This Rec League comes from Steph! Thanks, Steph!
Elyse: Oh man. Virgin River maybe?During the past year or so, I have realized that one of my comfort reads are large series where the same characters appear in multiple books. I love the chance to see them develop overtime not just during the arc of their story, and I get way more invested in the characters than during a single book. In the past few months I’ve read Kit Rocha’s Beyond series, Zoe York’s Pine Harbor series, and am currently speeding through Beverly Jenkins’s Blessings Series. I would love recommendations for large series that focus on the same group of characters.
As an aside, I am loving the Blessings series. They’re not strictly romance (each book does not feature a central love story) but they are loaded with optimism and characters get the justice they deserve. The books are a little over-the-top and they are so much FUN!
Tara: Radclyffe has some f/f ones that are great. My faves are the Provincetown and Honor series. ( A | BN | K | AB )
Sarah: The Psy Changeling series ( A | BN | K | G | AB ) would work though the early books are very much early 00s hero style, and characters don’t consistently reappear. But each person is part of the whole.
Also Murderbot but I could rec that series for literally anything. It’s like six degrees of Bacon except it’s Murderbot.
Elyse is totally right about Virgin River. Debbie Macomber has some community series as well.
My brain keeps thinking mostly of trilogies which isn’t enough for this request.
Maya: Also the Guild Hunter series! My library has all the audiobooks, so I’m working my way through the series. I’m on book eight right now!
Tara: Ooh, yes to Guild Hunter. Especially in audio. I looooove Justine Eyre’s narration.
How about the In Death series? I don’t even particularly like murder investigations, but I really enjoyed some of those and seeing the relationship grow between the leads as the series goes on (caveat: I think I read 10 and there are WAY more than that)
Maya: Ohhhh or Phyrne Fisher!! ( A | BN | K | AB | Au )
(but it’s not romance)
Shana: I also keep thinking of trilogies.
RG Alexander’s The Finn Factor ( A ) is an erotic romance series with mostly m/m pairings. The stories center around a big family, and there’s lots of overlap across the books. The first few in the series aren’t my faves, however.
What series would you recommend? Let us know!
Susan Mallery has a long-running series about a town called Fools Gold.
Also, as well as the Psy books, Nalini Singh has a couple of contemporary romance series. Rock Kiss follows each of the members of a band, and there’s also the Hard Play series which I’m fairly sure has recurring characters in it (very enjoyable reads in any case).
A variation on the theme of “community,” but the Kat Holloway mysteries by Jennifer Ashley have a great cast of supporting characters/friends. (It’s set in the Victorian era; Kat is a cook for a wealthy family who solves mysteries.) One of the great things about the series is that it feels like visiting old friends.
I am rereading some of the MacGreagor series by Nora Roberts. She has several trilogies that might work.
The series that immediately came to mind was the Westcott series by Mary Balogh. It isn’t a book where characters introduced earlier only have cameos later — instead everyone is there. All the time. In fact, it becomes a problem in later books because there are SO many characters that huge chunks of the later books are just listing everyone who is there and where they are sitting/standing.
The Walsh series by Kate Canterbary. I think the way the stories interlock is very clever.
There are also spin offs. Kate has a fun chart on her website if you want to make sense of it but you should start at the beginning with Underneath it all
Lots of angst but also lots of fun.
I highly recommend two series by Claire Kingsley, a writer I recently discovered: the Miles Family series (five books about four siblings and their mother who run a winery—and even mom gets a romance!) and the Bailey Brothers series (five books so far, but there will be a sixth) about five rambunctious brothers and their rivalry with another family in town (whose members will, I assume, eventually have their own series). There are connections between the Miles and Bailey families, so read the Miles books first. In both series, there are overarching storylines that run through all the books, so they do have to be read in order to get the deepest reading experience.
I’d also recommend Karla Sorensen’s Ward Sisters series (FOCUSED, FAKED, FLOORED, and FORBIDDEN) about four sisters who are involved in professional sports in one way or another (their older brother, who was part of an earlier series that I haven’t read yet but have on my never-ending tbr, was an NFL player and is now a coach). All four books are good, but FAKED (featuring the “wrong twin” trope) and FORBIDDEN (slow-burn with an age-gap and a widowed/single-dad hero) are two of my favorite reads of 2021.
If you like m/m romance, E.M. Lindsey’s Iron & Works series is about a group of found-family members, many of whom work as tattoo artists at the Iron & Works tattoo studio. Each book features heroes with various types of mental-health challenges and/or physical disabilities and I love how the characters show such kindness and care toward each other, but never allow one another to give up hope or think they aren’t worthy of love. Most of the main characters do show up from book to book, so it’s really important to read the series in order.
I’ll stop before I write a novel, but I must mention two series featuring military veterans: Serena Bell’s four-book Returning Home series and Amelia Wilde’s three-book Wounded Hearts series.
