Inked Hearts Books In Order

Publication Order of Inked Hearts Books

The “Inked Hearts” series is a set of new adult romance novels by Crystal Kaswell, a Wall Street Journal, USA Today bestselling author of sexy and fun new adult romances. She made her fiction writing debut with the publishing of “Rouse Me” in 2014. Since then, she has written more than thirty novels in the “Sinful Serenade,” “Dangerous Noise,” “Inked Hearts,” “Dirty Rich,” “Come Undone,” and “Inked Love” series of novels. Her romances have been known for featuring damaged heroes and the strong women who unlock the fiery love inside their hearts. Kaswell has said that she loves tortured heroes, alpha males and bad boys and will sometimes combine all three into one character. Because of this fetish, her readers have dubbed her the queen of broken bad boys. She does love her wounded, sharp and flawed characters and often writes about people struggling with mental illness and addiction.

When Crystal Kaswell is not writing her novels, she loves homemade chai lattes, dark chocolate, tattooed men in skinny jeans and Netflix marathons. Seh is also a diehard fan of Kaniss Everdeen, the present tense and pop punk music. She currently lives with her husband in Portland Oregon from where she writes her novels.

As for reading habits, Crystal does not have any fast rules though she has never been a fan of super alpha heroes. She does love the successful confident man and writes about them all the time in her “Inked Hearts” series. In the series, she writes about men who love to take control inside the bedroom but are not very aggressive or controlling outside of it. She usually combines a submissive heroine and a dominant hero to make for some explosive new romances that often straddle the line of BDSM romance. As a love of friends to lovers stories, this is the preeminent theme of most of the “Inked Hearts” series of novels. The debut novel of the series tells the story of Kaylee, a teenage girl struggling with addiction. She has fallen in love with Brandon, her brother’s best friend who has also fallen for her but is hesitant in doing something about it. In “Playing” we are introduced to Brendon’s friend Walker, a self described philanderer who gets into a friends with benefits relationship with Iris. She is a college student trying to get sober when she finds that her relationship with Walker is turning into something more. In “Pretend You’re Mine” Ryan is getting over betrayal from his girlfriend when he starts falling for Leighton. She is the all round office help that always lusted after him ever since they started working together.

In “Tempting” by Crystal Kaswell, Kay finds herself lusting after Brendon, her older brother’s best friend. On her eighteenth birthday, he does everything to stay away from her even though she is now legal even as she tries everything to let him know about her feelings for him. When her parents have to move to New Jersey to take care of a sick relative, they leave her in the care of Brendon and his sister in California. Knowing Brendon is a tattoo artist, Kay takes a peek into his private tattoo sketches and discovers that he also feels the same about her. She tries to once again let him know that she loves him but does not want to tell him that she looked into his private sketches. When she finally gathers the courage to tell him, he cannot find the words to tell her of his desires and wants. He has very specific sexual desires while she is supposed to be an innocent girl that does not fit the image of the woman that he could want. Even as he struggles with trying to articulate his needs, she has to leave to go see her ailing grandmother in New Jersey.

“Playing” the second novel of the “Inked Hearts” series of novels is the story of Iris and Walker. They have not been looking for commitment but over the years, Walker has become disillusioned with his philandering ways and wants some change. After meeting Iris at a party and having a one night stand, he thinks she is just the type of person he could have a long time thing with. He proposes that they have a friends with benefits relationship and Iris agrees. While they had told themselves that dating was not something either of them wanted, it is not long before feelings are bubbling to the surface and they realize they are falling in love. But they both have issues and Iris does have a huge secret. This results in conflict and anxiety between them that makes for a sweet, sexy and fun story. They try everything not to fall in love but the chemistry wins out in the end resulting in some tender and hot sexy times.

Crystal Kaswell’s “Pretend You’re Mine” goes back to the tattoo shop and the handsome men that keep it ticking over. Ryan is yet to get over the betrayal by his girlfriend even though it has been a year since. The all around office assistant is the feisty woman Leighton who comes with a fiery attitude and punk rock colored hair. Since she started working at the tattoo shop she has lusted after Ryan though he never seems to notice. She had always found it hard trusting anyone since her mother always preferred her alcohol over her. Leighton and Ryan have since become the best of friends at Inked Hearts. When Ryan is invited to the wedding of an ex, Leighton is there to help him completely get over her. She manages to convince Ryan to pretend to be boy and girlfriend to get back at his ex. Leighton uses her social media feeds to let everyone know that they are in a relationship. But what Ryan does not know is that Leighton is falling for him even as he falls for her too. It makes for a roller coaster ride as the two struggle with how to show their true feelings to each other.