Book tropes have been around for a very long time, especially in the romance genre. However, Booktok, a community within TikTok where readers discuss a variety of books, has played a role in tropes being discussed more frequently. Now, people are advertising and choosing books based on their tropes, which I find myself doing as I search for my next read through Goodreads or a search on Instagram. This is the first of a series of articles about each one of my favorite tropes and recommendations for books that highlight them.
Up first in this series is one of the most popular tropes of all time: enemies to lovers. I personally am obsessed with enemies to lovers. The tension, the banter, the development, watching two people that hate each other fall in love despite every obstacle. This trope is a classic with thousands of books containing it, but I’ll start with just ten that you should definitely read.
Goodreads Rating: 4.10/5 stars
Spice Rating: 3/5
This book is one of my all-time favorites. It follows Anastasia, a figure skater, and Nate, the captain of the hockey team. They start off as enemies when the figure skaters and hockey players are forced to share the same ice-skating rink. When Anastasia finds herself without a skating partner, she turns to Nate for help. Their close proximity may lead to them second-guessing their feelings about each other.
I highly recommend this book, especially if you like enemies to lovers and hockey romance. I guarantee you’ll be in love with Nate Hawkins by the end.
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
Goodreads Rating: 4.03/5 stars
Spice Rating: 2.5/5
This book blew up on TikTok when it was first released and for good reason. It follows Piper after her stepfather sends her to live in Westport to take care of her father’s old bar. Her sister, Hannah, follows her in solidarity. Within minutes of their arrival at the small fishing town, Piper manages to make an impression on the sea captain, Brendan, and it’s not a good one. He sees her as a spoiled socialite who does not belong in his town, and she sees him as a grumpy man who severely underestimates her. Since the town is so small, the two can’t seem to escape each other.
I absolutely loved this book. Brendan is a great book boyfriend and the tension between Brendan and Piper was perfect. Highly recommend, and definitely read it before the movie comes out!
The Soulmate Equation by Christina Lauren
Goodreads Rating: 4.02/5
Spice Rating: 2/5
When Jess Davis decides to randomly sign up for GeneticAlly, a matchmaking company that uses DNA to find people’s soulmates, she ends up matched with its founder, Dr. River Peña. The two match at a 98% compatibility, a diamond match, which has never happened before. They don’t start off on the right foot, due to his generally unpleasant demeanor. However, GeneticAlly offers Jess the deal of a lifetime; in return for publicly dating River to advertise the company’s “successful match,” she is promised significant monetary compensation. Jess is a single mom and is struggling to make ends meet, so she can’t turn down the offer. While the two are attending dates and public events, Jess starts to believe that GeneticAlly might just be right about their match.
This book was a five-star read for me, the forced proximity, humor, and overall plot were so good. I love River and Jess together. Plus, seeing River interact with Jess’ daughter is so precious. I highly recommend everyone read this book.
Goodreads Rating: 4.03/5 stars
Spice Rating: 2/5
January Andrews, a romance writer who no longer believes in love, moves into her deceased father’s beach house so that she can clean it out and get it ready to sell. She winds up being next door to her old college nemesis, Augustus Everett. The two start off as enemies but soon become more friendly and strike a deal. Both are authors experiencing writer’s block, so they challenge the other to write a book within the other’s genre. January is forced to write literary fiction and Gus is forced to write a rom com with a happy ending. They couldn’t be more different, but while writing outside of their literary comfort zones, the two start to realize that they feel more for each other than they originally thought.
This is another one of my absolute favorites. It’s a perfect summer read and a great opposites attract, enemies to lovers romance. Emily Henry never fails to deliver a great plot and hilarious banter. This should definitely be on everyone’s summer reading list!
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
Goodreads Rating: 3.96/5
Spice Rating: 2/5
This enemies to lovers, STEM romance is one that everyone needs to read. It follows Bee, after she gets offered the lead position on a neuro-engineering project at NASA. It’s her dream job, but she’s forced to work with her nemesis, Dr. Levi Ward. She hasn’t gotten along with him since grad school and has enjoyed her freedom from him for years, but she’s determined to try to be civil. Once Bee starts working at NASA, things begin to go wrong. She may have to start seeing Levi as more of an ally than an enemy if she wants to make this job work.
I loved this book, and it is my favorite out of all of Ali Hazelwood’s books. Bee and Levi are so adorable. I promise that you will be obsessed with Levi Ward by the end.
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong
Goodreads Rating: 3.91/5 stars
Spice Rating: 0.5/5
Set in Shanghai in 1926, this book follows two enemies, Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai. They are the heirs to two rival gangs, but their families are not the only reason behind the animosity between them. Roma was Juliette’s first love, and he betrayed her. When people from both gangs start dying, they must put their differences and grudges aside to figure out the reason behind the madness that is taking over the streets of Shanghai.
This book is highly recommended by our USFSP HerCampus President, Mila. She loves this book so much and encourages everyone to read it. But beware, this book is a Romeo and Juliet retelling, so be prepared for some tears!
The Royals Next Door by Karina Halle
Goodreads Rating: 3.72/5
Spice Rating: 2/5
Piper, an elementary school teacher and romance book podcaster, is happy with the way things are in her small island town that she’s now lived in for five years. But her relatively peaceful life is thrown out the window when British royals move in next door to her. She now must deal with their very annoying bodyguard, Harrison, who considers her a security threat. They annoy each other immensely but cannot deny the attraction they feel towards each other. The more time that they spend together, the more Piper realizes that Harrison is a lot sweeter than he seems. However, her close connection to the royals also comes with all the downfalls, including the nosy media and inevitable scandals. Both Piper and Harrison have to determine what they are willing to do in order to be together.
I really liked this book! The banter between Piper and Harrison was so good. Plus, a British bodyguard? Harrison Cole is an iconic book boyfriend.
Goodreads Rating: 4.19/5 stars
Spice Rating: 2/5
This is an enemies to lovers story between an editor and a literary agent. Nora and Charlie did not make the best first impressions on each other, so when they end up in the same small town at the same time, things get interesting. The two end up working on the same book, giving them the chance to get to know each other better and potentially fall for each other. But Charlie is supposed to be in Sunshine Falls indefinitely, while Nora isn’t planning to stay any longer than a small vacation. Their new connection won’t matter if Charlie has to stay, and Nora has to leave.
This book is another five-star read for me. The banter between Charlie and Nora had me laughing out loud. The tension between the two of them is so good, and once they get past each other’s walls, they are so sweet together.
The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
GoodReads Rating: 3.95/5 stars
Spice Rating: 2/5
After food poisoning takes out the entire wedding party at her twin sister Ami’s wedding, Olive is the only one left to take the ticket to the romantic honeymoon. But the groom’s brother, Ethan, also avoided the food poisoning and was given the other ticket. Olive and Ethan have never gotten along and are very reluctant to vacation together, but no one would pass up a free trip to Hawaii. While in Hawaii, they run into Olive’s new boss and end up in a lie where they must pretend to be newlyweds. They have to put aside their hatred for each other to ensure that Olive doesn’t lose her job before she’s even started, and to try to enjoy this free getaway.
I loved this book so much. It was another one that had me laughing out loud. The banter and all the unfortunate situations that Olive and Ethan get themselves into are hilarious. Once they get past their hatred for each other, they are so cute together. This is another amazing summer read!
The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Goodreads Rating: 3.94/5 stars
Spice Rating: 2/5
Lucy and Joshua absolutely hate each other. They are both assistants to the co-CEOs of a publishing company and they work directly across from each other. They spend their time catering to their boss’s needs and torturing each other. When a promotion opens up, both of them are dead set on being the one that gets it. Not only is it Lucy’s dream job, but whoever gets the promotion will get to be the other’s boss, and she will never answer to Joshua. As they fight to prove that they each deserve the promotion, Lucy realizes that she may not hate Joshua as much as she thought.
This book is peak enemies to lovers. The banter, the tension, and the romance are so good. This book had me dying laughing while I was on an airplane, it was that funny. It is such a good book, and it is so adorable to watch them fall for each other! This was also recently made into a movie, but in my opinion, the book is always better.
As a reminder, when you are running to purchase all of these amazing books, please try to support bookstores if you can. Whether that be Barnes & Noble, an online bookstore, a local bookstore, or the USFSP Campus Bookstore. I simply suggest that you try to avoid buying any books from Amazon because of how harmful it can be to the publishing industry.
Enjoy all the enemies to lovers reads!