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Oregon Books: The Best Books Set in the Beaver State
By: Angela & Melissa
Updated:
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn a referral fee from qualifying purchases.Whether you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge or simply found your way to our website researching books set in Oregon, we’ve curated a diverse list of highly-rated titles about the Beaver State! If you’re looking for another state, check our comprehensive list of books set in every state.
A Few Things Oregon is Known For…
Located in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon is renowned for its stunning landscapes, including the rugged coastline along the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade Range with its majestic mountains, and the lush forests and scenic waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge. The Lewis and Clark Expedition explored the region in the early 19th century and in the mid-19th century, the Oregon Trail, a 2,000-mile route beginning in Missouri, brought thousands of pioneers. Oregon became the 33rd state in 1859.
The growth of the timber industry defined the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Oregon. However, conservation efforts later gained momentum, leading to the establishment of national forests and a more sustainable approach to forestry. The latter half of the 20th century saw an increase in environmental activism, and Oregon became a pioneer in land-use planning and protecting its natural resources.
Oregon’s cultural landscape evolved with the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 1970s. The state’s reputation for progressive values has continued to shape its social fabric. Oregon embraces diversity, promotes social justice, and has been at the forefront of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.
In the 1990s, the high-tech industry began to flourish in Oregon, particularly in the Silicon Forest region around Portland. The city’s focus on sustainability and quality of life also appealed to professionals in the industry. South of Portland is Eugene, which is known for its focus on outdoor recreation, especially running, jogging, and biking. The Nike company was founded in Eugene in the mid-1960s. Further east, nestled against the Cascade Range, is the town of Bend, which is famous for expansive mountain views and adventure sports. In the far northwest of the state, situated at the mouth of the Columbia River, is the charming, coastal town of Astoria, known for its Victorian homes.
The Best Books Set in Oregon
The Starfish Sisters
Book Summary
Phoebe and Suze were inseparable as children. They grew up spending summers in a serene coastal town in Oregon, but a hidden secret shattered their bond, and they grew apart through the years .
Decades later, Suze—now a renowned actress recovering from a brutal attack—returns to the Oregon coast seeking refuge. Phoebe, an accomplished illustrator and devoted grandmother, has built a quiet life with her beloved granddaughter, Jasmine. Their reunion stirs buried emotions and unresolved tensions as both women learn to lean on each other once again.
The Book Girls Say…
Barbara O’Neal has published more than 50 books under several different pen names, but she is perhaps best known for her 2019 novel When We Believe in Mermaids. She was born and raised in Colorado but now lives on the coast of Oregon.
The Girls of Good Fortune
Book Summary
In 1888 Portland, Oregon, half-Chinese Celia Hart awakens drugged and disguised in the depths of the notorious Shanghai Tunnels, kidnapped and nearly sold into forced labor.
Flashing back, we see her life in Portland before: passing as white to work as a maid for the mayor’s family, navigating prejudice and fragile trust. Celia’s hidden identity holds fragile secrets—a child left in danger and ties to a scandal over a massacre of Chinese miners.
As she pieces clues together, she fights her way through underground labyrinths and corrupt social circles. With relentless courage, Celia battles systemic racism, betrayal, and the city’s dark underbelly to reclaim her daughter and justice.
The Book Girls Say…
The Shanghai Tunnels, also known as the Portland Underground, are a network of interconnected basements and passages beneath Old Town Chinatown in Portland, Oregon. Originally constructed in the mid- to late‑19th century, they linked saloons, hotels, brothels, and opium dens to the Willamette River waterfront—facilitating the discreet movement of goods around city traffic and rain. The tunnels are also famously associated with the alleged practice of kidnapping people to serve as crew aboard ships.
By the 1940s, many tunnels were sealed or collapsed, and today only fragments remain. Today, you can take a guided tour of portions of the tunnels beneath Old Town’s restaurants and bars, but keep in mind that some of what you’ll hear on such a tour is fact, and some is folklore.
