The Best Nora Roberts Books

I have been wanting to rank my favorite books for a blog post for awhile. But as it turns out, they’re almost exclusively Nora Roberts books. What can I say? I’m loyal to things I love.

Reading is one of my favorite forms of self care so I wanted to share my personal favorites in the hopes it may encourage you to start reading if you don’t already. A close friend of mine suggested a book swap this year so I am thrilled to branch out of my Nora Roberts bubble. That being said, this list is ranking the ones I have read. I fully intend on updating this list with more of hers at the end of the year!

Nora Roberts is a New York Times best selling author of more than 200 books. She’s notorious for her romance writing and has been called “America’s favorite writer” by The New Yorker. While I haven’t even made a dent in all of the books she’s written, the 16 that I’ve read have kept me on the edge of my seat and include romance that doesn’t make me gag. In my experience with her multi-book series, each book focuses in on one character with the next book switching to one of the supporting characters from the first book.

1. In The Garden Trilogy

“Against the backdrop of a house steeped in history and a thriving new gardening business, three women unearth the memories of the past and uncover a dangerous secret…”

This is the first Nora Roberts book I ever read and I was immediately hooked. While I have ranked the trilogy as #1, the first book specifically is probably my all time favorite. I felt Stella’s pain from the first chapter and fell in love with her story. Nora Roberts can paint a picture like no other in her books.

Book 1: Blue Dahlia

“Stella has a passion for planning that keeps her from taking too many risks. But when she opens her heart to a new love, she discovers that she will fight to the death to protect what’s hers.”

Book 2: Black Rose

“Roz–a woman of independent means–thinks love is all in the past. But she’s about to be taken by surprise.”

Book 3: Red Lily

“Hayley Phillips came to Memphis hoping for a new start, for herself and her unborn child. She wasn’t looking for a handout from her distant cousin Roz, just a job at her thriving In the Garden nursery. What she found was a home surrounded by beauty and the best friends she’s ever had. But danger still follows Haley.”

2. Shelter In Place

“Sometimes, there is nowhere safe to hide.

It was a typical evening at a mall outside Portland, Maine. Three teenage friends waited for the movie to start. A boy flirted with the girl selling sunglasses. Mothers and children shopped together, and the manager at the video-game store tended to customers. Then the shooters arrived.

The chaos and carnage lasted only eight minutes before the killers were taken down. But for those who lived through it, the effects would last forever. In the years that followed, one would dedicate himself to a law enforcement career. Another would close herself off, trying to bury the memory of huddling in a ladies’ room, hopelessly clutching her cell phone–until she finally found a way to pour her emotions into her art.

But one person wasn’t satisfied with the shockingly high death toll at the DownEast Mall. And as the survivors slowly heal, find shelter, and rebuild, they will discover that another conspirator is lying in wait–and this time, there might be nowhere safe to hide.”

Honestly, Shelter In Place is tied for first place with The Garden Trilogy. Perhaps it’s the world we live in now, but a story centered around a mass shooting shook me to my core. Roberts’ ability to put me in the story always surprises me, but this one was like no other. Outside of the tragedy, there’s an amazing love story that I couldn’t get out of my head for weeks after reading it. If you’re not a trilogy gal, I’d start with this Nora Roberts book.

3. Bride Quartet

“Four childhood friends have teamed up to form Vows, one of Connecticut’s premier wedding planning companies. Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac have become experts at making every bride’s dreams come true. But when they’re faced with the whims of their own hearts, things never go as planned….”

This is perfect for a lighthearted, feel good beach read. The Bride Quartet is the least suspenseful/intense of the Nora Roberts books I have read. If you’re a sucker for weddings and love stories(me too girl,) you must read this 4 part series! Each character is wildly different but yet I was able to connect with each one and their journeys.

Book 1: Vision in White

“With bridal magazine covers to her credit, Mackensie “Mac” Elliot is ready to capture the happy moments she never experienced while growing up. Her father replaced his first family with a second, and now her mother, moving on to yet another man, begs Mac for attention and money. Mac’s foundation is jostled again when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother…an encounter that has them both seeing stars.”

Book 2: Bed of Roses

“Since she was a little girl, Emma Grant has always loved romance. So it’s really no surprise that she has found her calling as a wedding florist. And on the surface, Emma’s love life seems to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn’t found Mr. Right. Jack Cooke’s been best friends with Parker’s brother for years, which makes him practically family. But the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship.”

Book 3: Savor the Moment

“Laurel McBane believes in romance—in theory. But she’s too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that other women seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker’s older brother, Delaney Brown, on whom Laurel has had a mega crush since childhood. When Laurel’s quick-silver moods get the better of her—leading to a mind-blowing kiss with Del—she’ll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever….”

Book 4: Happily Ever After

“No man has rattled Parker Brown in a long time, but the motorcycle-riding, raven-haired mechanic Malcolm Kavanaugh seems to have a knack for it. His passionate kisses always catch her off guard, much like her growing feelings for him. Parker’s business risks have always paid off, but now she’ll have to take the chance of a lifetime with her heart….”

