A recent trend I’ve seen on TikTok is where people share their favorite tropes in the media, whether they be about friends, romantic interests, or general character archetypes. This got me thinking about what I typically see in the books, movies, and shows that I watch, and I came to the conclusion that I absolutely love seeing the “friends to lovers” trope.
“Friends to lovers” is exactly what it sounds like: two best friends who eventually become love interests throughout the course of the story. My favorite couples have always been the ones who began as friends first. Maybe it’s the romantic in me, but I adore the idea of someone embracing all your quirks as a friend and then slowly falling in love with you. Thanks to this trend, I wanted to look for my favorite examples of the “friends to lovers” trope, so here are a few couples in different media that make me believe in love.
Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Heroes of Olympus)
Yes, these are books meant for younger children, but that’s also why I think they influenced my love for this trope at a young age. They met as kids and became close friends who went on all types of adventures together, and eventually, they became a couple as the books go on. I think the progression of their relationship is amazing, and I love them together.
Robin Scherbatsky and Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)
Disregarding the series finale (because I refuse to accept that they did not end up happily ever after), this is another one of the best examples of this trope. Barney and Robin have so much chemistry together because they have always been bros first. They share many of the same interests, and their personalities mesh so well together. For them, being friends before they got together created such a great dynamic for their relationship. They are a great embodiment of this trope and one of my favorite TV couples of all time.
Kim Possible and Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible)
As an avid fan of the show, I LOVED everything about their relationship. They grew up together and were best friends for years, so in my eyes, it was obvious that they had to fall in love with each other. They balance each other out and always have each others’ backs. Also, I just love that Ron is a huge dork and that Kim loves him for it, not despite of it.
Jenna Rink and Matty Flamhaff (13 Going On 30)
THE BLUEPRINT! This couple is the blueprint in my mind for this trope. They were next-door neighbors and best friends. Matty literally made her a Jenna dream house for her birthday. He is the sweetest towards her because that’s just how their friendship was. I love that Jenna grows up and realizes that he was always the one for her, and their relationship is so sweet. It was literally what dreams were made of for me when I first watched it. They will always be my number one couple under this trope because they encompass exactly what I love so much about it.
As a sucker for romance, this trope is my favorite. I love it more than anything else I’ve seen, and hopefully, this gives you a newfound appreciation for friends to lovers in your favorite media.