Jude Deveraux, widely celebrated for her sprawling historical romance sagas, offers readers a unique contemporary escape infused with speculative magic in the Summerhouse series. The core premise is one that resonates with almost everyone: three women, feeling stuck or regretful in their present lives, are given a magical opportunity to step back in time, relive their pasts, and rewrite their destinies. Guided by the mysterious Madame Zoya and her sister, Primrose, the characters embark on deeply emotional journeys of self-discovery, romance, and friendship.
If you are planning to read this charming series, here is everything you need to know about the reading order, chronological settings, and how these books fit together.
The Recommended Reading Order
Since the series follows a clear chronological release and introduces the magical rules and characters gradually, the absolute best way to experience these books is in their publication order. Each novel focuses on a different trio of women, but the magical guides and the themes build on one another.
- The Summerhouse (2001) – This is the book that starts it all. We meet Leslie, Madison, and Ellie, who first crossed paths at a New York DMV and reunite nineteen years later. Facing midlife regrets and stagnant marriages, they are hosted by Madame Zoya at a magical summerhouse in Maine, where they get three weeks to go back in time and change the pivotal choices of their youth.
- Return to Summerhouse (2008) – Seven years after the original, Deveraux returned to Maine with a new trio: Amy, Faith, and Zoë. This time, Madame Zoya is joined by her equally gifted sister, Primrose. Instead of just changing their individual modern pasts, the women are transported back to 18th-century England to solve historical secrets and rewrite ancestral destinies.
- As You Wish (2018) – The final installment shifts the setting from Maine to the Summer Hill estate in Virginia. Here, Madame Zoya and Primrose guide Olivia (in her sixties), Kathy (in her forties), and Elise (in her twenties). Each woman carries deep regrets about their marriages, and they are granted the chance to slip back to key moments in their pasts to reclaim their happiness.
Understanding the Settings and Timeline
While the first two books take place in a cozy, magical summerhouse on the coast of Maine, As You Wish moves the action to the historic town of Summer Hill, Virginia. Despite the location change, the magical continuity remains intact thanks to the presence of Madame Zoya and Primrose, who act as the central thread linking all three novels.
Because each book features a brand-new cast of protagonists, the novels can technically be read as standalones. However, reading them out of order is not recommended, as the evolution of the magical mechanisms and the roles of Madame Zoya and Primrose are best understood when read sequentially.
Practical Reading Advice
- Start at the Beginning: Always begin with The Summerhouse. It establishes the ground rules of Deveraux's time-travel magic and sets the emotional tone for the sequels.
- Expect Tone Shifts: The first book focus heavily on modern relationship dynamics and personal regrets, whereas Return to Summerhouse leans into historical adventure when the characters travel to 18th-century England. As You Wish returns to a more localized time-travel structure but spans multiple generations of women.
- A Self-Contained Universe: Although Jude Deveraux is famous for connecting her major families (like the Montgomerys and Taggerts) across different series, the Summerhouse trilogy remains largely self-contained. You do not need to read any of her other books to fully appreciate this trilogy.