Lavender Tides Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order for Lavender Tides

For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to follow the chronological order of the Lavender Tides series. While each full-length novel features a self-contained mystery and focuses on a different romantic pairing, the recurring characters, overarching community dynamics, and minor background threads develop sequentially. By reading them in order, you will avoid minor spoilers and fully appreciate the character growth across the books.

Here is the recommended chronological reading order for the series:

1. The View from Rainshadow Bay (Book 1) – Published January 2018
2. Leaving Lavender Tides (Novella / Book 1.5) – Published March 2018
3. The House at Saltwater Point (Book 2) – Published July 2018
4. Secrets at Cedar Cabin (Book 3) – Published January 2019

Detailed Breakdown of the Lavender Tides Books

1. The View from Rainshadow Bay

The series begins with The View from Rainshadow Bay, introducing readers to the fictional, misty coastal town of Lavender Tides, Washington. The story centers on Shauna McDade, a young widow and helicopter pilot who is struggling to raise her five-year-old son, Alex, after her husband Jack’s tragic climbing accident. Shauna harbors deep resentment toward Zach Bannister, Jack’s climbing partner, whom she blames for the accident. However, when Shauna’s business partner, Clarence, dies in a sudden house explosion and warns her that she is also in danger, Shauna is forced to team up with Zach to survive. As the threats multiply, they must untangle dangerous secrets from Shauna’s childhood while learning to trust each other.

2. Leaving Lavender Tides (Novella)

Serving as a crucial bridge between the first and second novels, Leaving Lavender Tides is a digital-first novella that follows Shauna and Zach on their honeymoon cruise to Hawaii. Expecting a peaceful escape from the trauma of Rainshadow Bay, the newlyweds instead find themselves targeted by a relentless stalker. After Zach narrowly escapes two staged accidents, they must work together to unmask their pursuer before their dream trip turns deadly. While shorter than the main novels, this novella provides a satisfying continuation of Shauna and Zach’s relationship.

3. The House at Saltwater Point

The second full-length novel, The House at Saltwater Point, shifts the spotlight to Ellie Blackmore, a local house flipper whose sister, Mackenzie, suddenly vanishes. With a bloodstain on Mackenzie’s boat and a flipper floating in the water, Ellie is desperate for answers. She suspects her sister’s ex-husband, but Coast Guard intelligence officer Grayson Bradshaw arrives with a shocking theory: he believes Mackenzie faked her death after stealing a seized shipment of cocaine. Forced into an uneasy alliance, Ellie and Grayson dive into a dangerous investigation that quickly expands from a missing person case into a high-stakes conspiracy involving drug smuggling and international threats.

4. Secrets at Cedar Cabin

The series concludes with Secrets at Cedar Cabin. Bailey Fleming is running for her life after her mother’s murder, only to discover that her mother had lied about her identity and her husband was not who he claimed to be. Bailey seeks refuge in a remote, run-down cabin in Lavender Tides. Her path crosses with Lance Phoenix, an FBI agent searching for his runaway sister, Ava. When bodies are discovered near the cabin, Bailey and Lance uncover a human trafficking ring. Lance suspects Bailey holds the key to finding his sister, and the two must race against time to bring down the network and catch a killer before Bailey becomes the next victim.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

In most book lists and online retailers, Leaving Lavender Tides is sometimes placed after The House at Saltwater Point due to printing schedules or collection formats (often cataloged as Book 2.5 or read at the very end). However, chronologically, the novella takes place immediately after the events of The View from Rainshadow Bay because it depicts Shauna and Zach’s honeymoon. Reading the novella third can feel jarring because the second novel, The House at Saltwater Point, already references Shauna and Zach as established newlyweds. For the smoothest narrative continuity, read the novella second.

What to Know Before You Start

Colleen Coble is a USA Today bestselling author renowned for her Christian romantic suspense novels, and Lavender Tides showcases her signature style. The series tackles heavy, real-world issues such as grief, trauma, international smuggling, and human trafficking, but balances these intense plots with themes of hope, faith, forgiveness, and healing. The atmospheric backdrop of the Pacific Northwest—complete with stormy beaches, dense pine forests, and lavender fields—serves as a character in its own right, enhancing the tension and romance.

For fans who finish the series and want to stay in a similar setting, Coble has written several other coastal romantic suspense series. While there are no direct character crossovers between them, series like Sunset Cove (set in Maine), Pelican Harbor (set in Alabama), and Rock Harbor (set in Michigan) offer the same blend of gripping mysteries, clean romance, and faith elements.