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Series · contemporary romance

The Mister

by E. L. James

The Mister series by E. L. James has 2 known books (2 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Mister (2019).

Books
2 known books (2 novels)
Published
2
First published
2019
Status
completed
Shelved under
Romance
Last checked

Start here: The Mister (2019) — then read straight through in publication order.

Book one

Cover of The Mister

The Mister (2019)

Reading order

The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.

  1. The Mister

    Novel

    E. L. James's first post-Fifty Shades novel, The Mister (2019), runs 528 pages and sets up the romance between London aristocrat Maxim Trevelyan and Alessia Demachi, an undocumented Albanian refugee working in his household while fleeing a forced marriage and human traffickers back home.

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  2. The Missus

    Novel

    The Missus continues their story four years later, in 2023, at a shorter 464 pages, following Maxim and Alessia as a married couple navigating his new title and obligations alongside the fallout of her past.

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About The Mister

James's first post-Fifty Shades fiction is a smaller-scale contemporary romance duology following Maxim Trevelyan, a London aristocrat living a carefree life until an unexpected inheritance, and Alessia Demachi, an undocumented Albanian refugee working in his household who is fleeing a forced marriage and human traffickers back home. The Mister (2019) sets up their romance against the real danger still following Alessia; The Missus (2023) continues their story as a married couple navigating his new title and obligations alongside the fallout of her past. It keeps James's interest in a controlling, wealthy male lead and a heroine drawn into his orbit, but trades Fifty Shades' BDSM framing for a thriller-tinged romance built around Alessia's trafficking backstory instead.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in The Mister series?

Two: The Mister (2019) and The Missus (2023).

Is The Missus a sequel to The Mister?

Yes -- it directly continues Maxim and Alessia's story as a married couple, and should be read after The Mister.

Is The Mister connected to Fifty Shades?

No, it's an unrelated contemporary romance with its own characters, though it shares James's interest in a wealthy, controlling hero paired with a heroine facing real external danger.

Reading order last verified .