These 9 Books About Friendship Will Make You Laugh, Cry, and Reevaluate Your Friendships
Disclosure: We are part of the Amazon Affiliate/LTK Creator programs. If you purchase a book, we will receive a small commission at no cost to you. This post may contain links to buy books, and you can read our affiliate disclosure here.
Friendship is one of the most powerful and enduring themes in literature. Whether it’s lifelong companions supporting each other through thick and thin, bromances that rival romantic relationships, or toxic friendships that turn into gripping thrillers, books about friendships offer something for every reader.
This list celebrates the best books about friendships across genres—women’s fiction, romance, and thrillers—each offering a unique perspective on the relationships that shape our lives.
Looking for more recommendations? Drop your favorite friendship books in the comments below.
Women’s Fiction: Heartwarming and Empowering Friendships
These books highlight the beauty of female friendships, showing women lifting each other up through life’s highs and lows.
1. Sylvia’s Second Act by Hillary Yablon
When Sylvia walks in on her husband’s affair, she realizes it’s the perfect opportunity to start fresh. Instead of wallowing, she leaves him, moves to Manhattan, and restarts her career with the help of her best friend. Full of humor, reinvention, and city escapades, this book delivers a Sex and the City vibe, celebrating how friendship can be the strongest support system of all.
Why You’ll Love It: A fun, uplifting story about starting over with your best friend by your side.
2. Women of Good Fortune by Sophie Wan
Three women in China are stuck in difficult situations—one engaged to a man she doesn’t love, another saving for plastic surgery, and a third hoping to freeze her eggs. Their solution? A high-stakes heist to steal wedding money and reclaim their dreams. Blending humor with deep social commentary, this book explores friendship, ambition, and the pressure to conform.
Why You’ll Love It: A mix of heist drama, feminist themes, and the power of friendship.
3. The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin
Four college friends make a pact to always be there for each other. But when tragedy strikes before graduation, their bond is shaken. Years later, they reunite in Italy to help one of them recover from heartbreak. As they reminisce and heal, old wounds resurface, reminding them of the importance of showing up for one another.
Why You’ll Love It: Emotional depth, armchair travel to Italy, and a reminder of the importance of keeping friendships alive.
Bromance: The Power of Male Friendships in Fiction
Male friendships often take a backseat in fiction, but these books prove that bromances can be just as meaningful as romantic relationships.
1. Wild Seasons Series by Christina Lauren
Three women take a trip to Vegas, meet three irresistible men, and impulsively marry them. What follows are messy, romantic, and steamy stories—but the heart of the series lies in the friendship between the male leads: Ansel, Finn, and Oliver. Their unwavering loyalty, playful teasing, and emotional support make their bromance just as engaging as their love stories.
Why You’ll Love It: High heat, humor, and a strong male friendship dynamic.
2. Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward
A paranormal romance series about an elite group of vampire warriors, bound by loyalty and brotherhood. While each book features a steamy romance, the core of the series is the deep bond between the warriors—especially the relationship between Butch and Vicious, who share an intense, unbreakable connection.
Why You’ll Love It: Action-packed, emotionally charged, and the ultimate ride-or-die friendships.
3. Bromance Book Club Series by Lyssa Kay Adams
A group of powerful men—athletes, politicians, and businessmen—secretly form a romance book club to improve their relationships. This series blends humor, emotional depth, and the message that romance novels aren’t just for women. The book club becomes a brotherhood where men support one another in becoming better partners and better people.
Why You’ll Love It: A hilarious and heartwarming take on male friendships with a fresh perspective on romance.
Thrillery Friendships: Toxic, Twisted, and Unforgettable
Not all friendships are sunshine and support—some turn dark, toxic, and thrilling. These books dive into friendships that unravel under secrets, betrayal, and murder.
1. Before We Were Innocent by Ella Berman
As teenagers, three best friends vacation in Greece, but only two return after one of them mysteriously dies. The survivors are suspected of murder, and their lives take drastically different turns—one disappears from the public eye, while the other becomes a motivational speaker. When they reunite ten years later, old wounds resurface, and long-buried truths come to light.
Why You’ll Love It: A slow-burn psychological thriller that examines guilt, betrayal, and how friendships can turn toxic.
2. One of the Girls by Lucy Clarke
A bachelorette party on a secluded Greek island brings together six women—old friends, new acquaintances, and hidden tensions. As the trip unfolds, secrets are exposed, relationships are tested, and someone doesn’t make it out alive. The mystery builds as readers try to piece together who was murdered—and why.
Why You’ll Love It: A sun-soaked thriller filled with toxic friendships, deception, and a suspenseful whodunit.
3. You May Kill the Bride by Kate Weston
A group of childhood best friends gathers for a wedding, but years of hidden resentments bubble to the surface. When the bride is found dead, everyone becomes a suspect. Mean Girls meets a locked-room mystery in this thriller full of betrayals, secrets, and shifting alliances.
Why You’ll Love It: A fast-paced, drama-filled murder mystery with a compelling look at fractured friendships.
Final Thoughts: What Are Your Favorite Friendship Books?
Friendships in fiction come in all forms—heartwarming and supportive, hilarious and chaotic, or dark and twisted. Whether you’re in the mood for uplifting women’s fiction, bromance-filled romance, or thrillers packed with toxic friendships, there’s a book on this list for you.
Related Posts:
Now it’s your turn. Have you read any of these books? Do you have a favorite book about friendship? Drop your recommendations in the comments.