Words: Erin Bowden
Graphics: isz_arts
From ice sports to self-help to dragons, here’s LDN’s pick of our best reads of this year.
#1 Beartown by Fredrik Backman (Simon & Schuster)
‘What the hell is life, apart from moments’
Set in an isolated hockey town in the north of Canada, Backman beautifully crafts a story of success, grief and the lengths people will go to for victory as we follow the town’s junior hockey team on a journey to the finals. Following a cast of characters from the location, Beartown reads as more of a character study than a typical novel, with the game of hockey becoming a character in its own right. The skilful way that the narratives weave together shed a light on the ugly truths of humanity and the beauty of shared experiences. It wasn’t published in 2025, but it was one of my favourite reads of this year.
For fans of: Ice Hockey, Friday Night Lights and Noah Kahan
#2 The Wedding People by Alison Espach (Orion Publishing Company)
‘A story can be beautiful not because of the way it ends, but for the way it is written’
After her life turns upside-down, Phoebe arrives at a Cornwall hotel with one specific goal in mind. However, upon arrival she learns there’s been a mistake as she’s the only guest at the hotel and not there for the wedding. Each character in this book felt vibrant and authentic. The unlikely friendship between the spoiled bridezilla Lila and our awkwardly relatable main character, Phoebe spoke as a testament to how the right people will find you when you most need them. The author mixes heavy topics with wit and humour to create a love letter to life and rediscovering your purpose.
For fans of: The White Lotus, Elin Hilderbrand and dark humour
#3 The Favourites by Layne Fargo (Random House)
‘When pushing your limits is all you know, when it seems normal to you… it’s hard to remember you even have limits. Until you run right into them’
While still fictional, The Favourites reads as a memoir taking the form of an interview or tell-all documentary. We follow ice dancer Katarina from a child with a dream of reaching the Olympics, into her adult life and her turbulent relationship with her skating partner, Heath. This book was messy in all the best ways, and the atmosphere the author managed to create left me feeling as if I was sat in the audience watching them perform. What stood out most was Katarina’s struggle to find the balance between her dreams and the people she loves, and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to achieve success.
For Fans of: Daisy Jones & The Six, reality TV and Spinning Out
#4 Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Penguin Books)
‘There are all kinds of reasons for a woman to want to disappear, always has been’
As a longstanding Emily Henry fan I can safely say that this year’s release didn’t disappoint. Great Big Beautiful Life blends romance, literary fiction and at times mystery as we follow journalists Alice and Hayden who are competing for the exclusive chance to write the memoir of Margaret Ives, a reckless socialite who disappeared decades ago. While the romance wasn’t as swoon-worthy as I’d expect from Emily Henry, I was fascinated by the life of Margaret and the twists and turns that it took us on, and I loved the old Hollywood setting.
For fans of: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Celebrity Gossip and ‘The Last Great American Dynasty’ by Taylor Swift
#5 The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins (Penguin Random House)
’There will always be someone that won’t see your worth. Don’t let it be you’
‘The Let Them Theory’ is a self-help book by podcaster Mel Robbins. I don’t typically read self-help, but after seeing so much online intrigue I decided to give this one a go. The overall idea behind this is that if people have an opinion on you, or are in a different place than you, then let them. When you release yourself from the judgement of others, you have more energy and time to put into focusing on your own happiness. While this idea is nothing new or revolutionary, it was a nice reminder to reevaluate your outlook on your life and the things you can and can’t control.
For: People-pleasers, over-achievers and podcast listeners
#6 Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall (John Murray Press)
’Lives should be measured in intensity. Remember mine for its glory-stretch of furious light and wonderful beauty’
I always love the Reese’s Book Club picks and this one was no different. Marketed as a mix between a romance and thriller, we follow Beth as her first love comes back into her life following a tragedy. The multiple timelines could have been confusing to follow but the author skilfully navigated this as a tool to control the narrative and keep their readers invested. This was anything but your stereotypical love triangle. The combination of being quiet and moving, yet fast-paced and exciting is something that not many books can achieve, but this one absolutely did.
For fans of: Where The Crawdads Sing, Big Little Lies and court room dramas
#7 The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath (Faber & Faber)
‘There is history to read… centuries to comprehend before I sleep, millions of lives to assimilate before breakfast tomorrow’
I’ve always been intrigued by the influential early 20th century American writer Plath so decided that this would be the year I finally got around to reading her journals. These are broken down into periods of her life, following her time at college and into her marriage. Whilst this was a heavy read at times and one I read slowly over the course of a few months, what I was most struck by was the poetry behind every word. As one of my favourite poets I of course knew this of her – however, to think and speak in such a way within her diary which was never intended to be perceived by the public eye was another thing entirely. I came away with a new understanding of the human behind the poems and the troubled/troublesome reputation that she’s been labelled with, and a new perspective of the beauty behind everyday thoughts.
For fans of: Any of Plath’s works, or even those who aren’t fans but want a better understanding of the author behind them
#8 The Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros (Piatkus)
‘Don’t borrow tomorrow’s troubles’
The third book in the Onyx Storm series was released at the beginning of this year and it shook the internet. I was hesitant to give this series a go as I thought there was no way I’d enjoy a book about dragons, yet here I am three books deep in the series and already begging for the fourth. The series follows Violet Sorengail as she enters into Basgiath war college to become a rider, however after gaining entry into the school she learns the truth behind what the leadership’s been hiding from its students. The thing that I loved most about the series aside from the fast-paced action and twists and turns, was the characters. If it’s the characters that make or break a story, it’s no surprise that this one is so well loved.
For fans of: Game Of Thrones, The Hunger Games and enemies-to-lovers romance
LDN 