Looking for the best enemies-to-lovers books? The fun of this romance trope is watching two characters move from hostility, rivalry or outright opposition towards a relationship neither of them expected.

But not every book labelled enemies-to-lovers delivers the same kind of conflict. Some couples begin on genuinely opposing sides of a war, political struggle or deadly mission. Others are workplace competitors, sporting rivals or simply two people who cannot stand each other.

Both can make for a great romance, but they offer very different reading experiences.

That’s why we’ve separated these 25 enemies-to-lovers books by the kind of tension they deliver. We’ve also added an Enemies Level to help you tell the difference between playful rivalry and characters who have genuine reasons to consider each other the enemy.

Best enemies-to-lovers books at a glance

If you want characters who begin as genuine enemies, start with The Bridge Kingdom, The Hurricane Wars, To Kill a Kingdom or The Wrath and the Dawn.

If banter and romantic rivalry are more your thing, The Hating Game, The Spanish Love Deception and Divine Rivals offer a softer version of the trope.

What counts as an enemies-to-lovers book?

Enemies-to-lovers generally begins with two characters who have a meaningful reason to oppose, distrust or dislike each other before their relationship develops into romance.

That is different from some closely related romance tropes.

Enemies-to-lovers usually involves genuine hostility or opposing interests.

Rivals-to-lovers involves characters competing for the same goal, such as a promotion, championship or professional opportunity.

Grumpy/sunshine is based on contrasting personalities rather than the characters necessarily being enemies.

Forced proximity puts characters in circumstances where they have to spend time together, and it can be combined with enemies-to-lovers.

A book can contain several of these tropes at once, which is why some popular “enemies-to-lovers” recommendations are actually closer to rivals-to-lovers.

How does our Enemies Level work?

Not every enemies-to-lovers romance starts with the same level of hostility. Some characters are genuinely fighting on opposing sides, while others are professional, sporting or romantic rivals.

To make the difference clearer, we’ve given each book a Daily Tuesday Enemies Level based on how strongly the main romantic pairing opposes or dislikes each other before the romance develops.

1/5 ⚔️ — Mostly friction or bickering

2/5 ⚔️⚔️ — Strong dislike or rivalry

3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️ — Serious rivals or opponents

4/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️ — Strong, meaningful conflict

5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️ — Genuine enemies on opposing sides

The Enemies Level is our editorial assessment of the relationship dynamic, not a rating of the book’s overall quality.

True enemies-to-lovers books

These are for readers who want the word enemies to mean something. The characters have serious reasons to distrust, oppose or even destroy each other before romance complicates everything.

1. The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen

Best for: Political fantasy, betrayal and arranged marriage
Enemies Level: 5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

Lara hasn’t married Aren because she’s hoping for a happy ending. She has been raised knowing that King Aren is her enemy and is sent to the Bridge Kingdom as his bride, prepared to undermine its defences.

That makes The Bridge Kingdom one of the clearest enemies-to-lovers books on this list. The conflict isn’t built around a minor misunderstanding or a few sarcastic conversations. Lara and Aren begin on opposing political sides, while Lara’s secret mission hangs over their developing relationship.

Choose this if you want romance tangled up with espionage, divided loyalties and the consequences of falling for someone you were supposed to betray.

2. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Best for: Fae politics, power struggles and genuine hostility
Enemies Level: 5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: YA fantasy

Jude is a mortal trying to establish herself in the dangerous world of Faerie. Prince Cardan is one of the people determined to make that difficult.

Their relationship is sharp, hostile and tied closely to power. The tension works because the conflict isn’t immediately forgotten once attraction enters the picture.

If you prefer morally grey characters, political manoeuvring and romantic tension that feels dangerous rather than cosy, The Cruel Prince is one of the strongest places to start.

3. The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon

Best for: Battlefield enemies, political fantasy and slow-burn tension
Enemies Level: 5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

Talasyn has grown up fighting against the Night Empire. Prince Alaric is the son of the Night Emperor and one of the empire’s most powerful weapons.

