Firstly, would like to thank Orbit and NetGalley for approving me to read this ARC for an honest review. I am not going to lie, this is one of my 3 top anticipated reviews this year. I am a massive Dramione fanfic fan (DMATMOOBIL being one of my favourites!) and was so excited when I was approved to read this, I dropped everything I was doing to read this. I was excited to see the similarities and changes made from the Fanfic to the traditionally published story and it did not disappoint.

The story follows Aurienne and Osric who are both from different orders. Aurienne is a healer and Osric is an assassin and in a twist of fate, Osric is in need of a healer but Aurienne is a member of an enemy order but also very straight laced and morally good. This is a slow burn, truly enemies to lovers story. They are forced to work together to try and heal Osric from his ailment which solving why a pox virus is spreading.

This book was hilarious and the plot kept you hooked and intrigued. The characters and the situations they find themselves in made me belly laugh at times and the internal monologues of these two showed how compatible they really were. I loved the interaction between the two main characters, the fact that they are denying their attraction to each other only pushes them closer together and fuels the subtle flirtation between them. It shows that even as enemy orders, they can and do work well together.

The way the book ended, had me yearning to read the next instalment straight away. The tension and yearning build was spectacular and I cannot wait to see this build and build in the next book! This was a 5 star read for me and now I have to hurry up and wait for the next book.....sigh!!!

I struggled a lot with what to rate this one because I LOVED the banter and interactions with the characters. I was giggling a lot and highlighting so much. But that’s the only thing I liked about the book.

I’m not sure if it’s because they had to work so hard to make sure it wasn’t anything Harry Potter like but the world and the lore was SO confusing. And the actual plot was really boring and not interesting? I have a feeling if I read the actual fan fiction I would really enjoy it but I think the translation to a published book has fell flat.

This was honestly so much fun to read! I laughed so much throughout this book. I will say it is overwhelming in the first few chapters, learning the different words and the world building, but after you get past that, it is such a fun plot and the banter is top tier!!

The magic system is actually really interesting, and I wish we got a bit more explanation on it and the different orders, but I have a feeling we will get more of that in the next book.

Aurienne is a healer and such a sweetheart. I really liked her character and how sweet she was. Osric is a broody, confident guy who literally is so funny! This was honestly such a fun enemies to like? i wouldn't say lovers just yet.... But the tension between these two is so good!
Between the dry sarcasm and the hilarious banter, I couldn't put this book down. The chemistry between Aurienne and Osric is just so good, and I'm so excited for the next book in this series.

The plot was so interesting, first starting with Osric needing a healer, and now they have to work together for that, plus something even bigger and more serious. I have a feeling I am going to love this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for this ARC!

The cover of this book caught my attention and I just HAD to read it. Now, the story didn´t impress me at first. It´s a good thing I never dnf, because I wanted to dnf this one a couple of times. The writing was ok but the characters and overall story didn´t stand out to me.

However, around 60% into the story, I finally connected a little with the characters, the story picked up and I could finally laugh at the interactions between our main characters. There turned out to be a lot of build up, which is fine for a first book in a series, but here I just didn´t vibe with it. The ending did leave a lot of interesting questions and I am still curious about the bigger things so that´s good at least!

I don’t want to give too much away with this one because I think it is 100000% necessary to go into it almost blind, but you’ll enjoy it so much if you like;
- intriguing and unique world building
- enemies to tentative lovers
- murder, very graphic, fun, torturous murder with flair
- constant sass and bickering
- world politics (that get them in trouble)
- fantastical storytelling and dialogue
- crass humour
- he falls first
- assassin X healer

This one has got to be one of my most anticipated books of 2025, and with good reason because I enjoyed it so freaking much! I’m still kinda reeling from how good the tension was between the two characters, as well as how amazing the world building and uniqueness of storytelling.
I know that this one originally started out as fanfic on AO3 and I am gutted that I never got the chance to read It their first, but honestly, i would have never guessed that this novel started out there!

