Friends to Lovers Romance Books: 11 Must-Read Novels

The friends to lovers romance books trope is one of the most fulfilling tropes in romance novels. There is something about two friends realizing they have feelings for one another and using their trust and past to navigate the transition to a happily-ever-after ending. I wanted to make a list of my favorite books for you to read.

Friends to lovers romance books

Of course, there will be obstacles along the way because the novel would have no story to tell otherwise. But the road to a happy ending is always the best part. Often there will be unrequited love along with internal and external obstacles. If you love an enemies-to-lovers romance, I have that for you as well on a different post.

We here at Beyond the Bookends have chosen our absolute favorite friends-to-lovers books so that you don’t have to scour anywhere else for the best books.

Spicy Friends to Lovers Romance Books

Hook, Line, and Sinker and more goodreads choice awards 2022 books

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

This is such a cute romance. Fox Thorton is a player who has never had a relationship. The last thing he needs is to fall for his best friend, Hannah, while trying to help her get her crush. And to make matters worse, she has moved into his spare room for the next few weeks while she is filming a movie.

I wish there was a soundtrack to go with this book. It was such a cute and quick read.

the wedding party

The Wedding Party (The Wedding Date #3)

I am a huge fan of Jasmine Guillory books and this one was no exception. Maddie and Theo have nothing in common other than the fact that Alexa is their best friend. They agree to put aside their differences in order to share responsibilities for Alexa’s upcoming wedding.

But, when sparks fly, they agree that those wedding responsibilities will be a lot more fun if they give into their chemistry. This enemies-to-lovers romance is a fun and spicy read.

Friends to Lovers Romance Books

People we meet on Vacation

Author: Emily Henry

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

More info: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range:18+

Do you believe Harry (from When Harry Met Sally) when he said “Women and men can’t be friends”?

We are sure think he’s wrong, but one of our favorite tropes is friends to lovers. People We Met on Vacation is the latest beach read from Emily Henry and it’s addicting.

Poppy has been best friends with Alex since a car ride home from college a decade ago. Since then, they’ve gone on vacation together every year until 2 years ago when it all came crashing down.

Will they recover their friendship with one more trip or will their relationship be irrevocably ruined? This is the perfect beach, poolside read, or vacation read. You should be sure to add it to your summer reading romance books list. And if you are looking for the best friends-to-lovers romance novel, this is it.

This is one of the best friends to lovers romances I have read. I love the way Emily Henry’s books. The stories are so relatable and utterly charming

Tom Blythe and Emily Bader are set to star in the Netflix movie adaptation. Sarah Catherine Hook, Lukas Gage, Lucien Laviscount, and Jameela Jamil have also joined the cast.

Find this book in: Friends to Lovers Romance Books / Books Like People We Meet on Vacation / Books Becoming Movies / Ultimate Beach Reads 2021 / Emily Henry Books Ranked

In a holidaze

Author: Christina Lauren

Year: 2020

Genre: Holiday Romance

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 18+

Do you love Christmas movies? Are you obsessed with Christmas Romance books? Do you need to swoon? ⁣ If you answered yes to any of those questions, stop everything and order In a Holidaze. This is possibly my favorite Christmas novel of all time and was a must for best holiday books. ⁣

I adored Mae and Andrew’s love story. It’s set up like Groundhog’s Day with Mae repeating the same Christmas vacation until she gets it right.

This is a time-travel romance at its best. And man… does she get it right.⁣ Peppermint kisses, sexy sledding, snowball fights, Christmas Tree trimming… this book oozes cheer-filled holiday goodness with a few scenes that are steamier than a cup of cocoa.⁣

I thought a time loop book would become repetitive and this book was definitely not repetitive! I could not get enough of the Christmas cheer and the sweet moments in this book. I was rooting for the characters!

Find this book in: Time Travel Books / Best Books of 2020 / Magical Realism / Time Loop Books / Fantasy Christmas Books / Best Holiday Books / Best Christmas Books of All Time / Christmas Romance Books

To Marry and To Meddle and more march 2022 novel ideas

To Marry and To Meddle by Martha Waters

Lady Emily and Lord Julian have come to an arrangement. He needs a wife to help his theater appear more legitimate in the eyes of society, she needs to escape the strain of living under her parent’s thumb.

So they decided on a quick wedding whilst staying with friends in the country. But when they get back to London, Julian realizes he might not want the perfect wife and Emily might just want to explore her freedom by finding her backbone.

Adorable and charming, this historical romance novel is perfect for our books like Bridgerton book list. This is a friends-to-lovers romance with charm and wit.

More Friends to Lovers Romance Books

The Emma Project

The Emma Project by Sonali Dev

I love that Emma gets a different twist with this adaptation. Vansh Raje takes on the role of Emma in this fresh new perspective.