Kristina McMorris is also the author of the novel The Pieces We Keep, which is set in contemporary Portland, Oregon and WWII London.
The Music of Bees
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
98% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Forty-four-year-old Alice is in the midst of deep grief. She’s unexpectedly lost her husband, her job is a dead-end, and even her beloved beekeeping hobby isn’t bringing her the usual joy. She has even begun to have anxiety attacks, thinking about how far her life has strayed from her dreams.
As she’s transporting 120,000 bees in her truck, she nearly collides with Jake. He’s a troubled, paraplegic teenager with the tallest mohawk in Hood River County. When Alice sees Jake’s genuine interest in the bees and learns about his own difficulties at home, she impulsively invites him to see the farm.
The third member of the unlikely trio that makes up this novel is Harry. He’s twenty-four, and his social anxiety has prevented him from getting a traditional job. He answers Alice’s ad for part-time farm help and is shocked to be hired. Alice, Jake, and Harry become fast friends when they have to work together to stop a pesticide company that is threatening the bees. Through their new friendship, they each begin to heal.
The Book Girls Say…
While this book deals with grief and other tough topics, the overall book is uplifting and heartwarming.
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15 Buzzy Novels About Bees
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Books Set in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota
On a Quiet Street
Book Summary
Situated on the beautiful Oregon coast, Brighton Hills seems like the perfect gated community. The stunning houses are set amongst the trees with rolling backyards that lead down to the lake. It’s the kind of place where neighbors watch out for one another… but are some neighbors watching a little too close?
The story centers around three women. First, there’s Cora, who is convinced that her husband is cheating on her, though she hasn’t caught him in the act yet. Then there’s Paige, a young mother grieving the loss of her son, who is convinced that his hit-and-run death was no accident. And finally, there’s Georgia, a reserved newcomer with a newborn.
Paige and Cora team up to monitor the neighborhood, each looking for evidence to support their suspicions. They observe that Georgia is acting more strangely every day… but what could she be hiding?
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating
Book Summary
This rom-com follows the unconventional love story of the quirky Hazel and the steadfast Josh, who have been friends since college but never thought of each other as anything more. That is, until they embark on a series of hilarious and disastrous double-blind dates.
Throughout the book, we see their undeniable chemistry, palpable sexual tension, and the eventual realization that they may have been looking for love in all the wrong places.
The Book Girls Say…
If you’re a fan of Christina Lauren novels, this book will not disappoint. It features their trademark witty banter, delightful characters, and swoon-worthy romance.
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The Child Finder
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
94% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
This atmospheric thriller will take you right to the forests of Oregon, where five-year-old Madison disappeared as her family was choosing a Christmas tree. It’s been three years, and the Culver family is still desperate to find their now eight-year-old daughter.
The Culvers turn to Naomi, a private investigator known as the “Child Finder” with an uncanny talent for locating the lost and missing. She understands lost children because she was a lost girl too. As her search takes her into the icy forest, she has to come to terms with her own past as well.
The Book Girls Say…
This book is a bit more literary than your average thriller. It’s told in alternating voices between Naomi and a deeply imaginative child.
Be aware that this book involves child molestation and abuse, making it a difficult read at times. The author is herself a victim of molestation and abuse, has worked with victims, and has raised foster children with their own traumas, so the story is very raw and real.
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Try Me
Book Summary
Cassidy Brooks, a polished personal assistant for wealthy clients, arrives at Cherry Blossom Lake to manage an extravagant lakeside development on family land. Jake Spencer‑King, a hardworking local fisherman, harbors deep resentment toward the outsiders who threaten his family’s legacy and livelihood.
Their worlds collide amid trivia nights, hermit‑crab escapades, and one especially awkward wardrobe malfunction involving Cassidy’s mom. Despite their initial antagonism, Cassidy and Jake feel an undeniable pull toward each other, each hiding personal burdens: Cassidy with a chronically ill sister and a well-meaning but misguided mother; Jake with protective instincts toward his siblings and a complex gang of “wild brothers.”