The shifter books by Shelly Laurenston which span 3 series—The Magnus Pack (3), The Pack (9) and the Honeybadger Chronicles (4 so far). I think there might be a few novellas involving these characters as well. The characters from the earlier series pop back up in later series quite often.
It’s been a bit since I read it but I’m pretty sure Erin Nicholas’s Sapphire Falls series fits the prompt, it’s got a lot of the “best friend from the last book is the hero/ heroine of the next” flow
Karina Bliss has a four-book series about a group of friends who served together in New Zealand’s SAS and are dealing with the fallout of an ambush in their last tour. Her Rock Solid books also has something of a community, revolving around a rock band. The two series are linked through a character who first appears in What the Librarian Did (a standalone, I think).
Sarina Bowen’s Ivy Years (starting with The Year We Fell Down) and True North (starting, IIRC, with Bittersweet) should also work. Though I feel like the quality has been slipping in the latter.
Roni Loren’s The Ones Who Got Away – I’m pretty sure the first one at least was reviewed here.
Bridgerton (duh). The Lauren Willig Pink Carnation series. Ditto on the Mary Balogh “Someone To” series. Spindle Cove? Penny Reid — Knitting in the City and the Winston Brothers. Also there’s a series involving former soldiers who became private security consultants (Maya Rodale maybe?) although not my cup of tea. There are some sports series, I read a hockey one that I think was part of a series involving the teammates. Mariana Zapata has an on-going series, I think it starts with the Great Wall of Winnipeg.
What about Adriana Herrera’s Dreamers? Only four books but the characters reappear across all the books.
Tracy Ewens is great for this. She writes about siblings (each gets a book) and then will follow the siblings of one of the partners so they do appear in later books. Each sibling group usually shares a link – a pub, a restaurant, although not all. I found the romances enjoyable. You can jump in anywhere and don’t have to read each book to keep up with everyone. (I started with a book that featured in the SBTB sale listing and then went back to read earlier ones.)
FYI: Reserved: A Love Story – features a date where they go to the library and read books.
Rayanne Thayne has several series that would fit. I haven’t read much of her but when Robin’s and Debbie’s books come up in conversation, I always think of Rayanne too. The In Death/Eve Dallas series by JD Robb (aka Nora Roberts) is pushing 60 books if you include the novellas. I listen to this series in its entirety at least every other year so yeah, huge fan there. On the paranormal side, Jennifer Ashley’s Shifters Unbound series covers several different packs and families but there is a LOT of interaction through the books. Kristen Ashley’s series tend to overlap and there’s lots of intermingling and “cameos”. This is especially true of her various series set in Colorado. Susannah Wright’s paranormal shifter series (there’s 3) also intermingle as the packs all live in close proximity and there’s “cross-pollination” of characters.
Mary Balogh’s Slightly-series? It’s the typical series with siblings who each get their own book but also have a large presence in their sibling’s stories.
Pamela Clare maybe?
I love this Rec League! My favorite thing is discovering a new series, and I’ve added a couple of the list.
I would highly recommend Elizabeth Hunter – all of her series have interconnected people! I started with the Irin Chronicles, then quickly read everything else she ever wrote – all of her paranormal stories are amazing, and so is her contemporary, non-paranormal series, 7th & Main, which is more found-family. (I just love her!)
I would also recommend the Chronicles of St. Mary – more mystery and (irreverent) history, but there is some romance sprinkled in.
And how about Donna Grant? She has multiple series that include the same characters – paranormal and non, historical and current day.
Christine Feehan does as well, but I can only read so many of her alpha, broody heroes in a row, and she recycles language quite a bit, to the point where I find myself rolling my eyes. I had to stop reading the Carpathian ones for a spell …
Lastly, Jasmine Guillory’s Wedding Date novels are pretty interconnected, too. I’m reading “While They Were Dating” right now, and there are already a couple of cameos!
OH!! And I really adore Rosalind James! Her Escape to New Zealand books are just great, and there’s a lot of interconnection between the characters from book to book. Centered largely around Rugby players in NZ, they’re really good at taking me to a different place and culture (and it’s not super sportsy.) She also has a couple of other, shorter series and trilogies – I savor a new release of hers every time, almost hoarding it for when I really need it.
I really like Sarina Bowen’s True North series. There are a lot of the same characters who appear over and over, and the new book comes out next week.
Gotta plug Lucy Parker’s London Celebrities series, which is set in the small world of West End theater. There’s not always a ton of overlap, but characters from earlier books do pop up in later ones. ACT LIKE IT is book 1.
A series with more interconnection is Kristan Higgins’s Blue Heron books, which are set in and around a winery in upstate New York. The vibe is “charming small town where everyone knows each other,” and many characters recur throughout all the books. THE BEST MAN is book 1.
