WLW Reads

Sapphic Enemies to Lovers Books and Rivals-to-Lovers Romance

Use this page when the romantic tension starts with rivalry, opposition, competition, mistrust, or enemies-on-opposite-sides stakes. The list is backed by the enemies / rivals to lovers cluster, so books need explicit enemies-to-lovers or rivals-to-lovers trope data before they appear here.

Search and filter this guide

Use the controls below to narrow by genre, age category, ending, spice level, trope, year, mood, and text search.

15 matching books

Quick comparison table

Compare age category, genre, ending, mood, and content notes before opening a full recommendation card.

Book	Author	Publication year	Genre	Age category	Ending	Best for
To the Death	Andrea Tang	2026	YA	YA	unknown	YA readers wanting sharp sapphic fantasy romance
The Phoenix Keeper	S. A. MacLean	2024	Fantasy	Adult	unknown	readers wanting cozy sapphic fantasy romance
Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail	Ashley Herring Blake	2022	Romance	Adult	happy	rom-com readers who like prickly leads
Youngblood	Sasha Laurens	2022	Fantasy	YA	unknown	YA readers wanting queer vampire boarding school drama
Gearbreakers	Zoe Hana Mikuta	2021	Sci-fi	YA	ambiguous	YA readers wanting high-energy sci-fi
Not My Problem	Ciara Smyth	2021	YA	YA	unknown	YA readers wanting funny sapphic rivals-to-lovers romance with problem-solving chaos
She Drives Me Crazy	Kelly Quindlen	2021	YA	YA	happy	YA rom-com fans
The Midnight Girls	Alicia Jasinska	2021	YA	YA	unknown	YA readers wanting dark sapphic romantasy with rival monster girls
Iron Heart	Nina Varela	2020	Sci-fi	YA	happy	readers finishing the Crier's War duology
The Dark Tide	Alicia Jasinska	2020	Fantasy	YA	unknown	YA readers wanting dark sapphic enemies-to-lovers fantasy
The Henna Wars	Adiba Jaigirdar	2020	YA	YA	happy	teen contemporary romance readers
The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea	Maggie Tokuda-Hall	2020	Fantasy	YA	ambiguous	readers seeking sapphic pirate fantasy
Crier's War	Nina Varela	2019	Sci-fi	YA	ambiguous	YA readers who like science-fantasy romance
This Is How You Lose the Time War	Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone	2019	Sci-fi	Adult	happy	readers who like experimental romantic sci-fi
The Abyss Surrounds Us	Emily Skrutskie	2016	Sci-fi	YA	ambiguous	readers seeking sapphic pirate sci-fi

Why these books stand out

Each note is written for discovery, so you can decide what to read next without relying on copied retailer blurbs.

YA · YA

To the Death

by Andrea Tang (2026)

Goodreads search

To the Death fits readers who want YA readers wanting sharp sapphic fantasy romance inside a ya frame with a tense, romantic reading feel. Expect a unknown ending profile, no on-page heat, and rivals to lovers, magical duel, with content notes around violence, revenge, grief, magical peril.

Representation: sapphic teen romance
Tropes: rivals to lovers, magical duel, revenge
Mood: tense, romantic
Content notes: violence, revenge, grief, magical peril
Formats: Hardcover, Audiobook, Kindle

Publisher page

Best for: YA readers wanting sharp sapphic fantasy romance

Fantasy · Adult

The Phoenix Keeper

by S. A. MacLean (2024)

Goodreads search

The Phoenix Keeper fits readers who want readers wanting cozy sapphic fantasy romance inside a fantasy frame with a cozy, romantic reading feel. Expect a unknown ending profile, mild on-page heat, and magical zoo, rivals to lovers, with content notes around animal endangerment, poaching threat, anxiety.

