Susan Elizabeth Phillips Books in Order: Chicago Stars, Wynette, Texas, and Standalone Novels
Susan Elizabeth Phillips is known for contemporary romance novels featuring witty dialogue, complicated relationships, memorable heroines, and characters who often have to rethink what they want from life. Her stories move between professional football, small-town Texas, Hollywood, and other settings, blending romantic tension with humor and emotional growth.
Her bibliography can look confusing because some characters return in later novels, and certain books are connected through shared settings even when they are not officially numbered as part of the same series. The guide below separates the Chicago Stars novels, the Wynette, Texas series, and standalone books so you can choose the reading order that suits you.
Chicago Stars Books in Order
The Chicago Stars series follows people whose lives intersect with a professional football team, including players, team owners, sports agents, and the people who love them. Each novel focuses on its own central romance, while familiar characters and connections appear across the series.
1. It Had to Be You (1994)
Phoebe Somerville unexpectedly inherits the Chicago Stars football team after her father’s death. With little interest in football and a complicated relationship with her family, she clashes with the team’s demanding coach, Dan Calebow. Their conflict develops into a romance that establishes the series’ blend of sports, humor, and emotional tension.
2. Heaven, Texas (1995)
Gracie Snow is determined to bring Hollywood actor and former football star Bobby Tom Denton back to his hometown of Heaven, Texas, so he can fulfill a commitment to a movie production. Bobby Tom is charming, stubborn, and accustomed to getting his way, but Gracie proves far more difficult to dismiss than he expects.
3. Nobody’s Baby but Mine (1997)
Brilliant physicist Dr. Jane Darlington wants a child but worries that her own intelligence will make it difficult for her child to fit in. She decides to pursue an unconventional plan involving football player Cal Bonner, setting off a romance complicated by secrets, assumptions, and the difference between what the characters expect and what they actually need.
4. Dream a Little Dream (1998)
Rachel Stone is a struggling single mother trying to rebuild her life after losing her husband and the future she once imagined. Her path crosses with Gabe Bonner, a grieving man who has withdrawn from much of the world around him. Their relationship develops as both confront loss, faith, family, and the possibility of starting again.
5. This Heart of Mine (2001)
Molly Somerville is a successful children’s book author who has long carried feelings for football player Kevin Tucker. After an unexpected encounter changes their relationship, the two must deal with misunderstandings, attraction, and the consequences of their decisions. The novel also connects with the wider Somerville and Chicago Stars cast.
6. Match Me If You Can (2005)
Annabelle Granger comes from a family of matchmakers and decides to establish her own matchmaking business. Her plans bring her into contact with Heath Champion, a high-powered sports agent whose demanding career has left little room for romance. Their partnership becomes a battle of wills as Annabelle tries to prove that she understands people better than Heath believes.
7. Natural Born Charmer (2007)
Blue Bailey is an unconventional artist whose life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters football star Dean Robillard. Dean is accustomed to attention and success, while Blue has little interest in fitting anyone else’s expectations. Their relationship develops through humor, clashes in personality, and the emotional baggage both carry.
8. First Star I See Tonight (2016)
Piper Dove is a private investigator who takes on a surveillance assignment involving Cooper Graham, a former Chicago Stars quarterback. Cooper quickly becomes aware of her presence, and their professional conflict turns into a complicated personal relationship. The story combines mystery elements with the series’ familiar mix of sports and romance.
9. When Stars Collide (2021)
Olivia Shore is a celebrated opera singer whose career places her under constant public scrutiny. She becomes involved with NFL quarterback Thad Owens, a man whose world is very different from hers. Their relationship explores attraction, fame, and the challenges of building a connection when two ambitious people have demanding lives.
10. Simply the Best (2024)
This installment returns to the world of professional football and the complicated relationships surrounding the Chicago Stars. The novel features characters connected to the team’s extended circle and continues the series’ focus on love, personal growth, and the pressures of public success.
11. And the Crowd Went Wild (2026)
The eleventh Chicago Stars novel follows an ex-Hollywood darling dealing with heartbreak and a superstar NFL quarterback whose career is in trouble. An old railcar tucked away in the woods becomes part of the setting for a story about two people with complicated pasts. The novel also features appearances from familiar characters, making it a particularly rewarding read for longtime fans.
Wynette, Texas Books in Order
Wynette, Texas, is a fictional town where romance often develops amid small-town loyalties, strong personalities, and unexpected changes in fortune. The author’s official printable bibliography numbers five novels in this series.
1. Fancy Pants (1989)
Francesca Day is a wealthy, privileged young woman whose life changes when she encounters Dallie Beaudine, a Texas golf professional. Their very different backgrounds create friction and attraction as Francesca begins to understand a world beyond the comforts she has always known.
2. Lady Be Good (1999)
Lady Emma Wells-Finch, a British headmistress, travels to Texas hoping to escape a scandal that threatens her reputation. There she meets Kenny Traveler, a professional golfer whose own troubles make him an unlikely partner in her plans. Their contrasting personalities create a romance filled with humor and unexpected turns.
