If Reese Witherspoon puts it on her book list, you know it’s good. From gripping thrillers to emotionally rich literary fiction, Reese’s picks never miss—and her 2025 list might be her most empowering yet. Through her Hello Sunshine book club, Reese has built a literary empire that champions women’s voices, unforgettable characters, and stories that stay with you long after the last page.
Whether you’re looking for your next binge-worthy beach read or a novel that cracks your heart wide open, Reese has done the curating—you just have to show up with a blanket and a bookmark. And trust us: #2 on this list? Every woman needs to read it.
The Phoenix Pencil Company by Allison King
Category: Historical Fiction, Women in Business, Reinvention
What It’s About
Set in post-war America, The Phoenix Pencil Company follows a determined woman who inherits her family’s struggling pencil company—and decides to rewrite its story.
As she navigates a male-dominated industry, shifting societal expectations, and her own personal grief, she sparks more than just business success—she lights a fire of transformation within herself and her community.
Why You Should Read It
This one’s for the trailblazers. With the nostalgic charm of historical fiction and the fire of feminist ambition, it delivers an uplifting tale of grit, grace, and growth.
Reese’s Take
When featuring it in her book club, Reese teased readers with a simple promise:
“You won’t want to miss this one.” And it’s easy to see why.
This novel is a quintessential Reese’s Book Club pick—centered on a woman rewriting her own story with courage, creativity, and relentless grit.
Once Upon a Time in Dollywood by Ashley Jordan
Category: Contemporary Fiction, Romance, Southern Fiction
What It’s About
Set against the charming backdrop of Tennessee and yes—Dollywood—this novel tells the story of a woman who returns to her small-town roots and unexpectedly falls into a second chance at love, purpose, and self-acceptance.
Balancing heartbreak, humor, and homecoming, Ashley Jordan spins a warm and emotional story of flawed characters learning how to live honestly and love again.
Why You Should Read It
This is a Southern comfort read at its finest—equal parts cozy and emotionally deep. If you love layered characters and slow-burning emotional growth (with a healthy side of Dolly Parton nostalgia), this one’s a must.
Reese’s Take
“I like to believe readers connect most deeply with characters who are flawed and trying anyway, because they’re the closest thing we have to avatars of ourselves…”
— Reese Witherspoon, via Reese’s Book Club
This quote perfectly captures why Once Upon a Time in Dollywood made her list. It celebrates imperfection, growth, and soft-hearted strength.
Get Book: Once Upon a Time in Dollywood!Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein
Category: Memoir, Career, Self-Discovery
What It’s About
Spectacular Things is the witty, warm, and wildly relatable memoir of Beck Dorey-Stein—a woman who went from answering a Craigslist ad to becoming a White House stenographer during the Obama administration. But this isn’t just a political memoir.
Through journal entries, essays, and candid reflections, Beck shares the messy, magical reality of navigating love, heartbreak, ambition, burnout, and the constant reinvention that comes with adulthood. It’s part travel diary, part coming-of-age story—for your thirties.
Why You Should Read It
It’s witty, honest, and emotionally raw in all the right ways. If you’ve ever felt like you’re figuring life out later than expected, this book will meet you there—with heart and humor. Perfect for readers who love introspective personal narratives with a dash of political intrigue.
Reese’s Take
When asked to describe Spectacular Things, Reese said, “Sisters. Soccer. A really cute and beautiful read.”
It’s easy to see why it fits her list. This memoir is all about owning your chaos, bouncing back from burnout, and rediscovering yourself in the messiest chapters of life. It echoes Reese’s love for real, relatable women who are figuring it out as they go—and doing it with wit and honesty.
Get Book: Spectacular Things!Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
Category: Contemporary Fiction, Family Drama, Women’s Fiction
What It’s About
In Great Big Beautiful Life, Emily Henry crafts a powerful story about a woman who returns to her hometown after years away, only to confront the myths and truths surrounding her family’s legacy.
As she grapples with grief, old relationships, and the fractured stories she once believed, she begins to reclaim her narrative—and rewrite the ending on her own terms. It’s a layered, emotionally resonant novel about memory, healing, and the ownership of our stories.