Representation: bisexual protagonist; sapphic romance
Tropes: magical zoo, rivals to lovers
Mood: cozy, romantic
Content notes: animal endangerment, poaching threat, anxiety
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Publisher page

Best for: readers wanting cozy sapphic fantasy romance

Romance · Adult

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail

by Ashley Herring Blake (2022)

Goodreads search

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail fits readers who want rom-com readers who like prickly leads inside a romance frame with a witty, romantic reading feel. Expect a happy ending profile, medium on-page heat, and rivals to lovers, home renovation, with content notes around family expectations, grief.

Representation: sapphic romance
Tropes: rivals to lovers, home renovation
Mood: witty, romantic
Content notes: family expectations, grief
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: rom-com readers who like prickly leads

Fantasy · YA

Youngblood

by Sasha Laurens (2022)

Goodreads search

Youngblood fits readers who want YA readers wanting queer vampire boarding school drama inside a fantasy frame with a sharp, romantic reading feel. Expect a unknown ending profile, no on-page heat, and vampire school, rivals to lovers, with content notes around blood, class conflict, violence.

Representation: queer teen girls; sapphic romance
Tropes: vampire school, rivals to lovers
Mood: sharp, romantic
Content notes: blood, class conflict, violence
Formats: Paperback, Kindle

Author page

Best for: YA readers wanting queer vampire boarding school drama

Sci-fi · YA

Gearbreakers

by Zoe Hana Mikuta (2021)

Goodreads search

Gearbreakers fits readers who want YA readers wanting high-energy sci-fi inside a sci-fi frame with a action-packed, angsty reading feel. Expect a ambiguous ending profile, no on-page heat, and enemies to lovers, mecha rebellion, with content notes around violence, war, oppression.

Representation: sapphic protagonists
Tropes: enemies to lovers, mecha rebellion
Mood: action-packed, angsty
Content notes: violence, war, oppression
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: YA readers wanting high-energy sci-fi

YA · YA

Not My Problem

by Ciara Smyth (2021)

Goodreads search

Not My Problem fits readers who want YA readers wanting funny sapphic rivals-to-lovers romance with problem-solving chaos inside a ya frame with a funny, sharp reading feel. Expect a unknown ending profile, no on-page heat, and rivals to lovers, problem-solving, with content notes around parental alcoholism, injury, class stress, emotional neglect.

Representation: lesbian teen romance
Tropes: rivals to lovers, problem-solving, school hijinks
Mood: funny, sharp
Content notes: parental alcoholism, injury, class stress, emotional neglect
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Publisher page

Best for: YA readers wanting funny sapphic rivals-to-lovers romance with problem-solving chaos

YA · YA

She Drives Me Crazy

by Kelly Quindlen (2021)

Goodreads search

She Drives Me Crazy fits readers who want YA rom-com fans inside a ya frame with a fun, upbeat reading feel. Expect a happy ending profile, no on-page heat, and fake dating, enemies to lovers, with content notes around breakups, family pressure.

Representation: sapphic teens
Tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers, sports
Mood: fun, upbeat
Content notes: breakups, family pressure
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: YA rom-com fans

YA · YA

The Midnight Girls

by Alicia Jasinska (2021)

Goodreads search

The Midnight Girls fits readers who want YA readers wanting dark sapphic romantasy with rival monster girls inside a ya frame with a dark, romantic reading feel. Expect a unknown ending profile, no on-page heat, and rivals to lovers, monster girls, with content notes around body horror, witch violence, murder attempts, child abuse references.

Representation: sapphic rivals-to-lovers romance
Tropes: rivals to lovers, monster girls, heart magic
Mood: dark, romantic
Content notes: body horror, witch violence, murder attempts, child abuse references
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Author page

Best for: YA readers wanting dark sapphic romantasy with rival monster girls

Sci-fi · YA

Iron Heart

by Nina Varela (2020)

Goodreads search

Iron Heart fits readers who want readers finishing the Crier's War duology inside a sci-fi frame with a romantic, adventurous reading feel. Expect a happy ending profile, no on-page heat, and rebellion, enemies to lovers, with content notes around violence, oppression.

