Susan Wiggs Books in Order
Explore Susan Wiggs books in order, with series guides, short summaries, and easy help choosing where to start, from Willow Lake to her standalones.
Last updated: June 11, 2026
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Publication Order
74 books
Briar Rose
by Susan Wiggs
1987
Despite her best intentions, Briar Rose loses her heart to Gareth Hawke, a Saxon warrior stripped of power and certainty. Their love story plays out against danger, divided loyalties, and the harsh rules of the age.
Texas Wildflower
by Susan Wiggs
1987
Shiloh Mulvane, daughter of a famed Texas detective, finally gets her chance to prove herself by capturing Justin McCord. But the outlaw-spy turns the tables, and their forced marriage becomes tangled with danger, politics, and desire.
Embrace the Day
by Susan Wiggs
1988
An emotional historical romance about two wary hearts forced to face the life changing power of love. Susan Wiggs pairs strong feeling with high stakes as past wounds collide with a chance at something lasting.
Winds of Glory
by Susan Wiggs
1988
Set against war and upheaval, this early historical romance follows two people drawn together when loyalty, survival, and desire refuse to stay separate. Love offers hope, but the world around them keeps raising the cost.
Moonshadow
by Susan Wiggs
1989
A darkly romantic historical tale of passion, secrets, and lives changed under dangerous circumstances. The story blends atmosphere and longing as two characters test whether trust can survive what the past has made of them.
The Lily and the Leopard
by Susan Wiggs
1991
As Henry V's new knight, Rand Fitzmarc comes to Normandy expecting land and power, only to find Lianna of Bois-Long determined to resist him. Desire flares quickly, but war, deception, and national loyalty stand between them.
The Mistress of Normandy
by Susan Wiggs
1991
Newly knighted Rand Fitzmarc comes to Normandy to claim a barony and the woman who holds it. Lianna of Bois-Long is fighting to keep both her land and her heart out of English hands, until desire complicates everything.
The Raven and the Rose
by Susan Wiggs
1991
Sent on a deadly mission in the Swiss Alps, mercenary Daniel Severin never expects to fall for the woman he is meant to destroy. Lorelei's kindness turns a ruthless assignment into a dangerous love story.
Lord of the Night
by Susan Wiggs
1993
Sandro Cavalli, feared for bringing criminals to justice, uncovers a deadly new plot in the city's shadows. To solve it he must trust Laura Bandello, a beautiful woman whose secrets may be as dangerous as the enemy.
The Maiden of Ireland
by Susan Wiggs
1993
John Wesley Hawkins is sent into Ireland on a dangerous mission and ordered to win the trust of fierce Caitlin MacBride. Their attraction is powerful, but it grows in the middle of treachery, occupation, and divided allegiance.
The Mist and the Magic
by Susan Wiggs
1993
English agent John Wesley Hawkins is sent to seduce secrets from Irish stronghold mistress Caitlin MacBride. Instead, the mission becomes a struggle between love, loyalty, and the brutal politics surrounding them.
At the King's Command
by Susan Wiggs
1994
King Henry VIII punishes a bitter nobleman by ordering him to marry the vagabond woman caught stealing his horse. What begins as royal cruelty becomes an intense Tudor romance built on resistance, attraction, and hard-won trust.
Jewel of the Sea
by Susan Wiggs
1994
Set in the generation after Columbus, this seafaring historical follows love and ambition across a rapidly changing Atlantic world. Old world privilege and new world promise collide in a story of danger, loyalty, and desire.
Kingdom of Gold
by Susan Wiggs
1994
As England challenges Spain's power at sea, Annie Blythe and those around her are swept into piracy, treasure, and political danger. The adventure is fast-moving, but the deepest conflict lies in divided loyalties and unexpected love.
October Wind
by Susan Wiggs
1994
A sweeping historical saga of Christopher Columbus's relentless westward dream, court intrigue, and impossible ambition. Romance and danger shadow the long road to a voyage that promises to change the world.
Irish Magic
by Susan Wiggs
1995
A collection of Irish-set romances and novellas, full of rebels, old loyalties, and love stories touched by danger and legend. It is a good pick for readers who like Susan Wiggs's more windswept historical side.
