Widowers book series in reading order

by Robyn Carr

by Emily March

Debbie Macomber

245 books• 35 series

Debbie Macomber, born October 22, 1948, is an American author of romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Six Macomber novels became made-for-TV movies, and the Cedar Cove novels became a television series of the same name, with Macomber serving as executive producer on the adaptations. Macomber won the first fan-voted Quill Award for romance in 2005 and holds a RITA Award and a lifetime achievement award from the Romance Writers of America. The catalogue counts 245 books between Starlight (1983) and A Date with Santa (2026). Series include Heart of Texas, Midnight Sons, Navy, Those Manning Men, Orchard Valley and Angels Everywhere.

Marie Ferrarella is an American romance writer, born Marie Rydzynski in Germany on 28 March 1948. Ferrarella has also written as Marie Nicole, Marie Michael and Marie Charles, and the novels have been translated into at least seven languages. The catalogue lists 328 books from 1983 to 2024, beginning with Scenes from the Heart, issued as Marie Charles. Series include Cavanaugh Justice, Matchmaking Mamas, Forever Texas, Baby of the Month Club and ChildFinders, Inc. Subjects include contemporary, western and suspense romance, police, physicians, single fathers and single mothers. Cavanaugh Justice: Cold Case Squad (2024) is the newest title.

Across 194 catalogued books, Danielle Steel writes contemporary romance and family drama: love stories, marriages, widowhood and the turns that reshape a life. The run starts with Going Home (1973) and continues through Celebration, with 24 Hours scheduled for 2027. Steel's catalogue also holds children's picture books, short stories and non-fiction beside the standalone novels that make up most of it.

Robyn Carr is the American author of the Virgin River books, and an executive producer on the television versions of Virgin River and Sullivan's Crossing. The catalogue records 70 Carr books, from Chelynne (1980) to The Friendship Club (2024). Thunder Point, Sullivan's Crossing and the Grace Valley Trilogy are Carr's other series. Several novels, The Hero among them, reached The New York Times Best Seller list. Subject tags on the books include contemporary romance, California, single mothers, veterans and city and town life.

Historical romance set in the Regency and the wider Georgian period is Mary Balogh's territory. Born Mary Jenkins in Swansea on 24 March 1944, Balogh moved to Canada in 1967, taught in Kipling, Saskatchewan, and became a school principal there before the first novel appeared in 1985. The catalogue runs to 106 books, from A Chance Encounter (1985) to A Waltz to Remember (2026). Series headings include Westcott, Bedwyn Family, Survivor's Club, Huxtable Quintet, Simply Quartet, Dark Angel and Ravenswood. Mary Balogh is still publishing.

Sherryl Woods is an American writer of romance and mystery, born July 23, 1944, in Arlington, Virginia, who has also used the pen names Alexandra Kirk and Suzanne Sherrill. The Chesapeake Shores novels became a six-season Hallmark Channel series, and Netflix's Sweet Magnolias is based on Woods' books, with Woods as an executive producer. The catalogue lists 157 titles from Restoring Love (1982) to Starlit Secrets (2024). Other named series include Calamity Janes, Devaney Brothers and the Amanda Roberts and Molly DeWitt mysteries.

Luanne Rice, born 25 September 1955, is an American novelist whose books frequently turn to nature, the sea, love and family. The catalogue lists 42 Rice titles, from Angels All Over Town (1985) to Until Midnight (2026), including Crazy in Love, Firefly Beach, The Lemon Orchard and Beach Girls. Subjects on file include sisters, mothers and daughters, Connecticut, suspense and missing persons. Series include Hubbard's Point/Black Hall, Newport, Rhode Island and Detective Conor Reid, and Rice's work has been translated into 26 languages.

Karen Rose Smith is an American author born in Pennsylvania whose first romance appeared in 1992. Smith has written for Meteor/Kismet, Kensington, Silhouette and Harlequin, and has indie-published novels and short story collections as e-books. Awards include New Jersey's Golden Leaf Award for short contemporary romance (twice), CRA's Award of Excellence and the Golden Quill for Traditional Romance. The catalogue lists 124 books from A Man Worth Loving (1992) to If Books Could Kill (2026). Mystery lines include Caprice De Luca Mystery and Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries.

