Brilliant, passionate, and entertaining: Felicia Kingsley’s books have captivated readers for years with their romantic plots that are always unique.
Felicia Kingsley is the pseudonym of Serena Artioli, an architect born in 1987 in Carpi (Emilia-Romagna) and now based in the province of Modena.
She began her career as a writer with a self-published work: in 2016 her first book, Matrimonio di convenienza, was later republished in 2017 by Newton Compton. This marked the onset of a prolific production of romantic comedies, including novels, short novels, and novellas.
Over the years, Felicia Kingsley grew ever closer to her audience, revealing her real name around 2018. But it was especially with her social media debut that the author truly connected with readers who are passionate about the romance genre (and its many subgenres).
Her followers have greeted her content with great enthusiasm: today, “Aunt Felicia” (as she is affectionately called) has 230,000 followers and 9 million likes on TikTok, while on Instagram (another highly curated platform by the author) her following stands at 174,000 followers.
A social media success that mirrors her book success: the Modenese author has been the most-read author in recent years (across print and ebooks), frequently remaining on the charts with several titles simultaneously.
We thus present an overview of Felicia Kingsley’s books, from the most celebrated romances to the short stories, including her side projects, without overlooking the articles the author has written for our site.
Index
- Felicia Kingsley’s books in chronological order
- Novellas, prequels, and sequels
- Films and TV series
- Other projects
All Felicia Kingsley Books in Chronological Order
Matrimonio di convenienza
The first Felicia Kingsley book, self-published in 2016 and later republished in 2017 by Newton Compton, is Matrimonio di convenienza: it tells the story of Jemma, a theatrical makeup artist with a free-spirited soul raised by a hippie couple, who is struck by an unexpected fortune. Her wealthy grandmother Catriona (the same who disinherited her mother for marrying a man with no noble title) has left her a substantial inheritance, but with one condition: that she marries a duke, a marquis, or at least a baron. The perfect opportunity for Jemma would be a arranged marriage with Ashford, Duke of Burlingham, to whom Jemma’s inheritance would be quite handy…
Stronze si nasce
Stronze si nasce (Newton Compton, 2018) has Allegra Hill as its protagonist, one of the characters Kingsley herself sees as closely mirrored in her own traits (as she shared in our interview): honest and generous, Allegra often ends up not asserting herself enough. Her nemesis is Sparkle Jones, stunning and popular, who always seems to get there first. Sparkle reappears in Allegra’s life just as things seem to be going in the right direction: she has her own home, a job at London’s most prestigious real estate agency, and a green-eyed new acquaintance. Will Allegra finally manage to come out on top this time?
Una cenerentola a Manhattan
Una cenerentola a Manhattan (Newton Compton, 2018), set in New York among parties, magazines, and articles. Despite juggling three jobs and having to manage a chaotic newly acquired family, Riley Moore does not want to give up her dream of publishing a novel of her own. She’s not interested in discovering who hides behind Ray Mulligan, the enigmatic author of incendiary pieces for the XLnce magazine; her sole objective is to find someone willing to publish her book. Perhaps at the Metropolitan Opera House’s masquerade party she will meet the right person…
Due cuori in affitto
As the title suggests, Due cuori in affitto (Newton Compton, 2019) has two protagonists: Summer (twenty-seven) and Blake (thirty-three), forced to share the same holiday home due to a misunderstanding. They could not be more different: Summer is a precise, orderly, and morning person; engaged to an older man; Blake is a chaotic, carefree man who moves from conquest to conquest. She aspires to become a screenwriter, he is a world-renowned writer. But one thing unites them: neither wants to yield their place in the house. The only solution, then, is to improvise a shared living arrangement, which, as days pass, could unexpectedly become pleasantly so… From this bestselling book sprang a prequel and a sequel: Lo spezzacuori and Innamorati pazzi (Newton Compton).
La verità è che non ti odio abbastanza
La verità è che non ti odio abbastanza (Newton Compton, 2019) has a few well-crafted elements: Lexi, a wealthy heiress who loves parties and luxury; an FBI investigation; and a stoic detective, Eric Chambers, ready to ruin the family’s reputation, accused of a multi-billion-dollar fraud. Overnight the young woman is left penniless, with all her assets seized. Yet she does not give up and is prepared to do anything to restore her family’s name— even if it means teaming up with the odious Chambers, the man behind all her troubles. Will Lexi be able to work with him without putting her heart at risk?
