December 2025 / January 2026 TBR: The New Books I’m Most Looking Forward To

There’s something about these deep-winter months that always pulls me toward stories—cozy escapes, twisty thrillers, heartfelt romances, and everything in between. As I settle in with extra blankets and far too much peppermint hot chocolate, here are the eight December 2025 / January 2026 releases I’m most excited to pick up next. Click on the book’s cover to add to your Goodreads shelf.

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A Weekend on Allyson Island follows Moira Allyson, who, facing her 50th birthday as a widowed empty nester, invites her four longtime friends to her lavish Savannah waterfront mansion for a celebratory weekend that’s meant to ease her loneliness. But each woman arrives carrying private struggles of her own, and what begins as an idyllic getaway quickly exposes long-buried cracks and secrets within their lives. As truths surface, their shared history, humour, and unwavering support become the lifeline that helps them confront heartache, rediscover hope, and find unexpected healing. Susannah B. Lewis delivers a warm, funny, and deeply compassionate story about resilience, friendship, and the light that can shine through even the bleakest moments.

When culinary student Madison Walker’s New York dreams crumble, a misdial to her brother’s best friend, James Huxley, leads to an unexpected lifeline—a head chef position at his family’s new farm-to-table restaurant in Rome, Kentucky. What she doesn’t realize is that James, who’s secretly loved her for years, created the job just for her. As they work side by side turning his vision into reality, an impulsive kiss ignites a secret relationship they try to keep hidden from the town—and her overprotective brother. But as the restaurant’s opening nears, family tensions rise and feelings deepen, forcing Madison and James to decide whether their love can survive the heat or if it’s destined to fall apart.

For twenty years, Del and Dinah Newman and their sons, Guy and Shep, have captivated America as “America’s Favorite Family,” starring in a hit TV show that mirrors their seemingly perfect lives. But by 1964, both their ratings and real lives are crumbling—Del harbours a dangerous secret, Dinah feels herself going numb, Guy hides the truth about his love life, and Shep’s rock ’n’ roll fame is spiralling out of control. When Del is injured in a mysterious car accident, Dinah hires ambitious young journalist Juliet Dunne to help her write the show’s finale, setting the stage for a clash of generations and ideals about womanhood and family. Witty, heartfelt, and emotionally resonant, Meet the Newmans explores the façades we build and the hidden truths behind even the most picture-perfect lives.

When mysterious out-of-towner “Camille Bayliss” is spotted at a Louisiana bar, no one suspects she’s actually Aubrey Price, a woman seeking justice for a tragedy that’s haunted her for a decade. Convinced that Camille’s husband, Ben Bayliss, knows the truth, Aubrey teams up with Camille—who suspects her husband of dark secrets—to swap places for twelve hours and uncover what he’s hiding. But when Ben turns up dead the next morning, both women find themselves desperate to prove their innocence, because only one of them has an alibi—and in a game of deceit and betrayal, stepping into another woman’s life might just be deadly.

Artist Eden Fox is poised for success when her life is suddenly upended. After returning from a run, she finds her key no longer works, a stranger who looks just like her living in her home, and her husband insisting the other woman is his real wife. Six months earlier, a solitary Londoner named Birdy inherits the same seaside home, Spyglass, from a grandmother she never knew. But when Birdy visits a mysterious clinic that predicts her date of death, dark secrets begin to surface. As past and present collide, the truth behind Spyglass and its occupants twists into a chilling tale of identity, obsession, and deceit—where nothing, and no one, is what they seem.

Debbie Mullen has spent years offering wisdom and compassion through her “Dear Debbie” advice column, helping women deal with neglectful and abusive husbands. But when her own life begins to unravel—she loses her job, her daughters act out, and her husband’s secrets come to light—Debbie finally reaches her breaking point. Tired of always being the voice of reason, she decides it’s time to follow her own advice and take matters into her own hands, setting out on a path of revenge that no one sees coming.

A disgraced and creatively blocked author Petra Rose escapes to a secluded lakeside cabin in a last attempt to revive her career, only to have her inspiration reignite when Detective Nathaniel Saint suddenly appears with unsettling news. As Petra’s writing comes rushing back, her fictional detective begins to eerily echo the very real man whose presence blurs the boundaries between story and reality. Their charged “research” sessions pull her into a dangerously intoxicating dynamic, one that fuels her creativity but threatens to consume her. When Saint’s investment in her work turns unsettlingly intense, Petra must face the chaos she’s unleashed—before the price of reclaiming her reputation becomes far higher than she ever imagined.

In this uplifting story of renewal and truth, newly widowed Shelby Wright leaves the Portland suburbs for Washington’s San Juan Island to honor her late husband’s final wish and to finally embrace the part of herself she’s long kept hidden. As she renovates the once-beloved Captain Merrick Inn and rebuilds her life far from home, Shelby begins to accept that she is gay, a journey complicated by lingering grief, questions of identity, and the relationships she left behind. Her connection with charismatic winemaker Holly Caster—and the warm welcome of the supportive “San Juan Sisters”—helps Shelby navigate both her personal awakening and her professional dreams. With the inn and her heart in need of care, Shelby discovers love, belonging, and purpose in the most unexpected places.

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As I wrap up my December 2025 and January 2026 TBR lineup, I’m struck by how much variety—and emotional punch—these eight titles promise. From twisty domestic suspense and gripping alibis to heartfelt romances, island escapes, and character-driven dramas, each book brings something irresistible to the months ahead. Whether I’m in the mood to unravel secrets, fall in love, or get lost in unforgettable characters, this stack has me covered. I can’t wait to dive in, discover new favorites, and share all my thoughts as I turn the final pages. Here’s to an incredible reading season ahead!