Even though I’m extremely biased in favor of enemies to lovers as the superior trope, who doesn’t love a good friends to lovers story? Here are a few of my favorites thus far, and I’m sure I’ll be adding more in the future.
Each book will feature links to Bookshop and Amazon if you’d like to purchase–these are affiliate links, but there is no extra cost for you. Just a little bonus income to keep the lights on for this website.
(And to start with, here’s the full list on Bookshop!)
Love and Other Words: This book stuck with me for days after it made me cry and then delivered on its happy ending. Childhood friends to lovers and second chance romance.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown: I really enjoyed Dani as a character, and Talia Hibbert never fails to write cinnamon roll heroes for the Brown sisters. This one has fake dating thrown into the mix for a truly winning combination.
Life’s Too Short: Neighbors to friends to lovers, with some instant family thrown in there, too.
Josh & Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating: Thoroughly enjoyable story of two fairly opposite friends finding their way to each other.
Next to You: Hannah Bonam-Young is taking the book world by storm, and is so well deserved. This book doesn't just have two friends becoming lovers and working through their own issues along the way...it's also got a bus renovation that will have you daydreaming about doing the very same thing.
Funny Feelings: There's so much that I love about this book: comedians, ASL, a single dad with a very cool kid, and a sweet love story that left me thinking about it for days.
People We Meet on Vacation: While I'm a sucker for Emily Henry's enemies to lovers books, I still thoroughly enjoyed this story of two friends who take regular vacations together until things get weird between them and they have one last shot at fixing things...and maybe even becoming more.
Seoulmates: A YA novel that feels like a K-drama in a book, and has me eagerly awaiting more from Susan Lee!
Heartstopper: This whole graphic novel series (eagerly awaiting the fifth volume!) is just the sweetest depiction of young queer love, and the sensitivity with which it handles some very tough issues is awesome.
In a Holidaze: This is one of the first romance novels I read before I did my deep dive into the genre, and it has a special place in my heart for that. There's a bit of a time glitch that has our female main character living the same day over and over again. It's a great Christmas read, too.
