Cindy Nichols Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Cindy Nichols

If you are new to the heartwarming worlds of USA Today bestselling author Cindy Nichols, your best starting point depends on your favorite genre. For readers who love contemporary beachside romance and stories of women's fiction, second chances, and community bonds, Newport Harbor House (the first book in the Newport Beach series) is the ideal place to begin. If you prefer historical Western romance filled with mail-order brides, cozy ranch life, and rugged settings, you should start with The Chef's Mail Order Bride, written under her pen name, Cindy Caldwell.

Across all of her series, Nichols crafts gentle, character-driven stories focusing on family, friendship, and personal growth. Reading her books in publication order within their respective series is recommended to fully appreciate the recurring characters and community developments, though most story arcs wrap up fully within each book.

The Contemporary Beach Romance Series

Writing as Cindy Nichols, the author has created three distinct coastal series. Each features tight-knit communities where characters find love, healing, and new beginnings near the ocean.

Newport Beach Books

Set in a cozy beachside retreat, this series follows individuals rediscovering joy and romance. It is best read in publication order:

1. Newport Harbor House (2019)
2. Newport Beginnings (2020)
3. A Newport Sunrise (2020)
4. Newport New Moon (2022)
5. A Newport Christmas (2022)
6. Newport Nuptials (2023)

Pearl Beach Books

A charming three-book series following the Montgomery family in the sun-drenched Florida Keys. These should be read in order:

1. The Shell Shop (2022)
2. The Shell Shop Secrets (2022)
3. The Shell Shop Showdown (2022)

Vaquita Beach Books (South Campos Series)

Set in the beach community of South Campos along the beautiful Sea of Cortez, this series follows Cassie and her friends. Read them in the following order:

1. As Deep As The Ocean (2019)
2. As Bright As The Stars (2019)
3. By The Light Of The Moon (2019)
4. As Blue As The Sky (2019)

The Historical Western Series (As Cindy Caldwell)

Under the pseudonym Cindy Caldwell, the author writes historical Western romance. Her main Wild West series has some structural overlap that readers should keep in mind.

Wild West Frontier Brides / Mail Order Brides of Tombstone

This series takes readers to historic Tombstone, Arizona Territory, following spirited women who travel west for love and new lives. The series is closely tied to the Archer Family Ranch. Read them in this order:

1. The Chef's Mail Order Bride (2015)
2. The Wrangler's Mail Order Bride (2015)
3. The Bartender's Mail Order Bride (2015)
4. The Teacher's Mail Order Bride (2015)
5. Saffron / The Farrier (2016)
6. Carol: Bride of Archer Ranch (2016)
7. The Blacksmith's Mail Order Bride (2016)
8. Christmas at Archer Ranch (2017)
9. Sage / The Healer (2019)
10. Tarragon / The Postmistress (2019)

Brides of Archer Ranch

This is a sister subseries that highlights specific stories from the Tombstone Brides collection. It focuses on the marriages of the Archer Ranch, consisting of the following novels:

1. Saffron / The Farrier (2016)
2. Sage / The Healer (2019)
3. Tarragon / The Postmistress (2019)

Shared Worlds and Collaborative Series

In addition to her standalone series, Cindy Nichols has contributed to two massive collaborative series projects alongside other romance authors.

River's End Ranch Books

River's End Ranch is a large collaborative series set in Riston, Idaho, created by Cindy Nichols and four other authors (Kirsten Osbourne, Pamela M. Kelley, Amelia C. Adams, and Caroline Lee). While there are over 60 books in the total series, Nichols (writing as Cindy Caldwell) authored specific volumes. You can read just her contributions, or dive into the full collective series in order. Her specific books include:

• Book 5: Honest Horseman (2016)
• Book 10: Gallant Golfer (2017)
• Book 15: Mischievous Maid (2017)
• Book 20: Discovering Dani (2017)
• Book 25: Snickerdoodle Secrets (2017)
• Book 30: Bashful Banker (2017)
• Book 35: Mistletoe Mistake (2017)
• Book 40: Christmas Catch-Up V (2017)
• Book 45: Picture Perfect (2018)
• Book 50: Second-Chance Sweethearts (2018)
• Book 54: Teaching Tamlyn (2018)
• Book 58: Fanning Flames (2018)
• Book 64: Christmas Catch-Up X (2018)

American Mail-Order Brides

A multi-author project spanning 50+ books set across different US states. Under her Cindy Caldwell pen name, the author contributed two distinct entries:

• Book 18: Josephine: Bride of Louisiana (2015)
• Book 20: Michelle: Bride of Mississippi (2015)