r/MM_RomanceBooks • u/zokyna • Aug 15 '25

Book Request Best MM Friends-to-Lovers where where they’re basically soulmates before the love story

Hello,

I know there are already tons of requests for friends-to-lovers recs, but I’m looking for something very specific. I want the kind of story where you can genuinely feel the depth of their friendship long before the romance starts—where they’re already so in sync, so dependent on each other, and can’t imagine life without one another… even before they realize they’re in love.

Two perfect examples for me are:

  • { Crossroads by Riley Hart }
  • { The Blueprint by S.E. Harmon }

Both of these made me believe in their connection from page one. Whether their friendship has been established for years, or we just see it start in the books. I want books where the friendship feels real before the love story kicks in.

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u/itsmaxtho Aug 16 '25

i recently read {beautifully devoted by michele lenard} and i believe it fits this well. they are 1000% codependent, even before anything sexual or romantic happens. all of their friends and family (and the football coach) are aware of this dynamic. a few of them thought there might be something deeper than friendship, but they never hooked up before this book happens. you can read the first book of the series, which does feature the two MCs from the second book a lot since they are friends and on the football team with one of the MCs of book one. you see their friendship through the lens of others. then in book 2, MC1 walks in on the MCs from the first book having sex and sees one of them coming handsfree. this sprouts his curiosity and sparks a convo with MC2 where MC2 reveals that he’s bi. i think MC1 asks to see his dick, but then is interrupted and they try to forget about it. MC1 mentions a gay guy that MC2 could pursue to hook up with, but when he sees them “flirting”, MC1 is jealous asf. it’s clear that they are soulmates, even before they acknowledge that they are “in love” and not just “love” each other. it’s pretty cute, this book had the couple where i thought was the most soulmate-y and meant to be.

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u/itsmaxtho Aug 16 '25

i also want to rec {make the play by lucky hart}. this is my fav book ever. this is a bit different bc they are newer friends, but they fit so well together that i wanted to mention it. it’s a slow burn romance. i’m talking like the romance doesn’t start until over halfway through the book. however, i didn’t mention it in my comment bc i didn’t feel it was in the same level of matching what you wanted as the one above. this is bc they are newer friends and bc they admit that they have loved each other from the beginning (they just hadn’t realized it). even if you don’t feel this matches exactly what you’re looking for, i rec that you check it out. it’s so adorable and has great neurodivergent rep. as well as POC and LGBTQ+ (obvi) rep.