Trope

Clean Enemies to Lovers Romance Books

You know the moment. Two people who can't stand each other start arguing a little too loud and standing a little too close. Enemies to lovers is the trope clean romance writers do better than anyone. When chemistry can't live in the bedroom, it has to live in the way they argue. That's the whole appeal.

These are all no spice, and most never get near the line. What you get instead is slow burn done right. The tension carries the whole book. The picks cover a lot of ground: work rivals who didn't see each other coming, second chance exes who never quite let each other go, the new neighbor she swore she'd hate on sight, and her best friend's prickly older brother who's been waiting on her since she was 18.

If you love enemies to lovers but want to skip the explicit scenes, every book here delivers. Clean writers know how to make a single look earn its keep.

Cover of Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Divine Rivals

Rebecca Ross

#1 in Letters of Enchantment

Cover of Lost With My Enemy by Lily Love
Aug 25

Lost With My Enemy

Lily Love

#10 in It Happened Up North

Cover of Merry Ex-mas by Courtney Walsh

Merry Ex-mas

Courtney Walsh

Cover of Mr Fake Husband Grump by Francesca Spencer

Mr Fake Husband Grump

Francesca Spencer

#1 in Mr Grumps

Cover of Falling for Your Fake Fiancé by Emma St. Clair

Falling for Your Fake Fiancé

Emma St. Clair

#3 in Love Clichés

Cover of Resorting to Romance by Jennifer Shirk

Resorting to Romance

Jennifer Shirk

#1 in Sunny Banks

Cover of Christmas Baggage by Deborah M. Hathaway

Christmas Baggage

Deborah M. Hathaway

#1 in Christmas Escape

Cover of The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson

The Cul-de-Sac War

Melissa Ferguson

Cover of Falling for Your Enemy by Emma St. Clair

Falling for Your Enemy

Emma St. Clair

#5 in Love Clichés

Cover of Fumble All the Way by Deb Goodman

Fumble All the Way

Deb Goodman

#4 in The Peppermint Playbook

Cover of Holiday Tides by Laura Langa

Holiday Tides

Laura Langa

Cover of Atlas Falls by Midnight by Anayia Cook

Atlas Falls by Midnight

Anayia Cook

#2 in The Upside Downside

Cover of Not a Fan by Shelbey Kendall

Not a Fan

Shelbey Kendall

Cover of Of Love & Beer by Amanda Darcy

Of Love & Beer

Amanda Darcy

Cover of Love Never Happens on a Road Trip by Francesca Spencer

Love Never Happens on a Road Trip

Francesca Spencer

#4 in Love Never Happens

Cover of A Brewed Awakening by Pepper Basham

A Brewed Awakening

Pepper Basham

Cover of Much Ado About a Latte by Kathleen Fuller

Much Ado About a Latte

Kathleen Fuller

#2 in A Maple Falls Romance

Cover of The Holiduel by Hailey Gardiner

The Holiduel

Hailey Gardiner

Cover of Fearless by Lauren Roberts

Fearless

Lauren Roberts

#3 in Powerless Trilogy

Cover of Desire Or Defense by Leah Brunner

Desire Or Defense

Leah Brunner

#1 in D.C. Eagles Hockey

Cover of Her Part to Play by Jenny Erlingsson

Her Part to Play

Jenny Erlingsson

Cover of I Knew He Was Trouble by Amanda Schimmoeller

I Knew He Was Trouble

Amanda Schimmoeller

#1 in Sweeter Than Fiction

Cover of The Player and the Pop Star by Cait Elise

The Player and the Pop Star

Cait Elise

#1 in The Vista City Kings

Cover of Lauren Murphy Hates Mistletoe by Jordan Millsaps

Lauren Murphy Hates Mistletoe

Jordan Millsaps

#3 in Marriage on My Mind

Cover of Powerless by Lauren Roberts

Powerless

Lauren Roberts

#1 in Powerless Trilogy

Cover of A Fine Line by Juliana Smith

A Fine Line

Juliana Smith

#5 in Wells Family

Cover of Found in Embers by AJ Blanch

Found in Embers

AJ Blanch

#1 in Astrid Stone

Cover of Dropping the Ball by Melanie Jacobson

Dropping the Ball

Melanie Jacobson

Cover of Christmas Games and Candy Canes by C.P. Cabaniss

Christmas Games and Candy Canes

C.P. Cabaniss

#1 in Glenwood Harts

Cover of Planes, Reins, and Automobiles by Kate Watson

Planes, Reins, and Automobiles

Kate Watson

#2 in Catching Feelings

Cover of Play Me Once by Carina Taylor

Play Me Once

Carina Taylor

#2 in All's Fair

Cover of The Bluff by Emma St. Clair

The Bluff

Emma St. Clair

#2 in Love Stories in Sheet Cake

Cover of The Enemy by Sarah Adams

The Enemy

Sarah Adams

#2 in It Happened in Charleston

