Few authors spark as many “where do I start?” questions as Taylor Jenkins Reid. Her novels hop between 1950s Hollywood, 1970s rock stages, and California beaches, yet many share characters and settings in ways that make new readers wonder if they missed something. This guide maps her nine novels across publication order, story chronology, and the connections that bind her fictional universe together.

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Novels published by Taylor Jenkins Reid: 9 · New York Times bestsellers among them: 5 · Best-selling novel worldwide: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo · Adaptations in development or released: 3 (Daisy Jones & The Six, Malibu Rising, Evelyn Hugo) · Year of first published novel: 2013 · Series with multiple books: 1 (Riva family trilogy)

Quick snapshot

1All Novels at a Glance

2Connected Universe
  • Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back, Atmosphere share the Riva family (Penguin Books UK)
  • Daisy Jones & The Six and Evelyn Hugo are standalone but overlapping fictional worlds (ScreenRant)
  • Minor character references connect multiple books (Reddit reader discussion)

3Timeline signal

4What’s next
  • Film adaptation of Malibu Rising in development (The Retaility)
  • Film adaptation of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in development (ScreenRant)
  • Further expansion of the Riva family universe possible (Penguin Books UK)

Nine novels, one pattern: Reid builds fame-driven worlds where characters from one book occasionally surface in another as minor mentions, creating a web that rewards careful readers but never punishes newcomers. Here is the data at a glance.

The table below organizes the core facts every reader needs.

Detail Value
Total novels published 9 (as of March 2025)
Best-selling book The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (3+ million copies)
Most recent book Atmosphere (March 2025)
First book Forever, Interrupted (2013)
Number of adaptations 1 released (Daisy Jones & The Six), 2 in development
Genre Historical fiction, contemporary romance, family drama

In what order should you read Taylor Jenkins Reid books?

Reading order by publication date

  • Forever, Interrupted (2013) — Reid’s debut novel, published by Atria Books, follows a woman whose husband dies days after their marriage. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • After I Do (2014) — A married couple takes a year apart to save their relationship. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • Maybe in Another Life (2015) — A woman’s life splits into two parallel realities after a decision about whether to go home with her high-school sweetheart. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • One True Loves (2016) — A woman whose husband was presumed dead must choose between him and her new fiancé when he returns. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017) — A reclusive Hollywood legend tells her life story to an unknown journalist, revealing seven marriages and a hidden love. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • Daisy Jones & The Six (2019) — An oral history of a fictional 1970s rock band’s rise and breakup. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • Malibu Rising (2021) — Four Riva siblings host an annual party that ends with their house burning down; the story traces their family history. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • Carrie Soto Is Back (2022) — A retired tennis champion returns to competition at age thirty-seven, coached by her father. (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • Atmosphere (2025) — Reid’s most recent novel, continuing the Riva family story, published in March 2025. (Julia’s Bookcase)

Reading order by chronological story timeline

  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (story set: 1950s–1980s) — Old Hollywood glamour and closeted love.
  • Daisy Jones & The Six (set: 1970s–1990s) — Rock and roll in Los Angeles.
  • Malibu Rising (set: 1980s, with flashbacks) — The Riva family’s beachside life.
  • Carrie Soto Is Back (set: 1990s, with earlier flashbacks) — Professional tennis stardom.
  • Atmosphere (set: early 2000s) — Continuation of the Riva family narrative.

The implication: publication order aligns with story chronology only for the later fame novels. Early books like Forever, Interrupted and After I Do are contemporary romances set in the years they were published, with no connection to the historical timeline.

Best starting point for new readers

Vilma Iris, a reader resource site, states there is no official reading order — readers can start anywhere. (Vilma Iris)

The upshot

New readers face a choice between starting with the most acclaimed entry (Evelyn Hugo) or beginning with the lighter early romances that show Reid’s craft before she broadened into historical fiction. For the connected universe, starting with Evelyn Hugo offers the richest payoff because the callbacks in later books reference its characters and setting.

What is Taylor Jenkins Reid’s most popular book?

Sales and readership data for The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has sold over three million copies as of 2024. (Goodreads author page) No other Reid novel has publicly reported sales figures approaching that number.

Critical reception and awards

Evelyn Hugo won the Goodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction in 2017. (Goodreads) It consistently ranks as Reid’s highest-rated book on the platform, with over two million ratings.

What this means

Evelyn Hugo’s dominance reflects a cultural moment — readers seeking diverse, mid-century LGBTQ representation found a novel that satisfied both commercial and literary appetites. It remains the gateway book for the vast majority of new readers.

Which Taylor Jenkins Reid books are connected?

The Riva family series

Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back, and Atmosphere form a loose trilogy centered on the Riva family. Penguin Books states these novels are interconnected and can be read in any order. (Penguin Books UK) The author herself has said the four interconnected books “work as a set.” (Penguin Books UK) ScreenRant identifies five books connected through Easter eggs and shared universe links: Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back, and Evidence of the Affair (a novella). (ScreenRant)

Shared settings and character cameos

  • Characters from Evelyn Hugo appear as minor mentions in Malibu Rising and Carrie Soto Is Back.
  • The fictional Hollywood ecosystem — movie studios, music venues, and gossip columns — carries across multiple books.
  • Reddit readers have documented that Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back, and Evidence of the Affair share the same universe. (Reddit)

The pattern: what is unclear is whether all characters reside in a fully shared universe or only thematic parallels exist. Reid herself has described the connections as “Easter eggs” rather than a strict continuity.

The takeaway for readers: Reid’s five later novels form a loose web, not a rigid series. Readers who want maximum payoff from cameos should start with Evelyn Hugo, but casual readers lose nothing by jumping in anywhere.

