Three Ways to Write Enemies to Lovers
Readers love characters who feel passionate about each other from the beginning, whether it be love or hate. There are endless variations, but here are three main ways to write an enemies to lovers romance.
Opposite sides
Sometimes characters are enemies by circumstance, cast by fate onto opposing sides of a war or political situation. But when they meet, they find they have a lot in common and start to feel friendly toward each other. There are a few ways to go here. Your characters could already think the war is stupid and distrust their own side, happily forsaking it for each other. Or they could harbor intense hatred for anyone on the other side because they’ve been raised that way, only to find their assumptions were wrong and end up in a crisis of faith. Or the characters could be in an epic, forbidden romance: something that would doom themselves and their families if it was ever discovered.
It’s personal
Sometimes characters just don’t like each other. Maybe they’re rivals at work or in sports. Maybe they have a meet-ugly fender bender or photo bomb. Whatever the case, these two seriously can’t stand each other…until they can. The change might come about because one unexpectedly helps the other, who then realizes their enemy is actually a nice person. Or maybe there are explanations and apologies for a misunderstanding. Perhaps they just get snowed into a hotel room with only one bed. However it happens, their intense relationship then ignites in the other direction.
Enemies with benefits
Okay, so these characters are clearly not right for each other. They can’t stand each other, and even if they could, the narrative dooms them to be enemies. But they’re definitely hooking up. Maybe they find each other attractive and agree to seek some mutual release from stress. Or maybe it happens unexpectedly in a moment of passion. Either way, the physical closeness and trust they find in bed are at odds with their outward relationship. And something’s gotta give.
Enemies to lovers often draws in other tropes like single or mutual pining, slow burn, and forced proximity. However you write it, readers love when characters get dragged kicking and screaming into their Happily Ever After.
Sign up for my free monthly newsletter and never miss a writing article! Or subscribe by RSS