By

You’re currently following this author! Want to unfollow? Unsubscribe via the link in your email.

Enemies-to-lovers is a popular romance trope. Penguin Random House/Macmillan

2025-11-05T14:52:01Z

• There’s nothing quite as fun as an enemies-to-lovers book.
• There are contemporary, fantasy, and historical romances that feature the trope.
• Here are some popular enemies-to-lovers romance books you might want to read.

Any avid romance reader can tell you their favorite trope.

Some might point to intense tropes like love at first sight or forbidden romance, while others might choose playful arcs like fake dating or best friend’s brother romances.

For many, no trope is better than enemies-to-lovers, though. As they watch characters grow from loathing to all-consuming love, enemies-to-lovers readers often giggle and kick their feet at the first sign of tension between two opposing characters turning into something more than ire.

There are plenty of enemies-to-lovers books out there, from contemporary romances to romantasy novels, so Business Insider rounded up a few of our favorites.

“The Hating Game” by Sally Thorne

“The Hating Game.” HarperCollins

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman might both be assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing house, but that’s where their similarities end. Josh is as type A as they come, while Lucy approaches her life with excitement and colorful clothes.

It’s no secret that they hate each other, and their loathing only increases when they realize they’re up for the same promotion.

Lucy decides she’s not going to let Josh intimidate her anymore, and soon, their fiery hate is turning into something else entirely. But how can either of them trust that this change of heart is real?

Sally Thorne’s debut is an enthralling workplace rom-com.

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas

“A Court of Thorns and Roses.” Bloomsbury

The first installment in Sarah J. Maas’ “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series is ideal for readers who love their romance with a side of fantasy.

After her mother died and her family became impoverished, Feyre was forced to spend her young adulthood ensuring her father and sisters didn’t go hungry.

Her goal is to keep them fed until she can marry off both of her sisters, but her plan goes awry when she kills a wolf while hunting that turns out to be a faerie — which means she broke the terms of a centuries-long treaty that keeps the peace between the fae and humans.

To pay for her crime, Feyre will have to live out the rest of her life in the faerie realm with Tamlin, a powerful faerie she instantly fears and hates.

That hate soon turns to lust as Feyre and Tamlin realize they understand each other in ways they never anticipated. As their connection deepens, so does the danger around them, as a blight threatens the faerie lands and Tamlin’s magic.

Feyre will have to figure out how to help Tamlin — or risk losing him forever.

“Act Your Age, Eve Brown” by Talia Hibbert

“Act Your Age, Eve Brown.” HarperCollins

Fans of Talia Hibbert will love “Act Your Age, Eve Brown,” the third installment of the Brown sisters series.

The novel follows Eve, who has always been more comfortable with chaos than order, as her purple hair makes clear.

It’s no surprise that constantly controlled Jacob Wayne doesn’t hire her to be the chef at his bed and breakfast, but it is a shock when Eve accidentally hits his car and breaks his arm.

To make amends, Eve lingers around the B&B, becoming a nuisance that Jacob is prepared to hate. However, Eve’s irreverence soon thaws him, warming a place inside him he didn’t know existed.

“Beach Read” by Emily Henry

“Beach Read.” Penguin Random House

Romance author January Andrews is only spending the summer at her late father’s beach house for three reasons: She needs to clean it out before she can sell it, she needs a change of scenery to break her monthslong writer’s block, and she’s broke.

But when she finds out her college crush and nemesis, Augustus Everett, who became a literary fiction author, lives next door and is also in a writing rut, things change. The neighbors make a deal to teach each other how to write their genres in the hopes of sparking creativity.

As part of the experiment, January will take Augustus on romantic dates while he brings her along to interview former cult members. The arrangement is just for the summer, and no one will get attached, least of all January, who has spent years hating Augustus. Or has she?

And if you’ve already read “Beach Read,” try Henry’s “Book Lovers” or “Great Big Beautiful Life” instead.

