New Romance Books to Read in 2025
Find new 2025 romance novels for your spicy, fun reading list.
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If you’re always on the hunt for a great romance novel, get ready: there are lots of great new ones on the way in 2025!
Your favorites–like Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, and Kennedy Ryan–all have new romance novels on the way.
Plus there are other authors to discover, all offering new takes on your favorite tropes. From rom-coms to more serious romantic novels, these books will take you on a ride until you reach that promised happily ever after.
Be sure to bookmark this list–I’ll update it as new must-read romance novels are announced and will add my reviews.
If you’ve read any of these, share your thoughts in the comments!
New 2025 Romance Novels
Beneath the Stars
Author: Emily McIntire
Publish Date: January 14, 2025
Source: Bloom Books; Libro.fm ALC
Genres: Romance
Alina has known Chase since she was a child and he moved in with his foster family next door. She loved him from the start, but he was older and his sister was her best friend. They finally get together after many years as close friends, but Chase only knows abandonment and he runs from their connection. Both of them try to forget one another, until Chase comes back to town–only to find he and Alina have to work together. Can she trust that he’ll really stick by her this time?
This small-town, second-chance romance novel had me hooked, but I did have a few quibbles. Namely, the abundance of side stories and the complications that kept the two apart. There were some real issues here–addiction, abandonment, and mental health–and to make miscommunication about other women the thing that kept them apart felt like missed opportunity to add depth to the story. The side stories likely set the stage for future books in this series, so I can give them a pass. Sometimes it’s nice to stay in the same world with familiar characters. I’d be willing to give the next one a try.
Scarlett is a Stanford diver trying to recover from an injury that almost ended her career. She’s not interested in a relationship, but when her friend Pen learns that Scarlett and Pen’s ex-boyfriend, Lukas, have the same kinky proclivities, she pushes them to get together. It’s an arrangement for Scarlett, but things soon heat up and Lukas seems to want more. Can Scarlett get out of her own way and let him in?
Ali Hazelwood writes romance about women in STEM and academia. Her books have been hit-or-miss for me, and this one was more of a miss. The set-up was odd and was (understandably) an ongoing complication. Fifty Shades fans (which I am not) will find very little here along those lines, despite the description, but fans of sports romances may like the swimming and diving aspects.
Back After This
Author: Linda Holmes
Publish Date: February 25, 2025
Source: Ballantine Books
Genres: Romance
Cecily is thrilled to have the opportunity to host her own podcast–until she learns that it will be about her dating life, and that she has to follow the advice of a dating coach. She can’t stop thinking about Will, a photographer she helped rescue a dog. But can she sort through the advice to figure out what she really wants? I really loved Holmes’ Evvie Drake Starts Over, so her books are always on my list to read.
Say You’ll Remember Me
Author: Abby Jimenez
Publish Date: April 1, 2025
Source: Piatkus
Genres: Romance
Samantha and Xavier have one incredible, perfect date. But Samantha’s family is in crisis, and she realizes that a relationship right now is impossible. She and Xavier need to remember it for what it was: one perfect moment in time, relegated to a memory. But that perfect moment may just be too much for either of them to forget, and the two need to figure out if a long-distance relationship that lasts is actually possible.
Abby Jimenez is my favorite auto-read romance author, filled with real-life complications and great chemistry. While I always enjoy her writing and actually appreciated the long-distance aspect here, it did take away from seeing Xavier and Samantha really connect and not just long for each other. Some strange decisions by the family around Samantha’s mother’s dementia also took me a little out of the story. I enjoyed this, but my favorite Jimenez books remain the Part of Your World series.
Flirting Lessons
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Publish Date: April 8, 2025
Source: Berkley
Genres: Romance
Avery Jensen is ready to refresh her life after a breakup. She’s tired of being stiff and uptight and wants to try dating women–but she’s lacking the confidence to flirt like she wants to. Enter flirting master Taylor Cameron, whose best friend has bet her that she can’t go two months without sleeping with someone. Giving Avery flirting lessons might keep her distracted through this bet. But with the attraction between them building, can Avery fulfill her goal of carefree flirting and dating around, and can Taylor ignore her attraction to Avery and win her bet?
Great Big Beautiful Life
Author: Emily Henry
Publish Date: April 22, 2025
Source: Berkley
Genres: Romance
Alice and Hayden are both writers vying for the privilege of writing the biography of enigmatic heiress Margaret Ives. She gives them one month with her on her island to make their cases, after which she’ll choose the author of her story. The problem is, sparks are flying–and Margaret isn’t telling either of them the whole truth. Can they find a way to be together, even while competing for the story of their lives?
While this is a romance and does include some of Henry’s signature banter, it’s a departure from the style of her previous books. Henry jumps back and forth between the present day and Margaret Ives’ life story. Unfortunately, neither of the storylines was very compelling, and the many names of Margaret’s family members (most of whom never gelled into real characters) just ended up being confusing. This seemed like an experiment—possibly a move toward more Taylor Jenkins Reid-type storytelling—and unfortunately, I think it’s Henry’s weakest novel.
