Most Anticipated New Book Releases for February 2025

February seems be full of more thrillers than romances, but let's take a look together.

I had started this with the intent of publishing i a week ago, and then I got sick and all my best laid plans went out the window. But, at least we are here now, and I am so excited with this list!

The month of flowers, chocolate and love has arrived. However, it seems that there are more intriguing thrillers than than are enticing romances. We’ll see though as there are so many books, that I did struggle a little to come up with my list.

Whether you are celebrating Valentine’s Day, Galentine’s Day (which is) February 13, or celebrating a birthday, anniversary or just yourself for making it through January, books always make the perfect gifts.

(Before I go further…let’s be honest, how many of use were part of the multi-million copy release day for Onyx Storm? I pre-ordered the audio. If you are reading it, finished it or looking forward to it. I’d love to hear your thoughts!) I just finished it, and not surprisingly, I have many, many thoughts on it.

Ok, now that we have covered all that, let’s jump into the top 10 list for February. Don’t forget to let me know what you are looking forward to or what you are currently reading.

The Beasts We Bury by DL Taylor (Feb. 4)

This on my list for two reasons. 1. It is the first book in a new series, and 2. It’s an enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy. That’s really all I need to say about this one. FROM AMAZON: In this electric enemies-to-lovers romantic fantasy, the heir to the throne falls for a thief who plans to manipulate her into helping him steal from her father in an act of revenge and desperation. Will he steal her heart or her chance at the throne? Daughter and heir to the throne, Mancella Cliff yearns for a life without bloodshed. But as a child, she emerged from the Broken Citadel with the power to summon animals―only after killing them first. Her magic is a constant reminder of the horrors her father, the ruler of the realm, has forced upon her to strengthen their power. Silver is a charming thief struggling to survive in a world torn apart by Mancella’s father’s reign. When a mysterious benefactor recruits him for the heist of a lifetime, a chance to rob the castle, Silver relishes the opportunity for a real future―and revenge. But he'll have to manipulate Mance and earn her trust to pull it off.

Considering Us by Jenn Bouchard (Feb. 6)

I absolutely adore Jenn. She was a guest on my podcast, Speaking LITerally, when First Course came out, and she is just a great person, and the book was so enjoyable. I’m excited to see what she has planned for us in her latest book. I encourage you to check it out. FROM AMAZON: After an affair with a client's husband leads to scandal, private chef Devon Paige is left with only one client in Boston -a reclusive professional basketball player with a craving for cookies. With no other choice, Devon lands on the doorstep of Rockwood, a boarding school on the New Hampshire seacoast, taking a job leading their dining services. She is shocked to soon discover Kyle Holling on staff, who she hasn't seen in over fifteen years since a memorable night just before departing for college in different cities. Devon and Kyle must determine what their relationship looks like years later, all while dodging the cameras of an underground newspaper, dealing with the installation of a controversial campus sculpture, and grappling with the arrival of Devon's former lover's daughter as a newly-enrolled student. When Devon meets a handsome paramedic named Heath, she ditches the possibility of romance with Kyle in favor of what appears to be a more straightforward relationship. But a trip to Los Angeles to keep her client well-fed ahead of his basketball game threatens to upend everything, forcing Devon to finally answer the one question she has been avoiding: is fifteen years too late to rekindle a one-night stand?

Tell Me You Trust Me by Elle Owens (Feb. 11)

Ok, hear me out. I’m NOT BIASED. Ok, maybe a little. I have known this author (who writes under a pen name) for over a decade. She is one of the nicest, funniest people I have had the ability to work with professionally and have as a friend. AND, I am currently reading this book, her thriller debut, as an ARC, and I am thoroughly hooked. I absolutely love the music motif that runs throughout and how the Spotify playlist is used as a means of communication. Definitely add this to your TBR. FROM AMAZON: When her husband goes missing, Marissa Creighton fears the worst. Tell me you trust me was the last thing Ethan said to her, and she’d shrugged it off. Now she can’t get those words out of her head. Marissa’s family has always been her rock. But when they come to help her with eighteen-month-old Logan, their overprotectiveness borders on oppression―occupational hazard of the family’s surveillance business, or is it? Seeking comfort in the playlist she and Ethan share, Marissa is shocked to find a new song there: “Trust Me.” She’s certain it’s a message. Using song titles as code, she and Ethan start communicating back and forth. But she still doesn’t understand why he left. While his messages point to incriminating documents, her family uncovers evidence of an affair. But their discoveries come with their own baggage, including personal threats, secret bank accounts, and dusty surveillance devices. All the while Marissa wonders whether she’ll ever learn the truth―or see her husband again.

Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver (Feb. 11)

I loved the first book in the series, and here we are at book #3. This dark romantic comedy series is absurdly funny, and I am a little sad that it’s only a trilogy. FROM AMAZON: Doctor Fionn Kane is running from a broken heart, one he hopes to mend in small-town Nebraska, far away from his almost-fiancé and his derailed surgical career. It’s a simpler life: head down, hard work, and absolutely no romantic relationships. He wants none of the circus he left behind in Boston. But then the real circus finds him. Motorcycle performer Rose Evans has spent a decade on the road with the Silveria Circus, and it suits her just fine, especially when she has the urge to indulge in a little murder when she’s not in the spotlight. But when a kill goes awry and she ends up with a broken leg, Rose finds herself stuck in Nebraska, at the home of the adorably nerdy town doctor. The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together. . . . And the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts will catch up.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry by Elinor Lipman (Feb. 11)

I’m honestly not sure why this is in my top ten other than I love the title, and I think it sounds intriguing. FROM AMAZON: From the author of Ms. Demeanor—one of the most beloved comedic writers of our time—comes a charming, laugh-out-loud tale of love and criminality, a pitch-perfect romantic comedy. “Lipmanland is a world adjacent to our own except the people there are more charming, the conversations are wittier, and love always prevails. Every Tom, Dick & Harry, weaves together estate sales, good and bad cops, and--get this—smalltown houses of ill-repute with effortless glee. Add sparkling dialogue, an improbably hilarious funeral, and one of the author’s most endearing love stories”—Stephen McCauley. Taking over her parents’ estate-sale business is not the life’s work that Emma Lewis bargained for. Yes, she grew up helping them empty people’s nests, but nothing prepared her for her biggest and stickiest “get”--the grand, beautiful house of ill repute masquerading as a decidedly beddable B and B. Should Emma turn down potential clients in need of decluttering just because they are shady, escort-y, and proud of it? No. A girl must make a living.

Penitence by Kristen Koval (Feb. 18)

I have already been seeing this quite a bit on social media with some good reviews. I feel like I have been in a thriller mood lately, so this one just sounds interesting. Plus, it’s winter, and I like when seasonal settings are woven in. FROM AMAZON: When a shocking murder occurs in the home of Angie and David Sheehan, their lives are shattered. Desperate to defend their family, they turn to small-town lawyer Martine Dumont for help, but Martine isn’t just legal counsel―she’s also the mother of Angie’s first love, Julian, a now-successful New York City criminal defense attorney. As Julian and Angie confront their shared past and long-buried guilt from a tragic accident years ago, they must navigate their own culpability and the unresolved feelings between them. Spanning decades, from the ski slopes of rural Colorado to the streets of pre-9/11 New York City and back again, Kristin Koval’s debut novel Penitence is an examination of the complexities of familial loyalty, the journey of redemption, and the profound experience of true forgiveness.

The Vengeful Dead by Darcy Coates (Feb. 18)

I read my first Darcy Coates’ books last year and absolutely love them. They are thrilling, chilling, and unnerving, and I know that I need more of these in my life. I had no idea that she had a new book coming out, but man am I excited. The only issue is that this is book five of a series, so it looks like I have a new series to read this year. FROM AMAZON: Keira is caught in a deadly battle. Her ability to help ghosts move on from the mortal world has made her a threat to Artec, a powerful corporation intent on trapping the tortured dead for profit. They've been tracking her for years and now, finally, there's nowhere left for her to run. Artec fears Keira and everything she's capable of. They will stop at nothing to eliminate her―including sending armed men after everyone she holds dear. Desperate and quickly running out of time, Keira races to hone her abilities as she searches for a way to destroy the twisted organization for good. But at least now she's no longer alone. Her friends have offered to follow wherever she leads, even if that means a direct strike deep into the heart of Artec's central base...and to the certain death waiting for them there.

Back After This by Linda Holmes (Feb. 25)

