Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Island Ecstasy | 1982 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 2 | The Last Boleyn | 1983 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 3 | Passion’s Reign | 1983 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 4 | The First Princess of Wales | 1984 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 5 | Rapture’s Crown | 1985 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 6 | Midnight Mirage | 1985 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 7 | One Fervent Fire | 1987 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 8 | Dawn’s Early Light | 1988 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 9 | Tame the Wind | 1988 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 10 | Silver Swords | 1989 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 11 | Almost Forever | 1991 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 12 | Wild Lily | 1991 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 13 | Braden’s Brides | 1991 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 14 | King’s Man | 1991 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 15 | Circle of Gold | 1992 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 16 | The Wings of Morning | 1993 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 17 | River of Sky | 1994 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 18 | Promises to Keep | 1994 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 19 | Black Orchid | 1996 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 20 | Empty Cradle | 1998 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 21 | Down to the Bone | 2000 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 22 | The Baby Farm | 2000 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 23 | Shaker Run | 2001 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 24 | The Stone Forest | 2002 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 25 | The Falls | 2003 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 26 | Hurricane | 2006 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 27 | Inferno | 2007 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 28 | Below the Surface | 2008 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 29 | The Hiding Place | 2008 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 30 | Mistress Shakespeare / Shakespeare’s Mistress | 2009 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 31 | Deep Down | 2009 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 32 | The Queen’s Governess | 2009 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 33 | Down River | 2010 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 34 | The Irish Princess | 2011 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 35 | Mistress of Mourning / The Queen’s Confidante | 2012 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 36 | The Royal Nanny | 2016 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 37 | The It Girls | 2017 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 38 | American Duchess | 2019 | Karen Harper | Buy |
| 39 | The Queen’s Secret | 2020 | Karen Harper | Buy |
Karen Harper’s thirty-nine standalone novels span her entire career, from early Regency romances (Island Ecstasy, 1982) through historical fiction (The Last Boleyn, The First Princess of Wales) to modern romantic suspense (The Falls, Hurricane, Below the Surface). Her later standalone historicals, including Mistress Shakespeare (2009), The Irish Princess (2011), The Royal Nanny (2016), American Duchess (2019), and The Queen’s Secret (2020), have been particularly well received.
The standalones show Harper’s versatility, moving between Tudor-era historical fiction and contemporary suspense while maintaining her focus on strong female protagonists. The books can be read in any order.