I really like 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' by Jenny Han. Lara Jean writes love letters to all her past crushes, including her friend Josh. When the letters get sent out, chaos ensues, and her relationship with Josh takes an unexpected turn as they explore their feelings for each other. It's a charming coming - of - age love story.
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 great 'best friends turned lovers' novel is 'The Hating Game' by Sally Thorne. It's a really fun read with two coworkers who start as rivals but were actually friends in a way before, and then their relationship evolves into love. Another is 'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell. The main character has a best friend, and their relationship gradually shifts towards a more romantic one. It also deals with themes of growing up and finding your place in the world.
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.
It often involves a slow - burn. They don't just jump into love. In many novels like 'Well Met' by Jen DeLuca, the characters gradually realize their feelings over time. This slow realization of love while already having a friendship base makes for a very satisfying read. It's like watching a flower bloom slowly, and the anticipation builds up the tension in the story.
One common theme is the slow - burn. Since they start as friends, the transition to lovers doesn't happen overnight. There's often a lot of hesitation and 'will they or won't they' moments. Another theme is the discovery of new aspects of the friend. When the relationship shifts, they start to see each other in a different light, like noticing physical or emotional qualities they overlooked before. And there's also the theme of the fear of ruining the friendship. They worry that if the romantic relationship doesn't work out, they'll lose the precious friendship they had.
Well, 'My Girl' is a lovely novel that features a childhood friends - turned - lovers story. The characters grow up together, sharing many experiences, and gradually their friendship blossoms into love. Then there's 'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' by Jenny Han. Lara Jean and Peter were sort of childhood friends in a sense, and their relationship evolves into a romantic one throughout the story. And 'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell has some aspects of it too, with Cath and Levi having a connection that starts from their early days at college which is somewhat like a childhood - like beginning in that new environment and turns into love.
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 such story is Harry and Sally from the movie 'When Harry Met Sally'. They were friends for years, constantly bickering but also sharing a deep connection. Eventually, they realized their feelings had changed into love. Another is Chandler and Monica from 'Friends'. They had been friends in the group for a long time before their relationship evolved into a romantic one.
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.
One great 'best friend to lovers' romance novel is 'The Hating Game' by Sally Thorne. It's about two coworkers who start off as rivals but were actually friends in a way before realizing their deeper feelings. Another is 'When Harry Met Sally'. It's a classic that shows the evolution from friendship to love over time.
'The Flatshare' by Beth O'Leary. Tiffy and Leon share a flat but have very different schedules. They start as friendly flatmates and slowly fall for each other. It has a really cute and unique concept that readers find appealing. It shows how proximity and getting to know someone on a friendly level first can lead to love.