Okay I screamed when I got the email from NetGalley that I was approved for this arc. I have seen so much about this book already, and how it’s on the way to become one of the big romantasy hits of 2025, and after having read it I can completely understand this!

This book is such an easy read, but still super intriguing. I finished it in a bit more then a day and really loved to read it. I appreciate that we have an enemies to lovers trope which start with both the FMC and MMC with complete confidence and being completely full of themselves (which give amazing interactions 😆), instead of a FMC that is still developing. Don’t get me wrong I like that too, but this was honestly such a refresher.

On top of that Brigitte Knightley developed a neat magical system, it’s complex but still explained in a way that it is not to hard for the reader to understand. I appreciate that she also made some serious limits to the magic that people can use, which in a weird way makes it very realistic.

Moreover, this book is a slowburn and I mostly like how this was executed, however sometimes I felt that it was a bit wobbly when we were to start to cross the from enemies to lovers, I feel that there could sometimes be a little more finetuning. But that is just me being nitpicky ;)

All in all a super nice read that I can Definetly recommend you to pick up this summer if you are into enemies to lovers, amazing banter and good magic systems!

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy was one of those books I instantly knew would be one of my top reads of the year, and after finishing it in under 24 hours, I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint. I can’t remember the last time I laughed this hard while reading—not just chuckling, but genuinely bursting into laughter. This book is hilarious. It’s also one of my favourite enemies-to-lovers stories, packed with back-and-forth banter that lasts for pages and still leaves you wanting more.

From the very first chapter, the personalities of the main characters are clear and compelling. And don’t even get me started on the chapter titles—each one had me eagerly anticipating what the next one would be. The humour in this book is contagious, and I loved every moment of it.

One of the toughest challenges fanfiction authors face is reimagining the world they’ve created, and Bridget Knightley does this effortlessly. She crafted a stunning magic system centred around different guilds, which I couldn’t get enough of. The fact that the glossary was at the start of the book, instead of the end, was a thoughtful touch. I loved how the two main characters (Osiric and Aurienne) belong to opposing guilds that can’t stand each other—true enemies-to-lovers material with a perfect slow-burn romance. You’ll be desperate for more after each chapter, filled with witty banter and subtle yearning. This slow-burn is something fanfiction authors excel at, and Knightley nails it.

The characters are fantastic. They have so much in common, but their core beliefs about right and wrong create tension between them. Aurienne is desperate to avoid violence as a healer, while our Assassian, Osiric, struggles to resist his darker instincts in her presence. I loved how they genuinely disliked each other at the start, but the change in their dynamic was so subtle that you could almost miss it. By the halfway point, their antagonism begins to shift into mutual admiration, and the transformation is beautifully done. There were even moments where Osiric imagined future arguments with the healer, and I was completely hooked.

The plot is expertly woven together. There are multiple storylines that come together in a stunning and satisfying way. I couldn’t get enough of it.

This is one of the few books I've ever read that gets the 6 star perfect rating from me!!! I cannot wait for more.

Okay, first of all, huge thanks to @orbitbooks_uk for the gifted arc, BUT WAS I THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDNT KNOW THIS ISNT A STANDALONE?! @brigitteknightley what have you done to me?! 

After reading The Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy, I am no longer sure that I had previously ever read a true enemies-to-lovers and this is just the absolute PERFECT one. 

Osric is a shadow, he is a hired murderer until he discovers that he is dying and the only one who can save him is Aurienne. There's only one problem. His people hate her people and vice versa. The only way he can enlist her help is through bribery (or kidnapping) and a wish upon some old fairy stories that moon magic is real. 

Over their months of trying to help Osric, they uncover some hard truths about their world, the rulers of their world, each other, and themselves. 

How much of yourself, your morals, your ethics, are you willing to give up for love? 

Absolutely phenomenal. This book had me stomping my feet, cursing, and yelling at the pages. I was so invested in this story and it is A SIN, A SIN I TELL YOU, that I have to wait so long for the rest of this story. 

"I'd rather you hate me than not think of me at all" 

Collapsing on the ground, writhing in emotional turmoil. THIS. IS. PERFECT.

Be sure to pick up your copy on July 8th!!