Prima regola: non innamorarsi
Prima regola: non innamorarsi (Newton Compton, 2020) follows Silvye, who would love to have a normal job, but life has deprived her of that possibility: she is a con artist, daughter of a con artist who taught her every trick of the trade. Silvye is approached by a wealthy collector to pull off a memorable caper—but there is a catch: she must have a partner. Nick Montecristo is handsome, cunning, and irresistible, but beyond having several scores to settle with Silvye, he is far from her ideal partner, being the complete opposite. Yet the stakes are too high to pass up, so the two rivals must become accomplices. The rule is simple: do not fall in love…
Bugiarde si diventa
Bugiarde si diventa (Newton Compton, 2021) speaks of a single lie that quickly grows into a cataclysm: the protagonist, Charlotte Taylor, longs for a memorable night and crashes the New Year’s Eve party under the false name Bea Beaufort. Here she meets Royce DeShawn, a successful actor, and encounters a charming stranger. The next day, however, the lie returns to haunt her: all newspapers call “Bea Beaufort” the new flame of the famous actor, who does not seem inclined to deny the rumors. Everything becomes even more complicated with the mysterious New Year’s Eve man’s reappearance: how will Charlotte escape this situation?
Non è un paese per single
Non è un paese per single (Newton Compton, 2022) ci porta invece in Italia, tra le colline toscane. Nel piccolo paese di Belvedere in Chianti c’è grande fermento: dall’Inghilterra arriva Charles Bingley, nipote del conte Ricasoli, per riscuotere la sua eredità, la tenuta Le Giuggiole. Come in un moderno Orgoglio e Pregiudizio, tutte le single del borgo vogliono accasarsi con il conte, oppure con l’altrettanto intrigante e ricco Micheal D’Arcy, amico di Bingley. Elisa conosce entrambi i ragazzi, perché aveva trascorso con loro le estati nella tenuta, che ora lei gestisce con passione. Non le interessa sposarsi: vuole solo scoprire quali sono le intenzioni di Charles e Micheal sul destino de Le Giuggiole. Tra segreti nascosti, bicchieri di Chianti e molti malintesi, Elisa deve fare i conti con i sentimenti che la legano al suo vecchio amico Micheal…
Ti aspetto a Central Park
We return to the United States with Ti aspetto a Central Park (Newton Compton, 2022), set in the Big Apple. Felicia Kingsley introduces two characters: Knight Underwood, a successful editor at Pageturner Publishing, and Victoria Wender, a romance editor, the genre Knight despises. Arriving in New York directly from Texas, Victoria has been called by Pageturner to shore up its balance sheet. It becomes clear right away that a war will erupt between Victoria and Knight. Between clashes and sabotage, the two editors eventually collaborate only after discovering a secret that could jeopardize the entire publishing house. Could this be the first step toward reconciliation, or toward something more?
Una ragazza d’altri tempi
A girl from another time is included in Felicia Kingsley’s catalog (Newton Compton, 2023). The novel’s heroine is Rebecca Sheridan, passionate about Egyptology and the Regency era, single forever and seeking a “old-fashioned” courtship. Everything changes when Rebecca is catapulted back in time, living an alternate life in London in 1816. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that 1816 isn’t as she imagined: amid murders, political intrigues, and gossip, Rebecca finds herself facing a real mystery. In a world where women lack power, she can rely only on Reedlan Knox, her new neighbor, a charming raider with a dubious reputation. Unexpectedly, Knox turns out to be one of the bright sides of that difficult past…
Una conquista fuori menù
Una conquista fuori menù is released at the beginning of September 2024 by Newton Compton. Here’s the plot: among FBI special agents, Dwight Faraday is the best… nonconformist, with the charm of a rogue, he holds the unbeaten record for undercover investigations. He is also an excellent cook, hence perfect for infiltrating the brigade of the Italian restaurant owned by the Villa family, suspected of ties to New York’s underworld. Dwight, however, has not accounted for Julia Villa, the owner’s daughter: a tough and determined young woman who wants to run the family “business” and has despised him since their first, stormy encounter. She intends to make him understand who is in charge. With the mission at risk, Dwight is forced to change plan: win Julia over to gather the information he needs. Between sharp banter, challenges with out-of-menu dishes, and peppery provocations, Dwight is ready to find the right recipe to reach Julia’s heart, which seems stubbornly immune to his charm. But what if, in the end, the uncatchable agent Faraday is the one who falls prey to temptation? In the kitchen it’s never been this hot…
L’amante perduta di Shakespeare
Continuing with another successful Felicia Kingsley title: Shakespeare’s Lost Lover (to be released by Newton Compton on April 8). Considered the “prequel” to Prima regola: non innamorarsi, in this new novel Nick Montecristo returns, ready to reinvent himself as an art thief for hire. A wealthy collector has hired him to recover one of the few coveted copies of the First Folio by William Shakespeare, now part of a rival baron’s inheritance. Nick is prepared to display his wit and charm on a mission that takes him to the baron’s villa on Lake Como… but he hasn’t counted on Angelica: a young, beautiful contender for the inheritance who will drag the gentleman thief into a mystery larger than themselves.
