Writing a romance where the hero and heroine know each other well and are best friends was a lot of fun. In this close relationship, the other person is someone who gets you, doesn’t want to change you, and loves you exactly for who you are, quirks and all.  I loved writing about best friends Rafe and Kaitlyn… sprinkling little pieces of their relationship through the series and ending with their love story in All I Want for Christmas Is You.

Who else but your BFF is perfect to call you out on the things that are holding you back from being your best self than the person who knows you the best? And what greater risk, to potentially lose your most important relationship by daring to go beyond friendship?

To celebrate all the joys of best-friends-to-lovers romances, I put together a few of my recent recommendations that fall into that category.

Stefanie London’s The Aussie Next Door

Jace, a sexy comic book artist, is the heroine’s landlord—in Australia! He also happens to be on-the-spectrum, and is portrayed in an honest, realistic way.

The heroine, Angie, a product of foster care, feels like she belongs somewhere for the first time in her life, but can’t stay in the country for longer than two more months unless she’s married…which makes her see her intriguing but standoffish landlord in a whole new light. I loved every part of this book…extra bonus points for the Australian setting, Jace’s large family, and the two crazy but very lovable dogs!

Lauren Layne’s An Ex for Christmas

When a psychic tells teacher Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she decides to look up all her old boyfriends, one at a time, and find him before Christmas. The trouble is she’s suddenly finding her best friend, hot-but-slightly-grumpy-Mark, who lives a backyard away and with whom she shares a dog, super hot. And he also happens to conveniently show up at just the right time to thwart all her exes’ chances. Turns out Mark doesn’t believe in tea leaves or Magic 8 Balls…he believes in her. She just has to realize what she’s always wanted has been right under her nose all along.

Jennifer Probst’s Searching for Beautiful

Surgeon Gen Mackenzie escapes through the church window on the day of her wedding…right into her best friend Wolfe’s arms. She’s always done as she was told, sometimes to her own detriment, while her best friend Wolfe is a muscled, tattooed bad boy with a past.

Despite their difficult histories, these two friends trust each other implicitly, and it is ultimately that trust which gets them past their hurdles and fears. These two have great banter, amazing chemistry and Wolfe…well, he’s the hot bad boy with a hero’s heart.

Christina Lauren’s Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating

Hazel and Josh are complete opposites: Hazel is quirky, a chaotic mess, and full of zest for life, while Josh is serious and controlled. Hazel knows her personality isn’t for everyone but she won’t settle for a man who won’t like her for herself.  Josh and she become best friends, but Hazel won’t cross the friendship line because she’s afraid that, as with the ex who wounded her, Josh may think she’s just too much.

The dialog is sharp and witty and the emotions are intense and raw as these two stumble into admitting their love for each other. Josh, a hero of gold, adores Hazel, quirks and all. After all, who can’t love someone who’s rabbit is named Janis Hoplin?

Abby Jimenez’s The Friend Zone

Abby Jimenez brings her heroine, Kristen, vividly alive with sassy, tell-it-like-it-is, often laugh-out-loud dialog that jumps off the pages. Kristen is only 24, but she has a uterine condition so severe she is facing a procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children. When she meets the best man to her maid-of-honor for her best friend’s wedding, he’s a sexy, sarcastic, funny firefighter whom I guarantee you will fall in love with yourself by page two, and he totally gets her and her dog (Stuntman Mike)…except he wants a million kids.

This book will take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride as Kristen tries to push him away supposedly for his own good. It’s heartwrenching and emotional – and you feel that you are experiencing two people truly falling in love.

What’s your favorite friends-to-lovers romance? I need some more to snuggle up with as the cooler weather settles in!

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU By Miranda Liasson is available NOW

The award-winning author who writes with “humor and heart” (Jill Shalvis, New York Timesbestselling author) invites you to visit the charming small town of Angel Falls.

Being naughty was nice, but now these friends-turned-lovers are in for an unforgettable Christmas…

Just when Kaitlyn Barnes vows to get over her longtime crush on Rafe Langdon, they share a sizzling evening that delivers an epic holiday surprise: Kaitlyn is pregnant. And if that weren’t life-changing enough, everyone assumes they’re engaged — a charade they must keep alive through the holiday season. But Kaitlyn knows Rafe better than anyone, and Rafe settling down is about as likely as Santa skipping Angel Falls this year…

Rafe would rather Kaitlyn believe a lie — that their night together was a fling — than face his own dangerous truth: he’s falling for her, hard. After a devastating loss, Rafe swore he’d never risk his heart again. Yet the longer they pretend to be engaged the more Rafe starts to want the real thing. But now he has to convince Kaitlyn he wants to be by her side — and their baby’s — for all the Christmases to come. Includes the bonus novel Christmas on Mistletoe Lane by Annie Rains!

About the Author: Miranda Liasson loves to write stories about everyday people who find love despite themselves, because there’s nothing like a great love story. And if there are a few laughs along the way, even better!

She’s an Amazon bestselling author whose heartwarming and humorous small–town romances have won accolades such as the National Readers’ Choice Award and the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence and have been Harlequin Junkie and Night Owl Reviews Top Picks.

She lives in the Midwest with her husband and three kids in a charming old neighborhood which is the inspiration for many of the homes in her books.

Social Media Links:

Website:  https://mirandaliasson.com

Facebook Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/MirandaLiassonAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mirandaliasson

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/mirandaliasson/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/miranda-liasson

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/mirandagoodreads

Newsletter sign up:  https://mirandaliasson.com/#mailing-list