Rita Reads: December 2025 Roundup📚✨

👋 Hi friends,

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Wishing you a new year filled with great stories and even better books to discover 😄

This month, I’m reviewing two new releases and one older read that are all thrillers. Thrillers are some of my favorite books to read because they’re so immersive. I love a story that keeps me guessing, makes me second-guess every character, and leaves me completely unsure of how it will end.

If you’re looking to kick off the new year with page-turners, these are for you!

Happy reading,

Psychological Thriller

Hank Phillippi Ryan (born Harriet Ann Sablosky) is an award-winning investigative reporter for a Boston television station and a USA Today bestselling author of 16 novels. She has won multiple crime fiction awards, including the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and has been widely praised as a gifted storyteller.

This book is a fast-paced psychological thriller that quickly pulls you in. Tessa is a debut author whose book, All This Could Be Yours, becomes an instant bestseller. While on tour promoting her novel, she realizes she’s being stalked by someone who knows a dangerous secret from her past and is determined to destroy her career unless she pays up.

What follows is a tense cat-and-mouse game as Tessa tries to stay one step ahead of her pursuer while protecting everything she’s worked for. I’ll admit, there were moments when I found myself saying out loud, “Tessa… where is your common sense?!” But the twists kept coming, and the story kept me guessing right up until the end.

Thriller

Gilly Macmillan is a New York Times bestselling author of eight novels. A former photographer and art historian, she studied at Bristol University and the Courtauld Institute of Art in London. Her books are often described as addictive, emotionally gripping, and filled with surprising twists.

This is the first book I’ve read by Gilly Macmillan, and it came highly recommended on the Friends and Fiction Facebook page. I’m happy to say it lived up to the hype, and I’ll definitely be reading more from her.

The story is told through multiple points of view, which works well here since nearly everyone feels suspicious. Characters are lying, gaslighting, and keeping secrets, making it hard to know who to trust.

Tom and Nicole, both in their early thirties, win the lottery and use the money to build their dream home in an exclusive area of Gloucester, England — a far cry from their former crowded neighborhood. But after a devastating tragedy strikes, Nicole begins to question whether it was truly an accident or something far more sinister. As tensions rise with their neighbors, the plot unfolds in layers, leading to a twist-filled ending that will keep you turning pages.

This book definitely makes you wonder: was winning the lottery really worth it?

Thriller

Reese Witherspoon is an actress, producer, author, and entrepreneur. She’s best known for championing female-driven stories through Reese’s Book Club and her production company, Hello Sunshine. Reese has helped bring numerous bestselling novels to the screen, including Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere, and Where the Crawdads Sing, with a focus on complex, compelling women.

Harlan Coben is an internationally bestselling author and one of the most respected voices in the thriller genre. He has written more than 30 suspense novels, including Tell No One and the Myron Bolitar series, many of which have been adapted for Netflix. He is the only author to have won the Edgar, Shamus, and Anthony Awards.

Gone Before Goodbye is Coben’s first co-authored novel, blending his signature twists with Witherspoon’s passion for emotionally driven, female-led storytelling.

This collaboration has received mixed reviews, with some readers feeling it doesn’t quite match Coben’s earlier work. I went in with an open mind and overall, I enjoyed it.

The book is fast-paced and full of twists, though I’ll admit it can feel a bit confusing at times. That’s likely due to the multiple timelines, the heavy medical terminology, and the inclusion of an AI “grief bot.”

Once I settled into the story, it began to flow more smoothly. The main character, Maggie McCabe, is a former Army combat surgeon who has lost both her husband and her medical license. Facing mounting debt from lawsuits, she accepts a discreet, high-paying medical job. This is a decision that quickly pulls her into a dangerous conspiracy.

Despite its complexity, I found this to be a compelling and thought-provoking thriller. In my opinion, it deserves a spot on your reading list.

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the books I’ll be reading next. Plus, you can follow me on Goodreads to keep up with my latest ratings.

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Thanks for spending a little of your time with me. I hope these stories, recommendations, and little literary detours brought a smile to your day or even inspired your next great read. Keep turning those pages and sharing the joy of books with someone you love. Until next time!