Below is the complete list of Marie Force’s Gansett Island books in order. For this series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.
Publication Order of Gansett Island Books
About Gansett Island
Gansett Island is a close-knit community off the coast of Rhode Island, where family connections, longstanding friendships, and unexpected romances shape everyday life. Inspired by the real Block Island, Marie Force’s Gansett Island series follows the McCarthy family and their friends through love, marriage, parenthood, and personal challenges. Combining contemporary romance with the continuing relationships of a family saga, the novels explore how individual love stories become part of a larger community.
The series begins with Maid for Love (2011), introducing Mac McCarthy, whose family operates several businesses on the island, and Maddie Chester, a single mother working as a hotel housekeeper. Their relationship begins under unfortunate circumstances when Mac accidentally injures Maddie, creating an encounter that neither initially welcomes.
Maddie has experienced considerable hardship and remains wary of becoming involved with a wealthy member of one of the island’s most prominent families. Mac, meanwhile, must overcome her understandable mistrust and demonstrate that his interest extends beyond a passing attraction.
Their romance establishes several defining elements of the series: differences in social circumstances, strong family involvement, emotional vulnerability, and the challenges of maintaining privacy in a community where everyone knows everyone else.
The McCarthy family remains central throughout the books. Parents Big Mac and Linda have raised a large family whose members maintain close relationships despite their contrasting personalities and ambitions. Their children, relatives, and friends provide the connections through which new romantic stories develop.
In Fool for Love (2011), Joe Cantrell and Janey McCarthy confront feelings complicated by years of friendship and established expectations. Ready for Love (2011) follows Luke Harris and Sydney Donovan, whose experiences explore grief, healing, and the possibility of renewed happiness.
Subsequent novels introduce romances involving Grant McCarthy and Stephanie, Evan McCarthy and Grace, and other island residents whose lives become increasingly intertwined. Each central couple faces different obstacles, including past disappointments, complicated family relationships, professional responsibilities, and uncertainty about commitment.
One of the series’ distinctive qualities is its willingness to revisit established couples. Their stories do not end when their initial romantic conflicts are resolved. Marriages, pregnancies, careers, and changing family responsibilities continue developing in later instalments, allowing the characters to mature alongside the wider community.
The setting also plays an important role. Gansett’s beaches, ferry connections, businesses, and seasonal visitors create a recognisable island atmosphere. Summer brings increased activity and tourism, while the quieter months emphasise the close relationships and practical challenges of permanent island life.
As the series progresses, Force broadens the narrative beyond the original McCarthy siblings. Friends, employees, returning residents, and newcomers become central characters, creating additional romantic possibilities without abandoning the established families.
Celebration After Dark (2015) offers particular attention to Big Mac and Linda, exploring the enduring relationship at the centre of the McCarthy family. Their experiences demonstrate that romance remains important long after marriage and parenthood have become familiar parts of life.
Later instalments introduce younger couples and develop the experiences of supporting characters who previously appeared in smaller roles. Stories such as Mine After Dark, Trouble After Dark, and Rescue After Dark maintain this balance between new relationships and the continuing lives of familiar residents.
Some novels take a broader ensemble approach. Blackout After Dark (2021) follows multiple island residents during a widespread power outage, using the shared disruption to explore established relationships and community connections.
Hurricane After Dark (2023) similarly places the island’s residents under pressure from severe weather, emphasising cooperation and resilience alongside the continuing romantic storylines.
The original series concludes with Delivery After Dark (2025), its twenty-eighth numbered instalment. The novel brings together the wider cast for another significant period in the community’s life, providing a conclusion to a sequence that began fourteen years earlier.
In addition to the main novels, Force has published companion stories, including Chance for Love and A Gansett Island Christmas. These shorter works expand selected relationships and seasonal events within the established fictional setting.
The Gansett Island books have sold more than five million copies, making the series one of Force’s most successful publishing achievements. Although the original twenty-eight-book sequence is complete, she has announced plans for Gansett Island Generations, a continuation focusing on younger members of the McCarthy family.
The series has also produced a related storyline involving Dan Torrington and Kara Ballard. Their experiences continue in Force’s Downeast books, which explore Kara’s complicated family history and the couple’s life beyond Gansett.
What distinguishes Gansett Island is its sustained attention to relationships after the initial excitement of falling in love. Force portrays romance as part of an ongoing family and community experience, where friendships deepen, responsibilities change, and familiar characters continue growing. Across the series, the island becomes more than a setting: it is a shared home whose enduring connections give each new love story a place within a much larger narrative.