Jodi Picoult, Kennedy Ryan and More Bestselling Authors Share Their Most-Anticipated 2025 Books (Exclusive)

Tia Williams recommends ‘Flirting Lessons’ by Jasmine Guillory

I adore all of Jasmine Guillory’s work, but Flirting Lessons is my new favorite. This lusty, queer romance features Avery, an uptight almost-30-year-old with scant dating experience who gets “flirting lessons” from Taylor, Napa Valley’s hottest heartbreaker. Sparks fly, and the pages sizzle!

I tore through this delicious, will-they-or-won’t-they romance in a single weekend. If you love heartwarming, sexy reads filled with relatable, loveable characters, Flirting Lessons will grab you, instantly. —Tia Williams, author of A Love Song for Ricki Wilde and Audre & Bash Are Just Friends

Abby Jimenez recommends ‘Yin Yang Love Song’ by Lauren Kung Jessen

I love a celebrity romance and Lauren Kung Jessen puts such a fun twist on this trope in her upcoming book, Yin Yang Love Song, when a sexy rock star cellist and Chinese herbalist agree to fake date to help each other out in their careers. Add in a love curse, delicious tea and great family dynamics and Lauren’s new book is the perfect balance of comforting and wildly romantic. — Abby Jimenez, author of Just for the Summer and Say You’ll Remember Me

Andrea Bartz recommends ‘The Last Room On the Left’ by Leah Konen

This cleverly constructed feminist retelling of The Shining is everything a winter read should be: addictive, chilling, tense and so twisty. In it, a rural motel’s off-season caretaker finds herself stranded during a blizzard — alone except for the dead body she spots poking out of a snowbank. If you enjoy dark, surprising thrillers about women on the edge, The Last Room on the Left is about to become your new favorite read. — Andrea Bartz, author of We Were Never Here and The Last Ferry Out

Kimberly Belle recommends ‘The Good Bride’ by Jenn Marie Wiggins

This should be your first read of 2025 after the holidays — don’t miss it! Welcome to the wedding of the year, where old betrayals and long-held secrets mean everyone has something to hide. When a high-profile guest goes missing, toxic family dynamics explode in a wickedly good tale. And the ending is *chef’s kiss*. —Kimberly Belle, author of The Paris Widow and The Expat Affair

Fiona Davis recommends ‘Harlem Rhapsody’ by Victoria Christopher Murray

Kudos to Christopher Murray for shining a spotlight on Jessie Redmon Fauset, a literary icon during the Harlem Renaissance who faded into obscurity — until now. A stunning portrait of a complicated woman who discovered promising young authors like Langston Hughes and Nella Larsen and had a passionate, long-term affair with W. E. B. Du Bois, this page-turner will keep you reading late into the night. — Fiona Davis, author of The Stolen Queen

Liv Constantine recommends ‘The Matchmaker’ by Aisha Saeed

In The Matchmaker, Aisha Saeed sweeps readers into the opulent, cutthroat world of high-society matchmaking, where lavish weddings and cultural traditions sparkle — until sabotage and danger threaten everything. I was spellbound, and on the edge of my seat as I raced to the finish. A mesmerizing page-turner you won’t want to miss! — Liv Constantine, author of The Next Mrs. Parrish, and Don’t Open Your Eyes

Charmaine Wilkerson recommends ‘Happy Land’ by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

I love novels about family, identity and perseverance that bring something new to the page, and Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez delivers just that kind of read. When the protagonist, Nikki, is summoned by her grandmother to the Appalachia community where her family has lived for generations, she learns about a past that sounds like something out of a fairytale, complete with a Black king and queen who live in a forest, and the villains who threaten them.

But Nikki will find that this story has real-life consequences that have yet to be resolved. This tale also offers richly textured descriptions of the Blue Ridge Mountains, moving stories of loyalty, and a rather complicated romance. —Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake and the forthcoming Good Dirt

Jodi Picoult recommends ‘The Love Haters’ by Katherine Center

Katherine Center is the balm we need in the world right now. Her new book, The Love Haters, made me laugh out loud and escape just as her novels always do. But this one has a more serious vein at its core: the reminder that if we want someone to love us, we need to first love ourselves — in all our glorious, messy, beautiful incarnations. — Jodi Picoult, author of By Any Other Name

Rachel Khong recommends ‘Awake in the Floating City’ by Susanna Kwan

Set in a not-so-distant future San Francisco drowned by rain, Awake in the Floating City by Susanna Kwan is one of the most beautiful books I’ve read in recent years. In it, an artist named Bo becomes a caretaker to a 130-year-old woman named Mia. This is a book about making art and loving a dying city.

