It’s that time of year again where I reveal my best books of 2025! As always, these are my favorite, or most memorable, books that I read in the year 2025 – not necessarily books that were published in the year. 2025 was also filled with more bookish excitement that I’ll share about below. Scroll through to read my 15 most memorable books I read this year (in no particular order). Each book contains a link where you can buy it online. It is linked to Bookshop.org, an alternative to the website-that-shall-not-be-named, where you can buy online and support local bookstores.
My 15 Most Memorable Books of 2025
Ordinary Time: Lessons Learned While Staying Put by Annie B. Jones
Description from the book: “In Ordinary Time, Annie challenges the idea that loud lives matter most. Rummaging through her small-town existence, she finds hidden gifts of humor and hope from a life lived quietly. Staying, can itself be a radical act. It takes courage to stay in the places we’ve always called home, Annie argues, as she paints a portrait of possibility far away from thriving metropolises and Monica Gellar-inspired apartments. We’ve long been encouraged to follow our dreams, to pack up and move to new places and leave old lives—and past selves—behind. While there is beauty in these kinds of adventures, Ordinary Time helps us see ourselves right where we are: in the middle of messy, mundane lives, maybe not too far from where we grew up. We don’t have to leave to find what we yearn—we can choose to stay, celebrating and honoring our ordinary lives, which might turn out to be bigger and better than we ever imagined.”
Why I loved this book: I have been following the author, Annie, for quite some time now on Instagram and through her podcast, From the Front Porch. She is the owner of a bookstore in Thomasville, GA and the podcast is a place where she, her staff, family, and friends recap what they’re reading. She is a self-proclaimed, modern day, Kathleen Kelly. When I heard she was writing a memoir, I was so excited to get it in my hands. She details her ordinary life, being a boss, running the bookstore, deconstructing and finding faith, navigating expectations, and the beauty of small town life. I found this book relatable and poignant. It encouraged me to loosen expectations in life, be grateful for small things, sit on my swing more, and remember the beauty of laying down roots and finding community right where you are. This is written in short, digestible essays with such distinct voice. It feels like Annie is sitting next to you having a nice chat on the porch. I highly recommend.
The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson
Description from the book: “Daphne Brink doesn’t follow baseball, but watching “America’s Snoozefest” certainly beats sitting at home in the days after she signs her divorce papers. After one too many ballpark beers, she heckles Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler, who quickly proves there might actually be a little crying in baseball. Horrified, Daphne reaches out to Chris on social media to apologize . . . but forgets to identify herself as his heckler in her message.
Chris doesn’t usually respond to random fans on social media, but he’s grieving and fragile after an emotionally turbulent few months. When a DM from “Duckie” catches his eye, he impulsively messages back. Duckie is sweet, funny, and seems to understand him in a way no one else does.
Daphne isn’t sure how much longer she can keep lying to Chris, especially as she starts working with the team in real life and their feelings for each other deepen. When he finds out the truth, will it be three strikes, she’s out?”
Why I loved this book: As a person who loves baseball, I was intrigued a the idea of a player falling in love with a heckler (not really a spoiler, cuz every romance has a happily-ever-after, of course). I listened to this on audio at the beginning of 2025 and it was such a fun read! The behind the scenes baseball aspects were exciting to me and the personal things each character had to overcome made me root for this. Highly recommend if you’re a baseball fan or not.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
On a completely different note, this book, while not always an enjoyable reading experience, was certainly one of my most memorable books of the year.
Description from the book: “Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, Demon Copperhead is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. Relayed in his own unsparing voice, Demon braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, addiction, disastrous loves, and crushing losses. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.”
Why I loved this book: So many thoughts and so many feelings…. How do I feel about this book? There were many moments where it just all felt like too much and I was ready for it to be over. The devastation was brutal and relentless and I had to put the book down to come up for air. On the other side of that coin, I couldn’t stop reading because I had to find out what happened to Demon and all the characters next. This was incredibly well written even if it wasn’t always an enjoyable reading experience. You’ll root for Demon, you’ll want him to make better choices, but at the end, you’ll just want to give him a hug. I do recommend, but the reading experience is devestating.
