Did you get your first taste of romantasy with A Court of Thorns and Roses or Fourth Wing and now you can’t stop devouring enemies to lovers books? (If not, check out our Romantasy Starter Pack post!) Are you craving that delicious tension, slow-burn yearning, witty banter, and stolen glances—until there’s only one bed at the inn or he gets hurt and only trusts her to take care of him?
If so, these Top 9 Enemies to Lovers books (plus a bonus pick!) will keep you obsessed, emotionally wrecked, and completely satisfied.
As always, please check out the trigger warnings before reading!
The Cruel Prince
Description
Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever.
And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe.
Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King.
To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences.
As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.
Holly Black’s The Cruel Prince is the blueprint for enemies-to-lovers romances. Jude and Cardan don’t just dislike each other—they outright loathe one another. The tension crackles between them as they scheme, fight, and resist their undeniable pull. The pining, the mind games, the slow-burn yearning—it’s everything you crave in a top-tier enemies-to-lovers read.
The Serpent & The Wings of the Night
Description
An Instant New York Times and USA Today Bestseller
This new hardcover edition of the bestselling The Serpent & the Wings of Night features new case art, and a detailed map!
The Hunger Games meets vampires in this heart-wrenching, epic fantasy romance of dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue from bestselling author Carissa Broadbent.
For humans and vampires, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always – always – guard your heart.
The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.
But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.
Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown… and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.
But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone – but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.
The Serpent & the Wings of Night is the first book in the Crowns of Nyaxia series.
Vampires, a deadly competition, and an enemies-to-lovers romance that will wreck you—what more could you want? Oraya has spent her life fighting to survive in a world that sees her as prey, but to claim power, she must enter the Kejari, a brutal tournament where only the strongest make it out alive. Enter Raihn—cocky, powerful, and infuriatingly hard to resist. Their alliance is uneasy, their chemistry off the charts, and when betrayal looms, the question remains: will they fight for each other or destroy one another? This book is tension, angst, and slow-burn perfection.
The Awakening
Description
You have been selected to attend Zodiac Academy, where your star sign defines your destiny.
If you’re one of the Fae, elemental magic is in your blood. And apparently it’s in ours. As twins born in the month of Gemini, we’re a rare breed even in this academy of supernatural a-holes.
Changelings were outlawed hundreds of years ago but I guess our birth parents didn’t get the memo. Which means we’re totally unprepared for the ruthless world of Fae.
Air. Fire. Water. Earth.
No one has ever harnessed all four of them, until we arrived. And it hasn’t made us any friends so far.
As the rarest Elementals ever known, we’re already a threat to the four celestial heirs; the popular, vindictive bullies who happen to be some of the hottest guys we’ve ever seen. It doesn’t help that they’re the most dangerous beasts in the Academy. And probably on earth too.
Our fates are intertwined, but they want us gone. They’ve only got until the lunar eclipse to force us out and they’ll stop at nothing to succeed.
We never knew we had a birthright to live up to but now that we do, we intend to claim our throne.
We can’t expect any help from the faculty when it comes to defending ourselves. So if the dragon shifters want some target practice, the werewolves want someone to hunt or the vampires fancy a snack then we have to be ready. But we’ve been looking after each other for a long time and fighting back is in our blood.
Today’s horoscope: totally screwed.
If you’re looking for long-term enemies-to-lovers with intense tension, Zodiac Academy has you covered. The first few books are brutal, with the main characters actively hating each other in a way that feels almost impossible to come back from.
But if you’re willing to commit to a 9+ book series, one of the couples goes full enemies-to-lovers in the best (and most painful) way possible. It’s a slow, messy, high-stakes ride—but that’s what makes it so worth it.
Heartless Hunter
Description
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
“A steamy game of cat and mouse between witch and witch-hunter, played out against a backdrop of opulence, secrets, and bloody history. I couldn’t look away.” – Kendare Blake, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Champion of Fate
Enemies-to-lovers doesn’t get more high stakes than a witch and a witch hunter falling in love in bestselling author Kristen Ciccarelli’s latest romantic fantasy.
On the night Rune’s life changed forever, blood ran in the streets. Now, in the aftermath of a devastating revolution, witches have been diminished from powerful rulers to outcasts ruthlessly hunted due to their waning magic, and Rune must hide what she is.
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe – a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution – who she can’t help but find herself falling for.
Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?
Kristen Ciccarelli’s Heartless Hunter is the thrilling start to The Crimson Moth duology, a romantic fantasy series where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch…is falling in love.
