24 Best Enemies-to-Lovers Books to Read Now
Anyone who knows me, knows that I love (need?) a happy ending. While most romances fit this bill, enemies-to-lovers books are the epitome of a happy ending. After all, what can be better than two people finding love against all odds?
I know, I am getting sappy, but these books are so much fun to read and we love every one of these enemies-to-lovers books.
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What is the best enemy to lovers story?
We love all the books that we included in this list, but here are a few of our favorites by genres:
Pride and Prejudice is a great classic and the OG enemies-to-lovers trope.
ACOTAR is our favorite fantasy.
Red White and Royal Blue is a great YA pick that is also a royal read.
You cannot go wrong with Beach Read by Emily Henry.
New Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books
Recipe for a Charmed Life by Rachel Linden
Georgia May Jackson is a sous-chef in Paris hoping for a big promotion where she will be the head chef at a restaurant. When she loses her boyfriend and sense of taste in one night her dreams seem like they may be gone forever.
She has no choice but to take time off and travel back home to Seattle with the hope of finding herself, her sense of taste, and her sense of purpose.
Georgia also had a way with flavors and her dishes had a way of making people feel while eating. As she heads home, she realizes that this may be more than just a gift for flavors.
Why I Love It: I loved “The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie” and was so excited to read this book. It lived up to all my expectations and more. This is a sweet romance that will leave you smiling. #gifted
Find this book in Magical Realism Books / Books About Food / Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books
The Best Enemies to Lovers Books
Beach Read by Emily Henry
This is one of the best romance books I have read in a long time. What could be better than a romance about writers? January is a romance writer who no longer believes in love. Until she was 28, she led an idyllic life filled with the ideas of perfect love.
Augustus Everett is a literary fiction writer who has never believed in love. They could not be more different. When they find themselves living next door to each other they decide to help each other overcome their writer’s block by challenging each other to a writer’s duel. This might be my favorite pick from our list of enemies-to-lovers books.
Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books / Grumpy Sunshine Romance / Emily Henry Books / Books About Books / Best Beach Reads
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
This enemies-to-lovers office romance book was recently adapted to Netflix. After two publishing houses merge, executive assistants for the two owners are in fierce competition with each other for a promotion.
These office enemies quickly realize that the tension is an attraction as well. But, is the attraction real, or is it a ploy to get the promotion? This grumpy sunshine romance book is now on Netflix and we hope it is as steamy as the book. The forced proximity trope is at its best in this steamy romance
Act your Age Eve Brown
Author: Talia Hibbert
Year: 2021
Genre: Romance
More info: The Brown Sisters #3
Instant New York Times Bestseller
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This is the third book in the Brown Sisters trilogy and I adored this forced proximity romance. Eve Brown is a mess. She switches jobs and careers on a whim and can’t seem to do anything right. When her parents cut her off and tell her to find a job, she finds herself at a bed and breakfast interviewing for a chef position.
After Eve accidentally hits the owner of the B&B with her car, she begins the job helping Jacob, the reluctant owner. This hilarious and steamy romance was a perfect one-sitting read. These two have a lot standing in their way before they can reach their happily ever after.
Why Jackie loves it
While this book is a romance at its finest, it is also so much more. As Eve comes to learn more about herself, the reader gets to take the emotional journey with her.
Find this book in: Enemies-to-Lovers Romance / Books Like the Kiss Quotient / Books With Neurodivergent Characters / Forced Proximity Romance Books / Complete List of Romance Tropes / Office Romances
Popular Enemies-to-Lovers Romance Books
The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas
Catalina is a fiercely independent woman who ran away from her past but now she has to face it at her sister’s wedding where her former fiance is the best man.
She needs a fake boyfriend – and fast! Enter Aaron her annoying and grumpy co-worker who offers to help her with her ruse. As they put their differences aside to help each other out, their love begins to grow. This is the fake dating trope at its best.
While I enjoyed the enemies-to-lovers romance in this book, at over 500 pages this office romance novel was just a bit too long.
Well Met by Jen DeLuca
Sometimes you read a book and you just want to go back and read it again. I loved Well Met!!! I never thought I would be interested in a renaissance fair but this book gave me all the feels.
Emily lost her job and her boyfriend at the same time that her big sister broke her leg. Emily decides to move to Willow Creek to help her sister care for 14-year-old April, where she is promptly tricked into volunteering for the local Renaissance Faire run by Simon.
