What are the common themes in friends turned lovers romance novels?

Often, there's the theme of growth. They grow up together, and as they change over the years, their relationship also evolves. There's also the idea of loyalty. Their long - standing friendship means there's a certain loyalty that can translate into a strong romantic bond. In books like 'Pride and Prejudice', Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship develops as they both grow and their loyalty to their initial impressions slowly changes. And there's usually a moment of realization, where they suddenly see their childhood friend in a new, romantic light.

One common theme is the power of forgiveness. Since they start as enemies, they have to forgive past wrongs or misunderstandings. For example, in 'Pride and Prejudice', Elizabeth has to forgive Darcy for his initial prideful behavior. Another theme is self - discovery. Through their relationship with their former enemy, the characters often learn more about themselves. Also, the theme of overcoming differences is crucial. They usually come from different backgrounds or have different beliefs, like in 'Outlander' where Claire is from the 20th century and Jamie from the 18th century, and they have to bridge those gaps to fall in love.

A prevalent theme is the breaking down of barriers. These could be social, cultural or just personal barriers. In 'Wuthering Heights', Heathcliff and Catherine face social class differences and family feuds as barriers. Another theme is the idea of transformation. The characters usually transform from being bitter enemies to loving partners. In 'You've Got Mail', Kathleen and Joe transform from rivals to lovers as they get to know each other better.

One common theme is the deep - rooted familiarity. Since they've known each other for a long time, they have a shared history, like inside jokes and memories. Another is the growth and change. They often grow up and see each other in new lights. For example, a once - scrawny childhood friend might become very attractive as they get older. Also, there's usually some sort of conflict that comes from their long - standing relationship, like family expectations getting in the way of their new - found romantic feelings.

A wonderful 'friends turned lovers' romance novel is 'Roomies' by Christina Lauren. It's about a girl who needs to get married quickly for visa reasons and her friend who offers to marry her. As they go through the process, their friendship transforms into love. 'The Kiss Quotient' by Helen Hoang also has some elements of this. The main character hires a male escort, who becomes her friend first and then they fall in love. Additionally, 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen can be considered in this category. Elizabeth and Darcy start off as not really liking each other but they have a sort of underlying connection due to their social circles, and over time their relationship changes from a rather antagonistic one to a loving one which started from a form of friendship.

A common theme is the gradual evolution of feelings. It's not sudden love at first sight. They start as friends, and over time, little things add up. Maybe it's the way one friend always listens to the other, or the way they support each other through tough times. This gradual build - up of affection eventually turns into love. Another theme is the fear of ruining the friendship. In many of these stories, the characters are initially hesitant to admit their feelings because they don't want to lose the precious friendship they already have.

One common theme is the element of surprise. Often, the characters themselves are shocked when they start to feel romantic feelings for their friend. For example, in many novels, they might be in denial at first, thinking it's just a passing phase.

One great 'best friends turned lovers' romance novel is 'The Kiss Quotient' by Helen Hoang. It has a unique take on the trope. Stella, a woman on the autism spectrum, hires Michael, her friend, to be her sex tutor, and their relationship evolves from there into something more. It's a sweet and steamy read.

One common trope is the 'realization moment'. It's when one of the friends suddenly sees the other in a new, romantic light. Maybe it's during a special event like a wedding or a trip. Another is the 'jealousy factor'. When one friend starts dating someone else, the other realizes their true feelings because of the jealousy they feel. And then there's the 'near - miss kiss'. They get close to kissing but are interrupted, which builds up the sexual tension.

Well, shared experiences are a big thing. In a lot of these stories, like the one of Ted and Robin in the early days of 'How I Met Your Mother', they had been through so much together as friends. They had adventures, sad times, and happy times. This creates a bond that can turn into love. Another common part is the comfort level. Because they were friends, they were comfortable around each other, which is different from a typical new relationship. And often, there's a moment of realization, like when they see the other in a new light, that changes the relationship from friendship to love.