SBTB Goodreads Group discussion

Hi, folks:

Does anyone have any recs for the 'Friends-to-Lovers' trope? I love this trope, but find that a lot of the time, it isn't done well. Are there any books you've found that you feel do this trope well?

Someone Like You and Blurred Lines both by Lauren Layne are a couple I thought were done well. I also liked The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan and Sincerely, Carter by Whitney G. If you read historicals, Mary Balogh has several that are really great.

Hey Jadetyger,
What specifically are you looking for by "done well"?
Is it the slow burn? unrequited love? Depth of relationship?
Would just help with giving you a better recommendation.

Here are some that are friends to lovers:

Contemporary
1. The Next Best Thing
2. Love On My Mind
3. Heat Exchange
4. Level Up
5. In the Middle of Somewhere
6. Dark Wild Night


Historical
1. Let It Shine
2. The Countess Conspiracy
3. Diary of an Accidental Wallflower
4. Romancing the Duke
5. It Happened at the Fair
6. A Taste of Honey


Paranormal/Scify/Fantasy
1. Radiance
2. Illuminae
3. First to Burn
4. Fortune's Pawn
5. Gunpowder Alchemy
6. Dark Currents

Hi Jadetyger, I think I have a good one for you:



Don't let the stoopid title fool you! Definitely misnamed.

It's so heartfelt and well written... The rake in question is not really a rake, and falls in love with the heroine early on, but when he goes to ask for permission to court her he learns she is to marry somebody else. She's young and thinks of herself in love and views the hero as a good friend. The action takes place in a number of years and they both mature a lot... She struggles with depression and he was cut off from his family from an early age... Anyway, it's beautifully done!!

Celine mentioned Mary Balogh (can't go wrong with her) and off the top of my head some of her best FTL are:





Enjoy!!

Thank you! I picked up the Caroline Linden you suggested. :) I think I wasn't quite clear in my original post: I love the Friends-to-Lovers books where the H/H are actually friends, and we get to see that. So, the 'Hero's best friend's younger sister' occasionally works for me--/if/ the H/H actually talk and get to know each other.

Usually I like a H/H who have known each other for years, and are just now realizing that they are ready for more. Pining is good. But, yes, actually seeing the friendship between them is important. :)

Jadetyger wrote: "Thank you! I picked up the Caroline Linden you suggested. :) I think I wasn't quite clear in my original post: I love the Friends-to-Lovers books where the H/H are actually friends, and we get to s..."

Goody!! To sweeten the pot this one has house party thrown in, hahaha! Plus it's kinda second chance in love too. There's one 'surprise' at the end that to me felt shoehorned but other than that I think it's pretty close to flawless.

A house party? I love house parties! :)

Oh, Wrecked by Shiloh Walker is a great one. The 2 mc's are long time friends, but the dude has been in love with the lady for years. But they are actual friends. It's on the explicit side, just fyi.

Also, You Own Me also by Shiloh Walker. It's a novella, also explicit.

Anyone But You by Jenny Crusie is a good one but maybe not exactly what you are looking for. Crusie does a really good job of showing the mc's becoming friends before becoming romantically involved.

ETA: these are all contemporary's