One of the most satisfying tropes in fiction, to my mind, is the enemies-to-lovers story. Two characters start off loathing each other. It may be hate at first sight, or there may have been some significant event that leads them to dislike each other. Whatever the backstory, the couple are thrust into some sort of forced proximity, begin to realize that maybe they have misjudged their nemesis, and eventually… cue the cupids and angelic choir.
This is not a new type of romance; some sources name the first enemies-to-lovers story as the Epic of Gilgamesh (and Enkidu). The Greek myth of Pyramus & Thisbe as well as Chaucer’s Troilus & Cressida are stories in which the main characters’ families are rivals. Pride and Prejudice is unquestionably an example; Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy are enemies from the ball scene onward.
But the slow burn eventually gives way to love - generally in a very satisfactory way. Below are some modern enemies-to-lovers books, including a few where the romance is a secondary part of the plot.
- The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas (2021): it’s a classic - girl brings fake boyfriend to sister’s destination wedding. What could go wrong?
- The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (2016): a workplace merger brings Lucy and Joshua to a meet-hate situation
- The Dating Plan by Sara Desai (2021): the fake fiancé plan backfires
- When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord (2021): looking into the past brings this heroine back into her present as she searches for her mother
- Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood (2023): a slow burn between rival theoretical physicists
- The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton (2021): a scoundrel squares off against a pirate in this charming fantasy
- Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan (2020): the enemy label may be one-sided in this story of clashing cultures
- The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (2019): bridesmaid jumps on a “free” honeymoon trip, only to find her nemesis has the other ticket
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry (2022): rival book editors keep bumping into each other in a small town
- A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015): in this fantasy, an accident leads to a mortal living in the enemy Faerie realm
- The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn (2015) Kate hates her sister’s fiancé Anthony - right?
- The Queen’s Assassin by Melissa De la Cruz (2020): An assassin with forbidden magic is forced to team up with another assassin to fight a deadly threat
New at the Library
Fiction
- Knave of Diamonds by Laurie R. King
- Marble Hall Murders by Anthony Horowitz
- Run for the Hills by Kevin Wilson
Nonfiction
- Fodor’s Best Road Trips in the USA
- Pretty Delicious: Simple, Modern Mediterranean Served with Style by Alia Elkaffas
- 501 Ways for Adult Students to Pay for College by Gen. S. and Kelly Y. Tanabe
Children
- Who Meows? : A Book of Animal Sounds by Robin Page
- Underwater Battles by Jerry Pallotta (Who Would Win? series)
- Severe and Unusual Weather by Jessie Ann Foley
