I love a good enemies to lovers romance. It’s not my favorite trope in the entire world, I’ll admit it (that trophy being proudly held by the best friends to lovers romance, forever and always), but I still really, really enjoy it, when it’s done right in my ya books.
Today, I thought I’d compile a little recommendations’ list for you all with some of my favorite books I’ve read with this trope. I have some contemporary, some fantasy, some veeeeeery slow burn romance, a little bit of dystopian and more. Hopefully, you’ll find something you want to read there!
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10 YA Books Where Enemies Fall in Love
The Wrath and The Dawn, Renée Ahdieh
I read The Wrath and the Dawn a long time, ago, but I’m still very fond of it. I loved the enemies to lovers romance, of course, but I also adored the writing and the world of this one. It’s about Shahrzad, wanting revenge for her friend, the latest victim of Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan. It’s thrilling to read, beautifully written and kind of addictive, too.
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Tweet Cute, Emma Lord
If there is one word to describe Tweet Cute, I’d say adorable. It’s the kind of contemporary that will make you smile and warm your heart. It’s about Pepper, overachiever, managing social media for her family’s popular fast-food company… and Jack, class clown, working at his little family’s deli. When the two get into a viral twitter fight over their family’s business, it becomes more and more personal… an exciting, fun contemporary read with a couple you’ll love!
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, Rachel Lynn Solomon
Today Tonight Tomorrow has two overachievers fighting for the valedictorian spot, a treasure hunt in Seattle and rivals slowly getting to know each other better… Rachel Lynn Solomon always writes some of the best contemporary books out there and this one’s no exception. With relatable characters and a relationship you’ll certainly ship, this book has it all!
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Crier’s War, Nina Varela
I am obsessed about Crier’s War and I have no shame okay. This book is just too good and has a slow burn enemies to lovers romance you’ll fall for, HARD. In a world where automae rule, Ayla, a human servant, is looking to get into the palace to get revenge for her family… An exciting, unique read with stunning world-building, twists that leave you speechless and a f/f romance that is EVERYTHING.
☂️ Find the book on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
Meet Me At Midnight, Jessica Pennington
If you’re looking for a fun, summery, contemporary young adult book, you’ll love Meet Me At Midnight. Every summer, Sidney and Asher prank each other…until it goes too far and they’re kicked out of both their houses on the lake. Forced to live together, they decide to join forces to get their houses back… A highly entertaining read with a fun hate to love romance!
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
We Set The Dark on Fire, Tehlor Kay Mejia
You all know I adore We Set The Dark on Fire. In a world where girls are trained to either run their husband’s household or raise children, Daniela’s fighting to keep her identity a secret… As marriage approaches, she finds herself discovering the truth about the system and falling for her enemy, Carmen… An incredible dystopian book where both the world-building and the chemistry between the characters will make you swoon.
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
The Lady Rogue, Jenn Bennett
The Lady Rogue is a great historical fantasy romance, filled with a little bit of mystery and a lot of National Treasure vibes. Theodora always wanted to travel with her father on his treasure-hunts around the world, but it has always been Huck’s, his little protégé’s privilege. When her father disappears, she’s forced to team up with her now enemy, once love of her life Huck to find him…An exciting European adventure!
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
What’s Not To Love, Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
If you love the whole academic-rivals-enemies-to-lovers kind of trope, you’ll love What’s Not To Love. Alison and Ethan have been rivals ever since high school started. Once they’re forced to team up to organize a high school reunion, they get to see each other in a whole new light… Amazing characters, enemies to lovers romance with EXCELLENT chemistry. I love this one!
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
I Think I Love You, Auriane Desombre
Determined to enter a film festival with her friends, Emma wants to put together the gay rom-com she never has… until Sophia, back from Paris, comes back and decides she’d rather make an artsy film. Will the two enemies be able to work together? This was an adorable contemporary with great friendships and a lovely f/f enemies to lovers romance!
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
To Kill A Kingdom, Alexandra Christo
Prince Elian’s life is dedicated to hunting sirens. Princess Lira is siren royalty, until she’s banished and turned human from a fault she’s made. When Prince Elian rescues her as a drowning woman in the ocean…I’m not going to spoil it all for you, but this one has such a good, slow burn, slow growing romance, I really loved that so much!
☂️ Buy on: Amazon – Book Depository – Bookshop – Blackwell’s
You might also be interested in: 10 of my Favorite Romances in YA Books
📌 Pin 10 YA Books With an Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
Did you read any of these books? Do you want to?
What are some books with a great enemies to lovers romance? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
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I keep seeing Crier’s War everywhere and I really want to read it
I hope you can sometime, it’s so, so good!
Oooo almost all of these books are on my TBR 😊 I have also adored Written in the Stars! It’s is such a good book 🤩
Ohhh thank you so much for the recommendation, I already love this title. I’ll have to check it out! 😀
Yay! It’s an adorable sapphic romance which will melt your heart 😊
AH YES here for that! 😀
I’m adding these to my TBR as I’ve only read TKAK!
