Osric and Aurienne are amazing 😍

This book is hilarious and heart-warming at the same time. I am besotted with the characters and what they are going though both separately and together.

I love the slow burn romance! It's everything and now I'm annoyed I have to wait for book 2 as I need more of these two in my life. I could read about them verbally sparring with each other all day.

That ending has got me craving more, the yearning is palpable 🥰

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Okay this was a lot of fun!

I loved the humour in this, it was witty, sarcastic banter that actually made me laugh out loud at points.
Our mmc seeks the help of our fmc and her healing powers, which she reluctantly agrees to in exchange for a hefty donation made anonymously to their research in finding a cure for the pox. In their quest to try and save our mmc they discover something else is going on in regards to someone wanting to find out who made the donation and why, which we see towards the end of the book.

I enjoyed the back and forth between our fmc and mmc, and I think this was enemies to lovers done really well. At times I did have to try and remember exactly what was going on by going back and rereading some parts, however it wasn’t a huge issue for me.

This is definitely one for you if you’re a vibes / mood reader like me, it’s light-hearted and fun and will have you giggling all the way through. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, I am incredibly grateful for this ARC as it was such an unexpected and pleasant surprise.
I believe with this particular book it is more of a me problem. Personally, I didn't find the world building and the characters lacking even though I know it is adapted from a fanfiction.
However, I am just not a fan of the humorous/comedic tone it was utilized, that is the major reason I did not finish Villains and Virtues as well. For me it lessens the stakes and I lovey books to have tension and darkness.
So, I would very much recommend this one if you are not like me and prefer funnier and cozier reads.

I did not really like this book.
The premise sounded intriguing which is why i wanted to read it but i did not really feel a connexion to the characters.
I also really felt the lack of world building, because we had all of those different type of class of people but didn't really know who or what they were.
I knew it was a slow burn but the romance was so slow, we had to wait until more than half of the bppk for them to kind of realised that they liked each other.
It's not a book for me but there will probably will be people that will like it.

I expected more from it (?) because of how much people loved the original work. I can still feel the whole dramione FF vibe and I have to admit that this is the type of read that I've been missing this days.
Overall I think 3.5 is a great rating for this one. I can't wait to see what the author will do in the future

I was sold the moment this book was announced and then again the moment I read the Goodreads trope: “Evisceration as a love language.” 😂🤌🖤 Literally, say less...

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced e-copy of The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley.

This book is, in my opinion, a stroke of fantasy romcom brilliance! I've read Brigitte’s fanfiction before, and I already knew her trademark tone which is sharp, witty, hilarious, and oh so romantic. I’m excited to say her original work absolutely delivered on all of that....

Was the worldbuilding a bit tricky to settle into? Yes, but that’s often the case for me with fantasy, and here it was more of a speed bump than a roadblock. The naming conventions threw me a little, but I got over it fast because they completely fit the novel’s absurdly delightful energy. Quirks and all, the setting clicked once I let it.
The dynamic between Osric and Aurienne is everything. From ruthless enemies, to grudging allies, to an “almost something” we’re desperately rooting for...This is the slowest of slow burns I’ve read in ages. Torture, really... And I loved that their story wasn’t neatly wrapped up in this one book. The tension is still simmering, and we get the promise of more!

Xanthe was a personal favourite, and the Deofols were a chaotic delight. And don’t even get me started on the kitten, "Acts of Warranted Brutality".
Xanthe calling Osric “Onion Boy” while he was in a 'tutu' had me wheezing. I genuinely laughed out loud multiple times and highlighted so many lines. Knightley’s humour is just that good.

As much fun as it was, the ending still managed to stress me out. The last 5% had my anxiety spiralling, and I’m bracing myself for the emotional storm that’s sure to come in Book 2. This was everything I wanted it to be and I already can’t wait to return to this world.

Some of my fave quotes:

‘Where’s my cloak? I’m off to bribe. And if Fairhrim refuses, I shall proceed with kidnap.’ ‘A classic, sir.’

He pushed his hood back a little, so that she could see a bit of the Face. He tilted his head so that his cheekbone caught the light. His cleft chin clefted majestically.  Who wouldn’t want to heal this?

‘That’s a messy kill,’ said the deofol, jutting its chin towards the body. ‘My client wished to send a message,’ said Osric. ‘Was the message “I don’t know where the jugular is and had to stab him twelve times to find it”?’ asked the deofol.

He looked at her as one who wished to worship, and one who wished to defile.

Hate could feel strangely like something else.

‘Besides, they threatened to kidnap you.’ ‘And? You threatened to kidnap me.’ ‘Exactly: only I can do that.

‘He fell,’ said Mordaunt. ‘He fell?’ ‘Yes. On the fork.’ ‘He fell on the fork? Twenty times?’ ‘Yes. Due to … fear.’ ‘What was he afraid of?’ ‘The fork.’

