Why Enemies To Lovers Books Are The Best.
There are a lot of lesbian romance book tropes I love to read (and a few that I don’t) and enemies to lovers books is one sapphic trope that never disappoints. I’m partial to lesbian romance novels where there is true animosity between the main characters, whether this is down to an incident that occurred when they first laid eyes on one another, a clash of personalities or a misunderstanding that leads to a bit of hate stewing between them. This initial animosity usually leads to cracking banter between the main characters as sparks fly and the initial feelings of hate soon turn to love.
The story of the two main characters going from hating each other at first sight to inevitably falling in love makes for a gripping read. For the majority of the book they will be butting heads, but along with the great banter and snarky comments will lead to some serious sexual tension…and we all know where that leads.
The Enemies to lovers trope in lesbian romance books provides intrinsic tension within the interactions between the main characters and readers like me can’t get enough of them. They hate each other, they love each other, they want to throttle one another …and make out. All these tensions are designed to be page-turners and a well-written enemies to lovers book will grip you from the start.
Why Are Enemies To lovers Book popular In Lesbian Romance?
Enemies to lovers books are popular for several reasons.
- Tension and Conflict: The initial antagonism between the characters creates a strong sense of tension and conflict, which keeps readers engaged and eager to see how the relationship will evolve. The constant clashes and verbal sparring add excitement and anticipation to the story.
- Emotional Growth and Transformation: As the characters move from enemies to lovers, they undergo personal growth and transformation. This character development is often compelling and satisfying for readers, as they witness the characters’ change in attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. It allows for a deeper exploration of the human experience and the power of love to overcome obstacles.
- Chemistry and Passion: The intense emotions and charged interactions between enemies can lead to explosive chemistry and passion once the romantic relationship begins to develop. This can create a captivating and emotionally charged storyline that resonates with readers.
- Overcoming Differences: Enemies to lovers stories often involve characters from different backgrounds, social classes, or opposing sides. Watching these characters bridge their differences and find common ground can be inspiring and heartwarming. It emphasizes the idea that love has the power to break down barriers and unite people.
- Emotional Rollercoaster: The journey from animosity to love is filled with ups and downs, highs and lows, and moments of intense emotion. This emotional rollercoaster can be thrilling for readers, as they experience a wide range of feelings alongside the characters.
Overall, enemies to lovers books offer a combination of conflict, passion, personal growth, and emotional intensity that resonates with readers and keeps them invested in the story.
The list below represents a tiny fraction of my favourite must-read enemies to lovers sapphic books. All my love goes out to the amazing authors, who are paving the way when it comes to genre and boundary-pushing, writing dark and toxic love stories, unlikeable women main characters, or writing a cracker of a sapphic novel with the brightest dedication to love and kindness.
Why I love the Kindle Paperwhite for reading lesbian romance books
Kindle Paperwhite
The all-new Kindle Paperwhite comes with a larger display, faster page turns, and 10 weeks of battery life – all in a waterproof design with enough storage to hold thousands of your favourite novels.
I read all my lesbian books on my Kindle Paperwhite, I just love it and take it everywhere with me so I can read all the best sapphic fiction book recommendations. With the Kindle Paperwhite’s built-in front light, I can fall asleep to a good lesbian book without leaving the lamp on and disturbing my wife. It comes with Bluetooth connectivity too, so I simply pair my airpods and doze off to a best-selling lesbian audiobook. The display has increased to 6.8″, so it‘s even easier to read, but it’s still super easy to pop in your bag or jacket pocket. The best bit though is that it is waterproof, so when I was recently on holiday in Vietnam and Cambodia I could lounge by the swimming pool whilst still being immersed in a good sapphic book. With 8 GB of storage and up to 10 weeks of battery life will see any bookworm like me through a holiday.
Here are some key features of the Kindle Paperwhite:
- Display: The Paperwhite features a 6-inch glare-free display with a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (PPI). This high resolution ensures crisp text and clear images.
