2025 has been an incredible year for romance. With so many amazing new books delivering swoon-worthy couples and stories that linger long after the final page, choosing the best of the year is always a difficult decision. Whether you’re in the mood for a tear-jerking slow burn that’s going to get you deep in your feels or a laugh-out-loud rom-com, these are the romances that readers couldn’t stop talking about (we couldn’t either, honestly).

This year, the winner of the She Reads Best Romance of 2025 Award is: 

Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt

Wren and Ellis Byrd’s love story has been unconventional from the very beginning. The two fell in love when they were kids, had their son when they were teenagers, and married young. Fast forward, their love for one another wasn’t enough, and the two ended up divorced by the time they were in their 30s. It’s not exactly how either of them pictured their lives going. As the two prepare to send their son, Sam, to college, Ellis convinces Wren to go on a road trip back to the town that started their love story—Spunes, Oregon—to give their relationship one last shot. Can they leave their past in the past, or is it destined to haunt them and keep them apart forever?

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon 

And don’t miss out on the rest of our favorite romance reads from 2025!

First Time Caller by B.K. Borison

In this Sleepless in Seattle-inspired rom-com, Aidan Valentine, the host of Baltimore’s famous romance hotline, Heartstrings, has fallen out of love with the idea of love. For anyone else, this wouldn’t be a problem. But when you’re hosting a show all about dating advice, the host becoming a cynic about love poses a big problem. But when a young girl calls in for advice on her mom, the interview goes viral, putting the show and Lucie Stone, the young girl’s mother, in the spotlight. The entire city wants her to find love. What they don’t see is the sparks flying between Lucie and Aidan behind the scenes.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon 

One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

We all fell in love with Charlie Florek in Every Summer After, so it’s no surprise that this one made the list. When Alice’s grandmother falls and breaks her hip (while Alice simultaneously questions everything she’s doing with her life), she decides that the two need a trip back to Barry’s Bay. She may have only visited once when she was younger, but a photo of three mysterious teenagers she took all those years ago sparks her inspiration, leading the two back to the lake house she enjoyed then. What she doesn’t expect is Charlie, one of the boys in the photo she took. He’s ridiculously good-looking, naturally flirtatious, and reignites Alice’s passion for life. Alice has spent her entire life seeing other people, but this summer may just be the first time someone sees her right back.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon 

Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Samantha isn’t looking for love. Her family is in crisis, and maintaining a relationship would be impossible. So when she meets Xavier Rush, she wants to push him away, which is much easier said than done. He’s attractive, a vet, and super easy to talk to. After one seemingly endless date, Samantha begs him to forget about her and the incredible time they spent. The only problem is that no amount of distance or time is enough for them to forget about their connection.

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Not Safe For Work by Nisha J. Tuli

Engineer Trishara Malik has been dealing with nepotism and white male privilege in the field for years. So when the promotion that she’s been dreaming about for years is given to her nemesis, Rafe Gallagher, who also happens to be the boss’s son, she’s not all that surprised. However, she is surprised when she’s offered the chance to attend the company’s corporate leadership retreat in Hawaii. Three weeks in paradise and the opportunity to revive her stalled career? A dream come true. The only downside is that Rafe is her co-attendee, and a booking error has them sharing the honeymoon suite. After years of competing with one another, Tris slowly comes to learn that maybe Rafe isn’t the villain she thought he was all along.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon 

Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan

Hendrix Barry is doing it all. She has a thriving career in entertainment, an incredible group of friends, and she’s super close with her loving family. Yet in the midst of it all, she’s facing her toughest challenge yet: caring for an aging parent. With so much going on, she doesn’t have time for a relationship. But when she meets Maverick Bell, the impeccably dressed tech mogul, she finally feels like she’s met her match. The only problem is that he is the only person she can’t have if she wants to keep her goals on track. As the saying goes, though, the forbidden fruit is always the juiciest.

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The Broposal by Sonora Reyes

Everyone in Kenny and Alejandro’s lives thinks that it’s about time for them to tie the knot, especially after they announce their engagement. What they don’t know is that the two have been faking it the entire time in hopes of getting Alejandro a green card. The two have been best friends since second grade, so it only makes sense that they spend the rest of their lives together…as friends. Or at least that’s what they tell themselves as the undeniable chemistry between them begins to grow hotter. With all eyes on the couple, including a meddling ex and an immigration officer, will they make it down the aisle for real, or will the entire plan crash and burn and leave them separated for good?

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Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood

Maya Killgore has always had a crush on her brother’s older best friend, but he’s made it very clear that it would never work between them. The power is too imbalanced. But when fate brings the two together on a trip to Taormina for her brother’s wedding, the two are stuck in a romantic villa together for over a week. While enjoying the beautiful views, the incredible food, the ancient sites, and the chaos of the destination wedding, Maya decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs, even if it is a little problematic.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon 

Dream On, Ramona Riley by Ashley Herring Blake

Ramona Riley had big dreams of becoming a Hollywood costume designer and was doing everything she could to get there—including attending a prestigious art school. But when her father gets into a bad car accident, she returns home to New Hampshire to help take care of her younger sister. Fast forward twelve years, and Ramona is still in Clover Lake, working at the small town’s café, and she has all but given up on her dream. That is, until a big-budget movie comes to town to film. She can’t help but wonder if this is a sign from the universe to try again. There’s just one problem. The star happens to be her first kiss, Dylan Monroe. As the two spend more time together, feelings ignite, and they must decide if the budding romance between them is a dream worth chasing.

Buy the book now: Bookshop.org | Amazon