These two don’t become enemies because of an awkward misunderstanding. They begin on opposing sides of an actual war.

As political circumstances force their paths together, hostility becomes increasingly difficult to separate from attraction. The Hurricane Wars is therefore a particularly strong choice for readers who want the enemy phase to have real consequences.

Pick this if you want political intrigue, powerful magic, opposing loyalties and a romance that has to fight its way through them.

4. To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo

Best for: Readers who want actual opposing sides
Enemies Level: 5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: YA fantasy

Princess Lira is a siren known for killing princes. Prince Elian is a siren-hunting human prince.

That gives them a considerably stronger reason to oppose each other than simple personality differences.

When circumstances bring the pair together, neither has much reason to trust the other. Their identities and goals put them on opposite sides before their relationship has any chance of becoming romantic.

If you’re frustrated by enemies-to-lovers books where nobody seems particularly enemy-like, this is one of the better choices on the list.

5. The Wrath and the Dawn by Renée Ahdieh

Best for: Revenge, secrets and dangerous romance
Enemies Level: 5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: YA fantasy

Shahrzad volunteers to marry Khalid, a ruler known for marrying young women only for them to die the following morning.

Her intention isn’t to fall in love with him.

She wants revenge.

As Shahrzad survives and begins uncovering more about Khalid and the mystery surrounding the deaths, her original assumptions become harder to maintain.

For readers who want revenge and romance occupying the same story, The Wrath and the Dawn is a strong choice.

6. These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

Best for: Rival families, second chances and historical fantasy
Enemies Level: 5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Historical fantasy

Roma and Juliette aren’t strangers who meet and discover they dislike one another.

They have history.

As heirs to rival gangs in 1920s Shanghai, they belong to opposing sides of a violent feud, but they were also once in love.

That gives These Violent Delights an interesting combination of enemies-to-lovers and second-chance romance. Their feelings aren’t developing from nothing; they’re dealing with what remains after love has already become tangled with betrayal and hostility.

7. Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Best for: Deep-rooted prejudice and reluctant trust
Enemies Level: 5/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: YA fantasy

If you’re reading Six of Crows for enemies-to-lovers, the relationship to watch is Nina Zenik and Matthias Helvar.

Nina is Grisha, while Matthias was raised as a Fjerdan drüskelle in a culture that hunts people like her.

Their relationship therefore has genuine ideological conflict behind it. Overcoming that divide requires considerably more than discovering that they find each other attractive.

That makes Nina and Matthias a much stronger example of the trope than Kaz and Inej, whose relationship follows a different romantic dynamic.

8. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin

Best for: Forced marriage and forbidden romance
Enemies Level: 4/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

Lou is a witch.

Reid is a witch hunter.

Then circumstances force them into marriage.

The conflict is obvious: Reid belongs to a world devoted to destroying what Lou secretly is. Their forced proximity gives them little choice but to confront their assumptions about one another.

Choose Serpent & Dove if you like forced marriage, forbidden attraction and fantasy worlds where falling for the wrong person could have serious consequences.

9. King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair

Best for: Vampires, political marriage and darker fantasy
Enemies Level: 4/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Adult fantasy romance

Isolde agrees to marry vampire king Adrian to end a years-long war, and intends to kill him.

The relationship begins amid political hostility, danger and distrust, giving the romance considerably more weight than a simple personality clash.

This is a darker option for readers who like their enemies-to-lovers stories mixed with vampires, power struggles, and a marriage neither side entered for romantic reasons.

10. The Shadows Between Us by Tricia Levenseller

Best for: Morally grey characters and murderous intentions
Enemies Level: 4/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

Alessandra has a straightforward plan: win the Shadow King’s heart, marry him, kill him and take his kingdom.

Naturally, things become considerably less straightforward once she actually gets to know him.

