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Sarah Addison Allen writes small-town stories with a light touch of magic, things that feel ordinary until they don’t. Most of her novels are standalones, but there is one clear two-book storyline that should be read in sequence.
Instead of forcing a single “one-size-fits-all” order, this guide starts by telling you what connects, then lists every book in a clean, dependable order.
What connects and what doesn’t
Read these two together (same family, same world)
- Garden Spells → First Frost
Everything else below can be read on its own.
The complete list in publication order
1) Garden Spells (2007)
Garden Spells: A quiet woman with an enchanted backyard is shaken out of routine when her sister returns and the town starts paying attention.
2) The Sugar Queen (2008)
The Sugar Queen: A lonely woman escapes a controlled life and stumbles into a friendship, and romance, that feels like it arrived by fate.
3) The Girl Who Chased the Moon (2010)
The Girl Who Chased the Moon: A young woman comes home to unravel her mother’s past, only to learn the town has been keeping its own version of the truth.
4) The Peach Keeper (2012)
The Peach Keeper: Two women dig into a century-old mystery that turns neighborhood history into something personal and urgent.
5) Waking Kate (2013, short story – optional)
Waking Kate: A woman on the edge of change hears a stranger’s story that nudges her toward a decision she’s been postponing.
Optional note: This is a short, stand-alone piece that pairs naturally before Lost Lake, but it isn’t required.
6) Lost Lake (2014)
Lost Lake: A grieving mother and her daughter find a worn-down summer camp where the people they meet begin repairing what life broke.
7) First Frost (2015) – read after Garden Spells
First Frost: The Waverley family faces new love, old patterns, and the kind of magic that shows up when life demands honesty.
8) Other Birds (2022)
Other Birds: On a coastal island, strangers living close together circle one another’s secrets until community becomes the only way forward.
9) Paper Ghosts (scheduled 2026)
Paper Ghosts: A family with a long, complicated history is forced to face what has been hidden, both the tenderness and the damage.
If you want one starting point, pick by vibe
- For the “classic” Allen experience: Garden Spells (then First Frost)
- For a warm reset story with found-family energy: Lost Lake
- For coastal atmosphere and an ensemble cast: Other Birds
- For completionists: read straight down the publication list above
Do you need a chronological order?
No. These books don’t share a single timeline, and you won’t miss plot context by reading the standalones out of order. The only truly order-sensitive pair is:
- Garden Spells
- First Frost
FAQs
Is First Frost a sequel?
Yes. It continues the Waverley family story introduced in Garden Spells.
Is Waking Kate required before Lost Lake?
No. It’s a short companion piece that fits nicely beforehand, but Lost Lake stands on its own.
Are any other books secretly connected?
Not in a way that affects understanding. Treat the rest as separate stories.
Best simple plan
If you want the cleanest path without overthinking:
Start with Garden Spells, follow with First Frost, then read the remaining standalones in publication order, or jump to the premise that matches your mood.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.