As tension builds, they must wrestle with trust, community loyalties, and the looming threat of altering a town that’s precious to Jake’s family.
The Book Girls Say…
Author Tawna Fenske lives in Bend, Oregon. Try Me is the first of four books currently published in Fenske’s romance series set in a sleepy Oregon coastal town on the banks of the fictional Cherry Blossom Lake.
Bakeshop Mysteries
Book Summary
Set in the picturesque hamlet of Ashland, Oregon, home to the famed Oregon Shakespeare Festival, this cozy mystery series follows Juliet “Jules” Montague Capshaw, a talented pastry chef who returns to run her family’s artisan bakeshop, Torte.
Between crafting signature pastries and serving locals and tourists alike, Jules frequently becomes an impromptu detective when death strikes close to home.
Each book in this cozy mystery series features a fresh, mouthwatering murder mystery tied to local events—ski‑slope competitions, holiday festivals, seaside cliffs, and quirky community gatherings.
The Book Girls Say…
Each book in this series includes delicious recipes at the end.
The Paragon Hotel
Book Summary
In 1921, Harlem emergency worker Alice “Nobody” James flees a violent underworld with a bullet wound and a suitcase of counterfeit cash. She boards a cross‑country train, where a sympathetic Black Pullman porter, Max, helps her reach Portland, Oregon. There, Max brings Alice to the Paragon, the city’s only all‑Black hotel—refuge for those shut out by Jim Crow–era segregation in the Pacific Northwest.
Although initially unwelcome as a white interloper, Alice recovers under the watchful care of hotel residents—including the sardonic Dr. Pendleton, matriarchal Mavereen, and sultry singer Blossom Fontaine. When a young mixed‑race boy vanishes and the Ku Klux Klan’s influence swells in Portland, Alice must decide how far she’ll go to help her new community.
Confronting secrets from both her past and their world, she becomes entangled in a dangerous search that tests her loyalties, courage, and sense of identity.
The Book of Cold Cases
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
96% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
A small town in Oregon was shocked in 1977 when two seemingly random men were murdered with the same gun. The killer left strange notes, leading the town to believe that the killer was a rich, eccentric 23-year-old woman, Beth. After being acquitted of the murders, she became reclusive, tucked away in the isolation of her mansion.
Forty years later, in 2017, receptionist Shea runs a true-crime website at night. When she has a chance encounter with now 63-year-old Beth, she’s thrilled when Beth agrees to an interview. The duo begins meeting regularly at Beth’s mansion, which is not a comforting place. Shea swears items move on their own, and other strange things also happen. Although Beth is highly charming, Shea can’t help but wonder if she’s befriending a murderer.
The Book Girls Say…
If you prefer single timelines or dual chronological timelines, skip this one. The storyline alternates between the present and Beth’s life in the 70s, leading up to and including her arrest and trial. However, her past isn’t always revealed to the reader in order.
Delilah Green Doesn’t Care
Book Summary
After a lonely childhood raised with a cold, distant stepfamily, Delilah swore she’d never return to her hometown of Bright Falls, Oregon. But when her estranged stepsister, Astrid, begins pressuring her to return home to photograph her wedding, the guilt trip and the promise of a five-figure payment are more than Delilah can turn down.
Delilah is determined to breeze in and out of town and be back home in New York as soon as possible. But while she’s there, she figures it can’t hurt to have a little fun with Claire, Astrid’s cute bestie.
The idea is less appealing to Claire, who has a lot on her plate. Between running her bookstore and raising her preteen daughter without much help from her ex-husband, Clair prefers to keep life simple and surprise-free whenever possible.
Delilah definitely feels like an unwelcome surprise that could disrupt Claire’s life. Claire would prefer to keep her distance, but as the two are repeatedly thrown together for wedding preparation tasks, Claire begins to find Astrid’s charms harder to resist.