Kris Ripper writes queer community really, really well. The Queers of LaVista is a 5 book series with an overarching murder mystery plot (so it has to be read in order) – it centers around a queer bar and a queer youth center in a fictionalized Oakland. There’s a lot of character overlap. A couple characters from zir earlier series The Scientific Method also show up – that’s a more sprawling series with lots of character overlap. The writing is more uneven imo, but it’s very addictive.
If it’s to your taste then I would definitely recommend Ruby Dixon and her Ice Planet Barbarians series. I can’t think of a series that has a stronger sense of “community” and the main characters appear in the others books. Even in the newer “Icehome” spinoff series older characters are still a part. It’s all about community building, albeit with Humans and Aliens.
Jill Shalvis—heartbreaker bay series. Not too angst y solid dash of humor. Some of the series include pet antics.
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter collection was one of the first paranormal series I ever read, and it’s huge (and still going, from what I hear). The books have lots of adventure and angst but also humor, and all the characters appear throughout and contribute to the worldbuilding. I recommend starting with the series prequel, “Fantasy Lover,” which is one of the funniest romance books I’ve ever read.
Vor saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. Some of the books are more loosely connected than others. Started out as sci fi with strong romance subplot, later books go from murder mysteries in spaaace to romcom with a side of political intrigue, to straight up horror (looking at you Mirror Dance, alllll the content warnings). There’s a lot of books, I’ve been reading them since I was in high school so it’s like visiting with old friends.
Also Discworld by Terry Pratchett has several sub-series with recurring characters. I like the Witches and Tiffany Aching. There is some romance, a lot of humor, and some surprisingly deep stuff sneaks up on you in between puns.
@Laine – yes, Pamela Clare’s I-Team books! I really liked that the suspense plots are driven by the heroines’ work as investigative journalists. Too bad she’s ditched that in her more recent series. Her contemporary Scarlet Springs (Colorado High Country) books didn’t really work for me, but they too have a cast of regulars.
Joanna Bourne’s books are all connected and take part over a quarter of a century, so you really get to see some of the characters grow. The order of publication and the chronological order of the series are not the same; personally I’d start chronologically, with The Forbidden Rose.
There are many series that fit this category. Some of my favorites have already been mentioned. I’ll add ~
Jennifer Ashley’s Mackenzie series (historical)
Thea Harrison’s Elder Races (paranormal)
Anne Bishop’s The Others (though it’s not really romance more a friendship that develops; fantasy)
A recent series I enjoyed that fits is the Out of Time series by C.B. Lewis (m/m, futuristic and with some time traveling).
I always hesitate to raise my hand in the Rec League because self-promotion gives me an anxiety attack and also I just don’t know if people are cool with it. However … my contemporary L.A. Stories series contains a range of M/F, M/M, and other connections. Each book or novella can be read on its own but there are series connections throughout, in many cases via a West Hollywood dance studio and a semi-pro dance company, but also in the legal and acting fields. The most recent novel is M/M, ‘Public Offering,’ featuring a venture capitalist and a patent attorney. The most recent M/F novel is ‘A Winning Hand,’ featuring a professional musician and a police officer in Las Vegas. Author Alexandra Caluen, on Amazon. 🙂 (runs away to breathe)
This is dangerous as I could keep coming back all day adding series after series!
Andrea Höst’s Touchstone series. The first book Stray is free for US Kindle readers. Science fiction.
I thought I posted but I don’t see my comment. Kris Ripper writes community really well, specifically queer community. Queers of LaVista is very good – a 5 book queer romance series set in the east bay. It has an overarching murder / suspense plot
I really want to recommend Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series, and the Hidden Legacy one as well.
Lorraine Heath some amazing interconnected series as well starting with the Scoundrels of St James, Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series and The Hellions of Havisham Series. She also has the Sins for All Seasons series that’s set in the same universe(if I remember correctly :D)
@LB: I can’t believe I forgot Kate Canterbary! She’s one of my all-time favorites and all of her books are interconnected. I agree: Start with the 8-book Walsh Family series and expand out from there.
I knew if I took some time to go back through my notebook, I’d think of some more:
I think someone above already mentioned Zoe York’s Pine Harbour series, but she also has an earlier series called Wardham, which I might describe as “Pine Harbour lite” since I don’t think they’re quite as deep as the Pine Harbour books, but still good. York is currently two-books in on her five-book Kinkaids of Pine Harbour series about five brothers, most in first-responder jobs.
Zoe York also has a couple of series published under her alternate pen name of Ainsley Booth: Forbidden Bodyguards (five books, all the heroes work for a security services company) and Frisky Beavers (these are erotic romances co-written with Sadie Haller and involving fictional Canadian political & sports figures).
