11 Best New Romance Novels of 2025 to Float Through Your Year

There are so many upcoming romance books, especially for your summer 2025 reading, but honestly, many of them have already been published or will be published soon! I personally look forward to all the new romantic comedy novels every year, and my most anticipated books of 2025 list just keeps growing with more romantic books!

I don’t know if these books will end up being some of the best romance novels of all time, but I’m excited to find out. I may add some of them to my heartwarming romance books list, too, if they’re sweet, a little spicy, and make the cut!

These are the best romance novels for adults, but some of them are on the sweeter side (closed-door romance), and a few are more on the steamy romance novels of 2025 list (more open-door 🌶).

I will say, you won’t find super steamy authors like Tessa Bailey on this list—not because those romance books aren’t out there or great, but I’m not really into those books as much. Even so, you can check the reviews before you commit and make sure you’re comfortable with the content.

Some of them I’ve read, and some of them are on my to-be-read list. So let me know what you think of them!

Best New Romance Books to Swoon Over in 2025

These are the best new romance book releases of 2025 to keep an eye on. Make sure to place your holds at the library and preorder your books now, because these low- to moderate-level spicy books (and sweet love stories!) will definitely be some of the most popular book releases of 2025.

The Summers Between Us by Noreen Nanja

Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary book!

This is the sweetest summer romance book! It’s a dual-timeline, small-town, friends-to-lovers, forbidden love, and second-change story—all my favorite romance tropes, plus the perfect nostalgia read about intense first crushes, first loves, and first heartbreaks.

This one may look like a light, fluffy romance book—and in many ways, it is—but it also covers a lot of ground with some pretty heavy, complex topics.

The author handles these topics with such care and grace. I was really impressed with how she created that perspective of being a second-generation immigrant and all of the family pressures the main character, Lia, felt. Noreen humanizes these characters in such a beautiful way. I was rooting for all of them, and the romance is absolutely swoon-worthy.

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

A decade apart, a painful secret—can two childhood sweethearts find their way back to a love that defies cultures and time?

Lia Juma thought she’d buried the dreams of her heart long ago. But when she’s forced to return to her family’s summer cottage on Pike Bay, the life she’s carefully crafted begins to unravel.

The perfect immigrant daughter, Lia has carved a successful career as a corporate lawyer and has just started dating a man who fulfills all her mother’s criteria for the ideal son-in-law. But underneath her polished life lies a secret she’s never spoken of—one she fears could have destroyed her family a decade ago.

Back at the bay, Lia stumbles upon memories she thought long forgotten and, at the center of it all, is Wesley Forest—the boy she left behind, the boy who knew her dreams better than anyone.

Their friendship and young love once burned bright, woven through long sun-drenched days and whispered promises of a future together. But when family pressures and heartbreak pulled the two lovers apart, they were forced to follow separate paths.

Now, Wes is back in her life, and with him, old wounds and feelings surface. As the two confront the choices and secrets that divided them as teenagers, Lia must decide if she can heal from the past and finally embrace the life and love she’s always craved. Could a second chance with Wes be worth risking everything for?

Told over the course of five years in the past and one summer in the present, Lia will discover that sometimes, the only way forward is through the heart’s deepest scars.

The Summers Between Us was published on May 13, 2025, from Random House Canada.

The Usual Family Mayhem by HelenKay Dimon

Thank you to Libro.fm for the complimentary book!

If you’re looking to add a cozy mystery love story to your 2025 reading list, this one is a fun ride. It’s definitely predictable, but I don’t mind predictability with cozy mysteries. The premise is very cute: a girl named Kasey who’s experiencing some burnout in her job ends up back home with her grandmother, who runs a bakery from her home.

But Kasey realizes something fishy is going on when she notes bad men keep mysteriously dying in her hometown after their wives get a pie delivery from Kasey’s grandma.

If you loved Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto, you’ll love The Usual Family Mayhem.

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

Revenge is a dish best served cold—especially when it comes in the form of one of Grandma’s “special” pies. Get the best of family hijinks, girl power, and hilariously justifiable crime in the latest novel from award-winning author HelenKay Dimon.

Kasey Nottingham needs a splashy idea at her company where they find and develop the next big thing for investors—her job depends on it.

Impulsively, she pitches Mags’ Desserts, a beloved small-town business run by her grandma Mags and live-in “best friend” Celia, two women who overcame deadbeat husbands and financial ruin to build a word-of-mouth clientele. Kasey expects her boss to say no. Instead, he sends her home to North Carolina to land the deal . . . and now she has a problem.

Mags and Celia aren’t interested, which isn’t a surprise, but something else is going on in their kitchen. Locked cabinets. Cryptic conversations. Unexpected notations on business records. The ladies have secrets and whatever they’re hiding is big.