Who doesn’t need a fun little rom-com in February? I love books that revolve around multiple dates and through a podcast in, and I’m hooked already. FROM AMAZON: Cecily Foster loves to make podcasts. She fiercely protects her colleagues, dearly adores her friends, and never misses dinner with her sister. But after a disastrous relationship with a colleague who stole her heart and her ideas, she’s put romantic love on hold. When the boss who’s disappointed her again and again finally offers her the chance to host her own show, she wants to be thrilled. But there’s a catch—actually, two catches. First, the show will be about Cecily’s dating life. And second, she has to follow the guidance of influencer and newly minted relationship coach Eliza Cassidy, whose relentlessly upbeat attitude seems ready-made for social media, not real life. Cecily would rather do anything other than put her singledom on display (ugh) or take advice from the internet (UGH). But when her boss hints that doing the show is the only way to protect a friend’s job, she realizes she has no choice. To make matters more complicated, once she’s committed to twenty blind dates of Eliza’s choosing, Cecily finds herself unable to stop thinking about Will, a photographer she helped to rescue a very big and very lovable lost dog. Even though there are sparks between the two, Will’s own path is uncertain, and Eliza’s skeptical comments about Cecily’s decision-making aren’t helping. On the one hand, Will seems great. But on the other hand . . . don’t they all? As Cecily struggles to balance the life she truly desires and the one Eliza wants to create for her, she finds herself at a crossroads. Can Cecily sort through all the advice and find a way to do what she loves without losing herself in the process?

Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce (Feb. 25)

One of the things I look for when I’m picking my top releases each month is something new and original. At least, to me. There are clearly topics and tropes that I enjoy reading, but I want books that break the mold and don’t stick to the same stock structure. This idea is what I see in this book. I’m so eager to see how it actually is. FROM AMAZON: Newly-minted child psychologist Mina has little experience. In a field where the first people called are experts, she’s been unable to get her feet wet. Instead she aimlessly spends her days stuck in the stifling heat wave sweeping across Britain, and anxiously contemplating her upcoming marriage to careful, precise researcher Oscar. The only reprieve from her small, close world is attending the local bereavement group to mourn her brother’s death from years ago. That is, until she meets journalist Sam Hunter at the grief group one day. And he has a proposition for her. Alice Webber is a thirteen year old girl who claims she’s being haunted by a witch. Living with her family in their crowded home in the remote village of Banathel, Alice’s symptoms are increasingly disturbing, and money is tight. Taking this job will give Mina some experience; Sam will get the scoop of a lifetime; and Alice will get better, Mina is sure of it. But instead of improving, Alice’s behavior becomes increasingly inexplicable and intense. The town of Banathel has a deep history of superstition and witchcraft. They believe there is evil in the world. They believe there are ways of…dealing with it. And they don’t expect outsiders to understand. As Mina races to uncover the truth behind Alice’s condition, the dark cracks of Banathel begin to show. Mina is desperate to understand how deep their sinister traditions go–and how her own past may be the biggest threat of all.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (Feb. 25)

I told you I’m in this weird thriller mood right now. Family secrets and hidden lives has always interested me, and this one is right up with excitement and suspense…at least I hope it is. FROM AMAZON: It is June 21^st, the longest day of the year, and new mother Camilla’s life is about to change forever. After months of maternity leave, she will drop her infant daughter off at daycare for the first time and return to her job as a literary agent. Finally. But, when she wakes, her husband Luke isn’t there, and in his place is a cryptic note. Then it starts. Breaking news: there's a hostage situation developing in London. The police arrive, and tell her Luke is involved. But he isn't a hostage. Her husband - doting father, eternal optimist - is the gunman. What she does next is crucial. Because only she knows what the note he left behind that morning says...

BONUS BOOK!

The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune (Feb. 4)

There are a few things that I will always love in a book. road trips and paranormal aspects. Beyond that, I haven’t read a Klune book that I haven’t loved. FROM AMAZON: There's nothing more human than a broken heart. In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his only brother wants nothing to do with him, and he's been fired from his job as a journalist in Washington, DC. With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family's summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon, to try and find some sense of direction. The cabin should be empty. It's not. Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary ten-year-old girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn't exactly as she appears. Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her.

Such a great list with some big name authors and some of my favorite indie authors. I encourage you to check them all out!

On my honorable mention watch list, there is also a wide mix of genres. There is definitely something for everyone. Find something you love this month!

• A Cold Killing by Kate Alice Marshall (Feb. 4)

• Deep End by Ali Hazelwood (Feb. 4)

• The Snowbirds by Christine Clancy (Feb. 4)

• Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray (Feb. 4)

• All Better Now by Neal Shusterman (Feb. 4)

• We All Live Here by JoJo Moyes (Feb. 11)

• Rebel Witch by Kristen Ciccarelli (Feb. 18)

• Close Your Eyes and Count to 10 by Lisa Unger (Feb. 18)

• A Circle of Unknown Witches by Paige Crutcher (Feb. 25)

• How to Slay on Holiday by Sarah Bonner (Feb. 27)

• On the Slopes of Tahoe by JA Forde (Feb. 28)

Until next month my bookish friends. I hope that you get to explore amazing lands and meeting eccentric characters.

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