The Maiden's Hand
by Susan Wiggs
1995
Mistress Lark secretly aids Protestant dissidents until Oliver de Lacey drops, literally, into her life. Royal persecution and danger bind them together in a love story where survival and devotion become the same fight.
A Fairytale Christmas
by Susan Wiggs
1996
A holiday romance that leans into Christmas magic, hope, and the possibility of a joyful second chance. It is a gentle seasonal read with a fairy-tale glow.
At the Queen's Summons
by Susan Wiggs
1996
Street performer Pippa de Lacey survives on wit until trouble pushes her into the orbit of Irish chieftain Aidan O'Donoghue. While he waits on the queen's decision, amusement turns into obsession, and then into real risk.
Merry Christmas, Baby!
by Susan Wiggs
1996
A holiday romance collection with warmth, festive complications, and happy endings earned the hard way. Susan Wiggs brings heart and humor to Christmas-set love stories here.
Miranda
by Susan Wiggs
1996
Centered on a heroine named Miranda, this romance follows a woman forced to choose between the life expected of her and the life she actually wants. Love arrives right in the middle of that reckoning.
This Time Marriage
by Susan Wiggs
1996
A marriage themed romance that plays with second chances and the surprising gap between convenience and real commitment. Love proves much harder to plan than the characters expect.
The Lightkeeper
by Susan Wiggs
1997
Jesse Morgan has hidden himself away in a remote lighthouse, determined never to love again. Then shipwreck survivor Mary Dare washes ashore, pregnant and penniless, and slowly brings light back into his world.
The Drifter
by Susan Wiggs
1998
Outlaw Jackson Underhill is on the run and knows better than to trust anyone, especially Dr. Leah Mundy. But her courage and compassion make him imagine a home and future the past may not let him keep.
Husband for Hire
by Susan Wiggs
1999
A practical arrangement turns complicated when the perfect husband on paper starts to feel dangerously real. Susan Wiggs uses the setup for a playful romance with real emotional stakes.
The Charm School
by Susan Wiggs
1999
Awkward Boston misfit Isadora Peabody sneaks aboard a ship bound for Rio and falls under the eye of fiery captain Ryan Calhoun. Their voyage becomes a lively historical romance about confidence, reinvention, and love.
The Horsemaster's Daughter
by Susan Wiggs
1999
When Hunter Calhoun brings a wild Irish stallion to Eliza Fylte, he expects help for the horse, not for himself. Her gift with animals leads both of them toward healing, family, and an uneasy but powerful attraction.
The Firebrand
by Susan Wiggs
2000
Escaping the Great Chicago Fire, Lucy Hathaway catches a falling bundle and discovers it holds a baby. Years later she comes face to face with the child's ruthless father, and the past flares back to life.
The Hostage
by Susan Wiggs
2000
Deborah Sinclair is a wealthy heiress until the Great Chicago Fire turns her into a pawn in Tom Silver's revenge. Amid flames and chaos, captivity gives way to a fierce, complicated attraction.
The Mistress
by Susan Wiggs
2000
Kathleen O'Leary spends one reckless night posing as an heiress and captures the attention of Dylan Kennedy. Before either can reveal the truth, fire erupts and sends both their false identities up in smoke.
Halfway to Heaven
by Susan Wiggs
2001
Charming political insider Jamie Calhoun befriends Abigail for reasons that are not entirely honorable. The closer he gets to her, the harder it becomes to separate calculation from real feeling.
The You I Never Knew
by Susan Wiggs
2001
At seventeen, Michelle fled her father's Montana ranch pregnant and heartbroken. Years later she returns to face the father who ruined her first love, and the son she thought she had lost forever.
Cinderfella / Lady of the Night
by Susan Wiggs
2002
A two-for-one volume of classic Susan Wiggs romance, pairing a Cinderella-style reversal with a second story of risky attraction after dark. It is a fun snapshot of her shorter romantic fiction.
Enchanted Afternoon
by Susan Wiggs
2002
Desperate and haunted by the past, Helena turns to Michael Rowan, the brilliant man who once broke her heart. Old wounds, fresh danger, and a shocking truth force both of them to fight for a second chance.
