Period dramas are a staple of the Romance genre. Wistful, pained, longing looks and a series of misunderstandings between the leading couple typify most period dramas, so much so that the “Enemies to Lovers” trope remains a lasting fan favorite of the genre. Recently, the Shonda Rhimes-produced Netflix series, Bridgerton, has been a prime example of the trope.

There seems to be nothing more thrilling and satisfying in a period drama than watching two protagonists, who initially find each other insufferable, gradually grow fond of each other and, ultimately, fall in love. While you wait impatiently for Season 3 of Bridgerton and “Polin” (the next romantic duo of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton), here are some Enemies to Lovers period dramas adapted from novels and spanning North America and England you must see.

‘Anne of Green Gables’ (1985), ‘Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel’ (1987)

These classic television adaptions of the first four books of the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery, published between 1908 and 1936, follow the coming of age and young adulthood of the titular Anne Shirley, played by beloved Canadian actor Megan Follows (of the more recent, but not so recent Reign) in a town called Avonlea, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Though initially requesting a boy to adopt and work on their farm of Green Gables, the elderly Matthew Cuthbert (Richard Farnsworth) and his sister, Marilla (Colleen Dewhurst), accept Anne into their home. Anne faces adversity in her new surroundings but soon befriends and becomes “bosom buddies” with a girl named Diana Barry (Schuyler Grant).

When she starts attending the local school, Anne also faces the mockery of a boy, Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie), who has taken an interest in her, despite teasing her about her bright red hair and calling her “Carrots.” Anne is furious with Gilbert and vows never to forgive him. As the films progress, Anne develops a love for learning and teaching, something she begrudgingly shares with Gilbert. His many attempts to win over Anne fail, but Gilbert proves to be a loyal and selfless friend, helping Anne pursue her teaching studies while still staying close to care for a now-alone and ailing Marilla at Green Gables.

The sequel follows Anne’s teaching journey and a new angst-ridden “love square.” Later, unresolved feelings are resolved when Anne is confronted with Gilbert’s Scarlet Fever health scare, and she realizes her deep care and love for him while awaiting his recovery.

The Anne of Green Gables series is available to purchase and watch online through GazeboTV.

‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1995)

This classic and iconic BBC series adaptation of one of Jane Austen’s most treasured novels, the one that produced “that” ever-popular and depraved wet shirt scene of Colin Firth (The Staircase) as Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, and the direct inspiration for his character in Bridget Jones’s Diary, tells the epic love story of Elizabeth Bennet (Jennifer Ehle, of Saint Maud and The Comey Rule), and Mr. Darcy, albeit with some misjudging of character and rejected proposals along the way. Much to Elizabeth’s matchmaking mother of five daughters’ delight, two wealthy gentlemen, Mr. Charles Bingley (Crispin Bonham-Carter) and Darcy, spend time in Netherfield estate in Hertfordshire, England, for the fall.

During a local ball, Mr. Bingley immediately takes a shine to Elizabeth’s sister, Jane (Susannah Harker), but Darcy is cold and refuses to dance with anyone. Elizabeth does not think favorably of him. This is confirmed in her next encounters with him at Netherfield, where Jane has fallen ill after traveling there in the rain; in town, when Elizabeth becomes acquainted with a member of the militia, Mr. George Wickham (Adrian Lukis), who shares information about his and Darcy’s shared embattled history, and all compounding with Elizabeth learning of Darcy’s role in separating Jane and Bingley. The two continue to quarrel and get their signals crossed until Darcy proves his good character and love for Elizabeth by protecting his sister and Lizzie’s family.

You can watch the remastered Pride and Prejudice on BritBox with a subscription.

‘North & South’ (2004)

A decade later, the BBC wrenched hearts again with North & South. Adapted from Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1854 social commentary novel on early-industrialized England, North and South, the series follows Margaret Hale (Daniella Denby-Ashe), a once well-to-do pastor’s daughter, who must move from picturesque, rural south England to Milton, a bleak industrial town in northern England, when her father becomes disenchanted with the Church of England. Margaret’s father, Richard (Tim Pigott-Smith), decides to make a humble living as a tutor in Milton, taking on as a pupil a cotton mill owner, John Thornton (Richard Armitage, of the upcoming Netflix thriller, Damage, Stay Close, and Castlevania). Margaret is given a terrible first impression of John, who she sees hitting a mill worker who endangered the other workers by smoking in the mill.

As Margaret spends more time with John, however, witnessing his work ethic, honesty, and care for his workers, she defends his honor in the presence of other mill owners and a former jilted proposer of hers, who doubt and mock his revolutionary methods and integrity. John misinterprets Margaret’s defense as affection and proposes to her, but she vehemently rejects him, believing him to be pompous in holding his wealth above her own, despite him denying this with a love confession. John is a furious lover scorned, and several other misunderstandings and tragic losses get in the way, but eventually, as in Austenian worlds, good character and intentions are realized and love blooms.

North & South is also available to stream on BritBox.

‘Persuasion’ (2007)

Admittedly, this next period drama is a “lovers to enemies to lovers” tale. In another of the BBC’s Austen adaptations (they do it well), this time based on her 1817 novel, Persuasion, Anne Elliot, played by Sally Hawkins (recently of The Phantom of the Open and The Shape of Water), and Captain Frederick Wentworth, played by Rupert Penry-Jones (The Batman), were once engaged eight years ago, but Anne regrettably called it off after discouragement from her father (Anthony Head) and a family friend, Lady Russell (Alice Krige), because Wentworth was penniless. Now a successful naval captain, Wentworth is no longer poor and is celebrated widely in society.

When Anne visits her sister, Mary Musgrove (Amanda Hale), and her family in Uppercross, Somerset, England, Wentworth calls on the Musgroves, and Anne faces him once again. He acts icy and stoic towards her, leaving her convinced he will never forgive her and heartbroken. Jealousy further troubles her with enthralled attention towards him of the young Musgrove sisters, Henrietta (Rosamund Stephen) and Louisa (Jennifer Higham). An accident in Lyme brings Anne and Wentworth together, and he soon realizes his continued love for Anne when they are separated once again. Mixed messages about Anne’s and Wentworth’s supposed betrothals to others place doubt on the couple, but an impassioned confession letter and proposal from him to her changes everything.

‘When Calls the Heart’ (2014 – Present)

When Calls the Heart is the Hallmark Channel’s answer to a period drama, adapted from the 1985 Canadian West book series by Janette Oke. Elizabeth Thatcher (Erin Krakow) is another young, promising Canadian teacher, like Anne Shirley, but coming from high society to a post in a coal mining town, Coal Valley, in southern Alberta, Canada.

Despite befriending most of the townspeople, Elizabeth clashes with another embittered Thornton: A Royal North-West Mounted Police Constable named Jack Thornton (Daniel Lissing), whom Elizabeth’s father posted in a role in town to protect the daughter of a shipping magnate, instead of allowing Jack to fill a more rewarding Mountie post. The conflict between the two is conflated by the backdrop of a poor, working-class mining town, resulting in many a heated argument laced with desire and, as is custom, a gradual realization of fondness for one another.

You can stream When Calls the Heart with a subscription to Hallmark Movies Now on Amazon.