Ali Hazelwood Books in Order: The Complete Reading Guide

If you love smart women, impossible chemistry, STEM careers, academic rivals, fake relationships, paranormal romance, and men who are absolutely, hopelessly gone for the women they pretend not to like, Ali Hazelwood probably needs no introduction.

But if you’re new to her books, figuring out where to begin can be surprisingly confusing.

Her bibliography now includes full-length contemporary romances, a young adult novel, paranormal romance, connected books such as Bride and Mate, companion stories, and several novellas released in different formats. Ali Hazelwood’s official website currently separates her work into contemporary novels, paranormal novels, contemporary novellas, and paranormal novellas.

So, should you read Ali Hazelwood books in publication order?

For most of her books, you don’t have to. Most are standalone romances. However, there are a few connected books where reading order does matter—and Bride and Mate are the clearest example.

This guide breaks down all the major Ali Hazelwood books in order, including her novels, novella collections, connected stories, and the best reading path depending on what you’re looking for.

Ali Hazelwood Books in Order

If you want to experience Ali Hazelwood’s career chronologically, publication order is the easiest place to start.

Her first novel, The Love Hypothesis, arrived in 2021 and quickly established the author as one of contemporary romance’s biggest names.

Since then, Hazelwood has expanded far beyond the academic STEM romance formula that first made her famous.

Here is the core publication order for her novels:

Ali Hazelwood’s official site currently categorizes Bride and Mate as paranormal novels and The Love Hypothesis through Problematic Summer Romance as contemporary novels.

But that’s only part of the story.

Hazelwood has also published a substantial collection of novellas, and some readers will want to include those in their complete reading order.

Let’s get into those next.

Ali Hazelwood Novellas in Order

Ali Hazelwood’s novellas are particularly useful if you want a quick introduction to her writing style without committing to a full-length novel.

Some are completely standalone.

Others are connected to larger collections or worlds.

The official site currently divides her novellas into contemporary and paranormal categories.

The STEMinist Novellas in Order

This is the collection many longtime Hazelwood readers know as Loathe to Love You.

The three original stories are:

1. Under One Roof (2022)

Environmental engineer Mara and Liam, an attorney working for the same company, find themselves sharing a house under circumstances neither expected.

It has many of the ingredients readers associate with Hazelwood: STEM, forced proximity, workplace tension, and plenty of romantic friction.

2. Stuck with You (2022)

Civil engineer Sadie and Erik find themselves trapped together in an elevator.

As you might imagine, being literally stuck together doesn’t make their already complicated relationship any easier.

3. Below Zero (2022)

NASA aerospace engineer Hannah finds herself in a dangerous situation in the Arctic.

Ian, the man she has complicated feelings about, may be the person who can save her.

These three novellas were later collected as Loathe to Love You in 2023.

Should you read Loathe to Love You before the novels?

No.

The three stories can be enjoyed independently, and they aren’t a required prequel to The Love Hypothesis, Love on the Brain, or Love, Theoretically.

If you like Hazelwood’s STEM romance formula, however, they’re an excellent way to get more of it without starting another full-length novel.

4. Two Can Play (2024)

Two Can Play is another contemporary novella, but it moves away from laboratories and academia and into the world of video games.

Viola Bowen gets the opportunity to design a game based on her favorite book series.

Unfortunately, she has to work with Jesse Andrews—her professional archnemesis.

The story uses an enemies-to-lovers setup with a winter retreat and forced proximity thrown into the mix.

It was initially released as an audio-only novella in 2024 and later received a print and ebook release in February 2026, including a new bonus chapter.

Best reading position: After Loathe to Love You if you’re following publication order.

5. Cruel Winter with You (2024)

This short contemporary romance follows Jamie Malek, a pediatrician who needs to borrow a roasting pan for Christmas dinner.

Unfortunately, that means interacting with Marc—the brother of her best friend and the man who broke her heart.

A snowstorm, a shared space, old memories, and unresolved feelings do the rest.

Hazelwood’s official site describes it as part of the Under the Mistletoe collection, making it an easy seasonal read rather than a book you need to fit into a larger series.

Reading order: Completely standalone.

6. Hot for Slayer (2025)

Now we leave the STEM world behind.

Hot for Slayer is a paranormal short story about a vampire slayer who loses his memories—and the vampire he’s spent centuries trying to kill.

Hazelwood’s official description places the story in the Scared Sexy Halloween romance collection.

It’s short, paranormal, and much darker in flavor than her academic romances.