Carla Cassidy, born Carla Bracale in Kansas, is an American romance novelist who has published since 1988. The first novels carried the maiden name Carla Bracale, later ones the married name Cassidy, and one fantasy novel appeared under the name Carla Cook. The catalogue lists 184 books, from Falling for You (1988, as Carla Bracale) to The Final Victim (2026). Series include Cowboys of Holiday Ranch, Wild West Bodyguards, Scarecrow Murders, Mustang, Montana, Lawmen of Black Rock, Cherokee Corners, Men of Wolf Creek and Kings of Coyote Creek. Subjects include romantic suspense, cowboys, bodyguards and serial murderers.

Karen Templeton writes contemporary romance, with catalogue subjects that include marriage, weddings, pregnancy, single fathers, widows, widowers and romantic suspense. The catalogue lists 47 books from Wedding Belle (1998) to A Gift for the Rancher (2019), with the 2000s the busiest decade. Wedding Daze (1998), Plain-Jane Princess (2001) and Loose Screws (2002) are among the titles. Series include Wed In The West, Men Of Mayes County, Babies Inc., Guys and Daughters, Jersey Boys and How To Marry A Monarch.

Nicholas Sparks

27 books• 4 series

Nicholas Sparks, born December 31, 1965, is an American novelist who also works as a screenwriter and film producer. Sparks has published 24 novels, 16 of them New York Times bestsellers, plus two nonfiction books, and sales exceed 130 million copies in more than 50 languages. The earliest catalogued title is Wokini (1990), a nonfiction book written with Billy Mills; The Notebook (1996) was the first novel. The Notebook, A Walk to Remember and Message in a Bottle are among 11 Sparks books adapted as feature films. Subjects in the catalogue include contemporary romance, North Carolina, widowers and fathers and daughters. The site lists 27 books, with Remain (2025) as the newest, and series entries for the Calhoun Family / Notebook and Jeremy Marsh & Lexie Darnell.

Karen Kingsbury is an American Christian novelist, born in Fairfax, Virginia, on June 8, 1963. Kingsbury worked as a sports writer for the Los Angeles Times and later wrote for the Los Angeles Daily News. Missy's Murder (1991), Kingsbury's first book, grew out of a murder story covered as a reporter in Los Angeles. Kingsbury is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist. The catalogue holds 115 titles, running to The Christmas Ring (2025), and the series include Firstborn, Sunrise, Above the Line, Bailey Flanigan, Red Gloves and Forever Faithful. Christian fiction and family life recur among the subjects.

Cowboys, ranchers and ranch life run through Linda Lael Miller's 134 catalogued books, in historical, contemporary and western romance alike. Miller's families and places include the McKettricks, the Montana Creeds, Stone Creek, Springwater Seasons, Painted Pony Creek and the Brides of Bliss County, with a Tremayne vampire sequence off to one side. Desire and Destiny (1983) is the earliest title and The Silver Hills Boarding House the newest.

RaeAnne Thayne has 87 books in the catalogue, from The Mating Game / Endangered (1996) to Cozy Little Christmas (2026), with subject headings centred on contemporary romance, small towns, ranchers, cowboys and single parents. Series include Hope's Crossing, Haven Point, Cape Sanctuary, Women Of Brambleberry House, Searchers, Outlaw Hartes, Redhawks and Dugan/Riley, and Cowboys of Cold Creek is a listed grouping. Wild Streak (1996), Sweet Justice (1998), Saving Grace (2000) and Renegade Father (2001) are early titles. Suspense also appears among the subjects.

Amy Clipston is an American writer of romance fiction, and the catalogue's subject tags point to Amish settings and Christian romance. A Gift of Grace (2009) is the first of 74 listed books, followed by A Place of Peace and A Promise of Hope (both 2010). Candy Apple Kisses (2026) is the latest title, and The Amish Widow's Convenient Marriage is due in 2027. Series include Kauffman Amish Bakery, Hearts of Lancaster Grand Hotel, Amish Heirloom, Amish Homestead, Amish Marketplace, Amish Legacy and Amish Singing. Pennsylvania, family life, secrets and widowers recur in the subject tags.

Maisey Yates is the author of 184 catalogued books, from His Virgin Acquisition (2010) to First Witches Club (2026), with Challenging Her Cowboy scheduled for 2027. Subject headings cover contemporary and western romance, cowboys, ranchers, Oregon, princes and princesses. Series include Gold Valley, Gold Valley Vineyards, Copper Ridge, Four Corners Ranch, Jasper Creek, Mustang River, Deacons of Bourbon Street and Once Upon a Seduction. A Mistake, a Prince and a Pregnancy (2010), The Argentine's Price (2011) and A Royal Without Mercy (2012) are early titles.

