Hosted by The Broke & The Bookish
Hi guys, and welcome to a new Top Ten Tuesday! In case you didn’t know yet, here’s a confession: I am a big, sappy, hopeless romantic.
There. I said it. I love books with romance in it (as long as it doesn’t take over the story, has any instalove or annoying love triangles). I love romance tropes. Enemies-to-lovers, best friends-to-lovers, penpal romances, boy or girl-next-door romances, the fake date trope, the opposites attract trope. Give me them all, because I can keep reading about them forever.
BUT. Today I’d like to focus on one trope in particular and that is the enemies-to-lovers trope. I can’t help it, MOST of my favorite romances and OTP’s fall under this trope. So let’s get started!
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Let’s start off the list with what may be the only contemporary novel on the list, but was definitely one of my top ten reads of 2016. The story of Lucy and Josh was so much fun, sweet and swoon-worthy. Two office nemeses trying to get the same promotion – what could go wrong?
Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
SIMON X BAZ 4 EVA! No seriously, this book is so much fun. Imagine a Harry Potter-like world, where Harry and Draco room together and Draco is a vampire. Oh, and totally in love with Harry. Except this story becomes so much more and Simon and Baz are completely their own characters and you can’t help but fall in love with them and their interactions.
The Winner’s trilogy by Marie Rutkoski
Prepare to fall in love with the story of Kestrel and Arin! Kestrel is the daughter of the General, in a world where her nation has conquered and enslaved another nation. One day, she ends up buying a slave named Arin at an auction. Swoony, forbidden romance enseus and it becomes so much more.
The Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi
I know this series has been out for a while, but I’m still not sure how much I can say about it without spoiling too much. BUT, know that this series has one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITE OTP’s. They are the best and I loved watching their relationship develop and their own character development because of it.
Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst
I may have had a few issues with this book, but the romance? OMG, the romance was so well-done! Kudos for a fantasy standalone where the princess falls in love with the sister of the prince she is betrothed to. Also, they really don’t like eachother at first, hence the enemies-to-lovers.
The Captive Prince trilogy by C.S. Pacat
Warning: this series is very graphic and features scenes of violence, sex and rape. Mature adiences only.
Though this is a pretty violent and graphic m/m fantasy series, I absolutely adore it and especially the relationship between Damen and Laurent. Starting of as natural enemies from two nations at war, the story starts as Damen, prince of Akielos, gets betrayed and sent as an anonymous pleasure slave to Laurent, prince of Vere. What starts of as a dangerous and treacherous situation, soon morphs in something beautiful as we watch Damen and Laurent slowly (very slowly) go from enemies, to reluctant partners-in-crime, to comrades-in-arms, to friends, to something more. My favorite ever enemies-to-lovers story.
The Under the Never Sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi
This is an amazing little dystopian that I feel got a little buried underneath all the Hunger Games and Divergent hype, but that doesn’t make it any less awesome! In a world where dangerous storms have wiped out most of humanity, there are only two groups left: those who spend all their life inside a dome, with only virtual reality to keep them from going insane of boredom, and the clans, who are still trying to suvive on the outside. When Aria, a life-long dome-girl, suddenly finds herself outside, she has to form an unlikely alliance with the “wild” Perry to survive.
The Red Winter trilogy by Annette Marie
 This is currently my new favorite fantasy / romance and Emi and Shiro are my new OTP! Yes, it’s that good. Get ready for a gorgeous Japanese mythology fantasy! Emi is a Kamigakari, a vessel for an immortal goddess. In only a few short weeks the goddess will inhabit Emi’s body and Emi will cease to exist. But one day she rescues a fox. This fox turns out to be a kitsune, which is a yokai, or an earthly spirit and an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. Epic adventures and a swoony slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance ensues.
The A Court of Thorns and Roses trilogy by Sarah J. Maas
 Again, I don’t want to spoil too much for those who haven’t read it yet, but this fae Beauty and the Beast retelling features another one of my all-time favorite OTP’s. Especially book two, A Court of Mist and Fury is absolutely glorious and swoon-worthy. One of the best enemies-to-lovers romances out there.
