The Best Fiction of 2025

This debut novel from Thomas Schlesser is a vivid exploration of art and beauty through a young girl’s museum adventures with her beloved grandfather. Both heartfelt and thought-provoking,  this tale stirs the soul and feeds the imagination.

A multigenerational family drama akin to the Pulitzer Prize winners Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides, this book is destined to join the canon of Great American Novels. Love and war, births and deaths, coming together and falling apart — Patrick Ryan‘s intimate portrait of small-town, midcentury America is a must-read. The writing is both straightforward and poetic, and the story is compelling, cathartic and expertly crafted.

When life throws her lemons, one woman chooses to find humor in heartbreak. Witty, full of heart and beautiful poetic prose — and the winner of our 2025 Discover Prize — this refreshing novel is perfect for fans of short literary fiction.

With an introduction from longtime friend and writer Casey Cep, The Land of Sweet Forever is a touching tribute to one of the most remarkable voices in fiction. Our Exclusive Edition also includes newly unearthed historical information on Harper Lee’s spectacular life. From the wilds of Alabama to the high-rises of New York City, this is Harper Lee like you’ve never seen her before.

There are the books you read and then there are the books you experience, like this one by poet, photographer and bestselling writer Ocean Vuong, whose novels are spun from gorgeous prose and vibrant, original imagery. This is a novel that sticks with you.

One innovative space shuttle program, six astronauts and an endless universe makes this complex and compassionate story one of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s best. Explore a new universe with a beloved author in this captivating novel.

A moving tale about art and friendship, My Friends is a testament to love and the mysteries of life from the author of A Man Called Ove.

Ken Follett crafts a historical epic inspired by the mystery of Stonehenge. Overcome with visions of an ambitious monument, a young woman embarks on a mission to unite a divided community in this extraordinary tale of destiny and hope.

The acclaimed author of Lessons returns with What We Can Know; part love story and part climate fiction, this is a riveting ode to the power of language and community. Perfect for fans of Cormac McCarthy and Margaret Atwood.

A brand-new book from a beloved (and notoriously reclusive) author — his first in over a decade. The world won’t stop changing on Hicks McTaggart, a PI whose latest case turns into a full-blown, globe-trotting investigation, taking him from the sprawling Midwest to the streets of Hungary.

The latest from Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang. Blurring the boundaries between dream and reality is a powerful story of community and history, humanity and hope.

Get enamored by the gorgeous, sun-drenched landscapes of 1920s Provence in this deliciously crafted slow-burn romance between a curious journalist and the unexpected artist who emerges from the kitchen.

A big-hearted tale from an award-winning author, The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny follows the sweeping story of a novelist and a journalist grappling with love, home and culture. This is perfect for fans of Real Americans.

A beloved and critically acclaimed author returns with a sizzling new story of love and friendship, identity and race. With lyrical prose and an interwoven storyline, this is an enriching and emboldening read.

This imagined account of Lambert Simnel’s orchestrated reach for the English throne is an irresistible read for historical and literary fiction fans. Full of heart and brimming with Tudor-era political intrigue, this is the tale of one boy’s struggle with identity and the fate that was planned for him.

Bestselling author Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven) is back with a captivating story of life, commitment, chance and romance.

Daring and dazzling, Katie Kitamura’s latest follows one woman’s exploration of identity, life and love — with the bite of Colored Television by Danzy Senna and the intimacy of All Fours by Miranda July.

Who we are with different people is really up to us, and Sybil channels different parts of herself into the letters she writes. A journey of growing older, healing and reluctantly embracing the winds of change, this reflective and funny read is perfect for epistolary fans.

Edward St. Aubyn’s clever follow-up to his introspective novel, Double Blind, delivers a fascinating mix of vulnerable and philosophical character stories with stream of consciousness writing and deliciously witty prose.

A riveting story of a family in crisis, Flashlight unravels an intimate tragedy in a sweeping, impressive scope.

Buried secrets. Healing. Reflection. When his business fails, Elijah returns home, where past and present collide and a riveting family mystery unravels. Delving into generational trauma and Chicago’s dark history, this is a suspenseful and haunting read.

A story of power and politics, monster and myth, this is the spellbinding tale of a historically misunderstood figure.

A marriage shrouded in secrets and a town pulsing with tension, this is a love story unlike any other. Both passionate and propulsive, Broken Country is a poignant tale of love, loss, guilt and grief.

A story about art and morality, big promises and even bigger threats, The Director chronicles the life and work of an infamous man’s complicated life in sharp and exacting prose.

Ghosts of a passionate college love triangle resurface, stirring up Jordan’s life decades later. Known for witty and emotionally moving stories that deeply resonate with her fans, Lily King does it again. 

Two families’ plights collide in this layered tale of hope and despair. Chasing a dream, one family hopes to relocate from India to Michigan in order to avoid a famine and a climate disaster, but their plans take an unexpected turn — that could cost them everything.

A future ravaged by disastrous weather, a small town on the brink of collapse and one family at the center of it all. Gripping, visceral and taut, Wild Dark Shore is a complex story about survival, isolation and hope at the end of the world.

Peeling off the layers of family dynamics, Newman’s witty and moving story of love and loss casts a humorous light on life’s ups and downs and the acceptance that follows.

A new story of self-discovery from Syou Ishida. The Kokoro Clinic is open for business— but only those who really need it can find it. The follow-up to We’ll Prescribe You a Cat follows a new group of souls who find solace in a charming group of cats.

Does money talk? Taking several leaps up the socioeconomic ladder, István finally finds himself surrounded by London’s elite but at what price? Szalay’s poignant writing offers a lens into one teenage boy’s brush with trauma that continues to haunt him far into adulthood.

A big-hearted story about community and friendship amid the chaos of life’s uncertainties. Rich, riveting and real, The Wilderness is perfect for fans of Nikki May and Candice Carty-Williams.

Sweeping, gothic and gritty, The Antidote is a genre-bending tour-de-force. Journey to the heart of Nebraska in this transportive story about history, American ideology, and community.

Creepy, kooky and crackling with energy, We Love You, Bunny is the long-awaited return to the world of the sickeningly sweet (and maniacally maddening) clique — and this time, the Bunnies are taking center stage.