There’s just something about enemies to lovers in a fantasy setting — the tension, the snark, the angst, the sword fights that feel like foreplay? If you're like me and live for the slow burn + high-stakes combo, these are five books that had me kicking my feet and screaming into a pillow. Let’s dive in 🐉💘

I will never stop recommending these books, they live rent free in my heart and mind!

The Awakening by Caroline Peckham and Susanne Valenti

I started Zodiac Academy back in 2022 and it’s still in my top 5 fantasy enemies-to-lovers series. I read the whole thing in under a week… and if you’ve seen the size of those books, you’ll know that’s no small feat.

I was reading all day, into the night, stopping only to cook dinner or use the bathroom. When I say it gave me the worst migraine I’ve ever had, I’m not even joking—I ended up in bed for a week, hiding under the covers like a hungover dragon.

Safe to say… I haven’t done that again (yet).

Who else has absolutely wrecked themselves for a book before? Please tell me I’m not alone 😂

This is a dark fantasy romance series set in a brutal magical school where twins Tory and Darcy discover they're the long-lost Fae heirs to a powerful throne. But claiming their place means surviving deadly trials, ruthless bullies, and an elite group of heirs who will do anything to stop them. Think magic, mayhem, and enemies-to-lovers chaos with serious bite.

The enemies to lovers factor in Zodiac Academy? Absolutely feral.

From the second Tory and Darcy arrive, the Celestial Heirs make it their mission to break them. The tension is insane — full of cruel pranks, savage banter, stolen glances, and forbidden moments that slowly unravel into something deeper.

It’s not just enemies to lovers… it’s enemies to soul-crushing obsession to “I’d burn the world down for you” — all with layers of betrayal, longing, and heartbreak.

Tropes:

✨ Enemies to Lovers 🔥 Bully Romance

🏫 Magical Academy 🌑 Fated Mates / Soul Bonds

👯‍♀️ Lost Royal Heirs 💔 Forbidden Love

🧙‍♂️ Elemental Magic 👑 Power Struggle & Political Intrigue

Powerless by lauren Roberts

I loved this book so much. Powerless completely pulled me in—amazing tension, great characters, and that perfect enemies to lovers energy 👌

It’s the first in a series, and the ending had me desperate for book two… only to realise I had to wait weeks for the next release 😭

Why do I always start series that aren’t finished yet? Do I learn? No. Do I regret it? Also no.

In a world ruled by the powerful, Paedyn is an Ordinary—born without magic and forced to hide in plain sight. When a twist of fate lands her in the deadly Purging Trials, she must outwit enemies and survive against impossible odds. But one of her biggest threats might just be Kai, the cold, elite Enforcer who sees right through her… or does he?

A gripping fantasy with enemies to lovers, danger, secrets, and slow-burn tension.

The enemies to lovers tension in Powerless by Lauren Roberts?? SO GOOD.

Paedyn and Kai are the definition of “I hate you…but not really 👀.”
The banter, the slow-burn, the danger, the longing—it’s everything I want in a fantasy romance.

If you love morally grey guys and fierce heroines pretending not to fall for them… this one’s for you.

Tropes:

🖤 Enemies to Lovers 🔥 Slow Burn Romance

🏹 Forced Proximity ⚔️ Deadly Trials

🕵️‍♀️ Secret Identity

A Court Of Thorns And Roses by Sarah J. Maas

I was not ready for the emotional spiral that is ACOTAr. I came out the other side with trust issues, a book hangover, and a new obsession (massive).

This was one of those series where I read one book and instantly needed the next. That ending?? I was feral. And don’t even get me started on the shift from book 1 to 2 👀

I loved it so much I've been begging my sisters to read it so I have someone to talk to about it!

ACOTAR follows Feyre, a mortal huntress, who is dragged into the fae realm after killing a wolf in the woods—only to discover the magical world is full of secrets, curses, and dangerous love. What starts as survival turns into something much bigger... and much darker.

At first glance, A Court of Thorns and Roses doesn’t seem like a traditional enemies-to-lovers story — but it absolutely delivers on the tension.

Feyre is taken into the fae world against her will, full of mistrust, resentment, and fear. She’s a human in a land that sees her as lesser, and she wants nothing more than to escape. Her relationship with her captor starts cold, distant, and built on lies and power imbalance — but slowly, feelings shift. Loyalties change. And what was once fear turns into something much more complicated.

And just when you think you know who the love interest is... well. You don’t. 😏

It’s a slow unravelling, filled with mistrust, push-pull dynamics, and that intense "should I love you or run from you" energy that makes enemies-to-lovers so addictive.

Tropes:

🖤 Enemies to Lovers 🗡️ Trials / Deadly Games

🏰 Beauty & the Beast Retelling 💔 Love Triangle

🔥 Slow Burn Romance 🌌 Found Family - eventually through the series

🎭 Hidden Powers / Secret Identity 👑 Mysterious Powerful Male Lead

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

I didn’t love The Cruel Prince the first time I read it, but after reading The Stolen Heir and absolutely loving it, I decided to give the series another go. And wow — I ended up absolutely loving it, so much that I’ve reread it again! I’m always thinking about this book and seriously considering another reread soon.

The Cruel Prince follows Jude, a mortal girl living in the dangerous and deceitful world of the fae. Raised in a court that sees her as inferior, she’s determined to prove her worth—no matter the cost. But to survive the politics, betrayal, and power plays of Elfhame, she’ll have to outwit the very people who want her gone… including the infuriatingly cruel Prince Cardan.

This is a masterclass in slow-burn tension.

Jude and Cardan loathe each other. He’s cruel, privileged, and makes her life miserable. She’s defiant, clever, and refuses to bow to anyone. Their dynamic is full of mutual hatred, sharp words, and dangerous games.

But underneath all that tension? Obsession. Longing. Respect (even if neither of them wants to admit it). It's messy. It's emotional. And it builds across the whole series in the most satisfying way.

If you love the kind of enemies to lovers that makes you yell at the page, this one’s for you.

Tropes:

🖤 Enemies to Lovers 🧠 Morally Grey Characters

👑 Fae Royal Politics 💥 Rivals with Chemistry

⚔️ Mortal Girl vs Immortal World 🕵️‍♀️ Court Intrigue / Spying / Strategy

💣 Power Struggle

What lies beyond the veil by Harper L. Woods

This was one of the very first romantasy books I read with an enemies-to-lovers storyline, and I fell straight in love with it. When I started, the series wasn’t complete yet — I’ve read the first three books so far, and the fourth is out now, which I definitely need to order! This is a five-book series, and I’m so excited to keep going.

What lies beyond the veil is a dark romantic fantasy set in a world divided by a magical barrier known as the veil, separating mortals and powerful fae. On the night of Estrella's forced marriage the veil shatters, unleashing the fae- branding estrella with their mark.

The tension between Estrella and Caelum in What Lies Beyond the Veil is everything you want in an enemies-to-lovers dynamic — sharp banter, clashing agendas, and an undeniable pull that neither of them can resist. Estrella is fierce, independent, and determined to uncover the truth, while Caelum is powerful, mysterious, and maddeningly arrogant. They don’t trust each other, yet their chemistry is magnetic, and every stolen glance or heated argument adds fuel to the fire. Watching their connection evolve from suspicion and resistance to passion and vulnerability is what makes this story so addictive.

Enemies? Absolutely. Lovers? Oh, just wait.

tropes:

🔥 Heated arguments & biting tension ❤️‍🔥 Slow burn attraction

⚔️ Fierce rivalry & clashes 🔮 Magic & mystery adding layers

💔 Walls slowly breaking down 💫 Unexpected emotional connection