We have a fun announcement today! The New York Public Library has announced their Best New Romance List for 2025!
Not only do we have the complete list (see below) but I got to do a Q&A with Kate Fais, Young Adult Librarian at The New York Public Library’s Bloomingdale branch, and co-chair of the Best Romance List committee!
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How many folks at NYPL are involved in the creation of the list?
Kate: The Best New Romance List is created by 10 librarians who read upwards of 250 romance novels each year. Our committee spent countless hours reading, selecting, discussing, and putting together the Best New Romance List.
This is the third year we have created this more extensive Best New Romance list, which, by including 50 titles, represents a much more sweeping survey of the romance books published in a given year.
What are the goals for the Best New Romance List?
One of our main goals is to get people excited about reading.
The Best New Romance List is a resource for those—like me—who are already fans of the genre and are looking for their next pick, as well as for those who have never read a romance novel before and don’t know where to start. Especially at a time when the freedom to read is under threat, our Best Books Lists are an important resource that helps readers to discover new books.
It’s also a celebration of the diverse reading habits and interests of our patrons.
The titles can be found at nypl.org/romance and are available to check out at branches across the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and in many cases through the Library’s free e-reader app.
What titles are you most intrigued by?
The Best New Romance List reflects the diversity of the romance genre itself—readers can find titles across historical romance, sport romance, “romantasy,” and various sub-genres, such as monster, comedy, and Paranormal.
This year, I’m most intrigued by Rubber Duckie Shifter Next Door by Mia Harlan. It’s utterly bonkers, and incredibly sweet. Other titles I cannot stop thinking about are You Should Be So Lucky by Cat Sebastian, which is a queer, historical, mid-century baseball romance set in New York City.
Also, as this was my year to be besotted with baseball romances, the other one I’d love to recommend is The Prospects by KT Hoffman, which is such a celebration of queer, trans joy.
Why do a list of romances each year? Are they popular at NYPL?
Romance as a genre is booming in popularity; book sales for romance books reached an all-time high in 2023. Romance has continued to grow in popularity at The New York Public Library, just as it has nationally. This is due to more readers discovering the genre.
At the Library, romance is the second most popular genre among in terms of circulation (with mystery being first).
Academics have found that “leisure reading”—what we might call “quick” or “light” reads—is positively correlated with stress reduction, recovery from trauma, and other mental health improvements. The Library’s romance collection and Best New Romance list supports our mission in multiple ways: it engages and encourages adult readers, and it is also one of the ways we help support well-being in our community.
Do you have a favorite romance?
For right now? Bride by Ali Hazelwood.
Of all time? A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall.
What can patrons and people in the community do to better support The New York Public Library, and libraries in general?
I’d encourage your community to get a library card if they haven’t already, and visit their local library! Visit nypl.org/librarycard to get started.
If you live, work, attend school, or pay property taxes in New York State, you can access any of our 92 locations with our NYPL library card.
What are you reading right now (in any genre)?
As I’ve been battling Covid-19, I’ve had Temple of Swoon by Jo Segura on my nightstand. Once I’m fully recovered, I look forward to diving into this Indiana Jones-inspired romance that takes place deep in the Brazilian rainforest.
And, without further ado, here are the NYPL’s Best New Romance books!
What do you think of this list? What books are on your list of must-read romances in 2025?
I’m thrilled a major library system is doing this, but I’m also a bit baffled because many of these books were published in 2024 (perhaps earlier?). I’m thinking the librarians were using the word “new” as in “new-to-me” because it doesn’t matter when a book was published if someone hasn’t read it yet. As for me, When I compiled the list of books I’m most looking forward to in 2025, I was amazed at how many of them were second-chance m/m hockey romances—it must be a trend. My most anticipated releases of 2025 are:
Ari Baran’s GOALTENDER INTERFERENCE (January 7): a second-chance romance between two older MCs (one a retired hockey player, the other a hockey team captain). I’ve already read this one—and it became the first book of 2025 to go on my Favorite Reads of the Year list.
Sarina Bowen’s THE LAST GUY ON EARTH (March 4): another second-chance romance between hockey players who had a secret relationship 15 years before and now find themselves playing on the same team.
Rachel Reid’s THE SHOTS YOU TAKE (March 4): yet another second-chance hockey romance, this time between a retired player and a hockey superstar who were friends-with-benefits a decade ago. I loved Reid’s HEATED RIVALRY/THE LONG GAME and enjoyed most of the other books in her Game Changers series, but I was “meh” about her follow-up, TIME TO SHINE, so I’ve been a little concerned about this new one. However, those who’ve read the ARC are reporting really good things about THE SHOTS YOU TAKE, including that it’s just as good as HEATED RIVALRY—which would make it truly epic in my world!
