possible hot take: i think friends to lovers can be better than enemies to lovers if done well/correctly but it rarely is done well, so that makes even mediocre enemies to lovers better than friends to lovers

14

In my personal opinion friends to lovers is just a better, healthier way to start a relationship. I don’t do enemies to lovers. It just gives me the ick

10

Enemies to lovers is the best trope when they’re actually enemies. I don’t want rivals and I don’t want the core of it to be misunderstandings. I want them to start the story fundamentally opposed and willing to hurt each other in awful ways and still find a way to work through that. But that’s sooo hard to find so usually friends to lovers is better.

2

The banter has to banter. I think the issue is that most friends to lovers plots are bland and miss the tension that is present in enemies to lovers.

2