3. First Lady (2000)
Susannah Faulconer, the First Lady of the United States, escapes the constraints of public life and finds herself on an unexpected journey. Her path crosses with Sam, a man who becomes closely involved in her attempt to experience a more ordinary life. The novel combines romance with questions about identity, privacy, and duty.
4. Call Me Irresistible (2011)
Meg Koranda arrives in Wynette, Texas, for the wedding of her best friend, Lucy Jorik, to local golden boy Ted Beaudine. When the wedding falls apart, Meg becomes the target of the town’s anger, and she and Ted find themselves in conflict. Their relationship grows out of this disastrous beginning, with plenty of small-town humor along the way.
5. The Great Escape (2012)
Lucy Jorik, whose failed wedding sets the events of Call Me Irresistible in motion, is ready to break away from the life others have planned for her. Her escape brings her into contact with a mysterious motorcycle-riding man known as Panda. Their unusual connection leads to a romance about independence, identity, and the courage to choose a different future.
Reading tip: The author specifically notes that The Great Escape is more enjoyable if you have read Call Me Irresistible first. The two books have a particularly direct connection.
Standalone Books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
The following novels are best treated as standalone stories rather than installments in a numbered series. Some share characters or settings with her other work, but you do not need to read them in a strict sequence.
The Copeland Bride (1983)
Written with Claire Kiehl under the shared pen name Justine Cole, this early historical romance was one of Phillips’s first published novels. It is part of her early writing career and is now listed among her out-of-print titles.
Risen Glory (1984)
This historical romance was Phillips’s early solo work. It was later substantially revised, expanded, and republished under the title Just Imagine, so readers generally encounter the revised version today rather than the original edition.
Glitter Baby (1987)
Set in the world of Hollywood, Glitter Baby follows Fleur Savagar, a woman whose beauty and public image conceal a much more complicated personal history. The novel explores fame, ambition, family relationships, and the difference between how people appear and who they really are. Phillips later revised the book for a new edition, developing the characters further and adding scenes.
Hot Shot (1991)
This novel follows a woman whose life and career become entwined with the world of professional basketball. It blends romance with the pressures of ambition, celebrity, and personal change, making it one of Phillips’s earlier contemporary stories.
Honey Moon (1993)
Honey Moon centers on a Hollywood actress whose carefully managed public image does not tell the whole story of her private life. As romance and personal complications emerge, the novel examines the tension between celebrity, independence, and genuine connection.
Kiss an Angel (1996)
Daisy Devreaux faces a difficult financial situation and finds herself in an arranged marriage with Alex Markov, a mysterious man whose life is connected to a traveling circus. Their relationship begins with distrust and resistance, but living and working in an unusual environment forces both characters to confront their assumptions about love and loyalty.
Just Imagine (2001)
Just Imagine is a substantially revised version of Risen Glory, not an entirely unrelated novel. It follows Kit Weston and Baron Cain in a historical romance involving family secrets, personal independence, and the transformation of two strong-willed characters. Readers should count the revised edition as the modern version of the earlier story rather than as a completely separate plot.
Breathing Room (2002)
Dr. Isabel Favor is a self-help author whose professional life has become more complicated than the confident image she presents to the world. Her experiences in Italy bring her into contact with Lorenzo Gage, a man who challenges her assumptions about herself and relationships. The novel combines romantic comedy with themes of reinvention and emotional honesty.
Ain’t She Sweet? (2004)
Sugar Beth Carey returns to her hometown after years away, only to discover that the people she once hurt have not forgotten her. Her former teacher, Colin Byrne, has his own reasons for being wary of her return. The novel explores regret, forgiveness, and whether someone can genuinely change after making serious mistakes.
What I Did for Love (2009)
Georgie York, a former television star whose public life has taken an embarrassing turn, finds herself in an unexpected marriage with Bramwell Shepard, a former co-star with whom she has a difficult history. The arrangement gives both characters a chance to reshape their public images, but their complicated past makes the relationship far less straightforward than they expect.
Heroes Are My Weakness (2014)
Annie Hewitt returns to a remote island where memories of her childhood and a difficult family history still affect her. There she encounters Theo Harp, a novelist whose presence revives old tensions. The story mixes romance, suspense, and theatrical elements as Annie confronts the past and tries to build a different future.
