2000s YA Books about Friends with Benefits
What 2000s YA Books About Friends With Benefits have you read? I have my list, inspired by that 2011 rom com.
This week’s theme is Friends With Benefits. In the 2011 movie, Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake, fed up with their love lives, decide to have a no-strings-attached relationship. Of course, things don’t go exactly as they planned…
The closest YA book I can think of is…..
The DUFF by Kody Keplinger
In the book, Bianca regards “man-slut” Wesley with complete contempt. He’s everything she detests in a guy. But he always seems to be around, and she could also use some distraction, so the two of them begin a secret relationship. It’s a little bit hate-to-love, and a little bit enemies with benefits.
Then there are the YA Friends With Chemistry books. LOVE those! Here are a few of my favorites:
Vee and Rollins in Slide by Jill Hathaway
Melody and Zen in Bumped by Megan McCafferty
Lola and Cricket in Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins
Violet and Jay in The Body Finder series by Kimberly Derting
Kat and Hale in The Heist Society by Ally Carter
Schuyler and Oliver in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa De la Cruz
Finally, there are the YA Fake Dating Books, which can feature friends who drift from a fake relationship into a real one.
Do you have any other Friends With Benefits or Friends With Chemistry examples?
Tell me in the comments!
The first friends with benefits couple that comes to my mind is Fire and Archer from Kristin Cashore's "Fire."
And Lola and Cricket made me think of Anna and Etienne from Anna and the French Kiss- definite chemistry there:)
Fun post, Jen!
I LOVED Archer. He's one of the Unrequited Love Boys. There must be more ULB's that I'm not thinking of…..
Interesting. I never thought schuyler and Oliver would be in this category. U make Duff sound like a book I would wanna read.
Really? Isn't Oliver secretly in love with her and she picks Jack?? I read the books a while ago, so maybe I'm misremembering…
And yes, the DUFF is a great book. Racy for YA, and just really good.
Yes Oliver is in love with her but she was destined for Jack
Well, boo to that. I like Oliver and am sad that he has to be one of the Unrequited Love Boys…
he is a red blood after all. usually, different species are looked down upon if they date each other.
Forbidden love is all the more romantic…
it makes for a great read for sure
It's funny, I know there are some books that I have read, but can't think of any that have a friends with benefits thing.
That's okay! Always a pleasure to see you 🙂
I've been wanting to read The Duff for a long time! I can't think of many friends with benefits exactly books but I can think of a lot of books where friends become more than friends. I love those types of stories like Lola and the Boy Next Door, The Body Finder, Heist Society and Slide. Even when the girl chose someone else I love when the best friend falls in love with the girl like in Iron Fey series with Puck. I always hate when the best friend doesn't get the girl.
You've got to read it — so good!!
I loved Lola and the Boy Next Door, even more than Anna and the French Kiss. I am a total sucker for the "friends with chemistry" story lines. I love that tension! I have Slide on my TBR list but it looks like I will be adding some others…
Me too! I think a lot of people felt the opposite!
Slide is a great example of friends with chemistry!!
The best example I could think of is HEIST SOCIETY, which you have already mentioned.
Hale!!! *sigh*
The Duff was such an awesome book to read. I found it pretty funny and realistic. So far I have read this book twice and there will be many more reads in the future. How can I stay away from Wesley? Lol. Bianca and her friends were also great to read and I love how different all three of them are, but at the same time have such a tight friendsip.
I really liked it! If I ever come across an extra copy I will give it away on the blog. Just tweeted you about Operation Angel!
I have this on my Nook but I definitely would love to have this on my bookshelf.