11 Books I Loved This Month

January reading always sets the tone for my year, and this month I leaned into a mix of romance, mystery, and thrillers — the kinds of books that are easy to sink into and hard to put down.

Below are the 11 books I’m recommending that are releasing this month. If you’re looking to refresh your TBR or just want something solid to pick up next, these are all worth checking out.

💕 Only for Love — Natasha Madison

A heartfelt romance that leans emotional, comforting, and perfect if you’re in the mood for something relationship driven.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🌪️Anatomy of an Alibi — Ashley Elston

Fast paced and twisty, this one keeps you guessing and is great if you want a mystery that moves.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

👗 Meet the Newmans — Jennifer Niven

A character driven story with emotional depth and layered relationships that linger after you finish.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

💘 The Odds of You — Kate Dramis

A charming romance with great banter and an easy, feel good reading experience.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🖤 Such a Clever Girl — Darby Kane

Dark, tense, and psychologically sharp — a thriller that pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🛥️ Sunk in Love — Heather McBreen

A cozy, romantic escape that’s perfect when you want something light and uplifting.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🗝️ My Husband’s Wife — Alice Feeney

Twisty and unsettling in the best way — classic Feeney vibes with plenty of surprises.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🕵️‍♀️ Definitely Maybe Not a Detective — Sarah Fox

A fun, cozy mystery with humor and heart — great if you love lighter mysteries.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🌀 The Storm — Rachel Hawkins

Atmospheric and tense, with a setting that adds to the suspense and mood.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

☔️ The Fair Weather Friend — Jessie Garcia

A twisty, fast moving thriller set in a local newsroom where secrets pile up fast and everyone feels suspicious.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

🎤 The Future Saints — Ashley Winstead

Rock star vibes with depth and intrigue — one of those books that stays with you.

🔗 Check it out on Amazon

Prefer to view everything at once? View the full Amazon list here.

If you’re building your reading list for the start of the year, I hope this gives you a few good options to choose from. I’ll be sharing more monthly reading recs as the year goes on — no pressure, just good books.

Happy reading 📚

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Adults can behave badly too…

It’s the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can’t get for herself… well, that’s what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she’d so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh’s entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble. Who will be left standing when the dust settles?

From the author of The Hunting Wives comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses. 

Review:

All the Little Houses by May Cobb is sinfully fun, wickedly delicious, and completely unhinged in the best way. Set in the sweltering heat of 1980s East Texas, this story drops you into a small town where everyone is watching everyone else—and absolutely no one is behaving well. Told through multiple POVs in short, addictive chapters, the book reads like whispered gossip passed across a backyard fence, except every secret is darker, messier, and more scandalous than the last. It opens with a body floating in the water and keeps you deliciously unsettled by refusing to tell you who’s dead until the very end.

At the center of it all is Charleigh Anderson: beautiful, ruthless, and determined to protect the social empire she clawed her way into. When a seemingly wholesome, prairie kissed family arrives in town—trad wife vibes, woodworking dad, perfect daughter—the carefully curated hierarchy of Longview starts to crack. What follows is a soapy, twisty spiral of jealousy, power plays, sexual tension, and morally gray decisions, where mothers and daughters alike prove that adults can behave very badly. Everyone is messy. Everyone has secrets. And watching it all implode is pure reading pleasure.

This book is juicy, gossipy, and wildly addictive, equal parts scandal and suspense. The 1980s setting adds a sticky, sunburned intensity that amplifies every bad decision, and the pacing never lets up. And that final sentence? Absolute perfection. The kind that makes you stare at the wall afterward and immediately demand more. I would happily read ten sequels about these terrible, fascinating people and their beautifully disastrous lives. 

Overall rating: 5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: Harper

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A propulsive and wickedly entertaining debut thriller for fans of Laura Dave and Ashley Elston that explores the dark underside of the American dream, about a couple whose financial problems are seemingly answered when they begin receiving growing sums of money from an unknown source . . . a windfall that will carry an unthinkable price.

Mack and Hailey Evans have worked hard to achieve their upper-middle-class life: promising careers, two beautiful children, and a brand-new house in the exclusive lakefront village of Bratenahl, Ohio. Not that everything’s perfect—aging parents, problems at work, and even the upkeep on that gorgeous house have been causing these two increasing amounts of worry.