As reports of mysterious deaths of abusive men in the area surface—all in households that recently received a delivery from Mags’ Desserts—Kasey worries Gram and Celia have gone into the poison pie business.

As investors start circling, Kasey enlists Jackson Quaid, Celia’s nephew and Kasey’s long-time crush, as her reluctant investigation assistant. Jackson is practical. Kasey has a wild imagination. Together, they dodge Kasey’s boss and gather intel. And kiss. Lots of kissing, though probably not the best idea to start an unexpected romance.

Doing it while keeping two feisty ladies from going to jail for knocking off bad husbands—even if those husbands deserve it—might be impossible…but Kasey never shied away from a challenge. 

The Usual Family Mayhem was published on March 11, 2025, from Avon.

@molliereadsbooks Thanks to Penguin Random House Canada, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for the free books! These are the best new romance books of 2025! All these published and upcoming romance novels are 2025 book releases… some of them are spicy and some of them are more sweet, but they’re all impossible to put down! Check my book blog (molliereads.com) for the full list for your new romance book reading this summer! #summerreading #newromancebooks #romcombooks #romcomtok #booktropes #romancebooktok #booklist #newbooks ♬ original sound – Mollie Reads | Book Blogger

Back After This by Linda Holmes

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary book!

Back After This is one of the most popular romance books of 2025, at least in the sweet rom-com category. I’ve loved Linda Homes ever since Evvie Drake Starts Over, which is one of the best romance novels of all time IMO. There’s something about her main protagonists that I just love.

They’re usually women in their thirties or forties who are in seasons of transition—gaining confidence, overcoming hardships in some way—and even if you haven’t experienced what they’ve experienced, they’re so relatable, and you just want them to succeed.

Back After This is so fun because Linda Holmes herself is a podcast producer, so that part of the book feels really realistic and fun. The romance kind of takes a back seat to the main character’s journey of self-acceptable and creativity, but it’s still so sweet.

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo, a podcast producer agrees to host a new series about modern dating—but will the show jeopardize her chance at finding real love?

Cecily Foster loves to make podcasts. She fiercely protects her colleagues, dearly adores her friends, and never misses dinner with her sister. But after a disastrous relationship with a colleague who stole her heart and her ideas, she’s put romantic love on hold.

When the boss who’s disappointed her again and again finally offers her the chance to host her own show, she wants to be thrilled. But there’s a catch—actually, two catches. First, the show will be about Cecily’s dating life.

And second, she has to follow the guidance of influencer and newly minted relationship coach Eliza Cassidy, whose relentlessly upbeat attitude seems ready-made for social media, not real life.

Cecily would rather do anything other than put her singledom on display (ugh) or take advice from the internet (UGH). But when her boss hints that doing the show is the only way to protect a friend’s job, she realizes she has no choice.

To make matters more complicated, once she’s committed to twenty blind dates of Eliza’s choosing, Cecily finds herself unable to stop thinking about Will, a photographer she helped to rescue a very big and very lovable lost dog.

Even though there are sparks between the two, Will’s own path is uncertain, and Eliza’s skeptical comments about Cecily’s decision-making aren’t helping. On the one hand, Will seems great. But on the other hand . . . don’t they all?

As Cecily struggles to balance the life she truly desires and the one Eliza wants to create for her, she finds herself at a crossroads. Can Cecily sort through all the advice and find a way to do what she loves without losing herself in the process?

Back After This was published on February 25, 2025, from Ballantine Books.

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

This one might be the top romance novel of 2025, and definitely the top romance book of the summer! Carley Fortune is beloved, and this one is next on my list. I’ve heard One Golden Summer is a great by-the-pool read and that it’s impossible to put down!

It also has intergenerational storytelling and a fantastic setting. I love a lake life book in all its charm! I think One Golden Summer might be a tad predictable, but I think it’s going to be a really sweet romance book to read in 2025.

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

I never anticipated Charlie Florek.

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.

Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay.

But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun.

Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.

One Golden Summer was published on May 6, 2025, from Berkley.

It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary book!

Oh, Annabel Monaghan. She has my heart, every time! ❤️ I just love her sweet romance novels with all the heart! Her books are pretty clean, so if you’re looking for something low on the spice, you might want to check her out.

She’s got the yearning and swooning though! Her main characters are, similar to Linda Holmes’s characters, in a moment of transition or the “second act” of their lives.

She writes so beautifully and with such care about women experiencing divorce, single motherhood, and women in a “tough spot” who are rediscovering themselves in new ways. It’s inspiring, sweet, and always makes me tear up!