Why You Should Read It
If you’re drawn to novels that blend humor, heartbreak, and a touch of hope, this one delivers. Henry’s writing is as sharp and tender as ever, offering a deeply human portrait of a woman rediscovering herself through the messiness of life and legacy. It’s especially meaningful for anyone who’s ever had to navigate the blurry lines between fact and family folklore.
Reese’s Take
Reese called it a “dazzling, layered story about love, legacy, and the power of who gets to tell the story.”
True to the heart of her book club, this pick resonates with her commitment to stories where women reclaim their voices. It’s a celebration of perspective, truth-telling, and emotional complexity—exactly the kind of read that makes Reese’s Book Club so compelling.
Get Book: Great Big Beautiful Life!All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett
Category: Literary Fiction, Identity, Relationships
What It’s About
Set in the winding streets of Oxford, All That Life Can Afford follows a young woman navigating the complexities of love, ambition, and identity while studying abroad.
Torn between worlds—her past in America and the intellectual, emotionally tangled life she’s building in England—she must confront what she’s willing to sacrifice for the sense of belonging she craves. It’s a quiet, introspective novel about the tension between who we are and who we think we should be.
Why You Should Read It
This is the kind of book that lingers—equal parts atmospheric and emotionally sharp. If you’ve ever struggled to fit in or questioned the cost of chasing a certain kind of life, Everett’s debut will hit home. It’s smart, intimate, and full of beautifully rendered moments that stay with you long after the last page.
Reese’s Take
Reese was clearly moved by this story, saying, “All That Life Can Afford by Emily Everett is about love, ambition, and the cost of belonging, and I cannot stop thinking about it.”
That lingering impact is what her book club thrives on—complex female characters, rich emotional stakes, and the kind of narrative that makes you pause and reflect. This is one of those reads that sneaks up on you—in the best way.
Heiress Takes All by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka
Category: Contemporary Fiction, Heist Drama, Family & Secrets
What It’s About
Heiress Takes All follows a runaway heiress with one mission: crash her estranged father’s wedding, steal back what’s hers, and disappear for good. But when old wounds, unexpected alliances, and a high-stakes family drama collide, the plan spirals into something far more complicated.
It’s part revenge story, part emotional journey—with razor-sharp dialogue, romance, and plenty of twists.
Why You Should Read It
This book is pure entertainment with heart. Think Oceans 8 meets Succession with a smart, emotionally layered heroine at the center. Whether you’re here for the drama, the tension, or the deeply satisfying payback, this story is impossible to put down. Perfect for readers who love juicy family sagas wrapped in wit and chaos.
Reese’s Take
Reese gushed about this one, saying,
“This novel pairs high stakes with a lovable cast of characters and is sure to keep you up all night reading. It’s your next can’t-miss read: unexpected alliances, sharp wit, and incredible plot twists.”
It’s the kind of rollercoaster read her book club thrives on—fast-paced, full of sass, and led by a woman who won’t go down without a fight.
Get Book: Heiress Takes All!Broken Country by Clare Leslie Hall
Category: Literary Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Grief & Healing
What It’s About
Broken Country follows a young woman navigating the aftermath of a profound personal loss while reckoning with the fractured landscapes—both emotional and literal—of her hometown. As she attempts to rebuild her life, old family secrets and community tensions come to light, forcing her to confront truths she’s long avoided.
Why You Should Read It
This is the kind of novel that sneaks up on you. With lyrical prose and layered characters, Broken Country digs deep into how we carry grief, and how we eventually find our way through it. It’s especially perfect for readers who crave emotional honesty, rawness, and a strong undercurrent of hope.
Reese’s Take
With her signature humor, Reese joked, “You think you have it together but then you’ll lose your chicken when you read this book.”
That’s Reese-speak for: it’s emotionally intense, and you’ll be crying in the best way. This pick is classic Reese—heart-wrenching, healing, and impossible to forget.
Get Book: Broken Country!Isola by Allegra Goodman
Category: Historical Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Survival
What It’s About
Set against the rugged beauty of the Alaskan wilderness in the early 20th century, Isola follows a determined young woman who breaks societal norms to chase freedom on her own terms.
Faced with the raw forces of nature and the expectations of the world she left behind, she must summon an extraordinary inner strength to survive—not just physically, but emotionally. It’s a sweeping tale of grit, isolation, and self-discovery.