When a small check appears in the mailbox from a mysterious company named Sunshine Enterprises, Mack assumes it’s from his wealthy, estranged father, trying to buy his way back into their lives. Though he’d rather rip it up, Mack deposits the needed funds. To his surprise the checks keep coming—each for a larger amount larger than the last. When Hailey finds out what’s going on, she has her own suspicions about the provenance of the payments. Despite growing uncertainty over the identity of their benefactor Mack and Hailey keep taking the money. After all, there are bills to pay.

It is a choice with dark repercussions, as the couple soon learn the hard way that nothing in life is free. Suddenly, the Evans find themselves in a harrowing arrangement with someone who will stop at nothing to get a return on their investment.

Review:

Very Slowly, All at Once by Lauren Schott is the kind of thriller that settles into your bones rather than relying on shock value. From the first pages, there’s a quiet, unsettling sense of dread that never fully lifts—one that mirrors the slow unraveling of Mack and Hailey Evans’ carefully curated life. Their version of the American dream feels attainable, even enviable at first, which makes its gradual corrosion feel both satirical and disturbingly real. Schott taps into a very modern anxiety: what it costs to maintain the life you worked so hard to build.

The novel unfolds through alternating perspectives from Mack and Hailey, alongside a chilling anonymous point of view that adds momentum and tension. Both protagonists are deeply relatable in their desperation—financial pressure, aging parents, career uncertainty—and that relatability is what makes their choices feel so dangerous. This isn’t a thriller driven by constant twists, but by escalation: each decision builds naturally on the last, tightening the vise until the consequences feel inevitable. The slow burn works beautifully here, allowing the tension to mount in a way that feels earned rather than sensational.

While the ending doesn’t wrap everything up neatly, it feels intentional rather than frustrating. The lack of clean resolution reinforces the book’s central themes about compromise, greed, and the stories we tell ourselves to justify survival. Darkly clever, sharp, and laced with wicked humor, Very Slowly, All at Once is a smart debut that exposes just how thin the line can be between comfort and catastrophe, and how quickly “enough” is never really enough. 

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: St. Martins Press

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

It’s always sunny in Detroit for Faith Richards. The popular TV meteorologist, endearingly referred to as “The Fair Weather Friend” by her viewers, has the world by the tail. But one night, Faith leaves work on a dinner break and never returns. Her body is found the next morning.

The town is reeling, suspects emerge, and long-buried secrets are uncovered. While her allies rally, her list of adversaries also grows. Little does anyone know that only the deepest secrets will expose the truth.

In this riveting thriller from the author of THE BUSINESS TRIP, Jessie Garcia’s signature multi-POV, rapid-fire style will propel you into the heart of a mystery no one could have forecasted.

Review:

The Fair Weather Friend is a fast paced, popcorn thriller that leans hard into twisty fun without ever becoming confusing. When beloved Detroit TV meteorologist Faith Richards vanishes and is later found murdered, the story unfolds through a wide cast of viewpoints, each revealing another layer of lies, secrets, and betrayals. Jessie Garcia’s multi POV approach keeps the pacing brisk and the tension high, making this a book that’s incredibly easy to fly through.

One of the standout elements is the newsroom setting, which adds a fresh and entertaining backdrop to the mystery. The behind the scenes look at local television news gives the story texture and stakes, while also serving as a breeding ground for rivalries, grudges, and carefully hidden truths. Every character feels like they have something to hide, and part of the fun is trying to decide whether they’re merely a little odd—or genuinely capable of murder.

Things do get a bit wild and occasionally implausible, but that only adds to the entertainment value. This isn’t a gritty, hyper realistic thriller—it’s meant to be devoured quickly and enjoyed for the ride. With its quirky cast, nonstop momentum, and steady stream of reveals, The Fair Weather Friend is perfect for readers looking for a twisty, engaging mystery that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 13, 2026

Publisher: Viking

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

A tense, feverish thriller about two women’s lives that are forever intertwined when a murder threatens to expose them both.

“Elston expertly unravels a web of secrets and lies. You won’t be able to put this excellent thriller down until the final shocking page.” —Megan Miranda

Everyone at Chantilly’s Bar noticed out-of-towner Camille Bayliss. Red lips, designer heels, sipping a Negroni. But that woman wasn’t Camille Bayliss. It was Aubrey Price.

Camille Bayliss appears to have the picture-perfect life; she’s married to hotshot lawyer Ben and is the daughter of a wealthy Louisiana family. Only nothing is as it seems: Camille believes Ben has been hiding dirty secrets for years, but she can’t find proof because he tracks her every move.