#irresistibleurgetofallforyourenemy
#dmatmoobil @littlebrownbookgroup_uk

Brigitte Knightley’s The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is a fantasy romance that leans heavily into its enemies-to-lovers dynamic, delivering a sharp and slow-burning tension between two characters whose moral compasses should repel—but instead, draw them into an increasingly tangled web of attraction, ideology, and reluctant dependence.

At the heart of the story is Osric Mordaunt, an assassin with a degenerative magical condition, and Aurienne Fairhrim, a healer and scientist whose expertise makes her his only hope. Their relationship begins as a transactional necessity—Osric’s bribe in exchange for Aurienne’s skills—but quickly spirals into something much more volatile and fascinating. Their banter is cutting, their principles are at war, and their growing awareness of each other is a study in friction so well-crafted it practically crackles on the page.

This novel thrives on its dualities: light and dark, logic and violence, intellect and instinct. Aurienne’s rigid, analytical perspective—filled with dense, scientific musings—contrasts sharply with Osric’s irreverent, often crude narration, making for a distinct stylistic split that some readers may find jarring. However, if you enjoy a hyper-competent heroine clashing with a morally dubious but deeply devoted antihero, the dynamic between them is undeniably compelling. Their chemistry is undeniable, though the romance is a true slow burn—so slow, in fact, that by the final page, you may still be left wanting more.

The world-building, while intriguing, is less thoroughly developed than one might expect from a fantasy of this scope. There are glimpses of a gaslamp-inspired setting with magical technology and warring factions, but much of it remains frustratingly vague.

Knightley’s writing is a blend of eloquence and irreverence, shifting from poetic prose to unexpected moments of juvenile humor. This tonal mix won’t be for everyone—some will find it charming, while others may find it inconsistent. While the book delivers on its tropes—opposites attract, high-stakes collaboration, “he falls first and harder”—it subverts the typical enemies-to-lovers arc by resisting easy resolutions. The ending, rather than providing a neat conclusion, leaves emotions raw and questions unanswered, paving the way for the second installment.

Ultimately, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is an ambitious and unconventional take on the genre. It’s a book for readers who enjoy the push and pull of reluctant allies, the slow unraveling of emotional barriers, and a romance that simmers rather than ignites. If you can embrace its quirks, its dense prose, and its deliberate pacing, you’ll find yourself as ensnared by its central relationship as Osric and Aurienne are with each other.

I was really looking forward to this book, and while it took me a bit to get into it, I ultimately found it to be an enjoyable read.

At the start, I had some trouble with the dense world-building and the heavy use of unfamiliar words that were thrown at me without much explanation. The first few chapters felt slow, and I had a hard time immersing myself in the story. However, once I pushed through that initial hurdle, I found myself increasingly drawn into the world and its characters.

The dynamic between the protagonists was engaging, and the slow-burn tension between them was well-executed. I looooveed the depth of the characters and the way their relationship developed over time✨.

The plot also picked up as the story progressed, and both the romance and the overarching mystery made it veryyy hard for me to put it down.

Altough the beginning was slow for me, book ultimately won me over. The rich storytelling, the character development and of course not to forget the swooning enemies to lovers aspect of the ❤️✨romance ✨❤️made it a worthwhile read, even if the pacing at the beginning could have been smoother.

If you're a fan of slow-burn romance with intricate world-building, this is definitely worth checking out.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Little Brown Group UK, and Brigitte Knightley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of one of my most anticipated books this year in exchange for my honest review!!

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

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

“𝑯𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆.”

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Osric and Aurienne: I adore them. Their razor-sharp wit, the slowest burning ACTUAL wrong vs right enemies-to-lovers, he falls first, the push and pull yearning, touch her and I’ll kill you (🍴), will they won’t they? It was a beautiful blended mix of everything that makes up a brilliant romance, garnished heavily with comedic banter executed in Brigittes unique style. The fantasy world she created was soo vivid and fun, complex but understandable (with the help of the glossary) and soo distinctive, unlike many fantasies nowadays referencing their magic and hierarchy systems off each others to the point where they all just sound the same. I loved the subtle influences of DMATMOOBIL (e.g. the pink heart glasses on the skeleton, signet ring, ‘pspsps’😭) but the story is completely standalone and separate to the fanfic and it was such a fresh take in a sea of books in this genre where I was actively laughing out loud at times.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