What makes The Shadows Between Us fun is that Alessandra isn’t reluctantly pulled into danger. She’s ambitious, calculating and perfectly willing to create some herself.

Choose this if you prefer morally grey leads, dangerous flirtation and a romance where manipulation is part of the appeal.

11. The Serpent and the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent

Best for: Vampires, deadly competition and reluctant alliances
Enemies Level: 4/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

Oraya is the adopted human daughter of a vampire king, trying to survive in a world where humans are vulnerable. Her chance to gain greater power comes through the Kejari, a deadly tournament filled with dangerous competitors.

Survival forces her into an alliance with Raihn, a ruthless vampire who is both a major competitor and an enemy to her father’s crown.

Their relationship therefore develops inside a mixture of competition, distrust and reluctant cooperation.

Choose this if you want vampires, deadly trials and attraction between two people who have very good reasons not to trust each other.

Enemies-to-lovers with complicated loyalties

These books are frequently associated with enemies-to-lovers, but the romantic progression isn’t as straightforward as two characters beginning as clear-cut enemies.

12. From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Best for: Betrayal, secrets and romantasy
Enemies Level: 4/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

Poppy begins as the Maiden, living under strict rules while preparing for her Ascension. Hawke enters her life as a guard.

Their initial relationship doesn’t begin with the same kind of open hostility found in The Bridge Kingdom. Instead, deception and later revelations transform what Poppy believes about him and create a much more complicated conflict.

Choose this if you enjoy romance shaped by secrets, betrayal and shifting loyalties.

13. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros

Best for: Dragons, danger and high romantic tension
Enemies Level: 3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

Violet Sorrengail enters Basgiath War College knowing Xaden Riorson has plenty of reasons to resent her family.

That history creates an immediate sense of danger around their interactions.

However, Fourth Wing sits on the more debatable end of enemies-to-lovers. It has a strong enemy setup, but attraction develops more quickly than it does in some of the true-enemy romances higher on this list.

Choose it if you want dragons, dangerous circumstances and intense chemistry. If a prolonged enemy phase is more important to you, try The Bridge Kingdom or The Cruel Prince first.

14. A Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas

Best for: A sprawling fantasy-romance arc
Enemies Level: 3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Fantasy romance

The enemies-to-lovers element becomes more relevant as Feyre’s relationship with Rhysand develops across the series, particularly beyond the first book.

But this isn’t as straightforward an example of mutual enemies as some of the fantasy romances above.

Rhys’s motives and Feyre’s understanding of his earlier actions become increasingly complicated as more information is revealed.

If you want a long fantasy series with shifting loyalties and a major romantic arc, it remains an obvious option. If you specifically want two characters firmly committed to opposing each other from the beginning, there are stronger choices higher on this list.

Rivals, dislike and hate-to-love books

Not every great antagonistic romance needs kingdoms at war.

These books sit on the softer side of enemies-to-lovers, with workplace competition, sporting rivalry, personality clashes and people who would very much prefer not to fall for one another.

15. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Best for: Workplace rivalry and banter
Enemies Level: 3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Contemporary romance

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman share an office and seemingly can’t stand each other.

Their daily workplace battles become more consequential when professional competition raises the stakes.

The Hating Game is a good example of why enemies-to-lovers has become such a broad label. Lucy and Josh aren’t mortal enemies; they’re antagonistic workplace rivals.

If you want banter, romantic tension and a contemporary setting rather than fantasy warfare, that’s precisely why it works.

16. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren

Best for: Romantic comedy and forced proximity
Enemies Level: 3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Contemporary romance

Olive and Ethan don’t particularly like each other.

Then circumstances send them on a honeymoon together, without the people who were originally supposed to be taking the trip.

Forced proximity gives their existing dislike nowhere to hide and gradually challenges what each believes about the other.

This is one of the lighter recommendations on the list and a good starting point if you want enemies-to-lovers energy without assassinations, kingdoms or political betrayal.

17. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn

Best for: Historical romance and antagonistic banter
Enemies Level: 3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Historical romance

Anthony Bridgerton intends to find a suitable wife. Kate Sheffield is far from convinced that he deserves to marry her younger sister.

Their clashes create the tension that eventually develops into something neither initially expects.

This is a good choice if your preferred version of enemies-to-lovers involves stubborn characters, verbal sparring and historical-romance conventions rather than genuine danger.

18. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

Best for: Sports rivalry
Enemies Level: 3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Sports romance

Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov are elite hockey rivals whose professional competition develops alongside a secret relationship.

The important word here is rivals.

They’re competitors rather than traditional enemies, but that competitive dynamic gives the romance much of its tension.

If sports rivalry is your favourite version of the trope, Heated Rivalry is one to consider.

19. The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Best for: Workplace friction, fake dating and slow burn
Enemies Level: 2/5 ⚔️⚔️
Type: Contemporary romance

Catalina Martín needs a date to her sister’s wedding. Her irritating coworker Aaron Blackford unexpectedly offers to help.

Despite often being grouped with enemies-to-lovers romances, this is closer to workplace dislike-to-lovers than a story about genuine enemies.

That’s not a criticism; it’s simply useful to know before choosing it.

Read this for slow-burn tension, fake dating and workplace friction rather than serious hostility.

20. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Best for: Political rivalry and romantic comedy
Enemies Level: 2/5 ⚔️⚔️
Type: Contemporary romance

Alex Claremont-Diaz and Britain’s Prince Henry don’t begin as friends.

But rivals, nemeses or simply two people with a poor opinion of each other are more accurate descriptions than true enemies.

Their public roles, assumptions and initial dislike create the friction, while getting to know one another begins changing it.

Choose this for a softer, funnier interpretation of the trope.

21. Dating You/Hating You by Christina Lauren

Best for: Career competition
Enemies Level: 2/5 ⚔️⚔️
Type: Contemporary romance

Evie and Carter initially get along.

Then their companies merge, and their careers collide.

Suddenly, professional competition stands between two people who might otherwise have had a much easier relationship.

That means Dating You/Hating You is closer to potential-lovers-to-rivals-to-lovers than a traditional enemy romance.

It’s a good option if workplace competition is the part of the trope you enjoy most.

22. Beach Read by Emily Henry

Best for: Writer rivalry and emotional romance
Enemies Level: 2/5 ⚔️⚔️
Type: Contemporary romance

January Andrews and Augustus Everett are writers with very different approaches to fiction and an existing history of professional irritation.

When they become neighbours and challenge one another to swap genres, their rivalry gradually gives way to a more complicated relationship.

Again, rivals-to-lovers is more accurate than genuine enemies.

Choose Beach Read for character development, writerly competition and emotional depth rather than intense hostility.

23. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Best for: Journalist rivalry, magical letters and emotional fantasy
Enemies Level: 2/5 ⚔️⚔️
Type: YA fantasy romance

Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt are young journalists competing at the same newspaper, with Iris determined to secure a columnist position.

Roman is her cold professional rival, but he also becomes the unexpected recipient of private letters Iris believes she is sending to her missing brother. Their anonymous correspondence creates a connection very different from their face-to-face rivalry.

Although Divine Rivals is frequently associated with enemies-to-lovers, the central relationship sits more comfortably on the rivals-to-lovers side of the scale.

Choose it if you want professional competition, magical correspondence and an emotional fantasy romance rather than genuine hostility.

24. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Best for: The classic blueprint
Enemies Level: 2/5 ⚔️⚔️
Type: Classic romance

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy aren’t enemies in the literal sense.

Instead, pride, prejudice, poor first impressions and misunderstandings convince them that they are thoroughly unsuited to one another.

As their perceptions change, so does their relationship.

Pride and Prejudice predates modern romance-trope terminology, but its antagonistic courtship helped establish a pattern readers can still recognise in contemporary enemies-to-lovers stories.