It’s also about remembering people and places, what we owe each other, and so much more, all rendered in gorgeous, patient prose. I’ll be recommending this book far and wide when it publishes in May. — Rachel Khong, author of Real Americans

Kennedy Ryan recommends ‘Gold Coast Dilemma’ by Nana Malone

I couldn’t put Gold Coast Dilemma down — it’s Crazy Rich Asians meets Ghanaian high society, packed with breathtaking traditions, scandalous secrets and unapologetic opulence. Nana Malone has been a favorite of mine for years, and this new book weaves a story so vivid and glamorous, it feels like you’re right there in the heart of it all! — Kennedy Ryan, author of Reel and Can’t Get Enough

Tahereh Mafi recommends ‘Say You’ll Remember Me’ by Abby Jimenez

I’m really looking forward to Abby Jimenez’s Say You’ll Remember Me. Abby writes love stories with the kind of depth and nuance that rings true, and though her stories are layered with pain, they always deliver relief. I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next. — Tahereh Mafi, author of Shatter Me

Sadeqa Johnson recommends ‘People of Means’ by Nancy Johnson

People of Means left me breathless! A beautifully crafted story rife with struggle, intrigue and the sheer determination to achieve and hold on to the American dream with pose and dignity. Nancy Johnson has a knack for layering the complexities of class and culture while shining a light on a little piece of history with sound details, vivid imagery and the indomitable spirit of women strong enough to answer a higher calling, even when it means risking it all.

I loved getting to know Tulip and Freda and the other beautiful characters in this story. The historical details were stellar, especially the scenes with the Pullman Porters. The story had an exciting pace and, even with the dual timelines, I was able to follow the characters with ease. The scene that won’t leave my head is when the white man pretends to help Gerald and then rubs motor oil on his clean white shirt. Profound and sharp, this sophomore novel is a delight. — Sadeqa Johnson, author of The House of Eve

Amy Poeppel recommends ‘Jane and Dan at the End of the World’ by Colleen Oakley

One part thriller, one part family drama with a hefty dash of comedy: Jane and Dan at the End of the World might just be the perfect read. A romantic anniversary dinner goes spectacularly awry — in ways you will never see coming — in Colleen Oakley’s exciting new novel. I could not put this book down! — Amy Poeppel, author of The Sweet Spot and Far and Away

Denise Williams recommends ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’ by Allison Ashley

Allison Ashley writes love stories you’ll feel in your soul and If Tomorrow Never Comes is a perfect example of her ability to take readers on a thrilling rollercoaster ride of emotions from the first buds of attraction through characters falling in love so deeply, you’ll feel like you’re careening through the loops and sharp drops with them.

This book takes a topic that is harrowing for so many — a cancer diagnosis and the need for a stem cell transplant — and builds a life-affirming and empowering story about the power of choosing happiness for oneself. Prepare to cry, laugh, blush a little and smile a lot. — Denise Williams, author of The Fastest Way to Fall and Just Our Luck

Becky Albertalli recommends ‘The Queen’s Spade’ by Sarah Raughley

I haven’t stopped thinking about The Queen’s Spade since I read it. Sarah Raughley doesn’t pull a single punch with this book — it’s both raw and emotionally precise, tapping into truths that feel more relevant by the day. It’s legitimately one of the most cathartic reading experiences I’ve ever had. — Becky Albertalli author and Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens AgendaAmelia, If Only

J. Courtney Sullivan recommends ‘Sleep’ by Honor Jones

Sleep, the debut novel by Honor Jones, had me hooked from page one. Margaret, the book’s protagonist, is navigating life after divorce, and raising two little girls while also excavating a dark chapter of her own girlhood. The writing is brilliant and beautiful. You won’t want to put this one down. — J. Courtney Sullivan, author of The Cliffs