“Heartless Hunter” by Kristen Ciccarelli

“Heartless Hunter.” Macmillan

There is no one Rune Winters loved as much as her grandmother, the witch who raised her. She has kept that love a closely guarded secret, though, ever since the witches who ruled her kingdom were overthrown and her grandmother was executed two years ago.

Now, Rune parades herself as a socialite devoted to the human cause, when she is actually the Crimson Moth, a witch who rescues others like her when they are on the verge of being discovered and killed.

Rune’s work is full of danger, and in an attempt to get information, she sets her sights on being courted by Gideon Sharpe, a witch hunter who was instrumental in overthrowing the witches. Gideon despises Rune’s seemingly insipid love of partying and social climbing, and normally, he’d rebuff her advances. However, after learning the Crimson Moth has a connection to Rune, he decides he needs to get closer to her.

Both pretending to be in lust while actually full of ulterior motives, Rune and Gideon are in a delicate dance, attempting to learn what the other is hiding while revealing nothing about themselves. Soon, they’ll find that fire between them might be something else entirely, but it may not be enough to gulf the secrets between them.

The first installment in Kristen Ciccarelli’s “The Crimson Moth” duology, “Heartless Hunter” is full of mystery and tension.

“Honey & Spice” by Bolu Babalola

“Honey & Spice.” HarperCollins

In “Honey & Spice,” Bolu Babalola introduces readers to Kiki Banjo, the fearless and funny host of “Brown Sugar,” a radio show at her college, Whitewell University.

“Brown Sugar” means everything to Kiki, and her fans love that she isn’t afraid to call out the players in the African-Caribbean Society, including new student Malakai Korede, whom she deems “The Wastemen of Whitewell.”

So when Kiki shocks everyone — including herself — by kissing Malakai at a party, she’s terrified her fan base will turn on her. To save her show and his already-ruined reputation, Kiki and Malakai agree to start a fake relationship.

Kiki is dreading having to spend time with her faux boyfriend, but the more she gets to know Malakai, the more Kiki sees she might have had him all wrong.

“The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren

“The Unhoneymooners.” Amazon

Christina Lauren’s New York Times bestseller stars Olive Torres, the unlucky twin who feels like she’s always living in her sister’s shadow.

But things change at her sister’s wedding, where the entire wedding party gets sick, aside from Olive and Ethan Thomas, a groomsman she happens to loathe. The pair is given the chance to take the newlyweds’ 10-day honeymoon in Hawaii, and Olive agrees to go for the free trip despite her hatred of Ethan.

To her shock, Olive has more fun with Ethan on the honeymoon than she could have anticipated, developing feelings for Ethan that feel far from hate. Has her luck finally changed?

“The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy” by Brigitte Knightley

“The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy.” Penguin Random House

Brigitte Knightley’s “The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy” is loosely inspired by “Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love,” a fanfiction she wrote about Draco and Hermione Granger from “Harry Potter.” It’s one of several novels being traditionally published in 2025 that was originally a Draco-Hermione fic.

“The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy” follows Osric Mordaunt and Aurienne Fairhrim, an assassin and a healer who would typically have nothing to do with each other.

But when Osric’s evildoing leaves him with a perplexing magical injury, Aurienne becomes his only hope at recovery. He manages to get Aurienne to help him by making a hefty donation to her order, which was in desperate need of money to help fight a Pox harming children. Healing Osric is the last thing Aurienne wants to do, but a deal is a deal.

When Osric and Aurienne start working together, their mutual loathing is plain as day. Yet, as they spend more time together trying to heal his magic, they realize they’re more alike than they thought.

Full of slow-burning tension and a plethora of quippy banter, the first installment in Knightley’s “Dearly Beloathed” duology puts the enemies in enemies-to-lovers.

“The Wedding Party” by Jasmine Guillory

“The Wedding Party.” Penguin Random House

Every installment of Jasmine Guillory’s “The Wedding Date” series offers a steamy love affair, and the third book, “The Wedding Party,” is no exception.

Theo and Maddie have never liked each other — though they share a mutual attraction that’s hard to ignore. Most of the time, they do their best to avoid each other, only hanging out when their best friend Alexa forces them to.

