Best Books of February 2025

Abe and Jane have been together for fifty years. Through decades of love, success, heartbreak and failure, they always went back to Central Park to reflect on the passing years — and now, Jane’s last fleeting days. A novel about marriage, parenthood, life and death, This Is a Love Story is a timeless exploration of family and a glittering ode to New York City.

With a broken marriage, an estranged daughter, a failing career and her birth father on her doorstep, Lila needs a break from life. Jojo Moyes is back with her signature heart and charm to remind us that family and love come in all different forms — especially the messy kind. This is perfect for fans of Emma Straub and Ann Napolitano.

Our 2023 Discover Prize winner Amanda Peters (The Berry Pickers) is back, and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Taking us from the past to the present featuring characters young and old, Waiting for the Long Night Moon is a remarkable collection of love, grief, trauma and hope. 

When Louise discovered a familiar necklace at a Parisian shop, she had no idea it would prompt a life-changing quest. A twist of fate unlocks one woman’s journey of bravery, mystery and self-discovery in this incredible novel based on a true story from the bestselling author of Code Name Sapphire and The Winter Guest.

After the events of The Kingdom, Carl and Roy are content living their small-town lives — but old habits die hard. When they learn of a planned highway that will cut through their town — and their wellbeing — they aren’t ones to sit idly by. Tense and chilling, Blood Ties is impossible to put down.

You have heard a lot about Bill Gates, but what do you know about him as a person? In Source Code, he finally opens up, from being a misfit child to nearly getting kicked out of college. It’s an interesting — and surprising — portrait of the beginnings of the larger-than-life personality that quite literally changed the world.

If you’ve ever trusted the work of Rick Steves to guide you in unfamiliar cities and countries, then saddle up alongside him for his first journey. 23-year-old Steves made the trek from Istanbul to Kathmandu in 1978. From there, a world-traveling extraordinaire was born. This is the origin story of the travel writing superhero.

Angie and David Sheehan have never been ones for stirring up controversy in their town. When a devastating murder turns their lives upside down, everything gets laid out on the table. A story about grief, guilt and secrets, Penitence is a poignant and gripping domestic drama that will leave you breathless.

Pulitzer Prize-winning and bestselling author Geraldine Brooks (Horse, March, Caleb’s Crossing) suffered the abrupt loss of her partner in 2019, and her life was forever changed. Exploring what it means to truly grieve and melding it with the personal experience of a celebrated writer, this is a moving account of what it is to love, to lose and to heal.

From stand-up to bestselling books to her activism and more, there’s no one quite like Chelsea Handler. In her newest collection of essays, the comedy mogul goes from hilarious to heartwarming and back again with stories from her over-the-top life. 

A story of courage and isolation, Allegra Goodman’s latest is the astonishing fictionalized account of French noblewoman Marguerite de la Rocque de Roberval. Titanic meets The Revenant in this sweeping tale of companionship against all odds.

Gail’s daughter is getting married, and it should be one of the happiest moments of this mom’s life. Except, Gail’s ex just showed up with no invite, no suit, and a foster cat. At just 176 pages, Anne Tyler’s latest is a big-hearted, charming and funny story about motherhood, marriage and life from a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

Spanning fifty years, best friends Charlie, Garrett and Cece grapple with life, love, family and climate change set against the imposing Montana terrain in Dream State. A family saga centered on a fateful summer that altered the courses of the friends’ lives, this is perfect for fans of Amy Jo Burns and The Paper Palace.  

The author of The Snow Child is back with a stunning story of a single mother’s romance and foibles set against the vast, unforgiving Alaskan landscape. Discover the wilderness within in this tender, bold and enchanting fable from an award-winning author.

An unexpected heiress and her sworn protector fend off more than just her pushy relatives in this swoony romantasy from the author of Thornhedge. With an enchanted sword and a supernatural bodyguard, this is perfect for fans of The Princess Bride. P.S. This is best paired with your favorite cup of tea.

Our heroine is back — with a nasty case of amnesia. After waking up outside the Republic of Scion, Paige embarks on a journey back home that brings her through the heart of Venice — and the latest Sargas plot. Epic and engrossing, The Dark Mirror is the next step in the dystopian thriller series that left off with The Mask Falling.

Discover why Curtis Sittenfeld is just as beloved for her short fiction as her longform in this dazzling collection that introduces us to brand-new characters — and reunites us with an old friend. A sharp collection of musings on middle-age, life, love and regret, Show Don’t Tell is a funny and intimate exploration of domestic discontent.

Five of the cleverest women in all of London are handed an impossible case — and they’re just the people to solve it. Faced with a shocking murder and a society that deems them second-class citizens, these women won’t let anything — or anyone — get in the way of defining their legacies. Sharp, witty and puzzling, this is a glittering locked-room mystery we can’t wait to solve.

The gripping, speculative tale of a brother and sister living in an authoritarian future from the author of The Seasonal Quartet series and Hotel World. Dystopian yet hopeful, disconcerting yet warm, Gliff is an impressive feat of storytelling set in an uncertain, Orwellian society.

Karen Thompson Walker (The Age of Miracles) is back with a mesmerizing story about motherhood, memory and complicated family ties. Jane O. was found unconscious in Prospect Park with a case of amnesia — and no one has any answers for her sudden illness. Based on case notes from Oliver Sacks, this inventive novel is great for fans of Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Sal and Charo are struggling to stay afloat and hold onto their dreams in New York City when they’re thrust into a new life that gives them hope for the future. A stunning novel about identity, home and love, Loca takes readers through one epic, life-changing year alongside two unforgettable protagonists.

The author of former Monthly Pick Ms. Demeanor is back with a big-hearted and hilarious tale. Every Tom, Dick & Harry is a dazzling story chronicling one woman’s whirlwind journey through inheriting her family’s real estate business — and ruffling more than a few feathers along the way. 

You may know him from his acting and direction, but have you read his poems? Avan Jogia (Mixed Feelings) returns with honest and incisive poetry that casts the spotlight on the birth of the digital age, from the internet to social media. With startling, heartfelt honesty and personal reflections, this is the type of poetry that anyone can connect with.

A poignant exploration and cutting expose of America’s underclass, from seniors to those disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and more. Powerful and heartfelt, Disposable is a compassionate examination of the most overlooked people in the United States.