The Complete List Of Nora Roberts Books In Order

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American author Nora Roberts has been churning out popular romance fiction since her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published back in 1981.

But Roberts wasn’t always a writer; it was only after being locked inside with her family during a 1979 snowstorm that she first decided to try her hand at fiction, and less than two years later, her first novel was published. Within the two years that followed her debut, she’d released a further five books, and that was just the beginning of her prolific career.

Today, she has more than 240 novels to her name, making her one of the most published authors of all time. She routinely releases multiple titles each year, some standalone, and many as part of a wider series.

Roberts’ main genre is romance, but she’s more than just a one-trick pony. Her books frequently include elements of fantasy, suspense, and even science fiction, for example, in her popular ‘In Death’ series, which she writes under the pen name J.D Robb. Even within Roberts’ classic romantic fiction, there’s a huge variety, from hot and steamy affairs to sweet, sensual love stories and everything in between.

And while Nora Roberts has authored an incredible amount of novels over the years, she’s all about quality, not just quantity. She’s been a regular feature on the New York Times Bestsellers list throughout her long career, with almost every book she’s published claiming a chart-topping spot. Her astounding success even saw her become the first-ever author to enter the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame.

Table of Contents

Complete List Of Nora Roberts Books In Order Of Publication

As I’ve mentioned, Nora Roberts is a workhorse when it comes to penning bestselling novels, and so her bibliography is pretty long.

To help you get an idea of this author’s abundant back catalog, I’ll include a complete list of every single Nora Roberts title in the order they were published. Then, I’ll also show you the reading order of some of her most popular trilogies and series, so you can follow along from book to book.

Before we begin, it’s worth noting that while most of Roberts’ books are published under her real name, she’s also written under several pseudonyms too.

She goes by the pen name J. D. Robb in her hugely successful ‘In Death’ series, and she uses the pseudonyms Jill March and Sarah Hardesty for her ‘Melodies of Love’ and ‘Born In’ series.

The lists below include all Nora Roberts’ titles, including those published under her other names.

IMAGEBOOK NAMEFEATURESPRICE
Irish Thoroughbred• Publication date: March 4, 2021
• Print length: 189
• Author: Nora Roberts
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The Law is a Lady• Publication date: September 1, 2011
• Print length: 336 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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The Playboy Prince • Publication date: January 1, 2014
• Print length: 320 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Without a Trace • Publication date: October 11, 2011
• Print length: 560 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Falling for Rachel • Publication date: September 1, 2012
• Print length: 300 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Megan's Mate• Publication date:March 10, 2016
• Print length: 320 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Inner Harbor• Publication date: March 4, 2010
• Print length: 384 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Chesapeake Blue• Publication date: April 1, 2010
• Print length: 368 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Black Rose• Publication date: February 4, 2014
• Print length:384 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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The Hollow
• Publication date: April 23, 2019
• Print length: 336 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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The Next Always
• Publication date: November 1, 2011
• Print length: 562 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Shadow Spell• Publication date: August 9, 2022
• Print length: 352 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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Year One
• Publication date: December 5, 2017
• Print length: 432 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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An Irish Wish
• Publication date: December 29, 2020
• Print length: 448 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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2021: Nora 'The Becoming'
• Publication date: November 23, 2021
• Print length: 448 pages
• Author: Nora Roberts
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1. 1981: Nora The Debutant And The Famous One

Irish Thoroughbred
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This is the year that Nora Roberts first hit the literary scene, and she did it with a bang. Her 200-page debut novel was originally published as a category romance to be sold for just one month, but it quickly became a sensation and was re-released as a standalone.

Since then, it’s gone on to sell millions of copies worldwide.

In the years to come, Roberts would revisit the story to write two sequels, forming the much-loved Irish Hearts trilogy.

2. 1982: Nora The Rising Star

Song of the west
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In 1982, Roberts really found her stride and began a habit of a lifetime by publishing multiple books in the space of just one year.

3. 1983: Nora The Prolific

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With eight novels in just 365 days, this was Roberts’ most prolific year so far. It was also the year that she first began to dabble in plot continuation, with the connecting storylines of ‘Reflections‘ and ‘Dance of Dreams‘.

4. 1984: Nora The Record Breaker 

The law is a  Lady
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Roberts broke her own publishing record and hit double figures this year, all with standalone novels.

5. 1985: Nora The Series Writer 

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In 1985, Roberts matched her previous year with another ten novels.