[Potential slight spoilers ahead]

Osric Mordaunt needs help. He has an incurable degenerative condition affecting his magic and because his line of work is heavily structured around the use of his seith (Assassin for hire), he desperately needs the incurable, cured. Along comes Aurienne Fairhrim (not completely via her own free will) after she agrees to try healing him in exchange for heavy funding to inoculate against a Pox outbreak that is severely affecting children. He’s a Fyren (Dark) and she’s a Haelan (Light), he kills and she heals. On principle they hate each other, by the by working for conflicting Orders, only tolerating each other as they try an experiment Aurienne researched years prior during the full moon each month, in hopes that they can save him. However, the more time they are forced to spend together and the more they try to grasp onto that feeling of hatred as it begins to slip between their fingers, the more they realise they have begun to rely on the other. That the line between their opposing moral compasses blurred and almost combined, with Osric suddenly feeling protective over her and Aurienne going against the morals she’s placed on herself for him. I loved watching them struggle to understand what they’re feeling between themselves as they know they shouldn’t (it’s principle!!) but they can’t help it. They clash together expertly, hilariously and naturally bouncing off the other in an almost intimate way without them even realising how easily they flow with each other. The healings and pox storylines don’t shadowed nor take the attention off the main one, the fuelling romance between Osric and Aurienne, but instead are always small reminders as to why they are in the position they are in the first place, keeping their reality in check and on a path they keep slowly divulging from. I loved the ending, a cliffhanger in the literal sense, but also the emotional, with Osric realising and accepting that his heart doesn’t belong to himself anymore. It doesn’t end with them together and in love already like many ‘enemies to lovers’ do. But instead it brutally ends with all the questions that they have in their minds about their feelings for each other practically unanswered.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

I love an opposites, almost forbidden romance and this had practically every trope I wanted all in one. The advanced sophisticated writing style was a little hard to interpret at times, but it was manageable- especially through the dictionary function on my kindle- and I quite liked how I was able to enhance my vocabulary as I read. Anyways, it is absolutely criminal that the next book isn’t already in my hands and I have no idea when it will come out seeing how this one isn’t even published yet 😔 but best believe I WILL be first in line to get a copy as soon as it hits the shelves.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

Favourite quotes (because I can’t just pick one):

“𝑯𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒖𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒂 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓. 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒑𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒚.”

“‘𝑫’𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒂 “𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍” 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒓𝒐𝒕?’ 𝒂𝒔𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝑶𝒔𝒓𝒊𝒄. 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒎 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒕. ‘𝑰𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒍, 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖.’”

“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.“

“𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔; 𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒕, 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒂, 𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓-𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆.”

*ARC* i was so lucky to get this arc copy of one of my most anticipated reads of the year & it did not disappoint!! I loved it🖤💚

I will start by saying that if you go in with preconceptions that is is like ‘draco malfoy & the mortifying ordeal of being in love’ then you wont like this because it is not the same story. So just remember it’s completely different when you go into it.

I need to talk about these characters. The banter in this book was top quality & like nothing ive read before. It made me physically laugh out loud at times with how well it was written. Brigitte absolutely nailed the dry sarcastic humour of Aurienne & Osric, coming from someone who has that same type of humour it was impeccable 👌🏻
The slow-burn was slow-burning!❤️‍🔥There is another book coming after this and it’s refreshing to see the slow burn continue & not have the main characters fall madly in love right at the end.

The magic/world was a little confusing at first and it took me a couple chapters to engross myself in it but once i had, i couldn’t put it down. I do wish some things were explained more in detail & not just glossed over but i feel this is more romance than fantasy & so i didnt deep it too much. Im not there for the fantasy world as much as i’m there for the romance. If you take the ‘fantasy’ out the story would still be the same. If anyone gets confused reading then read the glossary at the end, dont do what i did & not realise it was there😅

I cannot wait for release day so i can buy all available copies & spread my love for it even more, and i cant wait for the next book to find out what happens and for Osric & Aurienne to realise they love each other💓

I guess I am not the intended audience for this book. Please don’t hate me. 2.5 stars rounded up.

