You’re My Best Friend…Oh God! I Love You!

I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that one of my favorite romantic tropes is “Friends to Lovers”. Well not to me, anyway. It was how my husband and I fell in love. Our epic romance began in college. Though we attended different schools, we spent a lot of time together—partying, road tripping…partying. Eventually we became close. I trusted him with my most intimate thoughts, dreams and concerns—he was my best friend. Then, one fateful New Year’s Eve he declared his love for me. We were a tad bit inebriated—just a tad bit, mind you—but it was so sweet! I can still hear his impassioned declaration now: “I love that girl, man! I love her!” It just about moved me to tears…or it could’ve been the dry-heaving over the toilet that brought on the tears… It’s still so unclear. Anywaaaay, fifteen years later we are living our happily-ever-after! And he doesn’t need alcohol to tell me he loves me! *Cue the Disney birds chirping and One Day My Prince Will Come music now*

There’s something about falling in love with the person who knows you best—faults and all—and still adores you. In my new release, Secrets and Sins: Gabriel, with Entangled Publishing’s Entangled Suspense line, my heroine, Leah Bannon, has been in love with her best friend, Gabriel Devlin, since she was a teenager. She’s not blind to his faults—he’s broody, sarcastic, and has a thing against chatter—but she also recognizes that he’s loyal, trustworthy, loving and honest…well about most things. That’s where the Secret and Sins part comes in…

So who are some other famous Friends to Lovers? Oooh! Glad you asked!

Ross and Rachel/Chandler and Monica/Joey and Rachel –Like the title Friends indicates, the show was about six friends who lived, laughed and loved. And boy did they love! Sheesh! I intended to only mention Ross and Rachel, but then I remembered there were several hook-ups on this show! It was ménage a…a lot! Although the Ross and Rachel storyline is my favorite. “Unrequited Love” and “Friends to Lovers” all rolled up into one big, jumping-off-planes, I-realize-I-love-you-voice-mail happy ending!

Beauty and the Beast – From—you guessed it!—Beauty and the Beast! This is my favorite fairy tale. When most people read this story they think of the “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” or “the inside determines a person’s beauty, not the outside” themes. But this tale is also about a girl with a kind, loving heart who befriends a growling, lonely beast. Before their happily-ever-after, they took long walks together, dined together, talked and laughed together. Only later did she realize she loved him, and the power of that love and friendship ultimately broke his curse. 

Keith and Watts – Oh, Some Kind of Wonderful! It was one of my favorite 80s movie! Watts was a tomboy, I was a tomboy. She had a crush on her best friend, I had a crush on Michael Myler, my friend. I even think we shared the same haircut at one time…which was really unfortunate… Watts loved Keith and, though he was infatuated with popular socialite Amanda, she stuck by him. Even helped him win Amanda! But Keith eventually opened his eyes and realized Watts not just had his back, but his heart. Sigh.