I am so conflicted about this one. When I heard the characters were inspired by Draco and Hermione I was immediately hyped, but apperently I was expecting something different from this book?
I found the writing to be a bit difficult (maybe because english is not my first language) and the worldbuilting a little too intricate. Otherwise, i actually liked it! I loved the settings and the plot, and i really loved the dynamics between the two MCs. Even if i'm not 100% into this book I'm still super curious about what will happen next, so I will definetly read the second one.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK + Orbit for this highly anticipated ARC!

OMG. This was just delicious. *chefs kiss*

I well and truly ate this up. Enjoyed every bit of it! No notes, literally. I did not know what to expect because I didn't get a chance to read the Dramione version just yet, but this blew my mind. Such a refreshing and gem of a book.

What I loved most:
- proper slow burn and the build up of tension was crazy
- super easy to follow and comprehend about the world building and various characters
- such well rounded and distinct characters, each with their own personality
- quick fire banter and wit between the main leads but also their little animal companions
- humorous dialogue and unhinged plot points and scenes
- well plotted and developed mystery kept me hooked on the story aside from the romance aspect
- loved the microtrope of the FMC looking after the MMC
- loved the clinic scenes
- just a lil spice to hold me over
- so many words I did not know lmao this book made me learn and improve my vocabulary

Would read again, as well as anything else Brigitte Knightley writes! SO KEEN FOR THE NEXT BOOK! Highly, highly recommend!

Overall rating: 5/5

Brigitte Knightley has written an absolute gem! Aurienne, a dedicated healer, and Osric, a morally grey assassin, had me grinning, laughing, and swooning all the way through. Their dynamic is filled with sharp exchanges, top tier banter and undeniable chemistry that evolves throughout the story. The slow burn, enemies to lovers tropes were troping to perfection!

The story is set against a cleverly crafted fantasy backdrop (the pub names were brilliant), the novel introduces a unique magic system that enhances the narrative nicely without over complicating things.

The tension? Immaculate. The humour? On point. The romance? Utterly irresistible.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC—I adored every second of this fun, witty, and heartwarming read!

3.75 stars.


I really enjoyed this book. Knightley has a way with words which made it more fun to read. I loved the duel POV and how both main characters views were seen. The magic in this is something I never seen or heard before which I really enjoyed. I would love her to go into it abit more 🥹

I loved the idea of the world building Knightley envisioned but I feel like it just needs abit more of it 🥰
I loved the idea of the plot and how it turned out however this is very long slow burn so you have to be committed for this 😂

I hope the second book will bring more information about the magic and more of the plot of the pox.

This is exactly what I mean when I say that I like slow burn enemies to lovers. There's yearning and banter and all that good stuff. They don't even find each other attractive until way past 50% — it's amazing.

This book is also super funny (every other sentence will have you chuckling) and has an interesting plot (a mystery) that will keep you flipping the pages. The world is interesting too, quite unique.

All in all, I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who loves romance and fantasy!

I was so excited to read this one but sadly it's not for me. I dnfed at 10%.

I found the character interactions a bit childish and cringe. I really tried to push through but it wasn't working for me.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy completely lived up to the hype, and yet somehow also surpassed my expectations. I knew what to expect - a fun, enemies-to-lovers romance, but what I got was something deeper, more layered, and genuinely moving. The emotional stakes were higher than I anticipated, and the characters felt so real, flawed, and lovable at the same time. This book is an unadulterated JOY to read.

Having followed the author for a while, I was already a fan of their voice and storytelling style, but this book took things to a new level. The banter was sharp, the chemistry was off the charts, and yet there were also these beautiful, quiet moments of vulnerability that caught me off guard.... Drawing me in so subtly then stabbing me right in the feels.

It's a book about trust, forgiveness, and finding common ground with someone you never thought you could connect with. If you're into swoony tension, emotional payoff, and characters who feel like they leap off the page, this one is definitely worth the read. Clever, funny and original. I am in love with her writing!

I barely had a clue what the book was about before reading. I commuted the cardinal sin and judged a book by its cover. God am I glad I did.

Osric and Arienne are now two of my favourite characters of all time. I love Osric for all his arrogance and killing included. I mean, he’s such a uniquely written character. Arienne was also hilarious and a brilliant FMC.

I love the writing style used and it’s unlike anything I’ve read before. It made it such an interesting read. Be sure to read to glossary for pronunciations also!

Not normally a fan of a slow burn, but this one was perfection and the ending. Jesus the ending. I need the second book NOW. I’m waiting on bated breath, hoping the wait isn’t too long.

Thank you netgalley for this arc.
Now I'll start off holding my hands up that I have never read a fanfic however I was of the understanding that this wasn't a fanfic and traditional publishing. For me i felt like I was just dropped into a story where I didn't know anything about the world, characters or magic system and the author didn't feel the need to build on that.

The two main characters for me had no depth and were one dimensional. The banter was also just a bit over the top for me and I felt the story just wasn't developed enough for me to have any emotional connection. I wasn't sure where the story was going for most of the book.