There were so many aspects of this that I enjoyed immensely, but I can safely say that this wasn’t at all what I was expecting when I first lost my mind over seeing I had been approved for an ARC copy. The marketing for it makes it seem like a romantasy, enemies to lovers, pretty standard fantasy that would have a similar kind of style to ACOTAR or Fourth Wing, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

I think there are some people that are going to struggle with getting into this one and actually enjoying it, because the author has really went out of their way to make it as unique as possible. There are so many different words to learn, magic systems to grasp and the ways that the characters all communicate with each other is so interesting and almost lyrical/whimsical that it was almost hard to read at times.
I made the comparison when talking to some mutuals about this that had also read it, that it kind of gave me similar vibes to the way that Terry Pratchett wrote his Disc World Series. It is fantasy in every aspect of the world, and people who really want to be immersed in a completely new and different universe (that only has slight similarities to ours) will enjoy this so much!

I also really freaking enjoyed the banter between Osric and Aurienne. It is abundantly clear that they are ENEMIES first and foremost. There is no love lost between the two of them at the beginning and the only reason they come to a kind of mutually beneficial agreement is because Osric gives her an insane amount of money to heal him, money which is needed to find a cure for a deadly pox.
They go basically the entirety of the book hating each other, bickering back and forth, and almost holding each other hostage in these negotiations. Osric the poor fool doesn’t even have any luck being healed (as far as we know) in this book because nothing works. They turn to ‘the old ways’ to try and find a cure, based on some rather dubious ancient accounts. Our man Osric is desperate, obviously.
While they are enemies the whole way through, it is super fun to see them constantly bickering and insulting each other, even more so when this slowly changes into a respect for what the other one can do with their powers. INEVITABLY this ends up with them falling in love (or slight adoration) with each other, but neither of them want to admit it.
THIS BOOK IS THE DEFINITION OF SLOW BURN, ok? Nothing happens at all until the very end and then bam! Book 1 is over and we’re left gasping.

I want to say a million thanks to the Brigitte Knightley and Little Brown Group for giving me the chance to read this, I doubt I will be able to stop thinking about it any time soon!

Well... This was definitely something.
Let's start with the positive things, because even though I rated this 2 stars, there were definitely things that I liked. The banter was amazing and some passages were so funny that I was laughing out loud. And I'm not talking about the numerous penis/ball jokes. Those didn't work for me at all.
Then what I didn't like. There is almost no world building. It's kinda set in London, maybe in the 19th century, we have things like ghostly animal familiars, hedgewitches and sects with people using seith (magic), but the magic system was never really explained. There is a glossary in the book, but it should still be explained in the story!?!? Honestly, I have no idea how the magic system works.
The characters are all flat (even the main characters) and the slow burn is truly slow, but it's not really burning. More like glowing a tiny bit, but maybe the payoff will be in book 2.
The writing style was trying too hard. I'm not a native English speaker, but I rarely have to look up words to understand a story. But here?!?!? There were so many words I have never heard of before and it definitely wasn't helping with the overall reading experience.
Sadly, this book wasn't for me at all, but I still think that there are readers out there that will love this book. I just wasn't one of them.

