Order of Book Series
0

Joan Johnston Books in Order

Joan Johnston has written 68 books, published between 1985 and 2020. The first book is A Loving Defiance (1985) and the newest is Winter Magic (2020). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
68
Published
1985–2020
Confirmed
1 of 68 titles
Pages on record
17,441 in 49 of 68 books
Reading time
291–436 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 17,441 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 49 of 68 titles with a page count on record.

See all 68 books in order Printable Joan Johnston checklist

Ranchers, frontier life and women pioneers recur in the subjects of Joan Johnston's books, which cover historical, western and contemporary romance. Johnston, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, is an American romance author. The catalogue lists 68 Johnston books between A Loving Defiance (1985) and Winter Magic (2020), and the run is marked as likely complete. Series include Hawk's Way, Bitter Creek, Benedict Brothers, Captive Hearts, Sisters of the Lone Star and Frontier Brides.

How many Joan Johnston books are there?

Joan Johnston has 68 books, released between 1985 and 2020. They include 8 series and 17 titles listed outside any series.

Joan Johnston Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 68 Joan Johnston books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of A Loving Defiance by Joan Johnston (1985)
  2. Cover of Frontier Woman by Joan Johnston, book 1 of the Sisters Of The Lone Star series (1988)
  3. Cover of Comanche Woman by Joan Johnston, book 2 of the Sisters Of The Lone Star series (1989)
  4. Cover of Texas Woman by Joan Johnston, book 3 of the Sisters Of The Lone Star series (1989)
  5. Cover of Marriage by the Book by Joan Johnston (1989)
  6. Cover of Sweetwater Seduction by Joan Johnston (1990)
  7. Cover of A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing / Hazard Ranch by Joan Johnston, book 1 of the Wolf series (1991)
  8. Cover of The Barefoot Bride by Joan Johnston, book 1 of the Mail Order Brides series (1991)
  9. Cover of Never Tease a Wolf by Joan Johnston, book 2 of the Wolf series (1991)
  10. Cover of A Little Time in Texas / Dallas by Joan Johnston, book 1 of the Hawk's Way series (1992)
  11. Cover of Outlaw's Bride by Joan Johnston, book 2 of the Mail Order Brides series (1993)
  12. Cover of The Rancher and the Runaway Bride / Adam by Joan Johnston, book 3 of the Hawk's Way series (1993)
  13. Cover of The Cowboy and the Princess / Faron by Joan Johnston, book 4 of the Hawk's Way series (1993)
  14. Cover of The Wrangler and the Rich Girl / Garth by Joan Johnston, book 5 of the Hawk's Way series (1993)
  15. Cover of Kid Calhoun by Joan Johnston (1993)
  16. Cover of To Have and to Hold by Joan Johnston (1994)
  17. Cover of A Christmas Together by Joan Johnston (1994)
  18. Cover of The Cowboy Takes a Wife / Carter by Joan Johnston, book 6 of the Hawk's Way series (1994)
  19. Cover of The Inheritance by Joan Johnston, book 1 of the Frontier Brides series (1995)
  20. Cover of Maverick Heart by Joan Johnston, book 2 of the Frontier Brides series (1995)
  21. Cover of Outlaws and Heroes by Joan Johnston (1995)
  22. Cover of The Disobedient Bride / Zach by Joan Johnston, book 9 of the Hawk's Way series (1995)
  23. Cover of I Promise by Joan Johnston (1996)
  24. Cover of The Temporary Groom / Billy by Joan Johnston, book 10 of the Hawk's Way series (1996)
  1. 1
    A Loving Defiance1985 · 311 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1985311
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Colter's Wife1986 · 370 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1986370
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Frontier WomanSisters Of The Lone Star #11988 · 453 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1988453
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Something NewMen at Work #131988 · confirmed 3/4
    1988–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Comanche WomanSisters Of The Lone Star #21989 · 385 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989385
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    Texas WomanSisters Of The Lone Star #31989 · 384 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989384
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    Marriage by the Book1989 · 251 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989251
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Sweetwater Seduction1990 · confirmed 2/4
    1990–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing / Hazard RanchWolf #11991 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1991256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    The Barefoot BrideMail Order Brides #11991 · 400 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1991400
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    Never Tease a WolfWolf #21991 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1991256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    A Little Time in Texas / DallasHawk's Way #11992 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1992256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Honey and the Hired Hand / JesseHawk's Way #21992 · 256 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1992256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    One Simple Wish1993 · confirmed 2/4
    1993–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    Outlaw's BrideMail Order Brides #21993 · 386 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1993386
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    The Rancher and the Runaway Bride / AdamHawk's Way #31993 · confirmed 2/4
    1993–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    The Cowboy and the Princess / FaronHawk's Way #41993 · confirmed 2/4
    1993–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    The Wrangler and the Rich Girl / GarthHawk's Way #51993 · confirmed 2/4
    1993–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Kid Calhoun1993 · 416 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1993416
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    To Have and to Hold1994 · 368 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1994368
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    A Christmas Together1994 · confirmed 2/4
    1994–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    The Cowboy Takes a Wife / CarterHawk's Way #61994 · confirmed 2/4
    1994–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    The Unforgiving Bride / FalconHawk's Way #71994 · 192 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1994192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    The Headstrong Bride / CallenHawk's Way #81994 · 192 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1994192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    The InheritanceFrontier Brides #11995 · 404 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1995404
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Maverick HeartFrontier Brides #21995 · 448 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1995448
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    Outlaws and Heroes1995 · 379 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1995379
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    The Disobedient Bride / ZachHawk's Way #91995 · 184 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1995184
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    CaptiveCaptive Hearts #11996 · 373 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1996373
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    I Promise1996 · 354 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1996354
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Joan Johnston series and characters in order