The Wrath and the Dawn duology by Renee Ahdieh
A gorgeous story inspired by A Thousand and One Nights! Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Every day, he takes a new bride and she never survives until the next day. When Sharzhad’s best friend becomes one of his victims, she volunteers to be his next bride and plans her revenge. This story is absolutely gorgeous and breath-taking and a must-read.
The Trylle trilogy by Amanda Hocking
This is a trilogy featuring trolls, which admittedly, doesn’t sound very romantic. But it is! This story features an enemies-to-lovers romance that had me swooning big-time.
The Six of Crows duology by Leigh Bardugo
A gorgeous romance in the middle of an impossible heist? Yes, it’s possible and it is glorious! There are several romances in this in fact, but Nina and Matthias own my enemies-to-lovers-trope loving heart!
I do like this trope sometimes! The Hating Game looks way fun and I have the Shatter ME books on my TBR too. And nice to see Six of Crown too since I’ll be reading those soon.
If done well, this can be a great trope 🙂 Oh, hope you’ll enjoy Six of Crows!
Oh red winter sounds really really good.
It is really good, I definitely fell in love with this series 🙂
I am in a difficult place here…. Since well I gave both Shatter Me and ACOTAR 1 star??? glad to know of some more recs, since this is my favourite trope of ever!!! Plus the Winners trilogy is one I have heard tons of, and Draco being in love with Harry? BRING IT ON. (I dunno I just want to read gay romance after Yuri!! On Ice lol the after effects??)
Aww sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy Shatter Me or ACOTAR. But that’s okay because everybody has different opinions 😉 🙂 OMG, I totally understand about the Yuri On Ice after effects 😀 I think you might really love Carry On then, Simon and Baz are definitely in my top OTP’s, together with Victuri 😉
I love Enemies to Lovers so much!! The Hating Game and Carry On are two of my favorites!!! I am glad to hear that the Six of Crows duology has that since I plan to listen to it this year! Great list!
Yes for the Hating Game and Carry On love! 🙂 And hope you’ll enjoy Six of Crows!
Great list! Argh, I’m so behind on YA nowadays, but I like a good enemies – to – lovers plot. *Literally adds all the books on your list to Goodreads TBR pile* 😀
A friend keeps recommending ‘Shatter Me’. Seeing it on your list, too, I’m thinking I need to bump it higher on the pile.
Thanks! Happy to add to the ever-growing TBR pile 😉
Oh, I’d definitely recommend Shatter Me too! It’s a hit-or-miss kind of series, but I really enjoyed it (especially books two and three). Hope you’ll enjoy!
I loved The Wrath and the Dawn duology! I have a few more of these on my TBR, as well!
The Wrath and the Dawn was amzing indeed <3
I’m not always a fan of enemies to lovers. It has to be done just right. I loved Kestrel and Arin, Nina and Matthias, and Shazi and Khalid. Fantastic list, Lindsey!
So true, it needs to be done right! I don’t like when the relationships are just unhealthy or abusive or even just unbelievable. But these couples are amazing 🙂
Six of Crows was awesome. I have Crooked Kingdom on my shelf coming up but I have a couple of review copies to read first. Shatter Me was really good too and I haven’t read any of the rest of them yet either. This is a great list. I’ll have to check several of these out.
So happy you enjoyed Six of Crows and Shatter Me! Hope you’ll love Crooked Kingdom as well!
I love enemies to lovers and there are so many up there that i really, really need to read
I can’t get enough of this trope myself 🙂
I’ve read some of these and loved them, and many more are on my to-read list. I’m going to add the Mistborn series to this list!
Rebecca @ The Portsmouth Review
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Oh yes, the Mistborn series could definitely count as well! Still need to read book two and three though (*shame*)
Eeep, I also adore this trope and you picked some of my favorites–with Nina and Matthias being #1 for me, but I also looove Shazi and Khalid & Aria and Perry 😀
Brittany @ Brittany’s Book Rambles
Nina and Matthias are amazing! <3 And yay for someone else who loves Aria and Perry :)
I loved the Shatter Me series! So good! Great list. 🙂
The Shatter Me series is indeed sooo good <3
This list is reminding me ALL OVER AGAIN of all the amazing books/series I’ve yet to read. This includes the ‘Winner’s’ books (those covers though!), and of course Leigh’s ‘Crow’ duo. I’m especially curious about those books. 🙂
Thanks so much for visiting Finding Wonderland, Lindsey – and fun list! Love the topic.
