My latest release, Best Friends with the Billionaire, was the first time I’d written a friends-to-lovers romance, and it was so lovely to write about two people (Cassie Cooper and Kirk Rochester) who had forged a close bond over many years. I realized why this trope is so popular with both fans and authors.

So why are best friends Cassie Cooper and Kirk Rochester perfect for each other?

They’ve seen each other at their best and worst.

Cassie and Kirk shared a house during college, so they’ve lived in close quarters and know their little quirks and foibles. They know each other’s weaknesses. Cassie has lived through Kirk’s player days, when his ability to bed any women went to his head, while Kirk has witnessed Cassie’s struggles for acceptance with her mom and sister.

Importantly, they also know each other’s strengths. Cassie knows Kirk is fiercely intelligent and competitive, and that he’ll succeed in putting his stamp on his hotel business, and she’s happy to help him reach that goal. Kirk knows that Cassie tends to hide her light under a bushel, and so he encourages her to go out there and seize the day.

They support each other.

Cassie was there for Kirk when his first wife died. When the funeral was over and he was alone, she remained with him, trying to give him comfort any way she could. And even when he broke her heart without realizing it, she never blamed him and never mentioned it.

Kirk speaks up for Cassie when her mom and sister pick on her, knowing how difficult she finds it to assert herself with her family. And when she’s offered a great career opportunity he encourages her to jump on it, even though it means she’ll be living on the other side of the ocean.

They’re on the same wavelength.

They laugh at the same things, love the same schlock horror movies, and can talk about just about anything. They share a unique connection that endures despite the fact that they’ve been living in different cities for some time.

They value their friendship highly.

Their friendship has endured despite separation, marriage, and death, and Kirk has come to realize that Cassie’s friendship is the most important thing to him. More important than love, because in his experience love is fickle and deceptive. Cassie’s friendship means everything to him, and he won’t put that in jeopardy, even though he suddenly finds himself intensely attracted to her, and she seems to reciprocate these feelings. Even when their attraction turns physical, he continues to resist thinking of them as a couple. He’s not prepared to risk their friendship by starting an ill-conceived relationship with her.

Cassie has been secretly in love with Kirk for years, but has never been confident enough to ask if he feels the same way about her. When he unexpectedly shows he’s physically attracted to her, she’s over the moon but still not confident enough to push for more. Kirk’s friendship means so much to her. If she asks him for more and he refuses, she’ll be left with nothing, and that possibility scares the hell out of her.

So there you have it—a man and a woman, perfect friends, who’d make for perfect lovers if only they’re willing to risk it.

---

Coleen Kwan has been a bookworm all her life. At school English was her favorite subject, but for some reason she decided on a career in IT. After many years of programming, she wondered what else there was in life — and discovered writing. She loves writing contemporary romance and steampunk romance.

Coleen lives in Sydney, Australia with her partner and two children. When she isn’t writing she enjoys avoiding housework, eating chocolate, and watching TV shows like Criminal Minds and Masterchef.

Coleen can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and ColeenKwan.com.