But when Alexa gets engaged and Theo and Maddie are both made members of the bridal party, they’re forced to spend time together, making it harder and harder to ignore their spark.

Eventually, they give in to their temptation, swearing that they’ll end their secret affair the second Alexa says ‘I do.’ But what will Theo and Maddie do when they realize they’re falling for each other?

“Divine Rivals” by Rebecca Ross

“Divine Rivals.” Macmillan

When we meet Iris Winnow in Rebecca Ross’ “Divine Rivals,” she has put all her hope into landing a promotion at the Oath Gazette. Not only does she want the job because of her lofty journalism goals, but also because she’s become the sole provider for her home since her brother, Forest, left to join a war of the gods, and her mother fell into drinking in his absence.

Iris needs to become a columnist to help her family survive, but her boss is considering her work nemesis, Roman Kitt, for the role, too. Roman’s good looks, wealthy upbringing, and impeccable writing drive Iris insane, as does Roman’s unexplainable disdain for her.

In her loneliness, Iris seeks comfort by writing letters to her brother on her grandmother’s old typewriter, slipping the notes under the door of her wardrobe where they mysteriously disappear. She hopes her messages are reaching Forest on the front lines. Then, a reply from a stranger magically appears on her bedroom floor, and Iris starts down a path that will change her life — and Roman’s — forever.

The first installment of the “Letters of Enchantment” duology, “Divine Rivals” is full of romance and magic that will keep you on your toes.

“The Deal” by Elle Kennedy

“The Deal.” Bloom Books

If you’re a fan of hockey romance books and enemies-to-lovers, Elle Kennedy’s “The Deal” will be right up your alley.

Hannah Wells has a crush. That might not be a big deal for most college students, but it is for Hannah, who hasn’t had much experience with romance since she survived a traumatic event in high school.

Hannah wants to make her feelings for Justin, a star football player, known, but she has no idea how to go about it. Enter Garrett Graham, an irritating hockey player in desperate need of a tutor if he doesn’t want to lose his shot at the NHL.

Hannah agrees to help Garrett with his school work if he can assist her in making Justin jealous and teach her how to flirt. Spending time with Garrett is the last thing Hannah wants, until an unexpected kiss turns both of their worlds upside down.

“The Trouble with Hating You” by Sajni Patel

“The Trouble With Hating You.” Hachette

Liya Thakkar leaves her parents’ house in a hurry when she realizes they’re trying to set her up with Jay Shah. Sure, he’s good-looking, but Liya is happy being single and focusing on her career as a biochemical engineer.

But it turns out Jay is the new lawyer for her company, and those good looks are harder to ignore now that she has to see him every day. Liya and Jay have an undeniable connection, but they might not be willing to explore their pasts for a chance at a future together.

“The Trouble with Hating You” by Sajni Patel is about taking a risk on love and everything that comes with it.

“Twisted Hate” by Ana Huang

“Twisted Hate.” Ana Huang

Jules Ambrose has hated Josh Chen for as long as she can remember, and he isn’t too fond of her either.

It doesn’t matter that Josh is a charming and successful doctor now; to Jules, he will always be her brother’s annoying best friend, and she’s too focused on passing the bar exam to look deeper, no matter how good-looking he is.

Their animosity and attraction to each other are more distracting than ever until Josh comes up with an idea: They will keep their hatred of each other, but they’ll finally act on their attraction in an “enemies with benefits” arrangement designed to keep them both happy.

As Jules and Josh finally strip each other down, they find the line between love and hate is thinner than they thought.

“The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black

“The Cruel Prince” by Holly Black. Hachette Book Group

Being a human in a faerie world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, but Jude has no choice. She and her sisters were forced to live in the High Court of the Fae after their parents were murdered before their eyes.

Jude hates feeling lesser than the magical creatures around her, and no one makes her feel smaller than Prince Cardan, who also happens to be the most beautiful fae she’s ever seen. She makes it her mission to rise up in the fae ranks to spite him, no matter the cost.

