The popular enemies-to-lovers trope: romantic or toxic?
Today’s blog is a shallow dive into the popular enemies-to-lovers trope that booktokers, bookstagrammers, and Wattpad readers, especially teen girls, LOOVEE. Bonus: It also includes a sneak peak to an enemies-to-lovers scene that’s coming up in my story ‘The Realms Of Confusion’!
Note: Only the first chapter of “The Realms Of Confusion’ has been posted so far. This scene is just a trailer to the love track coming ahead.
What is enemies-to-lovers?
It is a famous book/movie trope where two characters who hate each other, are each others’ nemesis, and are destined to be enemies fall in love. It often includes the “hero” and “villain” falling in love with each other. Example: Cruel Prince by Holly Black.
Or it might be two “heroes” who are pitted against each other by circumstances and their values. Example: We Hunt The Flame by Hafsah Faizal.
Sub-tropes of enemies to lovers
- Hate to love: When two characters aren’t necessarily enemies, they aren’t fighting with or antagonizing each other. But they don’t like each other. Example: Pride And Prejudice.
- Reluctant Allies: When two characters are enemies, but the story focuses on them forcibly working together and falling in love. Example: Nina And Matthias From Six Of Crows.
- Rivals To Lovers: The characters are in a competitive relationship but don’t want to harm/hate each other like enemies. Example: Night Circus.
- Undercover Enemies: One goes undercover to kill the enemy, but the other doesn’t know they are enemies. Example: To Kill A Kingdom.
- Friends-to-enemies-to-lovers: Check out chapter one of my story which has this trope:
6. Captured By The Enemy: Example: Beauty and Beast + all its retellings.
7. Villian with The Main Character: When the actual villain of the movie or book is also the love interest. Often, these ships are created by fandoms and are not cannon. Example: Darklina, Reylo, Sherlock And Moriarty, Drarry, Dramoine.
Why are Enemies To Lovers popular?
- Readers love the prospect of two characters seeing the worst parts of each other and still falling in love with each other.
- Internal Conflict: The characters have prejudices against each other and do not want to get together.
- Character Development: Usually, characters go through character development while getting together.
- The drama, slow burn, and anticipation make it more interesting.
Here are some Pinterest pins on what people like it:
Why do people hate enemies to lovers?
- It romanticizes morally grey/toxic relationships. In real life, relationships similar to the ones in these books or movies would be toxic.
- The main problem with enemies to lovers is that it is NOT realistic. The chances of falling in love with someone who held a dagger to your throat in real life are practically impossible. How much you like it depends on the amount of realism you want.
- If a reader is not mature enough to realize that these relationships are purely fictional and dangerous in real life it could lead to them seeking out toxic relations.
- Overall, if a reader is aware of what they want in real life and what they like in fiction, reading enemies to lovers is fine.
Should you consume enemies to lovers? ( A note to my fellow young readers )
To put it simply, if you like it and can consume it solely for entertainment, yes. But beware that you should not actively seek out such relationships in real life. Always learn to differentiate fiction from reality, especially in matters of love.
Finally, here’s a small enemies-to-lovers scene coming up in ‘The Realms Of Confusion’ !
Talon
I squeezed my eyes shut as the porcelain cut her delicate flesh. My hand jerked away as my rage vanished and gave way to guilt.
Elex’s throaty gasp echoed through the room. It would have been mine were it not for the lump forming in my throat.
I brought myself to look at Zeraphina, on the drops of blood trickling down her neck. Shock descended over our faces as realization crept in.
The porcelain shard hit the floor with a thunk as my hand fell slack. My glance was fixed at her, my heart lurching as shock and hurt veiled her fiery eyes. For a moment that seemed like an eternity, we stood there, eyes locked on each other and hearts filled with hurt.
Then, she bent down and picked up the bloody shard of porcelain. She took my hand and placed it on my palm, “Never drop your weapon on guilt, Talon.” She gently wiped off the lone tear sliding down my cheek. Her hands caressed my cheek as they had a million times before.
But this time, my stomach didn’t churn with the flight of tiny butterflies. Instead, it numbed with guilt.
Seeya later,
Mehak.
