It’s all about love 

There’s something undeniably magical about getting lost in a love story—grinning like a fool at odd hours or shedding a tear or two. It’s the anticipation of that first kiss, the delicious tension of enemies becoming lovers, the comfort of watching two souls find their way back to each other despite impossible odds. Romance books permit us to believe in happily ever afters, to feel deeply and to escape into worlds where love always finds a way.

This year has blessed us with an extraordinary collection of romance books that span every flavour of the genre. From sun-drenched summer flings in lakeside towns to forbidden attractions that blur every moral line—2025’s romance lineup is nothing short of spectacular.

So pour yourself a glass of wine, sink into your favourite reading nook, and prepare to fall in love—these are the romance books that made 2025 unforgettable. You can even spot some of the BAZAAR’s team top picks for the year. 

Here are the best romance books of 2025: 

Deep End 

Ali Hazelwood

Exploring new horizons, the best-selling author of The Love Hypothesis debuts her first-ever sports romance with Deep End. Following a competitive diver and an ace swimmer—Scarlett Vandermeer and Lukas Blomqvist—the two friends enter into a friend-with-benefits arrangement to whet and sate their unique appetite for sex. But, as secrets unravel and the pressure to make it in the Olympics heats up, so does their fling—Scarlett must tread the waters carefully now when it comes to her heart.

This book absolutely consumed me—it’s the kind of story that refuses to leave your system, the kind that has you flipping back to devour your favourite chapters over and over like you’re chasing a high. The angst? Chef’s kiss. It’s the delicious, aching kind that sits heavy in your throat and makes your heart clench in the best possible way. But can we talk about Lukas for a moment? Because this man’s yearning—the way he pined for her—god, it was palpable and so visceral, you could feel his desire in your bones. I was practically giddy turning each page, drunk on the exquisite torture of watching him want her so desperately.

Syameen Salehaldin, Lifestyle Director

One Golden Summer

Carley Fortune 

With terribly cute banter and a whimsical lake house, One Golden Summer is the perfect summer read. Set at Barry’s Bay, the book follows Charlie Florek as he crashes Alice Everly’s life—a photographer who doesn’t like the spotlight. Not anticipating the shameless flirt, Alice finds herself flustered and unsure of her life and what her heart truly wants, especially after meeting someone who sees her for who she is. But as she falls for Charlie, he’s doing everything he can to create a barrier between them.

It was hard to get over One Golden Summer once I was done reading. Charlie and Alice’s story was hauntingly beautiful and perfectly breathed the essence of summer. It had everything I wanted in a book: love, growth and laughter.

Amalina Anuar, Digital Director

King of Envy

Ana Huang

Ana Huang can do no wrong, and it’s evident in King of Envy. The book follows Vuk Markovic, a reclusive billionaire with no interest in relationships until he meets supermodel Ayana Kidane—the object of his obsession. The worst part of it all? Ayana is engaged to one of New York’s most eligible bachelors, one of his friends. As their forbidden connection deepens, they must navigate the chaos of her upcoming wedding and the dangerous secrets from Vuk’s past that threaten to destroy them both. Once you’re caught in the heat of this story, there’s no escaping the magnetic pull of forbidden love and intense envy.

As a long-time fan of Ana Huang’s King of Sin series, I’d been eagerly awaiting the release of King of Envy—and it did not disappoint. I’m a complete sucker for an enemies-to-lovers arc, especially the kind that keeps you holding your breath until the very last pages, and Vuk and Ayana’s dynamic delivers exactly that. Their story is turbulent, steamy and irresistibly tense, with a few unexpected moments of warmth woven into the chaos of the finale. It’s those little surprises that made the ending land even harder for me.

Alisha Azuddin, Beauty Director

The Conditions of Will

Jessa Hastings 

A complex story about toxic familial relationships, religion and love, The Conditions of Will touches on heavy, uncomfortable topics but in a deep, mature and beautiful way. The book follows Georgia Carter, who returns home for her father’s funeral and finds herself tangled in a forbidden attraction to Sam Penny, her brother’s AA sponsor. As hidden truths emerge from her father’s will, Georgia must navigate the tension between family loyalty and a growing connection with Sam. With secrets threatening to tear them apart, Georgia needs to decide whether she’s willing to sacrifice everything to be selfishly happy.

If It Makes You Happy 

Julie Olivia 

Think of falling rusted leaves, the buttery waft of kouign amann and a beautiful, white inn in Vermont—if that makes you happy, then this is the book for you. If It Makes You Happy follows Michelle Cadell as she leaves her old life behind to take over her mom’s bed and breakfast after her unexpected death. After a divorce, Michelle hopes to heal and retune her life, but when her next-door neighbour, Cliff Burke—a single dad with two daughters—comes barrelling in with his good looks, humour and tasty pastries, her heart can’t decide whether to stay or leave the only man that could make her heart pitter-patter. Fans of Gilmore Girls will love this one!