But when Jude finds herself embroiled in a battle for the safety of her sisters and the fae, she finds there’s more to the prince than she ever knew.

The first installment in Holly Black’s “The Folk of the Air” series, “Cruel Prince” is a mysterious and sexy page-turner that fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope and fantasy will love.

“A Pho Love Story” by Loan Le

“A Pho Love Story” by Loan Le. Simon and Schuster

Bao Nguyen and Linh Mai’s families have hated each other for as long as they can both remember, as they both own competing pho restaurants in the same neighborhood.

However, Bao and Linh are more similar than they anticipated, and when they finally cross paths, they’re shocked by what they actually feel for each other.

Loan Le’s “A Pho Love Story” will force Bao and Linh to see if they can explore their feelings for each other when it goes against everything their families believe.

“The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller

“The Song of Achilles.” Harper Collins

Despite the title, “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller actually follows the life of Achilles’ closest companion, Patroclus. In mythology, Patroclus is best known for his death, which drives Achilles mad with grief.

Miller puts a fresh lens on the well-known tale, focusing on the rivalry between Achilles and Patroclus that develops in their boyhood.

Their feud soon becomes friendship and then something more, and the duo must reckon with what their feelings for each other mean as Achilles faces a fatal prophecy about his involvement in the Trojan war.

“The Song of Achilles” is both a war story and a beautiful look at first love, making Homer’s epic accessible and meaningful in a new way.

“The Viscount Who Loved Me” by Julia Quinn

“The Viscount Who Loved Me.” HarperCollins

If you enjoyed watching Kate Sharma and Anthony Bridgerton fall in love on “Bridgerton,” you’ll like reading about their love story in Julia Quinn’s “The Viscount Who Loved Me” even more.

Like the show, “The Viscount Who Loved Me” follows Anthony Bridgerton in the season he has decided to find a wife. He sets his sights on Edwina Sharma, the diamond of the season. The only problem is her obstinate older sister, Kate Sharma, who is set against the match. Anthony is determined to win her over, but when he starts having improper dreams about Kate, he is unsure he will be able to behave as a gentleman should.

Kate, meanwhile, has vowed to protect Edwina from rogues and rakes, so she thinks Anthony is out of the question. But that doesn’t mean her body can ignore the electricity between them — or resist the temptation he offers.

Filled with the same longing and heat as the Netflix series, “The Viscount Who Loved Me” is a delicious read.

“From Blood and Ash” by Jennifer L. Armentrout

“From Blood and Ash.” Blue Box Press

From the moment she was born, Poppy has been more than just a girl. She is the Maiden, and she has known her entire life that she will be given to the gods the moment she turns 19 to help turn humans into Ascended, powerful, immortal beings that rule the kingdom of Solis.

Because she is the Maiden, she cannot be touched by anyone, and she lives mostly in solitude under the watchful eye of Solis’ royalty. At 18, Poppy is lonely and unsure she can bear the weight of the kingdom on her shoulders.

Then, mere months before her Ascension, Poppy meets Hawke, a new guard who makes her yearn and question the life she has agreed to live.

But the Ascended, Hawke, and nearly everyone around Poppy aren’t what they seem, and she risks putting her trust in the wrong person at every turn. As she finds herself more drawn to Hawke than ever, she may realize her heart is what’s left her most vulnerable.

The first installment in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s “Blood and Ash” series is a gripping and sexy fantasy full of twists and turns.

“The Spanish Love Deception” by Elena Armas

“The Spanish Love Deception.” Amazon

Elena Armas’ “The Spanish Love Deception” combines the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes for a sexy and surprising read.

It stars Catalina Martín, who is desperate for a date to her sister’s wedding after spending months lying to her family about having an American boyfriend. Shockingly, her insufferable colleague Aaron Blackford volunteers to pretend to be her partner, and because Catalina needs to impress her ex and his new fiancée, she can’t say no.

Catalina is prepared to agonize through the wedding with Aaron at her side, but when he turns out to be nothing like she expected, she finds herself rethinking everything.

• Books
• Lifestyle

Read next