Reading order: Standalone.

7. FIRST (2025)

FIRST is another shorter Hazelwood work that sits outside the main contemporary and paranormal novel lines.

Because it isn’t part of a required series-reading sequence, you can treat it as an optional extra rather than something you need to read before or after a particular novel.

If you’re trying to read every Ali Hazelwood publication, add it to your chronological list.

If you’re simply looking for the best way through her major novels, you can safely leave it for later.

8. Bound (2025)

Bound takes Hazelwood into another paranormal direction.

It follows Vero Mercer, a PhD student whose academic life becomes tangled up with a mysterious professor and a much stranger world involving rare books, dark secrets, and supernatural elements.

Unlike many of Hazelwood’s contemporary romances, Bound belongs to her paranormal novella line.

The story is also connected to Unbound.

So this is one place where reading order matters.

Read:

1. Bound
2. Unbound

Bound was released as an audiobook in 2025, while Unbound followed in 2026. Hazelwood’s official website now groups them together as the Bound x Unbound duology.

9. Unbound (2026)

Unbound continues the paranormal world established in Bound.

Because it is the second part of the Bound x Unbound duology, this is one of the few places where you should definitely avoid jumping in out of order.

Recommended order:

Bound → Unbound

As of 2026, the two stories are also being prepared for a combined physical edition, Bound and Unbound.

The Bride Books in Order

If you’re interested in Ali Hazelwood’s paranormal romance, this is the series you absolutely should not read randomly.

There are currently two books:

1. Bride (2024)

Misery Lark is a Vampyre who finds herself entering a marriage arrangement with Lowe Moreland, the alpha of a Werewolf pack.

The setup gives Hazelwood a chance to take her familiar romantic formula—powerful chemistry, reluctant attraction, complicated relationships—and place it inside a supernatural world.

It’s considerably different from The Love Hypothesis or Love, Theoretically, but readers who enjoy Hazelwood’s trademark humor and romantic tension will recognize the author immediately.

2. Mate (2025)

Mate returns to the world introduced in Bride.

The story follows Serena Paris, a rare Human-Were hybrid, and Koen Alexander, the Alpha of the Northwest pack.

Because Mate builds on the world and mythology of Bride, read Bride first.

The official Ali Hazelwood website currently places both titles together under her paranormal novels, and Mate is the follow-up to Bride.

Bride series reading order

1. Bride

2. Mate

Don’t start with Mate just because it’s newer.

You’ll get much more out of the story if you already know the world established in Bride.

The Not in Love Books in Order

Here’s another place where readers sometimes wonder whether there is a series.

The books are:

1. Not in Love (2024)
2. Problematic Summer Romance (2025)

However, this isn’t a traditional two-book series where Book 2 simply continues Book 1.

Problematic Summer Romance is a connected companion story set in the same broader world, so you can technically read it independently.

Still, I recommend:

Not in Love → Problematic Summer Romance

Why?

Because reading Not in Love first gives you additional context and makes the connection between the stories more rewarding.

What Is the Correct Ali Hazelwood Reading Order?

If you’re wondering whether there is one definitive order for every Ali Hazelwood book, the answer is:

Not really.

That’s because her bibliography contains several different types of books.

Her contemporary novels are largely standalone stories.

Her paranormal books have more continuity.

Her novellas often work independently.

And some of her stories are connected through shared characters or worlds without forming a conventional numbered series.

So rather than forcing every book into one giant fictional timeline, I recommend using publication order for discovery and series order for connected stories.

Ali Hazelwood Books in Publication Order

If you want the simplest chronological reading journey, use this list:

Full-Length Novels

1. The Love Hypothesis — 2021
2. Love on the Brain — 2022
3. Love, Theoretically — 2023
4. Check & Mate — 2023
5. Bride — 2024
6. Not in Love — 2024
7. Deep End — 2025
8. Problematic Summer Romance — 2025
9. Mate — 2025

Major Novellas & Collections

• Under One Roof — 2022
• Stuck with You — 2022
• Below Zero — 2022
• Loathe to Love You — 2023
• Two Can Play — 2024
• Cruel Winter with You — 2024
• Hot for Slayer — 2025
• FIRST — 2025
• Bound — 2025
• Unbound — 2026

The author’s official website currently lists these categories and titles, including the newer Bound/Unbound pairing and Two Can Play.

A Better Reading Order for New Ali Hazelwood Readers

Publication order isn’t necessarily the best order for a first-time reader.

