Last year, I posted my A Beginner’s Guide to the Dystopian Genre. It hasn’t been a huge hit, nor did it get tons of views. But, you know what, it was really fun to write. So, I wanted to do it again.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a huge fan of the childhood-best-friends-to-lovers trope. It’s always in my top three romance tropes, and the only one that might trump it is enemies-to-lovers (because come on, that’s pretty unbeatable). There’s just something about being best friends with someone as a kid and then growing up and falling in love with them that has my heart in ready to burst.
I know it’s a fairly niche trope, since most people just jump straight to friends-to-lovers, but it’s one of my favorites. I wasn’t sure if all of my voyagers are familiar with my favorites books in this category, so I wanted to put together a little guide for you to help you get started and find one that will make your heart happy.
I’ve structured this guide around books that will appeal readers who are looking for certain types of childhood-best-friends-to-lovers based on genres, atmospheres, reading tastes, and general preferences. For each book, I’ve included the cover, Goodreads link, blurb, preferences that make you the perfect reader, and content warnings.
If you’re looking for a girl who runs away from her problems and a boy who gave her a second chance . . .
From the Flying Start author of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour, a powerful novel about hope in the face of heartbreak.
Taylor Edwards’ family might not be the closest-knit—everyone is a little too busy and overscheduled—but for the most part, they get along just fine. Then Taylor’s dad gets devastating news, and her parents decide that the family will spend one last summer all together at their old lake house in the Pocono Mountains.
Crammed into a place much smaller and more rustic than they are used to, they begin to get to know each other again. And Taylor discovers that the people she thought she had left behind haven’t actually gone anywhere. Her former best friend is still around, as is her first boyfriend…and he’s much cuter at seventeen than he was at twelve.
As the summer progresses and the Edwards become more of a family, they’re more aware than ever that they’re battling a ticking clock. Sometimes, though, there is just enough time to get a second chance—with family, with friends, and with love.
Perfect for fans of: Second chance romances, grief stories, and summer settings.
Content warnings: Cancer, death of a parent, grief, medical content, and terminal illness.
If you’re looking for a girl who doesn’t know who she is and a sassy boy who drives an ice cream truck . . .
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sarah Dessen comes a big-hearted, sweeping novel about a girl who reconnects with a part of her family she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl—and falls in love, all over the course of a magical summer.
Emma Saylor doesn’t remember a lot about her mother, who died when Emma was twelve. But she does remember the stories her mom told her about the big lake that went on forever, with cold, clear water and mossy trees at the edges.
Now it’s just Emma and her dad, and life is good, if a little predictable…until Emma is unexpectedly sent to spend the summer with her mother’s family that she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl.
When Emma arrives at North Lake, she realizes there are actually two very different communities there. Her mother grew up in working class North Lake, while her dad spent summers in the wealthier Lake North resort. The more time Emma spends there, the more it starts to feel like she is also divided into two people. To her father, she is Emma. But to her new family, she is Saylor, the name her mother always called her.
Then there’s Roo, the boy who was her very best friend when she was little. Roo holds the key to her family’s history, and slowly, he helps her put the pieces together about her past. It’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of North Lake—and Saylor finds herself falling under Roo’s spell as well.
For Saylor, it’s like a whole new world is opening up to her. But when it’s time to go back home, which side of her—Emma or Saylor—will win out?
Perfect for fans of: Lakeside stories, big families, and characters who are discovering their identities.
Content warnings: Addiction, alcohol, alcoholism, classism, death of a parent, drug use, grief, and pregnancy.
If you’re looking for a girl with severe trauma and a boy who would do anything to protect her . . .
A story about friendship, survival, and finding your voice.
Growing up, Mallory Dodge learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it’s been four years since her nightmare ended, she’s beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. Now, after years of homeschooling, Mallory must face a new milestone—spending her senior year at a public high school. But she never imagined she’d run into Rider Stark, the friend and protector she hasn’t seen since childhood, on her very first day.
It doesn’t take long for Mallory to realize that the connection she shared with Rider never really faded. Yet soon it becomes apparent that she’s not the only one grappling with lingering scars from the past. And as she watches Rider’s life spiral out of control, Mallory must make a choice between staying silent and speaking out—for the people she loves, the life she wants and the truths that need to be heard.
Perfect for fans of: Characters who learn how to heal, The Bad Boy, and incredible themes.
