Best of the Year 2025

Since The Hope Chest Reviews is not dedicated to the latest book releases, the majority of the books on this list were not published in 2025. Instead the list is compiled from the books that were read and reviewed during the 2025 calendar year. If you would like to view our picks from past years, please visit the archive.

Author of the Year - Winner

Nalini Singh (4 - 4 ½ - 5 star reads this year)

Author of the Year - Runners-Up

L.A. Witt & Aleksandr Voinov [co-writers] (3 - 4 ½ - 5 star reads in a row)

Best Overall Romance

Season for Love by Marie Force (5 stars)

Best Alternate Reality Romances

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk (5 stars)

Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione (5 stars)

Bond of Passion by Larissa Ione (5 stars

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh (5 stars)

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (4 ½ stars)

A Bloom in Winter by J.R. Ward (4 ½ stars)

Dark Lover by J.R. Ward (4 ½ stars)

Queen of Song and Souls by C.L. Wilson (4 ½ stars)

Best Contemporary Romances

The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred (5 stars)

Season for Love by Marie Force (5 stars)

Intimate Fantasy by Julie Kenner (5 stars)

Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young (5 stars)

Revived by Stacy Eaton (4 ½ stars)

Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber (4 ½ stars)

Best Erotic Romance

To Command and Collar by Cherise Sinclair (5 stars)

Best Historical Romance (American)

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk (5 stars)

Best Historical Romances (Britain & Other Countries)

The Seduction Of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley (5 stars)

Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas (5 stars)

Best LGBTQ Romances

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk (5 stars)

Capture & Surrender by L.A. Witt, Aleksandr Voinov (5 stars)

A Bloom in Winter by J.R. Ward (4 ½ stars)

Best New Adult Romance

Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young (5 stars)

Best Romance Novellas

If It Fornicates by L.A. Witt, Aleksandr Voinov (5 stars)

Rising, Freestyle by Vivian Arend (4 ½ stars)

Best Romance Novelettes & Short Stories

Making Dinner by Nalini Singh (5 stars)

Payoff by L.A. Witt, Aleksandr Voinov (4 ½ stars)

Dancing with Cooper by Nalini Singh (4 ½ stars)

Poker Night by Nalini Singh (4 ½ stars)

Best Young Adult Fiction

Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan (5 stars)

Best Children's Fiction Picture Books

My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough (5 stars)

Petunia by Roger Duvoisin (5 stars)

Best Children's Non-Fiction Picture Books

3 2 1 Awesome!: 20 Fearless Women Who Dared to Be Different by Eva Chen (5 stars)

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Major Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery, Kirby Larson (5 stars)

Farm Animals by Katie Daynes (4 ½ stars)

Best Children's Middle-Grade Fiction

The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate (5 stars)

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary (5 stars)

The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert (5 stars)

Santa Paws, Our Hero by Nicholas Edwards (5 stars)

Best Children's Middle-Grade Non-Fiction

She Persisted: Maria Tallchief by Christine Day (5 stars)

Best Fantasy Fiction

Peace Talks by Jim Butcher (5 stars)

Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman (5 stars)

Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris (4 ½ stars)

Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer (4 ½ stars)

Best Fantasy Short Story

Monsters by Jim Butcher (5 stars)

Best Women's Fiction

The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred (5 stars)

Room by Emma Donoghue (5 stars)

Best Biographies/Memoirs

Out of Captivity: Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle by Marc Gonsalves, Tom Howes, Keith Stansell, Gary Brozek (5 stars)

Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust by Michael Hingson, Susy Flory (5 stars)

Best Non-Fiction Books

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder (5 stars)

Best Christmas Stories

Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan (5 stars)

Santa Paws, Our Hero by Nicholas Edwards (5 stars)

Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber (4 ½ stars)

Most Surprising Winner

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk (5 stars) - I wasn't necessarily surprised that I enjoyed this book, but more so by just how much I enjoyed it. It's been a while since a book excited me in the way this one did and has left me eagerly clamoring for more. I absolutely loved the characters, the romance, the paranormal aspects, the mystery. Every part was sheer perfection for me.

Funniest Reads

Everything the Light Touches by Jim Butcher (4 stars)

Biggest Tearjerkers

The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred (5 stars)

Room by Emma Donoghue (5 stars)

Sweetest Romances

The best romances I read this year that have milder content.

Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan (5 stars)

Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber (4 ½ stars)

Steamiest Romances

For me, the steamiest romance doesn't necessarily have the most erotic content (although this time they do). Instead it's the book(s) that best combine hot, sexy scenes with a deep emotional connection that really make the pages sizzle.

To Command and Collar by Cherise Sinclair (5 stars)

Capture & Surrender by L.A. Witt, Aleksandr Voinov (5 stars)

Most Impressive Debuts

None of these were 2025 releases, but all were the debut books for these authors (or at least one of them in the case of co-writers) and quite impressive for a first effort.

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary (5 stars)

Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Major Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery, Kirby Larson (5 stars)

Out of Captivity: Surviving 1,967 Days in the Colombian Jungle by Marc Gonsalves, Tom Howes, Keith Stansell, Gary Brozek (5 stars)

Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust by Michael Hingson, Susy Flory (5 stars)

Best Overall Hero

Owen Lawry (Season for Love by Marie Force)

Best Overall Heroine

Laura McCarthy (Season for Love by Marie Force)

Most Tortured Heroes

Kev Merripen (Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas)

Elliot McBride (The Seduction of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley)

Tracker (Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione)

Most Tortured Heroines

Ma (Room by Emma Donoghue)

Kimberly Moore (To Command and Collar by Cherise Sinclair)

Sahara Kyriakus (Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh)

Hottest Hero

Stefan (Capture & Surrender by L. A. Witt, Aleksandr Voinov)

Most Perfect Couple

Owen Lawry & Laura McCarthy (Season for Love by Marie Force)

Most Evil Villains

Old Nick (Room by Emma Donoghue)

The Dark Queen & the Dark Lady (Dragons of Spring Dawning by Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman)

Tracker's Wolf Pack (Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione)

The Brotherhood (Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk)

Pure Psy (Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh)

The Overseer & the Slavers (To Command and Collar by Cherise Sinclair)

The Oni (Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer)

The Elden Mages (Queen of Song and Souls by C.L. Wilson)

Most Memorable Supporting Characters

Allhan (Lover Forbidden by J.R. Ward)

Marchioness of Tullibardine (India Black and the Widow of Windsor by Carol K. Carr)

Emily Merkle aka Mrs. Miracle (Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber)

Jeremy (To Desire a Devil by Elizabeth Hoyt)

Nathan King (Rising, Freestyle by Vivian Arend)

Pony (Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer)

Mayhem & Mahrci (A Bloom in Winter by J.R. Ward)

Christine (Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk)

Carolina & Seamus (Season for Love by Marie Force)

Most Memorable Child Characters

Jack (Room by Emma Donoghue)

Vincent (India Black and the Widow of Windsor by Carol K. Carr)

Gabe Larson (Call Me Mrs. Miracle by Debbie Macomber)

Tony Willows (Revived by Stacy Eaton)

Roman & Julian (Poker Night by Nalini Singh)

Alanna, Caleb, & Chrissy (Heaven on Earth by Marilyn Pappano)

Alberta & Edie (The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert)

Priti (The Seduction Of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley)

Most Memorable Animal Characters

Boots (Mountain Wild by Stacey Kayne)

Pickles (The Fire Cat by Esther Averill)

Teddy Roosevelt's Menagerie (Wackiest White House Pets by Gibbs Davis, David A. Johnson)

Boo (Dark Lover by J.R. Ward)

Santa Paws (Santa Paws, Our Hero by Nicholas Edwards)

Ruby (The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate)

Ribsy (Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary)

Nubs (Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle by Major Brian Dennis, Mary Nethery, Kirby Larson)

Roselle (Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust by Michael Hingson, Susy Flory)

Most Unique/Unusual Romance Leads

Characters with occupations or circumstances you don't often see in romance.

Tracker (Bond of Destiny by Larissa Ione) - Slave

Frank (Capture & Surrender by L. A. Witt, Aleksandr Voinov) - HIV positive

Percival Endicott Whyborne (Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk) - Doctor of comparative philology

Isadora Peabody (The Charm School by Susan Wiggs) - Translator in the Victorian era

Elspeth de Moray (No Ordinary Duchess by Elizabeth Hoyt) - Femdom in the Georgian era

Viola Carroll (A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall) - Trans woman in the Regency era

Bryony Asquith (Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas) - Female doctor in the Victorian era

Maggie Grace Strafford (Mountain Wild by Stacey Kayne) - Mountain woman

Most Unique/Unusual Romance Plots

Bond of Passion by Larissa Ione

Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk

Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

The Charm School by Susan Wiggs

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall

Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas

Best Opening Line

"I was late for my appointment with a dead man." - Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk

Best Overall Quotes

"Prejudice comes from being in the dark; sunlight disinfects it."     - Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust by Michael Hingson, Susy Flory

"It was a wonder, after so many years of trying to press herself into society's mold, to suddenly suspect that the problem was with the mold, not with her."     - Isadora Peabody (The Charm School by Susan Wiggs)

"He who owns books and loves them is wise."     - Petunia by Roger Duvoisin

Funniest Quotes

"When will you ask for your post back?" he whispered in her ear. "I miss the smell of industrial-strength solvents."

She laughed softly. "Soon. And when will you have papers read at the mathematical society again? I rather like having my husband called a genius for reasons that are not clear to me."

My husband. The words rolled off her tongue, easy and beautiful. He kissed her fervently.

"Soon. My brilliance quite overflowed on the way home. I have four notebooks to show for it."

"Good. We don't want people to think I love you for your looks alone."

"In that case we should also put you in some rather revealing gowns once in a while, so that people don't think I married you for your accomplishments alone."     - Leo Marsden & Bryony Asquith (Not Quite a Husband by Sherry Thomas)

"Glaring at the doctor, Kev spoke in Romany. "Ka xlia ma pe tute." (I'm going to shit on you.)