Aubrey Price has been haunted by the terrible night that changed her life a decade ago, and she’s convinced Benjamin Bayliss knows something about it. Living in a house full of criminals, Aubrey understands there’s more than one way to get to the truth—and she may have found the best way in.

Aubrey and Camille hatch a plan. It sounds simple: For twelve hours, Aubrey will take Camille’s place. Camille will spy on Ben, and the two women will get the answers they desperately seek.

Except the next morning, Ben is found murdered. Both women need an airtight alibi, but only one of them has it. And one false step is all it takes for everything to come undone.

Review:

Anatomy of an Alibi by Ashley Elston is a fast, tightly constructed thriller that thrives on perspective and timing. Told across multiple timelines and viewpoints, the story moves between present day with Aubrey, Camille, and Hank, and Ben’s perspective ten years earlier. That structure keeps the tension high and the pages flying, while also slowly revealing how deeply entangled these characters truly are. The premise—two women swapping identities for twelve hours to uncover the truth—feels fresh, especially as it reframes the classic dead spouse trope around the idea of whose alibi can actually hold up.

What really elevates this novel is how smart the twists are. Nothing feels gratuitous or thrown in just to shock; each reveal makes sense in hindsight and deepens the moral complexity of the story. Elston leans into morally gray characters with sketchy pasts and questionable motivations, letting past secrets collide with present day consequences in a way that feels tense, suspenseful, and deeply satisfying. This is the kind of thriller that trusts its readers, rewards close attention, and proves that clever plotting can still pack an emotional punch.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: William Morrow

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

Darby Kane, author of the #1 international bestseller Pretty Little Wife, returns with a gripping domestic thriller in which a family goes missing and a long-buried family mystery resurfaces.

Fifteen years ago, the Tanner family vanished without a trace, leaving behind a chilling half-eaten meals, a bloodstain by the door, and a smoldering fire consuming their business across town.

The once-vibrant home stands untouched, a haunting relic of the past. As rumors fade into local folklore, the mystery of their disappearance seems destined to remain unsolved—until Aubrey Tanner returns.

Now a hardened thirty-year-old, Aubrey arrives in town with secrets etched in her silence. Why did she come back? Was she a victim of the night that changed everything, or does she hold the truth of what happened to her family? The town is rife with theories, but three women share a dangerous they know more than they’ve ever confessed.

As the past resurfaces, old alliances fray. A teacher, a café owner, and a psychologist are drawn together by memories they’d rather forget. Each holds a piece of the puzzle—and a dark secret of their own. When a new disappearance sends shock waves through the town, blackmail begins, and the stakes climb higher.

In a race against time, these women must confront the truth or risk becoming the next victims of a past they cannot escape. With tension rising and danger lurking, one thing is someone is destined to kill again.

Review:

Darby Kane’s Such a Clever Girl is a masterclass in suspenseful domestic thriller storytelling. The premise of the chilling disappearance of the Tanner family fifteen years ago, leaving behind a haunting tableau that still lingers in the small town was compelling and enough to pique my curiosity right away. Kane’s writing immediately pulls you into this mystery with a darkly atmospheric Sleepy Hollow–like setting, where autumnal fog and cold winds mirror the secrets hiding in plain sight. The return of Aubrey Tanner as an adult adds a fascinating layer—her motives are opaque, and her presence reignites rumors, fears, and long buried secrets.

What makes this book so compelling is the multiple POV structure paired with short chapters and tight pacing. Every character is morally ambiguous and often untrustworthy, each carrying hidden agendas and motivations that slowly unravel. The plot is dense, with many threads to follow, requiring careful attention but rewarding the reader with a complex, satisfying narrative. Kane balances suspense with character depth, making each revelation feel earned and impactful.

The story’s tension is heightened by a web of lies, betrayal, and secrets, which makes every interaction charged and every twist feel unpredictable. The combination of a deeply layered mystery, intricate character work, and a sharply drawn, moody setting elevates this thriller beyond a simple “whodunit.” Such a Clever Girl is dark, smart, and utterly engrossing, perfect for readers who enjoy domestic thrillers with moral complexity and high stakes suspense.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: December 30, 2025

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Genre: Romance

Narrators: Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais

Synopsis:

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Devney Perry comes a gripping romance set in 1983 where a woman’s search for the truth about her father’s death entangles her with the small-town sheriff and a legend of lost Montana gold.

