A running ranking of the books that I have reviewed this year, updated and reranked after each book that I finish.

★★★★☆ When a woman's fiancé leaves her on their wedding day, she ends up taking her lifelong (gorgeous, heterosexual) male best friend on her honeymoon. What could happen?

★★★★★ When a professional matchmaker meets her "fated" match, she must choose between her prophesied destiny and an undeniable connection she has with someone else.

★★☆☆ A boy band cruise tries to offer nostalgia but fails to set sail in this disappointing look at fame and aging that lacks the heart and romance expected.

★★★☆☆ Six months after her husband dies, a woman finds out he left her a year of books, one per month, to help her heal and move forward.

★★★★☆ A young woman enters a deadly competition to retrieve a goblet of magic in this romantasy that feels like the love child of The Hunger Games and Silver Elite.

★★★★★ When a $50k debt meets a fake-dating scheme with a wealthy heir, love blooms in Annabel Monaghan's modern retelling of Pretty Woman.

★★★★★ One half of a famous podcasting duo goes missing in this unique debut that artfully blends mystery with a will-they-or-won't-they romance.

★★★★☆ Following the events of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the story continues in a longer and more polished follow-up that's a step up from Book 1.

★★★★☆ An homage to When Harry Met Sally in which two opposites form a deep platonic friendship before eventually wondering if it could be more.

From the early "enemies-to-lovers" attraction of Beach Read to the small-town charm of Book Lovers, Emily Henry has mastered the art of the literary rom-com. But with so many five-star hits, which one truly reigns supreme?

A running tally of the books that I have reviewed this year, updated and reranked after each book that I finish. Explore the latest reviews and discover hidden gems with insights from BarlinsBooks, your literary companion for top new releases.

★★★★★ A small town, a love triangle, a murder, and a trial form the foundation of this twisty, emotional novel set in mid-1900s England.

★★★★★ The most anticipated book of 2025 mostly delivers, as author Yarros continues the Empyrean series and Violet Sorrengail's evolution.

★★★★★ A young woman with special powers infiltrates a training program for the military while working undercover for a resistance organization.

Amazon's Top 100 Books of 2025. How do they compare to Barlin's Books rankings for the year? Where did they get things right, and where did

★★★★★ A photographer spends a summer at a lake house where she meets a cocksure man whose charms threaten their mutual vow of friendship.

★★★★★ Two writers compete for the opportunity to author the memoir of a reclusive heiress while coming to realize they might just be soulmates.

★★★☆☆ A 38-year-old nearly-divorced mother of three starts a summer fling with a dashing, slightly younger man. Can it last?

★★★★★ Yarros gives us a rarity -- a sequel to a force-of-nature debut that's just as good as the original, and in some ways possibly better.