For me, a true enemies-to-lovers romance has to be intense with very high stakes. They have to want to end the other one! Think The Cruel Prince, The Wrath and the Dawn, and We Hunt the Flame. Most of the time that doesn’t happen in contemporary romances; instead I see it often in fantasy books. In contemporary books, you can encounter more of a rivalry relationship or a dislike-to-love dynamic between the main characters. Maybe it’s because their families have rival food businesses or maybe they have been aiming for the top spot in the school ranking; either way, these characters can’t see each other without starting to argue immediately. But you’re not only getting an epic romance in these next books; you’re also going to meet characters who grow before your eyes. I love that in these books, characters learn to apologize and actually get to know the other person in a deeper way even though they had a huge dislike for each other. Teenagers are incredible, they have such a bright future, and in these rivals-to-lovers YA books, you see how they go for their dreams. If you’re looking for books with mature themes, this list of the best enemies-to-lovers romances can work for you perfectly. Or what if you want to read books with other tropes? Maybe fake dating books or books where there is only one bed. Worry not, because there are so many amazing, spectacular books with very diverse romantic tropes out there. And we’ll help you find them! This book follows Bel who has just discovered her talent for engineering at school. Because of this, she’s basically forced to join the robotics club where she doesn’t feel quite at home. Mateo Luna, the captain of the club, recognizes her as an asset, but sadly, they soon start to butt heads. Between long nights at work and annoying each other, Bel and Mateo might find their way to their happily ever after. When I think about Alex dela Cruz, the protagonist of this novel, I instantly think about Blair Waldorf. Think popular high school queen, who comes from a rich family, and has the best fashion sense everyone wants to dress like her. She also has a childhood nemesis, Adam, who is the president of the student council. When Adam calls Alex selfish one day, she is ready to make him see that he’s in the wrong…by transforming Christy Marquez from an invisible misfit into a ruling princess of Asia Pacific Academy! But things don’t come out as planned and it’s up to Alex to figure out how to fix her own mess. In this novel, Rowan Roth has decided to beat Neil on Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle. Howl is sort of like a scavenger hunt. Neil beat Rowan on being valedictorian, so Rowan is ready to destroy him in this game. But when she finds out another group is out to get them, they reluctantly pair up in order to win…until they have to destroy each other. But when Trixie’s best friend starts dating Ben’s best friend, the two of them have to play nice for once in their lives. Forced to be in the same room whenever their best friends are together, Trixie and Ben start to realize that they have a lot in common. Every decade, six magicians are chosen by the Alexandrian Society (yes, a secret society!) to compete for a chance to win a place. But only five will become the victors. After they’ve been chosen, the six magicians will have to spend one year together to qualify for initiation. During this time, they have to prove they are the best at what they do. After that shock, Eliza spills out all of her frustration on a viral essay that inspires a feminist movement. But not everyone thinks the same way as her. Amid the growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to play nice and demonstrate civility. When they start to spend more and more time together, Eliza soon finds out that maybe Len isn’t that bad after all. Throughout most of their lives, Alison Sanger and Ethan Molloy have competed against each other. Be it for the school paper or community service, Alison and Ethan are never able to avoid each other. When being valedictorian and going to Harvard is on the line, they agree to plan a ten-year reunion. But all this extra time in closed quarters…with only each other for companionship…starts to feel a lot like friendship. Especially when the showrunners hire a new girl to become Hana’s rival in the show. And she just happens to be Hana’s former best friend. Sparks fly when they reunite and things start to get a lot messier. In Salt and Sugar, Lari Ramires knows not to trust the Molinas. I mean, her family’s bakery has always been at war with the Molinas’ bakery. When her beloved grandmother dies and a big supermarket chain decides to move to town, Lari has to make tough decisions. Like working alongside Pedro Molina to save both of their bakeries before it’s too late. Then, she actually starts to turn invisible. With these newfound powers and the news of her parents not being able to afford her tuition, Alice plans to monetize her powers to discover her classmates’ scandalous secrets. One month before graduation, Shara Wheeler kisses Chloe and vanishes. It’s clear Chloe is very confused. But she’s not the only one. There’s Smith, Shara’s quarterback boyfriend; and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor. Chloe has nothing in common with the other two, except Shara Wheeler and the mysterious notes she left behind.