“Enchanting and deeply romantic, Heartless Hunter drew me in with the first sentence and left me breathless by the last. A story that unfolds like a spell, and one that is destined to capture your heart.” – Rebecca Ross, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divine Rivals
A witch hunter and a witch. Hunter and prey. Their families have been at war for generations, and the hatred runs deep—not just between them, but their entire kingdom. And yet… the tension? Unreal.
The pining, the stolen glances, the undeniable pull—it’s everything you want in an enemies-to-lovers romance. They shouldn’t want each other, but that’s what makes it so good.
Captive Prince
Description
From global phenomenon C. S. Pacat comes the first novel in her critically acclaimed Captive Prince romance trilogy.
“A special, unforgettable series…Lush. Brutal. Unparalleled.”—Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Damen is a warrior hero to his people, and the rightful heir to the throne of Akielos. But when his half brother seizes power, Damen is captured, stripped of his identity, and sent to serve the prince of an enemy nation as a pleasure slave.
Beautiful, manipulative, and deadly, his new master, Prince Laurent, epitomizes the worst of the court at Vere. But in the lethal political web of the Veretian court, nothing is as it seems, and when Damen finds himself caught up in a play for the throne, he must work together with Laurent to survive and save his country.
For Damen, there is just one rule: never, ever reveal his true identity. Because the one man Damen needs is the one man who has more reason to hate him than anyone else…
If you’re looking for real enemies-to-lovers, this one is it. Damen and Laurent aren’t just rivals—they’re former wartime enemies, and now Damen is forced to serve the prince of the kingdom that took everything from him. Laurent is cold, calculating, and impossible to read, and their dynamic is full of tension, mind games, and power struggles.
It’s slow-burn, extremely forbidden, and packed with sharp dialogue and high-stakes moments. Plus, if you’re into M/M romance with intricate political intrigue, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Always read trigger warnings, but read this one’s especially.
The Hurricane Wars
Description
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
“An incredible debut full of rich atmosphere, clever world building, opposing magic, and sizzling romance, The Hurricane Wars is my newest obsession.”— KERRI MANISCALCO, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Throne of the Fallen
“I physically could not stop reading! Mark my words: lives will be changed by The Hurricane Wars.” — ALI HAZELWOOD, New York Times bestselling author of The Love Hypothesis
The fates of two bitter enemies with opposing magical abilities are swept together in The Hurricane Wars, the spellbinding debut in a fantasy romance trilogy set in a Southeast Asia–inspired world ravaged by storms, perfect for fans of Fourth Wing and A Court of Thorns and Roses
The heart is a battlefield.
All Talasyn has ever known is the Hurricane Wars. Growing up an orphan in a nation under siege by the ruthless Night Emperor, she found her family among the soldiers who fight for freedom. But she is hiding a deadly secret: light magic courses through her veins, a blazing power believed to have been wiped out years ago that can cut through the Night Empire’s shadows.
Prince Alaric, the emperor’s only son and heir, has been tasked with obliterating any threats to the Night Empire’s rule with the strength of his armies and mighty shadow magic. He discovers the greatest threat yet in Talasyn: a girl burning brightly on the battlefield with the magic that killed his grandfather, turned his father into a monster, and ignited the Hurricane Wars. He tries to kill her, but in a clash of light and dark, their powers merge and create a force the likes of which has never been seen.
This war can only end with them. But an even greater danger is coming, and the strange magic they can create together could be the only way to overcome it. Talasyn and Alaric must decide… are they fated to join hands, or destroy each other?
An exquisite fantasy brimming with unforgettable characters and sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance set in a richly drawn world, The Hurricane Wars marks the breathtaking debut of an extraordinary new writer.
“The Hurricane Wars is everything I love—intricate world-building, unique magic, and a gleeful, smoldering romance. I’m obsessed.”— HANNAH WHITTEN, New York Times bestselling author of For the Wolf
“This book made me giddy! Such a gleeful collection of my favorite tropes, all written in a fresh and engaging world, with a deep emotional center. One of my favorite books of this year!” — KATEE ROBERT, New York Times bestselling author of the Dark Olympus series
Another fan fiction (Reylo FTW) turned into novel, this one continues to be excellent.
If you love true enemies-to-lovers, this one delivers—multiple attempts on each other’s lives, an intense rivalry, and a very, very slow burn.
The tension is insane, and the stakes only get higher as their fates become more intertwined. If you’re into star-crossed lovers who would rather kill each other than admit their feelings, this one is for you.
The Crown of Oaths and Curses
Description
From J. Bree, bestselling author of The Bonds That Tie, comes an epic and enthralling new romantasy series.
I devoted my life to a king who was not my own.
On the road to ultimate honor and glory, I lost everything.