If you want to explore one of the classic ancestors of the trope, start here.

Enemies-to-lovers with a twist

25. You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle

Best for: Lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers
Enemies Level: 3/5 ⚔️⚔️⚔️
Type: Contemporary romance

Naomi and Nicholas are already engaged.

They’re also thoroughly fed up with each other.

Neither wants to be the person who ends the engagement, leading to an escalating battle as each tries to make the other give up first.

That means this isn’t conventional enemies-to-lovers.

It’s something more unusual:

Lovers → enemies → lovers.

If you’ve already read plenty of standard enemies-to-lovers books and want the dynamic turned backwards, this offers a fun variation.

Which enemies-to-lovers book should you read first?

The right place to start depends on what you want from the trope.

If you’re completely new to enemies-to-lovers and prefer contemporary romance, try The Hating Game. It gives you plenty of rivalry and banter without the darker stakes of fantasy.

For fantasy, start with The Bridge Kingdom if you want political enemies and betrayal, or The Cruel Prince if you prefer fae politics and morally grey characters.

If your biggest complaint about enemies-to-lovers books is that the characters are never actually enemies, try The Hurricane Wars, To Kill a Kingdom or The Wrath and the Dawn.

For something lighter, The Unhoneymooners brings together dislike, forced proximity and romantic comedy.

For sports romance, try Heated Rivalry.

And if you want to go back to one of the classic foundations of antagonistic romance, there’s always Pride and Prejudice.

Ultimately, the best enemies-to-lovers book depends on how much “enemy” you actually want in your romance.

FAQs

What are the best enemies-to-lovers books?

Some strong places to start are The Bridge Kingdom, The Cruel Prince, The Hurricane Wars, To Kill a Kingdom, The Wrath and the Dawn and The Hating Game. The best choice depends on whether you prefer genuine hostility, fantasy conflict or lighter romantic rivalry.

What are the best fantasy enemies-to-lovers books?

For fantasy, try The Bridge Kingdom, The Cruel Prince, The Hurricane Wars, To Kill a Kingdom, The Wrath and the Dawn, Serpent & Dove or The Serpent and the Wings of Night.

Fantasy works particularly well with enemies-to-lovers because wars, rival kingdoms, magical conflicts and political alliances can give the characters meaningful reasons to oppose one another.

What is a good enemies-to-lovers book for beginners?

If you prefer contemporary romance, The Hating Game is an accessible place to start.

For fantasy, try The Cruel Prince or The Bridge Kingdom. The latter is particularly good if you want to understand what a genuine political enemies-to-lovers setup looks like.

What is the difference between enemies-to-lovers and rivals-to-lovers?

Enemies generally have a meaningful reason to oppose or distrust one another. That might involve war, politics, family conflict, betrayal or personal danger.

Rivals are usually competing for the same goal, such as a promotion, professional success or sporting victory.

The terms are often used interchangeably, but the romantic dynamics can feel very different.

Is Pride and Prejudice enemies-to-lovers?

Not literally. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy aren’t enemies in the way characters on opposing sides of a war might be.

Their relationship is better described as dislike, misunderstanding and poor first impressions developing into love. However, Pride and Prejudice is an important precursor to the modern enemies-to-lovers dynamic and remains a popular recommendation for readers who enjoy antagonistic romance.

Final thoughts

The best enemies-to-lovers books aren’t all trying to deliver the same kind of romance.

Sometimes the appeal comes from watching two genuine enemies question everything they believe about each other. Sometimes it’s the banter between workplace rivals. And sometimes the characters were never truly enemies at all; they simply needed enough time to realise their first impressions were wrong.

If you want the strongest enemy dynamics, start with The Bridge Kingdom, The Hurricane Wars, To Kill a Kingdom or The Wrath and the Dawn. If rivalry and banter are more your style, The Hating Game or Divine Rivals may be a better match.

Either way, knowing how much hostility you’re signing up for makes choosing your next read much easier.