Friends-to-Lovers is About to Become Your Favorite Trope
I know that everyone loves an enemies-to-lovers or rivals-to-lovers book, but hear me out, I present you with 10 friends-to-lovers romance book recommendations that will make you laugh, melt, and just about every other emotion that you could think of!
1. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
A story of two old childhood friends that will make you believe in second chances.
Ambitious Macy has settled into a routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to a secure man, and keep her heart tucked away. However, everything changes when she runs into her old friend and first and only love of her life — Elliot.
Love & Other Words is a romantic story told in alternating timelines — one where they are teenagers becoming friends-to-lovers and the other where they are adults and are complete strangers. During their reconnection, Elliot will learn the truth of Macy’s silence and both will have to overcome the past to have a future.
If you’re looking for a heartfelt friends-to-lovers romance book, then Love & Other Words is for you!
2. People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry
What if one vacation changed a decade-long friendship forever? And it wasn't for the better.
Poppy and Alex have nothing in common, and yet they are best friends — or were best friends. Most of the year they live far apart, except for their annual week-long summer vacation together. Everything was going great, until one last vacation that ruined their friendship.
A few years later, Poppy finds herself in a rut. The last time she was truly happy was her final trip with Alex. On a whim, she convinces Alex to take one more final vacation together where they can lay everything on the table. Now she has one week to fix everything. Sounds easy right?
People We Meet On Vacation is a friends-to-lovers romance book where the reader experiences both the past vacations between Poppy and Alex and their current last vacation together. A funny and heartwarming romance that everyone needs to read! Especially since there will be a movie adaptation coming out in the upcoming years that will be a must-watch.
3. Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata
Dear Aaron takes friends-to-lovers romance to a new level with email pen-pals.
Ruby knew what she was getting herself into when she signed up to write to a soldier overseas. One email a week for the length of their deployment. She’s been there and done that before, so she knew what to expect. However, when she is matched, she doesn’t expect for the guy to become her best friend and a potential romance.
A little over half the book is told through Ruby and Aaron’s email communications where you find them becoming friends over time and wishing for something more. Honestly, Dear Aaron is never talked about, however, it is one of my favorite romance books!
4. Powerless by Elsie Silver
A childhood friendship and unrequited love? Sign me up.
Powerless is part of the Chestnut Springs series, however it could be read as a stand-alone friends-to-lovers romance.
To the town, Jasper is a talented hockey player. To Sloane, he’s the man that she has secretly been in love with for years.
When Sloane’s life falls apart on her wedding day (perfect timing!), it makes sense that Jasper is the one to help her through the process. The more time they spend together, the less they feel like only friends. Their feelings aren’t straightforward and Jasper needs to prove that he wants to be with Sloane, after years of turning away from it.
If you want a friends-to-lovers romance book that has learning, then this is the romance book for you!
5. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Looking for your next friends-to-lovers romance set in college? Then The Deal is the next book you should read!
Hannah has finally found a crush, but in order to get his attention, she takes a deal to tutor and pretend to date the very annoying captain of the hockey team. All Garret cares about is his professional hockey career. So when his GPA plummets, he of course wants to help out Hannah to make the other guy jealous. Easy win.
However, when pretending to date and friendship doesn’t cut it anymore for Garret, he needs to convince Hannah that he’s the guy for her.
A funny and spicy friends-to-lovers romance that will have you hooked! Also, it’s the first book in a series, so you have a few books to read after this one in the same universe!
6. The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams
The Cheat Sheet is your next romantic comedy that deals with a friends-to-lovers situation book to pick up!
Bree finds herself to be helplessly in love with her best friend and NFL player Nathan. The last thing Bree wants to do is admit her feelings because it would obviously ruin their friendship as he obviously doesn’t see her with romantic potential. Obviously.
However, when a car accident ended her dream at becoming a professional ballerina, she changed paths and now owns a dance studio. She finds herself in a pickle when the rent increases again, but Nathan swoops in and buys the entire building. Just a small task for an NFL player I guess.
Bree is not happy about it. When one shot (and a couple more shots) of tequila leads to her spilling her deepest secret to a TMZ reporter, the world now thinks Bree and Nathan are the IT couple. Before they can talk, Nathan’s PR agent decides this is the perfect opportunity for them to pretend to date for the next three weeks. As we all know, pretend dating leads to real-life feelings.
The set-up of the The Cheat Sheet sounds so interesting and could be your next favorite friends-to-lovers romance book.
7. Funny Story by Emily Henry
You want to hear a funny story? When Daphne’s fiancé Peter (well now ex-fiancé) breaks up with her, she has to move out of his house. And best of all, her new roommate Miles is the recent ex-boyfriend of Peter’s new fiancée. Sounds funny and convoluted.
Now stranded in a small town in Michigan, Daphne is counting now the days until she can finally leave. However, there is only one person who understands her heartbreak, her new roommate Miles. He is the exact opposite of herself and they mainly avoid each other until one drunken night leads them to post misleading photos of themselves together on social media. Totally to not get back at their exes or anything like that, obviously. While their summer adventures are all for show, Daphne can't help but fall for Miles.
Funny Story is the perfect friends-to-lovers romance, as you get to read about all of Daphne and Miles' romantic summer adventures. What I love most about Emily Henry’s romance novels are that they are beyond the romance. So get ready to deeply connect with the characters because this book will take you on a journey!
8. Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren
Friends don’t ever date, right?
Hazel knows that she’s a lot and most men aren’t up for the challenge, but that’s their loss. Josh has known Hazel since college and they are complete opposites. They have always been just friends, until ten years later and Josh’s girlfriend cheats on him, resulting in going out with Hazel.
But not like going out, going out. No, they just set each other on terrible blind dates. And that means there’s nothing between them… obviously.
Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating is a true development of friends-to-lovers in the most unexpected way.
9. The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
Tiffy desperately needs a place to live after a bad breakup. So when she finds an ad for a flatshare with a night-shift worker roommate that will take the apartment during the day when Tiffy is at work and she can have it at nights and weekends, it seems like the perfect place.
Because of their opposite schedules, they never meet, so they start leaving notes for each other. The notes start off mundane, but soon they start a friendship and maybe something more.
The Flatshare is a friends-to-lovers romance with a unique premise! Falling for a roommate that you have never met before is certainly a first.
10. Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez
Briana’s life is down in the dumps. Her divorce is about to be finalized, her brother is trying to find a kidney donor and running out of time, and the promotion she wants is probably going to the new man doctor who she finds annoying. However, their relationship changes when Jacob sends her a letter. Like a letter that proves he’s funny, likeable and just terrible at first impressions.
They start to exchange letters, go on lunches, all the friendship-type activities. When Jacob gives Briana the best gift — finding a donor for her brother — maybe they should be more than friends.
Terrible first impressions leading to a special friendship and a heartwarming romance, Yours Truly sounds like the perfect friends-to-lovers romance.
About the Author
Madi is an avid reader at heart. When she doesn't have her nose buried in a book, she enjoys creating social media content and watching romantic comedies. However, nothing beats a cozy night-in spent reading a book.
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