Feel the Power of Female Friendships in These Kristin Hannah Books
If you want a novel that will undoubtedly bring you to tears by the end, there's only one name you should be searching for at the bookstore: author Kristin Hannah. She’s a world-renowned writer with a reputation for crafting beautiful stories of womanhood set against different historically significant events. Haven't heard of her before? Now's your chance!
Who is Author Kristin Hannah?
Author Kristin Hannah is a best-selling American writer and former attorney who lives in the Pacific Northwest. With 25 books in her catalogue and countless awards under her belt, Hannah has grown a worldwide fanbase for titles such as Firefly Lane, The Nightingale, and The Great Alone. Known for her unforgettable characters, heart-wrenching plots, and historical accuracy, Kristin Hannah's books never fail to impress!
What Genres Does Kristin Hannah Write?
Though her titles often incorporate elements of romance and contemporary fiction, author Kristin Hannah is best known as a historical fiction writer. It doesn't matter whether it's set during World War II or the Dust Bowl era—each and every Kristin Hannah book focuses on the complexities of human relationships and the resilience of women. Books written by Kristin Hannah can be categorized as:
- Historical fiction
- Contemporary romance
- Women's fiction
Topics, Tropes, and Themes Often Found in Kristin Hannah Books:
- Power of female friendships
- Love and sacrifice
- Healing from trauma
- Heartbreak and relationship struggle
- Coming-of-age
- "Found family" dynamics
- Interwoven timelines
Do You Have to Read Kristin Hannah Books in Order?
The majority of Kristin Hannah's books have nothing to do with one another, so you can read them in any order you want! Read the blurbs of each book written by Hannah at your local Rochester, MI, bookstore to find one that sparks your interest, or go by publication date—the choice is yours.
Note: The only exception is the Firefly Lane series, since it is technically a duology. While Firefly Lane can act as a standalone novel, the sequel, Fly Away, should be read or listened to on audiobook after the first.
A Complete List of Kristin Hannah's Books from Newest to Oldest
If you're interested in diving into the wide selection of Kristin Hannah books, but aren't quite sure where to start, you're in luck! Before you shop at your local bookstore near Troy, MI, or browse options on your favorite audiobook service, consult this complete list, from Kristin Hannah’s latest book to her earliest novels, to decide which title feels right for you:
The Women (2024)
In Kristin Hannah’s latest book, The Women, it's 1965—and the world is changing. Frances "Frankie" McGrath may have been raised in the idyllic lands of Southern California, sheltered by her conservative parents, but when she hears the phrase "women can be heroes," the 20-year-old nursing student dares to imagine a very different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve his time in Vietnam, she follows in his footsteps, joining the Army Nurse Corps.
Every day abroad is a gamble of life and death, built and shattered friendships, and never-ending destruction. During the war, she meets and becomes one of the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But the real battle lies ahead. How will Frankie and her veteran friends face coming home to a divided America, angry protestors, and a country that just wants to forget Vietnam?
The Four Winds (2021)
In author Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds, set in Texas, 1921, the Great War is over, the land's bounty is plentiful, and America finds itself on the brink of an abundant new era. Deemed too old to marry by society's standards, Elsa Wolcott's future seems bleak. That is, until she meets Rafe Martinelli and, at risk of ruining her reputation, decides to marry a man she barely knows.
Over a decade later, in 1934, the world had already changed. Drought has devastated the Great Plains, millions are out of work, and dust storms roll relentlessly across the land. Everything on the Martinelli farm is dying—including Elsa's marriage. Like so many others at the time, Elsa must make the agonizing choice—fight for the land she loves or leave it behind to go west and search for a better life for her family.
The Great Alone (2018)
Ernt Allbright returned from the Vietnam War in 1974 a changed man. After losing another job, he makes the impulsive decision to move his family north to live off the grid in America's last true frontier—Alaska. His wife, Cora, will do anything for the man she loves, even if it means following him into isolation. Thirteen-year-old Leni, caught in the middle of her parents' stormy yet passionate relationship, has little choice but to go along with it, hoping it means a better future for them all.
