Best Rivals to Friends / Enemies to Allies Books

The highest-rated books featuring rivals to friends / enemies to allies, ranked by readers. Browse 50 titles across Fantasy, Romance, Thriller.

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There's something deeply satisfying about watching two people who can't stand each other realize they actually *get* each other. This trope thrives on the friction—the sharp banter, the grudging respect that sneaks up on both parties, the moment when contempt flips into understanding. You're not just watching a conflict resolve; you're watching two characters become each other's strongest ally, which hits different than romance alone. That vulnerability after months of antagonism? Chef's kiss.

You'll find this trope everywhere from high-stakes fantasy heists to contemporary romances to character-driven literary fiction. Whether the characters are rivals in competition, enemies on opposing sides, or just two people who rubbed each other the wrong way, expect slow-build chemistry, sharp dialogue, and that delicious turning point where the insults start to feel like flirtation. The books here span genres because this dynamic works anywhere—what matters is that earned trust.

These are the highest-rated rivals to friends / enemies to allies books across Fantasy, Romance, Thriller, ranked by reader ratings from Goodreads and Audible.

  1. 1
    Crooked Kingdom cover

    Crooked Kingdom

    Six of Crows • Book 2

    by Leigh Bardugo

    ★ 4.68 BLT Score (779.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.57 Goodreads (779.9K)
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  2. 2
    Daisy Jones and The Six cover

    Daisy Jones and The Six

    Reidverse

    by Taylor Jenkins Reid

    ★ 4.63 BLT Score (1.9M ratings)
    ★ 4.2 Goodreads (1.9M)
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  3. 3
    Death Masks cover

    Death Masks

    The Dresden Files • Book 5

    by Jim Butcher

    ★ 4.61 BLT Score (148.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.29 Goodreads (148.8K)
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  4. 4
    Last Argument of Kings cover

    Last Argument of Kings

    The First Law • Book 3

    by Joe Abercrombie

    ★ 4.59 BLT Score (204.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (204.4K)
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  5. 5
    Circe cover

    Circe

    by Madeline Miller

    ★ 4.58 BLT Score (1.4M ratings)
    ★ 4.22 Goodreads (1.4M)
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  6. 6
    A Little Hatred cover

    A Little Hatred

    The Age of Madness • Book 1

    by Joe Abercrombie

    ★ 4.57 BLT Score (61.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.45 Goodreads (61.8K)
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  7. 7
    The Crown Tower cover

    The Crown Tower

    The Riyria Chronicles • Book 1

    by Michael J. Sullivan

    ★ 4.53 BLT Score (43.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (43.5K)
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  8. 8
    Gilded Ghost cover

    Gilded Ghost

    The Ripple System • Book 3

    by Kyle Kirrin

    ★ 4.52 BLT Score (2.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.46 Goodreads (2.5K)
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  9. 9
    From Lukov with Love cover

    From Lukov with Love

    by Mariana Zapata

    ★ 4.46 BLT Score (289.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (289.3K)
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  10. 10
    Dear Debbie cover

    Dear Debbie

    by Freida McFadden

    ★ 4.45 BLT Score (244.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.02 Goodreads (244.1K)
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  11. 11
    Red Seas Under Red Skies cover

    Red Seas Under Red Skies

    Gentleman Bastard • Book 2

    by Scott Lynch

    ★ 4.44 BLT Score (161.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.25 Goodreads (161.6K)
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  12. 12
    Ruthless Fae cover

    Ruthless Fae

    Zodiac Academy • Book 2

    by Caroline Peckham, Susanne Valenti

    ★ 4.41 BLT Score (363.3K ratings)
    ★ 4.2 Goodreads (363.3K)
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  13. 13
    Carpe Jugulum cover

    Carpe Jugulum

    Discworld • Book 23

    by Terry Pratchett

    ★ 4.36 BLT Score (68.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.19 Goodreads (68.5K)
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  14. 14
    Break in by Francis, Dick cover

    Break in by Francis, Dick

    Kit Fielding • Book 1

    by Dick Francis

    ★ 4.31 BLT Score (6.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.14 Goodreads (6.4K)
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  15. 15
    Hunter's Way cover

