The Ultimate Guide to Reading Kelsie Rae Books in Order

There is a distinct, deeply satisfying rush in a contemporary romance series that feels less like a collection of individual books and more like an invitation into a sprawling, fiercely protective family. Kelsie Rae has mastered this exact form of storytelling. Celebrated across the romance community for her high-octane emotional tension, laugh-out-loud witty banter, and devastatingly swoon-worthy heroes, she crafts interconnected worlds that readers simply cannot bring themselves to leave.

Whether she is charting the high-stakes, high-adrenaline world of professional hockey players fighting for a second chance at love, or mapping out the messy, beautiful complexities of small-town family dynamics, her books excel at delivering deep emotional resonance alongside burning romantic chemistry. To get the absolute most out of her interconnected character arcs, a clear roadmap is essential.

1. Don’t Let Me Series (Hockey Romance)

This is Kelsie Rae’s flagship sports romance universe. It follows elite college and professional hockey players as they balance high-stakes athletic careers with deep, emotionally intense romantic relationships.

Don’t Let Me Fall (2022)

• Core Tropes: Best Friend’s Brother, Forbidden Love, Hockey Star
• The Plot: Colt is a fiercely protective hockey player who has fallen hard for the one girl he absolutely cannot touch—his tutor, Ashlyn, who happens to be his best friend’s girlfriend. When secrets unravel, forbidden tension turns into inevitable passion.

Don’t Let Me Go (2022)

• Core Tropes: Grumpy x Sunshine, Fake Dating, Sports Romance
• The Plot: Follows a brooding hockey player who needs a temporary distraction to save his public image. When he strikes a fake-relationship deal with a bubbly, resilient heroine, the boundaries between what is real and what is performative completely dissolve.

Don’t Let Me Break (2023)

• Core Tropes: Second Chance Romance, Forced Proximity, Emotional Healing
• The Plot: Two people broken by past mistakes are thrust back into each other’s lives via forced proximity. As old flames ignite, they must determine if they can heal together or if they will break each other permanently.

Let Me Love You (2023)

• Core Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Protective Hero
• The Plot: Shifting the focus to a slow-burn connection, this installment follows a supportive, long-term friendship that crosses the line into a deeply vulnerable, passionate romance when an unexpected crisis demands mutual protection.

Don’t Let Me Down (2023)

• Core Tropes: Workplace Romance, Forbidden Desires, Secret Pining
• The Plot: A high-intensity conclusion to the main sports arc involving professional stakes, office dynamics, and a protective hero determined to prove his worth to a woman who has been let down by everyone in her past.

2. The Little Things Series (Second Generation Universe)

Directly spinning off from the Don’t Let Me world, this series focuses on the next generation of couples navigating college life, sports, and intense family dynamics.

A Little Complicated (2023)

• Core Tropes: Twin Brothers Triangle, Forbidden Romance, Secret Illness
• The Plot: Ophelia grows up caught between the Buchanan twins, Archer and Maverick. While secretly in love with Maverick, a sudden heartbreaking breakup forces her into the comforting, devoted arms of his twin brother, Archer, leading to massive emotional angst and a secret health crisis.

A Little Tempting (2024)

• Core Tropes: Forced Proximity, Sizzling Chemistry, Enemies-to-Lovers
• The Plot: Centered around a classic grumpy-versus-sunshine dynamic where two opposites are forced to share a space, trying desperately to fight an overwhelming attraction that threatens to destabilize their tightly controlled lives.

A Little Jaded (2024)

• Core Tropes: Guarded Heroine, Persistent Hero, Small-Town Ties
• The Plot: Focuses on an emotionally guarded heroine who has sworn off relationships entirely. Her walls are systematically tested by a persistent, patient hero who refuses to let her hide from love.

A Little Secret (2024)

• Core Tropes: Accidental Pregnancy, Surprise Romance, Protective Alpha
• The Plot: An unexpected positive pregnancy test turns a casual fling into a high-stakes partnership. The couple must rapidly adapt to impending parenthood while learning to trust each other’s emotional baggage.

A Little Broken (2025)

• Core Tropes: Emotional Redemption, Hurt/Comfort, Deep Angst
• The Plot: A highly emotional installment diving deep into themes of trauma recovery and redemption, featuring a hero and heroine who must piece together their fractured lives while building a safe haven with each other.

