There's something about a book set in the South that just hits different. Maybe it's the front porch conversations, the sweet tea, the small towns where everybody knows your business, or the women who are equal parts steel and magnolia. Whatever it is, Southern romance and women's fiction have carved out a special corner of the book world — and for good reason.
I'm Rachel Hanna, a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and I've spent over a decade writing clean Southern romance and women's fiction set in fictional towns along the coast and in the mountains. I live in Georgia, I write Southern, and I read Southern. So when people ask me what to read next, I have opinions.
Here are 10 of my favorite Southern romance and women's fiction series — including a few of my own alongside some wonderful authors whose books I think you'll love. Every series on this list is perfect for binge reading, full of heart, and soaked in that unmistakable Southern charm.
1. South Carolina Sunsets by Rachel Hanna
Setting: Seagrove, a fictional beach town on the South Carolina coast
Books: 13
Start with: The Beach House
I'm putting my flagship series first because this is my home turf. The South Carolina Sunsets series follows the interconnected lives of women finding love, healing old wounds, and building community in the charming coastal town of Seagrove. There's ocean air on every page, sweet romance without the spice, and characters that readers tell me feel like real friends. If you love beach settings with deep emotional storylines and a whole town full of people you'll care about, start here.
The Beach House (book 1) is only $2.99 in my store, and I have a discounted ebook bundle with books 1-10 that you won't find anywhere else. I also have special edition hardcovers with sprayed edges for collectors.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Mary Alice Monroe, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Dorothea Benton Frank
2. The Peachtree Bluff Series by Kristy Woodson Harvey
Setting: Peachtree Bluff, a small coastal town in Georgia
Books: 4
Start with: Slightly South of Simple
Kristy Woodson Harvey has been called one of the hottest voices in Southern fiction, and this series is why. Peachtree Bluff follows three adult sisters and their mother, Ansley Murphy, as they navigate love, loss, family secrets, and second chances in a picturesque coastal Georgia town. The mother-daughter dynamics are beautifully written, and the sense of place will make you want to pack a bag and move South. At only 4 books, this is a quick but deeply satisfying binge.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Elin Hilderbrand, Patti Callahan Henry, Rachel Hanna
3. The Beach House Series by Mary Alice Monroe
Setting: Isle of Palms, South Carolina
Books: 4
Start with: The Beach House
Mary Alice Monroe is a legend in Southern coastal fiction. Her Beach House series is set on the Isle of Palms near Charleston, and follows the Rutledge family across generations as they deal with love, loss, and the pull of home. Monroe weaves the natural beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry — the sea turtles, the marshes, the barrier islands — into stories that are as much about place as they are about people. These books have a literary quality while still being completely bingeable.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Dorothea Benton Frank, Pat Conroy, Rachel Hanna
4. Sweet Tea B&B by Rachel Hanna
Setting: A Southern bed and breakfast
Books: 6
Start with: Sweet Tea B&B
This is my coziest series. If you've ever dreamed of running a B&B in the South with a wraparound porch and rocking chairs, this is your series. Sweet Tea B&B follows the women who make a Southern bed and breakfast their home, and it's packed with the kind of friendships, family drama, and gentle romance that make you want to curl up with a blanket and keep reading. At 6 books, it's the perfect weekend binge.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Robyn Carr, Debbie Macomber, cozy Southern settings
5. Lowcountry Tales by Dorothea Benton Frank
Setting: Sullivan's Island and the South Carolina Lowcountry
Books: 10+
Start with: Sullivan's Island
The late Dorothea Benton Frank — known as "Dottie" to her devoted readers — was the undisputed queen of Lowcountry fiction. Her books are set on Sullivan's Island and throughout the Charleston area, and they're full of sharp Southern wit, complicated family dynamics, and a deep love for the Lowcountry landscape. Dottie had a gift for writing women who were funny, flawed, and fiercely loyal. If you haven't discovered her yet, start with Sullivan's Island and prepare to fall in love with her voice. Though she passed away in 2019, her books remain beloved and are perfect for binge reading.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Mary Alice Monroe, Pat Conroy, Anne Rivers Siddons
6. January Cove by Rachel Hanna
Setting: A small Southern coastal town
Books: 10 (plus 2 bonus novellas)
Start with: The One For Me
January Cove is my sweet, heartwarming series about second chances, family bonds, and finding love in a small Southern town. Each book follows a different character in the community but they're all interconnected, so you get to watch the whole town's story unfold. It's clean romance with strong family themes, and readers tell me they blaze through the whole series in a week. I have a discounted ebook bundle with the whole series that's only available in my store.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Denise Hunter, Jenny Hale, Sherryl Woods
7. The Savannah Series by Mary Kay Andrews
Setting: Savannah, Georgia
Books: 3 (Weezie and BeBe novels)
Start with: Savannah Blues
Mary Kay Andrews is the queen of sassy Southern fiction. Her Savannah-set novels follow antiques dealer Weezie Foley and her best friend BeBe Loudermilk through the kind of Southern drama that involves crumbling mansions, shady exes, and enough one-liners to make you laugh out loud. Andrews writes women who are scrappy, resourceful, and hilarious, and her Savannah setting is practically a character itself. If you want your Southern fiction with a side of humor and a splash of mystery, start here. She also has several beloved standalone novels set across the South that are worth exploring.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Fannie Flagg, Kristy Woodson Harvey, Southern humor
8. Whiskey Ridge by Rachel Hanna
Setting: A small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains
Books: 5 (can be read in any order)
Start with: Any book — they're all standalones!