Representation: sapphic protagonists
Tropes: rebellion, enemies to lovers
Mood: romantic, adventurous
Content notes: violence, oppression
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: readers finishing the Crier's War duology

Fantasy · YA

The Dark Tide

by Alicia Jasinska (2020)

Goodreads search

The Dark Tide fits readers who want YA readers wanting dark sapphic enemies-to-lovers fantasy inside a fantasy frame with a dark, romantic reading feel. Expect a unknown ending profile, no on-page heat, and enemies to lovers, witch queen, with content notes around human sacrifice, drowning threat, grief, fantasy violence.

Representation: sapphic enemies-to-lovers romance
Tropes: enemies to lovers, witch queen, sacrifice
Mood: dark, romantic
Content notes: human sacrifice, drowning threat, grief, fantasy violence
Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle

Author page

Best for: YA readers wanting dark sapphic enemies-to-lovers fantasy

YA · YA

The Henna Wars

by Adiba Jaigirdar (2020)

Goodreads search

The Henna Wars works well for readers weighing ya scope, sweet, hopeful mood, and teen contemporary romance readers.

Representation: Bangladeshi Irish lesbian teen
Tropes: rivals to lovers, school project
Mood: sweet, hopeful
Content notes: racism, outing, cultural appropriation
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: teen contemporary romance readers

Fantasy · YA

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea

by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (2020)

Goodreads search

The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea works well for readers weighing fantasy scope, adventurous, dark mood, and readers seeking sapphic pirate fantasy.

Representation: sapphic central relationship
Tropes: pirates, sea magic, enemies to lovers
Mood: adventurous, dark
Content notes: violence, colonialism, captivity
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: readers seeking sapphic pirate fantasy

Sci-fi · YA

Crier's War

by Nina Varela (2019)

Goodreads search

Crier's War works well for readers weighing sci-fi scope, romantic, political mood, and YA readers who like science-fantasy romance.

Representation: sapphic protagonists
Tropes: enemies to lovers, androids
Mood: romantic, political
Content notes: oppression, violence
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: YA readers who like science-fantasy romance

Sci-fi · Adult

This Is How You Lose the Time War

by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (2019)

Goodreads search

This Is How You Lose the Time War works well for readers weighing sci-fi scope, lyrical, romantic mood, and readers who like experimental romantic sci-fi.

Representation: sapphic central relationship
Tropes: letters, rivals to lovers, time travel
Mood: lyrical, romantic
Content notes: war, violence, poetic ambiguity
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: readers who like experimental romantic sci-fi

Sci-fi · YA

The Abyss Surrounds Us

by Emily Skrutskie (2016)

Goodreads search

The Abyss Surrounds Us works well for readers weighing sci-fi scope, adventurous, tense mood, and readers seeking sapphic pirate sci-fi.

Representation: sapphic protagonists
Tropes: pirates, enemies to lovers, sea monsters
Mood: adventurous, tense
Content notes: violence, captivity
Formats: Paperback, Audiobook, Kindle

Best for: readers seeking sapphic pirate sci-fi

Best sapphic enemies-to-lovers books by tension type

Start with the shape of the conflict, then use filters for age category, genre, heat level, ending, content notes, and format.

Contemporary rivalry and rom-com tension

Use romance pages when school rivalry, workplace friction, sports competition, or sharp banter is the main reading hook.

Best Sapphic Romance Books and WLW Romance Novels Best Lesbian Romance Books and Sapphic Romance Novels WLW Romance Books and Sapphic Love Stories

Fantasy rivals and magical opposition

Use fantasy romance and romantasy routes when enemies-to-lovers stakes involve magic, witches, monsters, quests, or court politics.

Sapphic Fantasy Romance Books and Romantic WLW Fantasy Sapphic Romantasy Books and WLW Fantasy Romance Best Sapphic Fantasy Books and WLW Fantasy Novels

Sci-fi enemies on opposite sides

Use sci-fi routes when the romantic tension comes through rebellion, war, time travel, mecha, androids, or speculative conflict.

