The Best Feel-Good Book Releases Of 2025 To Boost Your Mood

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Sometimes, the best way to beat the winter blues is by curling up with a good book and slipping into another world. After all, reading is good for your mental health in a myriad of ways, from curbing anxiety to lowering blood pressure. "Reading can help improve your mood by shifting your focus away from your own stressors and disrupting negative thought patterns," Ariel Starr, a professor of psychology at the University of Washington, explained to Right As Rain. "Reading can also have a calming effect, similar to yoga or other meditative activities."

Those benefits extend to all kinds of books. But you can supercharge the effect and give your brain a little extra hit of dopamine by making your wintertime read a feel-good novel. So leave the best domestic thriller books and heavy nonfiction tomes for another day. Instead, treat yourself to a playful, surprising memoir or a cozy, comforting romance.

Journalist Susan Orlean's 2025 memoir, "Joyride," is part personal history and part craft class. As a writer, Orlean is famous for her expansive curiosity, having covered all kinds of quirky characters. But in this read, the quirky character in question is her.

Spending time in Orlean's unique and intelligent mind is a nonstop delight. "It's really a behind-the-scenes look at how Susan Orlean writes her articles and books," explained one Goodreads reviewer. "How she comes up with ideas, how she researches, how she finds a theme for each article, how she develops an irresistible lede, the first few lines that determine whether the reader skips to the next article or keeps reading." Whether you're interested in developing your abilities as a writer or you're just looking to be whisked into a world of curious characters, Orlean's book is fun and absorbing.

"If It Makes You Happy" is the perfect book to pick up if you want "Gilmore Girls" vibes. From its New England setting to its mother-daughter relationships to the flannel-wearing love interest, this romance novel set in Vermont hits all the same notes. After her divorce, Michelle takes over her mother's bed and breakfast — never expecting she might fall for her neighbor.

If you've ever wished that you lived in a quirky small town like Stars Hollow, then you'll love spending time in Copper Run. This is the kind of romance book set in the fall that will give you all the cozy feelings. "I want to live in this world forever," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "Reading this book gave me the same feelings as rewatching my favourite comfort TV show and nostalgic classic 90s romcoms." Olivia has crafted a slow-burning love story that will warm your heart and keep you laughing all the way to the end.

A professional rivalry turns to love in Emily Henry's latest novel. In "Great Big Beautiful Life," Alice is an engaging, endearing protagonist, and her dreams will keep you turning the pages. She's racing against another writer, trying to capture the life story of a fallen heiress, and Henry expertly weaves together multiple character arcs and alternating perspectives. It's got a plot you won't be able to put down, and vivid descriptions that will transport you to coastal Georgia.

Perhaps the novel's greatest charm is how Henry expertly combines mystery and romance. "I love how the writing was layered and complex, and the romance felt like it had substance," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. As Alice uncovers the pieces of her subject's glamorous and unique life, you'll find yourself growing more emotionally invested. "If this book finds you at the right time, the way it found me, you might just feel seen and understood in a way that fills your cup when you need it most," wrote another Goodreads reviewer.

Lift your mood with a dose of summer and pick up "One Golden Summer" by Carley Fortune. "This book is the equivalent to unhurried mornings relaxing in bed, feeling the warmth of the sun while going for a refreshing swim, and spending time with those you care most about," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. In this tender romance novel, Alice returns to Barry's Bay for the first time since she was a teenager. While she's staying with her grandmother, she re-encounters the guy who changed her life at seventeen. This book is steeped in nostalgia, and the plot is propulsive.

A word of warning: don't start this book if you're not prepared to be totally locked in. "I read the last 300 pages of this in one sitting," wrote another Goodreads reviewer. "I literally could not put it down! I didn't realize just how much I needed Charlie and Alice's story until I started this book." You'll find yourself swept into a heartwarming story that features a dynamic main character, gorgeous setting, and charming love interest.

In Abby Jimenez's latest novel, "Say You'll Remember Me," Samantha thinks she might have found the perfect man. The only problem is that the timing is all wrong. What follows is a bright and unexpected love story that will absorb you completely.

This book dips into feelings of melancholy and heartbreak as Samantha navigates a family crisis that has upended her life. But that emotional complexity is part of what makes the story's high points so rewarding. "[Jimenez] never sugarcoats difficult, triggering topics or handles them with kid gloves, yet her tender and genuine approach always touches your heart, melting it while reminding you of the beautiful moments and cherished people in your life," wrote one Goodreads reviewer. "Her writing is like a triple chocolate lava cake for my soul — each layer brings an even greater rush of emotion and euphoria!" It's a love story that feels honest and deeply moving.