23 Best Enemies-to-Lovers Books to Read Now

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. Emily Henry books never disappoint!

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?

Act your Age Eve Brown (The Brown Sisters #3) by Talia Hibbert

This is the third book in the Brown Sisters trilogy and I adored this 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 steamy romance was a perfect one-sitting read and perfect for our list of enemies-to-lovers books. These two really have a lot standing in their way.

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. 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. I loved it so much!!!  This book gives me total modern-day Pride and Prejudice vibes and it 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 realized 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 office romances while still including the struggles that women have to deal with on a daily basis. This book was a clear choice for Books Like The Love Hypothesis.

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 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 such a great pick for enemies-to-lovers books and it is perfect for books Like The Love Hypothesis. It is also a steamier choice if you love Emily Henry books.

Paper Princess by Erin Watt

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 is making it hard for him to stay away.

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 YA romance books to read in one sitting (and it does get a little steamy).

When Dimple Met Richi by Sandhya Menon

A cute story about a traditional Indian boy and a not-so-traditional Indian girl. The characters meet at a computer programming seminar where Richi is supposed to woo his unsuspecting future bride, Dimple.

They clash and connect throughout the story as they try to determine if they really are destined for each other. Their turbulent relationship is perfect for enemies-to-lovers books.

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

Imagine if all your past crushes found out you liked them all at once. EEK! That’s what happens to the heroine, Lara Jean Covey when the love letters she wrote get mailed!

I love Lara Jean – she is quirky, cute, and totally reminds me of me in high school – except she gets to date the most popular boy at school. But their relationship is fake —- or is it? While not necessarily enemies by the strict meaning of the word, we wanted to include this in our enemies-to-lovers books.

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

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.

This charming romance is one of the enemies-to-lovers books we recommend most often- it was absolutely adorable. 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?) 

If you love everything royals and romances as much as we do, check out 16 Sexy Royal Romance Books.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

This is the second book I read this month about fake boyfriends 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 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.

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

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.

This is a fast-paced, addicting, fantasy romance series. A love triangle develops by the end of the story and book two is jaw-dropping! This is on its way to becoming a classic from the list of enemies-to-lovers books. You will want to binge this series in one week. We could not leave this epic romance off a list of the best romance novels of all time.

If you loved ACOTAR, check out this list of books just like it. Or head over to our guide on all of Sarah J. Maas’s books.

The Cruel Prince (The Folk of Air #1) by Holly Black

I am not sure why it took me so long to finally read this book that has been on my TBR list since it came out.  I loved it and couldn’t put it down.  It’s a YA fantasy with all the angst, treachery, and drama that makes it completely addicting. 

As a matter of fact, I ordered the sequel the minute that I was done with this book, which is the first in a trilogy. Teenage angst makes enemies-to-lovers books that much more fun to read.

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.

The Viscount Who Loved Me (#Bridgertons #2) by Julia Quinn

I watched the entire series in about a day and was having a serious hangover. That was quickly resolved by reading the next few books in the series. The best part? Reading them out of order or reading about my favorite characters doesn’t really give anything away. These books are the perfect getaway from reality.

This is one of the enemies to lovers books that should not be read on an audiobook out loud in front of kids. You might have a lot of explaining to do.

If you loved Bridgerton, check out our post of books just like it!

To Have and To Hoax by Martha Waters

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. ⁣
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The story is a quick-moving battle of wills that will have you simultaneously rooting for them and wanting to smack some sense into them. ⁣It’s perfect for fans of Jane Austen.

Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

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. The chemistry between these two crackled off the page in this romance. If enemies-to-lovers books are up your alley, this book is perfect for you and it is perfect for a list of books like The Love hypothesis.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

We absolutely 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, 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! How could we not include it in a list of enemies-to-lovers books and books about sisters?

Recipe for Persuasion (The Rates #2) by Sonali Dev

November’s Reading Challenge was to read a book with a blue cover and since I loved the first book in the series so much, I could not wait to read this one.

I loved this fresh take on Jane Austen’s Persuasion. It was so much fun to read this classic retelling.

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.