Passing Through Paradise
by Susan Wiggs
2002
A successful writer returns to a place tied to old choices and carefully buried secrets. As truth begins to surface, so does the possibility of love with a man who sees past the life she has constructed.
A Summer Affair
by Susan Wiggs
2003
Isabel Fish-Wooten has spent much of her life on the run, until a desperate moment leaves her dependent on a stranger. Recovery brings her close to him and his rebellious son, and to a future she never trusted herself to want.
Home Before Dark
by Susan Wiggs
2003
Years after giving up her baby to her older sister, photojournalist Jessie Ryder comes home carrying remorse and dangerous truth. Her return threatens to unravel a fragile family, but it may also rebuild it more honestly.
Summer by the Sea
by Susan Wiggs
2004
Restaurant owner Rosa Capoletti has built a good life, but never truly got over Alexander Montgomery. When he returns to town, old secrets and old feelings force them to decide whether love really deserves a second chance.
The Ocean Between Us
by Susan Wiggs
2004
Grace Bennett has spent years following her navy husband around the world and slowly losing herself. A secret from his past and a disaster at sea push their already strained marriage to the breaking point.
Lakeside Cottage
by Susan Wiggs
2005
Every summer Kate Livingston retreats to her family's cottage with her son Aaron, hoping for peace. Then a mysterious neighbor, paramedic hero JD Harris, arrives and turns their quiet refuge into a place of renewal.
Table For Five
by Susan Wiggs
2005
An unexpected family of five brings chaos, grief, and the possibility of healing in this warm contemporary story. Susan Wiggs turns domestic upheaval into a moving portrait of love arriving when life is least tidy.
Summer at Willow Lake
by Susan Wiggs
2006
After a broken engagement, Olivia Bellamy trades Manhattan for a summer restoring her family's crumbling resort in Avalon. Buried secrets, old memories, and new possibilities make Willow Lake feel less like an escape and more like a turning point.
Dockside
by Susan Wiggs
2007
With her daughter grown, Nina Romano is finally ready to live for herself. Then she falls for Greg Bellamy, an inn owner and single father, and discovers that starting over can be just as complicated as raising a family.
The Winter Lodge
by Susan Wiggs
2007
Jenny Majesky loses everything in a house fire, then finds a mystery hidden among her grandfather's things. At a cabin on Willow Lake, she and police chief Rourke McKnight uncover painful truths and an unexpected chance at love.
Just Breathe
by Susan Wiggs
2008
Cartoonist Sarah Moon flees Chicago after infertility struggles and her husband's betrayal, only to learn she is pregnant with his twins. Back in her California hometown, she reconnects with old heartbreak and a possible new future.
More Than Words
by Susan Wiggs
2008
An anthology featuring Susan Wiggs's novella *Homecoming Season*, alongside other stories about resilience, hope, and women finding a way forward after hardship.
Snowfall at Willow Lake
by Susan Wiggs
2008
After surviving a hostage crisis overseas, Sophie Bellamy returns to Avalon determined to repair the family bonds she neglected. Small-town life, and local veterinarian Noah Shepherd, offer a quieter future she never expected to want.
The Borrowed Bride
by Susan Wiggs
2008
A bride stands in where she was never meant to belong, and the arrangement grows more real than anyone planned. It is a quick, satisfying romance built on a classic mistaken-role setup.
Fireside
by Susan Wiggs
2009
Publicist Kimberly van Dorn retreats to Avalon after her life blows up in public. There she crosses paths with baseball hopeful Bo Crutcher, a suddenly single father, and both have to figure out what real stability might look like.
Lakeshore Christmas
by Susan Wiggs
2009
Maureen Davenport finally gets her shot at directing Avalon's holiday pageant, then gets stuck working with grumpy former child star Eddie Haven. Their Christmas clashes turn into a warm, funny second chance at connection.
Summer Brides
by Susan Wiggs
2010
A wedding themed collection of Susan Wiggs romances, full of summer settings, second chances, and the chaos that comes with planning a happy ending.
