Francesca Martin

Romance novels often follow a couple as they journey from resentment to lust, but the author must tread a careful line, explains the novelist Lauren Ford: if lead characters are too hateful to one other, readers won’t root for them to get together. Here, she recommends five great enemies-to-lovers books with crackling repartee and sizzling sexual tension.

Looking for the perfect books to escape with whilst you’re on holiday? From thrillers to romances and fantasy to cottage core, these are our top page-turners.