I know Brigitte Knightley was laughing maniacally at her desk when she wrote the ‘ending’ for Onion Boy and Unmovable Bitch in this book. I hope you are happy, Brigitte!
This is a hard book to write a review for because we first need to be clear about what genre this book is. Some people call it the latest romantasy enemies-to-lovers team (ahem, the author's marketing team). Other arc readers call it a romantic comedy or a fantasy comedy with a romantic subplot. I will call it a fantasy romance the way Wuthering Heights is categorized as a classic romance. The horror and cutthroat aspects are inextricably intertwined with the “romance.”
The big mortifying ordeal of an elephant in the room
This book is not the fanfiction ‘Draco and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love.’ Don’t go into this book expecting that; you will be severely disappointed. A lot of reviewers are lying to you and are stating this book is “Dramione Coded” or “Draco and Hermione” coded. The stories are completely different, and there are very small nods to the original fanfiction. As someone who loved the fanfiction and loves Dramione, I assure you Osric and Aurienne are not Hermione and Draco. They may fit into the archetype of enemies to lovers and are incredibly smart, suave people. Yet this is where the similarities begin and end.
Orisic and Aurienne
I found Orisic and Aurienne to be unique, original characters, and I was intrigued to learn their backstories as the story progressed. I am happy the author did not rush into the transition from enemies to lovers in this book, and the tension at the end was chef’s kiss. I will say that I am more partial to Osric’s POV than Aurienne’s. Osric is no Draco Malfoy, but he has a light-heartedness and self-assurance that nicely contrast with the grim nature of his work and the universe in which he operates.
I love that there is both internal conflict keeping them apart (Orisic’s vocation and Aurienne’s virtue signaling) but also an external one (basically everyone trying to kill them). The trust and respect for each (which so many authors forget to establish) was earned over time. The love we shall save for book two.
The plot and the vibes
One comparison ran throughout my brain during this book—Sherlock Holmes and the Hound of the Baskervilles. This is because of the book being set in a 19th-century Britain equivalent. However, it was also because of the very British tone of the book and the grim, horror undercurrent that lay underneath every description. I mean, Onion Boy literally has a hellhound as his marker of Tacn. I think the grimy nature of the universe really lent itself to the mystery element of the story. The harsh realities of the world, coupled with crude references to anatomy, center us in reality. It is hard to romanticize this universe. Yet even in a gray world, there are moments of beauty to wonder at. Anyone who has experienced British weather can testify to this.
The basic plot was unique and engaging enough to keep track of. A healer who is being financially coerced to heal a murderer? Count me in! I love that the author did not try to smash in tropes and instead focused on creating an organic story. The characters remain true to their characters throughout the story, and so it felt plausible that two isolated characters who have a unique connection to death could start to feel something for each other. Special shoutout to Aurienne’s family. They were by far my favorite inclusion in this story.
The magic system
This might be a controversial opinion. I enjoyed the magic system and found it easy to understand. I would have liked to know a bit more about how the Order worked and why exactly there are different factions. Yes, I know there is a glossary at the back that explains this. I want it to be integrated into the main book. I have a feeling we will learn that in the next book. I absolutely loved the Deofol inclusion. What a beautiful idea and great way to communicate with each other. Each character’s Deofol really brings an added layer to the complexity of the relationship.
Why is this four stars, not five?
To be blunt, ‘too much of a good thing’ does exist. This book should have been a longer standalone, not a duology. The original premise, curing Osric, was overshadowed by the secondary plot, which only picked up 70% in. We never really felt any urgency or consequence surrounding Osric’s injury, which was meant to be the primary source of tension between the two. I think if the story had really banked on the mystery aspect and had forced the two to work together, the story pacing and build-up would have been better. Again, my mind is on the Sherlock Holmes and Hound of Baskerville vibes, so this is where my mind is going.
Be honest; subjectively, why is this a 4?
There were too many dick and ball jokes for my personal taste. Every other page there was a reference to a p****, v*****, or c***. It was a bit too crass and vulgar for my British sensibilities (which is ironic because I am sure the author herself is British). Despite it not being my cup of tea, there were still so many laugh-out-loud moments for me. I also found both characters incredibly dry and swarmy. I think this type of British humor is reliant on tone and timing, which did not always come across on the page in this specific story. I would bet that I would have preferred an audio version of this book instead of a physical one. In simply written form, the characters felt very stiff with each other throughout the book. As a result, while I usually like slow burn, I was not fully invested in their banter and “burn.” To be honest, I am still not fully convinced Aurienne likes him beyond lust. I am ready to be convinced in book two that these two have better chemistry with each other than they did with the secondary characters they were flirting with.
A final gripe—I don’t understand the random capitalizations. I think I am just not cool enough for Osric and Aurienne.
Conclusion
I will be asking for an arc of the second book as soon as the opportunity arises. I expect to see depth and pining between our two main characters. We saw stirrings of this in the last few chapters, so I know that our ABSOLUTELY EVIL GENIUS AUTHOR has more of that in store for us. There were so many memorable moments between the two, and I have a feeling when I read the story back, there will be little details and quips I missed upon first read. Here is a little summary of what to expect.
• Enemies to reluctant allies to lust partners
• Knife to several throats (and genital areas)
• Cute animal secondary characters
• Little spice, agonizing pining
• My pinky touches your pinky.
• Spy work
• Murder. Graphic murder.
• Blunt, dry humor
• Many crass sexual innuendos
• Bisexual main characters
• Healing trope (duh). Please kiss my wound better trope.
‘He no longer owned his heart. The thief was unconscious of her crime. She asked, “Is something the matter?” And, for once in Osric’s life, the lie didn’t come easy. It was too enormous. He shook his head and held the truth between his teeth.’

