The Best Friends-to-Lovers Romance Novels of 2025 (That Will Melt Your Heart)
Why Readers Can’t Get Enough of the Friends-to-Lovers Trope
The friends-to-lovers trope has always been one of romance readers’ favorite tropes, and for good reason. It’s relatable, heartfelt, and emotionally charged. Many of us have wondered: What if my best friend was actually “the one”? That slow-burn yearning, the stolen glances, the will-they-won’t-they tension is the stuff that keeps us up way past midnight with just one more chapter.
In 2025, romance authors are taking this timeless trope to new heights from steamy motorcycle club sagas to paranormal pack bonds, swoony contemporary love stories, and even romantic suspense. Below, we’ve curated 10 of the best friends-to-lovers romance novels of 2025 that showcase the richness and variety of this beloved trope.
1. Ryder (Hounds of Hell MC #4) by Jamie Targaet
I’m not the settling type, but she’s in my heart. I’ll protect her from the Mafia or die trying…
Margot — I’ve loved Ryder since we were kids, but he’s never been the type to stick with anyone for long. Being a deputy sheriff means I see the world differently–by the law. He’s the opposite. The Mafia took my father from me. When they return to threaten everything I care about, including Ryder, I realize the line between right and wrong isn’t so clear. If we’re going to survive this, I’ll need Ryder’s strength. Maybe this time, we’ll face danger together.
Ryder — Margot’s been right in front of me for years, but I’m the guy who never sticks around. Commitment? Not for me. Now she’s all I see. When the Mafia comes after the Hounds, everything is at stake. Margot’s not just a deputy sheriff — she’s the woman I’ve always needed. The woman I love. I’ll die before I let anything happen to her.
If you love your friends-to-lovers romance with an edge of danger, Jamie Targaet’s MC romance is a must-read. Ryder and Margot have known each other forever. She’s the good girl deputy sheriff, and he’s the bad boy biker who swore he’d never settle down. When the Mafia threatens both their worlds, their friendship ignites into a passionate romance that blends loyalty, high stakes, and searing chemistry.
Why it works: The juxtaposition of law and outlaw makes their journey from best friends to lovers even more intense.
2. Last Chance by Martha O’Sullivan
2. Last Chance by Martha O’SullivanWhat if your Last Chance at love was really your first?
Moira Brody knows Paul Webster better than he knows himself. But neither one of them know that he is as desperately in love with her as she is with him. Still, she isn’t going to wait around forever. Especially on Valentine’s Day. When Paul learns that the hard way, he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands. He can’t lose her. Or let the past dictate the future. But not everybody is on their side. And Paul will have to choose between following his head and listening to his heart. Or risk losing Moira forever.
A deeply emotional story that proves timing is everything. O’Sullivan’s novel explores what happens when two lifelong friends finally face the truth about their feelings. Filled with longing, second chances, and heart-tugging vulnerability, Last Chance shows why the friends-to-lovers trope is one of the most enduring in romance.
Why it works: Perfect for readers who crave a mix of slow-burn yearning and emotional catharsis.
3. A Pack of His Own, Vol. 1 by Emily Carrington
3. A Pack of His Own, Vol. 1 by Emily CarringtonA psychic vampire, werewolves, and war with TruWolves terrorists – how can they find time for love?
Hunter’s Claim: Luis Delgado, psychic vampire, can deal with lust. That’s one of the fun parts of being a psychic vampire. What he can’t handle is falling in love with the half wolf who wants nothing to do with him.
Almost Nothing: Charlie can’t resist the sex. But Charlie has become alpha of an eros pack, whom he must protect at all costs, and the TruWolves terrorist group wants to destroy everyone who supports peace between the straight and LGBT wolves. How can there be time for love?
Tracker’s Fate: Ethan is afraid his job as a tracker — execution chief among his duties — will keep other wolves away and cripple his soul. Jeremy wants children. He is not bisexual, though, and can’t imagine seeking out a female wolf just to have pups.
When these two are thrown into a murder mystery where the bystanders are not so innocent, can Ethan and Jeremy find their way to true love?
