The 20 most-read and best-loved books first published in 2023, with the numbers behind each one.
The best books first published in 2023, ranked by what readers actually do: how many shelved them, how they rate them, and how many are reading them now. 2023 is complete, so this list updates only when reader numbers move meaningfully.
For the books readers love across all years see the Top 100. For the hottest brand-new releases see Rising.
← Best Books of 2022Best Books of 2024 →
Rebecca Yarros · 2023
At a brutal war college for dragon riders, a frail young woman must survive training designed to kill the weak. Romantic, action-packed, and adult in content.
Why it’s here: 3,305 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (100 ratings); 169 are reading it right now.
Best for: Adult readers who like romantic fantasy
Ana Huang · 2023
Kai, a controlled and proper billionaire heir, faces a pivotal CEO vote and has no room for distractions. Isabella, bold and irreverent, tempts him to break every rule he lives by.
Why it’s here: 1,113 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (14 ratings); 65 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers who like opposites-attract stories with buttoned-up billionaires and playful heroines
Rebecca Yarros · 2023
Violet survived her first year at a brutal dragon rider war college, but the second brings tougher training and a cruel new leader pressuring her to betray the man she loves. She also holds a dangerous secret.
Why it’s here: 1,079 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (38 ratings); 50 are reading it right now.
Best for: Fans of dragons, military academy settings and fierce heroines in romantic fantasy
Lauren Roberts · 2023
In a kingdom where powers rule, a powerless girl enters a deadly competition and falls for a prince she should avoid. A popular new romantic fantasy.
Why it’s here: 2,990 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (68 ratings); 189 are reading it right now.
Best for: Fans of romantic fantasy and trials
Rick Riordan · 2023
Percy Jackson just wants a normal senior year, but the gods still need him. To earn the recommendation letters college requires, he must complete three quests, starting with helping retrieve Zeus's cup-bearer's missing goblet alongside Grover and Annabeth.
Why it’s here: 539 readers have shelved it on Open Library; 26 are reading it right now.
Best for: Percy Jackson fans who want a lighthearted reunion with the original heroes
Ana Huang · 2023
A Wall Street titan has everything except the wife who finally put herself first and walked away. Now he must fight to win back the marriage he neglected in this steamy second chance story, which works as a standalone.
Why it’s here: 1,026 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4 out of 5 (17 ratings); 54 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers who love steamy second chance romances with troubled marriages and powerful heroes
Freida McFadden · 2023
A woman with a past she needs hidden takes a cleaning job at a luxurious penthouse. When she senses something wrong with the unseen Mrs Garrick, she vows to protect her and make Douglas Garrick pay.
Why it’s here: 812 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.9 out of 5 (12 ratings); 27 are reading it right now.
Best for: Thriller readers who enjoy secretive narrators and suspense behind closed doors
Hannah Grace · 2023
Two Maple Hills students share a one-night stand, then discover they are both summer camp counselors. Each escaping troubles at home, they must decide whether to break the strict rule against staff fraternizing.
Why it’s here: 608 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.9 out of 5 (21 ratings); 34 are reading it right now.
Best for: Fans of the Maple Hills series who enjoy summer camp romance
Morgan Bridges · 2023
Murder links an obsessive stalker to a woman who needs help from a ruthless lawyer. What begins as a simple transaction turns intense, and trust becomes risky. This opens a two-book duet.
Why it’s here: 435 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (10 ratings); 24 are reading it right now.
Best for: Dark romance fans who want obsession, danger, and a duet to follow
Lucy Score · 2023
A police chief recovering from a shooting hides his panic attacks, until his new neighbor Lina notices. She has secrets and no interest in staying, yet their powerful connection pulls them together in Knockemout.
Why it’s here: 448 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (13 ratings); 23 are reading it right now.
Best for: Small-town romance readers who like wounded heroes and heroines with hidden agendas
Rick Riordan · 2023
Nico di Angelo hears a voice calling from Tartarus and believes a reformed Titan needs rescue. With his boyfriend Will insisting on joining him, their bond faces a severe test in this standalone quest.
Why it’s here: 429 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (20 ratings).
Best for: Percy Jackson readers who love Nico and Will and want a standalone adventure
Ali Hazelwood · 2023
Physicist Elsie moonlights as a fake girlfriend, and her carefully managed life unravels when a client's brother turns out to sit on the MIT hiring committee. Their rivalry soon sparks something far warmer.