‘You’re right, Haelan Fairhrim. And so we must remain to one another–Leverage and Means, on this side of eternity.’ ‘We must only endure one another a little longer.’

‘You’re going to forget me?’ asked Mordaunt.  ‘I hope so,’ said Aurienne. ‘I’m heartbroken.’ ‘You haven’t a heart,’
‘I’d rather you hate me than not think of me at all.

That was what they were doomed to: standing upon a threshold. On the verge and only ever on the verge. An almost. He was what he was; she was what she was.

WARNING!! Some Spoilery Quotes Below.......

She took a breath. A hundred years passed. He waited, utterly at her mercy. He wished to kneel. He wished to gather her skirts into his fists and prostrate himself at her feet. Please, please, please.

What did having one’s hand kissed by a Fyren feel like? Reckless. Heady. Like life being lived. Like an impending disaster.

When he had dispatched the men, Mordaunt, dripping with guts and blood, looked down at himself, and said, ‘Well, this shirt is ruined.’

Her eyes were dark with concern, only she hated him, so they weren’t, but it was lovely to pretend.  So very lovely.

Not beautiful. Just pretty. Just pretty.  Osric did not want Fairhrim to be beautiful. He was susceptible to beauty. He was an Appreciator of beautiful things. He wanted to acquire them.
He wanted them to be his.

What was between them? Once it had been a theatre of war; now it was a no man’s land. They had grown entangled in each other through reciprocities. Healing and killing, killing and healing.

While it lasted, the kiss was eternal. And it was too much and too little, and it was unhallowed, and it was sacrosanct.

He and she sat in the moonlight as lover and beloved. He hadn’t paid attention. He had been stupid–gods, so stupid. He no longer owned his heart. The thief was unconscious of her crime.

It was ruthless folly; it was the sorrow of a thing ending before it could begin; it was a new circle of torment; it was a delicious wound. What joy seamed by misery. What pleasure fraught with pain.
It hadn’t been love at first sight, but at last sight–gods, at last sight–

I’m trying to review this as if I didn’t know it was precious a fanfiction.
Things I liked about this book:
The FMC was funny and I enjoyed the banter between the FMC and the MMC, it was a bit cringey but I feel like that was the point, the MMC loves himself and that comes through. I enjoyed the original plot of trying to save the MMC through impossible ways. I enjoyed each moon process we went through. Not real enemies to lovers more not really fond of each other to a kiss.

Things I struggled with: I wish women in STEM didn’t always come across as angry and pretentious, can we stop this narrative now please. The writing style wasn’t to my usual taste, there were a lot of capitals used to mark important things but it was done too much for me. My main concern is how about 80% of the way through we just stopped with the main plot and we took a different focus. It felt weird and didn’t pace well when reading. The ending was confusing, I guess a cliffhanger but to me it seemed like it just stopped. I think this has been marketed well to the type of readers who will enjoy this.
I’d give two and a half stars but half’s aren’t an option.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

This was maybe not for me! I usually love a slow burn, enemies to lovers story, but I really struggled with the prose of this book. A lot of chunks were just written awkwardly, where the prose didn't flow or the word choice felt awkward. As with most based-off-fanfic books, the world building is weak. (Because you're meant to have the fanfic world already build out in the original work.) And the banter really did get a little exhausting after a while.

Overall, I think a lot of people will love this book! Just not me. I thought it was just fine!

Thanks to Net galley & Littlebrown Book Group UK for the ARC - this was a 4.5 star read for me

Where do I even start with this one?
I picked up this ARC on NetGalley knowing the idea was originally from a Draco & Hermione fanfic on AO3—and honestly, that sold it for me. I’d been meaning to dip my toe into the fanfic pool and this felt like the perfect place to start, especially after seeing it hyped up so much online.

And wow... I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was definitely not disappointed. First off, can we talk about the cover? Obsessed. And the title? Quirky and fun—total win. While the author has reimagined the characters into their own creations, they were so clearly Draco & Hermione-coded that I couldn’t help picturing them exactly that way, which honestly enhanced the reading experience for me.

The magic system was unique and packed with detail, but it never felt overwhelming—instead, it pulled me deeper into the world. The worldbuilding? Chef’s kiss. I was totally immersed.

Now, the writing style—this is where it really stood out. It’s definitely different from what I usually read: clever, dense, and full of big words that had me constantly flipping my Kindle dictionary open. But I loved that. It never felt pretentious—just smart, witty, and totally in line with the prose.
Oh, and the banter? Absolutely hilarious. I saw some reviewers say the ball jokes were too much... I respectfully disagree. I was cackling—the humour hit perfectly for me. ( not sure what that says about me right enough)

Then there’s the romance: Aurienne the healer, Osric the assassin. Complete opposites. Their orders aren’t supposed to mix at all. So when they’re forced to work together? Instant tension. The enemies-to-lovers slow burn was exquisite. Lingering looks, subtle touches, reluctant alliances—this is the kind of romance I live for.

