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Series · contemporary romance

The Manning Sisters

by Debbie Macomber

The Manning Sisters series by Debbie Macomber has 2 known books (2 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Cowboy's Lady (1990).

Books
2 known books (2 novels)
Published
2
First published
1990
Status
completed
Shelved under
Romance
Last checked

Start here: The Cowboy's Lady (1990) — then read straight through in publication order.

Book one

Cover of The Cowboy's Lady

The Cowboy's Lady (1990)

Reading order

The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.

  1. The Cowboy's Lady

    Novel

    Debbie Macomber published The Cowboy's Lady in 1990, a compact 250-page category romance following one of the Manning sisters as a rancher's reluctant bride -- one of two Silhouette-era romances Macomber wrote before her later ensemble sagas.

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  2. The Sheriff Takes a Wife

    Novel

    The Sheriff Takes a Wife followed the same year, 1990, at 254 pages, turning to the second Manning sister as she's pursued by the local sheriff in another self-contained small-town romance.

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About The Manning Sisters

A short, early Debbie Macomber duology following two sisters -- one a rancher's reluctant bride, the other pursued by the local sheriff -- as they each find unexpected love in small-town Western settings. Published back to back in 1990, The Cowboy's Lady and The Sheriff Takes a Wife are classic Silhouette-era category romances: efficient, trope-forward stories built around a single central couple, written before Macomber moved into the longer, ensemble small-town sagas that would define her later career.

The two books share the Manning sisters as their throughline but otherwise function as self-contained romances, each resolving its central couple's story within its own pages. They're a useful entry point for readers curious about Macomber's earlier, shorter category-romance work before her Cedar Cove and Blossom Street era.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in The Manning Sisters series?

Two: The Cowboy's Lady and The Sheriff Takes a Wife, both published in 1990.

Is The Manning Sisters connected to Debbie Macomber's Those Manning Men series?

Both series share the Manning family surname and small-town Western setting typical of Macomber's early category romances, though they follow different central characters.

Do I need to read The Manning Sisters in order?

No -- each book follows a different sister and stands alone, though reading them in publication order is a natural way through the pair.

Reading order last verified .