Let’s be real. Anna Todd’s universe is a lot. What started as Harry Styles fanfiction on Wattpad back in 2013 turned into a global phenomenon that essentially redefined how the publishing industry looks at internet writers. If you’re trying to figure out the after series in order, you aren't just looking for a list of dates. You’re looking for a roadmap through one of the most polarizing, chaotic, and addictive toxic-romance sagas ever written.
Hardin Scott and Tessa Young. Hessa.
People love them. People hate them. People write 5,000-word essays about why their relationship is a walking red flag. But regardless of where you stand, there is a very specific way you need to consume this story if you want the full emotional weight—or the full context of why Hardin is the way he is. You can’t just jump in anywhere.
The Publishing Path: How to Read the After Series in Order
If you’re a purist, you go by the release dates. This is how most of us experienced the "Hessa" burnout in real-time.
First, you have After. This is the hook. Tessa is the "good girl" with the boring boyfriend and the overbearing mother. Then she meets Hardin at college. He’s got the tattoos, the British accent, and enough emotional baggage to fill a Boeing 747. It’s a mess. It’s a literal car crash of a relationship, but you can’t look away.
Then comes After We Collided. This is usually where readers realize that the "happily ever after" isn't coming anytime soon. The drama ramps up. The secrets get darker. Honestly, the pacing in this second book is what kept the series alive on Wattpad; it’s relentless.
Third is After We Fell. By this point, the stakes move beyond just "will they, won't they" and start involving massive family revelations. If you think your family is dysfunctional, reading about Hardin’s dad or Tessa’s dad will make you feel like you live in a Hallmark movie.
Finally, the main timeline wraps up with After Ever Happy. This book covers a massive amount of time. We’re talking years. Decades. It attempts to tie up the loose ends of a relationship that has been through more trauma than most people experience in three lifetimes.
But wait. There’s a prequel.
Before is the fifth book published, but it’s a prequel. It’s Hardin’s POV. Now, here is the nuance: do you read it first? No. Absolutely not. If you read Before first, you ruin the mystery of Hardin’s character in the first book. You need to see him through Tessa’s confused, frustrated eyes before you get inside his head.
Wait, What About the Landon Spin-offs?
If you’ve finished the after series in order and you still have a thirst for this universe, Anna Todd didn’t leave you hanging. She moved on to Landon Gibson.
Landon is the moral compass of the series. He’s the guy who actually has his life together, which, in the context of this series, makes him a bit of an anomaly.
- Nothing More
- Nothing Less
These two books take place in New York. They happen chronologically during the later parts of the After timeline, but they function as their own duology. You should read these after After Ever Happy because they provide a nice "cool down" from the Hardin/Tessa intensity.
The Movie vs. Book Disconnect
We have to talk about the movies. Because "watching" the after series in order is a completely different experience than reading it.
The movies—starring Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin—had to sanitize a lot. The books are gritty. They are long. They are explicit. The movies? They’re more like a fever dream of the books.
There is also a significant change in the later films. After Everything (the fifth movie) doesn't actually have a direct book counterpart. It was created to wrap up Hardin’s journey in a way the films felt was necessary. If you are a book fan, After Everything might feel a little jarring because it deviates so heavily from the source material.
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- After (2019)
- After We Collided (2020)
- After We Fell (2021)
- After Ever Happy (2022)
- After Everything (2023)
Interestingly, the films swapped directors and even some cast members (like Landon) halfway through. It makes the "order" feel a bit disjointed if you're watching them back-to-back.
Why the Chronological Order is a Trap
Some people suggest reading the after series in order starting with Before. Don't do it.
Chronological order is for second-time readers. For your first time through, you need the "Release Order." Why? Because Todd wrote Before as a response to the fans' questions. It’s meta. It addresses the "why" behind Hardin’s actions in the first four books. If you know the "why" before you see the "what," the tension evaporates.
Hardin is supposed to be an enigma. He’s supposed to be frustrating. If you know his childhood trauma in detail before Tessa even meets him in that dorm room, you’ll find yourself pitying him too early. The tension of the first book relies on you being just as lost as Tessa is.
The Cultural Impact of a Wattpad Story
It’s easy to dismiss these books. Critics do it all the time. But you can't ignore the numbers. Anna Todd was a military wife writing on her phone while her husband was deployed. She wrote over a million words.
The after series in order represents a shift in how stories are told. It’s "prosumer" culture—where the consumer becomes the producer. The reason the books are so long (and sometimes repetitive) is that they were written as daily installments. Fans would comment, and Todd would react. It was a living, breathing story.
When you read them now, in their polished, published form, you can still feel that frantic, "what happens next?" energy that kept millions of people hitting "refresh" on their browsers in 2013.
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Is it Actually "Toxic"?
Let’s address the elephant in the room. This series is often criticized for glamorizing a toxic relationship.
Honestly? It does. And it doesn't.
Hardin Scott is not a "book boyfriend" in the traditional sense. He’s manipulative, he has anger issues, and he’s incredibly codependent. Tessa isn't a saint, either; she becomes a shell of herself for a long time trying to "fix" him.
However, the reason people keep reading the after series in order is that it feels honest about how messy young love can be. It’s not a manual on how to date; it’s a portrait of two broken people crashing into each other. If you go into it expecting a healthy, stable romance, you’re going to be disappointed. If you go into it expecting a soap opera that doesn’t pull its punches, you’ll get it.
Your Actionable Roadmap
If you are ready to dive in, here is the definitive way to do it.
Start with the books. Seriously. The movies are fun, but the books have the internal monologues that make the characters' decisions (however questionable) make sense.
The Recommended Reading Sequence:
- After: Get through the initial shock of the bet. Yes, there's a bet. It’s a classic trope, but Todd leans into it hard.
- After We Collided: Prepare for the introduction of Trevor. He’s the "sensible" choice, and he provides a much-needed contrast to Hardin.
- After We Fell: This is the longest one. Pace yourself. This is where the international travel and the "big secret" about Hardin’s family come into play.
- After Ever Happy: Read this with a box of tissues. It covers a lot of ground—almost too much ground—but it’s the closure you’ll need.
- Before: Use this as an "encore." It’ll change how you see the first book, which makes it great for a re-read.
After you finish the main five, decide if you actually like Landon. If you do, grab Nothing More and Nothing Less. They are much lighter in tone and offer a nice break from the Hardin/Tessa intensity.
The biggest mistake readers make is trying to rush through. These books are massive. After We Fell alone is a mountain. Take your time. Let the drama breathe. Whether you end up loving Hardin Scott or wanting to launch the book across the room, the journey through the after series in order is a rite of passage for modern romance readers.
Just remember: it’s okay to acknowledge that Hardin needs therapy. In fact, it’s probably the most "expert" take you can have on the series.
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Enjoy the chaos.
Next Steps for New Readers:
Check your local library or Kindle Unlimited. Most of these titles are frequently available on digital platforms. If you're starting the movies, keep a notepad to track the cast changes between the second and third films—it gets confusing fast.