I really wanted to love it. It has the cozy slightly clinical vibes of Emily Wilde’s, with the borderline meta “he’s so bad” energy from Assistant to the Villain, with some lovey dovey mixed with political background maliciousness of The Princess Bride…But with A LOT of potty and sexual humor thrown in that just did not work for me.

Word count roundup:
• 13 penis’s
• 10 pubic’s or pubes
• 21 tits, nipples and nips
• 15 balls or ball

And it’s a slooooooow burn - so these are not occurring in the bedroom…

They are all written in a jokey salacious (and at time slightly vulgar) way, and I guess this much condensed in a small space is not my humour. I didn’t expect it and it didn’t land for me. It was oddly sexual, without being sexual?

I do so hope you love it - I really did want to. But if for some reason that many penis mentions does you in like me, now you know. *I swear I’m not a prude.*

I also found the pacing a bit off, and seriously think it should have been a standalone story. The conclusion feels more like an oddly timed intermission that is just unnecessary and affects the overall delivery of the story.

In any case, thank you to Little Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy comes out on July 8th.

This book was amazing, laugh out load, slow burn, enemies to friends, a few small tropes that slip in like, touch her and die, turning up injured on a door step, the banter between the two main characters is hilarious and though it didn’t end on a cliffhanger it did just end without a conclusion to a lot of questions so I’m really hoping this is a series.
I would highly recommend this book, I remember seeing this book as a recommendation and they suggested it was like the characters Hermione and Draco Malfoy from Harry Potter and from the moment I started reading it I totally could see that too. I was sold on this book with the first line / chapter header, so here it is for you ;
“Irresistible Bastard Meets Immovable Bitch”

Possible spoilers
This is about two characters that collide out of necessity. Osric is an assassin who’s having problems with his magic and Aurienne is a healer who’s dealing with a pox outbreak in children.
After going through the obvious (to him) ways of getting Auriennes help - flirting being one of them 😂 they end up in a monetary agreement. He funds the pox vaccine research and she heals him from eventual death. This results in them both hating the arrangement. Lots of funny trips to get healed and events along the way further there hatred for each other , but you know what they say about hate and love … it’s a very thin line and they stretch it!! By the end of the book one of them has worked out that they actually love the other.

This book shattered my skyhigh expectations and left me absolutely FERAL for more. Thank you so much Brigette 😭😭😭

I want to start by saying that I read this as an ARC reader, but I was determined not to let that (and my love of Brigette’s previous work) influence my review. I went into it expecting a decent read. What I got, was one of the best books I’ve ever read, genuinely.

If you’re looking for a proper fantasy with an elite slow burn, the most delicious banter and a magic system that actually feels fresh, this it IT!!! 👌

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is what you’d get if Romeo & Juliet happened in an alternate fantasy version of the British Isles, except Romeo is a stabby, morally black assassin and Juliet is a hyper intelligent healer who is completely disinterested in his existence. Until she isn’t… 👀

From the very first chapter, I knew this book was something special. The writing is unique, clever, and so sharp that I was highlighting entire passages, including the chapter titles. I’ve never highlighted so much of a book in my life. 

I’m a huge fan of Knightley’s writing style. She uses a lot of big words (which I maybe had to look up once or twice…thank you Kindle dictionary 😂). But somehow she doesn’t make you feel like she’s swallowed a thesaurus, it just flows. The descriptions of even the most mundane things add such depth and flavour to the story. It might not be every one’s cup of tea, and could be described as flowery, but I loved it.

I went into this ready for heavy world building, and BOOOOOOY it delivered. The magic system is intricate and different from anything I’ve read before, I loved the Deofol and the Tacn system, it just all felt so well developed. The explanations for which are woven so seamlessly into the plot that I never once felt like I was being spoon-fed lore like some fantasy books (there’s also a glossary, which helps!).

If you’re here for the romance, I’ll warn you that this is a true slow burn, a proper enemies to lovers, where they genuinely loathe each other before the tension starts creeping in and they aren’t going to wake up one morning and suddenly rip each others clothes off, but that’s part of what makes this book so good. It keeps you wanting more, the romance feels realistic, the tension is so palpable you could cut it with a chainsaw, and the banter? I was CACKLING. I’ve never highlighted so much in my life. Standout moments include “onion boy,” “pube plait boy,” “harmacy,” and “acts of unwarranted brutality.” This book is so funny!! I was chuckling out loud constantly. It’s got that dry, witty humour that’ll make you grin even when things get intense.

