10 New Books to Put on Your 2025 Reading List

Before the Coffee Gets Cold | Toshikazu Kawaguchi

Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi is a heartwarming and bittersweet novel set in a small Tokyo café that offers its customers a unique opportunity: the chance to travel back in time. But there are strict rules—nothing done in the past can change the present, and the journey must end before the coffee gets cold. Through four interwoven stories, the book explores themes of love, regret, and second chances, reminding readers of the power of human connection and the importance of cherishing each moment.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Talking at Night | Claire Daverley

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley is a melancholic and beautiful timeline of lives entangling and releasing, the ebb and flow of relationships and friendships. The right person the wrong time. The depth and intricate nature of the characters will blow you away as you follow them through many chapters of life, love and heartache.

If you loved One Day by David Nicholls, you'll love this.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

We Solve Murders | Richard Osman

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman introduces a new detective duo: retired investigator Steve Wheeler and his fearless daughter-in-law, Amy. When a high-profile protection job turns deadly, they embark on a globe-trotting mission to outwit a relentless killer. With Osman's signature wit and sharp plotting, this thriller is a must-read for mystery lovers.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Intermezzo | Sally Rooney

Intermezzo felt like a fresh take on Sally Rooney's storytelling. Rooney has a unique talent for capturing everyday life and relationships with beauty, introspection, and poetic nuance. Her depiction of brotherhood in this novels is especially moving; the way Ivan and Peter navigate grief and process their shared childhood in such different ways felt both authentic and tender. The book is written with dual-perspective narration which, although taking time to get into, allowed for a deeper understanding of both characters.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Daddy | Emma Cline

Daddy by Emma Cline is a sharp and unsettling collection of stories exploring power, desire, and the quiet tensions lurking beneath ordinary lives. With her signature precision, Cline captures characters on the edge—estranged fathers, lost teenagers, and people clinging to privilege or past glory. Each story offers a glimpse into the fragile masks people wear, making Daddy a haunting and perceptive read.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Ultra 85 | Logic

Do you have a boyfriend who doesn't read that often but wants to start getting into it and loves movies like Interstella? Ultra 85 is perfect for him.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Evenings and Weekends | Oisin McKenna

Evenings and Weekends by Oisín McKenna is a sharp, kaleidoscopic novel set in London during a sweltering heatwave. Following a diverse cast of characters—friends, lovers, and strangers—over one intense weekend, the book explores love, ambition, and the pressures of modern city life. With wit and emotional depth, McKenna captures the restless energy of a generation searching for meaning.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Long Island Compromise | Taffy Brodesser-Anker

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner explores the lasting impact of a traumatic event on a wealthy family. When patriarch Carl Fletcher is kidnapped, his children are forever shaped by the experience. Decades later, they confront their inheritance of trauma, privilege, and fractured relationships, in a sharp and darkly humorous exploration of family and wealth.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Butter | Asako Yuzuki

Butter by Asako Yuzuki is a gripping Japanese novel that explores the intersection of food, obsession, and crime. The story follows a journalist investigating a notorious woman who becomes a murderer, driven by her complex relationship with gourmet cooking. Through vivid prose, Yuzuki examines the darker side of desire and the pressures of societal expectations, making Butter a thought-provoking and unsettling read.

Available at amazon.co.uk 

Self-Portrait With Boy | Rachel Lyon

Self-Portrait with Boy by Rachel Lyon is a striking debut novel about ambition, guilt, and the complexities of art. The story follows a young woman, Loren, who accidentally captures the death of her neighbor in a photograph. As her career in the art world begins to take off, she becomes entangled in her own moral dilemmas, struggling with the ethics of her success and the consequences of her actions.

Available at amazon.co.uk