How to Read Amanda Cox's Novels
If you are looking for deeply emotional, dual-timeline contemporary fiction centered on hope, healing, and faith, Amanda Cox is an author you cannot miss. Having won Christy Awards for her first two books, Cox has quickly established herself as a master of redemptive women's fiction. Because all of her books to date are written as standalone stories, you have complete freedom in how you choose to approach her work.
Recommended Starting Points
While you can read Amanda Cox's books in any order, we recommend starting with one of these entry points based on what theme appeals to you most:
- For the award-winning debut: Start with The Edge of Belonging (2020). It won the Christy Award for Book of the Year and perfectly showcases Cox's signature dual-timeline style, exploring identity and adoption through a deeply moving story.
- For family secrets and multigenerational drama: Start with The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery (2021). This book focuses on the complex relationships between three generations of women and the secrets that tie them to their family grocery store.
- For coastal mystery and folklore: Start with Between the Sound and Sea (2024). Set in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, it features a lighthouse restoration project, hidden WWII-era notes, and a touch of romance.
Amanda Cox Books in Publication Order
Reading Amanda Cox's novels in the order they were published is an excellent way to see her growth as a writer. Here is the chronological list of her releases, including her latest and upcoming novels:
- The Edge of Belonging (2020) – Follows Ivy Rose in the present day and a homeless man named Harvey in 1994 as they navigate family secrets and the true meaning of belonging.
- The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery (2021) – Explores a family-owned grocery store in Tennessee, alternating between Sarah in the present and Glory Ann in 1965.
- He Should Have Told the Bees (2023) – A story of two women, Beck and Callie, brought together by an unexpected inheritance on a Tennessee honey farm.
- Between the Sound and Sea (2024) – Set on a remote island in North Carolina, centering on event planner Joey Harris as she restores a lighthouse and uncovers a WWII-era keeper's secrets.
- The Bitter End Birding Society (2025) – Follows school shooting survivor Ana Leigh Watkins in Bitter End, Tennessee, as she unravels a 1959 feud between her great-aunt and a local birding group.
- Things We Cannot Keep (2026) – Focuses on Tess Holcomb, an heirloom restorer whose quiet life is disrupted by a package from her past and the return of an old flame.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Amanda Cox's novels, here are a few structural and thematic elements that define her storytelling:
- Dual-Timeline Narratives: Almost all of Cox's novels feature a dual-timeline structure, weaving together a contemporary storyline with events from the past (such as 1959, 1965, or 1994). The past events always hold the key to resolving the characters' current struggles.
- A Background in Counseling: Cox has a master’s degree in professional counseling, and her professional experience shines through in her characters. They deal with realistic struggles like anxiety, agoraphobia, trauma, grief, and addiction, making their healing journeys feel authentic and earned.
- Inspirational Themes: Published primarily by Revell (a division of Baker Publishing Group), Cox’s books are categorized as Christian fiction. Her characters navigate faith, forgiveness, and redemption without being overly preachy.
- Rich Small-Town Settings: From cozy grocery stores to coastal lighthouses and quiet apiaries, the settings function almost like characters, wrapping the reader in a warm, atmospheric environment.
Detailed Breakdown of the Novels
To help you decide which story to pick up next, here is a detailed look at the themes, plots, and settings of each of Amanda Cox's works:
The Edge of Belonging (2020)
This debut novel tells the story of Ivy Rose, a school counselor who returns to her Tennessee hometown to manage an estate sale. There, she discovers clues that her adoption story is far more complex than she believed. In a parallel timeline set in 1994, a homeless man named Harvey James finds an abandoned baby and does everything in his power to keep her safe. It is a story about the sacrifices made for love and the families we choose.
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery (2021)
Set in Brighton, Tennessee, this novel features three generations of women: Glory Ann, Rosemary, and Sarah. Sarah returns home after her husband's death wanting to help run the family grocery store, but Rosemary wants to close it. The narrative shifts back to 1965, exploring Glory Ann's youth and the marriage of convenience she entered after her fiancé was killed in Vietnam. It deals with mother-daughter tension and the healing power of honesty.
He Should Have Told the Bees (2023)
In this novel, beekeeper Beckett Walsh is devastated by her father's death, only to discover he left half of their apiary to a complete stranger named Callie Peterson. Callie is trying to start a body-care business while supporting her mother through addiction. As the two women work together, they uncover the secret connection that bound Beckett's father to Callie's family. It explores grief, trust, and the therapeutic nature of beekeeping.
Between the Sound and Sea (2024)
Event planner Joey Harris leaves Tennessee for the Outer Banks of North Carolina to restore a decommissioned lighthouse on a remote island. During the restoration, she finds hidden keeper's logs from a woman named Mae, though there is no official record of Mae's employment. Along with the lighthouse owner, Walt, and his grandson, Finn, Joey works to uncover a WWII-era mystery while healing her own broken heart.
The Bitter End Birding Society (2025)
Ana Leigh Watkins, a kindergarten teacher recovering from a school shooting, seeks peace in Bitter End, Tennessee, while helping her great-aunt Cora. Ana is drawn into a local bird-watching club and discovers a deep-seated feud between Cora and the club's leader, dating back to 1959. The historical timeline recounts a forbidden romance between a moonshiner's daughter and a preacher's son, illustrating how past wounds can fester over decades.
Things We Cannot Keep (2026)
Tess Holcomb preserves other people's memories by repairing clocks and heirlooms, while hiding from her own past under a fake name. When a package addressed to her real name arrives alongside the return of a man from her past, Tess must travel across continents to return a lost artifact and confront the history she ran from. It is a tale of trust, vulnerability, and stepping out of hiding.