Series · romantic comedy
Mr. Wrong Number
The Mr. Wrong Number series by Lynn Painter has 3 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Mr. Wrong Number (2022).
- Books
- 2 novels + 1 novella
- First published
- 2022
- Status
- completed
- Last checked
Start here: Mr. Wrong Number (2022) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Mr. Wrong Number
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Mr. Wrong Number - Book 2:
The Love Wager
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Love Wager - Book 3:
Accidentally Amy
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Accidentally Amy
About the Mr. Wrong Number series
Lynn Painter's Mr. Wrong Number duology is the adult wing of her rom-com empire — the author better known to BookTok for the YA hit Better Than the Movies proves here that she is just as sharp writing grown-up chaos. The title book begins with a misdialed text: Olivia Marshall, freshly unemployed, freshly single, and freshly responsible for accidentally burning down her apartment building, sends a message to a wrong number and strikes up an anonymous, increasingly flirty correspondence. The stranger on the other end is Colin Beck — her older brother's best friend, her lifelong teasing nemesis, and, inconveniently, her new roommate. He figures out who she is long before she does, and the book wrings maximum comedy and tension from the gap between their in-person bickering and their late-night texting. The companion novel, The Love Wager, hands the spotlight to Jack Marshall's circle again: Hallie Piper and Jack meet at a wedding, reconnect on a dating app, and make a bet over who can find real love first — while obviously being each other's answer. A connected novella, Accidentally Amy, delivers a coffee-shop mix-up romance in the same Omaha universe. Painter's trademarks run throughout: laugh-out-loud banter, dual points of view, big embarrassing set pieces, and warm, low-angst endings.
How to read this series
Start with Mr. Wrong Number (2022) — it introduces the Marshall siblings and the friend group the other stories orbit. Follow with The Love Wager (2023), a companion rather than a direct sequel: it stars side characters from book one and includes cameos, so it reads best second, though its romance is fully self-contained. The novella Accidentally Amy (2023) is an optional, quick bonus set in the same universe — read it anytime after book one. If you only want one book, Mr. Wrong Number stands entirely on its own. Note that Painter's YA titles (Better Than the Movies and its sequels) are a separate, unconnected world despite the similar voice.
Frequently asked questions
How many Mr. Wrong Number books are there?
Two full novels — Mr. Wrong Number (2022) and its companion The Love Wager (2023) — plus the connected novella Accidentally Amy (2023).
What order should I read the Mr. Wrong Number series in?
Mr. Wrong Number first, then The Love Wager, with the novella Accidentally Amy as an optional extra. Each romance is self-contained, but characters carry over.
Is The Love Wager a sequel to Mr. Wrong Number?
It's a companion novel rather than a sequel — a new couple from the same friend group, with returning characters in supporting roles. You can read it alone, but it's richer after book one.
Will there be a third Mr. Wrong Number book?
No third book in this series has been announced. Lynn Painter has continued publishing standalone adult rom-coms (such as Happily Never After and Maid for Each Other) and her separate YA series.
Reading order last verified .