So now Emily is a wench…Simon is a Pirate…and obviously, we know where this story is going in this grumpy sunshine book. It’s the journey on this one, guys. It’s filled with feels, cute scenes, and romance. I couldn’t put it down.
I’m pretty sure hearts actually came out of my eyes at multiple points while reading this enemies-to-lovers story. I loved it so much!!! This book gives me total modern-day Pride and Prejudice vibes and it is such a fun addition to our enemies-to-lovers books
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
Bee is a brilliant and unconventional scientist who lives by a strict code “What would Marie Curie Do?” She even has a secret Twitter account to help other female scientists in a male-dominated workplace.
When she is offered her dream job at NASA, she cannot wait to start until she realizes that she is not the lead scientist. She is the co-lead with her work nemesis Levi Ward. To make matters worse, he seems to be sabotaging everything that she tries to do. Could there be a better pick for enemies-to-lovers books?
Ali Hazelwood does an amazing job of writing fantastic romances while still including the struggles that women have to deal with daily.
Find this Book in Office Romances / Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Beach Reads 2023 / Audie Awards 2023
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
When I learned that Tessa Bailey used Schitt’s Creek’s Alexis as her inspiration for Piper, I knew I had to read this grumpy sunshine romance.
After getting in trouble one-to-many times for her party-girl lifestyle, Piper and her sister are banished back to their late father’s hometown in Washington.
While she’s learning to be responsible and money-conscious for the first time in her life, she needs to try not to fall for a local fisherman, Brendan. This is a sailing novel with heat!
Find this book in Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Books similar to The Love Hypothesis / Emily Henry books.
Popular Enemies to Lovers Books: Young Adult
Paper Princess
Author: Erin Watt
Year: 2016
Genre: Romance
More info: The Royals #1
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Orphan Ella is sent to live with the Royal family, friends of her deceased dad. The Royal brothers all want Ella gone – out of their home, out of their school, out of their life! But Reid and Ella’s spark makes it hard for him to stay away.
Trigger Warnings
Bullying
Why Kirsten loves it
I’m obsessed with this series. Teen angst, snobby classmates, ridiculous storylines, this is the best fluff there is! And it is the perfect example of a pick for a list of enemies-to-lovers books- Ella and Reid cannot be more extreme in their feelings. This is one of the best books to read in one sitting (and it does get a little steamy).
Find this book in: Enemies-to-Lovers Books / High School Romance Books / Best YA Romance Books
10 Things I Hate About Pinky
Author: Sandhya Menon
Year: 2020
Genre: YA Romance
More info: When Dimple Met Rishi #3
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 12+
Plot
Samir and Pinky are complete opposites. Pinky is a wild child who is tired of her family thinking the worst of her. Samir is the type of guy that all parents love. When his internship at a law firm falls through and Pinky lies to her family and tells them she has a new boyfriend, a scheme is hatched.
Samir comes to stay with Pinky’s family for the summer at their Cape Cod house and Samir does not have to go home to his over-protective mother. Of course, with the forced proximity, they both start to develop real feelings in their fake relationship.
Why Jackie likes it
This fake dating book was a fun read that didn’t quite have the same chemistry as Dimple and Rishi. It may be that I related less because Samir and Pinky are high school students.
Find this book in: Books with Colors in the Title / Forced Proximity Trope Books / Fake Dating Books / Fun Books for Teens
For more, be sure to check out our list of Best YA Romances
Enemies to Lovers Books: LGBTQ
Red, White & Royal Blue
Author: Casey McQuiston
Year: 2019
Genre: Romance
Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
We don’t think about royals and the LGBTQ community because we don’t usually see openly gay royals, which is so sad in today’s society. And to think it all starts with a NYE kiss!
This charming book is a fabulous pick from LGBTQ romance novels. I crushed hard for their romance and found myself smiling the entire time. (Also love the nod to a female president…where do I sign up for one of those?)
Trigger Warnings
Homophobia
Why Kirsten loves it
The LGBTQ romance is charming but add in a female president and I am all in.
Why Jackie loves it
Not only is the relationship between these two charming but a female president and a royal angle as well makes this a must-read!
Find this book in: Royal Romance Books / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / New Year’s Books / British Romance Novels/ Books With a Color in the Title / British Books / Best YA Romance Books
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
This is the second fake dating book I read this month but this one hit all the right notes. This was such an adorable LGBTQ 🏳️🌈 romance.
