Romeo and Juliet. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Kat and Patrick. Rhysand and Feyre. Violet and Xaden. What do these characters have in common? All are mortal enemies, yet all are crazy, irrevocably, in love with each other—even if that love alters the fate of their kingdoms; even if it condemns them to death.
Enemies-to-lovers is a timeless trope.
To be enemies, one must have passion—a very active emotion.
Passion makes you feel. It motivates. It drives you to make decisions (that sometimes defy logic). It’s moving, chaotic, and powerful. It can be irrational. It’s also not inherently good or bad—it can be charged by hate just as easily as it can be sparked by love. It’s a thin line, and in enemies-to-lovers books ones characters constantly cross. Like when…
I can’t stand you → becomes I’m watching her with awe*
I could never be with you → becomes I’d spend a lifetime at the tip of your blade*
I just like the chase → becomes I will go against everything I am, everything I know, to be with you*
All the while, the romantic tension is building anticipation along the way, leaving you feral to find out what happens next.
If you devoured Fourth Wing and ACOTAR, here are 20 enemies-to-lovers books you may not have heard of yet with epic plots, adventure, magic, and of course, a sizzling, addictive romance, to add to your TBR!
Angel of Earth & Bone by Tory Guyon
Blurb: River is the new Angel of Water and she has a bounty on her head. Her ex is among the demons pursuing her, although, she can’t tell if he’s hunting her or helping her. One thing’s for sure: the enemy’s schemes go much deeper than she initially believed, and the only way to stop them from turning Earth into Hell is to find the other elemental archangels.
Age category: Upper Young Adult / New Adult
Release date: January 2025 | Goodreads | Amazon
“But it was worth it. It’s worth every stab of pain, every hollow ache in my chest, because I didn’t care about anything—” Our heated breaths danced in the sliver between us. “Until I met you.”
Blood Beneath the Snow by Alexandra Kennington
Blurb: As the only member of the royal family without magic, Revna is seen as a blight on her bloodline. When her friends’ lives are put in danger, she is determined to save them by entering the Bloodshed Trials—a competition where the last sibling in the royal family standing takes the throne—only to be kidnapped by the Hellbringer, the general of her country’s greatest enemy.
Age category: Adult
Release date: March 2025 | Goodreads | Amazon
“Fate is thicker than blood.”
Bound & Barbed by Samantha R. Goode
Blurb: The illusion of freedom Evaline holds dear is torn away when her aunt proposes an arrangement that she would kill to escape. With time slipping through her fingers and danger closing in on all sides, she must do the one thing she fears most in order to save herself: she must trust the bloodthirsty immortal, Maddox.
Age category: Adult
Release date: November 2022 | Goodreads | Amazon
“I think you’ll find there isn’t much I wouldn’t do for you.”
Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson
Blurb: When the patriarch of the Ballenger empire dies, his son, Jase, becomes its new leader. But a new era looms on the horizon, set in motion by a young queen, making her the target of the dynasty’s anger. Kazi, a former thief, is sent by the queen to investigate things. When Kazi arrives in the land of the Ballengers, she learns there is more to Jase than she thought…
Age category: Young Adult
Release date: August 2018 | Goodreads | Amazon
“Let me show you the stars.”
Gilded Wicked Mirrors by Hazel St. Lewis
Blurb: With only one shot to make it into the Royal Ballet, Quinn will do anything to make it happen—so she makes a simple deal with an evil god: kiss her archnemesis, Prince Emrys, and she will receive her spot in the ballet. Unfortunately, it backfires, and her friend turns up dead. She vows to get vengeance but if she wants to survive… she must team up with the wicked Prince Emrys.
Age category: New Adult
Release date: August 2024 | Goodreads | Amazon
“By my side, little ballerina. Let’s give them something to talk about.”
