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Before I start the entry proper, let me lead with this:
NOTE: All opinions expressed below are, obviously, just my personal opinions and not meant to denigrate those who think differently.
So, enemies-to-lovers is probably my favorite romantic trope next to childhood-friends-to-lovers (which is...kind of hilarious, I guess). However, unlike childhood-friends-to-lovers, I feel like there are more pitfalls with enemies-to-lovers that can make it more of a risky trope for me in terms of enjoyment.
For one, I absolutely do not like enemies-to-lovers stories that have abusive undertones (or even overtones) at the outset that are later brushed away with no consequence. This is, unfortunately, a very real danger due to the fact that a not insignificant number of authors seem to assume that the best way to create drama is to have abusive interactions (which...baffles me and makes me sad). Initial insensitive comments on the part of one or both of the lovers is justified if they're laboring under reasonable misconceptions about each other at the outset; however, things like slurs or violating acts are absolutely not okay, unless the author has the lovers seriously talk about and apologize for their earlier actions toward each other once they start building a healthy romantic relationship.
The second concern I have about enemies-to-lovers is due to what I think as "shortcuts" to the romance part.
For me, the most interesting part of enemies-to-lovers is how two people who start out as enemies find common ground that allows them to overcome their mutual dislike and grow to sympathize and care about each other. A successful enemies-to-lovers story has a lot of intense dialogue and introspection in order to craft a carefully developed arc between the two love interests.
Some enemies-to-lovers stories, however, involve the enemies becoming interested in each other solely or primarily due to sexual attraction. As in, "I hate you, but I find you attractive so let's bang, and through the magic of sex I come to realize you're not that bad of a person after all."
Look...I'll admit in the interest of honesty that I am, generally speaking, not interested in romance novels that revolve solely or primarily around sexual attraction. I just find it boring. When enemies-to-lovers stories do it, it's almost worse because to me, it feels like it skips a lot of intricate dialogue/situation crafting and showing how the two characters are compatible with each other emotionally and in terms of personal values. The worst case scenarios, for me, feel like the author fell in love with the idea of these two particular characters being in a relationship, but didn't effectively show the reader why these two characters should be together. Which is just not an interesting romance.
So...yeah. The bottom line is, I think enemies-to-lovers are, by nature, kind of intricate relationships that aren't well served by having simplistic narratives or quick romantic developments.
NOTE: All opinions expressed below are, obviously, just my personal opinions and not meant to denigrate those who think differently.
So, enemies-to-lovers is probably my favorite romantic trope next to childhood-friends-to-lovers (which is...kind of hilarious, I guess). However, unlike childhood-friends-to-lovers, I feel like there are more pitfalls with enemies-to-lovers that can make it more of a risky trope for me in terms of enjoyment.
For one, I absolutely do not like enemies-to-lovers stories that have abusive undertones (or even overtones) at the outset that are later brushed away with no consequence. This is, unfortunately, a very real danger due to the fact that a not insignificant number of authors seem to assume that the best way to create drama is to have abusive interactions (which...baffles me and makes me sad). Initial insensitive comments on the part of one or both of the lovers is justified if they're laboring under reasonable misconceptions about each other at the outset; however, things like slurs or violating acts are absolutely not okay, unless the author has the lovers seriously talk about and apologize for their earlier actions toward each other once they start building a healthy romantic relationship.
The second concern I have about enemies-to-lovers is due to what I think as "shortcuts" to the romance part.
For me, the most interesting part of enemies-to-lovers is how two people who start out as enemies find common ground that allows them to overcome their mutual dislike and grow to sympathize and care about each other. A successful enemies-to-lovers story has a lot of intense dialogue and introspection in order to craft a carefully developed arc between the two love interests.
Some enemies-to-lovers stories, however, involve the enemies becoming interested in each other solely or primarily due to sexual attraction. As in, "I hate you, but I find you attractive so let's bang, and through the magic of sex I come to realize you're not that bad of a person after all."
Look...I'll admit in the interest of honesty that I am, generally speaking, not interested in romance novels that revolve solely or primarily around sexual attraction. I just find it boring. When enemies-to-lovers stories do it, it's almost worse because to me, it feels like it skips a lot of intricate dialogue/situation crafting and showing how the two characters are compatible with each other emotionally and in terms of personal values. The worst case scenarios, for me, feel like the author fell in love with the idea of these two particular characters being in a relationship, but didn't effectively show the reader why these two characters should be together. Which is just not an interesting romance.
So...yeah. The bottom line is, I think enemies-to-lovers are, by nature, kind of intricate relationships that aren't well served by having simplistic narratives or quick romantic developments.
