There is a distinct, deeply comforting magic in a contemporary romance that balances laugh-out-loud medical humor with raw, beautifully handled emotional angst. Susie Tate—a real-life practicing General Practitioner (doctor) in the UK—is a master of this exact blend.
Her novels are celebrated for their highly realistic medical backdrops, fiercely protective but emotionally stunted heroes, and incredibly resilient heroines dealing with real-world issues like anxiety, past trauma, or neurodivergence. Her library is neatly structured across a few highly popular, interconnected series. Below is the definitive guide to reading Susie Tate’s books in order.
1. The Begged or Borrowed Series
This is the beloved, foundational series that put Susie Tate on the contemporary romance map. Set heavily within the high-stakes, hectic world of British medicine, these books follow an interconnected group of doctors, surgeons, and their close inner circle.
1. Begged or Borrowed (2014)
The sparkling debut that introduces the universe. Dr. Julia “Jules” Davenport is a brilliant, hard-working registrar trying to keep her head down and survive her medical rotation. Enter Dr. Luke Williams—a wealthy, devastatingly handsome, and intensely arrogant consultant who completely misjudges Jules from day one, sparking a high-friction, enemies-to-lovers dynamic.
2. Stolen or Stray (2015)
This deeply moving installment shifts the focus to Lou, a fiercely independent woman hiding immense vulnerabilities, and Tom, a successful man who seems to have it all together. When a crisis forces them into close proximity, Tom must dismantle Lou’s high emotional walls to prove he’s worth trusting.
3. Won or Wasted (2016)
A fan-favorite, high-angst story centering on Frankie, a highly capable but painfully shy and socially anxious doctor, and Sam, a charismatic, popular consultant. Sam completely misinterprets Frankie’s quiet anxiety as cold standoffishness, leading to a heartbreaking miscommunication that he must desperately work to undo.
4. Lost or Lyed (2017)
The emotional final chapter of the core series. This book follows the fiercely protective, grumpy, and intensely loyal Dan as he crosses paths with Lottie, a woman picking up the pieces of a fractured life. It perfectly wraps up the overarching friendship dynamics of the hospital staff.
2. The Broken Heart Media Series
This highly popular spin-off series shifts the focus from the hospital wards to the fast-paced, glamorous, and often cutthroat world of public relations and media management in London.
1. Sticks and Stones (2019)
The series kicks off with Lou, a brilliant PR executive who uses a sharp tongue and a flawless professional armor to hide an incredibly painful past. When her brooding, fiercely protective boss, James, finally realizes the depth of the battles she is fighting behind closed doors, the dynamic changes from professional friction to deep devotion.
2. Words Hurt (2020)
This heart-wrenching standalone focuses on Flick, an incredibly creative but deeply insecure woman who has spent her life being belittled by those closest to her, and Greg, a confident media mogul. It is a masterclass in the “grovel” trope, as Greg makes a catastrophic assumptions error and must spend the book completely redeeming himself.
3. The Unperfect Series (Standalones)
While these books are technically marketed as standalones, they take place within the same overarching universe, sharing the exact same signature emotional depth, slow-burn romantic tension, and satisfying character growth.
1. Unperfect (2022)
Arguably Susie Tate’s most famous and critically acclaimed novel. Mia is a brilliant architectural genius who is secretly homeless and fleeing a horrific, abusive past. When she lands a temporary data-entry job at a top firm run by the notoriously grumpy, clean-freak billionaire Max, he slowly notices her extreme hyper-vigilance. What follows is a beautiful, slow-burn story of safety, healing, and intense protection.
2. Worth It (2023)
This heavy, incredibly redemptive story follows Claude, a woman navigating the heavy psychological scars of severe childhood bullying and workplace harassment, and Jack, a successful, confident man who refuses to let her hide away from the world.
3. Limits (2024)
A beautifully written, highly accurate look at neurodivergence in high-pressure workspaces. The story follows a brilliant, deeply misunderstood female lead who uses highly rigid routines and strict boundaries to manage her severe sensory overload, and the fiercely protective hero who learns to adapt his entire world just to make her feel safe.
About the Author: Susie Tate
Susie Tate is a USA Today bestselling author who leads a fascinating double life. By day, she is a practicing General Practitioner (GP) in the UK, managing the healthcare of hundreds of patients. By night, she channels her deep understanding of human nature, medical pressures, and psychological resilience into writing romance novels.
Because she lives and breathes the medical world, her fictional hospital settings lack the glossy, unrealistic tropes of typical television dramas, opting instead for authentic NHS chaos, dark British humor, and genuine workplace camaraderie. She lives in the English countryside with her husband, three children, and a collection of chaotic pets.
Why the Interconnected Order Matters
While Susie Tate writes every single book with a self-contained romantic arc that concludes with a definitive, heartwarming Happily Ever After (HEA), reading her books completely out of sequence can diminish the joy of her world-building.
The primary joy of her writing is the tight-knit found family element. For example, the heroine of Sticks and Stones is heavily supported by characters you fall in love with during the Begged or Borrowed series. Watching characters heal, marry, have children, and step up to protect the protagonists of subsequent books is half the fun of reading her catalog.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Susie Tate’s latest book?
Her most recent release is Limits, which debuted to massive reader acclaim in 2024. She is currently working on her next highly anticipated contemporary standalone romance.
Are her books safe for readers who dislike graphic violence?
Yes. While her books deal with very heavy, real-world emotional themes—such as domestic abuse survivors, severe childhood bullying, homelessness, and intense mental health battles—the actual violence or trauma occurs off-page or in the past. The focus of the narrative is always placed entirely on the healing journey, safety, and emotional recovery.
Does she write clean romance or is there spice?
Susie Tate’s novels sit comfortably in the contemporary adult romance category. They feature explicit, open-door romantic scenes, but they are heavily driven by deep emotional intimacy and character plot rather than pure erotica.
What are the hallmark tropes of a Susie Tate novel?
If you love specific romance structures, Susie Tate is the absolute queen of:
- The Ultimate Grovel: Where the hero severely messes up or misjudges the heroine and must completely earn her forgiveness.
- Grumpy vs. Sunshine: Sharp, protective, stoic heroes paired with resilient but vulnerable heroines.
- Hidden Trauma / Hurt-Comfort: Where the hero discovers the heroine is secretly struggling or in danger and creates a safe haven for her.
Verdicts and Recommendations
The Final Verdict: If you want classic medical romance with incredible banter, start directly with Begged or Borrowed (2014). If you want a top-tier, emotionally gripping standalone that will make you completely fall in love with her writing, start immediately with Unperfect (2022).
This catalog is a perfect match for: Fans of Lucy Score’s small-town dynamics, Mariana Zapata’s slow-burn style, and Chloe Liese’s beautifully inclusive, neurodivergent-friendly romance novels.
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