Why it’s here: 679 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.8 out of 5 (16 ratings); 24 are reading it right now.
Best for: Readers who enjoy academic rivals-to-lovers romance with science-world humor
Lucy Score · 2023
A vengeful mogul and a small-town librarian share a steamy night despite their mutual dislike. Their enemies-to-lovers romance hits a wall because she wants a family and he refuses to consider one.
Why it’s here: 394 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
Best for: Enemies-to-lovers fans who like powerful heroes and emotional standoffs
Karen M. McManus · 2023
The Bayview Crew returns home for the summer, hoping to move on from Simon's death, but a cryptic billboard announces a new game. When a friend vanishes, it becomes clear that old secrets are about to surface and everyone is a target.
Why it’s here: 242 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
Best for: Teen mystery readers who enjoy twisty, secret-filled stories and continuing a favorite series
Rebecca Ross · 2023
Eighteen-year-old Iris lands a coveted newspaper job during a war between gods while her brother is missing at the front. Her unsent letters reach her rival Roman Kitt, who anonymously writes back, creating an unexpected bond.
Why it’s here: 244 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (12 ratings).
Best for: Fantasy fans who love rivals-to-lovers romance and stories told through letters
Emily Henry · 2023
Harriet and Wyn split six months ago but keep it secret, pretending to be a couple during one last week at their friends' beloved Maine cottage. Sharing a room, they struggle to hide how much they still want each other.
Why it’s here: 381 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.7 out of 5 (15 ratings).
Best for: Readers who enjoy second-chance love stories set among close friends and coastal getaways
R. F. Kuang · 2023
After witnessing writer Athena Liu's death, June Hayward steals her unpublished manuscript and passes it off as her own under a rebranded name. As success grows, so does the risk of exposure, in a darkly funny tale of ambition and appropriation.
Why it’s here: 262 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 3.9 out of 5 (17 ratings).
Best for: Readers who like sharp, darkly comic satire about publishing, race, and ambition
Britney Spears · 2023
Britney Spears tells her own story, drawing on her life as a pop star and mother and on the 2021 court testimony that changed everything. Candid and often funny, it centers on reclaiming her voice and telling her truth.
Why it’s here: 192 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.5 out of 5 (17 ratings).
Best for: Pop music fans curious to hear Spears's story in her own words
Liz Tomforde · 2023
A new NBA captain needs to look more approachable, so he fakes a relationship with his sister's best friend, who has recently moved in. She has her own reasons to play along, but the pretend romance soon starts to feel real.
Why it’s here: 193 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
Best for: Readers who enjoy fake-dating, roommate romances with a sports setting
Stephanie Garber · 2023
Evangeline Fox seems to have won her happy ending, with a handsome prince for a husband and a legendary castle to call home. Yet she cannot recall the terrible price she paid, and the final trilogy clash puts true love on trial.
Why it’s here: 197 readers have shelved it on Open Library.
Best for: Readers wanting a fairytale-flavored fantasy that wraps up a trilogy
← Best Books of 2022Best Books of 2024 →
Other years: 2025 · 2024 · 2023 · 2022 · 2021 · 2020 · 2019 · 2018 · 2017 · 2016 · 2015 · 2014 · 2013 · 2012 · 2011 · 2010 · 2009 · 2008 · 2007 · 2006 · 2005 · 2004 · 2003 · 2002 · 2001 · 2000 · 1999 · 1998 · 1997 · 1996 · 1995 · 1994 · 1993 · 1992 · 1991 · 1990 · All years
We start with every book first published in 2023 on Open Library, then keep the ones with real evidence behind them: at least 300 readers and at least 3 editions, with a cover, in English. 34 books cleared that bar for 2023, and the 20 below scored highest. No author appears more than twice. We publish a year only when at least 15 books clear the bar, so no list is thin.
| Signal | Weight | What it captures |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 55% | How many readers have shelved the book on Open Library (want to read, reading, or read). |
| Reader love | 25% | Average reader rating, adjusted so a handful of ratings cannot inflate it. |
| Being read right now | 20% | How many Open Library readers are in the middle of it. |
Each signal is scored from 0 to 100 against the other 2023 books and blended with the weights above. The “why it’s here” line on each book is built from its real numbers. Descriptions are paraphrased from real source text.
This list reflects reading interest on public data, not quality, sales or awards, and it can be affected by data gaps. Open Library counts grow over time, so older books have had longer to gather readers; every book on this page is compared only against books from the same year.
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