4. Blue Smoke

“Reena Hale grew up with an intimate knowledge of the destructive power of fire. When she was a child, her family’s restaurant was burned to the ground, and the man responsible was sent to jail. The Hale family banded together to rebuild, and Reena found her life’s calling. She trained as a firefighter and then as a cop, always with the end goal in sight: to become an arson investigator. Now, as part of the arson unit, she is called in on a series of suspicious fires that seem to be connected-not just to each other, but to her. And as danger ignites all around her, Reena must rely on experience and instinct to catch a dangerous madman who will not stop until everything she loves has gone up in smoke.”

INTENSE. That’s the best way to described Blue Smoke. The suspense in this book may be in a tie with “Shelter in Place” listed above. I love a happy ending and while most (if not all) of Nora Roberts books have them, this one has a ton of suspense and tragedy to make you earn that happy ending. I felt like I really got attached to and loved the background of all of the characters.

5. Birthright

“When five-thousand-year-old human bones are found at a construction site in the small town of Woodsboro, the news draws archaeologist Callie Dunbrook out of her sabbatical and into a whirlwind of adventure, danger, and romance.

While overseeing the dig, she must try to make sense of a cloud of death and misfortune that hangs over the project-fueling rumors that the site is cursed. And she must cope with the presence of her irritating-but irresistible-ex-husband, Jake. Furthermore, when a stranger claims to know a secret about her privileged Boston childhood, she is forced to question her own past as well.

A rich, thrilling, suspenseful tale, Birthright follows an inspiring heroine, an intriguing hero, and a cast of fascinating characters whose intertwined lives remind us that there is much more going on under the surface than meets the eye.”

There’s a couple slower parts to this one but it’s still amazing and worth the read. You know how sometimes you can anticipate where the plot of a book is going? Not this one. I had no idea of the outcome of this storyline until the very end. The romantic interest in Birthright was a little different than some of her others which I enjoyed. Also, it was a nice change of pace that the female lead is an archaeologist.

6. Key Trilogy

“Legend has it that the souls of three demigoddesses have been locked in a box that has three keys. It all seems too bizarre to be true. But the women tasked to find them can’t ignore the promised reward: a million dollars each.”

I don’t think I read the synopsis before starting the keys trilogy. Reading it now makes me think I would have been hesitant to start. I am not usually in to magic but I still very much enjoyed these Nora Roberts books. If you tend to be a very practical person like me, then I recommend trying to let go of your previously accepted “beliefs” to really believe the magic in the storyline.

The main character in the second book irritated me, but her love interest kept me around. Not to mention, I am totally one of those people that once I am that far in, I am fully invested in how it ends.

Book 1: Key of Light

“Malory—with her soul of an artist and eye for beauty—must find her key first. She soon discovers that whatever locked the souls away is dark, powerful, and greedy…and it doesn’t want the women to win.”

Book 2: Key of Knowledge

“As Dana finds herself on the threshold of major change, it’s her turn to find a key. She has four weeks to unravel a riddle involving her past, present, and future, and to find the truth hidden among deception and lies.”

Book 3: Key of Valor

As a single mother, Zoe has more to risk, more to lose. Now, she must gather all her courage to confront the dark forces amassed against her to find her key and make all of their dreams come true.

7. Three Sisters Island Trilogy

“Three Sisters is an enchanted island off the coast of Massachusetts that, through magic, was formed as a sanctuary by three frightened witches fleeing the Salem witch-hunts and persecution. Although the witches found love and security on the island for themselves and their offspring, each of them entered into an ill-fated relationship and died tragically after ultimately making the wrong decisions. Three thousand years later, their descendants Nell Channing, Ripley Todd and Mia Devlin have to break the grim pattern set by their ancestors, or the magic will cease to work and the island will sink into the ocean. “

This has a similar feel to the magic in the Keys trilogy as the three main characters are witches. Again, I think the magic and paranormal tends to “confuse” me because I can be too practical. The curse relating to the Salem witch trials is what originally peaked my interest. There are slower parts to this particular trilogy. That being said, the first book of the trilogy, “Dance Upon the Air,” would easily surpass the entire Keys trilogy. The background of the first character was the most suspenseful and enjoyable to me.

Book 1: Dance Upon the Air

“Careful to conceal her true identity, Nell Channing takes a job as a cook at the local bookstore café—and begins to explore her feelings for the island sheriff, Zack Todd. But there is a part of herself she can never reveal to him. One careless word, one misplaced confidence, and the new life she’s so carefully created could shatter completely.”

Book 2: Heaven and Earth

“Right from the start, researcher MacAllister Booke knows there’s something extraordinary about sheriff’s deputy Ripley Todd. Fascinated by her struggle with her amazing abilities, he becomes determined to help her accept who she is—and find the courage to open her heart.”

Book 3: Face the Fire

“Mia Devlin knows what it’s like to love with your whole heart—and then watch your love walk away. Angry, hurt and deeply confused, Mia refuses to admit that a passion for Sam Logan still burns up her heart. But she’ll need his help—and his powers—to face her greatest, most terrifying challenge.”

Nora Roberts is your girl if you like an easy read, romance writing and a little suspense. It can be intimidating to just pick a book at random, so I hope my list gives you a starting point. If you think you may enjoy more crime/sci fi related books, she also writes under the name J.D Robb.

If you enjoyed this blog or found it helpful, would you mind sharing it on social for your friends to read too? Thanks friend. I appreciate you!

-The Relatable Red