I was also really pleasantly surprised to find that while this book clearly takes inspiration from its Dramione counterpart, DMATMOOBIL, it’s a completely new story. Sure, there are sprinklings of references throughout (signet rings, heart-shaped glasses), and the characters bear a clear resemblance to our favourite bookish swot & lithe, white-haired wizard, but they also feel unique and fresh.

Honestly, I happily could’ve read another 100 or 200 pages of this book. There was so much going on, and I just didn’t want it to end. But that said, there’s no filler content. The pacing is absolutely perfect, every single page had me totally absorbed.

And THEN I got to the end and realised this is only part one. I feel so stupid because I was NOT READY. I NEED answers. I NEED book two. Right now.

I can’t wait for this book to release so I can share in the love for it with friends & the wider book community. You deserve every success. 💕

Thank you SO much to Brigitte and the publishers for sharing this story with me. I can’t wait to get my hands on the physical copy in July!

P.s (I'd give it 6 stars if I could!!!)

I was fortunate enough to be approved for this ARC and omg, I loved this book so much!

before I start my review, I have to admit that while I'm familiar with the Dramione phenomenon and have heard of the more popular fanfics, I've never actually read a Dramione fanfic (though I have plans to do that soon!). however, this didn't dampen my enjoyment of the story at all, because the book has enough original substance to stand on its own and leave its mark.

the world depicted in this book is a fantastical version of the United Kingdom where travel is a seamless affair with the help of strategically placed waystones (in proximity to pubs 🍻), and where you can't escape the iconic Mind the gap. aside from the setting, the magic system is unique and complex without being overly complicated to understand. it was really interesting to read about seith (and what happens when you deplete yourself - I love it when there are actual magic limitations in fantasies), the many different Orders and how each has a specific way of using seith.

and oh, the slow burn 😩 it's as slow as it gets, and I ate it up. the description of the book is very accurate in saying that he falls first and harder and it was a delight to see Osric very (!) slowly start to warm up to Aurienne (I can't wait to read the sequel and not have to settle for literal crumbs haha).

what really shined in this book was the humour! there were countless times when I actually laughed out loud because of the wordplay, the banter or the images evoked. and I'm not just referring to the interactions between Aurienne and Osric - here, every character has some sort of funny streak and the result is a seamless blend of really enjoyable characters and witty conversations.

one thing that I didn't particularly like was the overuse of complicated words. it happened quite frequently for me to be engrossed in the story, and suddenly I come across a word I've never seen before and have to pause and look it up. I understand what the author was going for with this approach, but sometimes it was a bit much, precisely because it can often pull the reader out of the story.

all in all, this was a great book that I think readers of slow burn romantasy will really enjoy!

Let me tell you—Brigitte Knightley has created the perfect fantasy rom-com, with the slowest of slow burns. But fear not—you won’t even notice until, suddenly, you find yourself swooning over a mere hand kiss (guilty as charged!).

The TENSION in this book is everything. The sarcasm and wit woven into the narration will have you laughing out loud.

The world-building takes a little time to fully grasp, but that’s to be expected in a duology that leans heavily into the romance—otherwise known as the “the world would be better off if you were never born” a (almost) quote by Aurienne.

And as for the ending? Don’t worry—it’s not a soul-crushing cliffhanger. Sure, you’ll be desperate for book two in about two seconds, but you won’t be left crying and begging the author for mercy. (That said—if you’re reading this, please hurry! I *need* that sequel!)

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC!🩷

Osric and Aurienne are going to live in my brain rent free for the foreseeable future 🤭 this book made me cackle and laugh out loud, the puns, the use of slang, the ridiculous situations were just *chefs kiss* the banter was on point and ugh the slow burn was yummy 🧎🏻‍♀️

I also loved the world building and the magic system, it felt very unique and the lore and language translation and semantics scratched by philologist brain so good 🫶🏻 ngl I learned a lot with this book, so well researched
AND the writing omg so witty and fun and beautiful, i basically highlighted every page on my kindle lmao

I can’t wait for July to get the physical version and annotate the hell out of it 🩷✨🧐

p.s. I need the next book asap 😚

This was one of my highest anticipated reads of the year and when the parcel came in the post I *screamed*!!! I love the dry humour that this author does so well, and on many occasions I was laughing out loud. For me, I wish there was just a bit of tension between the two of them, whereas for the first 50% if not more it was just pure hatred. I would have loved “I want you but I can’t have you”.