Living in Dalton, Montana was not what I had planned for this winter. But after my father’s sudden death, I uprooted my life to move into his tiny, lakeside cabin and settle his estate. My friends tell me to sell his place and move on. But this winter is my chance to say goodbye. To remember a man who’d loved tales of Montana lore.

Taking a temporary teaching job seemed like the perfect way to keep myself busy on lonely days. Cleaning out the cabin should have been simple. Except the more I learn about my father’s life, the more questions I have about his death.

The last thing I need is a crush on Sheriff Cosi Raynes. Not only is his son my student, but his life is rooted in Montana, while mine is headed . . . anywhere else.

Yet as I uncover a trail of strange clues Dad left behind about a lost legend of Montana gold, staying away from Cosi is not an option. Neither is denying the attraction between us. And my winter of healing becomes a race for answers.

I came to Montana to bury the past. Now I’m falling for the man who might just be my future. And either I’ll solve this mystery. Or the person in Dalton determined to hide the truth will make sure I die trying.

Review:

Listening to Bluebird Gold felt like stepping back into 1983 Montana—a slower, quieter world where small town secrets simmer beneath the surface. After her father’s sudden death, Isla moves into his lakeside cabin for the winter to settle his estate and say goodbye, only to uncover unsettling questions about how he really died. Taking a temporary teaching job keeps her grounded, but her connection to Dalton deepens quickly—especially when she becomes entangled with Sheriff Cosi Raynes, whose teenage son is in her class. The Montana setting is beautifully rendered, equal parts cozy and ominous, and the legend of lost Montana gold adds a compelling layer of mystery that kept me hooked.

The romance unfolds alongside the suspense in a way Devney Perry does so well—measured, emotional, and full of quiet intensity. Cosi is protective and grounded, a devoted single dad rooted firmly in Montana, while Isla is strong, opinionated, and refreshingly bold for the era. Their forced proximity and growing attraction felt natural against the backdrop of danger and discovery. Samantha Brentmoor and Connor Crais delivered exceptional performances, perfectly capturing the emotional depth, tension, and warmth of the story. Between the vintage setting, romantic suspense, and standout narration, Bluebird Gold was a completely immersive and deeply satisfying audio listen.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 20, 2026

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Narrator: A multicast

Synopsis:

Eden Fox, an artist on the brink of her big break, sets off for a run before her first exhibition. When she returns to the home she recently moved into, Spyglass, an enchanting old house in Hope Falls, nothing is as it should be. Her key doesn’t fit. A woman, eerily similar to her, answers the door. And her husband insists that the stranger is his wife.

One house. One husband. Two women. Someone is lying.

Six months earlier, a reclusive Londoner called Birdy, reeling from a life-changing diagnosis, inherits Spyglass. This unexpected gift from a long-lost grandmother brings her to the pretty seaside village of Hope Falls. But then Birdy stumbles upon a shadowy London clinic that claims to be able to predict a person’s date of death, including her own. Secrets start to unravel, and as the line between truth and lies blurs, Birdy feels compelled to right some old wrongs.

My Husband’s Wife is a tangled web of deception, obsession, and mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page. Prepare yourself for the ultimate mind-bending marriage thriller and step inside Spyglass – if you dare – to experience a story where nothing is as it seems.

Review:

My Husband’s Wife by Alice Feeney delivered exactly what I’ve been craving in a thriller: something bold, fast paced, and truly unpredictable. The audiobook production alone makes this worth a listen. With a full multicast of voice actors and occasional sound effects woven in, it feels less like a book and more like a cinematic audio experience. Since the story unfolds through multiple POVs, the casting choice amplifies the tension and emotional stakes. It’s immersive from the very first scene, where a woman returns from a run only to find herself locked out—and another woman insists this is her house and her husband. It’s the kind of hook you can’t pull away from.

The story itself is wildly entertaining: a tangle of secrets, betrayals, competing motives, and twists that practically whip past you. One of my biggest frustrations with thrillers lately is that so many feel predictable, but this one had me genuinely shocked more than once. Is it plausible? Absolutely not. But is it fun, unhinged, and impossible to quit? Completely. I was never bored for a second, and every new reveal left my head spinning in the best way.

After not connecting with Feeney’s last release, I’m thrilled to say this one brought me right back on board. It’s a messy, high drama, twist loaded ride—and if you enjoy thrillers that go big and refuse to apologize for it, this is one you shouldn’t miss.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: October 7, 2025

Publisher: Sourcebooks Audio

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Narrator: Abigail Reno

Synopsis:

New York Times bestseller Carolyn Brown brings her Southern sass to Christmas in this friends to lovers contemporary romance full of Great Aunt Bernie’s matchmaking shenanigans and lots of kissing under the mistletoe.

Tripp Callahan’s leather shop in Spanish Fort, Texas has become more than he can handle and he’s ready to hire help. He’s so backed up on Christmas orders that he’s working sixteen hour days. The answer to one prayer shows up in Hank Gibson, former owner of a leather shop, and happy to work part time. But Hank brings his feisty granddaughter Willa Rose Gibson, and her presence leads Tripp to pray that Great Aunt Bernie won’t turn her matchmaking eyes his way. No such luck. Aunt Bernie sees the potential and begins to hang mistletoe in every doorway. Tripp is going to be a goner.

Review:

A Little Christmas Matchmaking by Carolyn Brown is exactly the kind of cozy, small town romance that makes holiday reading—or in this case, listening—feel magical. Set in Spanish Fort, Texas, the story brings together overworked leather shop owner Tripp Callahan and Willa Rose Gibson, who arrives with her grandfather just in time to help save Tripp from being buried under Christmas orders. Even without having read Brown’s connected series, I found it easy to follow and full of that signature Southern sass her longtime readers adore. The characters are lovable, quirky, and bursting with personality, and the friends to lovers arc is full of sweet sparks, gentle humor, and that warm community feeling Carolyn Brown does so well.

And of course, Aunt Bernie steals the show. Her bold, hilarious, “I know better than you” brand of meddling—and the mistletoe she hangs in every available doorway—keeps the story lively and full of grin worthy moments. The audiobook narration by Abigail Reno fits the tone perfectly: warm, relaxing, and easy to sink into. It’s the kind of listen that feels like settling in by the fireplace with a cozy blanket. Amusing, romantic, and delightfully fast paced, this audiobook is a perfect holiday pick if you want something light, sweet, and full of Southern charm.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: January 6, 2026

Publisher: St. Martins

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama is famous for three things: the deadly hurricanes that regularly sweep into town, the Rosalie Inn, a century-old hotel that’s survived every one of those storms, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Marie in 1984.

When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosalie Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunnit than in how a successful true crime book might help the struggling inn’s bottom line. But to her surprise, August Fletcher doesn’t come to St. Medard’s Bay alone. With him is none other than Lo Bailey herself. Lo says she’s returned to her hometown to clear her name once and for all, but the closer Geneva gets to both Lo and August, the more she wonders if Lo is actually back to settle old scores.

As the summer heats up and another monster storm begins twisting its way towards St. Medard’s Bay, Geneva learns that some people can be just as destructive—and as deadly—as any hurricane, and that the truth of what happened to Landon Fitzroy may not be the only secret Lo is keeping…

Review:

Rachel Hawkins’ The Storm is a breezy, twisty read that grips you from the first page. Told in dual timelines, it alternates between present day following Geneva, the current owner of her family’s hurricane battered inn, and the past, following the lives of Lo, Ellen, and Frieda. Hawkins keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace, and the interwoven timelines create a sense of immediacy and suspense, making it hard to put down. The Rosalie Inn, weathered by decades of hurricanes, serves as the perfect atmospheric backdrop for a story full of long buried secrets and simmering tension.

Geneva’s encounter with Lo, now returning to town with a reporter to work on her memoirs, sets up a dynamic and sometimes soap opera esque tension. Hawkins embraces dramatic twists and over the top reveals, which may feel excessive to some but are also part of the book’s guilty pleasure appeal. Between the storms that batter St. Medard’s Bay and the personal storms raging among the characters, there’s a delicious mix of intrigue, romance, and small town gossip that propels the story forward.

Despite the high stakes drama, The Storm is an easy, fast read. Hawkins balances the suspense with humor and character driven moments that make you care about Geneva, Lo, and the women of the past timeline. It’s the kind of novel you can curl up with for an afternoon, and it delivers both the tension of a thriller and the charm of a character driven saga. Fans of atmospheric settings, secrets, and fast moving dual timelines will find plenty to enjoy here.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.