The Best Books of 2025

Finding Grace

Author: Loretta Rothschild

Year: 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Honor, her husband, Tom, and their daughter Chloe seem like a perfect family. Still, Honor and Tom’s marriage is beginning to show the strains of repeated fertility issues, when something catastrophic happens that will forever alter their future.

Years later, Tom makes a decision that will impact every aspect of his life as he manipulates information, hides truths, and flat-out lies his way into someone’s orbit because of their connection with is family.

Trigger Warnings

Infertility

Why Kirsten loves it

I can’t say much about this story without ruining it, but I will say this. The end of the first chapter had me re-reading because I was so shocked. I cried, I winced, and I felt every moment of this deeply moving literary romance in my bones. I’ve never read a story quite like it. It will be one of my favorite books of the year. I just know it. #Gifted by St. Martins Press

Find this book in: Books About Mothers / Beach Reads 2025 / Best Books of 2025

Promise Me Sunshine

Author: Cara Bastone

Year: 2025

Genre: Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

In this wonderful romance story, Bastone deals with the heavier topic of grief as our main character Lenny is still distraught by the death of her best friend. As a temporary nanny, she meets Miles, her charge’s uncle, who is newly involved in his half-sister’s life and looking to connect with his neice.

As Lenny helps Miles connect with his new family, he helps her tackle her grief head on, making himself available to her at all hours of the day when she’s at her lowest. Their love story grows from a place of truly seeing each other.

Trigger Warnings

Grief

Why Kirsten loves it

This book broke my heart and put it back together again. The tenderness and compassion I had for all the characters while reading this delightful story really speaks to the author’s talent. I cried numerous times while reading because their sorrow felt like my own and so did their happiness. It was a marvelous book.

Why Jackie loves it

Initially, I was unsure about this book because it deals with grief, and I was not sure how that fit into a romance. I was so wrong. I loved the way the characters came together to help Lenny deal with her grief. Their relationship felt like it was so natural and well-developed. I loved this story. It is unforgettable.

Find this book in: Best Beach Reads 2025 / Novels About Grief/ Best Romance Books of 2025 / Best Books of 2025

Full Bloom

Author: Francesca Serritella

Year: 2025

Genre: Literay Fiction Romance

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Iris is fresh out of a break-up with the man she thought was going to marry, is facing stagnation in her job, and is stuck in life. She is desperately in need of a fresh start when she goes to her elderly neighbor and gets a custom perfume that has an almost magical effect on her body. With her newfound confidence, she gets a new account at work and attracts the attention of more men than ever before.

As she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, she also finally addresses childhood trauma related to the death of her parents, her feelings toward her cousin (who has a drug addiction issue), and her quest to freeze her eggs so she can be a parent someday. Her custom perfume is the impetus for romantic entanglements that give her validation and create more drama than she can keep up with.

Is wearing the perfume and all its rewards worth the hassle? Should she go back to being boring old Iris? Can she figure out who she is at her core and, more importantly, what she wants out of life? And when she does, will she have the courage to reach for it? Each of these questions will be addressed when this book comes to a fantastic conclusion.

Trigger Warnings

Infertility, Fire

Why Kirsten loves it

My obsession with this book is real. I couldn’t put it down. The imagery was so beautifully written that I could picture each scene vividly in my mind as if I were watching a movie. The story is rich, the imagery is lush, and it’s easily one of my favorite books of the year. Gifted by Ballantine Books

Find this book in: Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Giftable Books / Best Books of 2025

The Favorites

Author: Layne Fargo

Year: 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This fantastic story is about Katrina Shaw’s rise to the Olympics alongside her ice dance partner, and sometimes boyfriend, Heath Rocha. It’s told in a multi-narrator documentary style reminiscent of Daisy Jones & The Six.

It starts when Katrina is a motherless 10-year-old girl, captivated by Sheila Lin, an Olympic Gold Medalist. Heath is a foster child, enamored by Kat and willing to do anything to be in her orbit – including becoming her ice dance partner.

When their chemistry and technique capture the attention of Sheila and her twins, they begin to train at her facility – a dream for Katrina. But Kat’s drive for gold threatens her relationship with Heath.