Scandalo a Hollywood
E arriviamo a Scandalo a Hollywood, uscito per Newton Compton a fine agosto 2025: questo recente romanzo romance ha per protagonista Sofia Cortez, che sogna da sempre di lavorare come giornalista d’inchiesta. La dura realtà, però, la costringe alla scrivania di Hollywood e dintorni, una testata sull’orlo del fallimento, che le chiede di occuparsi di ciò che lei più detesta: il gossip. C’è poi Hayden West, meglio noto come Wild Wild West, che invece, del gossip è il re: UnHolywood, il suo libro scandalistico, è in testa alle classifiche. Rivali storici dai tempi dell’università, Hayden e Sofia conducono vite opposte e parallele che, però, s’incrociano di nuovo quando si ritrovano a inseguire la stessa notizia: la competizione spietata si riaccende al primo sguardo, scatenando una sfida all’ultimo scoop…
First Lady per caso
L’amante perduta di Shakespeare
Scandalo a Hollywood
Una conquista fuori menù
Lo Spezzacuori
Una ragazza d’altri tempi
Innamorati pazzi
Ti aspetto a Central Park
Due cuori in affitto
Matrimonio di convenienza, Stronze si nasce, Una Cenerentola a Manhattan
Stronze si nasce
La verità è che non ti odio abbastanza
Prima regola: non innamorarsi
Bugiarde si diventa
Non è un paese per single
Appuntamento in terrazzo
Il mio regalo inaspettato
Booklover. Diario di lettura
Booklover. Diario di lettura
Una ragazza fuori moda
Tutti i romanzi
Mezzanotte a Parigi
Midnight in Paris (Newton Compton, 2026) marks the return of one of Felicia Kingsley’s most beloved characters, Nick Montecristo. A year after his debut as an art thief, Nick has earned fame and the trust of the world’s greatest collectors. Not one, but two clients seek his help to recover a precious jewelry set that their families have fought over for centuries. So Nick heads to Paris to discover that, as a starting point for his inquiries, there is little more than urban myths and legends passed down by heirs. What he expected to be an easy, quick mission turns into a tangled web of mystery woven with secrets rooted in historical-scale scandals…
First Lady per caso
First Lady per caso, the new romance by Felicia Kingsley, is released by Newton Compton on August 25. The plot takes us to the United States. Here we meet the wealthy and charming Nathan Edgerton (a Republican dynasty with its sights set on the White House) and Nicole Clark, a Democratic deputy, who for years has made Nate the preferred target of her attacks. Both are going through a tense moment: the party is in ruins and Nate is the only candidate left to pick up the pieces after a predicted defeat. At the same time, betrayed by her own allies, Nicole suddenly finds herself out of the game. When an misunderstanding turns their Capitol Hill clashes into a fiery gossip about a “secret romance”, the media go wild. For Nate, whose voters would never tolerate a single man as a candidate, it’s a lifeline. For Nicole, it’s a chance to reclaim the spotlight and get revenge on those who excluded her. The deal is simple: pretend to be America’s most in-love couple until the elections. What could go wrong? Nothing, except that, during the itinerant campaign, between luxury hotels and gala dinners, the line between strategy and desire becomes incredibly fine. In politics, the golden rule is never to get involved, but how do you manage when your worst enemy is the only person who truly knows you?
