I’ve already read 38 books this year, but this is my standout favourite

Maybe it’s the high calibre of new book releases in 2025, or perhaps it’s that I keep deleting TikTok, but I’ve already read 38 books this year – and there’s one that I’ve been continually recommending to people.

I’ve been sucked into the “romantasy” genre with Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing series, enjoyed comedies including Alison Espach’s The Wedding People and Sarah Harman’s All The Other Mothers Hate Me, and been equal parts shocked and inspired by the real life stories of World War Two secret agent Pippa Lantour and former-Mormon Tara Westover in their beautiful memoirs, The Last Secret Agent and Educated.

But it’s Florence Knapp’s new novel, The Names, that’s a future classic. Curiously, her only other book is a non-fiction guide to English paper piecing, but her first foray into fiction is a masterclass. It’s as devastating as it is life-affirming, which is a recipe for the perfect book.

The novel is an utterly original take on the “sliding doors” concept. Beginning on the day a mother sets off to name her baby son, it follows three versions of a boy’s life as dictated by his given name. An exploration of how small decisions can echo down the decades, the novel is a gripping and moving family drama.

I tore through the book in two sittings while on holiday. The story might not be the typical easy-breezy beach book, but the novel is hugely readable, with beautiful prose and compelling characters. Debuting at number two in The Sunday Times bestseller list and with an average rating of 4.18 on Goodreads, it’s one of those rare mainstream novels that live up to the hype.

Whether you’re packing for a summer holiday or looking for your next weekend read, here’s why I’m recommending The Names to everyone.