The book has been advertised as slow burn and enemies to lovers, and both things are very very true about The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy ! The animosity between the MCs allows for beautiful banter and tension all throughout the book, and every dialogue is a lot of fun.

The world building and political intrigue is very well thought out and kept me on my toes, I can’t wait for the next book.

Unfortunately this one wasn’t for me at all. I found characters and world-building to be severely underdeveloped making it hard for me to connect and get invested in the story. I didn't like the use of overly complicated vocabulary and found it overwhelming. I think people who have sentimental attachment to the original fanfic might enjoy this more than me.

i was lucky to receive one of my most anticipated reads this year as an arc and my god that was actually phenomenal. i don’t think i’ve ever laughed out loud so much reading a book. it was the funniest wittiest piece of literature. it was so dramione-coded and i loved every second of it. it wasn’t a re-write of dmatmoobil but it gave off the same exact vibes and it made me feel just like i did when reading the ff. and the heart-shaped sunglasses and the signet ring!!! the way i screamed (iykyk👀). i have not read a proper slow-burn enemies-to-lovers in soooo long and this was exactly that! it was made very clear that they both wanted each other dead very much. but then we got those teeny tiny sprinkles of ‘what if?’ between them, and it was just enough to make me giggle and kick my feet in the air🥹i loved the forbidden aspect of their romance. i ADORED their characters. the banter was absolutely✨chef’s kiss✨the world-building was impeccable. the way we were introduced to the details of this world was truly done so well by knightley. ngl this gave off quite an ali hazelwood-esque vibe in the sense that i felt quite stupid at times while reading it..there were A LOT of words that i had to look up😅i also loved that we had a lot of conversation and not just narration. the writing style was unlike anything i’ve read before and i think it’s one of the reasons why i enjoyed it so much. the only downside was that this book ended!!! how am i meant to wait till the next one?🥲 this has definitely made it onto my favorite books of all time list and i’m not exaggerating❤️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars obviously. i knew i was going to love it but that truly exceeded any and all expectations👏🏼

thank you so much to littlebrownbookgroup_uk / orbitbooksuk for the arc! and to brigitte knightley for writing this masterpiece obvs😌

A true enemies-to-lovers slow burn tale in every sense. I really enjoyed this read! It was well-paced, so funny, full of witty banter, atmospheric and interesting.

I found the world building to be quite immersive and I was able to get a good scope on what I imagine the different settings looked like from the descriptive writing. Coming from DMATMOOBIL, it was so easy to separate the two worlds and magic systems once I had gotten into the flow of the story.

The writing style did catch me off guard at the beginning but I was quickly able to grasp it and thoroughly enjoyed the verbal beatings between Osric and Aurienne — I did actually lol several times.

I’m so invested in seeing what happens next (don’t make me wait too long please!!) and though I wished for a few more intimate moments within this book, I still absolutely loved it. Can’t wait for more within this universe!

Thank you for the opportunity to read this e-arc book ahead of release.

Sadly I was only able to read to 50% before I made the decision to stop reading. There wasn’t enough character development for me personally and the book felt more plot driven. I didn’t like the characters much but I feel this was because I wasn’t given the chance to? I know others will love this and the vibes so I’d still recommend to people to try!

This is the ultimate enemies-to-lovers story, a slow burn that keeps you hooked from start to finish. Osric, an assassin from the Fyren Order, and Aurienne, a scholarly healer, despise each other but when circumstances force them to work together, tensions rise in the best way. She’s the only one who can help, and he makes her an offer she can’t refuse.
This book had me laughing out loud, the banter is sharp, the chemistry is electric, and the story is utterly addictive. The plot is so engaging that you’ll devour it in one sitting. This is the first book in a duology and I can’t wait to read the second one.
This truly will be one of my favorites reads this year.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC!