Today’s Top Ten Tuesday covers my favorite trope.
Listen. Listen.
When it comes to romance, enemies-to-lovers is the way to go.
To view someone as a threat, you have to view them as an equal! That’s where respect comes from!
There’s something magic about, “I need to take this person out…because they’re too hot to live.”
Here are some books I either have read or plan to read with an enemies-to-lovers dynamic.
The Fate of Stars: A Fantasy Lesbian Romance by S. D. Simper
From what I gather, a mermaid and a human princess fall in love in the middle of a feud.
SIGN ME UP.
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
I pushed this book on my friend who was a devoted Kylux shipper.
First of all, that cover.
Second, this book really is Kylux if Kylo Ren and Hux switched personalities.
I love that it’s a standalone. (Don’t google this.)
The Councillor by E. J. Beaton
Might I be overselling the enemies-to-lovers romance here?
It’s a slow burn.
Like, the slowest of slow burns.
I was pretty sure it wasn’t going to happen at all.
I’ll just say I really enjoyed the ending.
Flames of Chaos: Legacy of the Nine Realms by Amelia Hutchins
I honestly know nothing about this book.
I just heard “angel romance” and came running.
Master of Crows by Grace Draven
I added this book to my TBR for the vibes alone.
I guess she’s supposed to kill him but falls in love instead.
Also he’s all noble and tortured.
Nice.
Black Moon Rising by Frankie Rose
This is NOT Reylo fanfiction.
It is also not NOT Reylo fanfiction.
What it is is a masterpiece.
I’m fairly certain the first line is (warning: explicit) “His fingers are inside me,” so that’s neat!
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
One of my all-time favorites!
Once upon a time, an angel and a devil fell in love!
It did not end well!
(It really didn’t. I should have known.)
Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta
A YOUNG ADULT CLASSIC.
There’s a not-so-friendly rivalry between the students at the Jellicoe School and the cadets.
There’s an even less friendly rivalry between Taylor and Jonah.
OBVIOUSLY they fall in love.
Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston
This book has an m/m romance between two unlikely allies.
There’s also a more complicated friends-to-enemies-to-lovers-to-??? romance.
I STILL HAVEN’T READ THE SEQUEL, BY THE BY.
The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
All I know about this book is that both characters are hot and want to kill each other.
Sounds like a good time.
My TBR is SET.
Time to get some reading done.
I hope you found some books you like from this list!
Narrative Paradise 
Heeheehee – it amuses me that Gideon the Ninth irks you so when it is also a super slow burn enemies to lovers romance. *cackles* Granted, yes, it has odd pacing. Still, I so enjoyed it because Gideon’s character felt reflective of my teenager self.
Anyhoo – I apparently need to read The Councillor! Sounds fabulous.
LikeLike
I really liked Gideon even though the first quarter of the book was so weird because I felt like I was eventually rewarded with a tense plot and some good character beats. HARROW DID NOT GIVE ME THAT. IT WAS JUST JOKES AND ZERO EXPLANATIONS. IT IS MY NEMESIS.
I preordered The Councillor in paperback. It is COMING and I am going to REREAD IT and SCREAM.
LikeLike