The Complete List of Lisa Wingate Books in Order

Lisa Wingate is the American novelist behind multiple bestselling books. The former journalist turned critically acclaimed author is most famous for her smash hit title ‘Before We Were Yours,’ which spent more than a year on the New York Times best sellers list and sold over two million copies worldwide. But Wingate also has plenty more page-turning reads to explore.

Her writing career began back in 2001 with her debut title, Tending Roses, and since then, she’s penned more than thirty novels spanning multiple genres, including Christian fiction, historical fiction, and romance.

Her work has earned her a whole host of awards and accolades, including the Christy Award and the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award.

So, if you’re looking for a new author’s work to explore in 2023, why not give Lisa Wingate’s work a try?

Lisa Wingate Books in Order

Lisa Wingate has several series and standalone novels to explore, and knowing where to begin with this prolific author’s work isn’t easy. But in this post, I’ll list all her books in reading and publication order so you can decide where to start your reading journey.

The Tending Roses Books

The Tending Roses series begins with the 2001 novel of the same name. The story follows Kate Bowman, a young mother who must convince her aging and infirmed Grandma Rose that it’s time to give up her beloved Missouri farm. But Grandma Rose has lived on the farm for decades, and leaving her home and independence behind is too much to bear.

Meanwhile, Kate is struggling in her own life as she and her husband, Ben, face up to their ever-mounting debts and unpaid medical bills. And so, she takes solace in reading her Grandma Rose’s old handwritten journal.

The stories inside transport her to a simpler time, where life was less complex. And within these long-forgotten memories, Kate gains a new understanding of what truly matters in life.

Each subsequent book in the Tending Roses series has a similar thought-provoking lesson at its core and serves as a poignant reminder to stop and smell the roses before it’s too late.

The Tending Roses Books in Reading and Publication Order

The five books in the Tending Roses series each tell a different story and feature a new set of characters. So, you can read them in any order you choose.

1. Tending Roses (2001)
2. Good Hope Road (2003)
3. The Language of Sycamores (2005)
4. Drenched in Light (2006)
5. A Thousand Voices (2007)

The Texas Hill Country Books

This three-part series transports us to the wild and rugged state of Texas. In book one, Texas Cooking, we meet Colleen Collins, a big city reporter from Washington, DC, who is sent to the small town of San Saline to pen a series of magazine articles about Texas home cooking.

It’s a far cry from her usual exciting assignments, but as soon as she arrives in the close-knit community, she begins to feel at home.

The local residents welcome her with open arms, and none more so than the quintessential modern-day cowboy, True McKittrick.

Suddenly, for the first time in a long time, Colleen feels happy. But when a scandal summons her back to DC, she’s forced to leave the welcoming world of San Saline and her blossoming relationship with True behind.

All three books in this emotionally charged series follow a similar theme: career-driven women find themselves in the heart of rural Texas and learn that there’s more to life than money and success.

The Texas Hill Country Books in Reading and Publication Order

The three books in the Texas Hill Country series each tell a different story and feature a new set of characters. So, you can read them in any order you choose.

1. Texas Cooking (2003)
2. Lone Star Café (2004)
3. Over the Moon at the Big Lizard Diner (2005)

The Blue Sky Hill Books

This four-book series is set in the fictional town of Blue Sky Hill, a struggling Dallas neighborhood home to a fascinating cast of characters.

Book one, A Month of Summer, tells the story of Rebecca Macklin, who is called back to her childhood home to help her estranged elderly father. He’s been wandering the streets of Dallas alone, and with his wife in a nursing home, there’s no one else to take care of him.

And so, Rebecca is forced to put her years-long resentment to one side and forgive past betrayals. And in doing so, she discovers more about the meaning of family than she ever thought possible.

The Blue Sky Hill Books in Reading and Publication Order

The four books in the Blue Sky Hill series each tell a different story and feature a new set of characters. So, you can read them in any order you choose.

1. A Month of Summer (2008)
2. The Summer Kitchen (2009)
3. Beyond Summer (2010)
4. Dandelion Summer (2011)

The Daily, Texas Books

This heartwarming series, set in the small community of Daily, Texas, kicks off with the 2008 novel, Talk of the Town.