Inspired by Wuthering Heights, this retelling is epic in scope and creative in execution. The secondary characters (particularly the Lins) are each as fascinating as the main protagonists, and being able to hear from them as narrators really enhances the story.

Why Kirsten loves it

There is love, passion, betrayal, death, breakdowns, comebacks, rebellion, and so much more in this riveting story. The book (I recommend consuming it on audio) captured my attention and never let me go.

This one is going to be a massive hit, and it’s well-deserved. Now, who is gonna buy the series rights? Cause I’m ready to see it on the screen.

Find this book in: Books About Female Athletes / Books About Sports / Best Romance Books of 2025 / Books Inspired by The Life of a Showgirl / Best Books of 2025

The Correspondent

Author: Virginia Evans

Year: 2025

Genre: Fiction

More info: August 2025 Beyond the Bookends Book Club Pick

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Sybil Van Antwerp writes letters as a way of interacting with the world. She writes to her best friend, her brother, various authors, and the president of the university who will not allow her to audit classes, among many others. These letters are a record of her life and take place over nine years. Through these letters, we have an intimate look into Sybil’s life as she navigates through painful memories and declining eyesight.

Throughout this is a character-driven novel, Sybil writes a letter she has been writing for years to an unknown recipient. The beauty of these letters will make you feel like you are spying on Sybil.

Trigger Warnings

Death of a child, death from cancer

Why Jackie loves it

From the first page, I was absolutely drawn to this book! What an astonishing debut novel. The storytelling is wonderful and the pacing is perfect. Each of the characters had such a unique voice that I had no trouble differentiating them. I listened to and read this book, and I loved both versions in equal measure. The audio version is a full cast. The letters were written so beautifully, it made me want to start writing letters as correspondence. Gifted by PRH Audio

Why Kirsten loves it

Like Jackie, I adored reading this story. The audiobook narrators brought Sybil and her correspondents to life. The last 20 minutes I had tears streaming down my face. I can’t wait to discuss this with my book club!

Find this book in: Epistolary Novels / Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Giftable Books / Books About Mothers and Motherhood / Best Books of 2025 / Best Full Cast Audiobooks / Books to Get Out of a Reading Slump

The Road to Tender Hearts

Author: Annie Harnett

Year: 2025

Genre: Fiction

More info: Author of Rabbit Cake and Unlikely Animals

Age Range: 18+

Plot

PJ Halliday won a million dollars in the lottery and has done nothing since other than sit in the bar and mourn his bad luck- and he has had his fair share. He lost a daughter, had a terrible divorce, and his health is steadily declining (which is not helped by the fact that he is an alcoholic). To top it off, his ex-wife is marrying his best friend, and they are headed to Alaska for four months- alone.

When PJ sees an obituary of his old rival, he decides to head to the Tender Hearts Retirement Community across the country to win back his high school first crush. It just so happens that he is now the guardian of two young orphans and a cat who can predict death. Oh, and did I mention that he cannot drive because he had his license revoked after his last DUI? Enter his daughter as the driver!

Trigger Warnings

Death of a parent, murder, suicide, drug use

Why Jackie loves it

Although this book deals with a lot of serious topics, it does it in a way that is heartwarming and funny. I laughed my way through this book, which is a series of one disaster after another. On the surface, this book should not work; however, it is a literary wonder. I absolutely loved this poignant, wonderful book. It is one of my favorites of the year, and you will hear me talk about it!

Find this book in: Novels About Addiction / Beach Reads 2025 / Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Books About Road Trips / Giftable Books / Best Books of 2025

These Summer Storms

Author: Sarah Maclean

Year: 2025

Genre: Fiction

Spice Rating:💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

Alice Storm has not returned to her family’s private island vacation home since she wanted a life outside of the Storm family’s billions and her father’s control. When her father dies unexpectedly, she returns home to for his funeral and discovers he has plans from beyond the grave. He had created an inheritance game where Alice, her siblings (Greta, Sam, and Emily), and her mother must complete tasks to earn their inheritance, and they ALL have to complete their tasks or no one receives anything.