I went into this not knowing it was originally a fanfic, and I was not disappointed! The banter, the slow burn, and the quirky writing made for a thoroughly enjoyable read! I also loved all the murder mystery and secrecy. I do wish the pacing could have been tightened a little, as this starts to drag around 60%. I also think the world isn’t as fleshed out as it could’ve been. The magic system is also poorly explained. Still, I definitely look forward to reading the next book - I’m invested in these characters!

“𝐈’𝐝 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐥.”

Oh how I loved this one. Listen, I’m all for fan fiction being published - however, I tend to be scared how much that’ll change them. The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy did NOT disappoint. The banter was off the charts and it made me laugh out loud so many times. This book is so unserious yet I found the enemies to lovers aspect done so well. I loved the way the magic system was handled and I can’t wait for book two to find out more about everything ™.

the vibes ™:
- enemies to lovers
- slow burn
- academia
- healer x murderer (lol)
- banter >>>>

Somewhere between the humor of Ali Hazelwood and A.K. Caggiano‘s wit. Brigitte Knightley crafted an incredible historical magical alternate UK. The lore felt original and so, so fun to explore.
The characters were very flawed but that made them so good. Both POVs were a joy to read and laugh-out-loud funny. (Also I‘m a major s*** for slowburn so the budding relationship had me super excited.)
The only minus would be the somewhat abrupt ending. It felt misplaced? Overall 4.5/5

I. Loved. This.
An absolutely delicious slow burn. The dialogue between the characters was so witty and enjoyable. Despite being a slow burn I found it so easy to read and well paced. All I wanted was to keep reading. Tha magic system was so intriguing although did take me a minute to get my head around. I thoroughly enjoyed this and cannot wait for a sequel!

The irresistible urge to fall for your enemy

THE SLOW BURN IS SLOW BURNING.

First of all, let’s get one thing straight - this is not a rewritten fanfiction. Yes, there are some similarities here and there, but not enough to make it feel like a copy. So if you were hoping for a one-to-one retelling, adjust those expectations.

Now, when I tell you this book had me in a chokehold the entire time I was reading it, I mean it. I wanted to devour it in one sitting and also savour every page because it was just that good. This is a rom-com where Comedy is boldly capitalised, and it works.

I’ll admit, the beginning took a little getting used to - the special terms and names had me going back a few times to check who’s who and what’s what. But once you settle in, it’s worth it.

The author understands the assignment when it comes to enemies to lovers. And paired with a slow burn? Absolute torment, but in the best possible way. I kept internally screaming for them to just kiss already. It’s the killer combination that keeps you in perfect.

And speaking of perfection and killers - Osric. You want a male lead who ticks all the boxes? Sarcastic? Check. Killer? Check. Humour? Check. Handsome? Double check. He’s everything.
The same goes for our FMC, Aurienne. Strong, intelligent, sharp-tongued, and armed with killer wit? Check, check, check.

Their dynamic is absolute gold - full of biting remarks, brilliant clapbacks, and insults that had me crying with laughter. And it’s all laced with that classic British humour, which honestly, what else could a girl want?

Actually - I’ll tell you what. A second book. Immediately.

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

Thank you to NetGalley & Little, Brown Book Group for the ARC.
I really wanted to like this more. The premise was really interesting, a healer who has to try and heal an assassin even though his ‘kind’ (the Fyren) are the enemy. However, I found the plot fell kind of flat. It was heavy in jargon which for me personally broke up the flow, despite the intention to show Aurienne’s intellect and overall scientific nature.

It felt too repetitive even though the failure of each experimental trial was intended to show that her efforts were not working.

I couldn’t connect to either the FMC or MMC and I think this is where the breakdown for me occurred. I did enjoy the deofals and the relationships with those and between characters.

Overall, I cannot fault the writing style which was witty, amusing as well as descriptive I just don’t think I was the intended audience here!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (⭐️)

A big thank you to Little Brown Books and Netgalley for the e-arc of this book!

This book was everything I had hoped it to be and more! The dialogue between our two main characters was incredibly witty and amusing; The humour of this book played a huge part and I really loved that. I absolutely flew through this one because all I could think about was reading it!

The characters were a true slow burn and enemies to lovers; more than halfway through and they still despise each other!

Honestly didn’t realise this was a duology so now i’m pacing back and forth…book 2 couldn’t come soon enough!

4.5 ⭐️

God, this book is absolutely hilarious. You can tell the author wrote fanfiction previously. it's that kind of humourthat i love. I laughed out loud constantly. If they get the right voice actors, the audiobook is bound to be absolutely amazing.