- Front Lighting: The device includes built-in adjustable front lighting, which illuminates the screen evenly for comfortable reading in any lighting conditions. You can easily adjust the brightness according to your preferences.
- E-Ink Technology: The Kindle Paperwhite utilizes E Ink Carta technology, which simulates the appearance of ink on paper. This helps reduce eye strain and provides a reading experience similar to that of a physical book.
- Storage Capacity: Depending on the model, the Kindle Paperwhite typically offers storage options of 8GB or 32GB. This allows you to store thousands of books on the device.
- Battery Life: The Paperwhite has excellent battery life, typically lasting weeks on a single charge. The exact battery life can vary based on usage and settings.
- Waterproof Design: The newer models of the Kindle Paperwhite (10th generation onwards) are designed to be waterproof with an IPX8 rating. This means they can withstand being submerged in water up to 2 meters deep for up to 60 minutes.
- Integration with Amazon Services: The Kindle Paperwhite seamlessly integrates with Amazon’s Kindle Store, allowing you to browse and purchase e-books directly from your device. It also syncs your reading progress across devices, so you can pick up where you left off on different devices with the Kindle app installed.
- Supported Formats: The Kindle Paperwhite supports various e-book formats, including Kindle Format 8 (AZW3), Kindle (AZW), TXT, PDF, MOBI, and more. However, it does not support the EPUB format natively.
Overall, the Kindle Paperwhite is a popular choice for avid readers who want a dedicated e-reader device with a high-resolution display, adjustable front lighting, and seamless integration with Amazon’s e-book ecosystem.
Audible
Soak in the sun with storytelling that speaks to you. Build a library of your favorite audio content and explore the world of audio entertainment.
Don’t have time to read them all? Why not try listening to these great lesbian romance books? Audible is a great platform for listening to audiobooks because it offers a wide selection of lesbian books, including bestsellers and exclusive content. With Audible, you can listen to your favorite Sapphic books on the go, whether you’re commuting, working out, doing household chores, or simply relaxing in bed. Simply connect your headphones or airpods to your favourite device and you are good to go.
So without further ado, here are my top 15 best lesbian enemies to lovers books you must read this pride month 2023.
The Red Files by Lee Winter
Rival reporters team up for the story of their careers in this lesbian romantic suspense filled with humor, twists, and one fierce ice queen.
Ambitious Daily Sentinel journalist Lauren King is chafing on LA’s vapid social circuit, reporting on glam, A-list parties while sparring with her rival—the formidable, icy Catherine Ayers.
Ayers is an ex-Washington DC political correspondent who suffered a humiliating fall from grace, and her acerbic tongue keeps everyone at bay. Everyone, that is, except knockabout Iowa girl King, who is undaunted, unimpressed and gives as good as she gets.
One night a curious story unfolds before their eyes: One business launch, 34 prostitutes and a pallet of missing pink champagne.
What on earth does it mean? King and Ayers join forces but they might find a lot more than just a passion for news on the dusty road to Nevada.
Always by Kris Bryant
Peri Logan’s first client is dead, but not in a morbid way. When her great-grandmother passes, her estate bequeathed Peri a piece of jewelry, a stack of cash, and a note that simply reads “find her.” As a newly licensed private investigator, Peri travels to Italy to find the mysterious woman whose photo was perfectly preserved in the heart-shaped locket. What she doesn’t expect is to be given the runaround from a beautiful stranger who offers to help and does anything but.
Camila Barnes is bored. Nothing exciting ever happens in the small town of Sequina, Italy. When a pushy American shows up demanding to meet the woman in Camila’s artwork, instead of introducing her to her great-grandmother, Camila decides to lead her on a wild goose chase all over town. Nobody messes with her family, especially people who won’t tell her why.