I'm sure romantasy readers will eat this up if they are already fans of the fanfic.

📚 review 📚

the irresistible urge to fall for your enemy - brigitte knightley

after a wave of reylo fanfic being turned into traditionally published books, it was about time dramione got their time to shine. this is based on a popular fic - draco malfoy and the mortifying ordeal of being in love with- you can tell but in the best way. this is gloriously bantery and i loved it.
brigitte knightley saw enemies to lovers and really understood the assignment - if you like slow burn, enemies to reluctant allies to crushing this needs to go on your tbr immediately, even if you’re not usually into fanfic.
from that ending i need book two yesterday.

the irresistible urge to fall for your enemy is out in july. thank you @netgalley for the early copy
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#bookworm #bookblogging #bookblogger #fiction #readerlife #readersofinstagram #bibliophile #bibliophilelife #bookstagram #reading #bookstagrammer #booklover #booksbooksbooks #bookreview

What? No! WHERE IS THE REST?!?!

What a place to end....a realisation of love and then, nothing. No more pages!

A fantastically funny book, this. The two characters clash perfectly, with the tiniest hints of attraction breaking through their mutual loathing and mistrust. The banter had me literally snorting with laughter.
I also love the hint of mystery with the pox outbreak playing an unexpected role in the dealings between healer and assassin.
One of my favourite reads so far this year.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK + Orbit for this highly anticipated ARC!

OMG. This was just delicious. *chefs kiss*

I well and truly ate this up. Enjoyed every bit of it! No notes, literally. I did not know what to expect because I didn't get a chance to read the Dramione version just yet, but this blew my mind. Such a refreshing and gem of a book.

What I loved most:
- proper slow burn and the build up of tension was crazy
- super easy to follow and comprehend about the world building and various characters
- such well rounded and distinct characters, each with their own personality
- quick fire banter and wit between the main leads but also their little animal companions
- humorous dialogue and unhinged plot points and scenes
- well plotted and developed mystery kept me hooked on the story aside from the romance aspect
- loved the microtrope of the FMC looking after the MMC
- loved the clinic scenes
- just a lil spice to hold me over
- so many words I did not know lmao this book made me learn and improve my vocabulary

Would read again, as well as anything else Brigitte Knightley writes! SO KEEN FOR THE NEXT BOOK! Highly, highly recommend!

Overall rating: 5/5

Okay this is based on a Dramione fanfiction called Draco Malfoy and the mortifying ordeal of falling in love. I loved it and I can't wait for book 2!

A huge thank to Netgalley for providing with an eARC and to the person responsible for taking such an amazing fanfiction and publishing it!

I gave it 4/5 ⭐ only because they decided to end the book when things were getting good!

Like many others, I read and loved the author's most well-known fanfic, so I was pretty sure I would enjoy this book. And I was right!

The main thing I love about <i>The Irresistible Urge...</i> is the writing. It's full of humour and very dialogue-heavy, and the style really works for me. I particularly loved the increasingly ridiculous pub names.

This might be the first romantasy book described as slow-burn that actually fits the term. Instead of instantly finding each other irresistible (heh), Aurienne and Osric don't even feel attraction until over halfway through the book, and their relationship progresses based on emotions rather than simple lust.

There are a few small issues I had with this that I had to mention: firstly, the made up names for things are all pretty awkward sounding. Seith, hlutoform, thrymsas (apparently this is a real Old English coin name, but I still think it's a bad choice) - none of them roll off the tongue. The book ends in an odd place and there is no real climax for the story.

I would encourage you to check out a sample of this before buying, as I understand not everyone loves the writing style as much as me. But I definitely recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

I truly appreciate the opportunity to read The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy and want to acknowledge the effort and passion that went into crafting this story. Brigitte Knightley has a captivating writing style, the premise is intriguing, and I can see how fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope will find much to enjoy here. I particularly enjoyed the banter and the slow burn between the characters, though my main issue was with some lack of clarity in the world-building and magic system.

While this particular book wasn’t the best fit for me, I recognize the appeal it will have for others who love a mix of romance and rivalry. My experience and opinion differ from the general feedback the book has been receiving, so I’ll definitely encourage romance readers to keep it on their radar.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I sincerely appreciate this experience and look forward to reading what Brigitte Knightley writes next!

ChatGPT

Hai detto:
Can you translate this text into english from italian?
Ero super emozionata prima di leggere questo libro visto che l’autrice è una delle mie autrici dramione preferite. Questo romanzo è sicuramente diverso da ciò che ho letto in precedenza di suo e mi ha stupito sotto diversi punti di vista.

Innanzitutto, i personaggi sono pazzeschi. Ben caratterizzati, pieni di sfaccettature, ironici, sicuri di sé, divertenti, accattivanti. Insomma, sicuramente i protagonisti hanno influito positivamente sul mio giudizio totale, proprio come l’uso dell’ironia e della comicità: è davvero difficile riuscire a non sorridere con alcune battute dei protagonisti. Altre, invece, un po’too much forse, un po’ cringe (avrei dosato con questo aspetto). So che non piace a tutti un libro fantasy romance con così tanta ironia, ma io l’ho apprezzato.