When the Allbrights discover a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women, they seem to find a slice of solace in their new home. Until winter approaches and Ernt's mental state deteriorates even further. Soon enough, in their small cabin, Leni and her mother learn the truth: they're on their own. Author Kristin Hannah’s The Great Alone paints a portrait of a family in crisis, homesteading in Alaska, and the unbreakable bond between mother and child.
The Nightingale (2015)
When her husband, Antoine, leaves for the war in 1939, Vianne doesn't believe the Nazis will truly invade France—until droves of marching soldiers fill the streets and planes drop bombs on the homes of the innocent. When a German captain requisitions her home, she is forced to live with the enemy and faces impossible choices time and time again in order to keep her family alive. Meanwhile, her younger, more rebellious sister, Isabelle, fights at the forefront of the Resistance, acting as a spy and courier under the codename "Nightingale," risking her life over and over to save others.
The Nightingale is not your typical WWII book. With an intimate look at the women's war, this heartbreakingly beautiful novel explores the two sisters, who, even though they might be separated by years, ideals, and circumstances, each find themselves on the dangerous paths toward freedom, family, and love in a German-occupied, war-torn France.
Keep an eye out for the upcoming movie adaptation starring real-life sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning! Though it was significantly delayed during the pandemic, TriStar has announced a release date of February 12th, 2027. Who doesn't love a book-to-movie adaptation? Especially when it’s penned by author Kristin Hannah!
Fly Away (2013)
Years after the first in the duology came out, Fly Away was released—and it answers all the questions you could think of! When Tully Hart's best friend Kate Ryan died, she promised to be there for Kate's children. But as she's left in the wake of her own grief, Tully soon realizes she knows nothing about family, motherhood, or even taking care of people.
Sixteen-year-old Marah Ryan is understandably devastated by her mother's death, and even though her father, Johnny, is trying his best to hold the family together, nothing and no one seems to matter to her. That is, until she falls in love with a young man and follows him into his dangerous, shadowy world.
Dorothy Hart, Tully's absent mother, formerly known as Cloud, finds herself drawn to her daughter's side at her time of need, but in order to make amends, she'll have to face her darkest fear. It's time to reveal the ugly secrets of her past to finally become the mother Tully deserves. When a single choice and a middle-of-the-night phone call bring these three lost women together, they realize they may need one another (and maybe even a miracle) in order to transform their lives and find redemption. An emotionally complex story of motherhood, loss, and new beginnings, Fly Away is the perfect sequel to Firefly Lane, one of the most beloved Kristin Hannah books.
Home Front (2012)
Michael and Jolene Zarkades face the typical pressures of married life, children, careers, bills, and chores, even as their 12-year marriage is falling apart. But when Jolene gets deployed on a dangerous mission and defense attorney Michael is left at home as a single parent to their two girls, everything changes. In her letters home, Jolene shields her family from the truth, lying about all the ways war is changing her on the front lines. When tragedy strikes in Home Front, Michael must face his darkest fear and fight a battle of his own in order to protect everything that matters to his family.
Night Road (2011)
For the past 18 years, Jude Farraday has put her children, twins Mia and Zach, first. When Lexi Baill, a former foster child with a dark past, moves into their close-knit community, no one is more welcoming than Jude—especially when Lexi becomes Mia's best friend, Zach falls in love with her, and the three become inseparable!
Jude wants nothing more than to keep her kids out of harm's way. But, as the three enter their senior year of high school and are introduced to drinking, driving, and partying, danger is inevitable. Then, on a hot summer's night, in the blink of an eye, one bad decision is made, tearing the Farraday family apart and forcing Lexi to lose everything. Night Road spans the years that follow, as each must face the consequences of one infamous night and grapple with learning how to forget and forgive.
