6 Book Series I Binge Read

I’m a chronic binge reader, once I find a series I vibe with, I storm through it like there’s a prize at the end. Ask me about any of my favourite authors, and chances are I’ve read everything they’ve written. Not because every book is a literary masterpiece (some definitely aren’t), but because once I click with a genre or someone’s writing style, I’m flying through their whole catalogue. Synopsis be damned.

This habit has taken me down all kinds of bookish rabbit holes. I’ve read plenty of books purely riding the coattails of my love for an author. And when it comes to series, especially ones that follow a group of friends, family, or even just exist in the same universe? I’m in. I love it when an author builds a world. Christina C. Jones is one of my absolute favourites at this, her interconnected worlds, layered characters, and seamless crossovers. Chef’s kiss.

So, in honour of that, here are some book series recommendations that I’ve binge-read, whether in a few hours or over a couple of days. I’m not saying every single book was a 5-star hit, or that every series was flawless. But each one had at least one standout that hooked me hard and kept me coming back for more.

By some random coincidence, these all happen to be Black romance novels… oops. But honestly, I’m not mad about it – my favourite genre will always find a way to prevail.

These were actually the first books I read this year, and I finished the entire six-book series in just two days. The stories follow Black mafia families as they navigate dominating the criminal underworld while still grappling with generational racism. The first book had me hooked. I really enjoyed the author’s take on the arranged marriage trope (my favourite) , and books four and six were also standouts for me, mostly because of the MMCs.

I didn’t love every single book in the series, but overall, it was a solid ride, and the author definitely did the genre justice. I’ll admit, sometimes the whole Black mafia thing feels a little over-the-top, like, lets be real does that actually exist? But I do love seeing Black families in those powerful, traditional roles, so I’m happy to suspend disbelief, ignore the liberties and let the story do its thing.

I also enjoyed this series by Asia Monique. I read the first one a year ago and delved back into it only to finish within a few days. They are short, medium-length books and quite easy reads. My favourite in the series was definitely the second book, it follows the most lovable autistic man and his journey of falling in love, and it completely stole my heart. An honourable mention also goes to Irrevocably in Love, which, while technically a standalone, is a spin-off from the series and honestly might be my true favourite. I even mentioned it in my recent Rave Reads post.

I’m not gonna lie, this series as a whole isn’t amazing, with only three books, and two of them falling somewhere in the average range, that isn’t great. But book two and the spin-off hit me hard enough that the series still deserves a shoutout. Also I did say this post is about binge reads, and that’s exactly what this was.

After finishing, I actually went on an Asia Monique deep dive and overall, I’d consider her a pretty solid romance author. Definitely an author to keep exploring.

I’ve read everything Ashley Nicole has written, from the quick, fun novellas to the longer, heart-wrenching stories that stick with you. This particular series follows (you guessed it) the Mason family – a big crew made up of siblings and cousins, all navigating love in their own ways. So far, there are around nine books, and with 30 cousins (29 men and just one girl!), it’s safe to say we’ve got plenty more stories coming if she plans to give each of them a spotlight.

What I really enjoy is how, while they’re all romance at the core, the books explore a range of ages, relationship dynamics, and family issues. Plus, the female characters are refreshingly varied and don’t all fit into a cookie-cutter mold.

Ashley Nicole is definitely one of my go-to authors, and the Mason family series is a great example of why. If you’re new to her work, I’d also highly recommend the Preto Village series – another gem in her catalogue.

This series isn’t technically by one author, it’s one of those collaborative collections where different writers each put their spin on a shared concept. In this case: married at first sight. And as you already know, arranged marriage is my all-time favourite trope, so I went on the hunt for Black romance books that fit the bill and stumbled across this series.

The first book completely won me over. It was a sweet, low-drama romance with two genuinely lovable protagonists, and once I finished it, I had to see what the rest of the collection had to offer. Now, I won’t lie, I didn’t love every single one. There was one in particular I struggled to get through. The couple were already best friends before the whole “married at first sight” thing, and it kind of ruined the premise for me. Like that’s not the assignment!

Still, I enjoyed the collection overall. I will admit, I’m definitely biased when it comes to this trope. If it even whispers arranged marriage, I’m there.

Wheww, Ginika and her girls took me on a whirlwind! Ginika is not a serious person, and neither are her friends. The first four books in the series follow her bridesmaids, with the final one being Ginika’s own story. I love stories set in modern-day Nigeria, they always make me feel more connected to that life, especially at this stage in mine.

Naturally, this led me into a full Adesuwa deep dive. As you know, I read Adanna (a very traumatic experience, but what else can we say about Nigerian authors?). Thankfully, the Ginika & Co. stories are much more lighthearted and enjoyable, though they still explore deeper cultural themes.

I’ll admit, I skipped the fourth book, mainly because I didn’t care for that character and so wasn’t invested in her story. But trust me, the rest? These books will have you yelling at the characters, questioning every choice, and still turning pages like your life depends on it. Messy? Yes. Entertaining? Absolutely.

These two series were probably among the very first Black romance books I ever read when I first discovered the genre. My entire first year of uni was basically me bingeing Stephanie Nicole Norris. Both series follow sets of siblings and their journeys to finding love. The Valentine family is made up entirely of brothers, while the Rose family (if I remember correctly) is a mixed bag. Oh, and they just so happen to be rival families among the rich and Black elite of Chicago.

Now, I can’t fully speak to the quality of the books today – Mo at 19 and Mo at 25 are very different readers – but I can say I absolutely devoured these stories back then and loved every moment. I’m pretty sure some of the characters would still hit for me now, but I’m not in the habit of rereading certain books to find out.

Also, don’t ask me to pick a favourite, I honestly couldn’t tell you. But if you decide to dive in, definitely let me know which ones stand out to you!

Signed,