Below is the complete list of Susan May Warren’s Christiansen Family books in order. For this series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.
Publication Order of Christiansen Family Books
About Christiansen Family
The Christiansen Family series by Susan May Warren is a six-book inspirational contemporary romance series set in the fictional town of Deep Haven, Minnesota. Published between 2013 and 2016, the novels follow the six adult children of John and Ingrid Christiansen as they navigate love, family expectations, personal disappointments, and questions of faith. Against the backdrop of a family-owned resort on the shores of Lake Superior, Warren develops an interconnected story about finding purpose, accepting forgiveness, and discovering where one belongs.
The series begins with Take a Chance on Me (2013), which focuses on Darek Christiansen, a widowed single father struggling with grief and resentment. His developing relationship with Ivy Madison, a newcomer to Deep Haven, becomes complicated by a painful connection to his past. Their story introduces the family’s close relationships and establishes the emotional consequences of loss as an important theme.
It Had to Be You (2014) follows Eden Christiansen, an aspiring journalist whose life has become closely tied to the professional hockey career of her younger brother, Owen. When she encounters Jace Jacobsen, a hockey player with a difficult reputation, Eden must reconsider her assumptions about success, responsibility, and the future she wants for herself.
The third novel, When I Fall in Love (2014), centers on Grace Christiansen, whose cautious personality contrasts with her family’s adventurous spirit. A trip to Hawaii brings her into the orbit of Max Sharpe, a professional hockey player facing an uncertain future. Their relationship explores the difficulty of pursuing happiness when fear and circumstances threaten to limit what seems possible.
Always on My Mind (2015) turns to Casper Christiansen, whose love for Raina Beaumont has been complicated by disappointment and unresolved feelings. The novel combines romance with questions about loyalty, forgiveness, and whether people can move beyond choices that have hurt those closest to them.
In The Wonder of You (2015), Amelia Christiansen returns home after a European adventure that has left her uncertain about her relationships and ambitions. Her story involves Roark St. John, a man whose connection to her overseas experiences follows her back to Deep Haven. The novel examines the difference between romantic expectations and the realities of commitment.
The series concludes with You’re the One That I Want (2016), which focuses on Owen Christiansen. Once a promising hockey player, Owen has experienced personal and professional setbacks that have damaged his confidence and relationships. His story brings several long-running family concerns into focus while exploring responsibility, reconciliation, and the possibility of rebuilding a life after serious mistakes.
Although each novel features a central romance, the Christiansen siblings remain important throughout the series. Their relationships are shaped by years of shared experiences, rivalries, and family traditions, allowing Warren to develop conflicts that extend beyond individual love stories.
John and Ingrid Christiansen provide an important foundation for the books. Their marriage, faith, and commitment to the family resort offer a model of stability, although their children do not always agree with their expectations or decisions. The parents’ presence reinforces the series’ emphasis on family relationships across generations.
Deep Haven itself is another essential element. The fictional Minnesota community appears throughout Warren’s wider bibliography, and its familiar businesses, residents, and lakeside surroundings create continuity between the Christiansen novels and other stories set in the town.
The family resort serves as both a gathering place and a symbol of the Christiansens’ shared history. For some siblings, it represents security and belonging. For others, it raises questions about independence and whether remaining close to home means abandoning personal ambitions.
Faith plays a central role in the series, particularly through characters struggling with guilt, disappointment, or uncertainty about their worth. Warren presents spiritual growth as a gradual process, often involving difficult conversations and the willingness to accept help.
The novels are best read in publication order, beginning with Take a Chance on Me and ending with You’re the One That I Want. While each book develops a distinct romantic relationship, the continuing family storylines and recurring characters make sequential reading especially rewarding.
The Christiansen Family series stands out within Susan May Warren’s bibliography for its balance of individual romances and an overarching family narrative. Rather than relying primarily on external danger, these books find their drama in the emotional complexities of ordinary life, making the Christiansens’ journey through love, loss, faith, and reconciliation the heart of the series.