Nicky James’s READING BETWEEN THE LINES (March 6) is the next book in her Shadowy Solutions romantic-suspense series in which two men (one a physically- and emotionally-scared taciturn private investigator and the other a bubbly and outgoing police records clerk) try to negotiate the minefield of their relationship while working together to solve possible crimes. In this latest installment, the guys look into the circumstances of the supposed accidental death of a teenager. I’m liking the Shadowy Solutions books even more than I liked James’s earlier Valor & Doyle series—and that’s saying a lot.
KD Casey’s BREAKOUT YEAR has no release date yet, but she mentioned it in the afterword to her recent paranormal UNWRITTEN RUNES. I consider Casey the go-to when it comes to m/m baseball romance, and I’m so excited to see a new book from her.
I love Kati Wilde—and, as a long-time fan, I know and accept that her release dates are often suggestions as opposed to actualities. After ONLY ONE BED finally arrived in January (and totally worth the wait!), Kati has a number of other upcoming books showing on her website but with no release dates yet. Here’s hoping some of them arrive in 2025: THE BEAST, THE ISLAND, and THE NIGHT (all part of a new romantasy series called Daughters of the Hunt), along with BORROWED BRIDE, which appears to be part of her long-running Dead Lands series. Any new book from Kati is a cause of rejoicing, so I will happily take whichever of her books she decides to release next.
And P.S.: totally agree about THE PROSPECTS. It was a marvelous book about baseball, love, and life. It made my Favorite Reads of 2024 list.
Ones in my pantheon: When I think of You, You Should Be So Lucky, Whenever You’re Ready, Wake Me Most Wickedly, Triple Sec, the Longs, The Houlton, Love Remedy (SO GOOD), The Bride and Birding with Benefits. The rest I’ve read and are just OK or are on my TBR.
Genuine question for those who enjoy(ed) Ali Hazlewood’s Bride. How long did it take to feel enjoyment? I’m not very far, but there are already elements that make me scream, “REALLY?” and that internal scream makes me want to quit, but I’m going to give it some more time. I’d love some… clarity for lack of a better term.
@Jill: I very much enjoyed Hazelwood’s Bride, and on reflection it was the beginning of Chapter 3 when things took off for me. A youngster appears in Misery’s path. The child’s perspective offers the first inroad into the shifters’ world along with a glimpse of humor and affection. Before too long Misery’s character is revealed to the shifters through her relationship to the child via a courageous act. It worked for me.
Love this list!
Here I was thinking that I read a lot of wide ranging romance titles, but I’ve only read three of these, and only one is currently on my TBR. I got some research to do
Holy cannoli, I read a lot and I’ve only read 8 of these. I don’t think I can cram any more reading time into my life without leaving my job. Hmm…
Both You Should Be So Lucky and The Prospects made me so incandescently happy, as a fan of both queer joy and baseball. I sorta get why all the hockey books are a thing, but I’ll eat up any baseball books – or soccer books, for that matter. Particularly if they feature queer couples. On that note, Cleat Cute by Meryl Wilsner was one of my favorites from last year.
In the past year, I’ve been veering more toward fantasy and fantasy romance or romantasy (as long as it’s not dark), and I don’t see much of that on this list. I’ve also been reading more historical romance than contemporary romance. I’m really surprised not to see Mimi Matthews on this list; I thought THE MUSE OF MAIDEN LANE was terrific.
For forthcoming books, WOOING THE WITCH QUEEN by Stephanie Burgis absolutely belongs on the list.
As for what is on the list, I very much enjoyed THE LOVE REMEDY by Elizabeth Everett (which is on the list), enough so that I’ll be seeking out her other books. THE WEDDING WITCH by Erin Sterling was fun. To be honest, I couldn’t get through THE ORNITHOLOGIST’S FIELD GUIDE TO LOVE, but that’s more because I wasn’t in the right mood for its madcap comedy when I tried reading it. I’m in dire need of laughter now, though, so I’ll probably try again.
Some of the historicals that I haven’t yet read are already my TBR list, and I’ll be adding several more. I think I’ll add HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM, too; it sounds fun.
I’ve only read one of these. My TBR IS 300 books long and only one is there….shit. RIP my free time.
[…] The New York Public Library’s Best New Romance List 2025 (SBTB) Sarah at Smart Bitches Trashy Books sat down with Kate Fais of the NYPL for a Q&A about their list of the best new romance books (mostly from 2024.) The article includes the full list of titles. […]