Ranking the 12 Best Historical Romance Books I Read in 2025

Ranking the 12 Best Historical Romance Books I Read in 2025

Author: Under the Covers Book Blog December 26, 2025 Duration: 11:04

Finding good historical romances is weirdly hard right now, so in this video I’m RANKING the best historical romance books I read in 2025… from “this was fun” all the way up to “new all‑time favorite unlocked.”

This is a true countdown style video: I’m starting with the ones I liked but wasn’t totally obsessed with and working my way up to my absolute favorite historical romance of the year. If a book made this list at all, I still recommend it, they just hit me at different levels.

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/NfmYMR3yaIU

If you’re looking for:

• Smart, emotional historical romance

• Romcom‑y Regencies with banter

• Gilded Age, Scottish castles, and a little espionage

• Options from cozy/clean to pretty dang spicy

…hopefully you’ll find at least one new favorite for your TBR.

TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS: What’s the best historical romance you’ve read in 2025 so far? And which of these would you pick up first?

⏱ Timestamps:

00:00 Intro – 2025 Historical Romance Book Ranking

00:39 #12 – How to Train Your Viscount by Courtney McCaskill (historical romance review)

01:37 #11 – The Brazen Bluestocking by Tracy Sumner (historical romance recommendation)

02:25 #10 – Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham (historical romance review)

03:07 #9 – The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe (Gilded Age historical romance)

03:38 #8 – The Austen Affair by Madeline Bell (Austen-inspired historical romance)

04:18 #7 – A Duke Never Tells by Suzanne Enoch (Regency romcom romance)

05:12 #6 – In Scandal with the Duke by Stacy Reid (spicy historical romance)

05:47 #5 – Dare to Love a Duke by Eva Leigh (forbidden historical romance)

06:19 #4 – Never Gamble Your Heart by Lindsay Lovise (gaming hell historical romance)

06:57 #3 – Someone to Watch Over Me by Lisa Kleypas (classic historical romance)

07:39 #2 – Earl Crush by Alexandra Vasti (marriage of convenience historical romance)

08:46 #1 – Don’t Let Your Dukes Grow Up to Be Scoundrels by Louisa Darling (top pick)

09:27 Conclusion – Final historical romance recommendations 2025

Books Mentioned:

→ How to Train Your Viscount - https://rstyle.me/+BZmDzmmth9Va5d9fQM7yAg

→ The Brazen Bluestocking - https://rstyle.me/+aorUZ_0PJgpW8rmahlN_Rg

→ Sense and Suitability - https://rstyle.me/+f8VMh26nkC6XYf44-vCm_w

→ The Gilded Heiress - https://rstyle.me/+gTxdC1W53gHyMwt2BrSlAA

→ The Austen Affair - https://rstyle.me/+Sjs3UlY9OVB6qap4N1vvUA

→ A Duke Never Tells - https://rstyle.me/+5YwNyxBOeBCC-E4BFxPqmQ

→ In Scandal with the Duke - https://rstyle.me/+q2SRDJzQ6EuLFku5X0lDdA

→ Dare to Love a Duke - https://rstyle.me/+KU7kfPDOgxTenSeC2Nsuww

→ Never Gamble Your Heart - https://rstyle.me/+Ge_mbYLk-OBjv8bDcqVxSg

→ Someone to Watch Over Me - https://rstyle.me/+F1UTzqsdEjljnWqp7_P2Ug

→ Earl Crush - https://rstyle.me/+1cABvBeHLdvKWV2MO9bSLA

→ Don't Let Your Dukes Grow Up to be Scoundrels - https://rstyle.me/+Hqc2zSXdUlcf_ukuOjQtwg

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If you've ever stayed up far too late, utterly lost in the world of a romance novel, you're in the right place. Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast is that feeling, turned into a conversation. Hosted by the two friends behind the Under the Covers Book Blog, this podcast feels like pulling up a chair in your favorite bookstore café. Each episode is a deep, often hilarious, and always heartfelt dive into the books they can't stop thinking about. You'll hear genuine, spoiler-filled discussions that dissect everything from beloved tropes and character chemistry to the sheer craft of storytelling. It's a celebration of the genre in all its forms-historical, contemporary, fantasy, and everything in between. More than just reviews, it's about the shared experience of reading: the anticipation of a new release, the comfort of a re-read, and the joy of finding a perfect book boyfriend. This is a space for fellow enthusiasts who understand that a great romance novel isn't just a story; it's an escape, a comfort, and a source of genuine delight. Tune in for passionate recommendations, thoughtful analysis, and the kind of enthusiastic fangirling that only true friends and book lovers can share.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Reading Under the Covers: A Romance Novel Podcast
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