The Book Girls Say…
All three books in this series are set in Oregon. The characters introduced in this first book make appearances again in later books, but each book can be read as a standalone.
Forgive Me If I’ve Told You This Before
Book Summary
This is a coming-of-age novel about Triinu Hoffman, a young woman growing up in rural Oregon. Shy and intellectual, Triinu is already bullied and doesn’t fit it – and that’s before she begins coming to terms with her sexuality.
Her personal realizations are set against the backdrop of the gay rights struggles in 1990s Oregon, where most people in her hometown are fighting for anti-gay legislation.
The Book Girls Say…
Although this a YA novel, reviewers say that its well-developed characters and the depth of its compassion and social commentary make it an excellent read for adults. It’s described as a story where not much happens, and yet everything happens.
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Book Summary
Annie is devastated when her husband jconfesses that he’s in love with a younger woman. Looking to put her life back together, she retreats to the small town where she grew up. There, she is reunited with her first love.
Nick is a recent widower who is struggling to connect with his silent, emotionally scarred young daughter. Together, the three of them begin to heal. But just when Annie begins to see a second chance at happiness, her world is turned upside down again, and she is forced to make an impossible choice.
The Book Girls Say…
This is one of Kristin Hannah’s early works. She began as a romance novelist before shifting to contemporary women’s fiction, and, most recently, historical fiction. What has remained consistent throughout is her focus on strong female characters.
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Kristin Hannah Books in Order
Books Set on Lakes and at Lake Houses
The Night Always Comes
Book Summary
This thriller, which is set over the period of just 48 hours, explores the impact of trickle-down greed and gentrification on ordinary lives. The story follows Lynette’s frantic search, for two days and nights, for the money she must acquire to close on the home they desperately need to survive.
She is currently renting the house with her mother and developmentally disabled brother Kenny, but the owner has offered them an amazing deal to purchase the home and escape the hamster wheel of rapidly increasing real estate prices in Portland.
However, after initially agreeing to fund some of the purchase, Lynette’s mother has changed her mind at the last minute. Lynette has to act fast and is pushed to her limits to find the money they need.
Love is a Battlefield
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
94% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Addison had a lovely vacation planned to the Cayman Islands as a reward for her business success. However, her mother has requested she head to the Oregon wilderness instead because her mom’s former college roommate needs some help.
Brogan is a reclusive novelist with a new thriller on the New York Times Bestseller list. He planned to celebrate at the family’s fishing cabin, but his mom also needs a favor.
The moms, Libby and Ruby, have been scheming a way to get Addison and Brogan together, even though the few times they have met each other, the wrong kinds of sparks have flown. But will their new idea help the kids see that they are perfect for each other?
The Book Girls Say…
This book is the first in the Seven Brides for Seven Mothers series, so if you enjoy the author’s light and fun writing style, there are six more rom-coms, and they are all currently included with Kindle Unlimited.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
80% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
Set in a mental hospital, this classic novel is one of the defining works of 1960s literature.
Tyrannical Nurse Ratched rules her ward of the Oregon State mental hospital with an iron fist that is unopposed by her mind-numbingly medicated patients. But when the brawling and fun-loving Randle Patrick McMurphy arrives, he opposes Nurse Ratched’s rules on behalf of his fellow inmates.
The Book Girls Say…
Be aware that this book deals with suicide.
Ken Kesey is also the author of the 1964 novel Sometimes a Great Notion, which is about a family of loggers living in Oregon in the 1950s.
The Ghost of Marlow House
Book Summary
Despite never being to Marlow House in Oregon, Danielle has inherited it and dreams of turning it into a Bed & Breakfast. To her surprise, she didn’t only inherit the home, it comes with the ghost of a resident who has been dead for almost ninety years!
Luckily, Walt is charming. He convinces Danielle that she needs to solve the mystery of his death so he can finally move on. But she also has challenges from the living. Marlow House is full of other secrets.