The first four books, ‘ Playing the Odds,’ ‘Tempting Fate,’ ‘All the Possibilities,’ and ‘One Man’s Art‘ form the beginnings of the beloved MacGregors series.

This was the author’s first attempt at writing a series, and it just so happened to be one of the most successful of her entire career. 

6. 1986: Nora The Brand Maker – Introduction Of The Cordina’s Royal Family Series

Risky Business
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1986 was all about follow-up novels. The story of ‘Second Nature’ continues into ‘One Summer,’ and last year’s ‘Summer Desserts‘ is revisited in ‘Lessons Learned.’

Affaire Royale‘ was also the birth of a brand new series, ‘Cordina’s Royal Family.’

7. 1987: Nora The Series Maker  

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Cordina’s Royal Family‘ continues with ‘Command Performance‘ and ‘The Playboy Prince.’ Plus, ‘The MacGregors‘ series is also updated with ‘For Now Forever‘.

8. 1988: Nora And The Irish Trilogy 

Irish Rose
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This year, the 1987 title ‘Sacred Sins‘ is followed up with ‘Brazen Virtue.’

Roberts also revisited her incredible 1981 debut, ‘Irish Thoroughbred,’ with a second installment, ‘Irish Rose,’ that would go on to form part of the ‘Irish Hearts‘ trilogy. 

9. 1989: Nora The Genre Maker 

Gabriel's Angel
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Although they’re not part of an official series, the first three novels of 1989, ‘Loving Jack,’ ‘Best Laid Plans,’ and ‘Lawless,’ are connected and intended to be read in succession. 

10. 1990: Nora With ‘The Stanislaskis’

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Nora Roberts slowed down a little in 1990, only (only!) publishing five titles. But this was the year that her six-part series, ‘The Stanislaskis,’ was born, with the book ‘Taming Natasha.’ 

11. 1991: Nora The Feminist

Night Shift
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In 1991, Roberts celebrated her first of many appearances on the New York Times Bestseller List.

She also debuted her successful five-part ‘Calhoun Women‘ series, with the titles’ Courting Catherine,’ ‘A Man for Amanda,’ ‘For the Love of Lilah,’ and ‘Suzanna’s Surrender.

Four of the five books hit the shelves that year, but the fifth and final installment wouldn’t be published until almost half a decade later. 

Also Read: 7 Great Christian Romance Novels to Read

12. 1992: Nora The RITA Awardee 

Honest Illusions
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In 1992, Roberts collected a RITA Award for Best Romantic Suspense for the previous year’s smash hit ‘Night Shift.

Her new books included the first three of four books in the ‘Donovan Legacy‘ series, with the titles ‘Captivated,’Entranced,’ and ‘Charmed.’

13. 1993: Nora The Romantic

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With just three books published in 1993, it was Roberts’ slowest output since her 1981 debut.

But this was also the year that she bagged a second RITA Award in the Best Romantic Suspense category for the 1991 smash hit, ‘Night Shift’.

14. 1994: Nora’s ‘Private Scandal,’ ‘Born In,’ and the ‘Nightshade’  

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The RITA Awards continued to flow, as Roberts took Best Romantic Suspense and Best Contemporary Single Title for her books ‘Nightshade’ and ‘Private Scandal.’

This year’s ‘Born in Fire’ was also the beginning of her famous ‘Born In’ trilogy.

15. 1995: Nora as J.D. Robb 

Born In Ice
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Nora Roberts’ output was so prolific that she and her publishers decided it was best for her to adopt a new pseudonym. So, using the first initials of her son’s names and shortening her own surname, she began writing her romantic suspense titles under the pen name J.D. Robb.

From this, her futuristic science fiction ‘In Death’ saga was born, which would go on to become one of her most unique and beloved collections.

Another new series entitled ‘The MacKade Brothers’ also emerged with the books ‘The Return of Rafe MacKade’ and ‘The Pride of Jared MacKade,’ plus, the ‘Born In’ trilogy was updated with ‘Born in Ice.’

This year Roberts reached her biggest career milestone yet with her 100th book, ‘Montana Sky,’ which shot straight onto the hardcover bestseller lists.

16. 1996: Nora’s Century 

Megan's Mate
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‘Born In Shame’ was also published, completing the ‘Born in Trilogy,’ and ‘The MacKade’ series continued with ‘The Heart of Devin MacKade’ and ‘The Fall of Shane MacKade.’

Plus, J.D. Robb made another appearance with ‘Immortal in Death’ and ‘Rapture in Death,’ making up books 3 and 4 of the ‘In Death’ series.