"Which means," Rohan said hastily, "'Please forgive the misunderstanding; let's part as friends.'"

"Te malavel les i menkiva," Kev added for good measure. (May you die of a malignant wasting disease.)

"Roughly translated," Rohan said, "that means, 'May your garden be filled with fine, fat hedgehogs.' Which, I may add, is considered quite a blessing among the Rom."     - Kev Merripen & Cam Rohan (Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas)

"I seldom ate out, both for reasons of economy and because I feared someone might try to speak to me."     - Percival Endicott Whyborne (Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk)

"By the way, I haven't heard an 'I'm sorry' from you yet." My sense of grievance had overwhelmed my sense of self-preservation.

"I am sorry that the maenad picked on you."

I glared at him. "Not enough," I said. I was trying hard to hang on to this conversation.

"Angelic Sookie, vision of love and beauty, I am prostrate that the wicked evil maenad violated your smooth and voluptuous body, in an attempt to deliver a message to me."

"That's more like it."     - Sookie Stackhouse & Eric Northman (Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris)

Most Emotional Quotes

"Don't love me," he said. "Don't."

"There is no do or don't," Juliana whispered. The mists dissolved and the rain came down faster. "I love you because I love you. I can't help that."

His embrace nearly crushed her, his strong body shaking. "Never stop. Never stop loving me, Juliana."

"I never will."     - Elliot McBride & Juliana St. John (The Seduction Of Elliot McBride by Jennifer Ashley)

"To my surprise, Nick reached under his shirt and pulled out the half-heart pendant. With his gaze fixed on mine, he slid the chain over my head. "No one should have to go through life with only half a heart," he whispered."     - Nick Anderson (The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred)

"Amelia told me once about a suspicion she'd had for a while. It bothered her quite a bit. She said that when Win and I had fallen ill with scarlet fever, and you made the deadly nightshade syrup, you'd concocted far more than was necessary. And you kept a cup of it on Win's nightstand, like some sort of macabre nightcap. Amelia said that if Win had died, she thought you would have taken the rest of that poison. And I've always hated you for that. Because you forced me to stay alive without the woman I loved, while you had no bloody hell intention of doing the same."

Merripen didn't answer, gave no sign that he registered Leo's words.

"Christ, man," Leo said huskily. "If you had the bollocks to die with her, don't you think you could work up the courage to live with her?"     - Kev Merripen & Leo Hathaway (Seduce Me at Sunrise by Lisa Kleypas)

"I just want to be myself," I said at last. "But no one else wants just me, except for you."     - Percival Endicott Whyborne (Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk)

Most Romantic Quotes

"I would say"--he shaped the words close to her mouth, as if each of them was its own kiss, a private prayer--"I love you as a man loves a woman, but we both know that love is not bound by such narrow terms. So instead let me simply tell you that I love you. I love you with the unfading flame of my friendship. With every drop of ardour in my blood. I love you with my soul, as some reserve their faith for absent gods. I love you as I believe in what is right and hope for what is good. I love you with everything I am and ever was--and if you will only let me, with every day that comes, and every self that I could ever be."     - Justin de Vere (A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall)

"Nick? Have you ever..."

"No." He lifted his head again, studied me. "I've thought about it, but it never seemed right."

The idea of him making love to anyone else sent a shaft of pain straight through my middle. "You better wait on me, damn it."

"I don't think I have much choice." He brushed my hair back. "You're the only one I've ever wanted, Alix, the only one I'll ever want. That's a promise."     - Nick Anderson & Alix French (The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred)

"I miss our Would You Rather conversations and your hilarious answers. I miss your laugh. I miss the way I feel when I make you laugh. Like I just won something really important. I miss just sitting with you in perfect, silent understanding. I miss the way you never judge anyone. It's such a rare find, Liv. And I miss watching how kind you are with everyone. I miss being able to call you and talk to you about random shit and important shit. I miss my best friend. I miss you. I love you."     - Nate Sawyer (Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young)

Sexiest Quotes

"I never meant to fall in love with you. But I did. I felt it the first night I made love to you. I tried to walk away then because I've never felt so lost and yet so fucking found as I felt that night looking into your eyes as I moved inside you."     - Nate Sawyer (Before Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young)

"Whatever am I to do with you?" he murmured. The warmth of his breath feathered over my skin. Heat collected in my groin, my lips. My mouth was dry, my voice hoarse, and perhaps he was right and it was madness when I whispered, "Whatever you want."     - Percival Endicott Whyborne & Griffin Flaherty (Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk)

"You blind me, my dear, with your fire. Carefully controlled, directed only into the outlets you allow, but otherwise left to boil beneath the surface. You're like a bottle of fine champagne, yearning to be opened. Year after year, the pressure building slowly, with no release. And ever since I met you, all I could think was what it would take to make... you... pop."     - Griffin Flaherty (Widdershins by Jordan L. Hawk)

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Sexiest Covers

Most Interesting/Unusual Covers

*This book was published in 2025.

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