Pennyroyal Green Books in Order
How to Read the Pennyroyal Green series
Standalone stories, but characters and relationships develop across the series.
The series is best read in chronological (and publication) order. While each novel delivers a complete, satisfying romance with its own resolution—allowing enjoyable standalone experiences—the overarching family saga, recurring characters, and evolving town dynamics reward sequential reading. Early books establish the Eversea-Redmond tension and introduce key figures whose lives echo in later stories; skipping ahead misses emotional callbacks, the weight of shared history, and the gradual resolution of the legendary curse-like attraction between the families.
About the Pennyroyal Green series
Series Premise
The core premise revolves around the longstanding feud between two prominent families—the Everseas and the Redmonds—who dominate the small town of Pennyroyal Green. On the surface, relations are civil, even polite, but centuries of secrets, grudges, and simmering attractions lie beneath. An old legend whispers that once per generation, a Redmond and an Eversea are fated to fall disastrously in love, adding mythic tension to the rivalries. Individual tales feature residents—often from these families or their circles—navigating scandals, forbidden desires, societal expectations, and personal demons. Heroes and heroines clash with pride, class barriers, or past betrayals before surrendering to irresistible passion, frequently with a dash of adventure, mystery, or social maneuvering. The series celebrates how love can bridge divides, heal old wounds, and upend rigid traditions in a world of ballrooms, country estates, and village gossip.
Main Characters
The series thrives on its ensemble, with no single protagonist dominating. The Eversea family—bold, charismatic, and scandal-prone—includes roguish Colin, fiery Olivia, and their siblings who embody charm and defiance. The Redmonds—more reserved, ambitious, and duty-bound—feature driven Lyon, elegant Jonathan, and others who grapple with expectation and passion. Key recurring figures include the two patriarchs whose rivalry fuels the town, wise matriarchs who meddle with affection, loyal friends and servants who offer comic relief or sage counsel, and a rotating cast of locals whose lives intersect in delightfully tangled ways. These characters feel vividly alive, their quirks and kindnesses enriching every scene and creating a true sense of community.
Setting
The setting is the idyllic yet gossipy village of Pennyroyal Green in Sussex, England—a picturesque Regency-era hamlet of thatched cottages, rolling green hills, ancient churches, and grand estates. Anchored by the rival Eversea and Redmond houses—opulent seats of power and pride—the town buzzes with local events, seasonal fairs, and the constant hum of neighborly intrigue. London occasionally intrudes with its glittering balls and scandals, but the heart remains in Pennyroyal Green's intimate, interconnected world, where reputations rise and fall on whispers and everyone knows (or thinks they know) everyone else's secrets.
Tone & Themes
The tone is clever, sensual, and warmly humorous—Regency romance at its most engaging, with sparkling dialogue, slow-burn tension, and steamy undercurrents balanced by emotional authenticity. Long excels at witty banter and ironic observations of ton life, while infusing vulnerability and quiet intensity into her love stories. Themes center on redemption through love, defying societal constraints, the transformative power of vulnerability, forgiveness across generational divides, the clash between duty and desire, and the quiet courage required to claim happiness. Rivalry gives way to understanding, pride softens into devotion, and love proves stronger than ancient feuds.
In the end, the Pennyroyal Green series is a joyful celebration of love's triumph over rivalry and restraint. Julie Anne Long crafts a world where sharp wit meets deep heart, where feuding families discover unity in passion, and where every stolen glance and whispered confession builds toward something enduring. For readers who adore Regency romance laced with humor, heat, and humanity, Pennyroyal Green beckons like a Sussex sunset over green hills—warm, inviting, and brimming with the promise of happily-ever-after.
FAQ
13 books total: 12 main + 1 extra story
No new book in the series is currently scheduled. The latest book, Isaiah & Isolde, was published in June 2025.
Isaiah & Isolde was published in June 2025.
The first book in the series is The Perils of Pleasure, published in February 2008.
The series primarily falls into the Historical Romance genre.
It’s best to read the series in order. Each book has its own story, but ongoing character arcs and relationships develop across the series.
The core premise revolves around the longstanding feud between two prominent families—the Everseas and the Redmonds—who dominate the small town of Pennyroyal Green. On the surface, relations are civil, even polite, but centuries of secrets, grudges, and simmering attractions lie beneath. An old legend whispers that once per generation, a Redmond and an Eversea are fated to fall disastrously in love, adding mythic tension to the rivalries. Individual tales feature residents—often from these families or their circles—navigating scandals, forbidden desires, societal expectations, and personal demons. Heroes and heroines clash with pride, class barriers, or past betrayals before surrendering to irresistible passion, frequently with a dash of adventure, mystery, or social maneuvering. The series celebrates how love can bridge divides, heal old wounds, and upend rigid traditions in a world of ballrooms, country estates, and village gossip.
The series does not currently have a new book scheduled.