    Hunter's Way

    Hunter • Book 1

    by Gerri Hill

    ★ 4.30 BLT Score (4.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.21 Goodreads (4.6K)
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  16. 16
    The Crown Tower : The Riyria Chronicles 1 (Riyria Chronicles) cover

    The Crown Tower : The Riyria Chronicles 1 (Riyria Chronicles)

    The Riyria Chronicles • Book 1

    by Michael J. Sullivan

    ★ 4.28 BLT Score (43.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (43.5K)
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  17. 17
    A Gathering of Shadows cover

    A Gathering of Shadows

    Shades of Magic • Book 2

    by V.E. Schwab, Victoria Schwab

    ★ 4.28 BLT Score (237.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.19 Goodreads (237.5K)
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  18. 18
    Bloody Acquisitions : Fred, the Vampire Accountant 3 (Fred, the Vampire Accountant) cover

    Bloody Acquisitions : Fred, the Vampire Accountant 3 (Fred, the Vampire Accountant)

    Fred, the Vampire Accountant • Book 3

    by Drew Hayes

    ★ 4.27 BLT Score (6.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.34 Goodreads (6.8K)
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  19. 19
    Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books cover

    Lula Dean's Little Library of Banned Books

    by Kirsten Miller

    ★ 4.26 BLT Score (82.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (82.5K)
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  20. 20
    Cat & Mouse cover

    Cat & Mouse

    Alex Cross • Book 4

    by James Patterson

    ★ 4.26 BLT Score (83.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.04 Goodreads (83.1K)
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  21. 21
    Thick as Thieves cover

    Thick as Thieves

    The Queen's Thief • Book 5

    by Megan Whalen Turner

    ★ 4.24 BLT Score (16.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.17 Goodreads (16.8K)
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  22. 22
    Reverence cover

    Reverence

    by Milena McKay

    ★ 4.21 BLT Score (2.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.19 Goodreads (2.5K)
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  23. 23
    Best Kept Secret cover

    Best Kept Secret

    The Clifton Chronicles • Book 3

    by Jeffrey Archer

    ★ 4.20 BLT Score (52.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.04 Goodreads (52.2K)
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  24. 24
    The Hating Game cover

    The Hating Game

    by Sally Thorne

    ★ 4.20 BLT Score (838.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.86 Goodreads (838.7K)
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  25. 25
    Check & Mate cover

    Check & Mate

    by Ali Hazelwood

    ★ 4.20 BLT Score (369.9K ratings)
    ★ 3.94 Goodreads (369.9K)
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  26. 26
    Savor You cover

    Savor You

    Fusion • Book 5

    by Kristen Proby

    ★ 4.19 BLT Score (5.8K ratings)
    ★ 4.12 Goodreads (5.8K)
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  27. 27
    Vigil's Wrath cover

    Vigil's Wrath

    Vigil Bound • Book 4

    by James A. Hunter

    ★ 4.19 BLT Score (689 ratings)
    ★ 4.56 Goodreads (689)
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  28. 28
    Heavens Reflected cover

    Heavens Reflected

    Heavenly Chaos • Book 3

    by Daniel Schinhofen

    ★ 4.19 BLT Score (1.6K ratings)
    ★ 4.43 Goodreads (1.6K)
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  29. 29
    Taming the CEO cover

    Taming the CEO

    The Whitley Brothers • Book 6

    by Layla Hagen

    ★ 4.18 BLT Score (2.1K ratings)
    ★ 4.36 Goodreads (2.1K)
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  30. 30
    Double or Nothing cover

    Double or Nothing

    Daniel Faust • Book 7

    by Craig Schaefer

    ★ 4.18 BLT Score (1.9K ratings)
    ★ 4.35 Goodreads (1.9K)
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  31. 31
    Adept of Chaos cover

    Adept of Chaos

    Eve of Destruction • Book 2

    by Benjamin Medrano

    ★ 4.15 BLT Score (586 ratings)
    ★ 4.55 Goodreads (586)
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  32. 32
    Icebreaker cover

    Icebreaker

    Maple Hills • Book 1

    by Hannah Grace

    ★ 4.11 BLT Score (1.3M ratings)
    ★ 3.73 Goodreads (1.3M)
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  33. 33
    The Bone Shard Emperor cover

