Sarah Addison Allen had me from the moment I fell in the love with the Waverly Sisters in Garden Spells. Born in Asheville, North Carolina, she brings that southern charm to her magical books. I’ve read all seven and she is one of my few auto buy authors.

These are her books listed in the order I like them best with a few of my thoughts on each and linked to my full review.

Garden Spells. Claire Waverly and her sister Sydney, were part of the Waverly’s of Bascom, North Carolina.  The family that was just a bit off, strange, and they had that magic apple tree in the back yard.  Claire stayed in the family home after her mother and grandmother died, but Sydney had escaped to New York and beyond as soon as she could.  The sisters had never been close, so when Sydney returned to Bascom with her 5 year old daughter in tow, Claire was surprised. 

Claire’s gift was affecting people’s mood and feelings through food.  The garden was always in bloom, even if she had to put up with the trouble-making apple tree.  Sydney had spent most of her life denying her Waverly roots, but even she found her special gift when she returned home.  The only other family still around was a great-aunt who had the gift of giving people, even complete strangers, trinkets that they would soon need. 

I loved this book.  Loved it.  It had romance, charm, and drama.  The relationship between the sisters was compelling and the magical elements made it very light and fun.  The reason that drew Sydney back to Bascom was a shadow hovering over the Waverlys and it provided a grounding effect for this magical story.  I was drawn into their world and didn’t want to leave. 

First Frost. As much as I really like Allen’s other books, and I’ve read them all, it’s the Waverley’s from Bascom, North Carolina that really make me happy.  I want a magic apple tree and a special gift, I guess.  Who doesn’t?

Ten years after Garden Spells the sisters and their Aunt Evanelle find themselves settled into relationships and trying to find their way, especially Claire.  Claire is questioning her gift and the way that she’s using it, so she is ripe for someone to come along and shake her faith.  And he does.

I love that Sydney’s daughter, Bay, is a major part of this story, coming into her own as one of the mysterious Waverley women.  She’s 15 and knows her gift, only it has only made her high school experience miserable.  I love how she is willing to be different at such a young age.

The Girl Who Chased the Moon. Emily recently lost her mother, the only family she has ever known, and is shipped off to her grandfather in North Carolina.  Julia is from Mullaby but left as a teenager only to return as an adult after her father died.  Both plan on  being there for  short time, but both find themselves with reasons to stay in the quaint, close-knit town full of secrets and charm.

I loved Allen’s first book Garden Spells and found myself almost as enchanted with this quirky and magical tale of lost love and the trials of growing up.  She has a talent for making stories that are light and still satisfying.  Oh, and romantic.  Emily and Julia both found men to appreciate them even when they didn’t want to be appreciated.  Julia’s story of her teen years carried the novel for me and I was happy to see her get her happy ending (this is Sarah Addison Allen so I don’t think I’m spoiling anything by saying that).

Lost Lake. There are so many things to love about Allen’s writing.  She has a light, lyrical quality that encourages fast and happy reading.  And even though I always consider her books happy, she embraces difficult topics, like how to move on when who you love has died.  Her characters are always so true and somewhat quirky and the icing on the cake is the magic that movies the story along.  All of these make her books a delight to read.  This was no exception.

Lost Lake made me wish it were a real place so I could make my reservations today.  I loved the idea of the whole town getting behind Eby so she doesn’t sell her property.  I loved each unique character’s back story. They were all engaging.  I loved the romance of Paris.  This is great Southern fiction with charm and the magic of childhood.

Other Birds. There were ghosts, but it wasn’t a ghost story, there were misfits looking for a tribe, there was a mystery or two you didn’t even know needed solved, and there was love in many different forms. There were secrets revealed and secrets kept, invisible birds, and childhood trauma. Even with all of that going on at one this is, at its hear, a comfort read.

In an interview with the author she said that she always envisioned the setting first and that’s why it always feel like a character. This setting is the fictional Mallow Island, South Carolina, known for its marshmallows.

The Peach Keeper. Wall of Water, North Carolina, is home to Willa, Paxton, and Sebastian.  Though none of them were friends in high school, Paxton and Sebastian are inseparable now.  Willa own her own store and lives a happy but quiet life.  When Paxton restores the Blue Ridge Madam, an old home important to Willa’s family, it brings a mystery that leads them both to their grandmothers, looking for answers.

The Sugar Queen.

Josey Cirrini is a 27-year-old who hides sweets and romance novels in her closet so her perfect southern belle mother doesn’t see them.  She lives in servitude of her mother with no life of her own until a local woman shows up in her closet to hide out for a while, seemingly to escape a boyfriend.  She draws Josey out of her shell and she starts to develop relationships that her mother doesn’t approve of.  Chloe and Adam both give Josey the confidence she needs to take a look at life in the small North Carolina town where everyone remembers her as a mean child.

When Chloe had a need in her life the perfect book would appear in front of her.  How awesome would this be?  I totally loved Chloe’s story and her transformation.  I think this is why I liked but didn’t love the book, I wanted Chloe to be the main character, not Josey.  I wanted to give Josey a little tough love pep talk.

Any other SAA fans out there? What’s your favorite?