Sapphic Sci-Fi Books and WLW Science Fiction Lesbian Sci-Fi Books and Sapphic Science Fiction Novels Best WLW Books and Recommendations

YA rivalry with lower heat

Use YA routes, spice level, and content notes when recommending rivalry-driven books to teen readers, classrooms, libraries, or lower-intensity readers.

Sapphic YA Books and Young Adult WLW Novels Best Lesbian YA Books and Young Adult WLW Novels WLW YA Books and Young Adult Women-Loving-Women Novels

Adjacent routes for rivals-to-lovers readers

If this focused trope list is too narrow, move sideways into comfort romance, broad recommendations, audio, or fantasy parents without losing the sapphic context.

Happy endings and safer romance picks

Use ending and comfort-reading routes when the reader wants romantic payoff after tension, rivalry, or conflict-heavy setup.

Best Lesbian Books with Happy Endings and Sapphic Comfort Reads Sapphic Book Recommendations by Genre, Mood, and Reader Need Lesbian Book Recommendations by Mood, Genre, and Reader Need

Audiobook-friendly rivalry

Use audiobook routes when listening availability matters first, then verify narrator, edition, and regional access externally.

Best Sapphic Audiobooks and WLW Books in Audio Best Lesbian Audiobooks and Sapphic Books in Audio Best WLW Audiobooks and Women-Loving-Women Books in Audio

Broader fantasy and romance parents

Use parent genre pages when the reader knows the genre first and only wants enemies-to-lovers as one filter.

Best Sapphic Fantasy Books and WLW Fantasy Novels Best Lesbian Fantasy Books and Sapphic Fantasy Novels Best Lesbian Romance Books and Sapphic Romance Novels

New releases and broad discovery

Use new-release and broad WLW routes when the reader wants recent or nearby sapphic books beyond one trope.

New Lesbian Books and Recent Sapphic Fiction to Watch Best Sapphic Books to Read Best WLW Books and Recommendations Best Lesbian Books to Read

How to choose sapphic enemies-to-lovers books

Enemies-to-lovers and rivals-to-lovers searches work best when you decide whether the conflict is contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, YA, or romance-first.

Start with genre when the reader wants rivalry inside a specific frame, such as YA rom-com, adult romance, fantasy romance, sci-fi, or pirate adventure.
Use content notes and ending before recommending high-conflict books to a teen reader, book club, classroom, or lower-risk reading situation.
Compare this page with sapphic romance, fantasy romance, romantasy, sci-fi, YA, happy-ending books, and audiobooks when the first shortlist is too narrow.

Related guides

Keep exploring within the same language version of WLW Reads with these nearby reading paths.

FAQ

What counts as a sapphic enemies-to-lovers book here?

Books appear here when the database has explicit enemies-to-lovers or rivals-to-lovers trope data and the title fits sapphic, lesbian, WLW, queer women, or women-loving-women discovery.

Are rivals-to-lovers books included?

Yes. This page groups enemies-to-lovers and rivals-to-lovers together because many readers use both terms for high-tension romantic arcs.

Does this page include fantasy and sci-fi?

Yes. The trope can appear in contemporary romance, YA rom-coms, fantasy romance, science fiction, pirate stories, and darker speculative fiction.

Are all books on this page romances?

No. Some are romance-first, while others are fantasy, sci-fi, or adventure books with a strong sapphic romantic tension arc.

Can I find YA enemies-to-lovers books here?

Yes. Use age category, spice level, and content notes when choosing for teen readers, classrooms, libraries, or lower-intensity recommendations.

Does WLW Reads host downloads or book text?

No. WLW Reads is a discovery site. External links point toward publisher pages, author pages, library catalogs, Goodreads, or legitimate retailers.

How WLW Reads handles external links

WLW Reads does not host pirated downloads or PDF files. Outbound links may point to Goodreads, library catalogs, publisher pages, or legitimate retailers. If affiliate links are added later, they will be clearly disclosed.