7 books with platonic love as a central theme
Platonic love is a quiet miracle — a bond that doesn’t burn with romance, but glows with deep, abiding devotion. It’s the kind of love that holds your hand through grief, laughs in the spaces between words, and stays even when the world falls apart. And yet, in a world that often spotlights passion and seduction, this pure, powerful connection is too often tucked into the background.
These seven books bring platonic love front and center — in all its messy, luminous, soul-anchoring glory. They remind us that friendship isn’t a consolation prize. It’s a force — and sometimes, the very thing that saves us.
1. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
“He wanted to be left alone. But the world — and friendship — had other plans.”
Grumpy, grieving, and utterly done with life, Ove never expected to be dragged into messy neighborly affairs. But when a lively young family moves in next door, a chain of unlikely friendships unravels his sorrow. This novel is a slow, tender celebration of how platonic love can show up exactly when we need it most — loud, clumsy, and life-saving.
2. The Friendship by Mildred D. Taylor
“In a world divided by hate, friendship becomes a quiet form of defiance.”
Set in the segregated South, this powerful novella follows the forbidden friendship between a Black boy and an elderly white man. Their bond, built on mutual respect and shared history, defies societal expectations — and comes with heartbreaking consequences. It’s a story of loyalty, risk, and the platonic love that dares to cross boundaries.
3. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
“She found her kindred spirit — and the world got brighter.”
Long before Anne Shirley even noticed romance, she had Diana Barry — her “bosom friend,” her confidante, her partner in whimsy. Their bond is pure, precious, and central to Anne’s growth. This classic is a love letter to girlhood friendship — tender, fierce, and utterly magical.
4. The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater
“Magic. Mystery. And a friendship that feels like fate.”
Blue never expected to fall in love — but what she finds instead is something deeper. Gansey, Ronan, Adam, and Noah become her found family in a mystical search that stretches across lifetimes. The friendship among this group of misfits is intimate, complex, and platonic in its truest form: soul-deep love without expectation.
5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
“We accept the love we think we deserve — and sometimes, it’s our friends who show us what we truly deserve.”
Charlie, Sam, and Patrick form an unconventional trio stitched together by music, secrets, and the ache of growing up. Their friendship is flawed but profound, and their love for each other runs deeper than romance ever could. This is a raw, beautiful portrayal of platonic love as healing and transformative.
6. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
“History is shaped not just by war and power — but by the invisible threads of love.”
Amid the sweeping generational saga of Korean immigrants in Japan, moments of platonic love — between siblings, in-laws, and community members — shine like quiet stars. These bonds don’t always speak their love aloud, but they carry each other through loss, hunger, and war. It’s the kind of loyalty that defines a life.
7. The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune
“Six magical children. One reluctant caretaker. Infinite love.”
This gentle fantasy is a masterpiece of found family. Linus, sent to assess a mysterious orphanage, expects a job. What he finds is laughter, belonging, and friendships that rewire his soul. There is no grand romance here — just the honest, healing power of platonic love that wraps around you like a warm blanket.
💛 Platonic Love Is Not a Supporting Character
In these stories, friendship isn’t a stepping stone to romance — it is the destination. These characters choose each other again and again, in the ways that matter most: with trust, with sacrifice, with joy. Their love may not be romantic, but it is profound. Life-shaping. Worthy of epic pages and tears.
So, if you’ve ever loved someone without needing to kiss them — if you’ve ever felt your soul stitched to another’s without needing labels — these books are for you.