The Book Girls Say…
There are currently 37 books in this series. While each cozy mystery includes paranormal elements, with a couple set specifically at Halloween, the remainder of the books are set at various times of the year, including numerous other holidays.
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Book Summary
Hailey dreams of becoming a professional songwriter, but for now she’s working as an assistant band teacher at a Portland high school. As the holidays approach, Hailey knows that spending the traditional Christmas with her family means spending most of her time dodging her mother’s questions about her love life.
When a friend offers Hailey her family’s empty cabin in a small Oregon town for a solo holiday retreat, she decides to prioritize her own happiness this season. The cabin turns out not to be as peaceful as she imagined, though, because it’s been invaded by several wild animals. Luckily, a local man named Jay is willing to help. It doesn’t hurt that Jay is handsome, charming, and a former musician.
Hailey’s planned solo trip quickly becomes a romantic getaway with she and Jay enjoying all the festive holiday activities together. But when family drama from home disrupts her newfound peace and confidence, she’ll have to weather the storm.
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Book Summary
Last year, Ellie had dreams of a job in animation and a meet-cute with a woman in a bookstore. She fell in love instantly but was betrayed the next morning. After also losing her job, Ellie is totally adrift…and broke.
A coffee shop job is a quick fix to get her through the holidays. Her life takes another big twist when the landlord, Andrew, proposes a crazy plan to help them both. His inheritance depends on him finding a bride, and the arrangement could solve Ellie’s financial troubles as well.
However, she’s also reconnected with the woman she shared a magical Christmas Eve with the year before. Which path is right for her future?
Also Featured on These Book Lists:
Memoirs & Non-Fiction About Oregon
Astoria
Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
94% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
In the early 1800s, the East Coast had major trading colonies like Jamestown. Thomas Jefferson and John Jacob Astor decided that the wild West Coast could benefit from a similar colony. Six years after the Lewis & Clark Expedition and one year after Thomas Jefferson’s Presidential term ended, the Astor Expedition launched with the goal of transforming the nation into a Pacific trading power.
While much of this book focuses on the deadly journey to Astoria (by land and sea), we found it to be a fascinating glimpse into the founding of the oldest city in Oregon and the first permanent American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.
The Book Girls Say…
Astoria was a Goodreads nominee for Best History & Biography in 2014, but we had never heard of this wild expedition by a recently retired President and visionary businessman.
If you enjoy learning about new facets of American history, grab this non-fiction book that our readers say reads like a novel.
Book Summary
Michelle Zauner, a Grammy-nominated indie rockstar, shares her story of growing up as the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon. At home, her mother had very high and particular expectations of her. However, they were able to bond over food, especially the months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul.
After graduating, she moved to the East Coast for college, where she also performed with her fledgling band and met her future husband. However, as she worked to make her dreams come true, her Koreaness felt more distant.
When Michelle was 25, her mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. This unexpected and devastating life event drew her back to the food, language, and history her mother had given her.
The Book Girls Say…
Readers around the world have resonated with this profoundly moving, lyrical, and honest memoir. It was the Goodreads Choice Winner for Favorite Memoir in 2021 and now has over half a million reviews with an impressive 4.24 average rating.
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Book Girls’ Readers Rate This Book
93% Would Recommend to a Friend
Book Summary
At only 22, Cheryl Strayed was in the midst of a crisis. Her mother passed away, and her marriage was already falling apart. At 26, after many bad decisions, she had nothing more to lose and impulsively decided to walk over 1000 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail.
She hadn’t trained or prepared but decided to set out alone anyway. This memoir shares her experiences on the trail and her reflections on what she learned along the way.
The Book Girls Say…
Don’t go into this expecting to learn how to hike the PCT successfully. She makes reckless choices in her life before hitting the trail and along the way.
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Read Around the USA – Books Set in Other States
We hope you enjoyed this list of books about Oregon and found some great titles to add to your TBR. If you’re participating in our Read Around the USA Challenge, be sure to check out our alphabetical index of books set in each state.
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