Dance Away with Me (2020)
Maddy, a young widow, is trying to rebuild her life after a devastating loss. Her move to a small mountain town introduces her to new friendships and a complicated relationship with a local man. The novel focuses on grief, recovery, community, and the possibility of finding love again without forgetting the past.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips Books by Publication Date
If you prefer to read Phillips’s work in the order it originally appeared, this chronological list is a useful alternative to reading one series at a time.
| Publication year | Book |
| 1983 | The Copeland Bride |
| 1984 | Risen Glory |
| 1987 | Glitter Baby |
| 1989 | Fancy Pants |
| 1991 | Hot Shot |
| 1993 | Honey Moon |
| 1994 | It Had to Be You |
| 1995 | Heaven, Texas |
| 1996 | Kiss an Angel |
| 1997 | Nobody’s Baby but Mine |
| 1998 | Dream a Little Dream |
| 1999 | Lady Be Good |
| 2000 | First Lady |
| 2001 | This Heart of Mine |
| 2001 | Just Imagine (revised edition of Risen Glory) |
| 2002 | Breathing Room |
| 2004 | Ain’t She Sweet? |
| 2005 | Match Me If You Can |
| 2007 | Natural Born Charmer |
| 2009 | What I Did for Love |
| 2011 | Call Me Irresistible |
| 2012 | The Great Escape |
| 2014 | Heroes Are My Weakness |
| 2016 | First Star I See Tonight |
| 2020 | Dance Away with Me |
| 2021 | When Stars Collide |
| 2024 | Simply the Best |
| 2026 | And the Crowd Went Wild |
The publication history includes a few details worth noting. The Copeland Bride was co-written under the name Justine Cole, and Just Imagine is a revised version of Risen Glory. Glitter Baby was also revised for a later edition, although it retains the same underlying story.
Should You Read Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s Books in Order?
Not necessarily. Phillips explains on her official website that her series books are generally self-contained and can be read independently. You can choose a novel based on its setting or premise without having to start at the beginning.
There are still good reasons to follow a series in order:
- For the Chicago Stars: Start with It Had to Be You and continue through And the Crowd Went Wild.
- For Wynette, Texas: Start with Fancy Pants and follow the five-book sequence.
- For connected character appearances: Publication order makes it easier to recognize returning characters and references to earlier romances.
- For a first taste of her writing: Kiss an Angel, Ain’t She Sweet?, and Dance Away with Me offer standalone entry points.
- For her latest work: Read And the Crowd Went Wild if you want the newest Chicago Stars story.
If you’re mainly interested in the Chicago Stars, the author recommends reading Call Me Irresistible before The Great Escape because the latter benefits from the earlier book’s events.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Susan Elizabeth Phillips written?
Her bibliography includes multiple standalone novels, the Chicago Stars series, the Wynette, Texas books, and early historical romances. The official website lists 11 Chicago Stars novels through And the Crowd Went Wild (2026) and five books in the numbered Wynette, Texas series. Counts can vary depending on whether readers include revised editions and out-of-print titles.
What is the first Susan Elizabeth Phillips book to read?
For the Chicago Stars series, begin with It Had to Be You. For the official Wynette, Texas sequence, begin with Fancy Pants. If you want a standalone romance, you can start with Kiss an Angel or Ain’t She Sweet? without reading anything beforehand.
What is the newest Susan Elizabeth Phillips book?
And the Crowd Went Wild, the eleventh Chicago Stars novel, was published in February 2026. It features an ex-Hollywood star and a professional football quarterback dealing with difficult personal circumstances.
Are the Chicago Stars books connected?
Yes. The books share a professional football setting, and characters from earlier novels sometimes appear in later ones. However, each novel has its own central romance and can generally be enjoyed on its own.
Is Wynette, Texas a separate series?
Yes. The author’s official printable list identifies five numbered Wynette, Texas books: Fancy Pants, Lady Be Good, First Lady, Call Me Irresistible, and The Great Escape. Other novels may have thematic or character connections without being numbered in this official sequence.
Is The Great Escape a sequel to Call Me Irresistible?
The books are closely connected. The Great Escape follows Lucy Jorik, whose interrupted wedding is a major event in Call Me Irresistible. The author recommends reading Call Me Irresistible first for a richer experience.
Are Risen Glory and Just Imagine the same book?
They are two versions of the same underlying story. Phillips substantially revised Risen Glory and republished it as Just Imagine, developing characters and adding scenes. Readers looking for the currently available version should generally choose Just Imagine.
Which Susan Elizabeth Phillips book is best for a new reader?
The best starting point depends on your interests. It Had to Be You introduces the Chicago Stars world, Fancy Pants starts the official Wynette, Texas sequence, and Kiss an Angel is a standalone option with an unusual circus setting. If you want a more recent standalone novel, try Dance Away with Me.
Do I have to read all of Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s books in order?
No. The author says her series novels are self-contained and can be read independently. Reading in order is useful if you enjoy recurring characters and want to recognize references, but it is not a requirement for understanding most individual romances.
Final Note
Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s bibliography offers several ways to get started, whether you prefer sports-centered romance, small-town stories, Hollywood settings, or standalone novels about people rebuilding their lives. The Chicago Stars books are the clearest choice for readers who want a continuing series, while the standalone novels offer a convenient way to sample her style.
For a series-based reading plan, begin with It Had to Be You and work through the Chicago Stars novels in order. If you’d rather start with a self-contained romance, Kiss an Angel or Ain’t She Sweet? are good alternatives.
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