We are three months into 2025 and I’ve already felt personally attacked by some authors. So many new books have been announced and yet I am still trying to get through my TBR from last year. With new releases and digging up old favorites, I have found some pretty amazing romance books – some that I now call my favorites. Whether you are looking for inspiration to get you moving on your 2025 reading challenge or are just a curious cat like myself, I have gathered my favorite reads of 2025 – so far!
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Everyone on bookstagram is probably tired of me talking about this book, but I will shout my love for it from the rooftops! So get this – a “playboy” hockey player and a ballerina decide to fake a relationship so she can get the role of a lifetime and he can be left alone by the paparazzi. But when they spend more time together, their lines blur between what’s real and what’s pretend, and well, you can guess the rest. Spiral is a standalone hockey player romance that is part of a series. You can read them all together, or separately. But after reading Spiral, I am very curious to read other books by Bal Khabra.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Are we surprised that Ms. Yarros made her way to this list? I’m not, because Onyx Storm had me in its chokehold from Iron Flame to January 21st when it was released. Onyx Storm is the third book in the Fourth Wing series and is certainly not the last. Filled with romance, nail-biting action, and of course dragons, Onyx Storm will leave you feeling shocked, confused, and depressed until you find your next book to obsess over. For those who have read it, how are you doing? Because I’m not okay.
Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver
I never imagined saying “Oh, yeah she’s my favorite serial killer” – at least not out loud. The Ruinous Love trilogy ends with Rose and Fionn’s love story in Scythe & Sparrow. The story starts with a tarot reading bad-ass biker chick giving an abuser the revenge they rightfully deserve, and a handsome Irish doctor coming to the rescue. There is violence, love, comedy, a cute crochet group filled with old ladies, and a rabid raccoon that steals the entire story. Like I mentioned before, this book is part of a series and you could go with just reading one book but it helps to read them in order as their stories do crossover! As with all dark romances, please read the content warning and make sure this book is for you before reading.
Ice Planet Barbarians by Ruby Dixon
Remember that alien-monster romance I did my first review on? Yep, this is the one! Ice Planet Barbarians was a surprising read for me. I normally don’t dive into the realm of monster romances but I’m nosey and will always try it out before denying my interest. This book left me questioning a lot about myself and I’m not bothered by it. For those who are interested, Georgie and a few other females are abducted by aliens. When they get dropped off on an ice planet, Georgie gets separated from the rest of the group and crosses paths with a tall blue man alien who is GORGEOUS and has a *ahem* friendly way of saying hello.
Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M Nascosta
Don’t judge me because we all have seen Zootopia and have had weird feelings. Morning Glory Milking Farm just confirms what we all have been thinking and I’m not bothered by it. I will admit, I do wish I read this book instead of listening to the audiobook because now I can’t un-hear a lot of the things I heard in this book. I love the premise of this book because I feel like all Millennials and Gen-Z can relate to just wanting a job that is sustainable. Violent (not Sorrengail) is an educated millennial who is having a hard time finding a job in her degree field. Desperate and not wanting to seek financial help from her mother, she gets a job at a “pharmaceutical” company a.k.a the milking farm. But don’t worry, it’s purely clinical, nothing sexual about it at all *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*. This book was a quick entertaining read and a must if you are getting into monster romance.
Mickey Chambers Shakes It Up by Charish Reid
Right next to Spiral, this book is one of my top favorites for romances. Mickey Chambers Shakes it Up is a grumpy-sunshine romance featuring a black female main character with a chronic illness. It is rare to find a cute romance with a black female main character. It is also rare to find a cute romance with a black female main character with a chronic illness AND they aren’t the conventional body type. Mickey Chambers is a woman in her early thirties who has hyperthyroidism and is struggling to make ends meet as a part-time professor at the local college so she decides to get a part-time job as a waitress at the local bar! And wouldn’t you know, the owner of the bar IS ONE OF HER STUDENTS! The spice in this book was perfect, it wasn’t too heavy and it didn’t take away from the main storyline (which was overall very sweet).
Some Honorable Mentions from 2024
