Enemies-to-lovers is a relationship arc, not a genre: characters begin as adversaries, rivals, or people who strongly dislike one another, then develop romantic attachment. These 23 picks range from playful workplace friction to dangerous political opposition, across contemporary romance, fantasy, historical fiction, young adult fiction, and classic literature. The strength of the antagonism—and how central romance is to the book—varies.
For series, start with the numbered volume listed here. When choosing a copy, search by both title and author; editions and availability vary by market.
How to choose an enemies-to-lovers book
- Conflict: A competitive rivalry or mutual irritation is lighter than a relationship shaped by betrayal, war, or political danger. The list includes both.
- Tone and genre: Contemporary romance tends toward banter and relationship focus; fantasy and historical novels may give equal or greater space to external plots.
- Series commitment: Several recommendations begin a series. Their starting positions are identified so you can avoid entering mid-story.
- Audience: Young adult books are marked YA. No detailed content notes are included where reliable, specific guidance is not established.
Penguin Random House Editors describe the trope in a simplified example as characters who “start to see the true nature of the other and fall deeply in love.” The framing is about a change in understanding, not a required gender pairing or a promise that every story begins with serious hatred. Penguin Random House’s enemies-to-lovers book list offers one publisher’s overview.
23 enemies-to-lovers books to try
1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Genre: Classic fiction. Format: Standalone. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s initial judgments and mutual offense give the romance its friction. It is a social comedy as well as a love story, with class, family, and manners occupying substantial space. Marie Claire identifies it as a classic example of the trope. Marie Claire’s list discusses the book alongside contemporary picks.
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2. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Standalone. Office rivals Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman turn their competitive routine into a close-quarters battle of wills. A strong choice for readers seeking workplace banter and romance at the center of the story. It appears on Goodreads’ enemies-to-lovers community shelf. Goodreads’ shelf reflects reader categorization, not a definitive genre ruling.
3. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Standalone. A pair of people who cannot stand one another end up sharing a honeymoon trip, putting forced proximity and irritation at the heart of the romantic setup. The premise suits readers after a lighter, travel-based take on the trope.
4. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Standalone. A workplace rival accompanies Catalina Martín to a family wedding in Spain, where a staged relationship and existing tension create room for a slow change in how they see each other. The title is included on Goodreads’ community shelf for the trope.
5. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Standalone. Two writers with opposing ideas about fiction challenge each other to switch genres, turning creative rivalry into a relationship story. The conflict is more about perspective and competition than dangerous antagonism.
6. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Standalone. A literary agent and an editor repeatedly cross paths in a small-town setting. Their professional edge and personal assumptions provide the friction, while the novel also plays with familiar romance-story expectations.
7. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Standalone. Two scientists working together on a high-profile project bring professional tension and clashing impressions to a workplace romance. Goodreads readers place it on the enemies-to-lovers shelf; that label is a useful discovery cue rather than a measure of how intense the conflict is.
8. The Bookshop of Second Chances by Jackie Fraser
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Standalone. Thea Mottram arrives on the Scottish coast and enters a battle of wills with aloof bookseller Edward Maltravers. The premise offers prickly, personal resistance rather than a fantasy or war setting. Penguin Random House includes the book on its themed list and describes this setup. Read the publisher’s description.
9. Twisted Hate by Ana Huang
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Part of the Twisted series; series position is not established here. Josh Chen and Jules Ambrose are marked by antagonism and attraction, making this a sharper contemporary pick than a gentle rivals-to-lovers story. Goodreads includes it on its community shelf. Check the publisher’s series order before reading if you want to follow the series chronologically.
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10. Vicious by L.J. Shen
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Part of the Sinners of Saint series; series position is not established here. The title appears on Goodreads’ enemies-to-lovers shelf, but the shelf alone does not establish a detailed premise or content profile. Look up the publisher’s description and series order if you need those specifics before choosing it.
11. Bully by Penelope Douglas
Genre: Contemporary romance. Format: Part of the Fall Away series; series position is not established here. Its placement on Goodreads’ shelf makes it a possible fit for readers seeking a more antagonistic relationship setup. Because the community listing does not provide reliable content guidance, consult the publisher’s description if you need to assess specific themes.
12. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
Genre: YA fantasy. Format: First book in The Folk of the Air series. Jude Duarte is a mortal living among the dangerous fae, where her conflict with Prince Cardan grows out of power, status, and hostility. Choose this for court intrigue and a plot-forward fantasy in which romance shares space with political and personal stakes. The title is on Goodreads’ community shelf.
13. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
Genre: Fantasy romance. Format: First book in The Bridge Kingdom series (#1). Lara is sent into a political marriage with Aren, ruler of a kingdom her homeland considers an enemy. The setup gives the relationship high stakes beyond personal dislike: loyalty, deception, and competing interests matter. Goodreads identifies it as the series opener.
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14. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Genre: Fantasy romance. Format: First book in The Empyrean series. Violet Sorrengail enters a brutal dragon-rider academy where she faces both physical danger and serious interpersonal opposition, including from Xaden Riorson. It is a plot-forward fantasy with a prominent romantic thread, rather than a purely relationship-centered contemporary romance. Goodreads lists it on the trope shelf.
15. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Genre: Fantasy romance. Format: First book in the Blood and Ash series. Its place on Goodreads’ community shelf makes it a candidate for readers seeking a fantasy setting and a romantic conflict arc. The shelf does not settle how strongly the book fits the trope or provide a detailed account of its relationship dynamics.
16. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Genre: YA fantasy romance. Format: First book in the Letters of Enchantment series (#1). The story brings rival journalists together amid a wider conflict involving gods and war. Its romantic tension shares the stage with the fantasy plot. Goodreads identifies it as the series opener and includes it on the community shelf.
17. Powerless by Lauren Roberts
Genre: YA fantasy. Format: First book in the Powerless series (#1). In a society organized around magical power, the central relationship unfolds against a dangerous divide between the characters’ positions and interests. The book combines romantic tension with high-stakes fantasy plotting; Goodreads identifies it as the first volume.
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18. The Wrath & the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh
Genre: YA fantasy romance. Format: First book in The Wrath and the Dawn series. Shahrzad enters the palace of a ruler associated with the deaths of his brides, intent on revenge; proximity complicates her view of him. The setup begins in serious opposition and places romance alongside a dangerous court-centered plot.
19. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Genre: YA fantasy romance. Format: First book in the Serpent & Dove series. A witch and a witch hunter are forced into a marriage, creating a direct clash of identity, allegiance, and attraction. The forced alliance makes it a particularly clear fantasy variation on enemies-to-lovers.
20. The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski
Genre: YA fantasy. Format: First book in The Winner’s Trilogy. Kestrel, the daughter of a conquering general, buys Arin, an enslaved young man from the people her empire subjugated. Their relationship develops amid unequal power and political conflict, so the story’s antagonism is not simply playful rivalry.
21. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Fantasy romance. Format: First book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. Feyre is taken into the faerie realm after killing a faerie wolf, beginning a dangerous, uneasy relationship with the fae world and its inhabitants. It combines romance with a broader fantasy plot; Goodreads includes the title on its trope shelf.
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Genre: YA fantasy. Format: First book in The Infernal Devices trilogy. Set in a supernatural version of Victorian London, it brings romantic tension into a larger story of demon hunters and danger. The romance is part of an ensemble fantasy plot, making it a fit for readers who want the trope alongside action and world-building.
23. The Selection by Kiera Cass
Genre: YA dystopian romance. Format: First book in The Selection series. A competition to become a prince’s bride creates rivalry among contestants and romantic uncertainty within a rigid social hierarchy. Its conflict is built around competition and status rather than a straightforward pair of sworn enemies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where to start
- For banter and contemporary settings: try The Hating Game, The Unhoneymooners, or The Spanish Love Deception.
- For fantasy with political or physical stakes: start with The Bridge Kingdom, The Cruel Prince, or The Winner’s Curse.
- For a classic relationship arc: choose Pride and Prejudice.
- For a series: begin with the numbered first volume rather than relying on a trope list to establish reading order.
“Enemies-to-lovers” and “rivals-to-lovers” are often grouped together on reader shelves, but the terms can describe different levels of conflict. Goodreads’ shelf is useful for finding books readers associate with the trope, not for ranking them or proving that every title has equally intense antagonism. Browse the community shelf.
Quick Recap
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