Alice’s task is to remain on the island for a full week – a challenging task given that her family hasn’t spoken with her since her father cut her off. Secrets will be revealed, and the family will either come together or split for good. And when her father’s second-in-command shows up to enforce the rules, the chemistry he has with Alice might become a problem.

Why Kirsten loves it

Every member of this uber-rich family is INSUFFERABLE in the absolute most delicious way possible. If you like shows like White Lotus or The Sirens, I think you will be able to picture exactly the kinds of people I’m talking about. I loved Alice’s struggle to do what her moral compass was telling her to do (run for the hills) and wanted to stay to give her family what they so desperately wanted – the money, when really she just wants to feel important and valued.

The romantic element of the story was steamy and quite a great sidequest, but it was the family struggles that had me squirming in my seat with anxiety, flipping through the pages at warp speed. This is a DELICIOUS summer read.

Find this book in: Beach Reads 2025 / Family Dramas / Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Books Inspired by The Life of A Showgirl / Family Inheritance Novels / Best Books of 2025

Heart the Lover

Author: Lily King

Year: 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestselling Author of Writers & Lovers

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This coming-of-age tale is told in three parts as our intrepid narrator (nicknamed Jordan) tells the story of her time in college, impacted by the relationships she has with Sam and Yash – best friends who let her into their off-campus world. Told with astounding insight with prose that will have you highlighting each page, Jordan’s college life is as mundane as it is monumental – especially in the decisions she makes after graduation.

As time progresses, Jordan shows us the beginnings of her marriage and early parenthood when an unexpected visitor comes to see her, and then a brief, but earthshattering few days in the future that collide with the ripple effects of her post-graduation choice.

Trigger Warnings

Cancer

Why Kirsten loves it

I started this book at 9:30 at night, forced myself to stop 2 hours in, and had it finished by 10am the next morning. When I say I couldn’t put it down, I mean it. I was reading it while brushing my teeth, walking on the treadmill, and eventually I turned off notifications on my phone so I could devour this incandescent story without distraction.

I ran an emotional gauntlet while reading this story, and even at the 95% mark, I was still on pins and needles with so much anxiety I could scarcely breathe. It is a hauntingly beautiful tribute to the impact of first love. It would make an EXCELLENT book club book too, because I bet people will have FEELINGS about some of the choices our dear heroine made. #gifted by Grove Press.

Find this book in: Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Best Books for Book Club / Books Set in College / Books Inspired by The Life of A Showgirl / Giftable Books / Best Books of 2025

Wild Dark Shore

Author: Charlotte McConaghy

Year: 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction
More info: November 2025 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

This novel is unique, compelling, and unputdownable. It’s the story of a tiny island near Antarctica that holds one of the world’s seed vaults, a place that holds the last parts of life should the world be destroyed. Due to climate change, the island is being swallowed by the sea, and the caretakers and scientists need to pack up the seeds to prepare to move them to a new location.

But the isolated island holds lots of secrets – including that none of the scientists remain, the communications lines to the outside world no longer work, and now a mysterious woman has washed ashore with secrets of her own.

Trigger Warnings

Destruction by fire, death

Why Kirsten loves it

I can’t stop thinking of this INCREDIBLE story. The premise, the set-up, and the writing combined to create a narrative that held me captive and had me gasping and crying in equal measure. I felt the ending in my bones as I reluctantly turned the last page. I’ll be recommending this book for years to come. #gifted

Why Jackie Loves it

This is a unique story that is scary in how relevant this story is with its references to fires and climate change. The story immediately captivated me, but I was even more invested with every chapter. This is a dystopian mystery thriller with family drama all rolled into one powerful book. The end had me gasping. #gifted

Find this book in: Winter Books / Best Books for Book Clubs to Read / Dystopian Novels / Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Best Reese Witherspoon Book Club Books / Reese Witherspoon Book Club 2025 / Best Books of 2025

Mona’s Eyes

Author: Thomas Schlesser
Translator: Hildegarde Serle

Year: English in 2025

Genre: Literary Fiction

More info: International Bestseller, Barnes & Noble 2025 Book of the Year

Age Range: 14+

Plot

When ten-year-old Mona has an unexpected episode of blindness, the doctors are afraid that she may be losing her sight permanently. Mona’s grandfather, Henry, is afraid that Mona will have a life of darkness, so he decides to fill her life with beauty.

