Inspy Romance, I’m excited to have Pepper Basham with us today! She’s taking over with a post about the romance trope Friends-to-more! Welcome Pepper!
Thank you!
If anyone knows me, he/she knows I LOVE romance!!
I love figuring out how two unique characters will find their way to each other and grow together through the process. As romance readers, there are books that show this ‘finding’ of each other in many different ways…or sometimes called ‘tropes’. A few of them would be the enemies-to-lovers, marriage-of-convenience, forbidden love, and fake romance, but one of my all-time-favorites is friends-to-more (AKA friends-to-lovers).
There’s something incredibly sweet about two people who know each other so well discovering that they love each other in a whole new way…but, as a writer, that also comes with its own set of challenges.
I use this trope in my most recent release, A Match for Emma, and I had NO idea it was going to be SO HARD TO WRITE! I mean, the relationship wasn’t difficult, the dialogue came easily, but one of the things we’re constantly reminded a romance book needs – romantic tension – was tough to find. Why? Well, through half of the story, the two characters aren’t attracted to each other in a romantic way. They’re best friends.
In other tropes, authors have the natural tension of people meeting for the first time and learning about each other – which helps move the plot along. Or, they have the tension ‘enemies’ or ‘pretending’ can create. But for besties, they already know each other. They already have a solid relationship and a history. They are already vulnerable to each other.
So the challenge was learning to show an organic growth of romance through the tension that comes from a growing ‘awareness’ of the other in a different way: small nuances of how their view of each other deepened or changed, or the simple things they’d notice they hadn’t noticed before, which would lead to internal conflict. What if my interest is only one-sided? Is romance worth the risk of changing a great friendship?
I have to say that I LOVED the way it turned out. I think Jon and Emma’s slow growth toward falling in love with each other is a sweet reminder that not all romances come in like a thunder blast, but maybe more like a gentle, spring rain (with a lightning-flash of a closet kiss here or there 😉)
Get your copy here!
Pepper Basham is an award-winning author who writes romance peppered with grace and humor with southern Appalachian flair. Both her historical and contemporary novels have garnered recognition in the Grace Awards, Inspys, and ACFW Carol Awards. Her historical romance, The Thorn Healer, was a finalist in the 2018 RT Awards. Her most recent historical romance, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge, showcases her Appalachian heritage and family history, as well as her love for humor and family. She currently resides in the lovely mountains of Asheville, NC where she is the mom of five great kids, a speech-language pathologist to about fifty more, and a lover of chocolate, jazz, hats, and Jesus. Her next book, The Red Ribbon, is a true crime historical romance arriving in October 2020 with Barbour Publishing.
Pepper loves getting to know readers and other authors through social media outlets like Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. You may also learn more about her on her website at www.pepperdbasham.com or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pepperdbasham/
What is a book you’ve read with the friends-to-more trope? How did the author handle the transition from friends to romance?
Leave your answer by 2-24-2020 to be put into the drawing for a copy of A Match for Emma (reader’s choice of digital or paperback)
Thanks so much for hosting me today, Janet and Inspy Romance authors!!! I love talking story…and especially ROMANCE :)
I love that trope as well! I am sorry to say I have not read anything by Pepper yet, but it is in my TBR for certain now!
Paula, what’s a book you’ve read with this trope that you’ve loved? Jane Austen’s, Emma? Becky Wade’s, Sweet on You?
You did a fabulous job with the friends-to-more trope in this book, Pepper! It was such a joy to watch Jon and Emma’s relationship bloom from just friendship to a romance, and their first kiss was so worth the wait!
Friends-to-more is one of my favorite tropes! These are a couple other books I loved that feature it: Sweet on You by Becky Wade, and Risking Love by Toni Shiloh, I know there are more but those are the only two I can think of right now! 🙂
Thanks, Caitlyn!! It’s such a sweet trope to write and read!!!
And yes, Toni’s book, Risking Love, has had such great reception!!
Also This Wandering Heart, Janine Rosche’s debut novel! :-)
You’re great at it, so we are so happy you are here today!! Thank you!!
You must! She is a super sweet person too!
Oh fun! All great and sweet authors!
Welcome, Pepper! I guess I haven’t been reading romance long enough to have read a friends-to-more that stuck out. Dawn Lee McKenna’s “See You” is a mix of friends-to-more, May-December and Convenience that absolutely bowled me over. I also have some young friends who actually lived out the friends-to-more in real life (her parents may have had a hand in encouraging that:)). I get what you mean about the challenge to find romantic tension. Congratulations on the success!
I think there should always be true friendship before there can be romance.
I am so looking forward to reading this book. I really enjoy Pepper’s books and the friends to lover theme. Heather Gray’s An Informal Affair is a favorite. Love how they decide to be more than friends.
This might be one of those themes I enjoyed because it’s related to my own story. Mutual friends used to say my husband and I were a good match and I’d dismissed it every time saying he was really nice but I wasn’t at all attracted to the long hair new guy with glasses and a beautiful voice. He ended up helping lead choir and we became good friends in multiple circles in church… then we got to chat more often, I craved those MSN times and the he also got a haircut and a nice trimmed beard and that was it for me. (Trip to memory lane part #2 this week)
I just finished reading a great book, The Painted Castle by Kristy Cambron, which has friendship romance. The characters had to trust each other and see the best in each other even when things were not always how they appeared. Marriage is built upon friendship and is the best foundation to have as it will see you through difficult times.
