Where to Begin: The Recommended Starting Path
For readers diving into Caryl McAdoo’s massive bibliography of historical Christian fiction, the absolute best place to start is the Texas Romance Family Saga, beginning with her debut historical novel, Vow Unbroken. This flagship series lays the foundation for McAdoo's interconnected universe, following the Buckmeyers, Baylors, and Nightingales. Set in Northeast Texas, the saga begins in 1832 in the Red River District (the future Red River County, near McAdoo's real-life home of Clarksville) and spans decades of historical events, including the Texas Revolution and the state's early years of statehood.
Starting here allows you to meet the founding patriarchs and matriarchs whose descendants populate many of her other series. Reading this main saga in publication order provides the most rewarding experience, as the family trees grow, branches intertwine, and characters reappear across generations.
The Texas Romance Family Saga & Companion Books
The core of the Texas Romance series consists of ten main novels that follow a chronological generational progression. In addition to these primary books, McAdoo has written several "companion" novels. These companion stories focus on side characters, ancestors, or specific branches of the family tree that didn't get full focus in the main line. Here is the recommended publication order for the main saga:
- Vow Unbroken (2014)
- Hearts Stolen (2014)
- Hope Reborn (2014)
- Sins of the Mothers (2015)
- Daughters of the Heart (2015)
- Just Kin (2016)
- At Liberty to Love (2016)
- Covering Love (2017)
- Mighty to Save (2017)
- Chief of Sinners (2017)
The Texas Romance Companion Books
While the main saga can be read straight through, these companion novels are best enjoyed either alongside their corresponding generations or after completing the main series to flesh out the broader Buckmeyer-Baylor family tree:
- The Bedwarmer's Son (2016)
- Son of Promise (2018)
- John David's Calling (2018)
- Hannah Claire's Wilderness (2019)
- Bipartisan Love (2019)
- King David's Tabernacle (2024)
The Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga & Companions
McAdoo's second epic family chronicle is the Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga. Set in the Cross Timbers region of Texas, this series mirrors the style of the original Texas Romance saga, tracing another set of interconnected families through trials of faith, love, and historical upheaval. While distinct, it shares the same thematic universe. For the best experience, read them in publication order:
- Gone to Texas (2018)
- Texas My Texas (2019)
- Texas Tears (2019)
- Leaving Texas (2020)
- Texas Troubles (2020)
- Texas Trails (2021)
- Texas Timbers (2021)
- Texas Wildflowers (2022)
- Texas Times (2023)
Cross Timbers Connections & Mysteries
Similar to her first saga, McAdoo has expanded this branch of her universe with both companions and suspense spin-offs. If you enjoy mystery alongside your historical romance, the Cross Timbers Mystery series offers a suspenseful side trip:
- Quincy & Priscilla (Cross Timbers Companion, 2020)
- Duplicity (Cross Timbers Mystery Book 1, 2020)
- Skullduggery (Cross Timbers Mystery Book 2, 2021)
- Coercion (Cross Timbers Mystery Book 3, 2022)
Biblical Fiction: The Generations Series
If you want to step away from 19th-century Texas, McAdoo’s Generations series offers an immersive look at biblical history. This series retells the early chapters of Genesis, focusing on the lineage of humanity from the Garden of Eden to the post-flood world. These books should be read in chronological order to follow the biblical timeline:
- A Little Lower than the Angels (2014)
- Then the Deluge Comes (2015)
- Replenish the Earth (2015)
- Children of Eber (2015)
Collaborative Collections & Multi-Author Projects
Caryl McAdoo is a highly active contributor to collaborative publishing projects, often referred to as Multi-Author Projects (MAPs). In these series, different Christian fiction authors write standalone novels set in a shared universe, using a common premise or setting. You do not need to read the entire multi-author series to understand McAdoo’s books, but her individual contributions often share subtle nods to her broader historical universe.
Lockets & Lace Series
A historical romance collection featuring stories centered around family lockets and heirloom lace. McAdoo has contributed several titles to this multi-author set, including Silent Harmony, Bitter Honey, and Uniquely Common. While the database tracks all 24 entries in the collection, readers can jump directly to McAdoo's novels as standalones.
Prairie Roses Collection
This massive multi-author collection focuses on courageous pioneer women traveling west on covered wagons. McAdoo has written a significant portion of this series. Key titles include her popular entries Remi, Lilah, Ruth, Jo, and Ava. They are warm, faith-filled journeys that can be enjoyed in any order, though reading them in release order is the simplest path.
Nursing the Heart Series
Focusing on the first graduating class of nurses from the Harrow School of Nursing in 1868, this series follows graduates as they are sent across post-Civil War America. McAdoo’s primary contribution is A Nurse for Jacob (Book 4), which tells the story of nurse Lydia Andrews as she navigates New Orleans and her relationship with Dr. Jacob Johnston.
Other Notable Series & Standalones
Beyond her massive family sagas and collaborative projects, McAdoo has written in several other genres:
- Hers To Redeem: A multi-author inspirational series where McAdoo has written numerous volumes, including Trevor’s Torment, Donovan's Dilemma, Mason's Memories, and Jeremiah's Juncture.
- Gold Diggers: A four-book historical series focusing on the quest for true wealth during the gold rush era, containing No Greater Treasure, The Trouble with Nancy, Jessie and James, and Jewel's Gold.
- Days of Dread Trilogy: A post-apocalyptic end-times saga featuring The King's Highway, The Sixth Trumpet, and The Kidron Valley.
- Red River Romance: Contemporary romances set in Red River County, including The Preacher's Faith, Sing a New Song, and One and Done.
- New Beginnings Family Saga: An epic western journey series consisting of Wagons West and Settlers & Toffs.
What to Know Before You Start: Publication vs. Chronological Order
Because McAdoo’s main sagas cover multiple generations of the same families, some readers wonder if they should map out a strict chronological timeline. While the main Texas Romance Family Saga and Cross Timbers Romance Family Saga generally progress forward through history, her companion novels jump backward and forward to tell stories of ancestors or side characters. Attempting a strict chronological read-through can get confusing because the companions were written with the assumption that readers are already familiar with the main characters from the core novels. Therefore, we highly recommend reading the core series in publication order first, and treating the companion novels as enriching side stories to be read at your leisure.