If you’re completely new to Ali Hazelwood, I’d recommend something slightly different.

Start with The Love Hypothesis

This is the obvious introduction—and for good reason.

Olive Smith is a biology PhD candidate who needs to convince her best friend that she’s dating someone.

Her solution?

Kiss the first man she sees.

Unfortunately, that man is Adam Carlsen, a famously intimidating professor.

Fake dating, academia, STEM, workplace tension, and a seemingly grumpy love interest combine into one of Hazelwood’s signature romances.

It’s the book that made her name synonymous with contemporary STEM romance.

And it remains an excellent place to begin.

Then Read Love on the Brain

If you enjoyed The Love Hypothesis, this is the natural next stop.

Bee Königswasser is a neuroscientist who gets a dream NASA project.

There’s only one problem.

Her professional co-lead is Levi Ward.

And Bee remembers Levi as someone who absolutely cannot stand her.

The academic rivalry, workplace setting, scientific careers, and romantic tension make it feel familiar without being exactly the same book again.

Next Try Love, Theoretically

This is one of the books to read when you’re ready for Hazelwood’s academic romance formula at full strength.

Elsie Hannaway is a theoretical physicist who has built a side career pretending to be a fake girlfriend for clients.

Then she encounters Jack Smith.

He’s everything she doesn’t want in her professional life.

He’s also about to have a major influence on her career.

It’s another smart, funny, tension-filled romance that should appeal to readers who loved Hazelwood’s earlier books.

Want Something Different? Read Bride

This is where I’d deliberately break away from the STEM romance path.

If you read three contemporary Ali Hazelwood books in a row, you may start noticing the familiar ingredients.

So why not switch genres?

Bride takes Hazelwood into paranormal romance with Vampyres, Weres, political alliances, danger, and a marriage arrangement.

If you love fantasy romance or romantasy, this may actually be the best Ali Hazelwood book for you to start with.

Just remember:

Bride comes before Mate.

Want a College Romance? Read Deep End

Deep End takes place around competitive swimming and diving.

Scarlett Vandermeer is a Stanford student-athlete specializing in platform diving, while Lukas Blomqvist is an elite swimmer and Olympic-level competitor.

Their relationship begins with an arrangement neither expects to become emotionally complicated.

The sports setting makes Deep End feel different from Hazelwood’s laboratory-and-academia romances while keeping the author’s recognizable focus on ambitious, highly capable characters.

It’s also a particularly good choice if you’re looking for sports romance rather than another academic romance.

Want a More Mature, Spicier Romance?

Try Not in Love.

The book centers on Rue Siebert, a biotech engineer, and Eli Killgore, whose professional interests put him directly in conflict with Rue’s company.

It is a darker and more sexually charged direction than Hazelwood’s earlier romances.

If you’re looking for the lighter, sweeter feel of The Love Hypothesis, this probably isn’t the first place I’d send you.

If you want something more adult and intense, however, it belongs near the top of your list.

Want Enemies-to-Lovers With a Gaming Twist?

Try Two Can Play.

Viola Bowen and Jesse Andrews are professional rivals forced to work together on a video game.

It’s a shorter read than Hazelwood’s full-length novels, making it a good choice when you want the enemies-to-lovers tension without committing to 300-plus pages.

The print and ebook edition released in February 2026 and includes a new bonus chapter.

Want Young Adult Romance?

Read Check & Mate.

This is Hazelwood’s first young adult novel and moves away from her usual graduate-school and professional settings.

Instead, the story revolves around competitive chess, family expectations, rivalry, and romance.

It’s a particularly good choice if you want Hazelwood’s style but aren’t looking for an adult romance.

Are Ali Hazelwood’s Books Connected?

Some are, but most are not.

This is probably the most important thing to understand about Ali Hazelwood’s reading order.

Mostly standalone

You can read these independently:

• The Love Hypothesis
• Love on the Brain
• Love, Theoretically
• Check & Mate
• Deep End
• Not in Love

Connected

These benefit from a particular order:

Bride → Mate

Not in Love → Problematic Summer Romance

Bound → Unbound

Collections/related stories

The three STEMinist novellas are collected as:

Under One Roof → Stuck with You → Below Zero

and later published together as:

Loathe to Love You

Ali Hazelwood Books by Genre

Sometimes the easiest way to decide what to read isn’t by publication date.

It’s by mood.