Also Read: The 8 Best Young Adult Romance Books

17. 1997: Nora’s Stint With Scandal  

holding the dream
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Looking back, we can see that Nora Roberts was only just getting started with her long and prolific career. Still, this year she went on to claim the Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award after writing more successful books in just over a decade than most authors manage in a lifetime.

But 1997 also saw the rise of a scandal, when Roberts discovered that her fellow best-selling romance author Janet Dailey had been stealing her work and passing it off as her own.

It seemed that Dailey had taken more than a little inspiration for her aptly named book ‘Notorious,’ from Roberts’ 1988 title ‘Sweet Revenge.’ A lawsuit followed, and Roberts used her winning settlement to help literary charities across America. 

18. 1998: Nora The Best Seller 

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Nora Roberts’ career went from strength to strength this year, with her novel ‘Rising Tides,’ heading straight to number 1 of the New York Times Bestsellers list.

The title also formed the second installment of the popular ‘Chesapeake Bay Saga.’

19. 1999: Nora Again – Making in the New York Times Bestseller List 

INNER HARBOUR
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Just when it seemed that Nora Roberts’ career couldn’t possibly get any better, in 1999, she found herself as the author behind four of the five USA Today Best Selling Romance novels that year.

She’d cornered the market and taken over, and from then on, there was no stopping her. In the years that have followed, every single one of her subsequent releases has made the New York Times Bestsellers List. 

1999 was also the year a new series entitled ‘Gallaghers of Ardmore’ was born, with the book ‘Jewels of the Sun.’

20. 2000: Nora The Novel Churner 

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This was the year that the popular four-part ‘Night Tales’ series concluded, with the final book, ‘Night Shield.’

‘Heart of the Sea’ also marked the end of the ‘Gallaghers of Ardmore’ trilogy, and ‘Irish Rebel’ wrapped up the ‘Irish Hearts’ saga. 

But when one door closes, another one opens, and there were plenty more new ideas forming in Roberts’ mind, as we’re about to find out.

Also Read: 26 of the Best Romance Books for Teens

21. 2001: Nora’s ‘Dance Upon the Air’  

2001 Nora's 'Dance Upon the Air' 
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A new millennium marked the start of a brand new series, with the release of ‘Dance Upon the Air.’ This book would later go on to form what is arguably one of Roberts’ most beloved collections; the “Three Sisters Island” trilogy.

22. 2002: Nora’s Two-in-One – ‘Second Nature,’ and ‘One Summer’

Chesapeake Blue
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In 2002, Roberts’ publishers delighted fans with a two-in-one reissuing of her 1986 hit titles’ Second Nature’ and ‘One Summer.’ 

This was also the year in which the popular “Cordina’s Royal Family” series concluded with the release of ‘Cordina’s Crown Jewel.’

23. 2003: Nora with ‘The Key’

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 2003 brought the fast and furious release of ‘The Key’ trilogy.  

Just a month after the first book, ‘Key of Knowledge’ was published in November of that year, the second installment, ‘ Key of Light,’ hit the shelves. Fast forward another month into January 2004, and the third and final volume, ‘Key of Valor,’ was released.

This quick succession made Roberts one of just a handful of authors to ever hold three consecutive titles on the New York Time Best Sellers list at the same time. 

24. 2004: Nora’s ‘Remember When’ and ‘Birthright’

Remember When
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It’s another year and another bestseller for Roberts, whose first chart success of 2004 came with ‘Divided in Death.’ This marked the nineteenth novel in the ‘In Death’ series, which is still going strong today.

She also took home two more RITA awards for her 2003 titles ‘Remember When’ and ‘Birthright.’

25. 2005: Nora ‘In the Garden’

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Roberts’ final book of last year, ‘Blue Dahlia,’ is followed up with ‘Black Rose’ and ‘Red Lily’ to form the ‘In the Garden’ trilogy.

The author had also been busy writing under her pseudonym J.D. Robb. She released two more books in the ‘In Death’ series that year; ‘Survivor in Death’ and ‘Origin in Death.’

26. 2006: Nora’s Quill Award for Romance And the Fantasy Saga 

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In the very same year it was published, Roberts’ book “Angels Fall” went on to win the Quill Award for Romance and was even crowned Book of the Year. Plus, as J.D. She also took home another RITA award for last year’s ‘Survivor in Death.’

