Home To Harbor Town Books in Order

Recommended Reading Order for Home to Harbor Town

If you want to experience the emotional depth and cozy lakeside charm of Beth Kery's contemporary romance series, the best path is to follow the original publication timeline. The books follow the closely connected lives of the Kavanaugh, Reyes, and Itani families in a fictional community on Michigan's southwest coast. Because the characters share a history marked by a central family tragedy, reading the series out of order can spoil key plot revelations and make the complex family dynamics harder to follow.

Here is the recommended reading order for the series, using their original US titles:

1. The Hometown Hero Returns (2011) – Introduces Marc Kavanaugh and Marianna Itani, setting the emotional stage for the town and the family tensions.
2. Liam's Perfect Woman (2011) – Focuses on former Chicago cop Liam Kavanaugh and Natalie Reyes, a survivor of a car accident caused by Liam's father.
3. Claiming Colleen (2012) – Features Colleen Kavanaugh and orthopedic surgeon Eric Reyes, continuing the healing process between their fractured families.
4. One in a Billion (2012) – Details the romance of Deidre Kavanaugh and corporate partner Nick Malone, following the revelation of Deidre's secret parentage.
5. The Soldier's Baby Bargain (2012) – Concludes the series with Ryan Itani and Faith Holmes, bringing closure to the overarching narrative of healing and new beginnings.

The UK Title Twist: The "If" Series

One of the most important caveats for readers tracking down physical copies or ebooks of this series is its international renaming. In the United Kingdom, publisher Harlequin repackaged and re-released the entire Home to Harbor Town series as the "If" series. The stories, characters, and settings remain identical, but every single book received a completely new title. To help you avoid accidentally buying duplicate copies of the same book, here is the direct translation guide between the US and UK versions:

• The Hometown Hero Returns was published in the UK as If You Come Back To Me.
• Liam's Perfect Woman was published in the UK as If I Can't Let Go.
• Claiming Colleen was published in the UK as If I Can't Have You.
• One in a Billion was published in the UK as If I Trust You.
• The Soldier's Baby Bargain was published in the UK as If I Need You.

Inside the Harbor Town Books: Plot & Character Details

To give you a better sense of what each romance has in store, here is a detailed breakdown of the five individual novels that make up the series:

1. The Hometown Hero Returns

The series opens with the emotional reunion of Marc Kavanaugh and Marianna Itani. Marc was once the town's golden boy, but a tragic accident tore his family apart and forced him to leave Harbor Town under a cloud of shame and disapproval. When Marc returns to his hometown years later, he is no longer the reckless teenager he once was, but a hardened, mature man determined to rebuild his life. Marianna Itani has spent years trying to move past her teenage love for Marc, yet the spark between them remains as volatile and intense as ever. Their romance is complicated by deep-seated family rivalries and the ghosts of their shared past, establishing the emotional stakes for the entire series.

2. Liam's Perfect Woman

Liam Kavanaugh, a former Chicago police officer, has returned to Harbor Town seeking peace and a fresh start. Instead, he finds himself face-to-face with Natalie Reyes, a woman whose life was shattered by a devastating accident caused by Liam's own father. The guilt Liam carries is heavy, and Natalie represents the ultimate forbidden fruit. She is a survivor trying to rebuild her independence, and the last thing she needs is a Kavanaugh in her life. However, as they work through their mutual pain and the lingering trauma of the past, they find an unexpected and intense healing connection. This book deepens the central conflict of the series, showing how forgiveness can bloom in the aftermath of tragedy.

3. Claiming Colleen

In high school, Colleen Kavanaugh was the popular, wealthy princess of Harbor Town, while Eric Reyes was an outsider looking in. Years later, their situations have dramatically reversed. Eric is now a highly successful and wealthy orthopedic surgeon, while Colleen is struggling to raise her son as a single mother. When Colleen's son suffers a foot injury, Eric is called in as a consultant, forcing the two together. Furthermore, they are tasked with planning a wedding between Eric's sister and Colleen's brother. The professional and personal proximity sparks an intense attraction, forcing them to confront the old class divides and the tragic history of their families. Eric must prove to Colleen that his success hasn't made him heartless, while Colleen must learn to trust again.

4. One in a Billion

This installment shifts focus to Deidre Kavanaugh, whose life is turned upside down when she learns that she is the biological daughter of the late billionaire corporate mogul Lincoln DuBois. Her mother had kept this secret for her entire life, and Deidre only got to know her father briefly before his passing. Upon his death, Lincoln leaves half of his billion-dollar corporation to Deidre. To claim her inheritance, she must co-manage the company with Nick Malone, Lincoln's right-hand man and surrogate son. Nick is highly skeptical of Deidre's sudden appearance and demands a paternity test, starting their relationship on a tense note. As they battle for control of the boardroom, the business rivalry melts into a scorching attraction, forcing Nick to choose between his professional doubts and his growing love for Deidre.

5. The Soldier's Baby Bargain

The final book in the series centers on Ryan Itani, a former Air Force pilot who has returned to Harbor Town to launch a charter flight business. Ryan has harbored feelings for Faith Holmes for years, but he stayed away because she was married to his late best friend and fellow serviceman. Following her husband's death, Faith is left picking up the pieces of her life. During a brief, comfort-seeking encounter the previous Christmas, Faith and Ryan shared a night of passion. When Ryan returns to check on her, he discovers that Faith is pregnant with his baby. Ryan is determined to do the right thing and be a father, but Faith is hesitant to get involved with another military pilot. The story details Ryan's patient efforts to prove he is ready for a lifetime commitment, giving the series a heartfelt conclusion.

Chronological Consistency and Overlapping Backstories

While many contemporary romance series can be read completely out of order, Home to Harbor Town benefits significantly from a sequential reading. The reason lies in the overlapping timelines and the deep family scars that run through each book. The fatal car accident caused by the Kavanaugh patriarch is a shadow that hangs over the first three books. If you skip directly to Claiming Colleen, for example, the resolution of the feud between the Kavanaughs and the Reyeses in Liam's Woman will already have occurred, stripping away the tension of their initial interactions.

Additionally, the character growth is cumulative. The emotional healing of the town and the restoration of the Kavanaugh family's reputation progress step-by-step from the first book to the last. The transition of secondary characters into leads is smooth, allowing readers to watch the community rebuild itself over the course of the five novels.

What to Know Before You Start

Readers familiar with Beth Kery's international bestselling series, such as Because You Are Mine, should adjust their expectations before diving into Home to Harbor Town. While those works are highly explicit, high-intensity erotic romances, this series was written for the Harlequin Special Edition imprint. This means the focus is heavily on emotional healing, small-town community dynamics, and family drama. While there is still plenty of Kery's signature passion and sensual tension, the story style is softer, warmer, and more grounded in traditional contemporary romance tropes. The setting of Harbor Town, a cozy fictional community on the shores of Lake Michigan near Holland, Michigan, acts as a soothing backdrop to the heavy themes of survivor's guilt, grief, and forgiveness.