I recently read a category romance with 3 stories in it, and one of the novellas centered around two people who work in the same area who have all this animosity towards each other, or so they think. It isn't until a wedding of mutual friends brings them together that they get the opportunity to explore the chemistry that sparks between them, and realize that all that hate is actually disguising deeper feelings.
I really enjoyed their story, and how they felt about each other. Jazz, our heroine, is spunky, and very forward. She has long since given up on love but not sex, so if nothing else, she figures now that her and Blake have admitted their attraction, they can act on it and screw like bunnies. Only Blake doesn't see Jazz as just another conquest. Although her rough behavior and antagonistic personality have always unsettled him a bit, he wants her for more than just a one-night stand.
Enemies to Lovers. There's just something so incendiary about these types of stories. Right from the start there's that incredible attraction that each person will deny with every breath, yet the more they pretend it doesn't exist, the hotter it gets. Plus, in many cases, the cause behind the hatred between them is usually a misunderstanding. Sometimes the stupid kind, but in these instances I can usually forgive them their stubborn behavior because it really kicks the heat up by several degrees. And me, I like ;)
Do you like enemies to lovers stories?
What are some of your favorites?
Leave a comment here and I will have a drawing to win a copy of this book by Leslie Kelly. Contest ends 3pm CST on Saturday, October 9th. You must answer the question(s) to qualify. Open to all.
Labels: tropes
posted by Stacy~ at 10/05/2010 07:15:00 AM
Not entering the contest..but to answer your question I love heroes/heroines who don't get along, as long as it doesn't take them the entire book to finally realize that they love each other.
byDon't enter me in contest please. I do like that story line but I will get turned off if the hero or heroine is exceptionally caustic or stubborn.
byBasically if either is too much of a PITA then I'm going to put the book down and not finish.
I love these kind of stories. It's always fun to watch how these couples find their way to each other. One of my favorites with these theme is Hot for Him by Sarah Mayberry. I have such a soft sport for her novels.
byFor me it depends on why they are enemies. Many times it's because their family was. Last book I enjoyed like this is Matter of Class by Mary Balogh.
byd53a @ aol.com
I do like enemy to lovers stories. Makes for an interesting story. I also enjoy friends to lovers, and rich guy-poor girl stories.
byI enjoy enemy to lover stories. I don't have any favorites.
byI do enjoy this trope. Isn't this the basis for the movies "The Shop Around the Corner" and "You've Got Mail"?
byMary Balogh's "A Matter of Class" is sort of a enemies-to-lovers story which I enjoyed reading very much.
cories119[at]yahoo.com
Not entering the contest, but wanted to comment...
byThe "I hate you therefore I love you" theme (that's what I call it), can either work or flop for me. Sometimes I feel like it gets overdone. But not just in books - in TV shows as well. Many writers use this premise to build sexual tension, but unless the characters are well developed and have some common interests, then the premise can backfire. Lora Leigh uses it a lot in her Breed stories - maybe not "enemies," but definitely not friends...