The character linked below has its own reading-order page.

Joan Johnston books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. A group whose heading is a link has its own reading-order page; the other groups have no page of their own on this site.

Bitter Creek books in order

15 books by Joan Johnston
  1. 1. The Cowboy
  2. 1. The Men of Bitter Creek
  3. 2. The Texan
  4. 3. The Loner
  5. 4. The Price
  6. 5. The Rivals
  7. 6. The Next Mrs. Blackthorne
  8. 7. A Stranger's Game
  9. 8. Shattered
  10. 9. A Bitter Creek Christmas
  11. 10. Sinful
  12. 11. Shameless
  13. and 3 more in the table above

Hawk's Way in order

13 books
  1. 1. A Little Time in Texas / Dallas
  2. 2. Honey and the Hired Hand / Jesse
  3. 3. The Rancher and the Runaway Bride / Adam
  4. 4. The Cowboy and the Princess / Faron
  5. 5. The Wrangler and the Rich Girl / Garth
  6. 6. The Cowboy Takes a Wife / Carter
  7. 7. The Unforgiving Bride / Falcon
  8. 8. The Headstrong Bride / Callen
  9. 9. The Disobedient Bride / Zach
  10. 10. The Temporary Groom / Billy
  11. 11. The Virgin Groom / Mac
  12. 12. The Substitute Groom / Colt
  13. and 1 more in the table above

Captive Hearts in order

4 books
  1. 1. Captive
  2. 2. After the Kiss
  3. 3. The Bodyguard
  4. 4. The Bridegroom

Benedict Brothers in order

4 books
  1. 1. Outcast
  2. 2. Invincible
  3. 3. Watch Out for My Girl
  4. 4. Unforgettable

Bitter Creek: Mail-Order Bride in order

4 books
  1. 1. Texas Bride
  2. 2. Wyoming Bride
  3. 3. Montana Bride
  4. 4. Blackthorne's Bride

Sisters Of The Lone Star in order

3 books
  1. 1. Frontier Woman
  2. 2. Comanche Woman
  3. 3. Texas Woman

Wolf in order

3 books
  1. 1. A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing / Hazard Ranch
  2. 2. Never Tease a Wolf
  3. 3. Big Sky Country

Mail Order Brides in order

2 books
  1. 1. The Barefoot Bride
  2. 2. Outlaw's Bride

Frontier Brides in order

2 books
  1. 1. The Inheritance
  2. 2. Maverick Heart

Men at Work in order

1 book
  1. 13. Something New

Standalone books

17 books

17 Joan Johnston titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read Joan Johnston books in order?

You only need to read Joan Johnston books in order within each series: the books listed here span 8 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Joan Johnston

Start with The Cowboy (2000), the first Bitter Creek book. The earliest catalogued title overall is A Loving Defiance (1985).

What is the newest Joan Johnston book?

Winter Magic (2020) is the newest Joan Johnston book released so far.

Is there a new Joan Johnston book coming?

No next Joan Johnston book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Joan Johnston at a glance

No recent titles
The newest Joan Johnston title on record dates from 2020, 6 years ago. No later title is catalogued.
Release pace
Joan Johnston books have appeared more than one a year on average.
Length
17,441 pages across the 49 of 68 books with a recorded length, a median of 373 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Joan Johnston books, 33 of 68, were published in the 1990s.

What the Joan Johnston books are about

56 of the 68 Joan Johnston books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: romance is tagged on 17 of 56. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.