I really liked both osric and aurienne. I wouldn't say it's enemies to lovers in the at war sense exactly, more she doesn't approve of his line of work, and he thinks she's stuck up. The banter is perfect from the start, and the dirty jokes as the book goes on fit really well. I can't believe I went into this thinking it was YA.

The romance is definitely slow burn. I was concerned at one point that it wasn't going to develop well, but by the end, I was happy with where it wound up. Having the full moons to remind you of the passage of time really helped, too. The magic system is brilliant too.

I do wish we had gotten to see a little more of osrics powers. There were certain moments where i maybe would have switched POV to show it. The chapters are quite long, so there was definitely an opportunity for this. Also a little more of Auriennes' research process for the healings. Sometimes, it felt like we were missing the plot in between the healings at the beginning.

I felt a little like the plot was missing at the start, especially knowing this is a duology. But once you hit the halfway point, things come together to produce that bigger storyline. Im very excited to see where both the plot and the relationship go. It rarely happens, but I'm already tempted to reread because the book kept me so entertained.

I received an advance review copy of this book, and this review represents my honest opinion. Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is the kind of book that grabs you from the first page and refuses to let go. And honestly it’s been so long since I’ve experienced this. Brigitte Knightley has delivered a wildly addictive page turner full of tension, wit, and slow-burning chemistry. If you love slow burn this is for you! (50% and they still loathed each other, the enemies-to-lovers was delivering) Not a fan of a slow burn? I urge you to give this a shot for the humour alone, I do think book 2 has been set up beautifully for a truly epic love story.

The world-building is so important I feel in the 1st book and this book is immersive without being overwhelming, the magic system was pretty easy to follow, I probably could have done with a little more explanation into a couple of things but I wouldn’t say it altered my reading experience. But it’s the characters that steal the show—Aurienne and Osric are total opposites with razor-sharp banter (I LOVED the banter between these two) and just the right amount of mutual loathing (and longing….. eventually). I loved these two! Osric chapters were some of the funniest I’ve read in months. Brigittes writing and characters remind me a little of Ali hazlewood so if she’s one of your favourite authors I really think you’ll enjoy Brigittes writing style, it’s smart, emotional, and often had me laughing out loud. Every moment, from the quiet ones to the heart-racing twists, is layered with intent. You can tell from early on this story isn’t going to be a straight forward read the undercurrent of something more happening constantly had me guessing at what was possibly going on, what was the bigger bigger picture, who was behind certain things. And JUST as we start to get answers and JUST as the romance was starting to kick off …. THE END. This is how you keep the reader gripped it’s been a while since I’ve felt that gut punch of a cliff hanger (no the cliff hanger isn’t a horrible one, but the story ends and you feel bereft it happens at just the moment where you want more)

I honestly can’t wait for the sequel!

Spice: 🌶️
Star rating :4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (I will score up to 5 as I feel 4 is to low)

A Big thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the ARC (ebook)

When I requested an e-ARC of this book I had no idea that it started out as a HP fanfiction - so this was a surprise to me.
What actually got me excited to about this book was the interesting premise.

Osric a member of an Order of the Dusken Paths is suffering from a serious health condition that might soon leave him dead. To avoid his fate, he seeks the help of Aurienne, a healer and the only one who has a chance of saving him. The catch? Their orders are less than friendly with each other, which makes them enemies by default. Special circumstances however leave them with no other choice but forming an uneasy alliance.

The irresistible urge to fall for your enemy is a low-stakes, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers story with witty banter and a refreshing, light and engaging writing style.
The worldbuilding is intriguing, though I personally would have liked a bit more depth. The story leans heavily on dialogue and is very character-driven.

Overall I quite enjoyed this story, even if it wasn’t entirely my usual cup of tea.
I would recommend this to anyone who loves witty, funny, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romances where the mmc falls first (and falls hard) with emotional tension simmering beneath the surface.

Thank to Netgally & Little, Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to love this, however it really did not live up to the hype that I have seen across social media.

What I did like was both of the character’s humour. The banter was very much alive and went back and forth very easily as if it was a real life conversation and this is what really got me through reading the book the whole way through.

The plot I felt was very basic, I didn’t feel as if if was fast paced or that there was any type of urgency in the plot to move it forward much. It felt really slow and boring and could have been a lot better developed to match the banter between the characters.

