Pat Adeff Books in Order
Explore Pat Adeff's romance and women's fiction books in order, with quick summaries, series guides, and simple suggestions for where to begin reading.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
Pat Adeff books in publication order
17 books
To Protect and Serve
by Pat Adeff
2013
After her husband asks for a divorce, Nancy must rebuild life while raising two teenage daughters. Local police officer Doug Saunders is surprised by his pull toward her, but their growing relationship has to face pain and obstacles from both their pasts.
Take Another Chance
by Pat Adeff
2021
Divorced teacher Grace is determined to put her two daughters before romance. Doug, a dedicated police officer and longtime bachelor, sees something special in her, but unexpected problems and his past test whether they can risk love again.
A Christmas Kiss
by Pat Adeff
2022
Dan is a wounded warrior searching for somewhere to belong, while Jen is trying to navigate a life far removed from her upbringing. Their spark offers hope, but both must decide whether a brief holiday connection can become more.
In His Arms
by Pat Adeff
2022
Kristy and Jackson have a happy marriage and a young daughter, until Jackson rescues a stranger. The moment changes Kristy's life, forcing their family to face a sudden crisis and discover what holds them together.
Mahi-Mahi Matrimony
by Pat Adeff
2022
Left at the altar by her fiancé and boss, Julie takes her prepaid honeymoon to the Turks and Caicos alone. Then she meets Zan, an irritating fishing-boat captain with a secret, and her escape turns into an unexpected second chance.
The Romance Writer and the Geek
by Pat Adeff
2022
When Stacey loses her marketing job, she finally tries to pursue her dream of writing romance. A crashed computer brings helpful geek Marc into her life, but his secret identity and lingering ex-fiancée make trust hard to come by.
To Heal A Heart
by Pat Adeff
2022
Cate Adams has learned to keep romance at a safe distance after seeing what heartbreak can do. Then she meets ER doctor Derek Coburn, and their strong connection asks both of them to face old wounds and outside pressures.
Beauty and the Books
by Pat Adeff
2023
Paramedic and firefighter Dom McGannon likes his uncomplicated bachelor life until he meets Wren, a single mother seeking a fresh start. Old love letters, small-town gossip, and Wren's need to protect her son complicate their growing bond.
Courting Charlie
by Pat Adeff
2023
Dedicated public defender Charlie McGannon has little time left for friends, parties, or dating. Assistant district attorney Bobby LaGrange is already her courtroom rival, but their constant clashes may be hiding an unexpected connection.
Finding Forever
by Pat Adeff
2023
When McGannon patriarch Max brings Marlene home, his children are not all ready to welcome her. Then Marlene's dangerous ex comes looking, and the family must decide how far they will go to protect a new chance at happiness.
Lost Love Letters
by Pat Adeff
2023
Chef and restaurant owner Erin McGannon has built her dream at Largo Bay's Casablanca, but dating has never made the list. Her capable general manager, Paul, challenges her at every turn, and their bickering begins to reveal something more.
Secret Kiss
by Pat Adeff
2023
Largo Bay police officer Shea McGannon has trouble finding anyone willing to date the police chief's daughter. Then New York musician Luca Napier arrives, and their attraction challenges two people from very different worlds.
The Billionaire
by Pat Adeff
2024
Mia and Logan's story brings a billionaire romance into the close-knit world of the Campbell sisters. Their growing attraction asks them to look past expectations and decide whether a connection that feels unlikely can become something lasting.
The Bodyguard
by Pat Adeff
2024
Sophia and Noah take center stage in another Lovers Key romance. As their connection grows, the close Campbell family remains nearby, bringing support, hard questions, and the challenge of trusting someone enough to let love in.
The Dive Shop
by Pat Adeff
2024
Emma returns to Lovers Key carrying the pain of a tragedy overseas and hoping only to heal. Liam, a retired Navy SEAL who runs a dive shop, avoids serious relationships, until their unexpected connection changes both of their plans.
The Medic
by Pat Adeff
2024
Chloe returns from college for a full Campbell family Christmas, carrying a secret of her own. With her mother Peggy also holding something back, the holiday becomes a turning point for Chloe's future and the family's final love story.
