Turning friends into partners is the best

Friends are non-judgemental. They don’t care if you’ve been a complete t*** because they like you as you are – and usually, your awful stories make for excellent banter. When you find that kind of stuff out as someone’s romantic partner however, your guard immediately goes up.

But as a friend girlfriend/boyfriend, your eyes are wide open. You’re under no illusion that you’re dating a saint and that’s OK. There’s complete transparency and honesty.

Her thoughts
It’s very easy to conceal or merely not mention to new partners stuff that’s happened before because no one really wants to hear about their S.O’s former relationships. Friends, however, do. They want to know all the gory details.

Breakup-wise, if you’re genuinely good friends, then there’s no real reason why the end should be horrendous.

I’ve never had an acrimonious split from a friend-turned-boyfriend because things have generally just run their course. Boyfriends just go back to being…friends.

By all means, pull and shag strangers (safely). Have casual dalliances with people you meet on the tube and in pubs. Have summer flings with dudes you meet in parks. Whatever.

But for longer term relationships – in my opinion – you’re better off looking closer to home.