The story begins when TV producer Mandalay Florentino arrives in Daily to organize a surprise televised reunion for American Megastar finalist Amber Amberson.

But keeping a secret is challenging in a place like Daily. Everyone knows everyone, and nothing as exciting or glamorous as this has happened here before. And so, it’s not long before everyone in town knows about Mandalay’s surprise plans, and even the paparazzi have turned up.

To make matters worse, the star of the show, Amber, is missing, and word on the street is that she’s run off with a bad boy actor from Hollywood.

Suddenly, the folks of Daily, Texas, find their sleepy little community at the very center of a media frenzy that none of them will ever forget.

The Daily, Texas Books in Reading and Publication Order

The three books in the Daily, Texas series each tell a different story and feature a new set of characters. So, you can read them in any order you choose.

1. Talk of the Town (2008)
2. Word Gets Around (2009)
3. Never Say Never (2010)

The Moses Lake Books

This four-book series set in Moses Lake, Texas, begins when Andrea Henderson arrives in town, hoping to make a fresh start. She’s just been through the worst year of her life, and now, she’s determined to build a better future for herself and her son.

And so, she finds a job as a social worker, hoping that she can also make a difference in other people’s lives, too.

Meanwhile, the town’s new game warden, Mart McClendon, is on a personal journey of his own. He moved to Moses Lake to escape memories of a tragedy that continues to haunt him, and he’s hoping to finally forgive himself for the mistakes of the past.

As Andrea and Mart each settle into their new community, they’re thrust together to search for the identity of a mysterious young girl seen with a local recluse. And their investigations lead them on an unexpected journey to hope and redemption.

The Moses Lake Books in Reading and Publication Order

The four books in the Moses Lake series each tell a different story and feature a new set of characters. So, you can read them in any order you choose.

1. Larkspur Cove (2010)
2. Blue Moon Bay (2012)
3. Firefly Island (2013)
4. Wildwood Creek (2014)

The Carolina Heritage Heirlooms Books

In book one of this popular seven-part series, we meet Elizabeth Gallagher, a 911 emergency services operator who embarks on a cross-country road trip with her mother.

Their destination is the picturesque Hatteras Island, but this is no happy family vacation. A powerful hurricane has devastated North Carolina’s Outer Banks, and as they drive, another one is making its way up the coast. So, they’re on their way to see Elizabeth’s Aunt Sandy and try to convince her to evacuate her home.

But as these three women are reunited, the storm rages through the island, and their lives are changed forever.

The Carolina Heritage Heirlooms Books in Reading and Publication Order

The four books in the Carolina Heritage Heirlooms series each tell a different story and feature a new set of characters. So, you can read them in any order you choose.

1. The Sea Glass Sisters (2013)
2. The Prayer Box (2013)
3. The Tidewater Sisters (2014)
4. The Story Keeper (2014)
5. The Sandcastle Sister (2015)
6. The Sea Keeper’s Daughters (2015)
7. Sisters (2016)

Lisa Wingate’s Standalone Novels

Alongside her popular series above, Lisa Wingate also has two bestselling standalone novels and one Christmas-themed novella to explore.

Below, you’ll find these books in the order they were originally published.

1. A Sandy’s Seashell Shop Christmas (2014)
2. Before We Were Yours (2017)
3. The Book of Lost Friends (2020)

Lisa Wingate’s Non-fiction Book

Following the phenomenal success of her 2017 novel, Before We Were Yours, Lisa Wingate teamed up with fellow author Judy Christie to pen the non-fiction companion title, Before and After.

• Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children’s Home Society (with Judy Christie) (2019)

Conclusion

Lisa Wingate is a powerhouse of thought-provoking, emotive and uplifting novels. So, if you’re looking for a new author’s work to explore, I highly recommend giving her books a read. And hopefully, this post has helped you to figure out where to begin.

Are you already a Lisa Wingate fan? If so, I’d love to hear about your favorite books. Drop me a comment in the box below!