Content warnings: Abandonment, alcohol, blood, bullying, child abuse, child death (a teenager is shot and killed. It is traumatizing for the other teenagers who are there, and the grief that follows is heavy), drug use, injury/injury detail, cursing, grief, gun violence, medical content, murder, panic attacks/disorders, physical abuse, sexual content (there are several sexual scenes between consenting teenagers. They don’t have sex, but they do other things and those things are briefly described), toxic relationship, and violence.
If you’re looking for a ballet teacher and a football player who are in love but both think it’s unrequited . . .
Is it ever too late to leave the friend-zone?
Hi, my name is Bree Camden, and I’m hopelessly in love with my best friend and star quarterback Nathan Donelson (so is half of America, judging by the tabloids and how much the guy dates). The first step is admitting, right? Except, I can never admit it to him because he clearly doesn’t see me that way, and the last thing I want is for things to get weird between us.
Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for us! Everything is exactly how I like it! Yes. Good. (I’m not crying, I’m just peeling an onion.)
Our friendship is going swimmingly until I accidentally spill my beans to a reporter over too much tequila, and now the world seems to think me and Nathan belong together. Oh, and did I mention we have to date publicly for three weeks until after the Super Bowl because we signed a contract with…oops, forgot I can’t tell anyone about that!
Bottom line is, now my best friend is smudging all the lines and acting very un-platonic, and I’m just trying to keep my body from bursting into flames every time he touches me.
How am I going to make it through three weeks of fake dating Nathan without anything changing between us? Especially when it almost-sort-a-kinda seems like he’s fighting for a completely different outcome?
Send help.
XO Bree
Perfect for fans of: Taylor and Travis, sports romance, and fake dating.
Content warnings: Alcohol, blood, car accident (referenced, not on-page), injury/injury detail, sexual content (some passionate kissing, but nothing more. The romance is closed-door, so there’s no on-page sex), and panic attacks/disorders.
If you’re looking for a girl who’s always in the shadows and a boy who’s the world’s biggest kpop star . . .
What would you do if the world’s biggest K-pop star asked you to prom? Perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Sandhya Menon, this hilarious and heartfelt novel brings the glamour and drama of the K-pop world straight to high school.
Elena Soo has always felt overshadowed. Whether by her more successful older sisters, her more popular twin brother, or her more outgoing best friend, everyone except Elena seems to know exactly who they are and what they want. But she is certain about one thing – she has no interest in going to prom. While the rest of the school is giddy over corsages and dresses, Elena would rather spend her time working to save the local community center, the one place that’s always made her feel like she belonged.
So when international K-pop superstar Robbie Choi shows up at her house to ask her to prom, Elena is more confused than ever. Because the one person who always accepted Elena as she is? Her childhood best friend, Robbie Choi. And the one thing she maybe, possibly, secretly wants more than anything? For the two of them to keep the promise they made each other as kids: to go to prom together. But that was seven years ago, and with this new K-pop persona, pink hair, and stylish clothes, Robbie is nothing like the sweet, goofy boy she remembers. The boy she shared all her secrets with. The boy she used to love.
Besides, prom with a guy who comes with hordes of screaming fans, online haters, and relentless paparazzi is the last thing Elena wants – even if she can’t stop thinking about Robbie’s smile…right?
Perfect for fans of: Kpop/kdramas, childhood promises, and the performance industry.
Content warnings: Abandonment, body shaming, bullying, cursing, death of a parent, eating disorder (implied, but barely referenced), emotional abuse, grief, injury/injury detail, and medical content.
If you’re looking for a girl who can suddenly hear and a boy who she’s not supposed to love . . .
In a village without sound…
For as long as Fei can remember, no one in her village has been able to hear. Rocky terrain and frequent avalanches make it impossible to leave the village, so Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiguo, a mysterious faraway kingdom.
When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink. Many go hungry. Fei and all the people she loves are plunged into crisis, with nothing to look forward to but darkness and starvation.
One girl hears a call to action…
Until one night, Fei is awoken by a searing noise. Sound becomes her weapon.
She sets out to uncover what’s happened to her and to fight the dangers threatening her village. A handsome miner with a revolutionary spirit accompanies Fei on her quest, bringing with him new risks and the possibility of romance. They embark on a majestic journey from the peak of their jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiguo, where a startling truth will change their lives forever…
And unlocks a power that will save her people.
Perfect for fans of: Chinese folklore, deaf representation, and strong female protagonists.
Content warnings: Ableism, body shaming, bullying, chronic illness, death, racism, slavery, terminal illness, and violence.
If you’re looking for a girl who feels unworthy of good things and a boy who finally wants to live . . .
A single choice can change everything.
