My Most Anticipated Reads of 2025

Here's to my annual ritual of digging my TBR hole even deeper

Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash

Look, when you have a cart in your office with 40+ books you haven’t read yet, the last thing you need is to make a list of even more you want to buy.

And yet, here we are.

It’s me, hi, I’m the problem, it’s me.

Somehow, 2024 flew by, and even though I read 100 books, I only finished half of my most anticipated of the year. So I told myself that 2025’s list would be shorter, to save myself from the neverending cycle of biting off more books than I can chew.

Clearly, I didn’t stick to this plan.

But unlike last year, I am not limiting my list to only romance novels. I mean, it’s mostly romance novels, but there are a few tentpole releases I’m clamoring to get in my hands.

I’ve chosen to curate this list to strictly the authors I’ve read and loved—and one Golden Gate Bridge cover I can’t resist :)

So, without further ado, here are the books I’m most excited about in 2025.

Top 10 Books I Can’t Wait to Read This Year

Before I dive in, I want to note that this list is not comprehensive. Many authors like myself have books coming out later in the year and don’t have blurbs, cover art, and preorder info to share yet. That doesn’t make our books any less anticipated—that’s just the nature of being an indie author.

So, if you’re an author friend of mine, please know that your releases are on my radar too!

I’ll be shouting about a lot of upcoming book launches, so to stay up-to-date on my book recommendations throughout the year, follow me on Instagram and subscribe to this newsletter.

Now, onto the list. Here are my most anticipated reads of 2025. Comment below if you’ll be reading these along with me!

(Note: All links lead to Bookshop.org. If you make a purchase, you’ll support local, independent bookstores, and I’ll earn a small commission as an affiliate. It’s a win-win!)

1. Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura (Jan. 7). Segura’s debut, Raiders of the Lost Heart, was an absolutely delightful adventure romance, and I’m excited to continue this series. I’m a sucker for a journalist with a secret, and I can already tell this book’s twists will keep me turning pages.

2. Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Mar. 18). I’m typically uninterested in stories centered around trials, but The Hunger Games series continues to be compelling nearly 20 years later. Fans have been desperate for Haymitch’s origin story for a long time, and considering how pleasantly surprised I was after reading and watching The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I have faith that this prequel will do our drunk mentor justice.

3. Love in Focus by Lyla Lee (May 27). What can I say? If I catch sight of the Golden Gate Bridge, I’m reading it, and Lyla Lee’s adult debut—designed by Leni Kauffman—looks STUNNING. Sign me up for this sapphic second-chance romance between a relationship advice columnist and her photographer ex.

4. Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid (Jun. 3). It will be two years since reading Carrie Soto is Back, and like all TJR fans, I’ve been impatiently curious to find out what’s next. Am I particularly intrigued by NASA in the ‘80s? No, but TJR is an auto-buy author for me, and I’d read the back of a cereal box if she wrote it. This book is the motivation I need to finally finish her backlist.

5. Caught Up by Navessa Allen (Jun. 10). Navessa Allen doesn’t know who I am, but I feel like I’ve been personally invested in her success—ever since I met her literary agent at the Northern California Writers’ Retreat and got to hear the behind the scenes of her book deal. And after reading her viral sensation Lights Out, I know that success is so well deserved! You can’t get a better introduction to dark rom-coms, and I can’t wait to read her next installment.

6. These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean (Jul. 8). MacLean’s move into contemporary fiction can be interpreted as a reaction to the decline of historical romance in traditional publishing (I’ll say more on this subject in my next post of 2025 romance predictions), but I’m also so excited for this release. I’m a diehard fan of the TV show Succession, so best believe I am counting down the days until I throw myself into this billionaire family drama.

7. Lucky Break by Jaclyn Westlake (Jul. 15). I’m biased, of course, since I joined Jaclyn on book tour for her women’s fiction debut, Dear Dotty, but I can’t wait to get lucky with her sophomore novel. I already have an advanced reader copy burning a hole through my Kindle.

8. Love Is a War Song by Danica Nava (Jul. 22). In case you missed it, Nava’s debut, The Truth According to Ember, was my favorite rom-com last year, so adding her next book to this list was a no-brainer. Cowboy romances are on the rise, but more need to honor Indigenous cultures like this one.

9. Our Ex’s Wedding by Taleen Voskuni (November). 2025 is going to be the year that Taleen and I team up because we both have Armenian romances coming soon! Our Ex’s Wedding is a medley of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, a womanizing rake, and a Napa winery backdrop. I’m ready to fall in love this fall!

10. Twice Shy by Heather Guerre (TBD). Heather Guerre had to postpone the fourth paranormal romance in her Tooth & Claw series, so I’ve carried it over onto this year’s list. Books take as long as they need to, so while there isn’t a current release date, I know this one will be worth the wait.

New Year, New Books

Here’s to another year of fantastic reads—comment below with the titles that are on your 2025 TBR!

And in case you’re wondering, I want to publish two books myself, so stay tuned for what I have planned. More details to come!

XOXO

Alyssa