AHH yay! I hope you’ll like them all 😀
A few of these are on my TBR, since Enemies-to-Lovers is my favorite trope! Some of my favorites are Standing By, Perfect Chemistry, and P.S. I Like You
Oooh Perfect Chemistry, I remember that one! I read it so long ago, but I loved it so much. I’m not familiar with those other titles, I’ll check them out. Thank you so much for the recommendations! 😀
I enjoyed I Think I Love You. I want to get To Kill A Kingdom. Great list!
Thank you so much!!
I love, love, love Tweet Cute 😀 And I really liked the Wrath & the Dawn as well as To Kill a Kingdom, so I’m really happy to see those featured. I feel like i don’t always have that many books in common with you these days anymore, because I’m so slow at reading newer releases (and contemporaries), so this was a pleasant surprise.
Ah this makes me so happy that you recognized so many titles here. <3 I tend to be way too attracted to brand new releases lately, but it feels so nice to think about those older books. Some of them really are gems <3
i am not exactly an enemies to lovers fan, but i do enjoy it occasionally! i realized i’ve mostly read this prompt in YA fantasy or adult fiction, so i definitely have to step up my game and read more enemies to lovers in contemporaries too. what’s not to love sounds so good but a part of me feels like i need to read the author’s debut before picking this one up. i know it doesn’t make sense and it shouldn’t really matter which one i pick up first, but i think because always never yours has been on my TBR for much longer, i feel bad not reading it first, hahah.
I feel like this trope is so often in fantasy reads! I hope you’ll get around to reading more contemporaries. What’s Not To Love is such a good read, but YES! I recommend reading everything they write, because you know me, I’m such a huge fan of their work ahah 😀
i love enemies to lovers but i think i can say this year that i’m joining you on the friends to lovers side! it’s still such a good trope — crier’s war is definitely one of my favorite books with it (especially with slowburn on top). great recommendations, marie!! <3
Thank you so, so much, May! The friends to lovers trope will forever be my favorite ahhhhhhhhh. <3 And I can't wait to read Crier's War's sequel :D
I’m about to start crier’s war, are you proud of me?
SO PROUD AH PLEASE UPDATE ME WITH ALL OF YOUR FEELS!
Many times I’ve owed my TBR growth to your blog and this time isn’t the exception 😅❤️ I am DYING to read Today, Tonight, Tomorrow & I Think I Love You 😍😍😍😍
AH this makes my entire day, thank you!! <3 I hope you'll love these!
Tweet Cute and TTT are two favorites and I loved the way the authors handled the evolving relationship. I am starting What’s Not to Love tonight or tomorrow. I hope it’s a winner for me too
Yay! I love how we always enjoy the same books. I hope you loved What’s Not To Love as well! <3
I loved The Wrath and the Dawn- the romance was a bit insta love but the prose was gorgeous! I just started reading To Kill A Kingdom and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the story!
I agree that the prose was so, so beautiful, one of my favorite things about it all for sure. <3 I hope you're enjoying To Kill a Kingdom! :D
Great Recommendation Post, Marie! ❤ Enemies to Lovers is one of my fave romance tropes! I especially love when it’s rivals falling in love like in Today Tonight Tomorrow, that book was amazing 🥰 Crier’s War, We Set the Dark on Fire and The Lady Rogue are all on my TBR! I might also have to pick up What’s Not to Love, as academic rivals to lovers is SUCH a great trope 💕
Oh thank you so, so much Caro! I’m so happy you liked this post. I can’t wait for you to read all of these, especially Crier’s War and What’s Not To Love, both are amazing! <3
I’ll confess that Hate to Love isn’t always my favorite trope because sometimes I have a hard time rooting for a couple who are just plain mean to each other. But the one of these that I have read (Tweet Cute) was great, so obviously the trope works for me sometimes.
I can understand that! I feel like in some books, there’s such a genuine development of the relationship that I end up rooting for them a lot! <3
so I’ve heard of all of these because of you (except to kill a kingdom), but can you believe that I haven’t read any of these!? I’m finally getting around the crooked kingdom book, and it’s soooo good. I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to read it. Great post! xxx
Melina | http://www.melinaelisa.com
Ahh yay! I hope you’ll get a chance to read some of these and will love them, Melina! <3
I adore enemies to lovers so how on earth have I only read one of these? I did adore that one though, the banter was fantastic, the world was stunning & the writing so beautiful. Several of these books are high priority reads for me though so fingers crossed I get to them next year. Especially Wrath & The Dawn. I hope you find more enemies to lovers, as well as best friends to lovers, to read in the future.
Ahh I hope you’ll get to read some of these soon, Charlotte, they’re all SO fantastic! Thank you so much! <3
Thank you 💗💗