducted, sold into slavery, and brought to the place of the mighty Pasha. She vows that she will never bow to her new master’s will, but Chantelle finds her resolve weakening within the silken splendor of his bedroom. One glance into his emerald eyes and the young Englishwoman falters even more.
Pasha is stunningly handsome and powerful. He caresses the new addition to his harem with a fond tenderness that drives Chantelle wild. However, the cryptic Pasha keeps his true identity a secret beneath his lavish Middle Eastern front.
But keeping that secret is becoming harder to conceal when he desperately wants to surrender his heart and soul to Chantelle.
10. Prisoner of My Desire
Rowena Belleme must produce an heir, or incur the dangerous wrath of her ruthless stepbrother. She selects Warrick de Chaville as the perfect man to sire her child, but it will mean kidnapping and imprisoning the magnificent knight. Then she must force him to bend to her amorous whims.
Warrick vows to resist, but is betrayed by his virility and intoxicated by Rowena’s sapphire eyes and voluptuous beauty. However, despite this, throughout his imprisonment he plans his revenge.
He will make his sensuous captor become his helpless captive. Warrick will make Rowena suffer the same rapturous torment and exquisite ecstasy that she made him endure.
Final thoughts
Lindsey made her name as a historical romance author penning novels with strong heroines and rapscallion rogues. There are dozens of Johanna Lindsey books in order for you to enjoy that contain those tropes to the delight of many fans.