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One Golden Summer
Author: Carley Fortune
Publish Date: May 6, 2025
Source: Berkley
Genres: Romance
When she was 17, Alice spent the summer with her grandmother at the lake, and she took a photo of three teenagers in a boat that changed her life. Now, she’s a photographer and her grandmother has broken her hip. She convinces her Nan to go back to the lake for the summer, and there she finds Charlie–grown up, still driving that same yellow boat, and flirting shamelessly. Nights on the lake has Alice wondering if this is just a summer fling, or if there’s something more. Carley Fortune is known for these idyllic summer romances; this is the second in a series, and readers say it stands alone (but that you should also read the first, Every Summer After, because these characters appear there as well. I haven’t read it yet, but both seem like excellent beach reads!)
Can’t Get Enough
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Publish Date: May 13, 2025
Source: Forever
Genres: Romance
Hendrix Barry is living a fabulous life, with a successful job in the entertainment industry and an overall fearless approach to everything. She doesn’t believe there’s a man out there who can keep up with her–until she meets Maverick Bell. Smooth and successful in his own right, the biggest danger to Hendrix is Maverick’s ability really see her. When he pursues her, will she be able to stick to her life plan, or can Maverick break down her defenses?
This was a fun listen because Hendrix is such a badass, take-no-prisoners character. She is focused on her goals, but she also doesn’t lose sight of the people around her and how her actions might affect them. Maverick barely phases her and pursues her with single-minded clarity—but without trying to manipulate, dim, or overpower her. I enjoyed the journey of watching them build a respectful partnership (but this also has plenty of spice, which may or may not be up your alley!).
The Love Haters
Author: Katherine Center
Publish Date: May 20, 2025
Source: St. Martin’s Press
Genres: Romance
In an attempt to save her career as a video producer, Katie takes on a job profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. She can’t swim, but pretends she can. And things get messy when she gets entangled with Hutch, his eccentric aunt, and his Great Dane. Both she and Hutch are “love haters,” and Katie may have to face more than one fear on this job. I usually find Katherine Center’s books enjoyable, but this one is getting mixed reviews–we’ll see how it goes!
It’s a Love Story
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Publish Date: May 27, 2025
Source: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Genres: Romance
Jane is a former child star who made her name as a punchline in a popular sitcom. Now a studio executive, she finds herself in the middle of a lie while trying to get a project greenlit. She promised that her first kiss–and now popstar–Jack Quinlan was writing a song for the show. Now she has to turn to abrasive cinematographer Dan Finnegan for help, because he has an in with a festival Jack is playing. She’s not looking forward to facing her past, but Dan might be just what she needs.
Sunny Side Up
Author: Katie Sturino
Narrator: Yael Rizowy
Publish Date: June 24, 2025
Source: Celadon Books via Netgalley
Genres: Romance
Thirty-five-year-old Sunny is recently divorced and discouraged by her weight and single status but is highly successful in other areas of her life. She’s ready to embrace herself and start dating with confidence. But dating isn’t straightforward, and she’s soon spinning with all of her options. Could her disarming mailman, Dennis, be the one for her? Or maybe the smooth millionaire, Ted, who is making her dream of creating and selling the perfect plus-size swimsuit a reality?
Sunny is kind of a fun character to go on a frustrating dating journey with, but she’s also pretty unrealistic. She runs a PR empire, is starting a new swimsuit line that is immediately successful, and has a little newsletter side project that spills all her body acceptance and dating details and garners her attention in the national spotlight. Plus she’s juggling multiple men. I couldn’t imagine how she found the time or energy for all of it. It’s fun and light overall, and relatable for the body acceptance aspect, but little else.
The Summer You Were Mine
Author: Jill Francis
Publish Date: July 1, 2025
Source: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genres: Romance
Lifelong friends—who were once almost more—reunite in their Italian hometown when their grandparents marry each other. Ellie is struggling after her podcast career had a very public downfall, while Cris is retiring from swimming after a drug accusation. They may be able to help one another and pick up where they left off years ago–if they can rebuild the trust that was broken.
This was a sweet second-chance romance in a dreamy Italian setting. There is some neurodivergent representation here, but it feels limited; it’s more discussed than actually shown in the interactions between Ellie and Cris. While the story lays out their history and why their attraction remains, it did feel a little lacking in building a true adult connection between the two. Thumbs up on the setting (summer reading!), but the romance was just so-so.
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Author: Jane Costello
Narrator: Marisa Calin
Publish Date: September 5, 2025
Source: Libro.fm ALC
Genres: Romance
Lisa Darling is a TV exec with a lot on her plate: two kids, a busy career, and a best friend with cancer, not to mention the perimenopause symptoms that keep popping up. She doesn’t need the complication of Zach Russo, the handsome New Yorker she clashes with at work. But it may be more than the hot flashes causing the heat between them.
I enjoyed reading a romance novel with slightly older characters and dealing with the complications that come with having kids, divorce and co-parenting, school and career demands, and generally being pulled in all directions. While this felt realistic, none of it felt particularly high stakes and this probably won’t stick with me.
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