Miss You by Kate Eberlen
Description from the book: “TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.” Tess can’t get the motto from her mother’s kitchen knickknack out of her head, even though she’s in Florence on an idyllic vacation before starting university in London.
Gus is also visiting Florence, on a holiday with his parents seven months after tragedy shattered their lives. Headed to medical school in London, he’s trying to be a dutiful son but longs to escape and discover who he really is.
A chance meeting brings these eighteen-year-olds together for a brief moment—the first of many times their paths will crisscross as time passes and their lives diverge from those they’d envisioned. Over the course of the next sixteen years, Tess and Gus will face very different challenges and choices. Separated by distance and circumstance, the possibility of these two connecting once more seems slight.
But while fate can separate two people, it can also bring them back together again. . . .”
Why I loved this book: I went into this book truly not knowing much about it. I have found that having experiences like that in my reading life usually bring the most exciting results. This book has been labeled as a romance on some sites and, while there are romantic elements, I would not classify this as a romance. The story follows Gus and Tess in their separate lives. A sweeping novel where the reader stays with the characters for years upon years is one of my favorite tropes. If you enjoy that type of novel, I think you’ll like one. To me this book is less about Tess and Gus finding each other, and more about the two of them individually and the path their lives took before they finally intersect. The dynamic the two characters have with their families really interested me; the choices they chose not to make and their reasoning behind them, and the Europe-of-it-all. This is lighthearted yet heartfelt. I recommend for fans of JoJo Moyes.
Heartwood by Amity Gaige
Description from the book: “In the heart of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker goes missing. She is forty-two-year-old Valerie Gillis, who has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping.
At the heart of the investigation is Beverly, the determined Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding Valerie, who leads the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, becomes an unexpected armchair detective. Roving between these compelling narratives, a puzzle emerges, intensifying the frantic search, as Valerie’s disappearance may not be accidental.”
Why I loved this book: After reading the literary thriller, God of the Woods, last year, I wanted to give another book in that genre a try. I don’t read too many thrillers nowadays, but literary thrillers seem to be right up my alley. Suspense and intrigue while also getting into the hearts, minds, and motivations of the characters. This book was a pleasant surprise. I typically trust Read with Jenna picks so I read this one on a chance, trusting that. I really enjoyed the setting and the fact that I could never quite tell who the “bad guy” might be. The different perspectives were really intriguing too – I especially liked getting Valerie (the lost hiker’s) perspective and the inward dialogue she has with her mother and the reflections she has while spending time in the wild. If you enjoyed God of the Woods, I think you’ll like this one too. This book isn’t as fast or “plotty” as that one, but is an enjoyable mystery all the same.
The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
An extra fun tidbit about my reading experience with this book..I read this for the panel I moderated at the Tucson Festival of Books in March 2025. Meeting Marjan Kamali was such a joy! My book club read her previous novel, The Stationary Shop in 2023 and it was featured in my best books of that year. Scroll to the bottom of this post to see photos and read more about that experience…
Description from the book: “In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams for a friend to alleviate her isolation.
Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions of becoming “lion women.”
But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives.
Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences.”
Why I loved this book: For many of the same reasons why I loved The Stationary Shop, but this novel centers around friendships and its enduring qualities while the former is more about a couple. Kamali writes such brave, layered characters. She writes women who make mistakes, grow, grieve and forgive. Plus her descriptions of food are always drool-inducing. As historical fiction novels, I always learn a lot about Iranian history which I really appreciate. Her books are always beautiful and heartbreaking so be prepared with tissues. Highly recommend!
Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Description from the book: “Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, but their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth’s brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn’t realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives. For the dog belonged to none other than Gabriel Wolfe, the man Beth loved as a teenager—the man who broke her heart years ago. Gabriel has returned to the village with his young son Leo, a boy who reminds Beth very much of her own son, who died in a tragic accident. As Beth is pulled back into Gabriel’s life, tensions around the village rise and dangerous secrets and jealousies from the past resurface, this time with deadly consequences. Beth is forced to make a choice between the woman she once was, and the woman she has become.”
Why I loved this book: Like Heartwood, this book also felt like a genre-bender. Combining mystery, romance, and historical fiction. I first heard about this book on my favorite bookish podcast, What Should I Read Next. This author is so skilled in writing about devastating circumstances and characters making bad decisions without making it so black and white. We read this for my book club and had a great discussion about the choices the main character made and why we agreed/disagreed or understood why she made them. If you’re into any of the above genres and want a fast paced, can’t-put-down read that breaks your heart and puts it back together, pick this up!
We All Live Here by JoJo Moyes
Description from the book: “Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Her career is in freefall and her love life is . . . complicated. So when her real dad—a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago—suddenly appears on her doorstep, it feels like the final straw. But it turns out even the family you thought you could never forgive might have something to teach you: about love, and what it actually means to be family.”
Why I loved this book: give me a big, chaotic family all living under one roof any day! This book, while very similar to many other books I’ve loved, was charming nonetheless! I might confuse it’s plot with an Amy Poeppel or Abbi Waxman novel, but I just don’t care! I love chaotic family novels where all the characters are grappling with big and hard life choices but there’s still so much humor and heart. This book is perfect if you need something lighthearted where characters overcome difficult circumstances and still retain their humor and love for each other.
It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
Description from the book: “Jane Jackson spent her adolescence as “Poor Janey Jakes,” the barbecue-sauce-in-her-braces punch line on America’s fifth-favorite sitcom. Now she’s trying to be taken seriously as a Hollywood studio executive by embracing 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 claimed that she could get mega popstar Jack Quinlan to write a song for the movie. 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, and Dan has an in. A week in close quarters with Dan as she faces down her past is Jane’s idea of hell, but he just might surprise her. While covering up her lie, can they find something true?”
Why I loved this book: Annabel Monaghan did it again! This is up there with Nora Goes Off Script for me. Both of the main characters and their flaws felt real and relatable. I appreciated that their growth did not depend on each other, but that they inspired the other to grow. One aspect of this book that really made it a stand-out to me was the big family dynamic. Jane, the female protagonist, goes to stay with Dan’s large family filled with loud, rambunctious brothers and their wives and kids. The fact that falling in love with Dan’s family is a way that draws Jane in was really sweet. The buildup of their love story and their chemistry was A+. It makes for a great summer (or anytime) read!
Awake by Jen Hatmaker
Description from the book: “At 2:30 a.m. on July 11, 2020, Jen Hatmaker woke up to her husband of twenty-six years whispering in his phone to another woman from their bed. It was the end of life as she knew it. In the months that followed, she went from being a shiny, funny, popular leader to a divorced wreck on antidepressants and antianxiety meds, parenting five kids alone with no clue about the functioning of her own bank accounts. Having led millions of women for over a decade—urging them to embrace authenticity, find radical agency, and create healthy relationship—she felt like a catastrophic failure.
In Awake, Jen shares for the first time what happened when she found herself completely lost at sea—and how she made it to shore. In candid, surprisingly funny vignettes spanning forty years of girlhood, marriage, and parenting, Jen lays bare the disorienting upheaval of midlife—the implosion of a marriage, the unraveling of religious and cultural systems, and the grief that accompanies change you didn’t ask for. And, drawing on all resources—from without and within—Jen dares to question the systems beneath the whole house of cards, and to reckon with the myths, half-truths, and lies that brought her to this point.”
