Noun: "(often attributive) a trope in romance fiction (particularly fan fiction) involving the development of a rivalry into friendship and eventually romantic love"
I don’t know what the protocol for enemies-to-lovers-to-friends should be during a time like this, but I'm not going to waste this trip by pretending to be a shy, ridiculous girl.
2019, Anastasiia Sereda, "'Dirty Stories Saved My Life': Fanfiction as a Source of Emotional Support", thesis submitted to Charles University, page 34:
However, I proceeded to pay most of my attention to reading about couples whose relationships, like Enjoltaire's, can be classified as 'enemies to friends to lovers'-- a fairly standard formula often used in romantic fiction, be it fanfic or a romance novel.
2020, Nathalie Graham, "Sweet As Vanilla Ice Cream", The Stranger, 29 January 2020, page 29:
I wanted more time for the two together, especially more witty barbs, since I revel in an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope.
2022, Victoria Mello Veríssimo da Fonseca, "Fanfiction as a Literary Text: A Narratological Study of Fanfiction Writing", paper submitted to the Universidad Federal de Río Grande del Sur, page 36:
The connection between Emma and Regina goes beyond one of the Saviour against the Villain, though the trope of enemies to friends to lovers played a big part of the initial interest in their interactions.
2023, Megan Freedman, "How When Harry Met Sally... remains a timeless romcom", The Medium (University of Toronto Mississauga), 13 February 2023, page 12:
The movie's plot is the epitome of the enemies to friends to lovers trope.
2023, Chris van der Vegt, "The Second Genders: Utopia and Dystopia in Stranger Things Omegaverse Fanfiction", thesis submitted to the Utrecht University, page 16:
The narratives follow the common 'Enemies (to Friends) to Lovers' trope, which describes an arc leading from apologies and peace offering to the growth of mutual trust and intimacy which culminates to the characters having sex and admitting their feelings for each other.
