People who don't fully see why so many of us are enamored with those mushy, heartfelt romance stories may criticize romance novels from cover to content.  In the end, romance readers may count on optimism and the promise of a happy ending, even though romance delivers hope, representation, empowerment, inspiration, camaraderie, and support.

 These romance books are scheduled for publication in May 2025:

1. One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune

Carley Fortune is working on her fourth book, One Golden Summer.  This novel, which has been designated a Most Anticipated novel of 2025 by a number of publications, including TODAY and Buzzfeed, is a brilliant getaway to the lake that carries on the themes from her earlier works, such as "Every Summer After."  The tale promises to be poignant as it returns to Barry's Bay, where folks traverse their past and present.  Berkley is anticipated to publish this book on May 6, 2025.

2. The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

The next major romantic hit is the gothic, mist-veiled story of a prophetess who is compelled to leave the protection of her convent on an impossible journey to battle the gods with the one knight whose future is beyond her sight, written by BookTok sensation and NYT bestselling author Rachel Gillig.  Orbit anticipates publishing this book on May 20, 2025.

3. Left of Forever by Tarah DeWitt

Renowned USA Today bestselling author Tarah DeWitt's heartfelt, enticing second-chance romance is full of enormous passions, glittering comedy, and unbelievably intimate moments.  The fantastic romance Left of Forever is about mature love, a love worth battling for repeatedly, and hard-won love.  It's an unforgettable tale of second chances.  They'll get it right this time.  It is anticipated that St. Martin's Griffin will publish this book on May 20, 2025.

4. What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

In the sultry romance written by the New York Times bestselling author of Business or Pleasure, falling in love with your spouse is everything but easy.  Despite her advanced age of thirty, Dani Dorfman is unsure about her life's purpose.  She so applies for a job in Amsterdam after an office romance ends badly and she is dismissed, casually hoping to escape the mess she has made but never thinking she will be hired. Berkley is anticipated to publish this book on May 6, 2025.

5. It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan

The USA Today bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script tells the story of a former teenage TV comedian who has put her awkwardness behind her by following the motto "fake it until you make it." She is on the verge of success until she tells a lie that sends her back to her past, and she spends a week in Long Island with the last man she believes could help her believe in love.  GP Putnam's Sons is anticipated to publish this book on May 27, 2025.

Thrillers are one of the most popular genres among readers because they enable us to delve into our emotions and innermost thoughts in a secure and enjoyable setting.  In a manner that other genres do not, thriller books encourage readers to reflect on their own views on morality, ethics, and justice while providing them with insight into human behavior through in-depth character profiles.  Readers are given a unique perspective on how individuals operate under duress by delving into the intricate psychological dynamics of characters during criminal investigations or perilous circumstances.

 The following thriller books are scheduled for publication in May 2025:

1. The Missing Half by Ashley Flowers and Alex Kiester

In this gripping mystery, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of All Good People Here and creator of the top true crime podcast Crime Junkie teams together two women who are plagued by the unresolved disappearances of their sisters.  Bantam is anticipated to release this book on May 6, 2025.

2. The Manor of Dreams by Christina Li

3. Parents Weekend by Alex Finlay

One of the most anticipated thrillers of the year is coming from the best-selling author of If Something Happens to Me.  Parents Weekend examines the weight of expectations, family dysfunction, and those thrilling first days in the dorms that we all remember when our friends become our family. It is told from a variety of past and present points of view and marks the return of FBI Special Agent Sarah Keller from Every Last Fear and The Night Shift.  Minotaur Books anticipates publishing this book on May 6, 2025.

4. The Tenant by Freida McFadden

Freida McFadden, the #1 New York Times bestselling novelist, comes on your door with a compelling tale of privilege, retaliation, and secrets gone bad.  It will be too late by the time you understand that danger is there in your own house.  A trap has already been prepared.  Poisoned Pen Press anticipates publishing this book on May 6, 2025.

5. The Man Made of Smoke by Alex North

The most recent thrilling novel about a serial murderer written by Alex North, a New York Times bestselling author.  Alex North delivers The Man Made of Smoke with his trademark tension and astonishment.  This is a tale about fathers and sons, secrets and shadows, and the struggle we all have to overcome in order to escape the tragedy of the past. It is at once poignant, reflective, and completely horrifying.  Celadon Books anticipates publishing this book on May 13, 2025.

Reading fiction is a very effective approach to develop our creativity, comprehend other people, and sharpen our minds.  There is little better way to develop empathy and put ourselves in other people's shoes than to read fiction.   Numerous studies have found that envisioning tales activates the parts of our brain responsible for better comprehending people and viewing the world from a different viewpoint.

Here are a few fiction works that may aid in brain exercise that are scheduled for release in May 2025:

1. The Names by Florence Knapp

Three alternating and alternating versions of Cora's and her little son's life, influenced by her name choice, span thirty-five years.  The Names examines the tumultuous repercussions of domestic violence, the tangled bonds of family, and the potential for healing and autonomy in its intricately interwoven narrative.

With remarkable depth and empathy, Knapp immerses us in the tale of a single family via a lens of hypothetical scenarios, prompting us to reflect on the "one... precious life" that we are all given.  The Names will undoubtedly become a contemporary classic because to its incredibly inventive structure, compelling narrative, and gut-wrenching emotional impact.  This book is anticipated to be published by Pamela Dorman Books on May 6, 2025.

2. The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei

Stegner Fellow Jemimah Wei examines the establishment and breakdown of familial ties in this stunning debut, telling a tale of sisters and ambition in Singapore at the turn of the millennium.  The Original Daughter is a significant work of literature, full of emotional clarity and incisive social insight, that tells the narrative of a family and its struggle with the turbulent changes of our quickly modernizing, winner-take-all society.  Doubleday is anticipated to publish this book on May 6, 2025.

3. My Friends by Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman, the #1 New York Times bestselling author, is back with a profoundly touching and unforgettable story about four teens whose relationship forges a link so strong that, twenty-five years later, it transforms the life of a stranger.  This book is anticipated to be published by Atria Books on May 6, 2025.

4. Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang

This book, written by the author of Natural Beauty, is about an obsessive friendship that is disrupted by a cutting-edge technology that is supposed to improve empathy and connection. It is set in the highly competitive art world.  Immaculate Conception skillfully handles important issues of art, technology, authorship, and what makes us human. It is dazzlingly intelligent, provocative, and startling.  Long after you've turned the last page, Ling Ling Huang's portrayal of a close friendship will haunt you because it depicts the delicate balance between love and ownership in an achingly sweet and twisted way.  This book is anticipated to be published by Dutton on May 13, 2025.

5. Never Flinch by Stephen King

Featuring the adored Holly Gibney and a vibrant new cast of characters, Stephen King's remarkable new novel features two intertwined storylines: one about a vigilante pursuing a feminist celebrity speaker, and another about a killer on a devious vengeance quest.  These interwoven stories culminate in a terrifying and stunning ending, a storytelling achievement that only Stephen King could accomplish. It has an engrossing ensemble of both new and familiar characters, including the well-known gospel singer Sista Bessie and a memorable villain who is addicted to murder.  This book is anticipated to be published by Scribner on May 27, 2025.