This paranormal romance takes the trope in a fresh direction. Shifters bound by loyalty and pack rules find themselves tangled in forbidden attraction. Friendship, trust, and destiny collide as characters discover that love may have been right beside them all along.
Why it works: Adds a paranormal twist to the friends-to-lovers favorite trope with the stakes of pack politics and supernatural danger.
4. She Belongs in My World by Karen Kay
4. She Belongs in My World by Karen KayBeauty, Treachery, and an Untamed Wild Love.
Liliann Varga had been too young the first time she met and fell head-over-heels in love with the Blackfeet Medicine Man, First Rider, the man who saved her father’s life. Besides, he was newly married to a woman of his own tribe. But years later, when Liliann’s husband has committed a terrible aggression against her, it’s First Rider who once again is called upon to put his healing skills to use.
First Rider has come to heal Liliann, not to seduce her. But his reaction to the grown up Liliann, the little girl who used to be his shadow, is entirely masculine and sensual. Though he’d vowed to bring his first wife back after her capture by an enemy tribe, he’d failed and she had died, causing First Rider to nearly lose his mind. Could Liliann be his second chance at love?
Enacting a “scout’s revenge” against Liliann’s cruel husband would leave the man alive but broken, and it would also set Liliann free. But, just as their love deepens, a report emerges: First Rider’s wife is still alive. To discover the truth or lies of the rumor, they both embark on a dangerous journey through the Backbone-of-the-world Mountains.
But, with little more than a bow and a gun, can they survive the beautiful but treacherous snows to find a world where they both belong?
Karen Kay delivers a sweeping, emotional tale with Native American romance roots. This story shines when friendship and cultural differences weave together, bringing out the beauty of acceptance, loyalty, and true love.
Why it works: For readers who crave historical romance blended with the intimacy of friendship-to-love dynamics.
5. Dead Spaces (The Big Uneasy #2) by Pauline Baird Jones
5. Dead Spaces (The Big Uneasy #2) by Pauline Baird JonesCareful what you dig for… a vendetta from your past might just claw its way out.
Dr. Hannah Baker, forensic surgeon in New Orleans’s Coroner’s Office and eldest daughter of the infamous “Baker’s Dozen,” excels at dissecting secrets. But when her brother drags her into exhuming mysterious coffins, she uncovers more than bones: a simmering mob rivalry, ghostly whispers, and a body count that hits too close to home.
Forced to team up with Logan Ferris—the charming NOPD detective partnered with her brother, making him strictly off-limits—Hannah navigates family loyalties and forbidden sparks. Too bad Logan’s memo got lost in the swamp.
Brimming with medical mysteries, mob vendettas, sibling chaos, and sizzling tension, Dead Spaces stirs up the Big Uneasy series in true New Orleans style—where the past haunts, the jazz swings, and romance brews like a midnight roux.
Romantic suspense fans will devour this one. Two friends working side by side in dangerous circumstances discover that their bond runs deeper than they ever realized. The tension of staying alive mixes deliciously with the rising tension of their unspoken love.
Why it works: Suspense turbocharges the emotional payoff of the trope, making every moment between them feel electric.
6. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez
6. Say You’ll Remember Me by Abby JimenezAn instant #1 New York Times bestseller and the perfect summer beach read.
“No one does funny, emotional, life-affirming love stories quite like Abby Jimenez. She just keeps outdoing herself.” ―EMILY HENRY
There’s no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediate yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake.
But after one incredible and seemingly endless date, Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is enough to forget what’s between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.
Abby Jimenez is a master of heartfelt, relatable romance, and this story proves why. Friends who’ve always had each other’s backs finally face the possibility that love might have been in front of them the whole time. Jimenez balances humor, warmth, and vulnerability in a way that feels so authentic, readers can’t help but root for the characters.
Why it works: Contemporary, real-world settings make this the perfect comfort read for trope lovers.
7. The Friends-to-Lovers Project by Paula Ottoni
7. The Friends-to-Lovers Project by Paula OttoniIf any place can turn two best friends into lovers, it’s Venice.
Well, only if you don’t have a dreamy tour guide like Lorenzo…
For LA chef Daisy Hogan, this trip to Venice is the start of her new life—inspiration for her California restaurant, saying yes to stability and basically fulfilling all her dad’s dreams. But then the trip goes sideways, and she’s left in the most romantic city in the world with her best friend, Jeremy. He’s stable, reliable. If she wants to salvage the future she planned, maybe she should fall for her friend?