🧪 STEM & Academic Romance

Start with:

• The Love Hypothesis
• Love on the Brain
• Love, Theoretically
• Loathe to Love You

♟️ Young Adult Romance

• Check & Mate

🏊 Sports Romance

• Deep End

🧛 Paranormal Romance

• Bride
• Mate

💻 Workplace Romance

• Not in Love
• Love on the Brain
• Two Can Play

🌴 Age-Gap / Summer Romance

• Problematic Summer Romance

📚 Darker Paranormal Romance

• Bound
• Unbound
• Hot for Slayer

This genre-based approach is particularly useful because Hazelwood’s bibliography has become much broader than the “STEM romance author” label suggests.

Which Ali Hazelwood Book Should You Read First?

Still unsure?

Here’s the short version.

If you want the classic Ali Hazelwood experience:

The Love Hypothesis

If you love STEM romance:

Love, Theoretically

If you love enemies-to-lovers:

The Love Hypothesis or Two Can Play

If you love sports romance:

Deep End

If you love fantasy or paranormal romance:

Bride

If you want the sequel to Bride:

Mate

If you want young adult romance:

Check & Mate

If you want something spicier and more adult:

Not in Love

If you want a connected companion story:

Problematic Summer Romance

If you want something short:

Under One Roof, Stuck with You, or Below Zero

If you want something paranormal but short:

Hot for Slayer

What Is the Best Ali Hazelwood Book?

That’s a much harder question than “What order should I read them in?”

And there isn’t a single correct answer.

If you’re judging by cultural impact, The Love Hypothesis is the obvious starting point.

It was Hazelwood’s debut novel and became the book that introduced millions of readers to her particular combination of STEM careers, academic rivalry, fake dating, banter, and romance.

But her later books show how much she has expanded.

Bride demonstrates that she can move successfully into paranormal romance.

Check & Mate shows her young adult side.

Deep End moves into competitive sports.

Not in Love explores a more adult and intense romantic style.

And Problematic Summer Romance pushes into a different kind of contemporary romance built around a significant age gap and a destination-wedding setting. Hazelwood’s official description places the story in Sicily and centers Maya Killgore and Conor Harkness.

So rather than asking which book is objectively “best,” I’d ask:

Which version of Ali Hazelwood sounds most like your kind of romance?

Do You Have to Read Ali Hazelwood Books in Order?

No.

You can pick up most Ali Hazelwood novels individually.

You don’t need to read The Love Hypothesis before Love on the Brain, and you don’t need to read either one before Deep End.

However, there are three important exceptions to keep in mind:

Read Bride before Mate

These books share a paranormal world, and Mate builds on what comes before it.

Read Not in Love before Problematic Summer Romance

You can technically understand the second book independently, but the connection is more rewarding if you’ve already read Not in Love.

Read Bound before Unbound

These are explicitly presented by Hazelwood’s site as the Bound x Unbound duology.

Everything else can generally be approached according to your mood.

Are the Ali Hazelwood STEM Books a Series?

No.

This is another common source of confusion.

The Love Hypothesis, Love on the Brain, and Love, Theoretically are not three sequential novels following the same couple.

They’re separate romance stories.

They share some broad characteristics—STEM careers, highly intelligent protagonists, academic or professional settings, workplace tension, and romance—but they are not a trilogy.

That’s why you can safely read them in any order.

If you’re new to Hazelwood, though, publication order is still a fun way to watch her writing evolve:

The Love Hypothesis → Love on the Brain → Love, Theoretically

How Many Books Has Ali Hazelwood Written?

The answer depends on what you count.

If you’re counting full-length novels, Hazelwood’s current bibliography includes nine major novels through Mate.

But she has also published novellas, short stories, collections, and other shorter works.

Her official website currently lists:

• 9 contemporary/paranormal full-length novels in its main books section
• The three STEMinist novellas collected in Loathe to Love You
• Two Can Play
• Cruel Winter with You
• Hot for Slayer
• FIRST
• Bound
• Unbound
• and other anthology-related work

Her official catalog is therefore considerably larger than simply counting her full-length novels.

Ali Hazelwood Books in Order: The Simple Version

If all you wanted was the easiest possible answer, here it is.

Novels

1. The Love Hypothesis
2. Love on the Brain
3. Love, Theoretically
4. Check & Mate
5. Bride
6. Not in Love
7. Deep End
8. Problematic Summer Romance
9. Mate

STEMinist Novellas

1. Under One Roof
2. Stuck with You
3. Below Zero
4. Loathe to Love You — collection

Other Contemporary Novellas

• Two Can Play
• Cruel Winter with You

Paranormal Novellas

• Hot for Slayer
• Bound
• Unbound

Connected Reading Orders

Bride → Mate

Not in Love → Problematic Summer Romance

Bound → Unbound

Frequently Asked Questions About Ali Hazelwood Books

What is the first Ali Hazelwood book?