RELATED: Book Review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

From the USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script, a novel about a former adolescent TV punchline who has left her awkwardness in the rearview mirror thanks to a fake-it-till-you-make-it mantra that has her on the cusp of success, until she tells a lie that sets her on a crash-course with her past, spending a week in Long Island with the last man she thinks might make her believe in love.

Rules for a love story: There are none. It’s all a lie.

Jane Jackson knows that true love is a lie. Laughter is the only truth—you can’t fake a belly laugh. Jane should know, she spent her adolescence as “Poor Janey Jakes,” the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punchline on America’s fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s a Creative Executive at Clearwater Studios and she’s living by a new mantra: Fake it till you make it.

Except, she might have faked it too far. Desperate to get her first project greenlit and riled up by pompous cinematographer and one-time crush Dan Finnegan, she opened her mouth and a big fat fib fell out. She claimed that Jack Quinlan, hottest popstar of the moment, has promised to write an original song for the soundtrack.

Jack may have been her first kiss—and greatest source of shame—but she hasn’t spoken to him in twenty years.

Now, Jane must turn to the last man she’d ever want to owe: Dan Finnegan. Because Jack is playing a festival in Dan’s hometown on Long Island, and Dan has an in.

A week in close quarters with Dan while facing down her past is Jane’s idea of hell, but Dan just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?

It’s a Love Story will be published on May 27, 2025, from G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Yeah, this one is definitely one of the most popular romance novels of 2025! Abby Jimenez is like catnip for romance readers. I’ve heard this one is deeply emotional, so you have to be ready for that before picking it up! Say You’ll Remember Me has to do with a family member who has dementia, so . . . oof. It’s going to hit you in the feels.

I’ve heard it’s a little insta-love-y, which I normally dislike, but apparently Abby Jimenez does it well! Even with the hardships and disappointments and heartbreaking moments, reviewers agree that the the banter brings some levity.

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. 

That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake.

But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

Say You’ll Remember Me was published on April 1, 2025, from Piatkus.

The Love Haters by Katherine Center

I’m so excited to read this new Katherine Center book! This looks like an enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity romance book . . . perhaps a fake dating trope, too? We shall see! I have heard some Katherine Center fans didn’t like it, so pick it up at your own risk.

But I think if you’re in it for a light, fun, sweet romance story and you don’t mind a little predictability in your romance novels, you should give it a go.

The Love Haters explores grief, loss, body image, and complex familial relationships. It’s a Hollywood romance with a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and I’m so hear for it.

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

It’s a thin line between love and love-hating.

Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom “Hutch” Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West.

The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but fakes it that she can.

Plus: Cole is Hutch’s brother. And they don’t get along. Next stop paradise!

But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good looking man she has ever seen . . . but also a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful Aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two.

Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last.

The Love Haters will be published on May 20, 2025, from St. Martin’s Press.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry

Thanks to Libro.fm for the complimentary book!

I’ve already reviewed this book and, truth be told, it wasn’t my favorite Emily Henry book. BUT, I still think it’s one of the most popular romance books of 2025 worth exploring for yourself, especially if you typically gravitate toward EmHen.

So even though I wouldn’t say it’s the best of the best, I wanted to make sure it made the list. You can read my full, in-depth thoughts in the review, including book club questions!

RELATED: Funny Story by Emily Henry | Review, Quotes, Questions

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

Two writers compete for the chance to tell the larger-than-life story of a woman with more than a couple of plot twists up her sleeve in this dazzling and sweeping new novel from Emily Henry.

Alice Scott is an eternal optimist still dreaming of her big writing break. Hayden Anderson is a Pulitzer-prize winning human thundercloud.

And they’re both on balmy Little Crescent Island for the same reason: To write the biography of a woman no one has seen in years—or at least to meet with the octogenarian who claims to be the Margaret Ives. Tragic heiress, former tabloid princess, and daughter of one of the most storied (and scandalous) families of the 20th Century.

When Margaret invites them both for a one-month trial period, after which she’ll choose the person who’ll tell her story, there are three things keeping Alice’s head in the game.

One: Alice genuinely likes people, which means people usually like Alice—and she has a whole month to win the legendary woman over.

Two: She’s ready for this job and the chance to impress her perennially unimpressed family with a Serious Publication

Three: Hayden Anderson, who should have no reason to be concerned about losing this book, is glowering at her in a shaken-to-the core way that suggests he sees her as competition.

But the problem is, Margaret is only giving each of them pieces of her story. Pieces they can’t swap to put together because of an ironclad NDA and an inconvenient yearning pulsing between them every time they’re in the same room.

And it’s becoming abundantly clear that their story—just like the tale Margaret’s spinning—could be a mystery, tragedy, or love ballad . . . depending on who’s telling it.