Winter Garden (2010)
In Winter Garden, Meredith and Nina Whitson might be sisters—but they're as different as can be. One stayed at home to manage the family apple orchard and raise children; the other followed her dreams of becoming a famous photojournalist and traveled the world. But when their father falls ill, the two find themselves reunited alongside their cold mother, Anya, who continues to offer no comfort to her daughters. On his deathbed, their father has one last wish—that the Russian fairy tale Anya used to share with the two as children be told one last time, all the way to the very end.
Little do Meredith and Nina know, there's much more to the nostalgic story they grew up listening to. Alternating between the past and the present, the sisters learn the truth about Anya's harrowing life in war-torn Leningrad and are presented with a secret so terrible, it may shake the foundation of their family and change who they believe they are for good.
True Colors (2009)
With a deceased mother and an unyielding, stern father who paid them no attention, the Grey sisters know they have only each other. Winona, the eldest, has never felt at home on their sprawling horse ranch and craves nothing more than her father's approval. Aurora, the middle, is the peacemaker of the family. Vivi Ann, the youngest, is the star of the family and has never had to work hard for their father's love—that is, until she makes a decision to follow her heart, and the three sisters find themselves pitted against one another. As secrets come to light and a shocking crime shatters the town in True Colors, the Grey sisters will be faced with vengeance, jealousy, betrayal, and ultimately, what it means to be a family.
Firefly Lane (2008)
When Kate Mularkey met the beautiful, brainy, secretive Tully Hart in 1974, it didn't matter that the two pre-teens were as opposite as people could be—they became instant, inseparable best friends. Abandoned by her mother at a young age and in constant search for validation, Tully can't help but find love in avoidant men and a glamorous career in television news. Kate, equally ambitious, but for a stable relationship and loving children, goes a different route. Spanning more than three decades of friendship, Firefly Lane is the story of "TullyandKate" navigating life's rockiest moments together—even when one act of betrayal threatens to tear them apart for good.
Magic Hour (2006)
The Olympic National Forest, famous for its nearly a million acres of impenetrable darkness and otherworldly beauty, is no place for a little girl—but when a six-year-old appears, speechless and alone, with no clues as to who she is, child psychiatrist Dr. Julia Cates is determined to help. In an attempt to reach the truth and free "Alice" from her mental isolation, Julia will have to contact her estranged sister, a local police officer. But will the shocking facts of little Alice's life prove too much for even Julia to take on? Break your reading slump with Magic Hour!
Comfort & Joy (2005)
Joy Candellaro has always loved Christmas, but being recently divorced, she can't summon the old enthusiasm for celebrating the holiday alone. Without telling a soul, she decides to buy a ticket to the Pacific Northwest, where an unexpected detour takes her deep into the woods of the Olympic rainforest for an adventure she never could have imagined.
In Rain Valley, six-year-old Bobby O'Shea is facing his first Christmas without a mother. Unable to handle the loss, he talks only to his invisible best friend. His father, Daniel, is desperate for any way to help his son cope. It isn't until the little boy meets Joy and the two unlikely souls form a deep bond that healing seems possible. But in Comfort & Joy, not everything is as it seems in the small town, and Joy may have to find the courage to believe in love and family once more.
The Things We Do For Love (2004)
After years of unsuccessfully trying to conceive a child and a painful divorce, Angie DeSaria moves back to her small Pacific Northwest hometown to take over her family's restaurant. But her fortunes change when she hires a troubled 17-year-old, Lauren Ribido. The two form a deep bond, and when Lauren is abandoned by her mother, she offers the girl a place to stay—but in The Things We Do For Love, nothing could have prepared Angie for the repercussions brought about by this one act of kindness.