I loved Pepper’s new book, My Heart Belongs in the Blue Ridge and look forward to reading it again.
This is the trope I’ve been writing a lot of lately. It is fun to write, but it does present it’s own challenges. Creating that authentic friendship right off is difficult. Roseanna m. White is excellent in this particular area, I think.
I agree, sometimes presenting a story where friendship already exists is a nice refresher from the love at first sight, or the instant attraction you read a lot of. Not that there’s anything wrong with that lol. I personally enjoy unrequited love tropes myself LOL
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for the fun post, Janet and Pepper! The friends-to-more trope is a favorite of mine. My sister married a guy that lived in our neighborhood, and she’d known him for quite a while. They’ve been married for 52 years, so I guess it was meant to be!
Oh, Winnie!! What a sweet story!!!!
Thanks, Sara Beth!! I love writing/reading a variety of tropes, but this one is certainly fun!
Aww, Lisa! Thank you!! And Kristy Cambron is a fantastic storyteller!!!
HAHAHAH!! Priscila!! I LOVE THIS!! So MUCH!!!! I also love how God likes to surprise us with the unexpected-yet-perfect-for-us :-)
Yes, Brenda! Very true. The best kinds have some sort of friendship within them
Friends to more is a great way to describe this trope! Always a fun type of book to read. The instant attraction books sometimes don’t ever get to the friendship base so necessary in real life! Thanx for the giveaway!
Most of the friends-to-more romances I’ve read are YA reads. Usually, the YA books pair the friends-to-more with the fake relationship or unrequited love trope – which I love! I love seeing the relationship between friends with gently shift into romance. One of my favorite tropes to read!
Oh, wow! I haven’t yet read any of your books, Pepper; however, I have some in my TBR stack!! I like friends to more! Susan May Warren has quite a few books where they start as friends and go on to more, especially in her Montana Rescue Series. I know I’ve read others, but this is one I could think of the name and author for!
I had to look back through my reviews (because I have a horrible memory) to find a friends to more relationship. In Faceoff Clint and Bree both had brothers who played baseball together in college and felt more like siblings until they saw each other all grown up.
I’ve read several with this trope and the last one was based on the fear of loosing a friend if relationship didn’t work out…
It was good 😊
Umm i think Anne of Green Gables went from enemies to friends to more than friends with Anne and Gilbert
Sweet story!
So true! Makes for conflict!
I haven’t read that one. Thanks!
I think I remember one in that series :)
I love YA!
So true :)
I love this!
LOL!
Sounds great!
Oh how sweet!! Love it!
Probably the best idea!
Dolce Vita was a great one by Autumn MacArthur…I know there are more I need to remember 🙄 lol!
Jane Austen’s Emma follows that trope.
Ooh, I just received an ARC of This Wandering Heart and I CANNOT WAIT TO READ IT! 😍
Risking Love was great. I liked Shorty. I just finished The Joy of Falling by Lindsay Harrel and how the relationship developed between the two friends was nice.
Thanks so much, Lincoln!!
Thanks for commenting, Trudy!! Susan May Warren is such a queen at storywriting!!
HAHA, Sabrina! They did the full circle, didn’t they? Enemies, friends, then more :)
Exactly! My favorite Austen hero is Mr. Knightley AND this story is loosely based on JA Emma :-) Thanks for commenting, Denise.
Awesome! Lindsay is a beautiful writer and person.
Hello Pepper and Janet I haven’t read any of Pepper’s books yet but I do love this trope! One of The Authors I have read is Melinda Curtis I Love her books! Have a great day!
I’m reading An Amish Picnic and it contains friends to love. Thank you forso much for sharing. Adding to my wish list.
Oh, true!
Sounds great!
I’ll have to check that out!
You will enjoy :)
I recently read Unexpected Events: A Second Chance Best Friends Romance by Sophie Mays. This book was a friends to more trope. The couple lived as roommates and friends, then went their separate ways for five years. When they reunited, they realized they had really been in love all along. Thank you for the giveaway and book information.
I have read several books written in this troupe. I like when the author has the relationship build slowly.
Unexpected-yet-perfect-for-us Is a great way to describe God’s doing. Love this.
I don’t think I have read very many books in this trope. I really am intrigued by what you wrote and I have added your book to my TBR list. Thanks for sharing!
I hope you enjoy!
Interesting!
It is sweet!
I have read several books on this trope. Susan May Warren and Mary Conneally are both very gifted at it.
You are a new author to me, and I look forward to reading your work.
Both are excellent authors :)
This sounds like an adorable love story! I will be adding this to my TBR list. ❤️
I love anything Pepper writes and have read almost all of them. Emma is a favorite.
I have read many stories like this. I think it is important to have a friendship first!
I hope you enjoy!
Oh sweet!
Yes, that’s so important!