Now, in a world ravaged by the whims of those who rule, I must turn my back on a lifetime of friendships and loyalties to face my own fate.
The Savage Prince.
Heir to the high-fae throne of the Southern Lands, he is known for his brutality and cold heart. But with the kingdom on the brink of ruin, I have no choice but to seek him out.
The war between the fae and the witches rages, and there’s no end in sight. My destiny is clear—help the prince defeat his enemies before it’s too late.
One small problem.
I am Rookesbane Eveningstar.
The Favored Child returned, a Witch of the Woods.
If there’s such a thing as too much enemies-to-lovers, this book might just be it. The main characters aren’t just reluctant fated mates—they are genuinely furious about it. The MMC hates the FMC so much that it’s almost impossible to imagine how they’ll ever fall in love. The tension? Absolutely off the charts.
This book takes slow burn to another level, and if you love true enemies with deep-rooted grudges and forced proximity that makes them suffer, The Crown of Oaths and Curses is for you.
Throne in the Dark
Description
His dark destiny awaits, and nothing will stand in his way. Except her.
Dark lord, demon spawn, prophesied realm destroyer.
With a demon for a father, Damien Maleficus Bloodthorne’s destiny could be nothing but nefarious, and with the completion of his most vicious spell, Damien is on the cusp of fulfilling the evil inevitability all of his dark machinations have led to.
And then, her.
Bubbly, obnoxious, blonde.
Harboring secrets of her own, a tiny yet troublesome thief calling herself Amma completely upsets Damien’s malevolent plans when she mistakenly gets chained to his side through magic, forcing him to drag her across the realm. Killing her would fix things, of course, but the nauseatingly sweet Amma proves herself useful on Damien’s unholy crusade and then proves herself the source of something even more sinister: feelings.
Will Damien be forced to abandon his villainous birthright to help the tender thorn in his side? Or will he manage to overcome the virtue Amma insists on inspiring and instead cut it out at the heart?
This series is a GEM. It’s not just enemies-to-lovers—it’s enemies to reluctant allies to friends to lovers, and the slowest burn you can imagine. Some might argue it leans more strangers-to-lovers, but the tension, forced proximity, and undeniable pull between the characters make it scratch that enemies-to-lovers itch perfectly.
If you love agonizingly slow-burn romance, complex dynamics, and characters who take their sweet time realizing they’re meant for each other, you’ll eat this series up.
Alchemised
Description
In this riveting dark fantasy debut, a woman with missing memories fights to survive a war-torn world of necromancy and alchemy—and the man tasked with unearthing the deepest secrets of her past.
This stunning hardcover edition features a deluxe jacket with gold foil on the front and a full-color illustration on the reverse, gorgeous designed endpapers, a gold foil case stamp, and, from acclaimed artist Avendell, a black-and-white interior illustration.
“What is it you think you’re protecting in that brain of yours? The war is over. Holdfast is dead. The Eternal Flame extinguished. There’s no one left for you to save.”
Once a promising alchemist, Helena Marino is now a prisoner—of war and of her own mind. Her Resistance friends and allies have been brutally murdered, her abilities suppressed, and the world she knew destroyed.
In the aftermath of a long war, Paladia’s new ruling class of corrupt guild families and depraved necromancers, whose vile undead creatures helped bring about their victory, holds Helena captive.
According to Resistance records, she was a healer of little importance within their ranks. But Helena has inexplicable memory loss of the months leading up to her capture, making her enemies wonder: Is she truly as insignificant as she appears, or are her lost memories hiding some vital piece of the Resistance’s final gambit?
To uncover the memories buried deep within her mind, Helena is sent to the High Reeve, one of the most powerful and ruthless necromancers in this new world. Trapped on his crumbling estate, Helena’s fight—to protect her lost history and to preserve the last remaining shreds of her former self—is just beginning. For her prison and captor have secrets of their own . . . secrets Helena must unearth, whatever the cost.
I wasn’t going to recommend a non-published book, but I have to make an exception here. Manacled by SenlinYu—a Dramoine x The Handmaid’s Tale crossover—was the crown jewel of Archive of Our Own for years. Its following was massive, and now, the author is making her traditional publishing debut with Alchemised, coming this September.
There’s a reason this story became sensational—it’s dark, raw, and brimming with tension so thick you can feel it. If you love high-stakes, gut-wrenching romance with morally gray characters and impossible choices, Alchemised is one to watch.
Which of these enemies to lovers books are you adding to your TBR? Or did I miss one of your favorites? Drop your recs in the comments—I’m always looking for more delicious tension and slow-burn angst! 👀🔥
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