When Luc, the son of two rock stars, needs a boyfriend who is respectable in order to keep his job, he is willing to fake a relationship. Oliver Blackwood is a barrister who needs a boyfriend to bring home to his family. The two could not be any more different.
It is a perfect situation until fake starts to feel real. Despite the fact that the two men could not be more different, they just might be the perfect Ying and Yang. This LGBTQ book is one of the enemies-to-lovers books that helped to take my mind off reality and it made me smile throughout the whole book. This is also a great fake dating book. I am always shocked by how many books are enemies to lovers and fake dating…who knew?
Best Enemies to Lovers Fantasy Books
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Year: 2020
Genre: Fantasy Romance
More info: #1 Bestselling series
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
This book has a cult-like following for a reason. The first book in the series is a loose fairy tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in the world of Prythian. Magical creatures, humans, and fae are all prominent in the book.
When Feyre kills a wolf in the words, a creature arrives at her house to drag her to a magical land that she has only heard about in stories told to terrify children. Now, she must remain a captor of Tamlin, a fae, as retribution.
This is a fast-paced, addicting, fantasy romance series with a love triangle that develops by the end of the novel. Book two is jaw-dropping! This series is on its way to becoming a classic that you will want to binge in one week.
While this book is technically the first book in a YA fantasy series, the later books become very steamy. The first book is appropriate for YA but Jackie and I agree that the later books in the series are strictly for 18 and up. We are so excited this is going to be one of the Hulu book adaptations.
Why Kirsten loves it
I love a Beauty and the Beast retelling and love a good fantasy romance. Put them together in a book written by Sarah J. Maas and you get a fantastic story.
Why Jackie loves it
The first book is just a warm-up for the rest of the series. Initially, you think you know where this story is headed, but I promise that it will take so many twists and turns, that you will not want to put this book (and the rest of the series) down.
Find this book in: Popular Fantasy Book Series for Young Adults / Forced Proximity Trope Romance Books / Sarah J Maas Books in Order / Fairy Tale Retellings / Best Books by Jewish Writers / Best Adult Fantasy Novels / ACOTAR Books in order
The Cruel Prince
Author: Holly Black
Year: 2018
Genre: YA Fantasy
More info: The Folk of Air #1
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 14+
Plot
When Jude was seven years old, her parents were murdered and she was taken to live in the high court of the Faeries with her two sisters. Now, ten years later, Jude is living as a human among faeries and trying to find her place in Court. She must survive life as a human in Faerie.
But as civil war threatens, Jude will need to risk her life to save herself, her sisters, and Faerie.
If you are looking for books like A Court of Thorns and Roses, this pick is tamer but addictive as well. This series should be on your radar for books that are more appropriate for the younger YA audience as well.
Why Jackie loves it
This book is filled with angst, treachery, and drama that makes it completely addicting. I ordered the sequel the minute that I was done with this book, which is the first in a trilogy.
Find this book in: YA Fantasy Romance / Fae Books/ Books Like A Court of Thorns and Roses / YA Fantasy Series / Ultimate List of YA Fantasy / Enemies-to-lovers books
An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir
I had heard so much about this book that is considered one of the 100 best YA books of all time and could not wait to read it. very often, I find that books do not live up to the hype and this is NOT the case with this book.
Laia is a scholar who witnesses her grandparents’ murder and the capture of her brother at the hands of the Masks, a brutal army of the Empire. Laia makes a deal with the rebels to spy in exchange for rescuing her brother.
Elias is a Mask, the commandant’s son and soon to be in a competition to become the Emporer himself. All he wants is to be free of the death and tyranny that the Empire’s military academy has drilled into him for the last 15 years.
Elias and Laia find their paths colliding and must learn to depend on each other. Set on opposite sides of a conflict, these two have a lot to overcome and find trust, friendship and love? This is the first book in the series and I cannot wait to read the next book.
Serpent and Dove by Shelby Mahurin
Louise Le Blanche is a witch, Reid Diggory is a witch hunter, but when they are forced to be married Lou has to keep her identity a secret and try not to fall for her handsome husband. Could you ask for anything more from enemies-to-lovers books?
Set in the pre-industrial age in Paris, France, this historical fantasy book is perfect for lovers of YA! It’s got funny, fierce heroines, a steamy love story, and a cast that is actually diverse! This series has some of the best enemies to lovers romance books.
Love Fantasy Books? We do too! That’s why we created the Ultimate List of Fantasy for Adults and the Ultimate List of YA fantasy!