A Little Crush (2025)

• Core Tropes: Childhood Crush, Age-Gap Nuances, Brother’s Best Friend
• The Plot: The little sister who spent years harboring an intense childhood crush is finally all grown up. When her brother’s best friend finally notices her, the hidden pining transforms into a volatile, high-stakes romance.

3. Wrecked Roommates Series

This standalone-accessible series leans heavily into the delicious, high-friction tension of forced proximity and domestic intimacy.

• Model Behavior (2021): A sharp-tongued professional and a high-profile model end up as unexpected housemates, sparking an immediate enemies-to-lovers war of wits.
• Forbidden Lyrics (2021): A brooding rock musician is forced to share an apartment with a quiet heroine, letting his music serve as the ultimate vehicle for seduction.
• Messy Strokes (2021): An artistic romance focused on a painter navigating temporary living arrangements with a protective hero who becomes her ultimate muse.
• Risky Business (2021/2022): A fake-dating arrangement between roommates designed to secure corporate advancement that quickly turns genuinely passionate.
• Broken Instrument (2022): A deeply emotional healing arc involving two music-adjacent roommates finding comfort in their shared isolation.

4. Advantage Play Series

For readers craving high-stakes drama, dangerous undercurrents, and fiercely protective alpha heroes, this series delivers dark-edged billionaire and dark romance elements.

• Wild Card (2019): Introduces a high-stakes world where an unexpected alliance sets off a dangerous game of control and romantic obsession.
• Dark King (2019): Features an ultra-possessive, wealthy hero operating in a ruthless environment who will cross any line to protect his heroine.
• Little Bird (2020): A captive-audience or heavy-pining romance focusing on a vulnerable heroine learning to find her wings alongside a fiercely protective savior.
• Bitter Queen (2020): High emotional angst and betrayal take center stage as a fractured couple battles past deceptions to reclaim their shared throne.
• Black Jack (2020): A volatile, high-reward casino environment serves as the background for a tense romance where everything is risked on a final play.

About the Author: Kelsie Rae

Kelsie Rae is a USA Today and international bestselling author who has successfully captured the hearts of contemporary romance readers globally. Known for her deeply empathetic approach to writing, she excels at crafting characters who feel like real, beautifully flawed human beings dealing with genuine insecurities, anxiety, and past traumas. Kelsie is an avid believer in the power of a good love story to provide emotional comfort and escape. When she isn’t busy mapping out massive fictional family trees, drinking an astronomical amount of iced coffee, or crying over her own characters’ emotional breakthroughs, she can be found spending quality time with her family and interacting enthusiastically with her dedicated community of readers on social media.

Why This Structure Benefits Your Reading Experience

Reading Kelsie Rae out of order can inadvertently diminish the emotional impact of her books. Because her narrative worlds rely heavily on sweeping “family trees” and deeply connected friendship circles, characters from past novels frequently reappear in later books as supportive teammates, overprotective older brothers, or trusted sounding boards. By starting with Don’t Let Me Fall and tracking the series chronologically, you get to witness the natural timeline of these families unfold without running into massive spoilers regarding who ends up with whom.

Frequently Asked Questions

What authors write similarly to Kelsie Rae?

If you are binging her catalog and want a similar blend of sports romance, family sagas, and high emotional tension, you should read Liz Tomforde (Windy City series), Becka Mack (Playing for Keeps series), and Elsie Silver (Chestnut Springs series).

Are Kelsie Rae’s books safe to read as standalones?

Yes. Every single book written by Kelsie Rae delivers a complete, satisfying story arc with a definitive Happy Ever After (HEA). However, the overarching world-building is best experienced sequentially.

Conclusion: Ready to Start Binging?

The Final Verdict: Kelsie Rae has masterfully engineered a interconnected contemporary romance ecosystem that offers the perfect balance of heart-wrenching angst and pure, swoon-worthy comfort. For the ultimate reading experience, grab a copy of Don’t Let Me Fall (2022) to anchor yourself in her premier hockey universe, and watch her beautiful generational love stories unfold chapter by chapter.

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.