Enjoyable enough but cringy at times. Good premise but was too bogged down in humour to balance out the seriousness.

DNF after 6 loooong chapters

Many thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

“The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy” by Brigitte Knightley is probably one of the books I was most looking forward to this year.

Unfortunately, I didn't warm to the story at all. The chapters are so incredibly long that I kept digressing.

Her narrative style also made it a bit difficult for me to follow the story at times and I had to concentrate very hard on the story, which took away from my reading enjoyment. In addition to the long chapters, I found the worldbuilding completely lacking. In addition, nothing is explained in the story and I found myself at a loss more than once.

Osric and Aurienne weren't tangible characters for me either and I just couldn't muster up any interest in them.

For me, these were the longest 6 chapters of my life.

What happens when you start to fall for someone who is your exact opposite?

We are introduced to Aurienne who is a healer and to Osiric who is an Assassin. Unfortunately for Osiric, he has an illness threatening his magic (and his life) and the only person who can help him is Aurienne who detests him and what he does for a living.

They know how to get under each others skin and the results are hilarious. I loved their interactions and their undeniable attraction to each other. The slow burn is deliciously slow and frustrating.

But it stops there for me. I found the world building to be minimal and the story to be quite slow paced only picking up towards the end.

Perfect for fans who love:
- enemies to lovers
- slow burn
- witty banter
- forks

Thank you NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group and the author for this eARC to read and review.

I really wanted to live this book it sounded exactly like the type of book I would love but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style or find it funny. I did like the slow burn romance which has a great build up

It's one of the three books that Dramione fans have been waiting for - and I think that people had a completely different expectation of this story than it actually was, which is why it wasn't necessarily well received by everyone.
Osric and Aurienne can't stand each other—except that the assassin/unofficial contract killer is doomed himself, and the healer is his last chance. A deal they can't refuse ultimately brings the two together, and the slow burn is truly the order of the day! Their hostility provides good opportunities for verbal sparring and entertaining scenes, which support the slowly building attraction. But can this really be resolved? If you're willing to give it a go, it's possible.
The way in which dislike turns into affection was kept understandable in terms of pacing, as was the "path" to Osric's healing. Personally, the two didn't quite grab me as much as I'd hoped, even though I was very taken with the "romcom" charm, simply because it was different from what you'd expect.
So, if you're hoping for dark and serious vibes, you've come to the wrong place. But if you're open-minded and okay with a humorous version, then you can definitely check out this story :)

This was SO much fun!! As someone who has previously read and adored the fanfic, this did not disappoint whatsoever. I’ve quite literally never laughed so much reading a book in my life. The banter was unmatched to anything I’ve read before, the wit and humour was so undeniably brilliant and I overall just had the absolute BEST time with this book.

I’m in love with our two main characters and I quite literally have become so obsessed with Osric as it’s not healthy. Aurriene is so beautifully complex and the slowburn between these two characters was SIZZLING - filled with angst, tension, banter and will they, won’t they teases. This was a fictional couple I was rooting for right to the very end and I cannot wait to see where their story goes.

This series is perfect for romantasy fans who want humour, banter and wit but paired with a pain staking slowburn that will have you on the edge of your seat. I’ve already hand sold and shouted about this book so much, I think my colleagues might be sick of me.

I am itching to read how this story continues on and I cannot wait to be back in this world!! Thank you Orbit for sending me a copy to read early!! #osricfanclub xxx

this was a right romp honestly, i had a great time! it's funny, silly and a little unhinged at times and i loved it

3.5 Stars.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and Brigitte Knightley for an arc of this book.

I keep doing this but why do I keep putting off amazing books until alot later and then feel guilty for not doing a review earlier.

This book makes you laugh and feel all the emotions, I really love Osric, he made me laugh alot.

I unfortunately DNF this book. I was so looking forward to it and wanted to read it SO BAD - I mean who doesn’t LOVE a good hermonie/draco fanfic?! But honestly it felt like it wasn’t edited for traditional publishing, some phrases and words were unnecessarily complicated, and it kinda took you out of the story. I’m sure people who were original fans of the fanfic would love this book, but this was unfortunately my first introduction to it.

This book is about Osric Mordaunt, a Fyren, a member of the assassin order. He is in desperate need of healing from an illness and the only person with a chance of curing him is a member of the enemy order, Aurienne Fairhrim. She’s in such desperate need of funding for healing the sick, she accepts Osrics donation in exchange for trying to heal him, even though she’s against all he stands for. They’re forced to work together and actually find themselves quite attracted to one another.

This is a fantastic enemy-to-lovers fantasy romance book! I loved the teasing and banter between Osric and Aurienne, I found myself smiling during some of the more playful moments from Osric. The slow burn is absolutely to die for, and honestly the world building itself is great. I loved the idea of the different Orders and what they stand for, these elements of magic and how they’re intertwined with biology. Plus I loved that our intelligent main character in science was a woman! I loved every second of this book & knowing I’ll have to wait for the next is a killer!
Overall, 5 ⭐️’s, my goodness I could not recommend this highly enough!

DNF at 40%

I wanted to love this one so much, so I persevered for that long. But honestly, I just couldn't get into it. It felt like nothing happened, and I did get attached to the characters.
I did love the worldbuilding, the magical system here truly has depth and potential.
The writing was also amazing.
I truly think this is a case of wrong wrong wrong time. A lot of people I trust loved it, so I might give it another shot in a few months.