Felicia Kingsley: short novels, prequels and sequels
Lo Spezzacuori
Felicia Kingsley is also the author of several short novels and novellas with a romantic bent. These works both expand the stories of some characters already popular with readers and propose new ones. An example of the former is Lo Spezzacuori (Newton Compton, 2024), the prequel to the beloved Due cuori in affitto, a novel highly appreciated by readers since its release (in 2019) and now a true longseller. The “heartbreaker” to which the title refers is Blake Avery, a successful writer and confirmed Casanova, capable of driving anyone crazy, though likely to break his own heart. Fed up with Blake’s constant complaining about his unruly character, his publisher forces him to attend psychotherapy sessions. Little by little, the young writer speaks to Dr. Zuckerman about himself and his relationships, revealing his vulnerabilities for the first time. Session after session, we discover who Blake Avery was before meeting his true love…
Innamorati pazzi
Innamorati pazzi (Newton Compton, 2023) is the sequel to the bestseller Due cuori in affitto. Readers and readers can discover what happened to Blake and Summer at the end of the main novel by reading this novella, which also brings back other characters such as Dwight and Emma Rae.
Appuntamento in terrazzo
Among Felicia Kingsley’s shorter works, there is also Appuntamento in terrazzo (Newton Compton, 2022), which tells a new story set in a particular period: the lockdown caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Like many Italians and much of the world, Alex and Didi are forced to stay at home due to force majeure. The situation isn’t easy for them: Alex remains isolated with his ex, while Didi is overwhelmed by her chaotic family. Deprived of their spaces, the two young people have only one place to find a little peace: the terrace. From an emergency arises an unexpected friendship and a budding complicity that may be the starting point for a new romance?
Il mio regalo inaspettato
Il mio regalo inaspettato (Newton Compton, 2022) is a novella set on Christmas Eve in Scotland. Like every responsible worker delivering packages for an e-commerce, Freya is exhausted by the year’s most stressful week. At the end of the day, she just wants rest, but a whole batch of gifts didn’t leave, due to a breakdown. Freya finds herself delivering packages around the city. With no fuel left, her only option is to call an Uber—and the driver turns out to be her high school classmate (and former flame) Kyle, the same Kyle who left her on the night before prom thirteen years earlier. Will he be able to win her forgiveness?
Films and TV Series
Non è un paese per single – The film
From May 2026, Prime Video provides the film adaptation of the bestseller Non è un paese per single: with some differences from the novel, the movie moves the action to the vineyards of Tuscany, where a new love unexpectedly blossoms… The cast features Matilde Gioli as Elisa and Cristiano Caccamo as Michele, with Amanda Campana, Sebastiano Pigazzi, Cecilia Dazzi, Margherita Rebeggiani, Marco Cocci, and Bebo Storti in supporting roles.
Regarding the actors involved, Kingsley expresses satisfaction: “I know well the role of a writer in a film’s production, so I stepped back when needed and did not protest in case of some changes. For example, I wasn’t involved in casting, though I’m very happy with it.” To Vanity Fair she adds: “It’s the first time one of my novels has become a film, and it’s a huge emotion. I trusted the production a lot, which was very receptive to some of my suggestions.”
The film, directed by Laura Chiossone, is co-produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Italian International Film – Lucisano Media Group, produced by Fulvio, Federica and Paola Lucisano.
Due cuori in affitto – The TV series
Also on Prime Video will arrive the TV series adapted from the novel Due cuori in affitto, and as announced, readers will find Giacomo Gianniotti (known from Grey’s Anatomy and Diabolik – Ginko all’attacco!) in the role of Blake Avery and Jacqueline Luna Di Giacomo as Stella.
It is still early for first images or a release date; what is known is that filming will begin in the autumn and the story will move from the United States to Italy, where the two leads will be forced into a cohabitation despite their opposing personalities.
Behind the camera returns Laura Chiossone, director of Non è un paese per single, while the screenwriters are Alessandra Martellini, Giulia Magda Martinez, and Matteo Visconti. The series is produced as a co-production between Amazon MGM Studios, Fulvio and Paola Lucisano for Italian International Film/Lucisano Media Group, and Federico and Francesco Scardamaglia for Compagnia Leone Cinematografica.
Other Literary Projects by Felicia Kingsley
Finally, we turn to all the Felicia Kingsley titles that depart from her classic romance output.
The Modenese author curates a series of reading diaries, a notebook on which to jot down every book read, with spaces for evaluations, notes, and favorite quotes. Three editions have been published to date.
True to her love for literature, Kingsley is also very fond of the English classics; her passion is not limited to her novels but extends to new projects, such as translating Una ragazza fuori moda by Louisa May Alcott for Newton Compton.
“Rereading it in its original language after years allowed me to rediscover with fresh wonder and affection a story that already held a special place in my heart,” she explained on Instagram. Also for Newton Compton, Kingsley wrote the foreword to Tutti i romanzi by Jane Austen.