Haha, always happy to add to the TBR, so sorry about that 😉 Hope you’ll enjoy them when you get to them!
Loved Shatter Me! Love your list! I have Torn from Trylle trilogy I need to get the others and get on them. Here’s My TTT
Thanks! Hope you’ll enjoy the rest of the Trylle trilogy! 🙂
I love love LOVE your choices there! <3 Enemies to lovers is one trope I enjoy reading about, it's always so much fun to see the feelings grow and change over time. I really want to read The Hating Game, after hearing so many wonderful things about this book – I think it might be right up my alley, I need to buy it sometime soon 🙂 And yay for The Wrath and The Dawn <3
Yes, watching the (slow) development and changing of the feelings is one of my main reasons why I love this trope so much 🙂 Oh, I definitely hope you’ll enjoy The Hating Game, it is one of my faves <3
I think we have close to the same taste in romance. I do hate a tstl heroine and insta-love, but I have read a few (very few) where the triangle worked. I still don’t gravitate toward that one however. What you have listed above are romances I do think I would enjoy. What I haven’t read, you just put on my radar… especially Red Winter Trilogy and the Captive Prince. I hadn’t heard of those. I also think there are a few I need to catch up on! So many books… 😀
Oh, Red Winter and Captive Prince are some of my faves so I really hope you’ll love them 🙂
I’ve only read The Hating Game and I loved it. The Captive Prince trilogy is very high on my TBR list and I’m looking forward to read it!
Ah, hope you’ll enjoy Captive Prince! 🙂
Lots of these are on my TBR and I do enjoy enemies to lovers so excited to see these titles fall into that category. I hope to be getting to ACOMAF and Six of Crows very soon.
Hope you’ll enjoy both ACOMAF and Six of Crows as they’re both some of my faves 🙂
YESSSS I love The Winner’s Trilogy, Under the Never Sky, and The Wrath and the Dawn, and Six of Crows so much!! I’m so happy because I rarely ever meet people who love TWC and Under the Never Sky hahah also Khalid & Shazi are definitely my OTP <3 also, also, do you subscribe to Leigh Bardugo's newsletter? Did you read the Nina Matthias' deleted scene? It made my day hahaha 😀
Haha yay for someone else who loves The Winner’s Curse and Under The Never Sky! It’s so true that those series seem to get a little less love than some other popular series. Oh and YES to the NIna/Matthias scene! I love them so much <3
Lindsey!!! I actually LOVE this trope and I didn’t realise that all these books fit the bill! ACOTAR and Wrath and the Dawn are some of my favourites so I neeeeed to get to the rest. Awesome post and thanks so much!
Ah I’m happy you love this trope too! Hope you’ll enjoy the one still on your TBR! 🙂
OH MY GOD YOU INCLUDED SO MANY OF MY FAV SERIES IN THIS POST IM SCREAMING! I am a huge fan of the enemies to lovers trope, especially ones with the slow burn romance like Captive Prince, ACOMAF, The Winner’s Curse and TWATD!!! So glad to see we have the same tastes in books!
Ah YAY I’m happy you love this trope so much too and that we have similar taste in books! 🙂 YES, enemies-to-lovers combined with a slow burn will always hit the mark for me!
First of all, the whole para in which you described your Hopeless Romanticism? That is SO frigging me, you have no idea.
Also, I’ve considering reading Shatter Me for a long time but, every time, the love triangle holds me back. How bad is the LT? And is the book still worth it?
Ahh, so happy you could relate 🙂 Always fun to meet a fellow hopeless romantic!
I LOVED the Shatter Me trilogy, but it’s still a pretty flawed series that either hit or miss. There is a love triangle, though not that much in book one, more in the later books – I personally didn’t mind it that much though. I’d suggest to give it a try and I think it’s one of those books where you’ll find out pretty early on if it’s a book you’d like or not 🙂