I would love if anyone could suggest me a book/book series that is in a fantasy setting that has a non toxic enemies to lovers arc. I’m on the final Court Of Thorns Roses book and I would like to read something with a similar type of enemies to lovers romance (NOT like in the first book) that is not toxic or feels forced.
Can anyone help please?
by espeonsrequiem
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Have you read _This Is How You Lose the Time War_?
It’s still simmering, but Susan Dennard’s Witchlands series, beginning with *Truthwitch*
These are not exactly what you’re looking for but somewhere in the neighbourhood —
*Troubled Waters* by Sharon Shinn is a fantasy book with a strong romance plot and while the two characters who end up together are not exactly *enemies* at the start, they are definitely not friends either and a lot of the story is about them coming to understand each other.
*Uprooted* by Naomi Novik starts with a village in which girls get sent to live with the local evil mage, and goes from there in some delightful directions.
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Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey. Phedre and Josscelain aren’t exactly enemies, but there’s a lot of tension between them.
For a blend of myth and reality, ‘American Gods’ by Neil Gaiman is a book I find myself recommending time and again. Gaiman’s tale explores the gods of old myths and their struggle to survive in modern America, a place of new gods like technology and media.
You might try “Agent of Byzantium” by Harry Turtledove. It’s not quite “fantasy” but rather alternate history set in a world where Muhammed converted to Christianity and became a saint rather than founding Islam. Consequently, the Byzantine and Persian empires survive and thrive into something like the 12th century. It’s essentially a lot like a fantasy setting, except there’s no real magic. The protagonist is essentially an intelligence agent for the Empire who occasionally runs up against a female agent of Persia.
Also, to be clear, it’s a collection of short stories rather than a single narrative, so it jumps around a little. But it hits most of your buttons.
*The Magpie Lord* by K. J. Charles. Crane was exiled to China as a youth and while he was gone his father and brother destroyed Stephan’s family. When he comes back, Crane needs magical help and Stephan shows up out for revenge. It’s m/m historical fantasy and it’s Charles’s first book. It should be availble for free from most e-outlets.
~~For a more up and down relationship, try Charles’s Will Darling Adventures. It’s a trilogy where Will distrusts Kim, finds out Kim is honest afterall, then Kim lies to him again. It’s an m/m historical romance set a few years after WWI.~~ Oops! These aren’t fantasy.
Maybe *A Crown of Oaths and Curses* by J Bree? It’s sloooowwwwwburn arranged marriage/soulmates, so by the end of the first book, she still doesn’t like him, and the male lead has like just figured out that he needs to work on his shit. I have high hopes for his redemption arc in the next book, when they’re due to get married.