Why I loved this book: While this book does start with Jen’s divorce, this memoir is about so much more than that. I listed to this on audio through the Libby app and was captivated by Jen’s voice and narration style. It felt like sitting with a dear friend as she shared with you and encouraged you. As some who is a Christian and does have a background in Church culture, much of Jen’s story was relatable. While I didn’t grow up Evangelical, I could still relate to some of the cultural difficulties she shared. Most of all, I connect with Jen’s description of the beauty of community and how life-giving it is when community surrounds you in your times of need. Reading about her healing was beautiful and encouraged me in my own as well. This was a 5-star read for me!
The Favorites by Layne Fargo
Description from the book: “She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.
Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.
As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story” through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she can’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.”
Why I loved this book: This book was a whirlwind! It was probably one of my favorite books of the year because of how propulsive it was – I simply could not put it down! Many are comparing this book to recent novels by Taylor Jenkins Reid, and I would have to agree. This book gave me an opportunity to be immersed in a time period much like TJR does for her readers. It also gave me the opportunity to learn about a subject matter – olympic ice skating – that I didn’t really know that much about. The drama and intrigue made it super compelling and the throwback music and cultural references from the 90s and early 2000s were a real treat. If you want a fast paced, page turner that feels like a reality TV show, pick this one up!
Far and Away by Amy Poeppel
Description from the book: “Perfect strangers Lucy and Greta have agreed to a house swap—and boy, are they going to regret it. Lucy’s hometown of Dallas has gone from home sweet home to vicious snake pit in the blink of an eye after her son makes a mistake he can’t undo. And Greta’s beloved flat in Berlin is suddenly up for grabs when her husband Otto takes a dream job in Texas without even telling her. In their rush to leave town, Lucy and Greta make a deal, pack their bags, and—thanks to martinis, desperation, and some very rusty German—have absolutely no idea what they’re getting themselves into.”
Why I loved this book: What a unique concept this was! I loved this idea of the “house swap.” It definitely reminded me of the movie, The Holiday, in that sense, but wasn’t a romance. I loved the two distinct POVs of Lucy and Greta. They each had a unique voice and I enjoyed following their stories and their families and relationships. Amy Poeppel is so skilled at writing about families going through crises while still imbuing the stories with humor and heart – my favorite kind of book! The settings of Dallas and Berlin were really fun to explore and I loved seeing how this all tied together. Highly recommend if you need a fast paced, lighthearted read!
The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover
Description from the book: “Louisa Walsh emerged from a tumultuous childhood with a degree in counseling, a wealthy boyfriend, and her sunny outlook on life mostly intact. But that optimism is tested when she’s dumped and left unable to afford rent on their gorgeous house in the mountains of Colorado. Even with her life in disarray, Lou knows losing the one stable place she’s ever called home is not an option.
Her plan: ask her reclusive landlord, Henry Rhodes, to let her stay for free in exchange for renting out the house’s many rooms as a bed-and-breakfast. She’s shocked when he agrees to her terms, and even more surprised to discover Henry is a handsome thirtysomething veterinarian with silver at his temples and sadness in his eyes. One who does not take it well when Lou starts marketing her B and B as a retreat for the recently heartbroken.”
Why I loved this book: This book was such a wonderful surprise. I really hadn’t heard of it until I opened my Book of the Month app (more about this app below). This was the perfect novel for the type of reader I am – someone who enjoys a heartfelt story, some romance peppered in, and enjoys reading about characters who overcome hard things with the help of community along the way. I don’t think I need to say much more than that! I appreciated that the female main character, in the quest to find meaning in her own life, brings healing and joy to all those she interacts with. The result is a beautiful “found family” love story. I even recommended this to my therapist who loved it too – ha!
Is She Really Going Out with Him? by Sophie Cousens
Description from the book: “Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children.
From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters, the mailman, and even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take another chance on love?”
