The best books of 2025

This list is part of the best books of 2025.

Join 1,210 readers and share your 3 favorite reads of the year.

My favorite read in 2025

Book cover of The Side Project

Twila Mason ❤️ loved this book because...

loved Rylee and Carson together. They perfectly compliment each other. They are both flawed in their own ways, but they being out the best in each other. There are a lot of reasons for them to not be together, but none are strong enough to keep them apart. The story is written beautifully, and the characters are relatable. I don’t want to give spoilers, but there were a few things I was very curious how the author was going to make them work out in the end. I loved how it all turned out!

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Story/Plot 🥈 Emotions
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Laurel Osterkamp ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Side Project as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Ten years ago, he shattered her heart. Now they're writing their next chapter... together.
 
Rylee Lynch is stuck. Still living in the small Minnesota town she swore she'd leave, she spends her days caring for her younger brother and mourning the literary future her late father dreamed for her. California, graduate school, and the Great American Novel? Not even close.
 
Then Carson Meyers walks back into her life.
 
He was the high school golden boy who left her behind without a second glance. Now, he's a single dad with a past full of regrets—and the last person Rylee expects to…


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My 2nd favorite read in 2025

Book cover of The Friends We Keep

Twila Mason ❤️ loved this book because...

Susan Mallery is great at writing complex female characters. Gabby is a stay at home mom that longs for freedom and the workforce. Haley will stop at nothing to get pregnant. Nicole is a divorcee that finds it hard to open her heart. “The Friends We Keep” explores these very complicated feeling in a very honest and believable way. The characters are flawed and real. Halfway through the book I thought I knew where the storylines were going to go. I have to admit, I was only able to predict Nicole’s ending. I was pleasantly surprised by the endings for Gabby and Haley, especially Haley.

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Story/Plot 🥈 Emotions
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Susan Mallery ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Friends We Keep as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this insightful and compelling story from book club favorite Susan Mallery, three close friends test the boundaries of how much a woman can give before she has nothing left 

After five years as a stay-at-home mom, Gabby Schaefer can't wait to return to work. Oh, to use the bathroom in peace! No twins clamoring at the door, no husband barging in, no stepdaughter throwing a tantrum. But when her plans are derailed by some shocking news and her husband's crushing expectations, Gabby must fight for the right to have a life of her own. 

Getting pregnant is easy for…


My 3rd favorite read in 2025

Book cover of Home Sweet Home

Twila Mason ❤️ loved this book because...

“Home Sweet Home” is a collection of three stories by Fern Michaels, Donna Kauffman, and Melissa Storm. All three stories are about finding the place where you belong, and finding (or refinding) love. I love the length of each story. Perfect for short windows of reading time. Each story contains the full range of emotions, but of course with the perfect happily ever after. If you haven’t read these authors, this is the perfect way to get yourself introduced to their writing!

  • Loved Most

    🥇 Emotions 🥈 Character(s)
  • Writing style

    ❤️ Loved it
  • Pace

    🐇 I couldn't put it down

By Fern Michaels , Donna Kauffman , Melissa Storm

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Home Sweet Home as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

What makes a place feel like home? A mother's embrace, the warmth of new friendship, a sweet reunion—all can be found in these unforgettable stories . . .
 
THREE'S A CROWD * Fern Michaels
This Mother's Day will be the first in three years that Samantha Stewart has spent with her parents. And she's bringing a very special gift—the baby granddaughter they've never met. Sam's work as an overseas reporter was exhilarating and dangerous. Now she's seeking stability for little Caroline—and answers for herself—and finding them in a homecoming full of surprises . . .
 
NEW BEGINNINGS IN BLUE HOLLOW…


Don‘t forget about my book 😀

Step by Step

By Twila Mason ,

Book cover of Step by Step

What is my book about?

Now sober and stable, Chrissy is ready to take control and carve out the future she’s always wanted, one step at a time. Landing the coveted job of painting a mural for the city of Chicago is the opportunity of a lifetime. She can’t let anything distract her, not even her swoon-worthy boss, who makes her heart flutter and her focus falter.

Babysitting a mural painter is the last thing Adam Rochester wants to do, but his boss doesn’t give him a choice. With the project already a year behind schedule, Adam’s job is to make sure it gets back on track. When he meets Chrissy, the quirky yet guarded artist stirs feelings he thought he’d buried years ago.

When rumors about them begin to swirl in the media, Adam is reminded of the strict policy against dating in the workplace and the dire consequences that could follow. Unwilling to put their jobs on the line, Adam and Chrissy both push aside their growing attraction. Chrissy is determined to chase her dreams, but now she must decide if those dreams include Adam. For Adam, taking a chance on love means facing his past and the secret he’s spent years trying to forget.

One wrong step could ruin everything, but maybe a future together is worth the risk.

Book cover of The Side Project
Book cover of The Friends We Keep
Book cover of Home Sweet Home

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