And if she wasn’t busy enough, in 2006, Roberts published an entire trilogy ‘The Circle,’ in the space of just one year. This fantasy romance saga comprises ‘Morrigan’s Cross,’ ‘Dance of the Gods,’ and ‘Valley of Silence.’

27. 2007: Nora The Influencer

High Noon
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This was an even bigger year of achievement for Roberts than usual. First, TIME magazine named her one of their 100 Most Influential People alongside just one other author, the legendary David Mitchell.

Then, Lifetime Television adapted four of Roberts’ popular novels; ‘Angels Fall,’ ‘Montana Sky,’ ‘Blue Smoke,’ and ‘Carolina Moon’ into TV movies. It wasn’t the first time the author’s work had been picked up by Lifetime, but it was the first time they’d adapted multiple works by the same author and aired them in succession.

 And as it turns out, Roberts’ entry into the world of film was only just beginning. 

28. 2008: Nora as the Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award

The Hollow
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Remember the Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award that Roberts picked up back in 1997? Well, in 2008, the accolade was renamed the Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, a pretty huge honor by anyone’s measure. 

But of course, the author wasn’t just collecting awards. She was penning more bestsellers, including the follow-up books to the ‘Sign of Seven’ trilogy, which began a year earlier with ‘Blood Brothers.’

The Hollow’ and ‘The Pagan Stone’ completed this short series and marked another quick succession chart-topping trilogy that fans adored.

29. 2009: Nora’s 400 Million Copies

Vision in White
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In 2009, Lifetime Television picked up four more of Roberts’ novels, ‘Northern Lights,’ ‘Midnight Bayou,’ ‘High Noon,’ and ‘Tribute,’ and adapted them into TV movies. 

The author also took home yet another RITA award, again for her novel ‘Tribute.’ 

But most notably, in January that year, Nora Roberts reached the phenomenal milestone of having more than 400 million copies of her books in print worldwide

Also Read: 8 of the Most Stunning Historical Romance Novels of All Time

30. 2010: Nora’s Novel Churning Continues

Savor the Moment
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Last year, against a backdrop of achievement and success, Roberts introduced the first two books in the four-part series, ‘The Bride Quartet.’

In 2010, she concluded the story laid out in ‘Vision in White’ and ‘Bed of Roses’ with the final two installments of the series, ‘Savor the Moment’ and ‘Happy Ever After.’ 

31. 2011: Nora in ‘Inn Boonsboro’

The Next Always
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‘The Next Always’ marks the start of the authors’ popular ‘Inn Boonsboro’ series, which is set in the very inn she owns in her home state of Maryland. Predictably, it was a huge success and joined her countless other novels in the New York Times Best Sellers charts.

32. 2012: Nora And the Second Century

The Witness
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In 2012, the release of ‘The Witness’ marked Roberts’ 200th novel.

In the same year, she became the first person in history to be awarded a staggering 21 RITAs, after winning yet again with her previous year’s bestseller, ‘New York to Dallas.’ From that moment onwards, she became the Romance Writers of America’s most celebrated romance author of all time.

Meanwhile, ‘The Inn Boonsboro’ series continued with ‘The Last Boyfriend’ and ‘The Perfect Hope,’ and the ‘In Death’ saga was also still going strong, with ‘Delusion In Death’ marking the 35th installment in the series. 

33. 2013: Nora’s Short Stories

Whiskey Beach
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‘Dark Witch’ marks the start of another new trilogy, ‘The Cousins O’Dwyer.’ Plus, Roberts joins forces with her fellow authors to produce the short story collection ‘Mirror, Mirror’ under her pen name J.D. Robb

34. 2014: Nora’s ‘Cousins O’Dwyer’

Shadow Spell
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True to form, Roberts wasted no time in concluding her latest series, the ‘Cousins O’Dwyer’ trilogy, with the final two books, ‘Shadow Spell’ and ‘Blood Magick’ released in 2014.

35. 2015: Nora’s Romance With Paranormal 

The Liar
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More than two decades after the first book was published, the ‘In Death’ series reached its 40th installment with ‘Obsession in Death.’ This milestone coincided with the start of a new paranormal romance trilogy entitled ‘The Guardians’, of which the first book is ‘Stars of Fortune.’

36. 2016: Nora’s ‘Guardians’ Trilogy

Bay of Sighs
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To the surprise of no one, Roberts wrapped up her ‘Guardians’ trilogy in less than 12 months, with the final two installments ‘Bay of Sighs’ and ‘Island of Glass.’