When the truth is finally revealed, Peri and Camila realize they are a part of something greater than they ever expected. Attraction is fleeting and true love touches only a few. Do they take the easy road home, or do they fight the odds and give love the chance to last for always?
The Clinch by Nicole Disney
Eden Bauer grew up in a rough part of New York with an unsafe home life and took refuge in the neighborhood Taekwondo dojang. When the master of the dojang offered to train Eden as a live-in student, he started her on a journey that would eventually lead her to become the UFC featherweight champion of the world.
Eden loves competing and coaching the underprivileged kids of her community, but just as she’s getting comfortable with her champion title, a new martial artist from a legendary family comes roaring onto the scene with a dynasty on her shoulders. Brooklyn Shaw is a loud, cocky, aggressive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu genius who’s also unfortunately pretty dreamy.
Brooklyn and Eden’s rivalry attracts worldwide attention, but as they spend time together, Eden sees past Brooklyn’s showmanship to who she really is. They ought to be perfect for one another, but can either really fall in love with the person standing in the way of her dreams?
The Long Way To Fall by Elle Spencer
Bridget Berg grew up on the slopes of Elk Mountain, Utah. The daughter of a famous downhill skier, she was chasing her own Olympic dreams when her father’s unexpected death forced her to take over his ski lodge. It’s her home and she’ll protect it at all costs—especially from her insufferable neighbors.
Kennedy Fleming is only in Utah to put her dad’s vacation home on the market. She has no interest in living there. That is, until she meets her sexy redheaded neighbor. Sure, she’s rude and unwelcoming, but Kennedy isn’t one to shy away from a challenge.
When Kennedy makes a discovery that could cause Bridget to lose everything, she’s forced to choose between her family and her heart. There’s a mountain of history between their families, but as tempers rage and sparks fly, they’re about to discover that a love worth fighting for is right in front of them.
Honey In The Marrow by Emily Waters
An enemies-to-friends-to-lovers lesbian romance about finding heart, hope, and second chances you never thought you’d have.
Stella Carter is a former criminal prosecutor and new widow facing down middle age alone in Los Angeles. Without being a prestigious lawyer and someone’s wife, she’s not sure who she is anymore or where her life is headed.
When she invites her niece to move in with her, Stella accidentally reconnects with her former colleague, LAPD Captain Elizabeth Murphy. The woman is beautiful but cold; someone she was always at odds with on the job.
Surprisingly, Stella finds herself leaning on her niece and Elizabeth more and more to navigate her loss. But as time goes on, Stella can’t keep seeing Elizabeth and pretending she’s not attracted to her. Besides, there’s absolutely no way Elizabeth feels the same way. Is there?
Just A Touch Away by Jae
An enemies-to-lovers lesbian romance with an ice queen whose frosty facade is melted by the power of touch.
Hannah Martin has an unusual job: she’s a professional cuddler. While she has a big heart for her clients, she hasn’t found someone special to snuggle up to in her personal life.
Winter Sullivan isn’t looking for love. She’s an aloof workaholic who’s built walls of ice around herself. She would rather drive toothpicks under her fingernails than cuddle, and she certainly doesn’t want to share her space with anyone.
When Winter’s estranged father dies, he leaves her one last surprise: she and Hannah, a perfect stranger, will inherit a building together. But there’s a catch: first, they have to live together for ninety-two days.
Winter is determined to dislike her rival, but soon finds Hannah isn’t what she expected at all. Thanks to a hilarious doormat war, a cuddle dare from Winter’s half sister, and a kiss in the most unusual of places, the frosty fortress around her heart begins to melt.
Will she be able to accept that love might be just a touch away?
Tapping Into Love by Monica McCallan
Lucy Parsons wants absolutely nothing to do with the Westmoore family or the maple syrup they produce. When Sierra Westmoore blows back into town after her father’s death and tries to rent a room at Lucy’s family’s bed-and-breakfast, The Maple Inn, Lucy kicks her out on the spot. It doesn’t matter that Sierra hasn’t set foot in Maple Run in fifteen years—the Westmoores are not allowed.
