Three Rivers Ranch Books in Order

Saddle Up for Three Rivers Ranch

If you love contemporary Christian romance filled with rugged cowboys, military veterans, and heartwarming stories of faith, Liz Isaacson’s Three Rivers Ranch Romance series is the perfect escape. Set near Amarillo, Texas, this sprawling series follows a close-knit community where broken souls find second chances, healing, and lasting love. Written by Liz Isaacson (the pen name of bestselling author Elana Johnson), these clean romances have captured the hearts of readers worldwide with their authentic characters and inspirational themes.

With more than twenty books in the expanded universe, figuring out where to start and how to navigate the timeline can feel a bit daunting. This comprehensive guide breaks down the recommended reading paths, clarifies the differences between publication and chronological order, and highlights the spin-offs you won't want to miss.

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving in, it is helpful to understand the tone and themes of the series. Liz Isaacson's novels are categorized as clean and wholesome Christian romances. The characters have deep faith, pray, and attend church, but the spiritual elements are woven naturally into their struggles rather than feeling preachy. Many of the male leads are military veterans coping with physical injuries, PTSD, and the difficult transition back to civilian life. Three Rivers Ranch serves as a sanctuary and rehab facility where they can heal, work with horses, and rebuild their lives. While each book is a standalone romance focusing on a single couple, characters from earlier books frequently reappear as supporting cast, creating a strong sense of community continuity.

Where Should You Start Reading?

For the best reading experience, new readers should start with the very first novel, Second Chance Ranch. This book introduces Major Squire Ackerman and Kelly, establishing the ranch's mission to help veterans and setting up the central conflict of saving the property from financial ruin. Starting here allows you to meet the core characters, understand the layout of the ranch, and watch the community grow from the ground up.

You might see some retailers and databases list The First Lady of Three Rivers Ranch as book 0.5 (a prequel). However, this novella actually follows the romance of the ranch patriarch, Frank Ackerman (Squire’s father), and Heidi Duffin. Because Frank is single in the early books, reading his romance first can create minor timeline spoilers and feel out of place. We recommend holding off on Frank’s story until later in the series (as listed in our chronological order) to enjoy the natural progression of the ranch's community.

The Two Ways to Read: Publication vs. Chronological Order

Because Liz Isaacson has written several holiday novellas, short stories, and recent spin-offs, readers generally choose between two primary reading orders: the Publication Order and the Chronological Order.

The main difference between the two orders involves the 2017 holiday anthology Christmas in Three Rivers and its subsequent standalone expansions. In 2017, Isaacson released a collection of four sweet holiday romances. In 2024, these four stories—The Ninth Inning, Ten Days in Town, Eleven Year Reunion, and The Twelfth Town—were expanded and re-released as individual novels. Chronologically, these holiday stories occur early in the timeline (right after book 7, Eight Second Ride). In publication order, however, they appear much later as 2024 releases.

Option 1: Publication Reading Order

Following the publication order is the most straightforward path. It allows you to read the stories exactly as Liz Isaacson wrote and released them, showing the natural evolution of her writing and world-building.

1. Second Chance Ranch (2015) – Squire and Kelly’s story of healing and restoration.
2. Third Time's the Charm (2016) – Peter and Chelsea's story, introducing the equine therapy program.
3. Fourth and Long (2016) – Brett and Kate's story of forgiveness and reunited love.
4. Fifth Generation Cowboy (2016) – Palmer and Amanda's story of family legacy and romance.
5. Sixth Street Love Affair (2016) – Alfred and Janice's sweet small-town romance.
6. The Seventh Sergeant (2016) – Oliver and Julia's story of military transition and faith.
7. Eight Second Ride (2016) – Ethan and Bailey's story of rodeo dreams and second chances.
8. The First Lady of Three Rivers Ranch (2017) – Frank and Heidi's sweet romance.
9. Christmas in Three Rivers (2017) – The original holiday collection containing four novellas.
10. Lucky Number Thirteen (2017) – A Valentine's Day romance featuring Knox and Chloe.
11. The Curse of February Fourteenth (2018) – Another sweet Valentine's-themed romance.
12. Fifteen Minutes of Fame (2018) – A story of fame, faith, and finding true love.
13. Sixteen Steps to Fall in Love (2018) – A heartwarming romance built on friendship and trust.
14. The Sleigh on Seventeenth Street (2018) – A festive holiday story set in Three Rivers.
15. A Very Cowboy Christmas (2021) – A cozy holiday romance focusing on family and faith.
16. The Ninth Inning (2024) – Andrea and Lawrence's story (originally part of the 2017 Christmas collection).
17. Ten Days in Town (2024) – Sandy and Tad's story (originally part of the 2017 Christmas collection).
18. Eleven Year Reunion (2024) – A sweet story of reconnection (originally part of the 2017 Christmas collection).
19. The Twelfth Town (2024) – A heartwarming romance (originally part of the 2017 Christmas collection).
20. Eighteen Bowties and Counting (2024) – Beau and Charlotte's story, where Beau has attended seventeen ranch weddings!
21. The Cowboy Who Spoke Softly (2025) – Conrad and Glory's story (also known as More Than Words).
22. The Cowboy Who Heard Her (2025) – Mitch and Lacy's story (also known as What She Says).

Option 2: Chronological Reading Order

If you want to experience the events of Three Rivers Ranch in the exact order they occur in the characters' lives, follow this chronological order. In this path, the 2024 holiday expansions are placed immediately after the Christmas in Three Rivers collection, and Frank’s story (The First Lady of Three Rivers Ranch) is read much later in the series.

1. Second Chance Ranch (2015)
2. Third Time's the Charm (2016)
3. Fourth and Long (2016)
4. Fifth Generation Cowboy (2016)
5. Sixth Street Love Affair (2016)
6. The Seventh Sergeant (2016)
7. Eight Second Ride (2016)
8. Christmas in Three Rivers (2017)
9. The Ninth Inning (2024)
10. Ten Days in Town (2024)
11. Eleven Year Reunion (2024)
12. The Twelfth Town (2024)
13. Lucky Number Thirteen (2017)
14. The Curse of February Fourteenth (2018)
15. Fifteen Minutes of Fame (2018)
16. Sixteen Steps to Fall in Love (2018)
17. The Sleigh on Seventeenth Street (2018)
18. The First Lady of Three Rivers Ranch (2017)
19. A Very Cowboy Christmas (2021)
20. Eighteen Bowties and Counting (2024)
21. The Cowboy Who Spoke Softly (2025)
22. The Cowboy Who Heard Her (2025)

Subseries, Spin-offs, and Connected Worlds

The town of Three Rivers, Texas, is home to multiple interconnected series by Liz Isaacson. Once you finish the main ranch romance books, you can dive deeper into these companion series:

• Seven Sons Ranch in Three Rivers: A popular spin-off series set in the same small town, focusing on the brothers of the Seven Sons Ranch and their own journeys of faith, family, and romance.
• Cowboys of Three Rivers: A new generation spin-off series that features fresh faces in the community, including The Cowboy Who Spoke Softly (Conrad and Glory) and The Cowboy Who Heard Her (Mitch and Lacy). This series continues to expand the beloved Texas setting with new emotional depth and clean romantic stories.

Because all of these books share the same fictional town, you will frequently see characters from one series crossing over to make cameo appearances in the others. Reading the main Three Rivers Ranch series first provides the ideal foundation before moving on to these spin-offs.