Also Read: 9 Fantasy Romance Books Every Fantasy Lover Must Read

37. 2017: Nora’s History With Mystery 

Year One
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This was another milestone year for Roberts as the release of her standalone mystery romance ‘Come Sundown’ marked her 222nd book, an unbelievable feat for any author. 

38. 2018: Nora’s ‘Chronicles of One’

Of Blood and Bone
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A year earlier, Roberts had released the first installment of what would become the hugely popular ‘Chronicles of One’ series, and 2018 brought us the second book, ‘Of Blood and Bone.’

This post-apocalyptic saga was a fascinating departure from many of her usual romance trilogies, and by this point, fans were well and truly hooked.

Meanwhile, the ‘In Death’ series continued at its usual two books per year pace, with new titles’ Dark in Death‘ and ‘Leverage in Death.’ 

39. 2019: Nora – The Victim of Plagiarism 

Born in fire
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This year, ‘The Rise of the Magicks’ concluded the gripping ‘Chronicles of One’ trilogy, with fans going crazy over what many of them called ‘the perfect ending.’

But behind the scenes, Nora Roberts was again the victim of a plagiarism scandal; this time, the perpetrator was the Brazilian romance writer Cristiane Serruya.

Roberts wasn’t the only one Serruya had been imitating; there were 41 authors involved in the case in total. And like the previous lawsuit, Roberts vowed to donate her pay-out to literary charities, this time in Serruya’s homeland of Brazil. 

40. 2020: Nora In the Pandemic With ‘And Irish Wish’

An Irish Wish
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Despite the global pandemic, Roberts continued to produce her usual quota of books in 2020, including the much anticipated, hot, and heavy romance, ‘An Irish Wish.’

Plus, fans of ‘In Death’ got their usual two new releases, with ‘Golden in Death’ and ‘Shadows in Death.’ 

41. 2021: Nora ‘The Becoming’

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Last year’s ‘The Awakening’ saw the start of the ‘Dragon Heart Legacy’ series: a captivating blend of romance and fantasy. In 2021, Roberts released the follow-up title, ‘The Becoming,’ which received just as glittering a reception as the first installment. 

42. 2022: Nora ‘Abandoned in Death’

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At the time of writing this post, we’re only part way through 2022, but so far, Roberts hasn’t disappointed her fans. She’s already published the first of two ‘In Death’ books, ‘Abandoned in Death,’ and the second is due to hit the shelves in September. 

The final installment of the ‘Dragon Heart Legacy’ entitled ‘The Choice’ is set to be released in November, so watch this space to see how this captivating series ends. 

Plus, Roberts also has a brand new standalone novel entitled ‘Nightwork,’ which is due to be published later this Spring. 

Nora Roberts Series

Throughout her long and fruitful career, Nora Roberts has written over thirty popular series. There are far too many to list in this post, but here are some of her fan’s favorites. 

1. The Bride Quartet Series

Bed Of Roses
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Arguably Nora Roberts’ most popular series to date, these books follow four friends trying to make it in the cut-throat world of wedding planning. 

2. The Chesapeake Bay Saga

Rising Tides
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This collection of novels is set close to Roberts’ own hometown, on the picturesque shores of Chesapeake Bay. 

3. The Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy 

For the love of Lilah
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The classic Nora Roberts trilogy is inspired by the historic Maryland inn she owns. 

4. The Three Sisters Island Trilogy

Dance Upon the Air
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Fantasy abounds in this captivating trilogy about three witches who escape Salem only to find a new form of evil on the island home they create. 

5. The In Death Series

naked in death
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Nora Roberts uses her pseudonym J.D. Robb in this hugely popular long-running series which combines romance with mystery, crime, and suspense.

6. Short Stories and Novellas from the In Death Series

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7. The Concannon Sisters Trilogy 

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Roberts transports us to the lush Irish landscape in this romance saga starring three sisters with very little in common. 

8. The Chronicles of The One Trilogy

The Rise of Magicks 
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This thrilling series ditches the romance for a post-apocalyptic supernatural journey into the unknown.

Conclusion

Nora Roberts’ career has spanned decades, and she’s produced an incredible number of bestselling novels in her years as an author. Even to this day, she’s still going strong, so keep a lookout for her upcoming releases.

If you love Nora Roberts’ books and you’re looking for something new to try, authors like Jasmine Guillory, Alisha Rai, and Jackie Lau might be just what you’re looking for. 

And if you love Robert’s captivating blend of romance and fantasy, check out our HTB guide to the best fantasy romance books out now. 

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