Julie Kriss has two series that use “Billionaire” in the title but the heroes are either not billionaires and/or grew up rough on the wrong side of the tracks and never expected to be wealthy: Bad Billionaires (four books) and Filthy Rich (five books). I also love Kriss’s four-book Riggs Brothers series. No billionaires in sight there.
Speaking of billionaires, if you can handle that trope, Annika Martin’s Billionaires of Manhattan consists of five rom-coms-with-serious-centers—and I just learned there’s a sixth book scheduled for August.
More billionaires from Ruth Cardello: Barrington Billionaires, Corisi Billionaires, and Lost Corisis (this series just started). Heroes are generally siblings or cousins.
Genevieve Turner has two wonderful series: A Cowboy of Her Own (six books) and Always A Cowboy (four books).
If you don’t mind some espionage and darker themes, Shannon McKenna’s McCloud Brothers (11 books at last count—the more recent books don’t involve the brothers so much, but I’d definitely read the first five); and Lexi Blake’s long-running (ten-plus years) and many, many books in, Masters & Mercenaries (the earlier books are heavily BDSM, the later books use a lighter touch).
Ainslie Paton’s Sidelined series consists of four books where the MCs are business partners.
Karina Halle’s Nordic Royals consists of four books, all involving the fictional royal families of Scandinavian countries.
I’d also recommend the requestor check out category romances—many books in various lines from Harlequin feature duets, trilogies, or quartets (either by a single or multiple authors) where the characters are interconnected or recur. And I want to put in a quick word for the multi-author series Outback Brides, Outback Brides of Wirralong, and Outback Brides Return to Wirralong—all of the heroines are connected in some way to a destination wedding venue in the Australian Outback—especially the ones written by Kelly Hunter.
One last rec: Rachel Reid’s m/m Game Changer series about the interconnected lives of a group of professional hockey players. She’s four books in to a six-book series, of which HEATED RIVALRY is the best.
I second The Chronicles of St. Mary’s!
And what about Marie Force’s… huh… Fatal series, that’s it. Fatal affair is the first book of 15 (and counting).
I’ll add two that aren’t mentioned yet. Both by Julie Anne Long. The Pennyroyal Green series and Hot in Hellcat Canyon. Pennyroyal Green series is HR and super swoony. Hot in Hellcat Canyon is contemporary and has such great character development. The writing in both is fantastic.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU for such a great list of recommendations! There are some here that I’ve already read and loved, some I’ve heard of that I just haven’t gotten to yet (but now will), and best of all lots of series that weren’t on my radar at all!
I can’t wait to start digging into these. I’ll be reading for years based off this list!
If you like buff guys in war zones I recommend Suzanne Brockmann’s Seal Team 6 series, starting with The Unsung Hero. All of the characters pop in and out of each other’s books as they are, obviously, a team and work together both in the military and later as private security specialists. There’s also a running soap opera subplot between two of the characters that carries on through most of the books as they try to get together but face recurring obstacles.
My husband was a big fan of one of Debbie Macomber’s series — Cold Harbor, I think? It was later made into a TV series on Hallmark Channel.
@Steph:
My best friend who read more contemporary books loves the Blessings Series. I just bought them so I can catch up and see if I like them too. I am a fan of Jenkins’ historical romances, some of which are part of series, but there are often connections between books which aren’t technically part of a series. One example is Always and Forver, which is about a woman who organizes a wagon train of mail-order brides and her wagon master, another book is about the wagonmaster’s brother, and yet another book is about a woman who traveled with the brides, but wasn’t initially planning to be one until two little girls approach her looking for a mama.
I recommend the Destiny, Ohio series by Toni Blake. I just re-read the whole series again last summer, and the first book, One Reckless Summer, is one I re-read from time to time. There’s just something about it I really like. There are seven books and should be read in order as the stories build through the series.
Ooh, I love this trope, and I love so many of the mentioned series.
For series that haven’t been mentioned: I’d toss in Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark, which does really cool stuff about showing characters from different people’s points of view in both positive and negative ways, but the recurring and overlapping characters make the world building feel very real. If that kind of paranormal is to your taste, they’re great. (Maybe skip the first one, though. It’s one of my least favorite.)
It’s also a thing in Cat Sebastian’s Turner series—there are several kinds of familial/found family relationships linking the main characters, and it’s lovely.
Sara Donati’s Wilderness series covers a family over about a quarter century and it takes place mainly in early 19th century New York with important trips to other places.
I immediately thought of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series, in particular books 4 (Drums of Autumn) and later when the books shift gears to North America. I re-read these every few years and am personally always drawn to the everyday interactions between the main characters and members of the community, doing activities together such as gardening, foraging, medical care, spiritual care, community celebrations, etc. I love these small moments, and I also love seeing the characters change and develop over many books.