11 Enemies to Lovers Books: Unconventional Romances You’ll Love

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One of the most common themes in romance novels is the enemies to lovers trope. Seeing two people who were at odds begin to like each other holds a strong appeal, especially when one or both of them is still resisting the feelings every step of the way! 

Sometimes the main characters can start off with a tiny bit of animosity, or perhaps a rivalry that’s not really a personal hatred; other times, it can be a full-blown enmity. But the authors always find a creative way to taper off the negative vibes, or at least turn all that heated passion in the other direction. 

Modern Enemies to Lovers Books

If you want an exciting journey that shows how a relationship can blossom from the least expected places, check out some of these books that turn enemies to lovers.

1. The Kiss Thief by L.J. Shen 

What if you loved someone, but were forced to marry someone else? This is the premise of The Kiss Thief. Wolfe Keaton, a senator, holds the sins of Francesca’s father over her head to force her into marriage. How can Francesca survive not only a broken heart, but also a broken relationship with her family? 

2. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Lucy Hutton is proud of being everyone’s favorite at Bexley & Gamin—everyone, that is, except the cold and intimidating Joshua Templeman. Stuck together in the office 60 hours a week, their rivalry has escalated to epic proportions, especially with an upcoming promotion at stake. 

3. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin 

Reid Diggory is a huntsman of the Church, intent on hunting down and executing witches. But when he apprehends Lou as a criminal, he doesn’t know she’s a witch. Instead, by some weird twist of fate, they end up married: two opposites who clearly hate each other. 

Slowly, their walls begin to come down, and they start to feel something other than hatred for each other. But what happens when Lou’s mother starts hunting for both of them? 

4. A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown 

In a desperate attempt to save her only family, Karina resorts to black magic, which demands the heart of a king. She looks for a husband through a Solstasia competition. Unbeknownst to her, the victor, Malik, enters the marriage seeking to kill her in exchange for his sister’s freedom. 

What happens when two people come together with fatally opposite goals and come face to face with intensely disconcerting emotions as well? 

5. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren 

Olive is a pragmatic woman who doesn’t believe in love. But when everyone gets food poisoning at her twin sister’s wedding, Olive is one of only two people left unaffected, making her the perfect choice to go on her sister’s honeymoon—with Ethan, the best man at the wedding, who also happens to be her worst enemy! 

6. The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala 

Kunal is initially attracted by Esha, who hails from a country at war with his own. But when he learns that she is the main suspect for the death of his uncle, he hunts her down for something other than attraction. 

Their paths finally cross, and soon they come face to face with the difficult decision of choosing their loyalty to their country or the love that’s starting to bloom before their very eyes. 

7. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert 

What happens when a computer geek wants to get a life? She starts with a plan and a detailed list: moving out of her family’s glamorous mansion, riding a motorcycle, traveling the world with just hand luggage. But the last item stumps her: “Do something bad.” How do you do something bad when you need step-by-step instructions to do it right? 

What if she gets a mentor in the person of Redford Morgan, a tattooed, motorcycle-riding, artistic guy who resents Chloe’s well-to-do background? 

8. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 

Matthias is a Drüskelle, trained to hunt the Grisha. Nina is a Grisha, brought up to fear the Drüskelle. What happens when they end up shipwrecked together, forced to depend on one another for survival? 

Classic Novels Featuring Enemies to Lovers

The enemies to lovers trope is not new; many classic novels have used it effectively, including the titles below: 

9. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 

This classic novel is perhaps the epitome of the enemies to lovers theme. Elizabeth Bennet disdains Mr. Darcy from the first time she encounters him, hastily judging him to be a prideful and selfish man. As the book unfolds, we see her prejudices and his pride put to the test. 

10. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

This historical novel follows the life of headstrong Scarlett O’Hara through the tumultuous years of the Civil War. But intricately woven through the storyline is her strange relationship with Rhett Butler, which begins with something akin to disgust. How will their relationship develop, and how can she trust someone she barely knows? 

11. Anne of Green Gables Series by L.M. Montgomery 

This classic series is not wholly a romance novel, but protagonist Anne Shirley’s first encounter with Gilbert Blythe is characterized by a mixture of rivalry and childhood enmity. Throughout the series we observe how their relationship changes, even through different relationships they have with other people, until (spoiler alert!) they eventually fall in love and get married. 

Enemies to Lovers Stories 

Reading stories that feature characters who start off as enemies but eventually fall in love is a great way to renew your trust in human nature and, perhaps, the power of forgiveness. 

Or, it may just be a great way to relax from the daily grind. Romance novels continue to be the most popular genre in fiction, and the emotions they spark in us are probably part of why we enjoy them so much! 

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