    The Bone Shard Emperor

    The Drowning Empire • Book 2

    by Andrea Stewart

    ★ 4.10 BLT Score (15.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.06 Goodreads (15.4K)
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  34. 34
    Dungeon Bound 2 cover

    Dungeon Bound 2

    Dungeon Bound • Book 2

    by Bastian Knight

    ★ 4.08 BLT Score (422 ratings)
    ★ 4.37 Goodreads (422)
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  35. 35
    The Ideal Bride cover

    The Ideal Bride

    Cynster • Book 11

    by Stephanie Laurens

    ★ 4.07 BLT Score (5.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.96 Goodreads (5.4K)
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  36. 36
    Gilgamesh: Versión de Stephen Mitchell cover

    Gilgamesh: Versión de Stephen Mitchell

    by Anonymous, Stephen Mitchell

    ★ 4.06 BLT Score (120.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.76 Goodreads (120.4K)
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  37. 37
    Mr. Corporate cover

    Mr. Corporate

    Mister • Book 3

    by J.A. Huss

    ★ 4.04 BLT Score (4.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.01 Goodreads (4.4K)
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  38. 38
    Prey cover

    Prey

    by Linda Howard, Abby Crayden

    ★ 4.03 BLT Score (10.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.81 Goodreads (10.4K)
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  39. 39
    Rookie Move cover

    Rookie Move

    Brooklyn Bruisers • Book 1

    by Sarina Bowen

    ★ 4.03 BLT Score (17.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.85 Goodreads (17.4K)
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  40. 40
    Green Mars cover

    Green Mars

    Mars Trilogy • Book 2

    by Kim Stanley Robinson

    ★ 3.99 BLT Score (41.2K ratings)
    ★ 3.96 Goodreads (41.2K)
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  41. 41
    Off Sides cover

    Off Sides

    Off • Book 1

    by Sawyer Bennett

    ★ 3.98 BLT Score (17.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.74 Goodreads (17.7K)
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  42. 42
    John Carter in The Gods of Mars (The Barsoom Series) cover

    John Carter in The Gods of Mars (The Barsoom Series)

    Barsoom • Book 11

    by Edgar Rice Burroughs

    ★ 3.97 BLT Score (4.7K ratings)
    ★ 3.83 Goodreads (4.7K)
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  43. 43
    Night Fall cover

    Night Fall

    Secret Histories • Book 12

    by Simon R. Green

    ★ 3.96 BLT Score (907 ratings)
    ★ 4.16 Goodreads (907)
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  44. 44
    The Flight of the Phoenix cover

    The Flight of the Phoenix

    by Elleston Trevor

    ★ 3.96 BLT Score (724 ratings)
    ★ 3.93 Goodreads (724)
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  45. 45
    The Fifth Ward: Friendly Fire cover

    The Fifth Ward: Friendly Fire

    The Fifth Ward • Book 2

    by Dale Lucas

    ★ 3.95 BLT Score (0 ratings)
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  46. 46
    Pride cover

    Pride

    Eventing • Book 2

    by Natalie Keller Reinert

    ★ 3.92 BLT Score (749 ratings)
    ★ 4.32 Goodreads (749)
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  47. 47
    The Invisible Library cover

    The Invisible Library

    The Invisible Library • Book 1

    by Genevieve Cogman

    ★ 3.92 BLT Score (65.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.74 Goodreads (65.8K)
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  48. 48
    Halo: Outcasts cover

    Halo: Outcasts

    Halo • Book 34

    by Troy Denning

    ★ 3.90 BLT Score (532 ratings)
    ★ 4.04 Goodreads (532)
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  49. 49
    The Max Porter Box Set cover

    The Max Porter Box Set

    Max Porter #10-12 • Book 10

    by Stuart Jaffe

    ★ 3.90 BLT Score (23 ratings)
    ★ 4.83 Goodreads (23)
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  50. 50
    Wickedest Witch cover

    Wickedest Witch

    Hell

    by Eve Langlais

    ★ 3.89 BLT Score (2.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.98 Goodreads (2.8K)
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How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

Read our full ranking methodology →