Over the next year, rather than take her to a therapist, Henry takes Mona to see a different masterpiece in one of Paris’s museums every Wednesday afternoon. This novel takes you on a journey through 52 pieces of art from the Louvre to the Beaubourg and Musee Orsay. Through the art, Henry teaches Mona about love and loss.

Why Jackie loves it

The descriptions in this book are unlike anything I have ever read. I felt like I had a class on art history with a wonderful and insightful teacher. This is a debut novel that is masterful. The relationship between Mona and her grandfather is so special. I listened to this book but the foldout dust jacket of the physical book has all 52 pieces of art. #gifted by PRH Audio

Find this book in: Books in Translation / Books Set in Museums/ Novels About Art and Artists / Giftable Books / Best Books of 2025

The Women of Wild Hill

Author: Kirsten Miller

Year: 2025

Genre: Fantasy

More info: Best-selling author of The Change

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

I love that authors this year are writing badass women who are fighting the patriarchy. Kirsten Miller tackles that theme with this tale of modern witches on Wild Hill, Long Island, where the ghost of a witch burned at the stake barred everyone from her land until Sadie from Scotland arrived.

For generations, Sadie’s descendants thrived on Wild Hill as each generation’s power grew. Now, Brigid, Phoebe, and Sibyl have been called back to Wild Hill to deliver a reckoning to mankind – and specifically the billionaires who treat the earth like their playground with little consequence for the disastrous impact on people and planet.

Brigid can see death, Phoebe can heal with her plants and the sisters have always been close until their mother’s untimely death when they were ripped apart. Decades have passed without the sisters speaking and without them stepping foot on Wild Hill. Phoebe’s daughter, Sibyl, knows nothing of her heritage, her mother’s powers, or even that she has an aunt.

But when they are all called back by their descendants, they must work through their differences and learn to trust one another to change the trajectory of the world.

Why Kirsten loves it

I could not put this story down. If you liked The Change, this is set in the same world – with small callbacks to that plot – but on a much larger scale. I was blown away by Kirsten’s ability to weave such an intricate story that was both intimate and global in scheme. A favorite of the year for me without a doubt. #gifted by William Morrow.

Find this book in: Best Fantasy Books of 2025 / Novels About Weather / Best Witch Books / Giftable Books / Best Books of 2025

Alchemy of Secrets

Author: Stephanie Garber

Year: 2025

Genre: Fantasy

More info: Bestselling author of Caraval, Adult Debut

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 14+

Plot

Holland St. James took a Folklore class that could not be found in any syllabus. If you heard about the class and could find it, your grade will appear on your transcript at the end of the semester. While other people in the class love the stories, Holland believes that they are real. She, after all, has a connection to one of the folklore tales.

When she goes to find the legendary Watch Man, she learns she will die in 36 hours unless she finds the Alchemical Heart, an almost impossible task. When she sees a man she is dating die exactly when the Watch Man predicted, she knows this is not a game. She must figure out who she can trust and who has thier own nepharious intentions.

Now Holland heads into the magical world of L.A. where the stories are coming to life and she is in a race against the clock for her life.

Why Jackie loves it

This contemporary fantasy is everything I love about Stephanie Garber, and more! I love the folklore that is woven throughout. I found it to be so unique and unlike other books I have read. The story is fast-paced and will have you on the edge of your seat. Although it is an adult fantasy, in my opinion, the content in the book is suitable for readers aged 14 and above.

Find this book in: Best Adult Fantasy Novels / Best Fantasy Books of 2025 / Stephanie Garber Books / Giftable Books / Best Books of 2025

The White Octopus Hotel

Author: Alexandra Bell

Year: 2025

Genre: Historical Fantasy

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

This dual-timeline story takes place at a gorgeous hotel in the Swiss Alps, where Eve Shaw, an art appraiser in 2015, is visiting after meeting Max Everly, a man who shares the same name as her favorite composer, born over 100 years earlier.