The Summer Hideaway
by Susan Wiggs
2010
At Willow Lake, people carrying fresh grief and old disappointments find themselves pushed together in one life-changing summer. What begins as refuge slowly turns into a risky second chance at love.
How I Planned Your Wedding
by Susan Wiggs
2011
Susan Wiggs and her daughter Elizabeth turn wedding planning into a funny, candid mother-daughter memoir. It is part real-life comedy, part practical survival guide, and full of affection beneath the chaos.
Marrying Daisy Bellamy
by Susan Wiggs
2011
Free-spirited Daisy Bellamy has spent years following her heart, but adulthood brings harder choices than youthful romance promised. She must decide whether the future she imagined still fits the woman she has become.
The Goodbye Quilt
by Susan Wiggs
2011
As her daughter prepares to leave for college, a Texas quilt shop owner begins stitching a goodbye quilt and confronting what comes next. Family secrets, old feelings, and the ache of change run through every square.
Return to Willow Lake
by Susan Wiggs
2012
When Sonnet Romano learns her mother is facing a high-risk pregnancy, she drops everything and returns to Avalon. A devastating diagnosis and a reunion with filmmaker Zach Alger force her to rethink love, work, and what home means.
The Apple Orchard
by Susan Wiggs
2012
Tess Delaney makes a living returning stolen treasures, but one case draws her into the hidden history of Bella Vista and her own family. In Sonoma, she discovers sisters, secrets, and a very different idea of home.
Candlelight Christmas
by Susan Wiggs
2013
Logan O'Donnell wants to give his son the perfect Christmas in Avalon, but newcomer Darcy Fitzgerald is not looking for romance. Their holiday season becomes a tender test of whether guarded hearts can still make room for family.
The Beekeeper's Ball
by Susan Wiggs
2014
Chef Isabel Johansen returns to her childhood home and sets out to turn it into a destination cooking school. As she rebuilds the place, she also has to face family history, unexpected complications, and the possibility of love.
The St. James Affair
by Susan Wiggs
2014
A compact romantic tale of secrets, attraction, and social risk, built around one encounter that refuses to remain simple. It has the quick, satisfying arc of a shorter Susan Wiggs story.
Starlight on Willow Lake
by Susan Wiggs
2015
Caregiver Faith McCallum arrives at the Bellamy estate with her two daughters, hoping for a clean start. Instead she finds old family secrets, new emotional ties, and the chance to rebuild a life that once seemed beyond repair.
Family Tree
by Susan Wiggs
2016
Annie Rush appears to have it all, love, success, and a beautiful life in Los Angeles, until one devastating moment shatters everything. In the aftermath, she has to face grief, truth, and the possibility of starting over.
Island Time
by Susan Wiggs
2016
An island escape becomes a reset button in this warm contemporary story about family strain, romance, and the healing that can happen when people are finally forced to slow down.
The Key Ingredient
by Susan Wiggs
2016
A short companion story about food, family, and the one choice that changes a life. It offers a compact dose of Susan Wiggs's talent for blending domestic detail with emotional consequence.
A Summer of Firsts
by Susan Wiggs
2017
A summer-centered collection about fresh starts, changing families, and the brave first steps that can alter a life. It has the warm, hopeful feel readers often come to Susan Wiggs for.
Map of the Heart
by Susan Wiggs
2017
Widowed Camille Palmer is drawn into her family's hidden past when a mysterious package arrives. Her search leads from the Delaware shore to wartime France, where long-buried secrets open the door to both heartbreak and renewal.
Between You and Me
by Susan Wiggs
2018
A woman whose polished public life hides private strain is forced to confront long-buried truths about family, identity, and love. Susan Wiggs pairs emotional secrecy with the possibility of hard-earned honesty.
The Oysterville Sewing Circle
by Susan Wiggs
2019
After a professional scandal, Caroline Shelby returns home to Oysterville and discovers a wartime mystery tied to a sewing circle. The novel blends second chances, local history, and a tender new romance.
The Summer It Begins
by Susan Wiggs
2019
A seasonal Susan Wiggs collection about family turning points, warm-weather beginnings, and the unexpected ways one summer can reshape a life.
