We are sailing through 2025 and I hope you have been reading tons of books. Today, we will be looking at the most read historical fiction books of 2025 so far. Keep reading to see which ones made the list!
Historical fiction is one of my top five favorite genres and I am always looking to find amazing new books to read. And what better way to do that than to see what others are reading? This list was curated by Goodreads and has some of the most popular historical fiction books of the past couple of years.
Two of the biggest novels of 2024 are the most read books of 2025 and that shouldn’t come as a surprise. These novels were everywhere and book lovers and critics alike loved them. Having read both of them, I can see why they are the top books on the list. You can see the full list below!
The Most Read Historical Fiction Books of 2025
- The Women by Kristin Hannah
- James by Percival Everett
- The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
- The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
- The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
- Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
- The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
- Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid
- The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
- Weyward by Emilia Hart
The Women is the most read book of 2025 so far and that doesn’t surprise me. It was the bestselling book of 2025 after all and we all know book lovers take their time in reading new books. I enjoyed this novel from front to back and as a big Kristin Hannah fan, I was happy to see her get the recognition she deserves.
In second place is the fantastic novel James by Percival Everett. It was the recipient of the 2025 Pulitzer Prize and deserved it. This was my first time reading a novel by Everett and I was impressed and became a lifelong fan. The storytelling makes this one of the best books I have read in 2025 so far and many people seem to agree.
In third place is Kristin Hannah’s most popular novel The Nightingale. This is the novel that made me a Hannah fan and read the rest of her books. The success of The Women has made many people revisit Hannah’s older works and that has led to three of the top seven books on this list belonging to Hannah as a result.
Conclusion
These are the most read historical fiction books of 2025 so far and what a list it is. Hannah and Everett are must reads and the rest of the list is a solid one. If you need a historical fiction book to read, then this list should be your go to. Happy reading!
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Consider reviewing Blame It on Socrates by Jack Ryan
If you’re going to use an AI image of books, could you please do us all the courtesy of using a more convincing one?
Excellent list! I have read two of these being James and Small Things Like These, both fantastic and I have friends telling me to read the Nightingale, so perhaps I soon also will be a Kristen Hannah fan!