Heart of Night & Fire by Nisha J. Tuli
Blurb: Raised from childhood as a prisoner, Zarya’s been trained to fight but forbidden from using magic. When she breaks free, she’s determined to learn why she was ever locked away. What she finds is a city on the brink of disaster, where demons prowl the streets every night. When she joins the fight, desire sparks with a powerful commander, a blood-drinking immortal. But if he knew Zarya’s true self, he might turn against her in an instant…
Age category: Adult
Release date: September 2023 | Goodreads | Amazon
“A firefly trapped in even the most ornate jar would still die without air..”
Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma
Blurb: Kidan’s convinced the vampire bound to her family is behind her sister, June’s, disappearance. To find her, Kidan must infiltrate Uxlay University, where students study to ensure coexistence between humans and vampires. When a murder mirroring June’s disappearance shakes Uxlay, she sinks further into the vampire’s world—one that June could be at the center of.
Age category: Young Adult
Release date: September 2024 | Goodreads | Amazon
“It’s a shame that when I finally find my potential equal, she cannot love herself enough to remain in this world.”
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
Blurb: When Saeris comes face-to-face with death, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to the land of the Fae. There, she mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior. He’ll use her Alchemist’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her.
Age category: Adult
Release date: June 2024 | Goodreads | Amazon
“I’m in love with you, Saeris Fane,” he whispered quietly into my hair. “And I’m already half-mad, anyway. What’s a little complicated thrown into the mix?”
Slaying the Shifter Prince by Clare Sager
Blurb: Aerial artist Zita has dedicated years of her life to one thing: vengeance. So, she must give the performance of a lifetime and kill the fae prince responsible for her sister’s death. When Zita’s plan fails, she is sentenced to be the prince’s “pet”. He’s everything she expected from her enemy, yet he’s also so much more… Still, nothing will stop her from getting her revenge. Not even her heart.
Age category: Adult
Release date: May 2023 | Goodreads | Amazon
“Don’t you understand? I submit to you. You’ve broken me.”
The Book of Azrael by Amber V. Nicole
Blurb: To save her dying sister, Dianna called upon anyone who would listen, not expecting a monster to answer. For 1,000 years, she’s been bound. After the Gods War, Samkiel hid from the world, denying his crown. But an attack on those he holds dear sends him back to the realm he never wished to visit again—into the sights of an enemy he thought imprisoned eons ago.
Age category: Adult
Release date: April 2022 | Goodreads | Amazon
“I didn’t remember how long we talked, but somewhere amidst her laughter and smiles, I decided I would rip the world apart for her.”
The Ever King by LJ Andrews
Blurb: For years Erik, the king of the Ever Kingdom, has thought of nothing but vengeance against the man who killed his father and made him a prisoner in his own realm. Until his enemy’s daughter unintentionally breaks the chains, and Erik makes her the unwitting pawn in his vicious game of revenge. He will take back what he lost, no matter the price—unless she steals his heart first.
Age category: Adult
Release date: July 2023 | Goodreads | Amazon
“From the moment the songbird tried to appeal to a serpent, she was mine.”
The Night Runs Red by Amber Palmer
Blurb: With an age-old curse binding their families together in an attempt to balance power, Calia must marry vampyre, Rion, unless they wish to forfeit their lives. When a foiled abduction attempt leaves her vulnerable, Calia sees a glimmer of hope that perhaps there is more to Rion than she thought. As the blood moon approaches, she must face an unknown enemy with only the assistance of her mysterious husband.
Age category: Adult
Release date: October 2023 | Goodreads | Amazon
“Make me yours.”
The Rose in the Shadows by Arcadia Rayne
Blurb: Thea has no memory of who she was, but her magic—and the mark on her chest—prove she’s the last Descendant of Hyrax, the God of the Dead. Thrown into the world of court politics by Prince Clayton, Thea becomes a target of dark forces. With danger closing in and nowhere to turn, she’ll have to decide whether to trust the prince—or let her powers consume her.
Age category: Adult
Release date: April 2024 | Goodreads | Amazon
“It wasn’t hard to acknowledge that he was attractive, but attractive men weren’t always trustworthy...”
