Ali Hazelwood Books in Order: Where to Start

New to Ali Hazelwood's books? Here's the complete reading order, organized by which "lane" of her writing fits what you're looking for.

7/31/20262 min read

a stack of books next to a cup of coffee
a stack of books next to a cup of coffee

Ali Hazelwood Books in Order: Where to Start

If you've read our Love Hypothesis review and want more, Ali Hazelwood's catalog has grown large enough that "where do I go next" isn't obvious anymore — she now writes across a few genuinely different romance lanes, not just one style. Here's how her books break down, and where to start depending on what you actually want.

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If You Want More STEM Academia Romance (The Love Hypothesis Vibe)

This is Hazelwood's original lane, and the most natural next step if The Love Hypothesis worked for you.

Try next: Love on the Brain — set around a neuroscience project at a space agency, following the same fake-dating-adjacent, grumpy-nerdy chemistry that made her debut work. Then Love, Theoretically, which continues the STEM romance style with a different couple and setting.

Amazon link: Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

Amazon link: Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood

If You Want Shorter, Lower-Commitment Reads

For readers who want a taste of her style without committing to a full novel.

Try: The STEMinist novellas — Under One Roof, Stuck with You, and Below Zero — three shorter stories spotlighting engineers and scientists navigating friendship and career alongside romance. Good for sampling her voice quickly.

Amazon link: The STEMinist Novellas by Ali Hazelwood

If You Want Paranormal Romance Instead of Academia

This is a genuinely different lane — Hazelwood moved into fantasy-adjacent territory with vampires, weres, and political tension layered into the romance.

Try: Bride, followed by its sequel Mate. Note: these two are best read in order, since Mate spoils Bride's outcome. This is the better entry point if you're more interested in fantasy-adjacent romance than academic settings — a good bridge for readers coming from our romantasy recommendations who also want to try Hazelwood's style.

Amazon link: Bride by Ali Hazelwood

Amazon link: Mate by Ali Hazelwood

If You Want Grumpy, Slow-Burn Contemporary Romance

For readers who want Hazelwood's contemporary side without the STEM academia backdrop specifically.

Try: Not in Love, followed by its connected read Problematic Summer Romance. Same note applies here — read them in publication order, since the second spoils the first.

Amazon link: Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood

If You Want Her Spiciest, Most Intense Read

For readers specifically looking for her most explicit content.

Try: Deep End — described by Hazelwood herself as a love letter to 2010s new adult romance, this college sports romance between a platform diver and a swimmer is widely cited as her spiciest book to date. Content warnings apply, including depictions of abuse and difficult themes — check specifics before starting if that matters to you.

Amazon link: Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

If You Want Competitive, High-Tension Romance

For readers who want rivalry and high stakes layered into the central relationship.

Try: Check & Mate — a chess-world romance blending competitive tension with the slow-burn dynamics Hazelwood is known for.

Amazon link: Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

The Simplest Reading Order (If You Just Want One Path)

  1. The Love Hypothesis — the definitive starting point

  2. Love on the Brain or Love, Theoretically — more of the same STEM romance style

  3. Branch based on preference: Bride (paranormal) or Not in Love (contemporary, non-academic)

  4. Deep End or Check & Mate once you know her style works for you and want to explore further

Final Thoughts

Ali Hazelwood's catalog has grown into several distinct lanes — STEM academia, paranormal fantasy-adjacent romance, and grittier contemporary reads — so "start with everything in publication order" isn't actually the most efficient path anymore. Start with what made you curious about her in the first place (the fake dating, the nerdy banter, the grumpy love interests), and branch out from there based on which lane you enjoyed most.