Great Big Beautiful Life was published on April 22, 2025, from Berkley.

RELATED: Happy Place: Review of Emily Henry’s New Book

The Re-Write by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

This lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy features writers, which obviously intrigues me right away! It also sounds like it’s perfect for fans of Love Island! Sign. Me. Up!

The book is about a girl whose ex decides to go on a reality dating show, gets famous, and then she gets hired to ghostwrite his memoir. Not awkward AT ALL. 😂

I’ve heard from readers that it’s a fun, wild ride with a lot about Nigerian culture and the publishing industry, which all sounds super interesting. I’ve heard it’s a sweet second-chance romance, and I’m excited to jump in!

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

In this lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers rom-com, two exes are faced with one deadline. Will they make it to the end?

Temi and Wale meet in London. They flirt, date, meet each other’s friends. . . . Then Wale dumps Temi to go on Love Villa.

Instead of giving in to heartbreak, Temi throws herself into her writing. She’s within touching distance of a book deal that would solve all her problems. But publishers keep passing on her novel and bills still have to be paid. So, when the opportunity to ghost-write a celebrity autobiography arises, Temi finds herself accepting.

And, of course, the celebrity turns out to be Wale. Has too much time passed, or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

The Re-Write will be published on August 12, 2025, from Penguin Books.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely

Thank you to Canary Street Press for the complimentary book!

My book twin wrote her debut novel! 👏🏼 I think Sally is JUST THE BEST, and now I can say she writes a fantastic romance book, too! This book truly does have all the Emily Henry meets The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes.

If you’re a millennial like me, you’re going to love the song references! I started a playlist on Spotify for the book and added every song mentioned as I read. 😊

The chemistry is off the charts, the friendship is so lovely, and the setting and jumps between different timelines are *chef’s kiss!*💋 Definitely check it out if you love that swoon factor in your summer romance books!

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

Best friends Joni and Ren have been inseparable since childhood. So when Joni moves across the country for her job, the two devise a creative way to stay in they’ll be each other’s plus-ones every year for wedding season, no matter what else is happening in their lives.

It’s a tradition that works, until a line is crossed and the friendship they once thought was forever is ruined.

Now Joni is back at their families’ shared summer home for her sister’s wedding, and she’s determined to make the week perfect, even if it means faking a friendship with Ren—and avoiding the truth of why they have to fake it in the first place. How hard can it be to pretend to be friends with the person who once knew you best?

But as sunny beach days together turn into starry nights, Joni begins to question what her life is without Ren in it. And when the wedding arrives, bringing past heartaches to the surface, she’ll be forced to decide if loving Ren means letting him go, or if theirs is a love story worth fighting for.

Friends to Lovers will be published on July 22, 2025, from Canary Street Press.

Swept Away by Beth O’Leary

Beth O’Leary is the queen of contemporary romance, and she has a new book out already that looks JUICY. This one is perfect for the forced-proximity trope lovers. I’ve heard it’s got romance, adventure, found family, and lots of spice.

I believe this one turns into a story of survival, which could definitely add some intrigue to the already interesting premise. I’ve heard the characters are well drawn and lovable and the story itself is exhilarating!

Here’s the publisher’s synopsis:

Two strangers find themselves stranded at sea together in this epic new love story by bestselling author Beth O’Leary.

What if you were lost at sea . . . with your one-night stand?

Zeke and Lexi thought it would just be a night of fun. They had no intentions of seeing each other again. Zeke is only in town for the weekend to buy back his late father’s houseboat. Lexi has no time for dating when she needs to help take care of her best friend’s daughter.

Going back home with a stranger seems like a perfect escape from their problems. But a miscommunication in the dark, foggy night means no one tied the houseboat to the dock. The next morning, Zeke and Lexi realize all they can see is miles and miles of water.

With just a few provisions on the idle boat, Zeke and Lexi must figure out how to get back home. But aside from their survival, they’re facing another challenge. Because when you’re stuck together for days on end, it gives you a lot of time to get to know someone—and to fall in love with them.

Swept Away was published on April 1, 2025, from Berkley.

New Romance Book Releases in 2025 to Swoon Over This Summer

These romantic comedy novels and sweet and spicy romance books are perfect to read by the pool, at the beach, or on a plane as you travel to your summer vacation spot.

If you’re looking for all the funny book banter between lovable and complex characters, chemistry that sizzles on the page, yearning and longing to make you swoon so much your cheeks hurt from smiling—these 2025 romance books should be on your list.

I can recommend several of them personally, but many are on my summer 2025 romance reading list as well! Let me know if I missed any must-read romance books this year. I’m always looking to add books worth reading.❤️