The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent
Blurb: Oraya’s only chance to become something more than prey is by entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death. To survive, she is forced to make an alliance with rival, Raihn. Their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a vampire kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.
Age category: New Adult
Release date: August 2022 | Goodreads | Amazon
“I would beg,” he murmured. “For you, I would. You have fucking destroyed me, Oraya. Do you know that.”
The Warrior Midwife by E.P. Bali
Blurb: Her father made an agreement with the fae king to protect his kingdom. Now Crown Princess Saraya must pay the price: marry the crown fae prince. But instead of going to sit as a human caged and betrothed in the fae kingdom, Saraya disguises herself as a fae warrior and sneaks away into the Mountain Academy, where fae males learn to become full blooded warriors…
Age category: Adult
Release date: May 2022 | Goodreads | Amazon
“I am the sword in the night. The protector of human potential. The shield against all that is evil. This is my pledge. And I will never be broken. Lightning does not yield.”
The Witch Collector by Charissa Weaks
Blurb: On Collecting Day, Raina means to exact revenge on the King and the Witch Collector who stole her sister, but a more sinister threat sets fire to her world. And the Collector, the man she vowed to slay is the only person who can help save her sister. She must abandon vengeance and aid the Witch Collector or let their empire—and her sister—fall into enemy hands.
Age category: New Adult
Release date: November 2021 | Goodreads | Amazon
“There is no love without fear, but no one told me that fear feasts on those with something to lose.”
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo
Blurb: Princess Lira is siren royalty. With the hearts of seventeen princes in her collection, she is revered across the sea. Until a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own. To punish her daughter, the Sea Queen transforms Lira into the one thing they loathe most: a human. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart or remain a human forever.
Age category: Young Adult
Release date: March 2018 | Goodreads | Amazon
“How strange that instead of taking his heart, I’m hoping he takes mine.”
To Steal a Bride by Daniela A. Mera
Blurb: As a slave to the Giant King, Estela’s life is an endless torment. Her sole hope is to escape with her half-brother and find refuge among the elves. Teo, the Troll King, is desperate. His people are dying, and he’s running out of options. When the giants come for diamonds, Teo’s crystal sings. The slave is the king’s mate, and with her comes a solution to save his people…
Age category: New Adult
Release date: November 2023 | Goodreads | Amazon
“She is a wounded goddess. One starved and tormented by mere mortals. I would be more than happy to be a terrible demonstration of divine power.”
Unseelie Prince by Kathryn Ann Kingsley
Blurb: As the heir to the Unseelie throne, Valroy itches to shed the mantle of prince and take his place as King. To his regret one ancient tradition stands in his way: he must first take a bride. What’s a prince to do? Steal a human, of course. Abducted into the dangerous world of Tir n’Aill, Abigail is thrust into a terrifying Maze that defies all logic. There, she finds herself at the mercy of an Unseelie prince with a strange offer…
Age category: Adult
Release date: October 2021 | Goodreads | Amazon
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted anyone quite as badly as I want you when you are so very furious.”
Vesselless by Cortney L. Winn
Blurb: When Nizzara enters a deadly tournament to end her betrothal, she’s determined to win. Finding herself outmatched, she teams up with Dagen to survive. Dagen was killed by her father ten years ago, stuck in another realm as half-ghost. When his keeper offered him a chance to reclaim his freedom in exchange for Nizzara’s soul, he took the deal. The catch? She must freely give it to him by the tournament’s end or his own soul is forfeit.
Age category: New Adult
Release date: March 2024 | Goodreads | Amazon
“Because the greatest heroes have a touch of darkness inside.”
Make sure to go to Goodreads for the full blurbs—I condensed as best I could! Quotes from the intro are from Heart of Night and Fire by Nisha J. Tuli, The Serpent & the Wings of Night by Carissa Broadbent, and Angel of Water & Shadow by Tory Guyon.
Part 2 coming soon! If you like enemies-to-lovers books, you might like these urban fantasy romance books, too.
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