Anticipated Indie Book Releases of August 2025 bring an exciting mix of fresh voices and compelling stories to dive into. This month’s collection showcases everything from heart-pounding thrillers and sizzling romances to imaginative fantasy and gripping suspense.
Whether you’re looking for your next unforgettable read or eager to explore new indie authors making waves, these standout releases offer something special for every reader’s taste.
Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino
Ghosts of Hiroshima by Charles Pellegrino is a harrowing and deeply human account of the atomic bombings, arriving just in time for the 80th anniversary of Hiroshima. Soon to be a major motion picture from director James Cameron, this powerful work of nonfiction blends forensic archaeology and over 200 survivor interviews to capture the unimaginable. Through the eyes of those who lived it—including Tsutomu Yamaguchi, who survived both Hiroshima and Nagasaki—Pellegrino reveals the brutal aftermath of nuclear war in vivid, heartbreaking detail.
This is not just history. It’s a haunting warning. With prose that reads like a thriller, Ghosts of Hiroshima reminds us that our future depends on remembering our past.
Available August 5, 2025
Flirting With Trouble by Melissa Foster
In this steamy small-town romance, a grieving widow and a charming playboy find themselves tangled in more than just a one-night stand. Victoria Braden never expected her night of emotional escape to lead to Wells Silver—Silver Island’s resident heartbreaker. But forgetting him isn’t as easy as she planned, especially when his flirtation turns serious. As the owner of a popular restaurant and member of the island’s most influential family, Wells has always lived by his own rules… until Victoria.
With tropes like “he falls first,” opposites attract, and a swoon-worthy age gap, Flirting With Trouble serves up heat, heart, and second chances. Part of the beloved Love in Bloom series, this romance stands strong on its own—and leaves a lasting impression.
Available August 6, 2025
A Little Crush by Kelsie Rae
In this charming small-town romance, a single dad with too much on his plate finds himself face-to-face with the one girl he swore he’d never cross the line with. When Rory Buchanan returns home for her brother’s wedding, the last person she expects to run into is her childhood crush—now a widowed NHL coach with a baby girl and a whole lot of unresolved tension. He knows he should keep his distance, but Rory is no longer the sweet kid he once knew—she’s confident, irresistible, and unexpectedly entangled in his life. Between past memories, present sparks, and one very adorable toddler, this slow-burn romance hits all the right emotional notes.
A Little Crush is a heartwarming, low-angst love story with just the right amount of heat and happily-ever-after.
Available August 7, 2025
Next Chance by Kate Bold
In this gripping thriller, retired detective Meg Thorne refuses to let time bury the truth. Haunted by the cases she never closed, Meg steps outside the law to chase the one that got away—the Riverside Strangler—when new evidence hints the killer has returned. With no badge to protect her and everything to prove, she dives headfirst into a web of past mistakes, cover-ups, and deadly secrets. As the body count rises, Meg must outwit a killer who’s been hiding in plain sight.
Next Chance is a fast-paced, high-stakes mystery perfect for fans of tenacious heroines and chilling twists.
Available August 9, 2025
Honky Tonk Cowboy by Maggie Shayne
Ethan “Bubba” Brand has always felt like an outsider in the family that took him in—but Lily sees the man behind the doubts. A country singer with a troubled past, Ethan lives on the road, running from the shadows of his bloodline. Lily, whose heart has belonged to him since the first time she heard his voice, believes he’s worthy of love, belonging, and a future. When old wounds resurface and danger comes knocking, the Brand family rallies—but it’s Lily’s quiet strength that might finally break down Ethan’s walls.
Honky Tonk Cowboy is an emotional small-town romance about chosen family, healing, and the kind of love that won’t take no for an answer.
Available August 12, 2025
Luck Of The Devil by Denise Grover Swank
Former detective Harper Adams is barely holding it together—newly sober and reeling from her mother’s sudden death—when she uncovers evidence the car accident wasn’t an accident at all. Determined to expose the truth, Harper teams up with the one man she shouldn’t trust: a powerful crime boss with murky motives and a talent for getting answers. As she peels back layers of secrets, Harper must fight to stay sober, stay alive, and face the devastating truth about her past.
Luck of the Devil is a gritty, fast-paced thriller with a fierce heroine, razor-sharp twists, and danger that hits close to home.
Available August 12, 2025
Bad Blood by Julie Mulhern
Prudence Davies was never Ellison Jones’s favorite person. She was vindictive, mean, and the two shared a long and twisted history. Now Prudence is dead, murdered shortly after a very public argument, and Ellison is the prime suspect.
To make matters worse, the lead investigator seems determined to go after Ellison’s homicide detective husband, putting both their reputations on the line.
Old secrets are resurfacing, lies are piling up, and Ellison must race to uncover the truth. Can she find the real killer before everything she cares about unravels?
Available August 26, 2025
A Crown So Cursed by Tanya Anne Crosby
In ancient Pretania, Málik Danann must choose between duty and love. Pressured to marry and produce an heir, he still longs for his soulmate, Gwendolyn of Cornwall. After years apart, Gwendolyn returns with the help of her father, the sea god Manannán, but their reunion comes with danger. The Shadow Court’s treachery threatens not only their love but the fate of the entire realm. Can they reclaim their place together before chaos consumes them?
This magical, second-chance romance from Tanya Anne Crosby blends passion, power, and myth in a tale fans won’t forget.
Land of Ash by Lindsey Pogue
In a world choked by volcanic ash and endless storms, Harper has learned to survive by trusting her instincts and keeping everyone at arm’s length. When she’s forced to team up with Dean Hartford, a brooding scientist whose grim warnings hint at a worse disaster ahead, everything she believes is challenged. As they journey the deadly Scarred Mile, Harper realizes Dean’s cautious hope may be their only chance. But in a world where nature itself is a relentless enemy, the biggest risk might be letting someone in.
Land of Ash is a gripping, heart-pounding sequel full of survival, trust, and the fight to keep hope alive.
Available August 26, 2025
How Bad Things Can Get by Darcy Coates
What was meant to be the party of the century on a tropical island quickly turns into a nightmare. Influencer fans arrive for five days of games, drinks, and sun, but hidden shadows lurk beneath the paradise. Ruth, the lone survivor of a brutal cult, has spent years hiding from her past—but the island’s dark history is about to catch up with her. As guests start disappearing and the games become deadly, Ruth must face terrifying truths she thought were long buried.
How Bad Things Can Get is a chilling, edge-of-your-seat thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last bonfire.
Available August 26, 2025
August 2025 is packed with indie releases that are sure to captivate and surprise. Don’t miss the chance to add these anticipated titles to your TBR and support the talented indie authors behind them.
Stay tuned for next month’s roundup, where more incredible new books will be waiting to be discovered.