Not all Southern romance has to be set on the coast! My Whiskey Ridge series takes place in a small mountain town in the Blue Ridge, where the pace is slow, the people are real, and love has a way of finding you when you least expect it. These are clean romance novels with rugged small-town charm, and unlike most of my series, you can read them in any order. Pick whichever title catches your eye and dive in. I also have a discounted ebook bundle with all 5 books.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Denise Hunter, mountain settings, standalone romance novels
9. The Tradd Street Series by Karen White
Setting: Charleston, South Carolina
Books: 7
Start with: The House on Tradd Street
If you like your Southern fiction with a touch of the supernatural, Karen White's Tradd Street series is a must. Set in historic Charleston, these books follow Melanie Middleton, a practical real estate agent who reluctantly inherits a crumbling mansion — and the ghosts that come with it. White blends Southern charm, mystery, romance, and a dash of the paranormal into a series that's completely addictive. The Charleston setting is gorgeous, the characters are layered, and the slow-burn romance will keep you turning pages.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Mystery with romance, historic Charleston, Southern gothic lite
10. The Lowcountry Ladies Club by Rachel Hanna
Setting: The South Carolina Lowcountry
Books: 1 (book 2, The Silver Bell, coming November 2026)
Start with: The Wexley Inn
My newest series is set in the gorgeous South Carolina Lowcountry, where a group of women form an unlikely bond that changes all of their lives. If you love the Lowcountry settings of Dorothea Benton Frank and Mary Alice Monroe, I wrote this series with that same love for the landscape, the marsh sunsets, and the tight-knit communities that make the Lowcountry so special. The Wexley Inn is the first book, with The Silver Bell coming in November 2026.
You'll love this if you also enjoy: Dorothea Benton Frank, Mary Alice Monroe, Patti Callahan Henry
What Makes Southern Romance & Women's Fiction So Special?
There's a reason readers come back to Southern fiction again and again. It's not just the settings — though the beaches, mountains, marshes, and magnolia-lined streets don't hurt. It's the themes that run through these stories: women starting over, friendships that feel like family, communities that rally around each other, and love that's patient and real. Southern fiction celebrates the messy, beautiful, complicated nature of relationships, and it does it with warmth, humor, and heart.
Whether you prefer coastal beach reads, mountain escapes, or historic Charleston mysteries, there's a Southern series on this list waiting for you.
Where to Find These Books
All of the authors on this list are available at major retailers like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and your local bookstore. My own books are available everywhere, but if you want the best deals, my store is the place to go — I offer exclusive discounted ebook and audiobook bundles, signed special edition hardcovers, and paperback bundles you won't find anywhere else.
Browse my store: store.rachelhannaauthor.com
Want More Recommendations?
I'm always sharing what I'm reading and chatting with readers about our favorite books. Here's where you can find me:
My Facebook reader group with over 28,000 readers
My Instagram
My Patreon community, The Front Porch: patreon.com/cw/RachelHannaBooks
My newsletter for new release announcements
Happy reading!
Rachel Hanna