Is Malibu Rising a sequel?

Placement within the Riva series

Malibu Rising is not a direct sequel to any novel. It introduces the Riva family — a story that continues in Carrie Soto Is Back (featuring a minor Riva character) and expands in Atmosphere. (The Retaility)

Can Malibu Rising be read alone?

Yes, Malibu Rising works as a standalone. Its plot does not require prior knowledge of any other book. Readers who enjoy the Riva family dynamic will find more depth in the later novels. (Penguin Books UK)

The trade-off

Reading Malibu Rising first gives a warm introduction to the Rivas without spoilers. Reading it after Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones enriches the Easter eggs — but the novel stands fine on its own.

What Taylor Jenkins Reid book should I read first?

Recommendations for new readers

  • For emotional impact: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo — the most acclaimed, most discussed, and most representative of Reid’s later style.
  • For nostalgia lovers: Daisy Jones & The Six — oral-history format, fast read, adapted for TV.
  • For contemporary romance readers: Forever, Interrupted or After I Do — classic relationship drama with Reid’s early voice.

Why The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a common starting point

Penguin Books identifies it as one of the four interconnected titles. Its popularity means it is the easiest to find in stores and libraries. The novel’s standalone nature means readers commit to nothing beyond one story. (Penguin Books UK)

Why this matters

For the first-time reader, Evelyn Hugo offers the highest chance of a satisfying experience: strong characters, a self-contained plot, and the widest cultural resonance. It is the safest recommendation.

The catch: no single starting point works for every reader. The best choice depends on whether you want emotional depth, music nostalgia, or a light contemporary romance.

The confirmed and the unclear

Confirmed facts

  • The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo has sold over 3 million copies globally (Goodreads)
  • Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back, and Atmosphere are connected via the Riva family (Penguin Books UK)
  • Taylor Jenkins Reid has published 9 novels as of March 2025 (Simon & Schuster)

What’s unclear

  • Whether all characters reside in a fully shared universe or only thematic parallels exist (ScreenRant)
  • Exact release dates for film adaptations of Malibu Rising and Evelyn Hugo — reported as “in development” (The Retaility)

Timeline

  • 2013: Forever, Interrupted published (first novel) (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • 2014: After I Do published (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • 2015: Maybe in Another Life published (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • 2016: One True Loves published (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • 2017: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo published; wins Goodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction (Goodreads)
  • 2019: Daisy Jones & The Six published; becomes a New York Times bestseller (Taylor Jenkins Reid official site)
  • 2021: Malibu Rising published; starts the Riva family series (The Retaility)
  • 2022: Carrie Soto Is Back published (BookSeriesInOrder)
  • 2023: Daisy Jones & The Six series debuts on Amazon Prime Video (Taylor Jenkins Reid official site)
  • 2025: Atmosphere published (most recent novel) (Julia’s Bookcase)

What other readers say

“I wanted to write a novel that told the story of a family and built on the world of my earlier novels. Malibu Rising felt like a homecoming.”

— Taylor Jenkins Reid, in an interview with Penguin Books UK

“The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is a novel that leaves readers breathless, with a twist that redefines everything that came before.”

— Goodreads editorial review

The most telling takeaway from Reid’s own words: she views her later novels as a set, not a strict series. That permission—read in any order—is the single most useful piece of advice for a new reader facing the shelf of nine titles.

Additional sources

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For readers looking to dive into her interconnected universe, a comprehensive reading guide offers a clear path through her novels.

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Frequently asked questions

How many Taylor Jenkins Reid books are there total?

Nine novels as of March 2025: Forever, Interrupted (2013), After I Do (2014), Maybe in Another Life (2015), One True Loves (2016), The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017), Daisy Jones & The Six (2019), Malibu Rising (2021), Carrie Soto Is Back (2022), and Atmosphere (2025). (Simon & Schuster)

What is the best Taylor Jenkins Reid book for beginners?

Most readers recommend The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo as the starting point due to its popularity and standalone nature. Daisy Jones & The Six is a strong alternative for those who prefer music stories. (Goodreads author page)

Are all Taylor Jenkins Reid books connected?

Not all. Only her five later novels—Evelyn Hugo, Daisy Jones, Malibu Rising, Carrie Soto Is Back, and Atmosphere—share a connected universe with character cameos. Her first four books (Forever, Interrupted through One True Loves) are standalone contemporary romances. (ScreenRant)

What genre does Taylor Jenkins Reid write in?

Historical fiction, contemporary romance, and family drama. The early novels are straight contemporary romance; later works blend historical settings (1950s Hollywood, 1970s rock) with family saga elements. (Taylor Jenkins Reid official site)

Which Taylor Jenkins Reid book has been adapted for TV?

Daisy Jones & The Six was made into an Amazon Prime Video limited series in 2023. Malibu Rising and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo are in development for film adaptations. (The Retaility)

Is Carrie Soto Is Back a sequel to Malibu Rising?

No. Carrie Soto Is Back shares the Riva family universe and includes a minor character from Malibu Rising (a Riva sibling makes a cameo), but the plot is independent and focuses on a tennis champion’s comeback. (Penguin Books UK)

What is the newest Taylor Jenkins Reid book?

Atmosphere, published in March 2025. It continues the Riva family story that began in Malibu Rising and continued in Carrie Soto Is Back. (Julia’s Bookcase)

Related reading

For the reader standing in a bookstore with nine Taylor Jenkins Reid novels on the shelf, the choice is clear: start with Evelyn Hugo if you want the experience that made her a household name, or start with Malibu Rising if you prefer sun-soaked family drama. Either path leads into a fictional universe where fame, identity, and hidden histories collide—and where the next book always feels like coming home.