Three pages on this trope: this blog post looks at enemies to lovers when both heroines are lesbians. For the trope across all sapphic romance — what it means, how it is written and how it combines with others — read our enemies to lovers sapphic romance guide. To pick a book, go to the 25 best enemies-to-lovers lesbian romance books, ranked and reviewed.
Enemies to lovers is everywhere in sapphic romance, but a lot of it is built around one heroine discovering she likes women at all. This post is about something narrower: lesbian enemies to lovers, where both women already know exactly who they are — and that the problem is each other.
What Changes When Both Heroines Are Lesbians
Take away the awakening and the trope gets sharper. There is no “am I even into women?” to soften the hostility or explain the delay. The only thing standing between the two heroines is the enmity itself — the rivalry, the grudge, the opposite side — so the book has to make that conflict carry the whole story.
A few things tend to come with it:
- A small world. In a lesbian community, your enemy is hard to avoid: the same bar, the same friends, sometimes the same ex.
- Identity is not the obstacle, but the world can be. When there is outside pressure — a conservative town, a religious employer, a closet — it usually lands on one heroine and becomes part of the fight between them.
- Butch and femme dynamics. Butch/butch and butch/femme rivalries are a distinctly lesbian flavour of the trope, with their own banter and their own tensions.
Lesbian Enemies-to-Lovers Books We Have Reviewed
These are books where the book itself — its blurb, subtitle or text — identifies its heroines as lesbians. Each links to our full review.
Desperate Times
A butch/butch romance about the only two lesbians in a conservative ranch town, who get off to a bad start after a catfished first date. Frank, funny and high-heat.
Loser of the Year by Carrie Byrd
An out Jewish lesbian theatre teacher takes a job at a strict Catholic girls’ school, where the closeted soccer coach declares war on her musical. Workplace sparring with real weight on faith and coming out; it is also on our ranked list.
Rubies and Revenge by Lexie A. Lynn
Sold as a lesbian mafia romance: a mafia princess refuses the brutal man her parents chose for her and finds a woman, and a queer found family, instead. It also appears on our ranked list and our lesbian mafia romance books page.
A Game of Hearts and Heists by Ruby Roe
Subtitled a steamy lesbian fantasy romance: rival thieves on a heist crew, with a found family around them.
Where to Go Next
For the full picture of the trope — including bi and queer heroines, and combinations like enemies to lovers with age gap or ice queen — read the enemies to lovers sapphic romance guide. To choose your next book, the 25 best enemies-to-lovers lesbian romance books ranks every one we have reviewed by reader ratings.
This post contains links to our reviews. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
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