With distractions all around us – from crime dramas to binge on to doomscrolling the news – it’s no wonder many of us are reading fewer books. A recent YouGov poll found that 40% of Brits haven’t read a book in the past year, while nearly a quarter have read fewer than five.
If this is you and you’d like to get back to the pleasures of reading, we can help! We’ve launched GH Good Books to make it as easy as possible for readers to find a guaranteed page-turner. Every season, with the help of a judging panel made up of VIP Members, we’ll be selecting eight titles we know you’ll love.
We want to shine a spotlight on undiscovered gems, highlight breakthrough authors and celebrate the books we’ve loved. Each of them has the same things in common: beautiful writing, readability, characters you care about and a great plot. Here are the eight best books of Summer 2025 according to Good Housekeeping readers....
Waterstones.com is offering GH readers 30% off all these titles* using the code GOODBOOKS30.
Meet the Good Books Summer Collection
Good Books Summer Collection Winner
The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins (Transworld)
When a human bone is discovered in an art installation, rumours swirl that it may be connected to the artist’s adulterous husband, who disappeared 20 years before. ‘The use of diary entries was an engaging way to reveal more of the mysteries in between the narrated chapters,’ said one panel member.
Good Books Summer Collection Reader Favourites
No Small Thing by Orlaine McDonald (Serpent’s Tail)
This poignant debut about mothers and daughters was an emotional read. Set on a south London estate, it follows three generations of women who’ve lost their way. One fan said: ‘Even though they were all flawed, each character generated empathy – I thought about them long after I finished the novel.’
The God Of The Woods by Liz Moore (The Borough Press)
Lovers of smart thrillers rated this one. The evocative setting is a summer camp in the Adirondacks, where a teenage girl goes missing 16 years after her brother disappeared. ‘This family-saga-meets-coming-of-age-novel was driven by the mystery, but not swamped by it,’ said one panellist.
Welcome To Glorious Tuga by Francesca Segal (Vintage)
This sunny novel, set on a tiny South Atlantic island, follows newly qualified London vet Charlotte as she takes up a fellowship to study endangered tortoises on the island – and tries to track down her dad. One reader said: ‘The characters are really brought to life, as is the island of Tuga. You feel as if you’re there.’
Our London Lives by Christine Dwyer Hickey (Atlantic)
Readers enjoyed the details of this book’s 1970s London setting, where two young Irish teenagers find refuge in each other. The story follows their relationship over four decades as they move in and out of each other’s lives. ‘I found myself both frustrated and rooting for them throughout the book,’ said one reviewer.
Small Bomb At Dimperley by Lissa Evans (Transworld)
Our panel fell hard for this charming read set in the aftermath of WWII, in which 23-year-old Valentine Vere-Thissett finds himself the owner of crumbling family pile Dimperley. ‘In parts, I laughed out loud,’ said one reader.
Births, Deaths & Marriages by Laura Barnett (Transworld)
Six university friends reconnect 20 years after they became best friends in this immersive drama that touches on grief, parenting and second chances at love. Readers found it both funny and relatable. ‘I devoured it in a couple of days,’ said one.
Long Island by Colm Tóibín (Macmillan)
This is a strong sequel to Tóibín’s bestseller Brooklyn, say our readers. Eilis Lacey is now living in the suburbs with her husband, Tony, and their children, but when she finds out he’s fathered another child, she returns home to Ireland and the love she left behind. ‘The writing is flawless and the narrative relatable and compelling,’ said one panellist.
Why we’ve launched Good Books
We want to make it easier for you to choose your next read. Every season, with the help of our GH VIP Member panel, we’ll pick the best new novels and non-fiction so that when you see the Good Books logo on a cover, you can trust that it’ll be a book you’ll love.
Get involved
Join our panel of VIP Members to receive free books to review and help us choose the next Collection. To sign up, visit ghmembers.co.uk.
*Discount is online only and is available from 8 July to 8 September 2025. Most recent in-print format only.
