It’s time for a rundown of my favorite books of the year so far!! I’m on track to read 150 books this year, so I’ve had over 70 books to choose from for this list of book recommendations.

Normally I read primarily romance books, and while that genre is still the most represented, I’ve filled out my reading with a lot more thrillers, fantasy and even general fiction books in 2025.

That means an even wider variety of book recommendations for you! My best books of 2025 (so far) post is organized by genres, so you’ll find my favorite picks from romance, thrillers, fantasy and fiction below.

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Best Romance Books of 2025 (So Far)

First Time Caller by B.K. Borison

Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage

This series of cowboy romances has blown me away – I cannot pick a favorite because I’ve fallen in love with them all. In this book we get to discover the second chance love story between two side characters from the previous books, Riley’s mom, Cam and Dusty Tucker, who has been pining after her for ages.

Cam was on the verge of getting married (for complicated reasons that didn’t involve love) but her groom never showed up.  With her life in disarray, she returns home to regroup and discovers the only house available to rent comes with Dusty Tucker as a neighbor.

Dusty never had the right moment to pursue anything serious with Cam, but now she’s back and she’s unattached. He’s determined to show her that he can be everything she needs, whether as friends or hopefully something more. Cam wants to stay far away from him, but he’s slowly winning her over and it feels like the easiest change in the world.

I’ve been rooting for these two for ages, so it was a blast reading their whole story! I definitely had bittersweet feelings though, since this is the last book in the series and I’m going to seriously miss these characters. Thankfully, it ended on a high note. All our favorites have found their people and are where they’re meant to be. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect book to wrap up the Rebel Blue series.  | Buy From Amazon | Buy From Target

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Abby’s books are always a summer staple, and this is one you’re definitely going to want to add to your TBR. I think this may be one of Abby’s best book boyfriends – Xavier, a Greek God-esque veterinarian. However, his first encounter with Samantha is a disaster. She’s being stubborn and he’s rude and abrasive. A few months later, when she brings her kitten back, he apologizes and Samantha agrees to a do-over date. What happens next shocks them both.

They end up on the best (and longest) first date they’ve ever experienced, realizing their connection is something special. But Samantha is leaving the next day…for good. She’s moving to California to help take care of her mother. She begs Xavier to forget everything that happened. He tries, but eventually convinces her to attempt a long distance relationship. They both know they’re meant to be together, but life keeps throwing obstacles in their way.

I’ve heard from other readers who didn’t enjoy this book because it was really tough to read at times – there’s a lot of struggle and circumstances out of their control that keep Xavier and Samantha apart. However, I absolutely adored how much they fought for each other and did everything they could to show up, make an effort, and find solutions as a team!  | Buy From Amazon | Buy From Target

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

I wasn’t even aware of this book until it was published, which is shocking for a new Ali Hazelwood! She’s one of my all-time favorite authors and has yet to write a book I rated lower than 4.5 stars. I found out this was the reader-requested sequel to Not In Love. I guess people were begging Ali for some sort of ending for two side characters – Maya and Conor. She started out planning to write a novella, but quickly discovered the characters deserved their own full length story. 

Wow – was she right!! I had low expectations going in because I barely remembered these characters. Then proceeded to devour this romance in just a few days!! I was blown away by how much I loved Maya and Conor’s story. This is an age gap romance between Maya in her mid 20’s and Conor in his late 30’s. The story takes place over the course of a week at Eli and Rue’s wedding in Italy, but includes flashbacks over the past four years showcasing the development of Maya and Conor’s friendship and relationship.

I was so invested in this relationship that I was literally tearing up along with Maya at one point near the end. I could feel her frustration with Conor and the cold acceptance that he wasn’t willing to change his view of himself for her. This was such a well written story that didn’t shy away from the complications of their friendship and ultimately relationship. I can’t rave about it enough – these two are going to be one of my favorite couples of the year! Buy From Amazon | Buy From Target

Best Thriller Books of 2025 (So Far)

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister

Camilla wakes up one morning to find her husband gone and a cryptic note in his place. She’s supposed to be dropping her daughter off at daycare for the first time and returning to her job as a literary agent. However, her world is upended when she gets a call about an ongoing hostage situation. As we all would assume, her first thought is that her husband is one of the hostages. But no, he’s the gunman.