Lena Wise is always looking forward to tomorrow, especially at the start of her senior year. She’s ready to pack in as much friend time as possible, to finish college applications, and to maybe let her childhood best friend Sebastian know how she really feels about him. For Lena, the upcoming year is going to be epic—one of opportunities and chances.
Until one choice, one moment, destroys everything.
Now Lena isn’t looking forward to tomorrow. Not when friend time may never be the same. Not when college applications feel all but impossible. Not when Sebastian might never forgive her for what happened.
For what she let happen.
With the guilt growing each day, Lena knows that her only hope is to move on. But how can she move on when she and her friends’ entire existences have been redefined? How can she move on when tomorrow isn’t even guaranteed?
Perfect for fans of: Grief stories, beautifully executed themes, and annotation-worthy lines.
Content warnings: Alcohol, car accident, child death, cursing, death, drug use (referenced), grief, injury/injury detail, and sexual content (passionate kissing, touching, and conversations about sex).
If you’re looking for a girl who doesn’t know what she wants and a boy who will always answer her calls . . .
New York Times bestselling author Axie Oh’s ASAP is the much anticipated companion novel to beloved romance XOXO, following fan favorites Sori, the wealthy daughter of a K-pop company owner, and Nathaniel, her K-pop star ex-boyfriend, in a swoon-worthy second chance love story.
Sori has worked her whole life to become a K-pop idol, until she realizes she doesn’t want a life forever in the spotlight. But that’s not actually up to Sori—she’s caught between her exacting mother’s entertainment company and her father’s presidential aspirations. And as the pressure to keep her flawless public image grows, the last person she should be thinking about is her ex-boyfriend.
Nathaniel is off limits—she knows this. A member of one of the biggest K-pop bands in the world and forbidden from dating, he isn’t any more of an option now than he was two years ago. Still, she can’t forget that their whirlwind romance was the last time she remembers being really happy. Or that his family welcomed her into their home when she needed it most. . . .
So when Nathaniel finds himself rocked by scandal, Sori offers him a hideaway with her. And back in close quarters, it’s hard to deny their old feelings. But when Sori gets an opportunity to break free from her parent’s expectations, she will have to decide: Is her future worth sacrificing for a second chance at love?
Perfect for fans of: Forbidden love, kpop/kdramas, and fluffy romance.
Content warnings: Alcohol, blood, bullying, injury/injury detail, medical content, sexism, and sexual content (passionate kissing and implied sex).
If you’re looking for a girl who’s trying to be brave and a boy who just wants to do the right thing . . .
When the truth gets you killed… will you still Rise?
Raegan MacArthur is content with her simple life. But lately, her life hasn’t been all that simple. She can’t drown out the screams in the night coming from the military base up the road. And she can’t ignore the truth behind them.
Peter Daniels thought moving back to Texas with his mom for senior year was a good thing. A chance to reconnect with old friends and finally feel at home again. But his life now can never be the same as it was six years ago.
Signs of government overreach are everywhere, and an unknown- yet familiar- enemy lurks in the shadows, watching their every move. The government is clamping down tighter and tighter on anyone who resists their ways. Raegan and Peter have to make the hardest decision they’ve ever faced: will they go quietly to save their lives… or will they rise?
Perfect for fans of: Found family, mental health representation, and contemporary dystopias.
Content warnings: Brief swearing, death, gun violence, kidnapping, and violence.
If you’re looking for a girl who really isn’t like other girls and a boy who would rather die than put her in danger . . .
A Tail Could Tell a Tale
Locklyn Adair has never fit in. The legs she inherited as a result of her great-great-grandmother’s curse make it impossible for her to belong under the sea. When her niece is also born without a tail, Locklyn is determined to save her from similar rejection by sending her to the only place in the Undersea Realm where legs are acceptable—the Lost Island of Atlantis.
Darin Aalto would do anything to protect his family, even spearheading an impossible quest to find treasure that has been lost for over a hundred years. But when his best friend, Locklyn, joins his crew, his ability to keep her safe—and his shot at winning her heart—comes perilously close to being swept away.
A family curse, lost treasure, unrequited love, and a race against time intertwine as Locklyn and Darin seek to save their family, their kingdom, and eventually the entire Undersea Realm without losing each other.
Perfect for fans of: Mermaids, strong female protagonists, and stories with quests.
Content warnings: Abandonment, animal cruelty, animal death, blood, bullying, death, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, murder, sexual assault (implied, but not shown on page), sexual harassment (implied, but not graphic), and violence.
Let’s Talk!
Was this guide helpful? Which of these books have you already read? Which ones are you adding to your TBR? Let’s talk all things best-friends-to-lovers and romance down in the comments!
The Long Voyage 