Some love stories aren’t just about romance—they’re about friendship, the people who know you best, and the way relationships evolve over time.
A good friend knows all your best stories, but a best friend has lived them with you.
If you’re looking for the perfect Galentine’s read, here are some books that fit the theme (including a few with film adaptations, because I can never resist!). Whether romantic, messy, nostalgic, or heartbreaking, these stories capture the highs and lows of true friendship and love.
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Books I’m Reading This Month
I started this month with a book my neighbor lent me, going in completely blind, only to find it centered on two best friends and their complicated relationships. My next pick, a gift from my niece, surprised me in the same way—another story about friendship and love’s even messier entanglements.
Noticing the pattern, I decided to embrace the theme and make February all about stories that explore the unbreakable bonds between best friends—sometimes tested, sometimes frayed, but always worth mending—and the complications that love inevitably brings.
Beautiful World, Where Are You?
by Sally Rooney
Alice and Eileen have been best friends for years, sharing their thoughts via emails. Meanwhile, Alice’s relationship with Felix and Eileen’s with Simon unfold in ways that challenge them both. If you love Sally Rooney’s signature style of introspective, emotionally fraught relationships, this is a must-read.
One Day in December
by Josie Silver
Laurie and Sarah are best friends, and when Laurie has a life-changing moment of love-at-first-sight, Sarah unknowingly ends up dating the very guy Laurie had been searching for. This one is full of heartbreak, missed chances, and deep friendship.
Something Borrowed
by Emily Giffin
A classic when it comes to best friends and complicated love—Rachel has always done the “right” thing, until one night she crosses the line with her best friend Darcy’s fiancé. The fallout that follows is messy, emotional, and completely engrossing. (And yes, there’s a movie!)
In Five Years
by Rebecca Serle
Dannie thinks she has her future planned out—until she wakes up five years ahead in a life she doesn’t recognize, with a man who isn’t her fiancé. The heart of this novel, though, is her friendship with Bella, which shapes everything about how Dannie moves forward.
Book to Film: Best Friends & Love Complications
As promised, here are a few favorite reads that have been brought to life on screen, whether through a film or TV series adaptation. If you love seeing stories unfold in multiple formats, these are perfect picks to read and then watch with your favorite Galentine!
Firefly Lane
by Kristin Hannah
A sweeping story of lifelong friendship between two women, from their teenage years to adulthood, through love, loss, and everything in between.
That was the thing about best friends. Like sisters and mothers, they could piss you off and make you cry and break your heart, but in the end, when the chips were down, they were there, making you laugh even in your darkest hours.
The Jane Austen Book Club
by Karen Joy Fowler
A group of friends (including two besties, Jocelyn and Sylvia) form a book club and find that Austen’s novels start mirroring their own lives.
We all have our private Austen, but once in a while, it’s good to share her with friends.
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by Ann Brashares
A nostalgic pick! Four best friends spend their summers apart but stay connected through a shared pair of jeans. Love, friendship, and personal growth all collide.
You know what the secret is? It’s so simple. We love one another. We’re nice to one another. Do you know how rare that is?
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
by Rebecca Wells
A novel about lifelong female friendship, mother-daughter relationships, and personal struggles.
Friendship isn’t about whom you’ve known the longest. It’s about who came and never left your side.
The Summer I Turned Pretty
by Jenny Han
A mix of romance, friendship, and growing up, with love complications front and center.
A best friend isn’t someone who’s just always there for you. It’s someone who understands you a little bit more than you understand yourself.
What are your favorite books about friendship?
Drop me your recommendations—I’m always looking for more and more to add to my TBR!