Breathe With Me

Becka Mack

A book that altered our brain chemistry—heartwrenching and complex—Breathe With Me is the final book in Becka Mack’s Playing For Keeps series. The book follows Cara Hunter and her husband, Emmett Brodie—a prominent hockey player—struggling with infertility and retaining a strong foundation of love when heartbreak keeps knocking on their door. A deeply emotional book about loss, love and found family, this book will break but heal you too. 

Overruled 

Lana Ferguson

A push-and-pull romance until the very end, Overruled is an enemies-to-lovers story that follows Danica Pierce, who will do anything to make partner—even going against Ezra Hart, the man she’s sleeping with and hates to the core. But, when battling each other in the courtroom gets Danica and Ezra get closer together, they must choose between falling for each other or being each other’s worst enemy. 

Say You’ll Remember Me

Abby Jiminez 

Abby Jiminez is one of those authors; if she writes it, we will read it. A familiar favourite for romance readers, the author of Just For The Summer redefined our views on life with this heartwrenching book about sacrifices, love and family. Masterfully illustrating the realities of losing a loved one, Say You’ll Remember Me follows Samantha, who is forced to push Xavier Rush away—her near-perfect guy—due to a family crisis. She begs him to forget her, but neither time nor distance can erase the undeniable chemistry between them after their first date.

First-Time Caller 

B.K. Borison 

Inspired by Sleepless in Seattle, this romantic comedy follows Lucie Stone, a hopeless romantic who meets a jaded radio host, Aiden Valentine, when her daughter calls the station for dating advice for her mom. When the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Lucie together, they begin to question love and what it means to have a happily ever after when sparks ignite between them. If you love slow-burning romance, then you’ll devour this. 

Problematic Summer Romance

Ali Hazelwood

Another summer romance to add to your list, Problematic Summer Romance sees Maya Killgore getting stuck in a romantic Sicilian villa with her brother’s grumpy best friend, Conor Harkness—her crush and a man who’s 15 years older—for her brother’s wedding. Between wedding festivities, seaside views and a yearning man who has put himself off limits to her, spending time together opened more wounds, fracturing their already broken relationship. But, as the tides change, and so do feelings, Maya and Conor must decide whether loving each other is worth everything.

Promise Me Sunshine

Cara Bastone

The author of Ready or Not, Cara Bastone, is going to make you weep, laugh and love all at once. Tenderly written, Promise Me Sunshine illustrates grieving and loving someone even when things get muddled and hard. The book follows Lenny, whose life is turned upside down after losing her best friend, Lou, to cancer. But when she meets a grumpy stranger who swears he can help her live again, Lenny’s heart starts beating again. This heartwarming, slow-burning and friends-to-lovers romance is like a warm hug with every page.

Beautiful Venom

Rina Kent

Coughing up another dark romance up her sleeve, Rina Kent debuted her hockey romance series this year, and it’s overflowing with toxicness, spice and fun. Beautiful Venom sees Dahlia Thorne seeking revenge against those who destroyed her life, and her only lead? It’s the Vipers, an elite college hockey team. To infiltrate their secret society, she targets Kane Davenport, the team’s hot, charismatic captain. However, she soon realises that Kane is not the weak link she anticipated but the most dangerous predator of them all. From forbidden attraction to risque scenes and an obsessed man, you’ll devour this in one sitting.

Your Knife, My Heart

K.M. Moronova

A dose of endorphins—Your Knife, My Heart is a deadly, chaotic and irresistible military romance with a dark, grim tone. Set in a military boot camp, Emery Maves must sharpen her claws and protect her life after being forced to be in the violent world of military operations. But, when she’s partnered up with Cameron Mortem—a ruthless, clinically insane and most lethal asset in the Dark Forces, she must resist the pull of him. What she doesn’t know is that Cameron always kills his partner, and his mission this time around is not to kill her.

All The Missing Pieces

Catherine Cowles

An expert in melding true crime and small-town romance, author Catherine Cowles gave us an adrenaline-pumping romance that left us speechless. The book follows Ridley Sawyer, a true crime podcaster who covers cold cases all over the country, until Sheriff Coulter Brooks gets in her way, when she ends up in his town. But, when Ridley gets in trouble, Colt unexpectedly becomes her guard dog and surprises him with her true self—propelling him into liking her more than he expected.