What is the best book to start with by Anita Davis?

The best starting point is Underneath It All , the first book in The Sisterhood Chronicles , which establishes her signature focus on female friendship and romance. Alternatively, you can start with Hues if you prefer the glamorous setting of the fashion industry.

Are Anita Davis's books standalones or do they need to be read in order?

Her series like The Sisterhood Chronicles and Limelight have continuing character arcs and should be read in order. However, her contributions to multi-author projects like The Bid Catcher and Her Essential Love are written as standalones and can be read independently.

How does Anita Davis's Chicago background influence her books?

Born and raised in Chicago, Davis sets many of her novels in the city. Her books capture authentic Chicago neighborhood dynamics, local culture, and community ties, making the settings feel like characters themselves.

What is the Distinguished Gentlemen series about?

It is a collaborative multi-author romance series centered on a bachelor auction in the fictional Southlake Park neighborhood of Chicago. Anita Davis wrote the seventh book in the series, The Bid Catcher .

What is the connection between Catch Me If You Can and The Bid Catcher?

While Catch Me If You Can is the first book in the Forever Friends series, the characters Jeremy Brighton and Naima Grant reappear in The Bid Catcher in the context of the Southlake Park bachelor auction universe.

What is Book Euphoria?

Co-founded by Anita Davis, Book Euphoria is an organization designed to celebrate and promote diverse authors and literature through events, helping connect readers with independent romance and women's fiction writers.

Anita Davis Books in Order

Where to Start with Anita Davis

For readers diving into Anita Davis's warm, community-driven contemporary romance and women's fiction, the best entry point depends on what you enjoy most. If you want to experience her writing style from its roots, we highly recommend starting with The Sisterhood Chronicles. Beginning with the 2014 novel Underneath It All, this series showcases her talent for weaving authentic relationships, deep sisterly bonds, and personal growth.

If you prefer a fast-paced, glamorous setting, the Limelight series is an excellent alternative starting point. It centers around a supermodel navigating the high-fashion industry while hiding a secret condition, paired with a world-renowned photographer. Alternatively, if you enjoy multi-author romance worlds, you can jump straight into her standalone contributions to collaborative projects like the Distinguished Gentlemen or Women of Park Manor series, which can both be read independently of the other entries.

Anita Davis Books in Publication Order

While Anita Davis's books are divided into distinct series, reading them in order of release shows how her storytelling evolved. She debuted with a mix of standalone fiction and the launch of the Sisterhood series, later expanding into high-concept collaborative anthologies:

Underneath It All (2014) — The Sisterhood Chronicles Book 1
After All Is Said & Done (2014) — Standalone Novel
Catch Me If You Can (2015) — Forever Friends Book 1
Discovery (2016) — The Sisterhood Chronicles Book 2
Untold (2016) — The Sisterhood Chronicles Book 3
It's Complicated (2016) — Forever Friends Book 2
Hues (2017) — Limelight Book 1
When It Happens To You (2017) — The Sisterhood Chronicles Book 4
Tones (2018) — Limelight Book 2
Vision (2019) — Limelight Book 3
The Kissing Game (2019) — Love Alive Book 1
All Things Considered (2019) — The Sisterhood Chronicles Book 5
The Bid Catcher (2019) — Distinguished Gentlemen Book 7
Her Essential Love (2020) — Women of Park Manor Book 5
Loving Taylor (2020) — Carnivale Chronicles Book 1 (Multi-author collection)
Concrete Island (2020) — Carnivale Chronicles Book 11 (Anita Davis's contribution)
On the House (2020) — Novella

The Sisterhood Chronicles

This is Davis's signature women's fiction and romance series. It centers on a close-knit group of female friends as they navigate life transitions, faith, self-discovery, and romance. You should read these in order, as characters recur and their stories build on previous books:

Underneath It All (2014)
Discovery (2016)
Untold (2016)
When It Happens To You (2017)
All Things Considered (2019)

Forever Friends Series

A two-part series focusing on old connections and second chances at love in Chicago. The story begins with a woman returning to her hometown after a failed marriage, only to cross paths with a childhood crush who has his own goals. These books are best read in sequence:

Catch Me If You Can (2015)
It's Complicated (2016)

Limelight Series

Set against the backdrop of the modeling and high-fashion industry, the Limelight series follows Liv Summers (known professionally as supermodel Phaedra Winters) and photographer Parker Anderson. Liv struggles to keep her career afloat while hiding a private medical condition. You must read these in order to follow their developing romance:

Hues (2017)
Tones (2018)
Vision (2019)

Love Alive Series

This series features sweet and contemporary romance. The first book sets a playful tone with themes of romance and modern relationships. It works perfectly as a standalone romance read:

The Kissing Game (2019)

Understanding the Multi-Author Collaborative Series

Anita Davis is a frequent contributor to collaborative romance series. In these projects, different authors write standalone romance stories set within a shared universe, neighborhood, or overarching event. You do not need to read the entire multi-author series to enjoy Davis's books, but knowing the context helps:

Distinguished Gentlemen Series

Set in the fictional Chicago neighborhood of Southlake Park, this series revolves around a bachelor auction organized by the local community activist, Mama Peaches, to raise restoration funds. Davis wrote The Bid Catcher (Book 7), which focuses on Mama Peaches' chef son, Jeremy Brighton, who acts as the auction's bid caller and falls for corporate event coordinator Naima Grant.

Women of Park Manor Series

This series connects a group of women living in the Park Manor building in Chicago, starting with a memorial for their beloved deceased doorman, Buddy. Davis wrote Her Essential Love (Book 5), featuring Teegan Royal, an earthy shop owner who clashes with a litigation lawyer, Kevin Chambers, over neighborhood changes.

Carnivale Chronicles Series

A multi-author project centered around the sights, sounds, and romance of an Afro-Caribbean Carnivale in Chicago. Davis's entry is Concrete Island (Book 11), following Professor Starr Night as she coordinates the festival and finds romance with a local activist.

Standalone Novels and Novellas

If you want a quick, self-contained read without committing to a larger series framework, you can read these standalone works at any point:

After All Is Said & Done (2014) — A complete standalone novel that explores personal growth and romance, serving as an excellent introduction to Davis's narrative style.
On the House (2020) — A short story / novella perfect for a quick, heartwarming afternoon read.

What to Know Before You Start

Anita Davis's stories are heavily grounded in her hometown of Chicago, portraying realistic neighborhood dynamics and strong community support systems. As a co-founder of Book Euphoria, she actively promotes diverse voices in romance, which shines through in her own culturally conscious and authentic character representations. Her books frequently touch on themes of faith, personal growth, and resilience, blending deep emotional journeys with lighthearted romantic chemistry.