Overall? I highly recommend giving this one a go. It’s got intense worldbuilding, action, swoon-worthy tension, and laugh-out-loud humour. I’m already counting down to book two.

I loved all the tension in this book. The chemistry between the leads was great with plenty of banter, and hostility that slowly melts away.

The slow burn was so well done. It kept me hooked chapter after chapter, wondering when the characters would finally give in. I would have probably liked a bit more payoff toward the end, but I was loving all the build up!

This was a nice easy read, would recommend to anyone looking for a tense, slow burn romantasy.

For me, the book started with two very unlikeable and arrogant people - not the best start. I would also have preferred if the introduction to the book wasn't an info dump. However, the story was interesting enough for me to keep reading.

I'm a bit disappointed in the enemies-to-lovers aspect - one of my favorite tropes. There was very little tension and progress throughout, but I'm hoping there'll be more in the next one.

The story and the character grew on me after the mid-point, enough for me to be intrigued and want to pick up the next book, but not enough to be 100% sold. Yet.

*Thank you to the author and publisher for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*

4⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC!
This gem is out on July 8th, and if you’re a fan of chaotic slow burns with sharp banter and big feelings buried under layers of mutual loathing… this one’s for you.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy was genuinely hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud more than once — especially during the yogurt scene and the Randy Unicorn (you’ll know it when you get there). The dynamic between Aurienne and Osric was absolute gold: she’s a grumpy, brilliant healer who has zero patience for nonsense, and he’s a smooth, deadpan assassin who falls so hard, so early, and has no idea what to do with himself.

This is the slowest of slow burns, and I mean that as a compliment. Every little shift in their relationship felt earned. The tension, the bickering, the forced proximity — all of it had me fully hooked.

I love a story where the characters are deeply competent but emotionally clueless, and this book nails that dynamic perfectly. Honestly, I’m still smiling thinking about some of their interactions.

I cannot wait for the sequel. Brigitte Knightley, I’m watching your release schedule like a hawk.

I was so looking forward to reading this book, the cover and blurb was spot on and made me want to pick this book up.

I had a fantastic time reading it. In fact I could not put it down.

Osric the male lead in the story is an assassin, he was very witty and clever and boy did he love to use sarcasm. Aurienne is another well written character by the author, she is strong and has a way of being able to deal with whatever is thrown at her. Being a healer she has views about Osric which are exacerbated when he bribes her to help him.

The conversation and banter between the two is hilarious at times and I found it very entertaining to read.

The romance was very slow burn and didn’t really start till the second half.

The writing and humour from the author was first class and I was fully immersed in the story from start to finish

I am looking forward to reading the concluding book of this duet

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit UK for this eARC copy!

This was the easiest 5⭐️ from me!

This book is like Ten Things I Hate About You except I am sure Aurienne and Osric could easily make that list Ten Thousand Things I Hate About You.

Osric our MMC is an assassin in need of a healer. Our FMC Aurienne is said healer but with an oath to bring “harm to none” why would she help someone who… you know, murders people for a living?? However, Aurienne works for a research centre in desperate need of funds to heal sick children and she accepts his plea; for a price… These two idiots then have to work with each other and the rest is history ..

This a true enemies to lovers story with heavy romantic comedy vibes set in a fantasy world. I’ve seen a quote that the slow burn is so slow you might as well be going in reverse but Brigitte Knightley does this so well, I was utterly hooked. There is a unique magic system in this book and the characters belong to different "Orders" set in alternative version of the UK. There is a thorough glossary at the beginning but I wished there was a little more world building. I would love more of this in the sequel as the magic and the Orders were really intriguing!

I have never highlighted so many quotes from a book before! I have done this so I can go back and laugh at them or share them when this book is finally released. It is genuinely one of the funniest books I’ve ever read if not the funniest. If you’re a woman in STEM and/or work in healthcare like myself you are going to appreciate the medical-related humour a lot. I feel like Brigitte Knightley crawled into my head and wrote a book tailored to my exact sense of humour.

I look forward to reading this again and I am praying the sequel comes out soon for the sake of my sanity (that ending?!!).

Honestly a must read unless you hate being happy or don’t enjoy laughing till you cry??

Was very curious about this, being a huuuuuge fan of the fanfic (I know it’s not a re write but is clearly very heavily influenced) & this sadly did just not hit even close the same. I found the ‘banter’ really cringe and only became invested about 80% in, and then had somehow missed it was a duology and got really fed up it was over just as things got started. This really would’ve been better as a chunky single book

I really struggled with this book mainly because of the formatting of the eArc and I've never struggled with that before. Unfortunately for me there wasn't any world building and struggled with the long chapters, because I dnfed the book at 25% i haven't reviewed this book on my booktok account or goodreads

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is a hilarious and entertaining debut that blends humour, rich worldbuilding, and compelling characters into a thoroughly enjoyable read.

