The Recommended Reading Path: Starting at Beach View
If you are new to the heartwarming world of Ellie Dean, the best place to start is at the very beginning of her signature series. While many historical sagas offer standalone stories, the residents of the Beach View boarding house grow, love, grieve, and triumph together as World War II progresses. Reading the books in order allows you to fully experience the rich character arcs and the evolving wartime community anchor, Peggy Reilly.
We highly recommend following the publication order. This sequence matches the chronological progression of the war years and ensures you do not encounter spoilers regarding the lives, marriages, and fates of the recurring boarding house staff and evacuees. Begin your journey with There'll Be Blue Skies, which introduces the fictional south coast town of Cliffehaven and sets the emotional tone for the entire saga.
The Cliffehaven / Beach View Boarding House Series in Order
Spanning 21 novels, this central series is Ellie Dean's crowning achievement. It follows the daily struggles and resilience of ordinary people during the Second World War. Here is the complete list of Cliffehaven novels in their correct reading order:
- There'll Be Blue Skies (2011) – Introduces 16-year-old evacuee Sally Harrison as she seeks safety at Beach View Boarding House.
- Far from Home (2012) – Follows Staff Nurse Polly Brown as she makes agonizing decisions for her family while nursing injured soldiers.
- Keep Smiling Through (2012) – Centers on Rita, a young woman facing personal tragedy who throws herself into the war effort.
- Where the Heart Lies (2013) – Focuses on Julie Harris, who escapes the London Blitz only to find new challenges on the coast.
- All My Tomorrows (2014) – Explores the story of Ruby Clark, finding a temporary home and unexpected support in Cliffehaven.
- Always in My Heart (2014) – Follows young mother Karen Davenport as she protects her children in the face of escalating air raids.
- Some Lucky Day (2014) – Focuses on Lizzie Finch and the complex relationships that develop inside the boarding house.
- While We're Apart (2015) – The spotlight turns to secondary school teacher Audrey Coppock and her secret struggles.
- Sealed with a Loving Kiss (2015) – Explores the lives of the young women joining the Land Army to support the war effort.
- Sweet Memories of You (2016) – Follows the arrival of a mysterious new resident at Beach View with secrets to hide.
- Shelter from the Storm (2016) – Focuses on the emotional challenges of the mid-war years and the strength of female friendship.
- Until You Come Home (2017) – Tracks the lives of the residents as the tides of the war begin to turn.
- The Waiting Hours (2018) – Highlights the tense anticipation of families waiting for news of loved ones serving overseas.
- With a Kiss and a Prayer (2018) – Explores the deep bond between the community members as they face shared hardships.
- As the Sun Breaks Through (2018) – Centers on the arrival of Canadian soldiers and the impact they have on the local residents.
- On a Turning Tide (2019) – Brings the series closer to the end of the conflict, focusing on hope and healing.
- With Hope and Love (2019) – Details the emotional sacrifices made as the end of the war finally appears on the horizon.
- Homecoming (2020) – Originally intended as a major milestone, this novel celebrates the return of service members and the rebuilding of lives.
- A Place Called Home (2023) – The saga resumes, capturing the complex post-war transition and new beginnings in Cliffehaven.
- Love Will Find a Way (2024) – Explores how the residents adapt to the early post-war years, dealing with grief and new love.
- With Promises to Keep (2025) – The final novel in the Cliffehaven series, beautifully tying together the themes of hope, renewal, and enduring community.
The Oceana Trilogy (Writing as Tamara McKinley)
Before writing as Ellie Dean, the author established a successful career under her birth name, Tamara McKinley. Drawing heavily on her upbringing in Tasmania, she penned the Oceana Trilogy. This series is a sweeping, multi-generational saga set in Australia, tracing the lives of early settlers and their descendants. If you enjoy the family dynamics and historical depth of Cliffehaven, this trilogy is a fantastic next step:
- Lands Beyond the Sea (2007)
- A Kingdom For The Brave (2008)
- Legacy (2009)
Standalone Novels under Tamara McKinley
In addition to her series, the author wrote numerous standalone historical fiction novels under her real name. These books frequently explore the vast Australian outback, family secrets, and the resilience of pioneering women. They can be read in any order:
- Matilda's Last Waltz (1999)
- Jacaranda Vines (2001)
- Windflowers (2002)
- Summer Lightning (2002)
- Undercurrents (2004)
- Dreamscapes (2005)
- Ocean Child (2010)
- Savannah Winds (2011)
- Firestorm (2012)
- Echoes From Afar (2015)
- Spindrift (2017)
What to Know Before You Start
While the Cliffehaven novels each focus on a different protagonist—often a young woman arriving in Cliffehaven facing a unique crisis—they are tied together by the setting of Beach View Boarding House and its matriarch, Peggy Reilly. Peggy acts as the emotional heart of the series, offering tea, comfort, and maternal wisdom to everyone who walks through her door. Reading the books out of order can make the background relationships and the progression of the war feel disjointed, so sticking to publication order is highly recommended. The author's retirement in 2021 paused the series, but the later releases (books 19 through 21) successfully brought the overarching narrative to a satisfying conclusion for long-time readers.