When she arrives at the White Octopus Hotel, Eve is thrown back in time to 1935 as she tries to undo a mistake from her past, avoid falling in love with Max, and head back to her own time.

Trigger Warnings

Child Death, War, Grief

Why Kirsten loves it

This fantastic novel was steeped in such creative magic that I could vividly picture everything. The Art Deco hotel would have been a treat on it’s own, but adding in the magical paintings, objects, and others items really made it immersive. I was swept away by this charming story.

Find this book in: Hotel Novels / Historical Fantasy Books / Books Like the Night Circus / Best Books of 2025

Sisters in the Wind

Author: Angeline Boulley

Year: 2025

Genre: YA Fiction

More info: GMA YA Book Club Pick September 2025, Bestselling Author of Firekeeper’s Daughter and Warrior Girl Unearthed

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 15+

Plot

Lucy Smith’s father died 5 years ago. Lucy has been on the run ever since rather than become a ward of the state. Her father had hoped that his new wife would love and care for Lucy when he was gone, but it quickly became clear that the new Mrs. Smith had no intentions of caring for Lucy.

Now, after a horrible “accident”, Lucy meets Mr. Jameson, who tells her that her father hid her Ojibwe heritage. She has a family she never knew about, including siblings and a grandmother. Lucy must now come to terms with who she really is and why her father hid it from her. This YA book is a mystery about a young woman claiming her heritage. #gifted

Trigger Warnings

Foster care, abuse, neglect, and drug use

Why Jackie loves it

Angeline Boulley is a master storyteller who weaves historical context into her novels. The characters in this book overlap with the characters from her other books. This story is heartbreaking and compelling from the first page. Lucy has a dark past, but her story is one of many children that is overlooked.

Find this book in: GMA Book Club List 2025 / Best Good Morning America Book Club Books / Best Books of 2025

The Family Recipe

Author: Carolyn Huynh

Year: 2025

Genre: Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

Plot

Duc is the founder of a chain of sandwich shops around the country. He has 5 estranged adult children and a wife he has not seen in years. When he decides to retire, he gives conditions to his children. His four daughters must revitalize failing shops within a year, but his only son will inherit everything if he gets married. The catch? Whoever does it first wins the whole inheritance.

But the store each sibling is given unlocks bigger mysteries, and soon, everyone will learn the real reasons for this bazaar scheme and the secrets their mother and father kept hidden.

Trigger Warnings

Racism, Hate Crimes

Why Kirsten loves it

I love a sibling drama, but I was not expecting to fall in love with this story so deeply. I didn’t want it to end. I loved each sibling’s journey. I loved learning the back story between Duc and Evelyn…and I craved a Bánh Mì the entire time! Gifted by Simon & Schuster & Simon & Schuster Audio

Find this book in: Sibling Books / Books About Food / Best Beach Reads 2025 / Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Family Inheritance Novels / Giftable Books / Best Books of 2025

The Names

Author: Florence Knapp

Year: 2025

Genre: Fiction

More info: May 2025 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Plot

When Cora arrives at the registrar’s office to name her infant son, she is debating between three names: Bear, Julian, and Gordon. Her husband is a well-respected and loved local doctor who is controlling and abusive. He wants his son named after him, Gordon.

When it comes time to choose a name, the story follows three paths that span over 35 years. One path follows the life of Bear, the name Cora’s daughter chooses. The second path follows the life of Julian, the name Cora wants to name her son. The final path follows the life of Gordon.

This book asks if a name can change a life and explores family, abuse, and healing.

Trigger Warnings

Domestic Abuse, murder

Why Jackie loves it

I started this book and could not put it down. The premise is so unique and the book is plotted in such a way that it is very easy to follow each timeline. The way each name changed the outcome of Bear/Julian/Gordon’s life was brilliant. This book is very poignant and powerful. I did mention above but anyone that is triggered by domestic abuse should be aware that it is a prominent aspect of the plot. #Gifted by Penguin Random House

Find this book in: The Best Read with Jenna Books / Best Fiction Books of 2025 / Read with Jenna Book Club List 2025 / Best Books of 2025