The highlight of the book for me was the humour. The dialogue shines with clever, fast paced banter that consistently lands, and there were several moments that genuinely made me laugh out loud. Knightly creates an impressive balance between real narrative stakes and absurd situations that somehow still feel grounded in the world the author has built.

The worldbuilding is rich and layered, with a magic system and setting that feels fresh. I really appreciated the guides and extra material at the front of the book.

Aurienne and Osric were well developed and entertaining protagonists. Each felt fully realised on their own, with distinctive voices and motivations. The slow burn pacing was done incredibly well, and watching their relationship shift and develop over the course of the book was incredibly satisfying. I can’t wait to see more of them in future books.

I highly recommend The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy to readers wanting a fantasy romance that will make you laugh out loud.

The writing style in this is genuinely hilarious and so so unique! It was the main thing that kept me turning the page, rather than the plot or characters. Its snappy, witty, and sarcastic in a way I've never read before - so refreshing!

Unfortunately the plot and characters just weren't for me! I thought the logistical back and forth travelling lasted for too long without really leading anywhere, and I just didn't really believe the chemistry or supposed 'enemies to lovers' plotline between Osric and Aurienne. I never warmed to either of them.

It definitely picked up towards the end for me, but I don't think I'll be picking up any future books in this series.

This was very different to romantasys I have read before. A unique concept and interesting plot with some hilariously quirky characters! This served me well as an easy holiday read.

The humour in this book is its biggest commendation. I found the characters super funny and it actually had me laughing out loud on multiple occasions. The banter between our FMC and MMC was brilliant. I loved Aurienne’s plain speaking nature and how she just doesn’t stand for any nonsense she is given by Osric. She felt very iconic to me as a character.

I love a good romantasy with a mystery embedded in its plot so I was definitely onboard as these two tried to uncover the mystery behind the resurgence of the pox. The story was heaped in clever twists and fantastic banter throughout.

This is a very slow burn romance with almost little to no pay off at the end so if that’s not your jam, I don’t think this will be the book for you. Some incredibly sweet moments between Aurienne and Osric though and I’m anticipating things to heat up in book two.

My biggest draw back with this one is the world building - or lack thereof. I spent a lot of the time when reading this wondering when and where we were. I just couldn’t capture a clear picture of the setting or magic systems in place. A lot of jargon that could be confusing at times as well.

Holy moly, I think this is my fave of the year so far!?!

Thank you to NetGalley, Brigitte Knightley and the publishers for this ARC, (my first NetGalley ARC!), and it did not disappoint!

I had no idea going into this book that it was originally a Dramione fanfic and had discovered it around halfway reading, but if I had never found out until after, I honestly don't think I would have connected any dots (but the character art should have maybe hinted this to lil old me, whoops!).

We really do find ourselves a TRUE enemies to lovers, which builds EVER so slowly (did it ever end!?) but I think was done so well. I LOVED the witty and sharp banter so so much, I found myself giggling away to myself so many times. I have no idea if the author is British, but the dry and witty banter definitely read like a Brit had written it, and I think this to me made it even the more enjoyable. I was yearning SO badly towards the latter half of the book, and especially at the end, and to leave it on that cliffhanger has got me needing the sequel asap!

Our MMC, Osric (our Draco coded fellow), to me reminded me lot like Flynn Ryder from Tangled, and I am not complaining of that at all! Our FMC, Aurienne (our Hermione coded gal), was also really enjoyable to read and wasn't overly portrayed as being stuck up in comparison to Osric, but enough to create wit and banter. This was my first experience of reading an MC in STEM, which I did enjoy and didn't feel like I had jargon being shoved down my throat of which I didn't understand, and was also able to be pulled into some of the humour as well as the darker subjects.

I enjoyed the world building and how there were magical elements within the world but also within a 'normal' world. And of course I appreciated the Cumbria mention 🙂‍↕️🫡. There was a lot of world explanation at the beginning in the glossary, and although it may have been a bit overwhelming, we didn't visit all the Orders/areas of the world just yet but enjoyed the world building we did experience.

I've since preordered a special edition, and maybe this will be the first book I actually tab and physically highlight, I loved it THAT much! I highlighted many quotes on my kindle, one of my favourites being 'he looked at her as one who wished to worship, and one who wished to defile', like my LORD! I am in LOVE.

I had a thoroughly fun time reading this book, I loved our main characters, along with their deofols and a backlog of other characters, and the worlds we visited.

Well done Brigitte, thank you so much for the opportunity of the ARC, I am chomping at the bit for the sequel!!