Thank you NetGalley, Little Brown Book Group and the author for this eARC, in echange for an honest review.

Two characters from different ends of the scale, Aurienne the healer and Osric the killer, are thrown together for a miracle and not a cure but an immunisation!

'He tilted his head so that his cheekbone caught the light. His cleft chin clefted majestically. Who wouldn’t want to heal this?'

The story and the writing were hilarious, and it called to my dark, dry humour on a massive level!

'Lovely outfit said Osric. Crime scene chic.
Thank you said Tristane. It has pockets.'

The banter, the quick wit, and the name calling (ganglion being my fave) made me laugh out loud in some parts! Special note to the springs/baths part!

If someone could tell me two things: when is book 2 and where can I get a critique cricket?!

This book was definitely different than I was expecting! There wasn't a whole lot of romance, but it was funny and the characters tried so hard not to like each other! I thought the world building was unique and the storyline was intriguing. I look forward to reading the next book to see where the story goes!

Osric, our silver-haired assassin, professional menace, and walking HR complaint, somehow winds up in desperate need of a healer. Aurienne, however, is a genius scientist and moral compass with a badge in “would rather saw off your leg than patch you up.”

The snag? She needs funding, and he’s the one jingling the coin purse. So begins a begrudging partnership filled with midnight “purely academic” experiments, verbal sparring and the kind of lingering stares that should probably come with a warning label. Watching these two dance around each other was a delight…equal parts infuriating and addictive.

This is slow burn at its juiciest: banter that hits, tension that hums, and just enough mutual disdain to keep the sparks flying. A few pacing dips didn’t matter…Aurienne and Osric’s push-and-pull had me hooked start to finish.

Well, I've just finished a book that everyone's raving about, and honestly, I'm a bit torn. The banter between the characters, Aurienne and Osric, was absolutely top-notch—sharp, witty, and so full of mutual loathing that it was pure gold. Their whole enemies-to-lovers dynamic and forced proximity was so well done, I couldn't get enough of their snarky jabs. It's the kind of verbal sparring that makes you laugh out loud and truly makes you root for them to fall for each other.

But here's the thing: it felt like the author was trying a little too hard to sound smart. I spent half the book feeling like I needed a dictionary just to get through a page, which totally took me out of the story. And don't even get me started on the world-building. What world are we in? Is this London with a sprinkle of magic or a whole new fantasy realm? It was so underdeveloped it felt like I was reading a fan fiction with the serial numbers filed off. The magic system? It exists, and that's all I can tell you. The plot was okay, but the endless, failed attempts to heal Osric got so repetitive. I was invested in the romance, but the rest of it? A complete letdown. I'm not sure if I'll be picking up the next book, because while the banter was a riot, it just wasn't enough to save the rest of the book for me.

#TheIrresistibleUrgetoFallForYourEnemy #NetGalley

Absolutely adored this! The characters, world-building, and engaging, funny, often hilarious, writing were excellent. The slow-burn romance between Fairhrim and Mordaunt was a beautiful highlight. Some really great chemistry between two intelligent, witty leads and irresistible banter. Loved the slow burn and how their relationship evolved from hate/ loathing and disdain to grudging respect and reluctant attraction. Enemies to lovers at its finest. The intriguing mystery has also left me desperate for the next book. 5 ⭐️

I LOVE this book! Enemies to lovers at its best 😍
Wow – The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy completely swept me away! I started it last night and… well, finished it at 3 AM. Totally worth it.
The chemistry between the main characters is to die for. I love when two people clash – in every sense of the word 😉! The dialogue? Sharp, funny, sometimes brutal. But that emotional rollercoaster is exactly what makes it so addictive. The transition from hate to undeniable attraction is written so well – slow, believable, and full of depth.
What impressed me most: the depth of the characters. Both come with emotional baggage, insecurities, and it feels like you truly get to know them layer by layer. No cheap tropes here, just real emotional growth.
A must-read for anyone who can’t get enough of the enemies-to-lovers trope – this book will stay with me for a long time ❤️
Favorite quote:
“I hated how much I wanted to see you smile. And I hated it even more when I realized it wasn’t hate at all.” 💔

Great concept with really interesting world building but I don’t think this was necessarily the book for me. I found myself overwhelmed by the language and concepts used, which made the book hard to consume.

Gros coup de cœur ! <3
*I'm french sorry for my english*
I loved this book, the slow burn, the bickering, the tension. My gods.
Could not recommend this book enough. It has everything; the pace is neither too fast nor too slow, and I feel like it was an introduction to even bigger world-building and mysteries.
The magic system is very interesting and not too hard to comprehend.
I thought that the book would be more love-centered, but it is not; and weirdly enough, it is?! The characters made me laugh so much. The typical mysterious and sexy man meets the "don't care and doesn't see that you're trying to seduce me" beautiful and serious type of woman. It makes an excellent cocktail and brings about the most amusing situations.
Their morals are deeply rooted, and they have a positive impact on each other despite their differing beliefs.
Overall, one of my best reads this year!

I’d only read this book for an hour and i was OBSESSED.

The banter, the humour and the back and forth had me on knees and slow burn was delectable.

A Renowned Healer and a Gentleman Assassin ,polar opposites but forced together.

It’s hard to explain but It really felt like I was in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter but more debauched and for adults only.

That balcony scene 👀 IYKYK.

It took me a little while to get to grips with all the pronunciations and the magic system but when I did, the story flowed so easily.