The Meet-Cute
by Pat Adeff
2024
Ava and Jack's chance encounter begins another chapter in the Campbell family saga. As they explore a new connection, the sisters' loyalty, humor, and shared history make it harder to hide what either of them truly wants.
Where to start with Pat Adeff
For Pat Adeff's earlier second-chance romance: To Protect and Serve
For the core Second Chances journey: Take Another Chance → Mahi-Mahi Matrimony → The Romance Writer and the Geek → To Heal A Heart
For a beachside family saga: Lost Love Letters → Secret Kiss → Courting Charlie → Beauty and the Books
For a sister-centered coastal romance: The Dive Shop → The Bodyguard → The Billionaire → The Meet-Cute
Pat Adeff sub-series and character series
Largo Bay books in order
Explore this seriesLovers Key books in order
Explore this seriesSecond Chances DO Happen! books in order
Explore this series
To Protect and Serve
by Pat Adeff
2013Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 1
Take Another Chance
by Pat Adeff
2021Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 2
A Christmas Kiss
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 7
In His Arms
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 6
Mahi-Mahi Matrimony
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 3
The Romance Writer and the Geek
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 4
To Heal A Heart
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 5
Second Chances DO Happen! books in chronological order

To Protect and Serve
by Pat Adeff
2013Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 1
Take Another Chance
by Pat Adeff
2021Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 2
Mahi-Mahi Matrimony
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 3
The Romance Writer and the Geek
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 4
To Heal A Heart
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 5
In His Arms
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 6
A Christmas Kiss
by Pat Adeff
2022Second Chances DO Happen!, Book 7
Author bio
Pat Adeff was born on July 4 in Redlands, California, and grew up in a family where creativity was simply part of daily life. For a few childhood years, her parents convinced her that the fireworks on her birthday were meant especially for her. It was a pretty convincing story for a little kid.
Her parents had met while rehearsing Arsenic and Old Lace at the Redlands Footlighters Theater. Pat and her brothers spent plenty of time there, doing homework while a parent worked on a production and growing up around costumes, props, music, and performers. One brother even pursued trapeze work, so a full-sized trapeze in the backyard was part of the family landscape.
The theater was home long before writing became work.
Adeff began writing short stories and poetry in middle school. Her first full-length attempt was a romance called Doctor's Orders, typed on paper with an electric typewriter. She lent out the only copy to a coworker, who moved away with it, a frustrating end to a very early manuscript.
She kept going. While teaching at a private school, Adeff wrote plays for theater classes so more students would have a part to perform. Over the years, she has written more than a dozen comedies that have been produced in theaters from California to New York. That background shows up in the light humor, busy families, and lively supporting characters that often surround her romantic leads.
A difficult divorce became a turning point in her fiction. Adeff has said she began writing as a way to work through that experience, and the process led to the story behind Take Another Chance. Her first published novel, To Protect and Serve, arrived in 2013. She later revised that starting point into Take Another Chance, the opening novel in her Second Chances DO Happen! sequence.
Second chances are the thread that ties much of her work together. Her characters may be rebuilding after divorce, heartbreak, career trouble, family strain, or a life change they never planned for. In books such as Mahi-Mahi Matrimony, The Romance Writer and the Geek, and To Heal A Heart, the focus stays on people learning to trust themselves and one another again.
Her later series expand that interest in connected lives. The Largo Bay books follow the McGannon family in a beachside town, while Lovers Key centers on the close bond among the Campbell sisters. Romance remains central, but so do sibling ties, parents and children, longtime friends, and the practical messiness of starting over.
Adeff has described herself as an incurable romantic, and that belief in hope is easy to spot on the page.
Outside fiction, she enjoys reading, cooking, coffee, and writing with the background buzz of a busy coffee shop. In recent author profiles, she has said that she and her composer husband moved from New York City to the American Southwest, where they enjoy the sunshine and continue to work on creative projects.
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.



















Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts