Subtypes of Enemies to Lovers

We're beginning another new type of newsletter here on Spice and Roses, and that is my corner where I get to talk about random nerdy reading/writing things. Starting off with this little post, which I think both readers and writers may find this post useful!

Have you ever read a book that was marketed as "enemies to lovers," but it didn't really hit the spot?

Well, that's because arguably, "enemies to lovers" (which I will be abbreviating to "ETL" at times here) is an entire sub-genre of romance. There are a wide variety of dynamics, and not everyone likes every dynamic. I'm going to go into depth a bit here about what these dynamics are, based on my observations of the media that I consume.

What is enemies to lovers?

I'm defining ETL here as "the portrayal of a romantic relationship between two characters who start out in opposition, or even outright dislike or hostility, but which transforms over the course of the story into romantic attraction and ultimately love." The most classic example of general enemies to lovers is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

What's so great about enemies to lovers in the first place?

You may be wondering why this is basically the hottest trend in popular fiction these days. Especially since it's not reflective of reality for a lot of us.

I argue that ETL is less about wish fulfillment and more about 1) emotional payoff and 2) power dynamics.

Firstly, an ETL storyline is a masterclass in tension and payoff. There is conflict from the beginning whether that be anger, disdain or what have you, so any small shift towards attraction actually feels earned. It is incredibly satisfying watching tension dissolve and resolve into intimacy. On top of that, an ETL story arc naturally lends itself to character development in ways that some other types of romance dynamics don't always support.

Secondly, in my view, it's also about power dynamics. If you establish characters as "enemies" from the outset, it also implies a sort of mutual respect between the characters, however begrudging it may be. That respect is... kinda sexy, so I think the power balance is a big magnet for the modern reader. It's also what I like a lot about the sub-genre.

What kinds of subtypes of enemies to lovers exist?

Over the years, I've observed a number of different types of ETL stories in fiction. So, let's go ahead and list some of these below. I've somewhat listed it by degree of hostility, starting with the most hostile to the least hostile (somewhat, it's not a perfect science).

1) "True" Enemies to Lovers

In a "true" enemies to lovers story, the two characters have legitimate, high-stakes reasons to despise each other. This can be due to betrayal, blood feuds, rival clans, company dynamics, etc. I would actually argue that this is one of the hardest dynamics to find in a way. Perhaps because it's difficult to write to go from genuine hatred to love, especially if you are just writing a standalone novel. It's easier to find in a fantasy romance setting.

To provide some examples (also within pop culture, not just books), some that come to mind are K-Pop Demon Hunters the Netflix movie, Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black, and From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout.

2) Bully Romance

In a bully romance, one love interest deliberately antagonizes or intimidates the other, often out of jealousy, obsession, hidden affection, etc., but will eventually redeem themselves in the end.

Personally, I haven't read much from this sub-genre, but some examples are Vicious by L.J. Shen and The Deal by Elle Kennedy.

3) Betrayal to Second Chance Lovers

This is a specific form of second chance romance, where former lovers (or can be friends in the case of ETL) become enemies through betrayal. This betrayal is often a misunderstanding of some sort. Due to a trope of forced proximity, the couple inevitably comes together again, and reconciles.

One example is Our Beloved Summer (the K-drama on Netflix). I'm also not the biggest fan of these so if anyone has better examples, please share!

4) Public Enemy to Private Crush

In this ETL dynamic, the leads think they're enemies in their day-to-day, but unknowingly, they're the best of friends in another part of their lives. For example, they may be workplace enemies, but anonymously be the best of internet buddies on Discord. One person may already be aware of the other person's identity. This is oftentimes told in epistolary format.

Some examples of this include You've Got Mail (the movie) and Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross.

5) One-Sided Enemies to Lovers

One character is perceived to be an enemy, but it turns out to be a misunderstanding and they have been in love with the lead all along. For example, Character A thought that because Character B glared at them one time, B hates them.

I see this one get hated on a lot as "fake enemies to lovers." I'm not sure I completely agree, but do understand the complaint here. The storytelling may not always tick the boxes that readers are looking for. This type of dynamic often makes it so that only one character exhibits development, and the other character doesn't really go through an arc. It is often based in miscommunication. Still, when well-written, it can be very entertaining due to irony/dramatic irony.

As for examples, I think Ali Hazelwood is the queen of this type of ETL. The Hating Game is also another book that is rooted in this, if I recall correctly.

6) Rivals to Lovers

The final dynamic is rivals to lovers, where the two characters are in competition with each other with varying degrees of hostility. They can compete in anything - academics, work, sports, etc. This can be friendly, one-sided, etc. and has its own array of micro-tropes as a result.

A classic example here is Anne and Gilbert from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross also counts.

Conclusion

Aside from a very classic enemies-to-lovers plot, there are numerous subtypes that have varying dynamics. I'm also probably missing some, in which case I'd love to hear from you! If you have thoughts on more types of enemies to lovers dynamics, send me an email at loekemmings@gmail.com. Thanks a lot for reading!

*My data set, if you'd like to know, is the fact that I read copious amounts of romance novels and manga, and watch a lot of romcoms.