Enemies to Lovers Books: Historical Romance
The Viscount Who Loved Me
Author: Julia Quinn
Year:2000
Genre: Romance
More info: Bridgerton Book #2
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range:18+
Plot
I watched the entire series in about a day and had a serious hangover. That was quickly resolved by reading the next few books in the series.
The best part? Reading the Bridgerton books in order was not necessary to enjoy the books. And, reading this one out of sequence didn’t really give anything away.
Anthony knows he must marry and has the perfect bride picked out, even if he does not love her. The only problem is his intended’s older sister who is stubborn, opinionated, and stuck in Anthony’s head. She may just find her way to his heart as well.
Why Jackie loves it
I loved this enemies-to-lovers romance. The characters are fantastic and the plot is everything that I needed it to be for a pick-me-up.
Find this book in: Best Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Bridgerton Books in Order
To Have and To Hoax
Author: Martha Waters
Year: 2020
Genre: Historical Romance
More info: Named a Best Romance of April (2020) by Goodreads, Popsugar, Bustle, and more!
Spice Rating:💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
If you loved the Bridgerton book series then you will love this book. Lady Violet Grey and her husband Lord James Audrey fell in love and got married in a whirlwind romance.
Five years later, they barely speak because of “the Argument”. When Lady Grey receives a letter that says her husband is unconscious after being thrown from a horse, she rushes to his side only to find him awake and drinking in a tavern. She decides to teach him a lesson. This is one of the best romantic comedy books I have read.
Why Jackie loves it
The story is a quick-moving battle of wills that will have you simultaneously rooting for the couple and wanting to smack some sense into them. Will they get their second chance at love? This book will not disappoint.
Find this book in: Second Chance Romance Books / Rom-Com Books / Enemies to Lovers Books
Bringing Down the Duke
Author: Evie Dunmore
Year: 2019
Genre: Political Romance
More info: Book 1 of 4 from A League of Extraordinary Women
Spice Rating:💋💋💋
Age Range: 18+
Plot
Evie Dunmore’s debut novel spanned a series of badass women during the Suffragette era. While the story is a romance, don’t let that fool you! You’ll get a history lesson on the suffrage movement in English History as well as a lesson on Estate and Inheritance laws — which were still of utmost importance a few decades later when Downton Abbey takes place.
Annabelle Archer has the scholarship to be one of the first women to study at Oxford. In order to keep it, she must spy on the Duke of Montgomery and try to persuade him to the suffragette’s cause.
Why Kirsten loves it
The chemistry between these two crackled off the page in this romance. If books are up your alley, this book is perfect for you. I loved Dunmore’s portrayal of strong women who stuck to their guns.
Find this book in: Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Books Like The Love Hypothesis / Historical Romance Novels / Books like Bridgerton / Fiction Books About Women in Politics
If you love Historical Romances, be sure to check out our post
Enemies to Lovers Books: Classics and re-tellings
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
We love this classic love story. This love story has everything you could want. Elizabeth Bennet is a smart and stubborn woman who was ahead of her time. With 5 Bennet girls, one of them must marry well to support the other sisters.
There are so many new and wonderful adaptations of this novel, that we did an entire post on it. And you don’t want to miss the other Jane Austen adaptations in the post as well.
Austen is a master of romances and this book is the original enemies-to-lovers novel! It’s my favorite of all the Jane Austen books.
Find this book in Books About Sisters / Enemies-to-Lovers Books / Jane Austen Books in Order / Grumpy Sunshine Books / Classic Romance Novels
Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
I loved the first book in the series so much. I could not wait to read this second book that is not only a Jane Austen retelling, but a delightful pick in novels about food.
I loved this fresh take on Jane Austen’s Persuasion. It was so much fun to read this classic retelling and I will admit that it made me very hungry.
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld
This modern classic retelling of Pride and Prejudice had me giggling multiple times. The Bennett sisters get modern updates in all the best ways.
And in this one, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth have hate sex as part of the courting ritual which just cracked me up. Mrs. Bennett’s hysterics remain true to form and will be sure to delight. We love this pick from our list of best contemporary fiction books. It also appears on our list of Jane Austen Book Adaptations.
Ultimate List of Romances
If you love all things romance, then this is the list for you! This is carefully divided by sub-genres like second-chance romance books, romcoms, and more.
Which are your favorite enemies-to-lovers books?
The Complete List of Romance Tropes: Our 12 Favorites
Looking for more romances categorized by trope? Here are all my favorites.