So they agree to a friends-to-lovers project. What could go wrong?
Enter Lorenzo Fontana, hotel concierge by day, violinist in his dreams. He gave up music for a practical life in the city he loves, and to keep his job, he’s vowed to be Daisy and Jeremy’s personal guide to romance. Only he’s not supposed to be feeling this personal about their project…
With racing hearts, longing glances and gondola rides, Daisy begins questioning the project, her plans and even her future. Is it possible to live a life where the dreams she’s fulfilling are her own?
This book fully embraces the trope, exploring how friendships evolve into love under the pressure of life’s challenges. It’s witty, warm, and insightful—an ode to those who’ve ever looked at their best friend and wondered, Could this be more?
Why it works: The title says it all—this one’s a celebration of the friends-to-lovers trope at its core.
8. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
8. Onyx Storm by Rebecca YarrosAfter nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty.
Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.
Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.
They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth.
But a storm is coming…and not everyone can survive its wrath.
The friends-to-lovers thread between Violet and her love interest deepens under pressure, making their bond feel both fragile and powerful. High-stakes danger, dragons, and forbidden secrets keep readers hooked while rooting for love to survive the storm.
Why it works: Onyx Storm works because Rebecca Yarros blends epic fantasy stakes with raw, character-driven romance.
9. Deep End by Ali Hazelwood
9. Deep End by Ali HazelwoodA competitive diver and an ace swimmer jump into forbidden waters in this steamy college romance from the New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis.
Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Stanford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from the injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships—at least, that’s what she tells herself.
Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It’s how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes.
So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water…
Ali Hazelwood makes a splash in 2025 with Deep End, a steamy college romance set against the high-stakes world of competitive aquatics.
Why it works: With Olympic dreams on the line, Hazelwood delivers a compelling mix of forbidden attraction, witty banter, and heartfelt vulnerability, making this one of the standout friends-to-lovers romances of the year.
10. When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa
10. When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia SosaAN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER
A Most Anticipated Book of 2025
NPR • People • Bustle • Paste Magazine • Latinx in Publishing • BookBub
One engagement. Two best friends. Three’s a crowd.
On the eve of their college graduation, best friends Javier Báez and Marisol Campos swore never to date someone the other doesn’t approve of. Now, almost a decade later, Javi has a problem. Mari, the woman he’s secretly pined for since sophomore year, is engaged—and Javi didn’t even get the chance to vet the Pedro Pascal knockoff she plans to marry.
A successful entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles, Mari is no longer seeking Javi’s dating advice or waiting for him to declare his love. Instead, she’s made a different pact—with herself. And to succeed, Mari’s vowing to build a future with someone who wants to commit to her.
Featured among 2025’s most anticipated summer reads by PEOPLE, Sosa’s rom-com captures the spark of best friends reevaluating their relationship in the wake of heartbreak. It’s witty, heartfelt, and perfect for fans of the trope
Why it works: When Javi Dumped Mari shines because it pairs a beloved trope with clever storytelling, strong emotional stakes, and rich character development. The humor, the heat, and the heartfelt longing make it a standout that delivers romance readers crave.
Why the Friends-to-Lovers Trope Will Always Be a Reader Favorite
The friends-to-lovers trope is timeless because it’s rooted in reality. Readers connect to it emotionally:
-
It feels authentic where friendship is a natural foundation for lasting love.
-
The stakes are high, risking friendship for romance feels both terrifying and exhilarating.
-
The payoff is satisfying when love finally wins, it feels inevitable and earned.
From motorcycle clubs and pack shifters to heartwarming contemporaries and edge-of-your-seat suspense, these 2025 releases prove that the friends-to-lovers favorite trope isn’t just surviving—it’s thriving.
Whether you’re in the mood for a dangerous ride with bikers, a suspense-filled mystery, or a cozy contemporary, these friends-to-lovers romance novels of 2025 deliver unforgettable journeys from trust to passion.
👉 Which one will you pick up first?