Lisa Wingate Books That Will Warm Your Heart

Few authors can turn a forgotten piece of history into a story you can’t put down, and Lisa Wingate does it better than almost anyone writing today. Her novels take real, often overlooked events and build them into unforgettable stories about family, faith, and the quiet strength it takes to keep going.

Are you searching for the best Lisa Wingate books, or trying to figure out where to start with this celebrated author? This guide walks through her most beloved titles, in the order that makes the most sense for new and longtime readers alike.

If you enjoy this kind of historical, faith-rooted storytelling, you’ll also want to check out our roundup of the best Christian historical fiction and our author spotlight for more writers in this genre.

Before We Were Yours: A Novel

She Uncovers a Secret Her Family Buried for Decades

A young woman on the verge of marrying into a powerful political family stumbles onto a mystery that ties her own bloodline to a shocking chapter in American history. Based on true events, this novel follows two timelines: one in the present day and one in the 1930s, where five siblings are torn from their parents and swept into a tangled adoption scheme. Wingate weaves both threads together with heart and honesty, showing how the past shapes the people we become.

Best for readers who want a keepsake copy: Shop Before We Were Yours in paperback

The Book of Lost Friends: A Novel

Three Women, One Search for Family Torn Apart by Slavery

Set in the aftermath of the Civil War, this story follows three young women who set out on a journey across the South to find the families they lost. A century later, a first-year teacher in Louisiana uncovers their story and finds it still has something to teach her own students. Wingate blends history and hope in a novel that honors the real people who searched for loved ones long after freedom came.

Best for book clubs and group discussion: Shop The Book of Lost Friends in paperback

The Prayer Box (Carolina Heirlooms, Book 1)

A Box of Letters Holds the Answers She’s Been Searching For

When a caretaker on a small island off the Carolina coast discovers a box of handwritten prayers left behind by a reclusive neighbor, she finds a window into a life full of loss, faith, and quiet grace. As she reads through years of prayers, she begins to understand her own path forward. This gentle, faith-filled story reminds readers that everyone carries a story worth knowing.

Best for starting the Carolina Heirlooms series: Shop The Prayer Box in paperback

The Sea Keeper’s Daughters (Carolina Heirlooms, Book 3)

An Old Boat Connects Three Women Across Generations

A struggling shop owner, a college student searching for direction, and an elderly widow are brought together by a beached fishing boat and the memories it holds. As their lives intertwine, each woman finds healing she didn’t know she needed. Wingate closes out the Carolina Heirlooms series with a story about family, purpose, and the quiet ways faith carries us through hard seasons.

Best for finishing the Carolina Heirlooms series: Shop The Sea Keeper’s Daughters in paperback

Shelterwood

Two Girls Fight to Survive in the Oklahoma Territory

In 1909, a young girl disguises her friend as a boy to protect her from those who would exploit her Choctaw land inheritance, and the two flee into the wilderness together. Decades later, a park ranger investigates a case that echoes their story. Wingate shines a light on a painful piece of American history while telling a story of courage, loyalty, and the lengths we go to protect the people we love.

The Story Keeper (Carolina Heirlooms, Book 2)

An Old Manuscript Leads Her Back to Her Childhood Home

A young editor returns to the Blue Ridge Mountains she once fled and finds an unfinished manuscript that pulls her into a decades-old mystery involving a missing girl. As she works to solve it, she’s forced to face the past she left behind. This story blends mystery and homecoming in a way that will keep you turning pages late into the night.

Tending Roses (Tending Roses, Book 1)

A Young Mother Finds Wisdom in Her Grandmother’s Journal

Torn between the demands of her career and her family, a young mother moves in to help care for her aging grandmother and finds a journal filled with wisdom from a life well-lived. Through those pages, she rediscovers what truly matters. Wingate’s debut novel is a tender reminder to slow down and treasure the people right in front of us.

Before and After: The True Stories of Orphans Who Found Their Way Home

Real Families, Real Hope, After Unimaginable Loss

This nonfiction follow-up to Before We Were Yours tells the true stories of children caught up in a notorious adoption scandal and the families who spent lifetimes searching for one another. Told through interviews and firsthand accounts, it’s a moving companion to Wingate’s bestselling novel and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

The Carolina Heirlooms Collection

Three Island Stories of Faith, Family, and Second Chances

This collection brings together The Prayer Box, The Story Keeper, and The Sea Keeper’s Daughters in one volume, following the interconnected lives of the women who call Hatteras Island home. Perfect for readers who want to experience the full arc of the series, from quiet island beginnings to hard-won homecomings.

The Sea Glass Sisters: Prelude to The Prayer Box

Meet the Women of Hatteras Island Before It All Began

This short prequel introduces readers to the community and characters who set the stage for The Prayer Box. It’s a warm, quick read that adds depth and context to the Carolina Heirlooms series, ideal for readers who want the full picture before diving into the novels.

Good Hope Road (Tending Roses, Book 2)

A Small Town Learns to Rebuild After Tragedy Strikes

When a deadly tornado tears through a small Kansas town, the community must lean on each other to recover and rebuild. Wingate continues the Tending Roses story with a moving look at resilience, neighborly love, and the strength found in shared faith during life’s hardest moments.

Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read Lisa Wingate books in? There’s no required order, since most of her novels stand alone. That said, new readers often start with Before We Were Yours for its emotional pull, then move to the Carolina Heirlooms series (The Prayer Box, The Story Keeper, The Sea Keeper’s Daughters) in sequence, since those three follow the same island community.

What is Lisa Wingate’s most popular book? Before We Were Yours is widely considered her breakout novel and remains her most-read book, thanks to its true-story roots and powerful family mystery.

Is Before and After a sequel to Before We Were Yours? Not exactly. Before and After is a nonfiction companion book that shares the real-life stories behind the events that inspired Before We Were Yours.

Are Lisa Wingate’s books appropriate for book clubs? Yes. Her novels are a favorite among book clubs thanks to their rich historical backdrops, emotional depth, and themes of faith and family that spark meaningful discussion.

Which Lisa Wingate Book Should You Read First?

With a catalog this rich, picking a starting point can feel like a big decision, but there’s really no wrong choice. If you want a sweeping, emotional read that shows exactly why readers fell in love with her writing, start with Before We Were Yours. If you’re drawn to island settings and stories of quiet faith, the Carolina Heirlooms series will pull you in from the first page. And if you simply want to work through her full collection, each title on this list stands strong on its own while adding new depth to the ones around it.

Wherever you begin, you’ll find the same thread running through every book: real history, real heart, and characters worth rooting for. Pick one up, and you’ll understand why so many readers come back to Lisa Wingate again and again.