Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Prairie Romance Collection |
2009 |
Buy |
| Wild Prairie Roses |
2009 |
N/A |
| A Texas Christmas |
2015 |
Buy |
Collections#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Four Seasons of Love |
2020 |
Buy |
Lena Nelson Dooley Short Stories/Novellas Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Best Medicine |
2008 |
Buy |
| Can You Help Me? |
2012 |
Buy |
| Charlsey’s Accountant |
2013 |
Buy |
| 24 Christmases |
2013 |
Buy |
| No Thank You |
2013 |
Buy |
Lena Nelson Dooley Standalone Novels Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Home to Her Heart |
1993 |
Buy |
| Pirate’s Prize |
2005 |
Buy |
| Never Say Never |
2006 |
Buy |
| A Daughter’s Quest |
2006 |
Buy |
| Who Am I? |
2007 |
Buy |
| The Gold Digger |
2011 |
Buy |
| The Spinster and the Cowboy |
2012 |
Buy |
| Christmas Confusion |
2012 |
Buy |
| The 12 Gifts of Christmas |
2018 |
Buy |
Love’s Road Home Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| A Heart’s Forgiveness |
2021 |
Buy |
| A Heart’s Forever Home |
2021 |
Buy |
| A Heart’s Rescue |
2022 |
Buy |
| A Heart’s Gift |
2023 |
Buy |
McKenna’s Daughters Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Maggie’s Journey |
2011 |
Buy |
| Mary’s Blessing |
2012 |
N/A |
| Mary’s Blessing / Mary’s Redemption |
2012 |
Buy |
| Catherine’s Pursuit |
2013 |
Buy |
Minnesota Brothers Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Other Brother |
2002 |
Buy |
| His Brother’s Castoff |
2004 |
Buy |
| Minnesota Brothers |
2004 |
Buy |
| Double Deception |
2004 |
Buy |
| Gerda’s Lawman |
2004 |
Buy |
Thanksgiving Books & Blessings Collection One Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Gone to Texas |
2018 |
Buy |
| Gateway to the West |
2018 |
Buy |
| Trail to Clear Creek |
2018 |
Buy |
| Daughter of Defiance |
2018 |
Buy |
| Unmistakably Yours |
2018 |
Buy |
| Esther’s Temptation |
2018 |
Buy |
| Heart and Home |
2018 |
Buy |
Lena Nelson Dooley is an American author of Christian inspirational fiction, with a publishing career dating to 1993. Her work is primarily historical romance, set in frontier America, the Old West, and pioneer settings. She is best known for the McKenna’s Daughters series, which follows the daughters of a family across the American frontier, and the Minnesota Brothers series, set in the early twentieth century among Minnesota immigrant communities.
Dooley’s writing is rooted in faith-based values and is published through Christian publishing imprints. Her output includes full-length novels, novellas, and short stories, with contributions to anthologies such as Wild Prairie Roses and The Prairie Romance Collection. She has also written the Love’s Road Home series, a contemporary inspirational romance series published between 2021 and 2023.
Readers who enjoy inspirational historical fiction in the tradition of Janette Oke or Tracie Peterson will find Dooley’s work covers similar frontier and pioneer territory with a comparable faith-based perspective.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Lena Nelson Dooley written?
Lena Nelson Dooley has written 38 books across eight series.
What was Lena Nelson Dooley's first book?
Lena Nelson Dooley’s first book is Home to Her Heart, published in 1993.
Does Lena Nelson Dooley write in genres other than historical romance?
Yes. While historical romance is the core of Dooley’s work, she also writes contemporary inspirational fiction, novellas, and has contributed to Christmas-themed and prairie romance anthologies. Her standalone novels range from 1993 to 2018 and cover several settings and tones.