Nota dolente, secondo me, è il world building, che è poco sviluppato. Avrei preferito dei paragrafi dedicati a questo aspetto piuttosto che i numerosi capitoli iniziali tutti simili in cui lei guarisce lui. Anche questa cosa non mi ha convinto; la prima metà del libro mi è sembrata un po’ ripetitiva, nonostante capisca che serva per sviluppare lentamente il rapporto tra i protagonisti.

Ecco, arrivando al loro rapporto, ho solo cose positive da dire! Questo sì che è slow burn! Per me lo slow burn non è mai abbastanza, quindi amo un bel libro iniziale (primo di una dilogia) privo di scene spicy e con pochi momenti di tenerezza. So, però, che non fa per tutti, quindi se non siete fan dello slow burn questo libro non fa per voi.

In generale, ho AMATO la storia e i protagonisti, seppur non sia un libro perfetto.
ChatGPT ha detto:
I was super excited before reading this book since the author is one of my favorite Dramione writers. This novel is definitely different from what I’ve previously read from her, and it surprised me in several ways.

First of all, the characters are amazing—well-developed, multi-dimensional, witty, confident, funny, and captivating. The protagonists definitely had a positive impact on my overall opinion, just like the use of irony and humor: it's really hard not to smile at some of their lines. Others, however, felt a bit too much, a little cringe (I would have toned this aspect down). I know that not everyone likes a fantasy romance book with so much humor, but I appreciated it.

A weak point, in my opinion, is the world-building, which is underdeveloped. I would have preferred dedicated paragraphs for this aspect rather than the numerous initial chapters that all felt similar, where she keeps healing him. This also didn’t fully convince me—the first half of the book felt a bit repetitive, even though I understand it was meant to slowly develop the relationship between the protagonists.

Speaking of their relationship, I have only positive things to say! Now this is slow burn! For me, slow burn can never be enough, so I love a good first book (the first in a duology) without spicy scenes and with only a few tender moments. However, I know this isn’t for everyone, so if you’re not a fan of slow burn, this book isn’t for you.

Overall, I LOVED the story and the protagonists, even though it's not a perfect book.

I had seen this pop up a lot on socials and was delighted to be approved to read it. Unfortunately, and I seem to be in the minority here, it just didn’t grab me like I thought it would. I found it hard to engage with the story, and the characters weren’t overly likable for me personally. However, there’s lots of buzz about this book and I can see its appeal, it just wasn’t for me!

𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝟻-𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎!

I honestly didn’t expect to find my favorite book of the year already in March, but I think The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley is going to be tough to beat. Not only did I adore this book, but I couldn’t even find a flaw. And trust me, I tried—this book is perfect.

What can you expect? A thrilling, #dramione coded, enemies-to-lovers romance featuring a reckless assassin, happily missing a conscience, and the no-nonsense healer he pays to help him out.
Get ready for denial, unwilling chemistry, slaughter as a love language, and, of course, a painfully slow burn that’ll have you on edge.

Aurienne and Osric will steal your heart. It’s a 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 enemies-to-lovers—lately, this trope has been seriously overused (so many books I’ve read recently can be boiled down to one of two scenarios: 1) they’re “enemies” because one of them stole the other’s candy or some other ridiculously trivial reason; or 2) they’re sworn enemies but are already in bed by page 23). This is the 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥. Not only do Osric and Aurienne come from opposing factions, but they represent everything the other despises. Watching them slowly realize the other isn’t just black or white, but full of endless shades of grey, was one of my favorite parts.

Add in an original world-building, a political intrigue plot that expands bit by bit, fantastic banter, and humor that’ll have you dying of laughter.

Did I mention the slow burn?

Slightly disappointed that this didn't resonate with me like I hoped but the buzz has been great so it looks like it has found it's right audience! The writing style is great, looking forward to future reads.

I took a while to come up with a rating for this one!

While I enjoyed my time with this story, I felt that the world building was both incredibly detailed but also not explained very clearly. There was so much terminology (granted, explained in the glossary), that I simply could not keep up, and as I was reading digitally, I just couldn't be bothered having to scroll all the way to the glossary to check the meanings. There were so many times when I felt confused at a medical explanation or term and it took me out of the story a bit trying to understand.

Having said that, the banter and relationship of the main characters were definitely a highlight. The slow burn was very satisfying, and I especially adored the second half of the book where both characters see each other more than just a means to an end. I thought the development of their relationship was done really well. And the banter.... incredibly satisfying.

The side characters fell a bit flat, and I feel like it would've made the world and the main story stronger if they were more developed.

Overall, a solid read, especially in the second half ( although I did not expect this to not be a standalone...).

Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital copy of this book!