Finding the right Michelle Heard reading order feels a bit like trying to navigate a high-stakes mafia peace summit. If you step in the wrong direction, you might not die, but you’ll definitely spoil a major plot twist or wonder why everyone is suddenly terrified of a guy named Nikolai when you haven't met him yet.
Honestly, it’s a lot. She’s incredibly prolific. One minute she’s writing college "Screw Crew" drama, and the next, she’s plunging you into the brutal world of the Bratva and the Italian Mafia.
The biggest mistake readers make is assuming every series is a standalone island. They aren't. While you can technically jump into any book and "get" the romance, the world-building is interconnected. Characters age up. Their kids grow up and become the protagonists of their own dark romances. If you care about the overarching "St. Monarch’s" or "Mafia" timelines, you need a plan.
The Interconnected Mafia World Order
If you’re here for the dark, gritty, "he'd burn the world for her" vibes, you’re looking at her interconnected mafia universe. This is where most people get tripped up because the families overlap across different series.
Basically, the best way to tackle this is chronologically by family generation. It looks like this:
The Saints Series
This is the starting point. It introduces the "founding fathers" of the current book world.
- Merciless Saints (Damien Vetrov)
- Cruel Saints (Lucian Cotroni)
- Ruthless Saints (Carson Koslov)
- Tears of Betrayal (Demitri Vetrov)
- Tears of Salvation (Alexei Koslov)
The Sinners Series
Once you’ve finished the Saints, you move to the Sinners. This series is often the fan favorite and features some of the most "protective" (read: obsessed) heroes Heard has ever written.
- Taken By A Sinner (Nikolas Stathoulis)
- Owned By A Sinner (Liam Byrne)
- Stolen By A Sinner (Gabriel Demir)
- Chosen By A Sinner (Luca Cotroni)
- Captured By A Sinner (Viktor Vetrov)
Corrupted Royals Series
Things get even darker here. This series focuses on the "next generation" heirs. You’ll see familiar last names like Vetrov and De Santis popping up everywhere.
- Destroy Me (Misha Petrov)
- Control Me (Nikolai Vetrov)
- Brutalize Me (Armani De Santis)
- Restrain Me (Maxim Levin)
- Possess Me (Alek Aslanhov)
Why the Mafia order matters
You’ve got to understand that the cameos are the heartbeat of these books. If you read Control Me before the Sinners series, you’re going to see certain older characters in a way that spoils their own hard-won happy endings. It’s sorta like watching the Avengers without seeing the solo movies first. You’ll survive, but the emotional payoff is weaker.
The College and "Heirs" Timeline
Before Michelle Heard went full Mafia, she was known for her "Screw Crew" and college romances. These are lighter—though still plenty steamy—and follow a more traditional contemporary romance structure.
The Enemies to Lovers Series is the foundation here. It's about a group of friends who are, frankly, a bit of a mess.
- Heartless (Carter & Della)
- Reckless (Logan & Mia)
- Careless (Jaxson & Leigh)
- Ruthless (Marcus & Willow)
- Shameless (Rhett & Evie)
Following this, you have the Trinity Academy Series. This moves into the billionaire/college trope territory.
- Falcon
- Mason
- Lake
- Julian
- The Epilogue (Don't skip this; it ties everything together).
Then comes The Heirs. This is a massive 8-book series that follows the children of the characters from the Enemies to Lovers and Trinity Academy books. If you like seeing "the kids all grown up," this is your bread and butter. It includes titles like Coldhearted Heir, Arrogant Heir, and Defiant Heir.
The 2026 Perspective: Kings of Mafia
As of 2026, the current obsession for many readers is the Kings of Mafia series. This is a sprawling saga that Michelle has been expanding rapidly.
If you are just starting this specific series, follow this path:
- Tempted By The Devil (2023)
- Craving Danger (2023)
- Hunted By A Shadow (2024)
- Drawn To Darkness (2024)
- God Of Vengeance (2024)
- Craving Revenge (2025)
- Forceful God (2026)
- Possessive Enemy (2026)
- Vicious Devil (2026)
- Saved By A God (2026)
This series is less about "college sweethearts" and much more about the brutal, power-hungry leaders of the underworld. It’s high-octane. It’s gritty. It’s exactly what her long-time fans have come to expect.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think the Mafia Empire series (the ones with the tarot card titles like The Hermit, The High Priestess, and Death) is totally separate.
It isn't.
While they are labeled as standalones, they exist in the same ecosystem. If you want a complete experience, I'd actually recommend reading the Mafia Empire books right after the Saints series but before Corrupted Royals. It helps flesh out the global politics of her fictional underworld.
Actionable Next Steps for Your TBR
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don't try to read all 40+ books in one go. Pick a "flavor" and stick to it first.
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- For the "Dark & Dangerous" fix: Start with Merciless Saints. It’s the gateway drug to the Vetrov family.
- For the "College Drama" fix: Start with Heartless. It’s a classic enemies-to-lovers trope that sets up the whole "Screw Crew" dynamic.
- For the "Obsessive Alpha" fix: Go straight to Taken By A Sinner. You can read the Sinners series largely on its own if you don't mind a few minor spoilers for the Saints.
Check your triggers before diving in. Michelle Heard writes "dark" romance, and she doesn't pull punches when it comes to the violence of the mafia world or the intensity of the relationships. Once you pick a series, stay within that series until the end to keep the character arcs fresh in your mind.