The best Christian romance books with strong friendships

Jane Eyre was the very first romance novel I had ever read, and is still my favorite. I was pulled into this gothic romance classic and could see why it’s such a celebrated book from almost the first page. I love the struggle Jane has with finding her place in the world after a rocky start. The people she comes across test her integrity in so many ways. She looks to find balance with freedom, belonging to someone, and being true to herself. 

The author mentions ‘kindred spirits’, which are people who strongly connect for various reasons. I love that aspect of this book. The character could come from abundance, or from very little, yet there is this drive to find friends and connect. And friendship is such an important theme in Jane Eyre.

I found this book to be an exciting YA fantasy where the princess actually does more than wait to be rescued. The main character is under a curse, loses her mother, and faces so many trials. She finds powerful allies, and of course the prince. I love how confident, strong, and capable Ella is despite all the challenges that face her. Once I finished the book, it made me wish there were more books like this one. The friends she meets along the way add a lot of charm to this tale. 

The author has a great YouTube channel that offers writing advice for Christian authors. After getting so much value from her channel, I was happy to buy her first novel Free. It’s such a clever book that had me quickly rooting for the main character. She overcomes so much. And I found the process of the ship’s crew and captain slowly warming up to her to be heartwarming. It’s a great story of a person without a family finally finding one on the high seas!

The book is just a perfect blend of faith, drama, and romance. I love a good villain, and the character Lauren made a great one! The author skillfully raises the tension level through the family’s dysfunctional situation, to which I felt a connection. My parents divorced when I was 11, and some of Tucker's backstory resonated with me. Not only does the main character find support and friendship with the main female lead, but he has mentors and close friends to help him shoulder the responsibility that he takes on.

I've written three novels geared toward New Adult Christian readers before I discovered this author. I gravitate toward characters in that age range, and really enjoyed her series.

This is another New Adult Christian Romance that made the list for an odd reason. Sure, the romance is solid. Rebecca is an awkward nerd who falls for an attractive guy with his own struggles. Physically, he looks perfect, but there is more than meets the eye. What really made him stand out was that he takes sign language classes, a rare choice for men.

I took sign language for three years in college and attended a Deaf church until I got married. It’s such a beautiful language and culture. The main character from my book has a sister who’s an Interpreter, and in the sequel the gang goes to Deaf day at Six Flags Theme Park (it’s a real event that’s held in the Arlington, Texas location). Weaving sign language into my stories was such a fun task!