Now, his note takes on a whole different meaning and she has to decide what to do next. We as readers are right there alongside her, as she makes impossible choices and faces an unimaginable situation. The novel takes a turn from this initial situation that I wasn’t expecting at all! Slowly over the course of the novel we get glimpses into Luke’s history and eventually piece together the circumstances that led to the hostage situation. 

There were so many aspects of this book that took me by surprised. It isn’t all focused on just that one day, but I really enjoyed the narrative that covers both before and after the incident. Plus, the ending was incredibly satisfying! All around a five star thriller and a unique addition to this genre that will be unlike anything you’ve read. Buy From Amazon | Buy From Target

Close Your Eyes and Count To 10 by Lisa Unger

I had slightly different expectations going into this versus what it turned into, but the twists and turns of the story kept me intrigued and engaged the whole way through. 

What starts a social media stunt by well known daredevil Maverick Dillan turns into a test of true survival. Maverick has invited a number of contestants to a remote island to participate in the ultimate game of hide and seek. However, a raging storm and an unexpected threat turn the situation deadly. Adele, a single mother, is one of the participants and she’s willing to do anything necessary to get back to her kids.

There wasn’t as much focus on the “hide and seek” game as I thought, but instead the dynamic between the cast of characters and their sometimes unexpected connection to each other took center stage!  | Buy From Amazon | Buy From Target

Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell

Nick Radcliffe is a charming man who is just what Nina Swann needed in her life after her husband’s unexpected death. But to Nina’s adult daughter, Ash, Nick seems too slick, too polished, too good to be true. Without telling her mother, Ash begins digging into Nick’s past. What she finds is more than unsettling…

Martha is a florist living in a neighboring town with her infant daughter and her devoted husband Alistair. But lately, Alistair has been traveling more and more frequently for work, disappearing for days at a time. When Martha questions him about his frequent absences, he always has a legitimate explanation, but Martha can’t share the feeling that something isn’t right.

Nina, Martha, and Ash are on a collision course with a shocking truth that is far darker than anyone could have imagined. And all three are about to wish they had heeded the same warning: Don’t let him in.

It was fascinating that the book revolves around one man who has created multiple different identities and worked his way through multiple different wives. As the reader we get a glimpse into the different situations he’s manipulating right off the bat, but we don’t know just how sinister he really is. The snappy writing and the jumps between characters and times keep the narrative fast paced, so I’m flying through it. | Buy From Amazon

Best Fantasy Books of 2025 (So Far)

Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

P.S. I read some incredible fantasy books this year, but they just weren’t published in 2025 so I didn’t want to include them on this official Best Books of 2025 list. However, two worth mentioning are the One Dark Window / Two Twisted Crowns duology by Rachel Gillig and Dungeon Crawler Carl by Matt Dinneman!

Best Fiction Books of 2025 (So Far)

What Happened To The McCrays by Tracey Lange

I don’t normally read many family dramas / general fiction stories but Tracey Lange is one exception. She is now 3/3 with five star books! In this story, Kyle McCray returns to his hometown after he hears his father had a stroke. It’s not an easy decision, since Kyle abandoned everyone two years ago when he left suddenly without explanation, including his wife Casey.

Casey immediately makes it clear he’s not welcome, but as Kyle starts to understand how deeply he impacted those around him, he starts hoping for a chance at redemption. So, he takes the opportunity to become the middle school hockey coach and help rescue the floundering team.

This was not always an easy book to read, as we encounter characters dealing with intense grief and blame, but the writing is so compelling and relatable that I couldn’t put it down. There are also enough lighthearted moments and healing that I left with an overwhelming sense of hope!  | Buy From Amazon | Buy From Target

We All Live Here by JoJo Moyes

JoJo Moyes returns with another novel focusing on all the ups and downs of being a woman, mother, and daughter. Lila is recently divorced and struggling to be there for her daughters, turn in her new manuscript on time, decide if she’s ready to wade back into the dating pool and deal with her step-father who’s kind of sort of moved in to her house.

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