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A new book by American author Rhaina Cohen talks about people who have made friends, rather than a husband or wife, the central person in their life.

Celebrations of romantic love are everywhere. But what if friendships mattered more than finding a boyfriend or a girlfriend?

The friends in Cohen's book buy homes and raise children as a pair. In some cases, they care for one another when sick and dying.

According to statistics, 55% of Gen ZShort for Generation Z, meaning people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s. and MillennialsPeople who reached adulthood in the early 21st Century. say that friendship is more important than a romantic relationship. At the same time, the percentage of people who have never been married or in a civil partnershipA legal union between two people who are not related. is rising in the UK, Europe and the US.

Given that half of American marriages end in divorce, friends are more likely to stay when boyfriends or girlfriends are gone.

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However, some people think that this is putting too much pressure on friendships. You might expect your husband or wife to move across the country with you when you get a new job. But most people would not ask their friends to do the same.

Is friendship better than romance?

Yes! Romance often ends in heartbreak! If a friend can give you all the support in life you need, there is no need to be in a relationship.

No! Finding the right partner has always been hard, but that does not mean we should give up on romance completely. Everyone needs friends, but romance can be important too.