The Lost and Found Bookshop
by Susan Wiggs
2020
After a cascade of losses, Natalie Harper inherits a beloved family bookshop and the care of her aging grandfather. Rebuilding the store means rebuilding herself, and opening the door to a new kind of love.
Sugar and Salt
by Susan Wiggs
2022
Bound by grief and years of resentment, two very different sisters are pushed back into each other's lives. Food, family obligation, and old hurts drive this emotional story of repair and reluctant closeness.
The Twelve Dogs of Christmas
by Susan Wiggs
2023
A holiday romance with rescue dogs, Christmas spirit, and a heroine in need of a reset. Susan Wiggs pairs seasonal charm with the emotional comfort of found family, furry and otherwise.
Welcome to Beach Town
by Susan Wiggs
2023
In a laid-back beach community, a woman trying to protect her family and livelihood discovers that renewal may come from the very upheaval she fears. Small-town warmth and second chances drive the story.
Wayward Girls
by Susan Wiggs
2025
Set in 1968, this novel follows six teenage girls confined in the laundry of a brutal Catholic reform school in Buffalo. Their friendship becomes a means of survival, resistance, and the pursuit of long-delayed justice.
Where should I start?
If you want a cozy small-town saga: Summer at Willow Lake → The Winter Lodge → Dockside
If you love food, family, and wine-country atmosphere: The Apple Orchard → The Beekeeper's Ball → Sugar and Salt
If you want emotional contemporary standalones: The Ocean Between Us → Just Breathe → The Lost and Found Bookshop
If you want historical romance first: The Charm School → The Mistress of Normandy → The Firebrand
If you want her newest historical fiction: Wayward Girls
Author bio
Susan Wiggs built her writing life the long way, with plenty of detours that now feel perfectly on brand for her books. She studied at Harvard, taught math after college, and kept reading fiction even when her own dream of being a novelist seemed parked for later.
She was also the kind of kid who wrote stories early and often.
The turning point came in 1983, when she ran out of something to read and started writing again herself. That private restart became a real career a few years later when Texas Wildflower was published in 1987. By 1992, she had left teaching to write full time.
That mix of practicality and imagination still shows in the books. Even when Wiggs is writing sweeping historical romance or an emotionally layered family novel, the people at the center usually feel grounded. They have jobs, obligations, regrets, old loyalties, and messy histories. Then love, family, or plain bad timing complicates everything.
Her early career was full of historical romance, and those books still matter to longtime readers. Novels like The Charm School, The Mistress of Normandy, The Firebrand, and At the King's Command show how comfortably she moves through different eras, from the American West to medieval Europe to Tudor England. The history is there, but the emotional pull is usually what readers remember, people caught between duty and desire, trying to choose a life they can live with.
Then her contemporary fiction widened the canvas.
Books such as The You I Never Knew, The Ocean Between Us, Just Breathe, and Lakeside Cottage lean into family secrets, second chances, motherhood, grief, and the ways people rebuild after life goes sideways. Later novels like Summer at Willow Lake and the rest of the Lakeshore books brought readers into a richly connected community, while The Apple Orchard and The Beekeeper's Ball turned toward Sonoma, food, memory, and family inheritance. More recent titles, including The Lost and Found Bookshop, Sugar and Salt, and Wayward Girls, show that she is still interested in reinvention, especially what happens after the version of life someone expected falls apart.
Her work has picked up major honors over the years, including romance awards for Lord of the Night, The Charm School, The Mistress, and Lakeside Cottage. But the better shorthand for her appeal is probably this, she writes relationship-centered fiction with a strong sense of place. Towns, shorelines, old houses, family businesses, and inherited land all matter in her stories. So do mothers and daughters, sisters, found family, and people returning home when they thought they were done with home for good.
These days, Wiggs lives at the water's edge on an island in Puget Sound. She has described herself as a former teacher, an avid hiker, an amateur photographer, a good skier, and a terrible golfer, which feels like exactly the kind of detail her readers would enjoy.
And it fits. Her books tend to make room for competence, humor, heartbreak, and hope, all in the same story.
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