20 Best Debbie Macomber Books Every Reader Must Experience

If you are in the market for a lighthearted read with a touch of romance, pick up one of these top 20 best Debbie Macomber books.

One of the best romance authors alive today, Debbie Macomber, writes lighthearted, feel-good, clean, fresh, and fresh tales. Many of her books are set in Washington, where Macomber lives with her family. She inspires many young writers and readers because she has dyslexia, but she overcame this challenge to become a famous author.

Macomber got her to start writing romance stories for Silhouette Books and then Harlequin. To date, this New York Times bestselling author has written over 150 novels and books, and she has over 200 million copies of her books worldwide. She has had boo ks on the New York Times bestseller list for over 1,000 weeks, and 15 of the books made it to the top. In addition, many works have been made into popular audiobooks.

Sometimes called the “official storyteller of Christmas,” Macomber is known for her annual Christmas book, published in the fall. Six of these have become Hallmark Channel original movies. Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove, which debuted in 2013, was a scripted television drama based on these books.

Macomber is a prolific author, and most of her books embrace romance and family relationships or deep friendships. While romance is a central theme in many, they aren’t particularly steamy, focusing on the more subtle parts of romance. New beginnings are a common theme of the books as well. In addition, she has three cookbooks, two adult coloring books, and several nonfiction books. To round out her list of publications, she’s even published two children’s books.

1. The Inn at Rose Harbor

The first book in the Rose Harbor series, The Inn at Rose Harbor, introduces Jo Marie Rose, a woman in search of peace who purchases an inn and attempts to help her guests find peace while staying in the inn themselves. This gentle love story talks about how to move on after tragedy. The series that this book introduced is a spin-off from Macomber’s Cedar Cove books, but it is a good read in and of itself. You might be interested in exploring more romance books, check out our round-up of authors like Colleen Hoover.

“When I first learned that Paul had been killed, the grief had been all-consuming, and I didn’t think I would be able to go on. Yet life continues to move forward, and so have I, dragging from one day into the next until I found I could breathe normally.”

Debbie Macomber

2. 16 Lighthouse Road

With 16 Lighthouse Road, Debbie Macomber introduces her Cedar Cove series. The main character, Olivia, is a family court judge who happens to have her own failed marriage. However, as she works to hear the petitions of struggling couples, she also starts to find her path to love. This book sets the stage for a lengthy series, and it was published in 2001.

“The military might have its heroes, but the wives were the backbone.”

Debbie Macomber

3. 50 Harbor Street

In 50 Harbor Street, book number five in the Cedar Cove series, Macomber tells the story of Corrie. Corrie is married to Cedar Cove’s private investigator, and she tries to help her adult daughter find love. This book has plenty of romance, but it also has a mystery. When Corrie and her husband receive ominous postcards in the mail from mysterious senders, the reader must try to figure out the reason. This book was published in 2005.

“We certainly would,” Cliff said. “Seth’s family is waiting for us,” Justine told them. “But thanks for the invite.” She smiled as Cal came in with another two bags. “And thanks, Cal,”

Debbie Macomber

4. A Good Yarn

A Good Yarn is the second book in the Blossom Street series. This series follows Lydia Hoffman, the owner of a yarn shop in downtown Seattle. This book is set in the shop’s second year, and the story follows four women who are students in the knitting class at the shop. They must face the realities of divorce, weight problems, and depression as they learn to work through life alongside the other women in the class. This book was published in 2021.

“I love the way knitting brings people together.”

Debbie Macomber

5. Dear Santa

Dear Santa is one of Macomber’s famous Christmas tales that have earned her the title “Queen of Christmas,” as well as several Hallmark movies based on her books. This one tells of what happens to Lindy Charmichael when she flees home after discovering her boyfriend has cheated on her. Her mother presents her with her childhood letters to Santa, and she takes a walk down memory lane while also seeing her grown-up wishes come true.

“Like anything else, friendship was an investment in time.”

Debbie Macomber

6. Mr. Miracle: A Christmas Novel

In Mr. Miracle, Harry Mills, a guardian angel, is sent to earth to pose as a teacher to help his target, Addie Folsom, find love and get her life back on track. Soon, he helps inspire her feelings for Erich, her long-time neighbor and a person who seems, in all ways, her opposite. A forced Christmas meeting for the Tacoma, Washington couple woven with some small-town charm makes it a magical tale. This is number 10 of the Angelic Intervention series and was published in 2014.

“We all make mistakes. Big and small. But you don’t have to let them define you forever.”

Debbie Macomber

7. The First Man You Meet

Could you marry the first man you meet? When Shelly Hansen gets a wedding dress in the mail from her aunt on Friday the 13th, the legend in her family says she will do just that. However, the First Man You Meet pits her against Mark Brady, who she is firmly against marrying. This story is a standalone book, but it was originally published as part of an anthology called To Have and To Hold, published in 1992.

“I imagine you’re wondering why I’m mailing you my wedding dress. (Yes, that is indeed my infamous wedding dress.) I suspect the sight of it has put the fear of God in you.”

Debbie Macomber

8. Susannah’s Garden

Book number three in the Blossom Street series Susannah’s Garden, follows Susannah Nelson through her life. As the main character discovers who she is and where she belongs in this world, she also starts a flower shop. In the end, the book ties itself back into the shop on Blossom Street storyline, but it is a heartwarming tale that stands on its own. Macomber published this work in 2007.

“She couldn’t wait to peel off the panty hose.”

