From buddies to beaus: the top 13 'friends to lovers' romances you need to read

“I think you’re sexy as fuck, and if you weren’t my best friend, and this wasn’t a dream, I’d totally fuck you right now…”

Best friends since grade school, Carter and Arizona have been the solid rock in each other's lives. But when a drunken kiss changes everything, they have to navigate the tricky road from friendship to love. Whitney G. perfectly captures the shift in their dynamic and delivers a romance that is sweet, sexy, and humorous.

“Night Liam was considerate, loving and thoughtful. Day Liam was a flirt, slut and a jerk. However, both night and day Liam made me feel safe and protected.

Kirsty Moseley's novel is a beautiful tale of friendship, love, and resilience. Amber and Liam have been inseparable since childhood, their bond formed through shared pain and mutual support. But as they grow older, their relationship changes into something more intense. This story beautifully captures the transition from friendship to love while also dealing with serious issues.

“To really be a nerd, she'd decided, you had to prefer fictional worlds to the real one."

With its beautiful blend of young love, fan fiction, and identity discovery, 'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell is a must-read. Main characters Cath and Levi start as friends, then gradually their bond deepens, taking them - and us - on an enchanting journey to love.

“Guys and girls can’t be just friends. Or not best friends, anyway. Shit gets too complicated.”

Parker and Ben are roommates and best friends, so they agree to help each other out with their romantic problems. But what happens when the solution to their problems is each other? Lauren Layne delivers a fun, flirty, and altogether charming story of friends discovering their feelings for each other.

“You can wrap me as tight as you want around that little finger, but I won’t play games about what this is. Get me, Piper?”

A book that combines hilarity, sizzling chemistry, and deep friendships, Tessa Bailey's "It Happened One Summer" is a fun and flirty rom-com that you won't be able to put down. Piper and Brendan's transformation from friends to lovers is both entertaining and heartwarming.

"This was my partner. This was more than my partner. He was my other half."

When two ice-skating partners, Jasmine and Ivan, go from barely being friends to slowly falling for each other, it makes for an engrossing read. Mariana Zapata's slow-burn romance gives the friends-to-lovers trope a refreshing and exciting twist.

"I wonder whether I’m single not because I haven’t met the right person yet, but because I’m not the right person yet."

Christina Lauren's hilarious and romantic tale follows Millie and Reid, best friends who decide to keep things casual - until emotions come into play. The quirky and likable characters make this a friends-to-lovers story you don't want to miss.

“I know you’re into me, Wellsy. And I’m definitely into you. Would it really be so bad if we made this thing official?”

When college students Hannah and Garrett strike a deal to help each other out, they didn't expect to fall for one another. "The Deal" expertly combines humor, heat, and heart, making it a standout friends-to-lovers novel.

"'Just kidding' was exactly what people wrote when they meant every word.”

This novel chronicles the friendship of Emma and Dexter, who meet the day they graduate from university and build a deep friendship that spans decades. Their relationship is complex, filled with missed opportunities and romantic tension that keeps you hooked. David Nicholls has a way of making you root for them despite the odds.

“Then she did what any girl would do: she Googled him.”

When Julie moves in with her college roommate's family, she forms a strong bond with her roommate's brother Matt. Their relationship grows from friendship to something deeper in this heartfelt and sometimes humorous story. Jessica Park beautifully portrays their evolving relationship and how they navigate through their complicated lives.

"Drunk giggly Josh is my favorite, but drunk confident Josh is my new religion."

As the title suggests, Josh and Hazel try not to date each other, even as they go on a series of double blind dates. Their antics are hilarious, and their journey to realizing their love for each other is both entertaining and heartwarming.

“Jack turned to Cameron. "Do you just line them up, waiting to yell at me, on the off chance I'll stop by?”

An intriguing mix of romance and suspense, Julie James' "Something About You" sees longtime friends Cameron and Jack navigate their changing relationship amidst a murder investigation. This novel offers a thrilling twist to the friends-to-lovers trope.

“Because . . .” he sighed, “You make me laugh, you challenge me, you turn me on like no else can. I feel like I’m missing something really important when you’re gone. So important I don’t feel like myself. I’ve never felt like someone was mine before. But you’re mine, Jocelyn. I’ve known that from the moment we met. And I’m yours. I don’t want to be anybody else’s, babe.”

Jocelyn and Braden start as friends with benefits, but as they spend more time together, it becomes clear there's more to their relationship. Samantha Young beautifully crafts this emotionally charged story of two friends discovering their love for each other.