Sheila Roberts writes contemporary romance and women's fiction, with Christmas and holidays among the subject headings. The catalogue counts 51 titles from On Strike for Christmas (2007) to Have Yourself a Merry Little Meltdown (2026). Life in Icicle Falls, Moonlight Harbor, Heart Lake and Holly are named series, and Bikini Season (2008), Angel Lane (2009) and The Snow Globe (2010) sit early in the run. Female friendship and widowers appear among the subject headings.

Anita Stansfield writes Christian romance and family sagas, much of it with Mormon characters and settings. First Love and Forever (1994) opens a catalogue of 90 books built largely from sagas, Byrnehouse-Davies & Hamilton, the Trevor Family, the Buchanans, the Barringtons, the Keane-Morrisons and Shadows of Brierley. The Scoundrel's Widow (2022) is the newest catalogued title.

Linda Ford writes Christian historical romance, and the catalogue counts 125 books from The Heart Seeks a Home (2000) to Christmas in Golden Valley (2026). Cowboys, ranchers, widows, orphans and Montana are among the recorded subjects. Series include Big Sky Country, Glory, Montana, Montana Mail-Order Brides, Stagecoach to Golden Valley, Wagon Train Romance, Cowboys of Eden Valley and Dakota Brides. Early titles include Crane's Bride (2001) and Darcy's Inheritance (2007).

Cathy Marie Hake wrote Christian historical romance, and widows, widowers and Texas appear among the subjects. The catalogue records 31 books from Redeemed Hearts (1999) to Serendipity (2010), and the run is marked likely complete. Only in Gooding, California Brides and California Historical are the series, and Twin Victories (2000), Let Freedom Ring (2001) and Ramshackle Rose (2004) are among the titles.

Anna Jacobs writes historical sagas and romance set in England and Australia. Persons of Rank (1992) opens a catalogue of 114 books that reaches Hope Comes to Eastby End (2026), with Salem Street (1994), Ridge Hill (1996) and Our Lizzie (1999) among the early run. Family sagas name most of the series: the Gibson Family, the Kershaw Sisters, the Preston Family, the Michaels Family, the Blake Sisters and Swan River Saga, the Traders, Peppercorn Street, Rivenshaw, the Ellindale Saga, Larch Tree Lane and the Wiltshire Girls. Widows, inheritance and family life recur as subjects.

Stuart M. Kaminsky (29 September 1934 to 9 October 2009) was an American mystery novelist who also taught film. Four mystery series carry the name: Toby Peters, a private eye in 1940s Hollywood; Porfiry Petrovich Rostnikov, a Moscow police inspector; Abe Lieberman, a Chicago police officer; and Lew Fonesca, a process server in Sarasota, Florida. A Cold Red Sunrise, a Rostnikov novel, won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 1989. The catalogue holds 85 books from 1974 to 2011, and its earliest entries are American Film Genres (1974) and Don Siegel: Director (1974).

Carol Marinelli writes contemporary romance, including medical romance, and has 137 books in the catalogue from The Outback Nurse (2001) to Italian's Cinderella Temptation (2025). Born in England to Scottish parents, Marinelli emigrated to Australia and lives in the outer suburbs of Melbourne. Marinelli first tried writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon while training as a nurse in London and gathered rejections for years before studying the detailed feedback in them. Early titles include The Emergency Assignment and The Pregnant Intern (both 2002). Series include House of Kolovsky, Irresistible Russian Tycoons, Tennengarrah Clinic, Playboys of Sicily and Ruthless Royal Sheikhs.

Cindy Kirk has 115 catalogued books, with contemporary, western and Christian romance all among the subjects. The Tycoon's Son, Romancing the Nanny and When She Was Bad appeared in 2007, and Claiming the Rancher's Heart and Merry Christmas, Cowboy! followed in 2009. Series include Good Hope, Jackson Hole, Rx For Love, Holly Pointe, Hazel Green and Cornwall Loom & Bark Mysteries. Physicians, widowers, widows, single fathers and nannies also appear in the subjects. The Wishing Gate is dated 2026, and The Dragonfly Journal is scheduled for 2027.