But small towns don’t leave a lot of room to hide, and Sierra and her brother, Drake, have set their sights on improving the town’s opinion of them now that their father is gone.
Lucy doesn’t believe any Westmoore could have good intentions, and although she may have to play nice with Sierra, it doesn’t mean she’s going to like it.
The Fifth Surgeon by Faith Prize
A lesbian medical romance about the powerful breakthroughs we can’t always see.
Nadia Keating has barely started her cardiothoracic fellowship training, but she already has the archetype nailed—she’s direct, uncompromising, and suffering from a God complex.
Before she can focus on her impressive research, deeply closeted Nadia has a personal project: getting her inconvenient attraction to women out of her system. She picks a stranger online for a one-night stand.
Ashley Rylan, the chief of Nadia’s department, is her polar opposite—sweet, agreeable, and soft-spoken—and the stranger Nadia unwittingly chooses.
The two women’s meeting is a hostile disaster and they would love nothing more than to never see each other again. However, their paths keep colliding as Nadia embarks on an ambitious experiment that could lead to a historic medical breakthrough.
Despite warring egos and the secrets they keep, their connection is powerful and growing. Maybe having sex would help them get over their distraction at work? Or would that just ruin everything?
The Startling Inaccuracy Of The First Impression by Amanda Radley
Woodlands Avenue is a peaceful and tranquil street, picturesque with Victorian-era homes and lined with trees. Verity Forsyth lives at 27A, and is enjoying her early retirement, active social calendar and occasional babysitting duties.
Katie Ross is starting over, leaving her old home and her controlling ex behind and moving into a new apartment. When Katie and her beloved motorbike move into 27B, she finds herself immediately in conflict with her upstairs neighbour, Verity.
Two such forceful personalities under one roof is a recipe for disaster.
When disaster strikes, will they be able to put aside their differences and call a truce?
Objecting to Her by JJ Arias
When law school rivals are forced together, fierce competitors go from enemies to something even more intense in this steamy slow burn.
Ari Vidal is starting her dream job as a prosecutor in Miami. After three years of competing with Sloane Medina in law school, she’s ready to shine on her own. When Sloane unexpectedly starts working at the same office, Ari’s plans are shattered, and she discovers old rivalries die hard.
Sloane expected to be working at a prestigious Manhattan law firm, but she’s trapped in Miami instead. As if things couldn’t get any worse, Ari, who insists on constantly competing with her, is back in her orbit.
Thrown together, the women find themselves back at each other’s throats. But, despite their best efforts to remain enemies, their relationship changes when they start to see beyond each other’s icy exteriors.
Passions burn hot enough to melt glaciers in this addictive clash between two strong women who have more in common than they realize. The only question is . . . can they get out of their own way?
Hard To Get by Cynthia Dane & Hildred Billings
What do you do when the hottest and richest woman in town asks you out?
Run, apparently.
NADIA
No one has seen more billionaire-matchmaking carnage than Nadia Gaines, receptionist to the most expensive office around. If it’s not some old (and married) guy trying to impress her with diamonds and trips to paradise, then it’s…
Well, it’s Eva Warren, an old-money heiress whose tabloid exploits are as sordid as they are really, really gay.
Nadia is no stranger to lesbian lust. But no matter how much she wants to give in to Eva’s seduction, one mantra lurks in the back of her mind: Never date a billionaire!
Until the one night she does give in, anyway. Then everything goes to hell.
EVA
Life as a billionaire heiress isn’t all sunshine and kitty whiskers, especially if that heiress is Eva Warren. She’s managed to shake off tabloid gossip that’s ruined more than one woman’s life, but she’ll never be able to shake the two things she wants most: to work for her family’s business, and to date every beautiful woman she meets.
Curvy Nadia isn’t like the others, however. Even though the mutual attraction exists, for some reason she keeps shooting down Eva’s advances. Until Eva finally gets Nadia right where she wants her…
So begins one of the hottest games of hard to get to ever befall womankind. High society might not survive it.
Bloom by Bryce Oakley
What happens when you let your guard down and let someone see the real you? Will they like what they find?
Meghan Koo doesn’t take life too seriously — especially not in the ten years since she’s broken away from her conservative, homophobic upbringing. Now, as the drummer for The Shrikes, she’s touring the world and getting to play the music she loves. You could say she’s officially Living The Dream.
Collins has fought for years to be taken seriously as a woman in a male-dominated industry. As one of the most well-respected producers in the world, she doesn’t have time or energy to take others feelings into consideration, earning her a fairly… callous reputation. But is it totally deserved?
When The Shrikes land the amazing opportunity to have a live show and album special produced, the record label taps Collins to produce — given that she did an incredible job on The Shrikes’ Kaleidoscope album. When the opportunity arises for Collins to take over as Director, she’s told that Meg is the key to getting The Shrikes to back her new role.
Now, Collins finds that she has to get Meg on her side, and they’re both a bit surprised by what they find once they stop arguing and start getting to know one another.
Will the two women be able to call a truce in order for the show to go on? Or will the fireworks between them set the entire concert on fire?
Chaos Agent by Lee Winter
What happens when the sweetest employee learns her boss’s evil secrets? This opposites-attract ice queen romance asks: Can a villain truly be redeemed?
CEO Michelle Hastings has foolishly promoted a kind, clueless activist to her full-time staff. Now, on top of fighting her inconvenient feelings, Michelle must hide the evil they do.
Eden Lawless relishes her new job, the hot boss who gives her butterflies, and her eccentric workmates who tell weird jokes about their day. Blackmail? Hacking? Doxing? Hilarious! But what if it’s not a joke? Would that mean Eden has to fight the boss she’s falling for?
Strictly Business by Alexa Woods
A terrible business idea. Two clashing personalities struggling to make it work. A blossoming attraction.
Taylor Samson has one goal in life: to give her daughter a better future. That’s why she left the comforts of her hometown for the big city. That’s why she works like a zombie. And that’s why she gathers strength and pitches her big business idea to Christina, a gorgeous, calculating investor. Her dreams are trampled underfoot when the heartless business lady coldly rejects her proposal.
Christina Hilford has one goal in life: to be successful in her career. Families and changing diapers are the last things on her mind. So when she meets Taylor, an obvious amateur in the business world, she can’t help but roll her eyes. It doesn’t matter that she’s stunning.
Despite their immediate disdain for each other, Christina and Taylor soon find themselves thrown into the task of making Taylor’s disaster of a business plan work. Slowly, their preconceptions of each other start to give way. Taylor can’t seem to resist the moments when Christina lets down her guard. And Christina is starting to wonder if this little family can give her the home she’s never had.
Can they shed their prejudices and admit their growing connection to one another? Or are their lives meant to intersect briefly before they must eventually part ways?
Don’t Quit Your Daydream by Adrian J Smith
What happens in the elevator doesn’t stay in the elevator.
When Laura Finch’s business partner hires Skylar to bring their company to the next generation, Laura sees red. An obnoxious millennial isn’t someone she wants to work with—they’re known for failing their side hustles. Since Laura gave up everything for Solace Inc to succeed, including her dreams of marriage and family, she’s not willing to risk it on just anyone.
Skylar Ross vies to succeed in her first big contract and won’t let Laura’s sour personality get in her way. Each day she finds something else intriguing about Laura and all the fronts she puts up. With a dash of humor and hope, Skylar bets on her sunny disposition winning Laura over. What she doesn’t expect is her growing crush on a straight woman to go anywhere.
Dreams are meant to be scary. What will they risk to make theirs come true?
I hope you enjoy reading my 15 must-read lesbian enemies to lovers book recommendations.
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