What I loved about this book: I keep a long list of lighthearted romance holds on my Libby app. Those are the exact types of books I enjoy listening to while driving. This novel by Sophie Cousens, like many others this year, was a lovely surprise! While it is a romance, it’s not steamy or super focused on the romantic connection of the two main characters, and it’s more about Anna’s journey in dating after a painful divorce. I love the idea of her kids (written very well) picking out people for their mom to go out with and then writing about it in her column. It felt very reminiscent of How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days except with less deception. I listened to this on audio and the narrator, Kerry Gilbert, does a great job. The narrator can truly make or break an audiobook experience! I’ve recommended this to lots of gals in my book club and they all enjoyed it too!
Buckeye by Patrick Ryan
Description from the book: “One town. Two families. A secret that changes everything. In Bonhomie, Ohio, a stolen moment of passion, sparked in the exuberant aftermath of the Allied victory in Europe, binds Cal Jenkins, a man wounded not in war but by his inability to serve in it, to Margaret Salt, a woman trying to obscure her past. Cal’s wife, Becky, has a spiritual gift: She is a seer who can conjure the dead, helping families connect with those they’ve lost. Margaret’s husband, Felix, is serving on a Navy cargo ship, out of harm’s way—until a telegram suggests that the unthinkable might have happened.”
Why I loved this book: This was my last book of the year and I’m thrilled that I went out with a bang! My husband, Caleb, and I went away to a cabin for Christmas and I read this whole book on our trip. It was the perfect cozy read (though it was all kinds of beautiful and heartbreaking). As I’ve said in other book descriptions, I love novels that take the reader on a journey throughout the entirety, or decades, of the characters’ lives. I love seeing characters grow and change as the years pass and I love being able to see how their decisions affect themselves and their families years down the line. That’s exactly the experience of this book. I have been hearing raves about it from many bookish outlets, and I’m happy to say that, for me, it lived up to the hype. I was thrilled to see Book of the Month offer this as an end-of-the-year pick as my library hold list on this book was incredibly long. Highly recommend if you love family dramas or historical fiction.
Other Bookish Delights of 2025
-Hosting my fourth year of book club with these wonderful ladies! In the beginning of December I hosted our holiday gathering at our new house. We discussed the novel The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow, exchanged gifts, and had our yearly white elephant book exchange. I’m continually grateful for this group and the joy it brings me all year round!
-For the third year in a row, I moderated a panel at the Tucson Festival of Books! This has become a yearly excitement that brings me a ton of joy! Getting to meet and highlight these authors, discuss their books with them, and ask them thought provoking questions is just so much fun! This year my panel included authors Daniel Lavery, Marjan Kamali, and Jessica Elisheva Emerson. Many of my book club members came to support me! I will be participating in the 2026 Tucson Festival of Books and I have set aside the whole weekend to enjoy the festival! View some photos from the 2025 festival below.
-The last bookish event of the year was a very fun surprise and check off my bucket list! I was a guest on my favorite reading podcast, What Should I Read Next! My episode was about bookish gift giving and I asked Anne for recommendations for some of my book club friends. It was such a joy to talk to Anne and hear the episode in its completion. It was awesome to not only share the episode with my friends and book club members, but to share the recommendations with them too! You can listen to the episode on the website here or on any podcast hosting device of your choice. It’s under What Should I Read Next, episode 502 “Choosing book gifts your friends will love.”
Thank you for reading!! I hope you find a book or two that you enjoy! As always, please tell me if you try a book I recommended – I always love to hear. Lastly, as you can tell many of the books I read this year are from the monthly book subscription service, Book of the Month. It’s a monthly book subscription service where you choose from 5-7 books each month and they’re delivered right to your door. It has exposed me to so many books I probably wouldn’t have picked up otherwise and contained five of my favorite books this year! If you’d like to give it a try, I have a referral code you can use here where you can join for $5.
Thank you for reading! If you want even MORE book recomendations, check out my top 14 books of 2024 at this link.
