Anyone who has read this blog for more than one day can tell one thing about me: I love romance novels. I don’t care that you know the guy is going to get the girl in the end. It’s all about the process. That said, there are many different processes and not everyone can do them right. I decided to devote the next few weeks to discussing a specific type of romance novel each week and then I will list some authors who write those types of novels well.
This week I present to you: the friend romance aka romance where two people become friends first before they consider each other romantically. This is my favorite type of romance. You will see this kind of romance often in fantasy/adventure stories where the two main characters have to learn to trust and depend on each other to get something first before they can pursue a romance.
This kind of romance can also be seen in novels where the two main characters have been friends for years and then suddenly realize they love each other (Emma by Jane Austen anyone?). I have even seen this kind of romance in arranged marriage novels, where the two main characters must learn to get along because they are stuck together.
The authors who use this trope well, are the ones who will have you putting a novel down and sighing because these are the romances that you truly see lasting until death do them part. Can this type of romance be done poorly? Yes. If the main hero begins to read more as a brother than there is a problem. Or if the romance just comes out of nowhere. There does have to be a subtle basis to it; a hint that there could be more, and those authors who can accomplish that are phenomenal. So here are some of my favorite authors who do this well:
Serena B. Miller
Tamera Alexander
Jenny B. Jones
Siri Mitchell (particularly her contemporary)
Tamara Leigh (particularly her contemporary)
Jill Williamson
Lori Wick
Have any you would like to add?
remaininhislove 