3 Reasons Why Frenemies Are So Fun to Write in Romance
Enemies-to-lovers is a much celebrated trope in the romance genre, but what about frenemies? At a glance, they seem very similar. You have two characters who don’t get along, but eventually find their way to love. However, frenemies have an extra layer because the characters were friendly at one point and it makes you wonder what keeps these characters at arm’s length?
(How to Write a Friends-to-Lovers Romance.)
The Girl Most Likely To is my newest second-chance romance novel about Rachel Dang and Danny Phan, two former friends who meet again at their 20th high school reunion after a huge falling out. When I started brainstorming this book, I was instantly drawn to the idea of writing about two friends who essentially broke up. Whether they are romantic or platonic, breakups are devastating. It can be hard to make sense of why a relationship failed when two people got along well at one point. It could be especially painful if there wasn’t closure.
There was a lot of potential in exploring how friends could come back from heartbreak and perhaps become something more. There were so many dynamics at play, but here are a few reasons why I found writing frenemies so fun.
1) The Will-They-Won’t-They Tension
There’s an inherent tension to being frenemies because these characters are alike in many ways. They wouldn’t have been friends if they didn’t share some common ground.
The Girl Most Likely To begins in the present when Rachel and Danny haven’t seen each other in 20 years. So, when they meet again as adults, there’s an emotional impact similar to running into an ex, but there’s a familiarity that draws them to each other. Being back at their high school for the reunion also lent itself to transporting them back to their teen years when they were on better terms. But what would it take to get over the things that hurt them in the past?
There’s a delicate balance between friendly and bitter feelings. The possibility that any little thing could tip things one way or the other keeps readers wondering will-they or won’t-they make it after all.
2) The Chemistry
Once I decided to make Rachel and Danny frenemies, I knew I had to nail their chemistry. When we think of other fictional frenemies–Serena van der Woodsen and Blair Waldor from Gossip Girl, Jim Halpert and Dwight Schrute from The Office–it’s their chemistry that keeps us fascinated. Even when frenemies appear to be opposites on the surface, they know what makes the other person tick. The slightest jab feels personal, but when frenemies band together, it can be magical.
Rachel and Danny first meet randomly as teens in an AOL chat room and many of the flashbacks are transcripts of their AIM conversations. This allowed me to showcase their chemistry through their banter. It’s not based on their physical attractiveness or what clique they belong to. They were just two teens talking to each other. There’s just something about their personalities that they like about each other.
So when they do meet in real life as teens, and later as adults, that foundation is always there. That’s what keeps me rooting for them even when they’re being petty or when they reveal something vulnerable about themselves. We want them to make it because we know they would be so good together.
3) Friends and Enemies: The Best of Both Worlds
Writing about frenemies gives the best of both the friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers trope. When I wrote Circling Back To You, a friends-to-lovers workplace romcom, I loved showing how my protagonists were supportive of each other, not realizing that their comfort around each other was leading them into an undeniable romance.
I was able to incorporate the same kind of sweet dynamic in The Girl Most Likely To, but with the added fun of seeing Rachel and Danny as enemies. They know each other’s weaknesses and they aren’t afraid to use that knowledge against each other. Sometimes it could be in the form of friendly teasing, but it could be used to confront the issues that kept them from being together. It builds this anticipation for when two characters will realize their true feelings for each other. As a romance reader and writer, I live for this moment!
The best thing about writing frenemies is the opportunity to depict the real ups and downs of a relationship, especially one that spans across their teen years to their thirties. When Rachel and Danny look back on their past, they can see it through a more mature lens and get a new perspective. They can see how much they cared for each other, even when things weren’t working. It’s nice to see a couple weather a few storms and it makes their happily-ever-after all the more rewarding.
Check out Julie Tieu’s The Girl Most Likely To here:
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