Hi everyone! The other day, I ran a poll once again, asking for which format would others like to read, and had doujin, manga, and top 3 as options. Because compared to my other posts, I write Friday BL’s for other fans & friends to enjoy rather than for my own satisfaction so I appreciate it a lot when my friends take the time to give me feedback or suggest titles/options.

Anyways, Top 3 was the winner and I even got two list theme suggestions! I wanted to take one and change it up a bit, so today, I’ll be talking about one of my favorite tropes and recommend three titles. Drum roll for the big reveal ~

Enemies to lovers!!

That’s the most commonly used name for the trope, but what I actually prefer is more rivalry or rubbing the other the wrong way than open and destructive hostility or abusing one’s power/status. Y’know, some *ahem* healthy competition to spice up the characters’ daily, mundane life. Who can resist the sweet satisfaction of characters swearing on their ancestors that they will NEVER come to like/sleep with the other, only to do exactly that in 3 to 5 business days? I certainly can’t. 

For today, I have three titles that I wanted to share with you. Some, I constantly scream about on my timeline already so you might be familiar with them but overall, I hope I’ll be convincing enough for you to give them a read. Let’s go!

You Get Me Going – Moscareto & Oh Do-Yeon

Who would be overjoyed to have their annoyingly competent and arrogant but hot coworker breathing down their neck at work? Youngwon is at his limit and despite his working in a field that he’s passionate about, Hyungwoo is there to make sure he gets his daily dose of anxiety. This hunk of a coworker isn’t even the least of Youngwon’s problems; he’s 33, basically a virgin, and a full-on romantic, waiting for his Prince Charming to sweep him off his feet. Faith does have something for him in the store for tonight’s blind date a friend set him up, and it comes in the form of a Hyungwoo he knows. 

You Get Me Going is a rather new series with only 24 chapters, but one that I excitedly look forward to every Saturday. What’s great about this series is that Youngwon and Hyungwoo are the same age, have very similar educational backgrounds, and both are good at their jobs. That’s why, even though their egos clash, they are equals, and not having a power imbalance in between erases the possibility of fear or holding back. They are level-headed (minus the middle school level bickering), know how to apologize, and do talk their problems, needs, and expectations out while trying to meet the other halfway. I hope the writing will stay this way throughout the series, but then again, it’s Moscareto. The stories they write are always grounded, fun, and intriguing. Highly recommend this steamy romantic comedy!

10 Dance – Satou Inoue

Shinya Sugiki is not the kind of man who would believe in destiny, yet from an outsider’s perspective, sharing a very similar name and the same burning passion for dance with the Latin King Shinya Suzuki feels nothing short of fate. Sugiki is determined to be the champion in the upcoming 10-Dance Championship and wanting to learn from the best, he suggests they make a deal. He’ll teach Suzuki the ballroom dances and Suzuki will teach him Latin dances in turn. It could be a win-win situation, if only they could leave their differences at the entrance of the dance studio. 

I know everyone and their granddads are already a 10 Dance fan, but I couldn’t NOT add it to this list. Sugiki and Suzuki are the embodiment of tangible sexual tension in the most literal sense. I’m not sure if they even need me as their reader because I’m just there third-wheeling shamelessly while they seduce each other page after page. At first unintentionally, then fully intentionally. I may or may not have wished for their rivalry to last for another 92385702 volumes. 

There’s unparalleled beauty in two grown men in tuxedos doing ballroom dance. And Satou Inoue excels in highlighting the ever-growing trust and intimacy between Sugiki and Suzuki at a relaxed and gradual pace, portraying ballroom dances in an interesting light without overwhelming the reader, and the dancers’ devotion and fondness for their art. Currently, there are 6 volumes out in English by Kodansha, and 10 Dance is still ongoing. I’m so fond of this series that I collect them physically and my photos sucked so excuse the Japanese screenshots. 

No Moral – Tehanu & Shampoo

Yunshin is an idealistic lawyer who prioritizes pro bono cases like his dad who passed away. Both he and his sister have been brought up with a strong sense of justice, that’s why he’s quite surprised when she uses her connections to have one of the biggest corporate law firms recruit him and she insists Yunshin work under Kang Seheon. As puzzled as he is, working under Seheon is an opportunity Yunshin won’t miss but earning the acceptance of Seheon and officially becoming an employee is a much greater hurdle than he expects it to be.

No Moral is the webtoon adaptation of a web novel of the same name (which can be officially read in English here) and my recent obsession. Full disclosure, I know almost nothing about law and have zero idea when it comes to the terminology in English. Brain empty. Naturally, the law firm is not just a backdrop, and there are actual cases that need to be solved or courts held and all that, can you believe it? Luckily, No Moral is written in a way that even I can understand and actually get invested in. It’s not solely focused on romance, and the connections that seem a bit arbitrary or unexpected at first are revealed to be linked in very intriguing ways. Love how the suspense is incorporated into the series. 

Oops, I forgot I was supposed to talk about the trope and got lost there. Yunshin, while seemingly naive, is quite perceptive and isn’t stupidly or blindly following his father’s steps. On the other hand, Kang Seheon is loyal to his own set of values that are at odds with Yunshin’s. He’s brusque, wealth and success-oriented, which makes him better suited for the corporate world. The fact that the conflict arises from their values or ways of handling cases instead of abusive or unjust behavior makes this series a refreshing and satisfying read for me. Yunshin has already declared that he will never ever sleep with Seheon so we all know what’s in store for us in the near future! The first 22 chapters can be read for free on Manta, so I suggest you at least give it a chance.

A little side note: I don’t know why No Moral is tagged that way on Anilist but it’s not an Omegaverse. 

This was fun! But wasn’t easy to come up with the titles according to a trope immediately. The other suggestion was to list BL series that I came to like over time but I usually drop them like hotcakes unless the platform uses the monthly subscription method and I don’t have to pay for each chapter. I’m sure you all know that reading manga is a veeery expensive hobby so we have to choose wisely!

Can you think of a BL with enemies to lovers as a trope that you came to love? Is there a specific portrayal you read like me, or do you enjoy it in any form or shape? Let me know in the comments and see you around!

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