The first full-length Ali Hazelwood novel is The Love Hypothesis, published in 2021.

It introduced readers to Hazelwood’s signature combination of STEM academia, fake dating, workplace tension, humor, and romance.

What order should I read Ali Hazelwood books?

For the full-length novels, publication order is:

The Love Hypothesis → Love on the Brain → Love, Theoretically → Check & Mate → Bride → Not in Love → Deep End → Problematic Summer Romance → Mate.

However, most of these novels are standalone stories, so you can also choose based on genre or trope.

Do I need to read The Love Hypothesis first?

No.

It’s a great starting point, but it isn’t connected to the other novels in a way that requires you to read it first.

Are Bride and Mate a series?

Yes. Mate follows Bride in Hazelwood’s paranormal romance world.

The recommended order is:

Bride → Mate

Is Problematic Summer Romance a sequel to Not in Love?

It’s better described as a connected companion/spin-off story rather than a direct sequel.

You can read Problematic Summer Romance by itself, but reading Not in Love first gives you additional context.

Is Deep End part of a series?

No. Deep End is a standalone contemporary sports romance.

Its story centers on competitive diving and swimming at Stanford, with Scarlett Vandermeer and Lukas Blomqvist at the center.

Is Check & Mate a series?

No. Check & Mate is a standalone young adult romance centered around competitive chess.

What are the Ali Hazelwood STEM books?

The books most closely associated with her STEM romance style include:

• The Love Hypothesis
• Love on the Brain
• Love, Theoretically
• Under One Roof
• Stuck with You
• Below Zero

The three novellas were collected together as Loathe to Love You.

What should I read after The Love Hypothesis?

If you want more STEM romance, try Love on the Brain.

If you want another academic romance with a different setup, try Love, Theoretically.

If you’d rather see Hazelwood experiment with another genre, try Bride.

What should I read after Bride?

Read Mate.

It continues the paranormal world introduced in Bride, so this is one case where following the reading order is particularly worthwhile.

Which Ali Hazelwood book is the spiciest?

This can vary considerably depending on the reader, but Not in Love is generally the better choice if you’re specifically looking for a more mature and sexually explicit contemporary romance.

Deep End and Problematic Summer Romance also contain explicit sexual content; Hazelwood’s official content notes for Deep End and Problematic Summer Romance make that clear.

Does Ali Hazelwood only write STEM romance?

Definitely not.

STEM romance is what made her especially recognizable, but her bibliography now includes:

• young adult romance
• sports romance
• paranormal romance
• workplace romance
• age-gap romance
• enemies-to-lovers romance
• holiday romance
• short paranormal romance

Her current official catalog reflects that expansion.

Final Verdict

Ali Hazelwood’s books are easy to get into and surprisingly difficult to organize.

That’s not because her stories are complicated. It’s because her bibliography has grown quickly, moving from the STEM-heavy contemporary romance that made The Love Hypothesis such a phenomenon into sports romance, young adult fiction, paranormal romance, companion stories, and shorter works.

The good news is that you don’t need to read everything in publication order.

If you’re new to Hazelwood, I’d start with The Love Hypothesis. If you’re already familiar with her STEM romances, make your next move based on your mood: Bride for paranormal romance, Deep End for sports romance, Check & Mate for YA, or Not in Love for something more mature.

The only time I’d strongly insist on following the order is when you’re entering one of her connected worlds.

Bride before Mate. Bound before Unbound.

Everything else?

Pick the cover that catches your eye, check the trope list, and dive in.

Because sometimes the best way to read a romance author’s books in order is simply to start with the one that makes you most curious about what happens next.

Written by

Emon Anam

Hi, I’m Emon. I’m the voice and heart behind Whimsy Read. After nine years in the world of banking, I followed my passion for storytelling into the world of SEO and content strategy. Now, I blend that analytical eye with a deep love for literature to bring you book reviews that are thoughtful, honest, and always focused on the stories that stay with you. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll find me enjoying joyful chaos with my wife and three kids, getting lost in a new series, or revisiting my old loves: theater, music, and gaming. At the end of the day, I believe great books are meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you’re here to share them with me.