The Best Romance Books of 2025

Along Came Amor was one of my picks for best book of 2025, so I had to include it here. Ava is a divorced middle school teacher. Roman is a self-made and, somehow, ethical billionaire hotel owner. A chance meeting leads to a one-night stand. But then Ava finds out that Roman is the best man in her cousin’s wedding. And she is the maid of honor. Roman is delighted and clears his schedule to accompany Ava to Puerto Rico to help organize the wedding. But Ava isn’t so sure. She’s feeling wounded from her divorce, pressure from her family, and unable to trust anything—even her own feelings. I am a former teacher and people pleaser, so I loved seeing Ava work through her complex emotions to get the fantasy romance she deserved!

Ali Hazelwood is a romance writing powerhouse, both in the prolific number of books she publishes (three novels this year alone!) and in the strength of her storytelling. I always have high standards when I read her books, but this one blew me away. Maya somehow became secret best friends with her older brother’s best friend and business partner, Conor. But that was before Conor abruptly cut off contact with her, and she responded by moving to Switzerland. It’s clear there are feelings between them. But Maya is 23 and Conor is 38. It’s a problematic age gap—at least, Conor thinks so. But they are stuck at a destination wedding in Sicily together, and they can’t keep hiding from each other or their feelings. Friends, I blushed so much while reading this. I’ve never loved age gap romance before, but this book may have converted me.

In this Edwardian era gothic romance, Zeb reluctantly visits his cousin Wynn’s remote country manor—only to find his ex-boss and lover, Gideon, is his cousin’s secretary. Zeb’s entire family is there to play an inheritance game: whoever marries Wynn’s mysterious ward (a newly discovered cousin from the illegitimate side of their family) will inherit his home and fortune. Zeb has no intention of playing, but finds himself unable to escape the premises. And when the game turns deadly, he turns to Gideon for help surviving the weekend. People talk a lot about the death of historical fiction, but this book is so fun, atmospheric, and romantic. It’s also a great buddy read for These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean, a contemporary novel with a different twist on an inheritance game.

Fantasy! Romance! Historical Fiction! Found family! Gorgeous art! Venessa Vida Kelley’s dreamy debut When the Tides Held the Moon has something for everyone. Puerto Rican blacksmith Benny is tasked with building a giant glass tank. When he delivers it to the 1910s Coney Island carnival sideshow that commissioned it, he realizes it was constructed for a real merman captured from the East River. And when he falls in love with that merman, Benny realizes he’s constructed his prison and now must find a way to help him escape. The ensemble cast of “human curiosities” and Vida Kelley’s vivid illustrations make this story truly shine. —Susie Dumond