Cover of Mad About Yule by Genny Carrick

Mad About Yule

Genny Carrick

#1 in Love in Sunshine

Cover of Perfectly Complicated Christmas Romance by Grace Worthington

Perfectly Complicated Christmas Romance

Grace Worthington

#4 in Perfect Crush Hockey Romance

Cover of The Love Audit by Annah Conwell

The Love Audit

Annah Conwell

#1 in Sweet Peach

Cover of Vacations Like This by Carina Taylor

Vacations Like This

Carina Taylor

#4 in A Love Like This

Cover of Mr Best Friend’s Brother Grump by Francesca Spencer

Mr Best Friend’s Brother Grump

Francesca Spencer

#2 in Mr Grumps

Cover of Sense and Suitability by Pepper Basham

Sense and Suitability

Pepper Basham

Cover of Faking Christmas by Cindy Steel

Faking Christmas

Cindy Steel

#3 in Christmas Escape

Cover of One Small Secret by Esther Hatch

One Small Secret

Esther Hatch

#4 in Gift-Wrapped Romance

Cover of Her Goal by Ellie Hall

Her Goal

Ellie Hall

#3 in Love in Hockey Town

Cover of Since We've No Place to Go by Kate Watson

Since We've No Place to Go

Kate Watson

Cover of Secrets in Ice by Kennedy Plumb

Secrets in Ice

Kennedy Plumb

Cover of How to Plot a Payback by Melissa Ferguson

How to Plot a Payback

Melissa Ferguson

Cover of Love at Teamsgiving by Ellie Hall

Love at Teamsgiving

Ellie Hall

#6 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of Holiday Hostilities by Katie Bailey

Holiday Hostilities

Katie Bailey

#2 in Cyclones Christmas

Cover of Penalties and Proposals by Anne Kemp

Penalties and Proposals

Anne Kemp

#7 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of Love in Bloom by Jenny Proctor

Love in Bloom

Jenny Proctor

#4 in Some Kind of Love

Cover of Sunshine & Cinnamon by Lindsay Rochester

Sunshine & Cinnamon

Lindsay Rochester

#1 in Laurel Falls

Cover of Christmas in The Upside Downside by Anayia Cook

Christmas in The Upside Downside

Anayia Cook

#1 in The Upside Downside

Cover of All That Really Matters (A McKenzie Family Romance) by Nicole Deese

All That Really Matters (A McKenzie Family Romance)

Nicole Deese

Cover of Love Between Innings by Laura Langa

Love Between Innings

Laura Langa

#1 in Waves Baseball

Cover of Beauty and the Bad Boy by Sarah Sutton

Beauty and the Bad Boy

Sarah Sutton

#1 in Beauties and Boys

Cover of Molasses and Mr. Christmas by Lindsey Jesionowski

Molasses and Mr. Christmas

Lindsey Jesionowski

#6 in Christmas Kisses & Cookie Crumbs

Cover of How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

How to Love Your Neighbor

Sophie Sullivan

#1 in The Jansen Brothers

Cover of Blossoms & Breezes by Lindsay Rochester

Blossoms & Breezes

Lindsay Rochester

#4 in Laurel Falls

Cover of Mistletoe Fall Out by Larissa Hommes

Mistletoe Fall Out

Larissa Hommes

#2 in Mistletoe Meadows

Cover of The Golden Goal by Annah Conwell

The Golden Goal

Annah Conwell

#1 in More Than a Game

Cover of Misfortune and Mr. Right by Savannah Scott

Misfortune and Mr. Right

Savannah Scott

#4 in Only Magic in the Building

Cover of Single All the Way by Kate Watson

Single All the Way

Kate Watson

Cover of Reckless by Lauren Roberts

Reckless

Lauren Roberts

#2 in Powerless Trilogy

Cover of The Retreat by Hailey Gardiner

The Retreat

Hailey Gardiner

#1 in Falling for Franklin

Cover of Yellows Hibiscus by Tope Omotosho

Yellows Hibiscus

Tope Omotosho

#2 in Flower Series

Cover of Melodies and Mistletoe by Kasey Stockton

Melodies and Mistletoe

Kasey Stockton

#3 in Christmas in the City

Cover of Call My Bluff by Erin Chesnut

Call My Bluff

Erin Chesnut

#2 in Cypress Valley Sweethearts

Cover of Ready to Be Loved By You by Enewerome

Ready to Be Loved By You

Enewerome

Cover of Shipped by Angie Hockman

Shipped

Angie Hockman

Cover of The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

Ally Carter

Cover of A Summer of Stars by Liana Cincotti
Aug 11

A Summer of Stars

Liana Cincotti

Cover of How to Kiss Your Enemy by Jenny Proctor

How to Kiss Your Enemy

Jenny Proctor

#3 in How to Kiss a Hawthorne

Cover of Drawn Together by Juliana Smith

Drawn Together

Juliana Smith

Cover of Breaking the Ice by Whitney Dineen

Breaking the Ice

Whitney Dineen

#1 in Love on Thin Ice

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