Why You Should Read It
Isola is more than historical fiction—it’s a study in resilience. If you’re drawn to stories of women who push boundaries, who dare to be wild and uncontainable, this one’s for you. Goodman’s prose is both elegant and adventurous, perfect for readers who love heroines who are as fierce as they are flawed.
Reese’s Take
“Isola by Allegra Goodman has it all: love, resilience, defiance… I mean, she even fights a bear! This is one of my favorite historical fiction reads yet.”
With that kind of endorsement, it’s clear this book checked every box Reese looks for—female agency, emotional depth, and unforgettable storytelling with a bite.
Get Book: Isola by Allegra Goodman!Throwback by Maurene Goo
Category: Young Adult, Time Travel, Family Relationships
What It’s About
Throwback follows Sam, a high school girl who unexpectedly time-travels to the 1990s—where she meets her teenage mom. What begins as a lighthearted, nostalgic adventure quickly deepens into a heartfelt exploration of generational misunderstandings, cultural identity, and the evolving definition of motherhood.
It’s a coming-of-age story that bridges the past and present in the most unexpected way.
Why You Should Read It
If you’ve ever struggled to connect with your parents or wished you could understand them better, Throwback is the book that delivers that magic. It’s funny, emotional, and brimming with ‘90s pop culture. Plus, it offers a rare and moving lens into mother-daughter relationships—perfect for anyone craving a story with both depth and delight.
Reese’s Take
“[Throwback] is a blend of heart and humor in this beautiful telling of mother-daughter relationships.”
Reese has long championed stories that center strong familial bonds, and Throwback fits seamlessly into her book club’s spirit—charming, clever, and emotionally rich.
City of Night Birds by Juhea Kim
Category: Historical Fiction, War & Resistance, Women’s Lives
What It’s About
Set in 1940s Korea during the Japanese occupation, City of Night Birds tells the story of two women navigating love, war, and survival in a country on the brink of change.
Through lush prose and emotionally rich storytelling, Juhea Kim explores the intersecting paths of rebellion, sacrifice, and resilience as her characters fight for agency in a time when everything feels uncertain.
Why You Should Read It
If you’re drawn to historical fiction that’s both haunting and empowering, this novel belongs on your shelf. It captures the emotional weight of war while spotlighting women who refuse to be erased from history. It’s not just a story about surviving the times—it’s about reshaping them.
Reese’s Take
“This story left us thinking about the ways we overcome setbacks and redefine what truly matters.”
Reese’s book club often leans into stories of perseverance and identity, and City of Night Birds delivers on both. With its themes of personal strength and social change, it’s a resonant, unforgettable read.
Get Book: City of Night Birds!We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People
Category: Memoir, Indigenous Rights, Environmental Justice
What It’s About
This powerful memoir tells the story of Nemonte Nenquimo, an Indigenous Waorani leader from the Ecuadorian Amazon, and her courageous fight to protect her people’s land from oil companies and exploitation.
Co-written with journalist Mitch Anderson, the book is both a personal journey and a rallying cry for Indigenous sovereignty, cultural preservation, and environmental action.
Why You Should Read It
We Will Be Jaguars offers a rare and urgent perspective on climate justice and Indigenous resistance. It’s deeply emotional, spiritually grounded, and unflinchingly honest. Readers looking to expand their worldview and hear from voices often silenced will find this memoir illuminating, timely, and unforgettable.
Reese’s Take
“An unforgettable memoir about fighting for your home and your heart.”
Reese consistently champions stories about courageous women standing up for what matters, and this memoir embodies that spirit fully. It’s not just a story—it’s a movement told through lived experience, love, and fierce advocacy.
Final Thoughts
From gripping memoirs to witty rom-coms and empowering historical fiction, Reese Witherspoon’s 2025 reading list once again reflects her unwavering commitment to uplifting women’s stories—stories of grit, resilience, humor, and heart. Whether it’s a rebellious heiress, a mother-daughter time-travel tale, or an Indigenous leader fighting for her land, each book she spotlights carries a message of bold self-definition. These aren’t just page-turners—they’re blueprints for becoming, healing, and rising.
If you’re looking for stories that speak to who you are—or who you’re becoming—this list is your next chapter.
