I'm looking for unrequited love books. Or so they think. I want "i love him (or her) but he doesn't love me back." Id prefer that it starts with one of the main characters having feelings for the other mc. BONUS if it's childhood friends to lovers.
by sleepingugly5
1 Comment
Ah, that “unrequited, or so they think” angst is one of the best tropes. If you want that pining, “I love him/her but they don’t love me back” feeling, especially with a friendship history, my top suggestion is People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. It’s a “best friends to lovers” story told from the heroine’s perspective, and she is convinced her feelings are one-sided as she tries to repair their broken friendship. For your bonus “childhood friends” request, Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren is perfect. It flashes between their childhood friendship and their present-day reunion, and you can feel the pining and misunderstanding from the past carrying over.
If you’re open to an “enemies to lovers” setup that uses the same dynamic, The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas is a great choice. The main character, Catalina, is completely convinced her work nemesis, Aaron, hates her. She has to bring him to her sister’s wedding as a fake date, and the entire “unrequited” aspect is flipped; she’s convinced he despises her, but the reader slowly realizes his feelings are the exact opposite, and he’s been pining all along. The slow burn of her realizing her “enemy” might not be an enemy at all is fantastic.