9 Books About Enemies turned allies
There’s something utterly electrifying about two sworn enemies forced to set aside their hatred and work together. Whether it’s bitter rivals uniting against a greater evil, warriors who once sought each other’s blood now fighting side by side, or adversaries who slowly learn to trust, these stories pulse with high-stakes tension, reluctant camaraderie, and sizzling chemistry.
In these nine books, alliances are forged in fire, and enemies become something far more dangerous—something close.
1. The Cruel Prince by Holly Black
🖤 A Mortal Girl and a Wicked Prince—From Hatred to Uneasy Partnership
Jude has spent her life despising Prince Cardan, the cruel and arrogant fae noble who makes her existence in Elfhame unbearable. But when court politics and war loom on the horizon, Jude and Cardan must become allies to survive the brutal world of the fae. Their partnership is tense, intoxicating, and riddled with secrets—and neither knows who will betray the other first.
📖 Read if you love: Enemies-to-lovers, political intrigue, and fae court drama.
2. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
🔥 A Rebel and a Gold—Two Men Who Should Want Each Other Dead
Darrow, a lowborn Red, infiltrates the elite Gold society with one mission: bring down the oppressors from within. But when he meets Sevro, a twisted, deadly Gold warrior, everything changes. Despite their differences, Sevro becomes Darrow’s fiercest ally, proving that even the most brutal enemies can forge unbreakable bonds in the fires of war.
📖 Read if you love: Sci-fi rebellion, brutal training sequences, and unexpected friendships.
3. Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
🖤 A Witch and a Witch Hunter—Bound Together by Fate
Lou is a witch. Reid is a witch hunter. Their fates should have ended in bloodshed, but instead, they find themselves unwillingly bound in marriage. Forced to work together against a greater enemy, their hatred slowly turns into something far more complicated—an understanding, a partnership… and maybe something deeper.
📖 Read if you love: Forbidden romance, slow-burn tension, and magical conflicts.
4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
🎪 Dueling Magicians, Forced to Cooperate in a Game of Fate
Celia and Marco have been trained since childhood to destroy each other in a magical competition neither of them chose. But as the stakes grow higher and their abilities intertwine, they realize they must set aside their rivalry and join forces—or risk losing everything. Their reluctant alliance turns into something poetic, enchanting, and impossible to resist.
📖 Read if you love: Lush prose, atmospheric fantasy, and slow-burning partnerships.
5. The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
⚔️ A Warrior and a Monster-Hunter—Bound by Necessity
Orka is a hardened warrior hunting those who took her son. Varg is a fugitive seeking vengeance. Elvar is a mercenary chasing glory. None of them trust each other, but fate throws them together against a world filled with ancient gods and ruthless warlords. Their alliance is bloody, fragile, and built on sheer survival.
📖 Read if you love: Viking-inspired fantasy, brutal battles, and reluctant alliances.
6. Legend by Marie Lu
🔫 A Fugitive and a Prodigy—An Uneasy Partnership Against a Corrupt Empire
June is a military prodigy. Day is the nation’s most wanted criminal. When fate forces them together, they discover the truths they’ve been told about each other—and their world—aren’t what they seem. As they uncover a deadly conspiracy, hatred turns to understanding, and rivalry turns to trust.
📖 Read if you love: Dystopian intrigue, high-stakes survival, and forbidden alliances.
7. The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
🎭 A Conman and His Greatest Rival—Fighting a Greater Evil
Locke Lamora is a master thief. The Grey King is a ruthless crime lord. They should be enemies, and for a time, they are—until a greater threat emerges, forcing them into a fragile and dangerous alliance. But in a world where deception is currency, can either of them truly be trusted?
📖 Read if you love: Clever heists, witty banter, and unpredictable twists.
8. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
🐉 A Queen and a Dragon Rider—From Distrust to Unity
Queen Sabran and Ead are on opposite sides of a centuries-old conflict. Sabran doesn’t trust Ead, a secret mage sworn to protect her, and Ead keeps her true allegiance hidden. But when an ancient evil awakens, they must set aside history and forge an alliance that could change their world forever.
📖 Read if you love: Epic worldbuilding, political intrigue, and sapphic romance.
9. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
🩸 A Smuggler and a Cutthroat Thief—Reluctant Allies in a World of Magic
Kell is a rare magician who can travel between parallel Londons. Lila is a street thief with a taste for adventure. When their paths collide, they are forced into an uneasy partnership—one that takes them from reluctant allies to something far more dangerous: kindred spirits with a taste for chaos.
📖 Read if you love: Multi-dimensional magic, sharp banter, and morally gray characters.
🤝 Enemies Today, Allies Tomorrow… But at What Cost?
Few relationships in fiction are as thrilling, unpredictable, and emotionally charged as those between enemies turned allies. Trust is earned the hard way, tensions simmer just beneath the surface, and betrayal is always a possibility.
Which of these rivalries-turned-partnerships is your favorite? Do you have a favorite enemies-to-allies moment in fiction? Let’s talk in the comments! ⚔️🔥📚