The ending also leaves you on quite an open end which means there will be a sequel so your questions can be answered. I feel like this story should and could have been wrapped up within this book and doesn’t need a sequel.

Overall, sadly not my type of romantsy book but I can see why it appeals to the masses as an easy to read book.

I wanted to love this. I was so excited for this book. Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love is one of my absolute favourite Dramione fics, so when I found out it was being reworked and traditionally published, I couldn’t wait.

But honestly? I’m gutted. This just didn’t hit the way I hoped.

The biggest issue for me was the characters. Osric and Aurienne had potential, but they felt… flat. One-dimensional. I was waiting for that delicious tension, that sharp wit, the layered character work that made DMATMOOBIL so good—but it never quite got there. I didn’t feel invested in them the way I wanted to, and that was frustrating.

And then there’s the world-building. I love a well-built fantasy world, but this felt subpar—especially compared to what I’m used to. Maybe that’s because DMATMOOBIL already had an established world to lean on, and here, everything had to be built from scratch. Maybe it’s just me being picky. But either way, it didn’t feel as fleshed out as I like my fantasy settings to be.

Or… maybe my issue is just me. Maybe it’s that this isn’t Dramione anymore. It’s not the world I know and love. And if I’m being honest, my neurodivergent brain does not like change. I get attached to things the way they are, so maybe this book was doomed to fall flat for me no matter what.

That said, I know a lot of people are loving this one! I’ve seen plenty of reviews praising the sharp banter and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and I totally get why this might work for others. I just wish I’d felt something more.

I’m sad about this one. I wanted it to be everything. Instead, it was just… fine.

Huge thank you to Little Brown and NetGalley for the opportunity to read my most highly anticipated book of the year in exchange for an honest review. I couldn’t believe my luck and really I’m feeling like god’s favourite right now.

I’m just going to start with I adore this author’s writing style, it’s witty, well paced and god does she know how to write a sloooooow burn with fantastic tension. I am slightly biased as I have read the fan fiction that this novel is inspired by (and it’s my favourite) but I genuinely think this story stands up on its own.

Brigitte has managed to create an entirely original world, using the Deofol and Waystones to create a similar set up to DMATMOOBIL but made it her own. She also made the characters her own. At first I did struggle to separate them from being just Draco/Hermione dropped into another world, but as it went on, they developed into entirely their own characters. While it’s clear where the inspiration came from, I like that Aurienne and Osric have their own feel and identity, separate from D/H. That being said I did really enjoy the few subtle hints to the original fan fiction. I screamed at the pink heart glasses reference which was a fun Easter egg for fans of the original work. But even had I never read anything by this author before, it ticks all the boxes for me and is exactly the type of novel I would gravitate towards. Plus the cover is gorgeous!

This is a slow burn TRUE enemies to lovers, they have real reason to hate and mistrust one another which isn’t always the case in this genre of book. Usually there is a bit of dislike for a few chapters then they kiss and fall into bed. What’s great here is the hatred is actually deeply founded in Order division and isn’t just a minor hurdle, but a huge obstacle that seems virtually impossible to overcome. It was interesting to explore characters that really couldn’t be from more different worlds, and the juxtaposing ideas of ‘do no harm’ and literally being paid to do harm, and how two very logical people contend with the impossibility of their situation. As a reader, this is a huge driving factor thinking ‘how on earth is this going to work out in the end?’ .The chemistry between the two main characters really takes centre stage and the stakes become higher as the plot goes along. The banter was of course my favourite element, and had me giggling and kicking my feet. This is exactly the vibe I was expecting so did not disappoint!

The initial world building was quite a lot to get my head around but eventually it started falling into place. I didn’t know it was the first in a duology until recently, so I am excited to explore the world further in the second book and see what’s next for the these characters. I would be interested to see more actual conversations between Aurienne and Osric, I love the banter but at points it did seem like that’s all there was, many of their conversations lacking any substance and were just opportunities to snipe at each other. I hope to see more vulnerability and opening up about their pasts, and maybe more explanation for how they both chose the paths they are on.

Overall this book gave the vibes of fanfiction that is so often lacking for me in anything traditionally published, in the best possible way. The plot and world is unique and interesting and the banter is delicious, I’d highly recommend to any romantasy readers out there whether you have read the original work or not!