Tomo-chan wa Onnanoko!
This has to be one of the best told childhood friends-to-lovers mangas out there! Tomo and Jun's relationship developed so well and all the hiccups they encountered in transitioning from friends to lovers weren't glossed over or played for mere laughs. Like, the transition was the actual meat of the plot. HOWEVER the biggest and most pleasant surprise in this manga is how well developed and likable everyone in the main cast was! Take Jun for example; as the male romantic lead, he actually has his own personality and normal teenage boy anxieties about getting together with the girl he loves. He's a real boy! And not some hyper-idealized romantic figure that could only exist in shoujo or BL. And /dude/ don't even get me started on how awesome Misuzu and Carol are. They're friends with the female lead with their own agendas, growth, and interactions beyond Tomo! They're each such amazing characters in their own right, likable despite — or even because— they're sometimes selfish and petty. Misuzu's (lowkey; very subtle actually) queerplatonic relationship with Tomo was so well done while still being entertaining; it really added a special spice and unique foil to Tomo and Jun's straightforward compatibility.
Cheating Men Must Die
Was pulled in by great art and extremely satisfying revenge porn, stayed for the genre savy and meta on shoujo romances that has me gasping in shock.
King's Maker