Between Sisters (2003)
Years ago, successful attorney Meghann Dontess made a terrible choice that cost her everything, including her relationship with her sister, Claire. She stopped believing in intimacy—until she met the one man who may be able to change her mind. After falling in love for the first time in her life, Claire Cavenaugh is preparing to face her strong-willed older sister at her wedding. When the two reunite after more than two decades apart, the two women will have to put the past in the past and try to become what they never were: a family. Bittersweet, real, and beautiful, Between Sisters is a cult-favorite for Kristin Hannah book lovers.
Distant Shores (2002)
On the outside, Elizabeth and Jackson Shore's life as a young, married couple with two daughters seemed picture perfect. But when the girls leave home, the two quietly drift apart, with Elizabeth putting aside her own needs to follow Jack across the country for his new job. But when a tragedy turns Elizabeth's world upside down and she begins to question every choice she's made in her life, she decides to make a daring move that shocks the entire family. In Distant Shores, she lets go of the woman she has become to transform into the woman she wants to be.
Summer Island (2001)
When Nora Bridge walked out on her marriage and daughters years ago to become a famous radio talk-show host and newspaper columnist, everything changed. Years later, her youngest, Ruby, now a struggling comedienne who uses her famous parent as fuel for her cynical humor, is offered a fortune to write a tell-all about her estranged mother as a scandalous secret comes to light. Under false pretenses, Ruby returns home to care for the injured woman she hasn't spoken to for almost a decade. But as they retreat to their old vacation house on Summer Island in the San Juans and the exposé evolves, will the two be able to reconcile their differences and learn to love again?
Angel Falls (2000)
When Mikaela Campbell falls into a coma, it's up to her husband, Liam, to care for their grieving children and hold the family together—even as doctors tell him not to expect a recovery. But desperate to bring her back at any cost, he chooses to believe love can accomplish what science cannot, sitting by her bedside every day to tell her stories of the life they've built together. But when he discovers evidence of her secretive past, he may have to turn to her first husband, movie star Julian True, for help. Find out if that one choice will cost Liam everything he holds dear by listening to Angel Falls on audiobook.
On Mystic Lake (1999)
On the day her only child leaves home for school abroad, Annie Colwater's husband of 20 years confesses he's in love with a younger woman. Alone in a house, realizing she can no longer recognize herself, she retreats to Mystic, her small hometown in Washington, in hopes of reclaiming the woman she once was. Reunited with her first love, a recent widower, Nick Delacroix, and his grieving six-year-old daughter, Izzie, the three begin to heal. But in author Kristin Hannah’s On Mystic Lake, just when she thinks she's found a second chance at happiness, her life is turned upside down and she's forced to make a choice no woman should have to make.
Home Again (1996)
Madelaine Hillyard may be a world-famous heart surgeon, but as an overworked single mom constantly at odds with her teenage daughter, her personal life is far less successful. Sixteen-year-old Lina is confused, angry, and desperate to find the father who abandoned her before she was born. To make matters worse, the DeMarco brothers continue to complicate everything. Francis DeMarco is a priest who’s always ready to lend a hand, and his brother, Angel, is a bad boy who left their little family years ago in search of fame and fortune. Now, in Home Again, Angel is back, but not with an apology—as a patient in dire need of Madelaine’s expertise.
Even More Books Written by Kristin Hannah
Author Kristin Hannah has been writing for more than three decades—and some of her earliest books aren't even in print anymore! These Kristin Hannah books, while excellent, are not often listed in her catalogue:
- Waiting for the Moon (1995)
- When Lightning Strikes (1994)
- If You Believe (1993)
- Once in Every Life (1992)
- The Enchantment (1992 – out of print)
- A Handful of Heaven (1991 – out of print)
Between the compelling tales of female friendship, heavily researched historical settings, and heartbreaking plot twists, Kristin Hannah's books have it all. As you browse different book genres at your favorite local bookstore near Shelby Township, MI, keep an eye out for her fan-favorite titles and new releases. We can't wait to discuss Hannah’s latest books with you at Novel!