Ali McNamara Books in Order

Where to Start with Ali McNamara

For readers diving into Ali McNamara's heartwarming bibliography for the first time, you have two excellent starting paths. If you love classic rom-coms themed around cinema and iconic locations, start with her debut novel, From Notting Hill with Love... Actually. It introduces her signature warm tone and began her rise to bestseller lists. If you prefer cozy, atmospheric stories set in coastal villages with a hint of folklore and magical realism, start with The Little Flower Shop by the Sea, which serves as the gateway to her popular St Felix series.

While many of her books are set in shared locations, the majority can be enjoyed as standalone stories. However, reading them in publication order lets you appreciate how her writing style has evolved to weave light fantasy and folklore elements into modern romance.

The 'Actually' (Notting Hill) Series

This is Ali McNamara's first connected series, heavily inspired by classic romantic comedies and movie trivia. The series follows Scarlett, a film-obsessed protagonist navigating the complicated world of love. Because these books follow a continuous narrative arc for Scarlett, they must be read in order:

• From Notting Hill with Love... Actually (2010): We meet Scarlett, who travels to London's famous Notting Hill and finds her own life starting to mirror the movies she loves.
• From Notting Hill to New York... Actually (2012): Scarlett takes her cinematic adventures across the Atlantic to the bustling streets of Manhattan.
• From Notting Hill with Four Weddings... Actually (2014): The final installment, wrapping up Scarlett's romantic journey with plenty of humor and nod to classic British rom-coms.

The St Felix Cornish Series

St Felix is a fictional coastal harbor town in Cornwall that serves as the setting for some of McNamara's most beloved novels. While these books are technically companion novels—meaning each features a new set of lead characters and can be read independently—they are highly connected by the town's community, recurrent local businesses, and an underlying sense of magical realism. To get the best experience, read them in publication order to see the town change and grow:

• The Little Flower Shop by the Sea (2015): Poppy Harper arrives in St Felix to run her aunt's flower shop and begins to heal from her past while uncovering the town's charms.
• Daisy's Vintage Cornish Camper Van (2018): Focuses on Ana, who inherits a vintage camper van and finds herself starting over in St Felix.
• Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop (2020): Centered on Kate, who opens a craft shop in town and discovers mysterious secrets linking her to the past.
• Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies (2022): Follows Sky Matthews, a meteorologist who relocates to a tidal island near St Felix to study strange weather patterns, only to find her scientific beliefs challenged by local folklore.
• A Secret Cornish Wish (2024): Returns readers to the harbor town with another heartwarming story of self-discovery, local legends, and romance.

Standalone Novels with a Magical Touch

McNamara is also famous for her standalone books. Over the years, her standalones have increasingly embraced themes of magical realism, time travel, and destiny. They can be read in any order at all:

• Breakfast at Darcy's (2011): Set on the fictional Irish island of Tara, Darcy McCall must build a community from scratch to inherit her late aunt's estate. This book was a massive success, particularly in Italy where it reached the top ten bestseller list.
• Step Back in Time (2013): A unique time-travel romance that was nominated for Romantic Novel of the Year. It follows Jo-Jo Harvey as she finds herself transported back to the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
• Letters from Lighthouse Cottage (2016): Sandy travels back to the coastal town of Sandy Cove, where an old postbox seems to have the power to connect her to different periods of her life.
• The Summer of Serendipity (2017): Set in Ireland, this book follows Serendipity Parker as she searches for the perfect home for a client and discovers local legends along the way.
• Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay (2019): Amelia inherits a castle in Northumberland and uncovers long-buried family mysteries.
• Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood (2021): Centered on Ava, who moves to a cottage in the countryside and is welcomed by a community of friendly neighbors and a group of unusually helpful robins.
• It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square (2023): A cozy winter story featuring Elle, who takes a job writing the history of a magical house and finds herself visiting Christmases from centuries past.
• Right Place, Right Time (2025): Eve, the owner of a Cambridge antique shop, takes on a house clearance project that forces her to work with the impatient grandson of the deceased owner, leading to a journey of fate and mystery.

Complete Publication Order of Ali McNamara's Books

If you want to read through Ali McNamara's entire catalog chronologically, follow this complete list of her novels by publication date:

1. From Notting Hill with Love... Actually (2010)
2. Breakfast at Darcy's (2011)
3. From Notting Hill to New York... Actually (2012)
4. Step Back in Time (2013)
5. From Notting Hill with Four Weddings... Actually (2014)
6. The Little Flower Shop by the Sea (2015)
7. Letters from Lighthouse Cottage (2016)
8. The Summer of Serendipity (2017)
9. Daisy's Vintage Cornish Camper Van (2018)
10. Secrets and Seashells at Rainbow Bay (2019)
11. Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop (2020)
12. Hope and Happiness in Bluebell Wood (2021)
13. Cornish Clouds and Silver Lining Skies (2022)
14. It Always Snows on Mistletoe Square (2023)
15. A Secret Cornish Wish (2024)
16. Right Place, Right Time (2025)

What to Know Before You Start

Ali McNamara's stories are beloved for their warm, comforting, and whimsical tone, often drawing comparisons to Cecelia Ahern. While her early books like the Actually series are grounded in standard romantic comedy tropes, her later works heavily feature elements of magical realism. Whether it is a time-bending house, helpful wildlife, or local Cornish folklore that turns out to be real, this gentle touch of magic is a signature element of her writing style. Her novels are also praised for their realistic and resilient characters, which reflects her own journey living with chronic illnesses like M.E./CFS and UCTD.