Debbie Macomber

9. It’s Better This Way

Divorce can be life-shattering, and in It’s Better This Way, Macomber looks at this reality as she shows what happens to Julia Jones after the breakup of her marriage. When Julia finds love unexpectedly, she also finds that combining families is not so easy. Readers appreciate the realistic, lighthearted look at family drama in this book, which Macomber published in 2021.

“Love that isn’t faithful has little value. It really isn’t love at all.”

Debbie Macomber

10. A Girl’s Guide to Moving On

In A Girl’s Guide to Moving On, Macomber tells the story of a mother and daughter-in-law who leave troubled marriages and start over together. As both women find love away from their failed marriages, they must grapple with the realities of what their unfaithful husbands did to hurt them. Macomber published this romance book in 2016.

“I wanted time for my heart to heal and for my head to wrap itself around these major life changes.”

Debbie Macomber

11. A Turn in the Road

Blossom Street book number eight, A Turn in the Road, returns to the Blossom Street world. In this book, a group of women goes on a road trip, and they find some romance along the way. One of the characters faces the real question of whether or not to return to her cheating ex, who wants her back, and the book weaves plenty of humor throughout its pages. Of course, the yarn shop shows up in this book, too. This book came to market in 2017.

“Years ago I read that grief is the place where love and pain converge.”

Debbie Macomber

12. Last One Home

After graduating high school, Cassie runs away from home to get married, breaking a close relationship with her two sisters. The marriage ends in disaster, and Cassie heads back home to Seattle, but the damage to her relationship with her sisters seems impossible to overcome. Last One Home is a book about a fresh start, and Macomber published it in 2015.

“I suppose there will be the time when I’ll need to consider moving into one of those assisted-living complexes. At my age it’s difficult to make significant changes, but then that’s life.”

Debbie Macomber

13. 204 Rosewood Lane

The second Cedar Cove book, 204 Rosewood Lane, introduces readers to Grace, a secondary character in the first book. In this tale, her husband, Dan, disappears. As she struggles with the emotions this brings, the community comes alongside her. Again, readers appreciated that Macomber brought back characters from the first book, so they could check up on the people they’d come to love. This book came to market in 2002.

“I ignored what was going on behind my back because that was the only way I could deal with it.”

Debbie Macomber

14. A Walk Along the Beach

A Walk Along the Beach is a good choice if you love women’s fiction and the beach. This second book in the Oceanside series visits two sisters who live as roommates and seek to impact the community. The central theme of this book is family and how to build a life after devastating circumstances. Macomber published this work in 2020, making it one of her newer books.

“We’d always been together and close, more than ever since losing our mother.”

Debbie Macomber

15. A Season of Angels

A Season of Angels is book number one of the Angels Everywhere series. In a charming play on words, three angels named Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy are sent to earth to help three different people find what they need, all while teaching them an important lesson. This Christmas book was published in 1993.

“With God’s help she could forge a path where there hadn’t been one before. With God’s help she would make a way where there was none.”

Debbie Macomber

16. The Best is Yet to Come

Oceanside book three is The Best is Yet to Come. This book tells of Hope Godwin when she seeks a new beginning in Oceanside after her twin brother dies. The community seems to provide plenty of distractions, and she settles in quickly but still feels her life is missing something. Finally, she connects with a dog named Shadow and a volunteer at the local animal shelter. Together, Godwin and the volunteer find the silver lining in challenging times. This book hit the market in 2022.

“Sometimes the end of the road is just the beginning.”

Debbie Macomber

17. Rose Harbor in Bloom

Rose Harbor in Bloom is book two in the Rose Harbor series. This book continues the story of Joe Marie Rose while adding several of the inn’s guests to create more interest in the tale. All women in the book must learn to embrace changing futures and make peace with troubled pasts. Macomber published this work in 2013. It landed on the New York Times bestseller list shortly after this publication.

“Prim and proper, a cat woman . . .Hmm, I was left to wonder. Possibly a librarian in her late forties or early fifties. In town for a special occasion? It certainly left me to ponder her story.”

Debbie Macomber

18. Any Dream Will Do

Friendship is the first step when a down-on-her-luck woman meets a widowed pastor. In Any Dream Will Do, the main characters must learn to trust. Add a potentially disastrous family secret that threatens to pull the two lovers apart, and you have the makings of excellent standalone work from Macomber. She published this book in 2017.

“I served the counter while Sadie and Alice managed the floor. As soon as one seat emptied, someone else took the spot. After removing the dirty dishes and wiping the area clean, I looked up to greet my new customer.”

Debbie Macomber

19. Back on Blossom Street

Back on Blossom Street is number four of the Blossom Street books. It starts with Susannah’s Garden, a new shop on Blossom Street, and a new hire named Colette Black. Like most characters in these books, the women join the kitting class at the yarn shop, and a beautiful friendship develops. This book hit the bookshelves in 2007.

“John F. Kennedy is reported to have said that we can forgive our enemies, but we shouldn’t forget their names.”

Debbie Macomber

20. 74 Seaside Avenue

The final book on the list of the best Debbie Macomber books is 74 Seaside Avenue, Cedar Cove book seven. This book explores the experiences of Teri Miller and Rachel Pedergast, two beauty salon workers, as they find love and fulfillment. Macomber published this book in 2007. If you like reading romance books, you might want to check out our round-up of the best books by Sylvia Day.

“They hadn’t been married long and she hated to disillusion him so soon. Once he met the family, he might well have serious doubts about her, and the truth was, she wouldn’t blame him.”

Debbie Macomber

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