If you have read Dev’s other books, these characters will be familiar to you by now. I liked this book and I love the way Dev changes the story while still being true to the heart of them. I do not love Naina and this story involves her a lot.

While we get to see things from her perspective, which makes her more likable, Dev did too good of a job making me dislike her in the last book.

when sparks fly

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

Avery Spark owns and runs an event hotel with her two sisters. She doesn’t have time to date. She spends her time when she is not working with her best friend and roommate Declan.

When Avery has a car accident and Declan feels responsible, the two end up spending more time together than they ever have. Eventually, the chemistry between them is undeniable. This best friends-to-lovers romance really hit the mark for me.

Evvie Drake

Author: Linda Holmes

Year: 2019

Genre: Romance

More info: July 2019 Read with Jenna Book List Pick

Spice Rating: 💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

When Evvie’s husband dies unexpectedly in a car crash, she is still staying in her house a year later.  Everyone in her small town thinks that she is overcome with grief but in actuality, it is guilt. 

Dean is a retired major league baseball pitcher who woke up one day and was unable to throw the ball over the plate. When he moves into the apartment in the back of Evvie’s house the two become friends and agree to never talk about baseball or her husband. 

Emotional Abuse

I just adored this celebrity romance book.  It was such a sweet and light romance, easily read on the beach.

Find this book in: Sports Romances / Celebrity Romance Books / Friends-to-Lovers / Books About Sports

Duke actually

Author: Jenny Holiday

Year: 2021

Genre: Romance

More info: Christmas in Eldovia #2

Spice Rating:💋💋

Age Range: 18+

The sequel to A Princess for Christmas is the love story of Leo and Marie’s man of honor (Max) and best woman (Dani). Dani is going through a divorce and Max begins to help her get over her ex in a strictly platonic way. But as their friendship grows, their feelings for each other deepen.

The beginning and end of the story feature lots of Christmas scenes in NYC and Eldovia. Plus we get to see Leo and Marie’s wedding! I also loved the bi-racial relationship portrayed. It was fun to learn about Christmas traditions from Mexico.

Find this book in: Christmas Novels for 2021 / Friends to Lovers Romance Books

YA Friends to Lovers Romance

Dear Emmie Blue

Author: Lia Louis

Year: 2020

Genre: YA Romance

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

When 16-year-old Emmie sends her name and email address attached to a red balloon, it travels over 100 miles and leads her to Lucas. This one gesture sparks a friendship that lasts for 14 years. 

Now, Emmie and Lucas are best friends and he surprises her with the fact that he is getting married. The problem? Emmie is in love with Lucas

Sexual assault, bullying

This YA romance is a best friends-to-lovers in the best possible way. This is an underappreciated book and I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters are relatable.

Find this book in: Books with Colors in the Title.

The Summer I Turned Pretty

Author: Jenny Han

Year: 2009

Genre: YA Romance

More info: The Summer I Turned Pretty #1,

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 12+

The series starts when Belly turns 15, at the beach house she visits every summer with her mom, her brother, and her mother’s best friend’s family, this coming-of-age is geared towards 15-year-olds. Throughout the summer, she learns about her dear friend’s illness and finds herself in a love triangle with the Fisher boys.

Cancer

Ok, so I adored To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, but this YA romance felt like it was geared toward a younger crowd. This is a perfect friends-to-lovers romance for teens. It is filled with a love triangle teenage antics. I read it for the reading challenge, and while I didn’t love it as I read, I really loved the Amazon adaptation!

Amazon Prime Video has adapted this book series for TV. They are preparing to release the third season in the summer of 2026. It stars Lola Tung as Belly, Christopher Briney as Conrad, and Gavin Caslegno as Jeremiah.

Find this book in: Books Becoming TV Series / Friends-to-Lovers Romance Books / Book Adaptations on Amazon Prime / Best YA Romance Books

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Friends to Lovers Romance Trope?

The friends-to-lovers romance tropes in books have become very popular over the last few years and for good reason. This romance trope involves two individuals who start as close friends and slowly realize their feelings for each other are not just platonic. The shift from friendship to romance is a central theme, often highlighting the strength of their bond and the discovery of a deeper connection between them. These romances are often slow-burn romances as well.

What Do We Love About Friends to Lovers Romances?

A great friends-to-lovers romance offers the ultimate chance for a happy ending. These romance books often give the underdog a chance. Often in this romance trope, one of the friends is harboring unrequited love which makes the moment of realization for the other character that much sweeter. The road to HEA in these romance novels is that much more fulfilling at the end of the novel.

Epilogue:

What are your favorite friends-to-lovers romance books?

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