Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy, I liked Aurienne and Osric as characters and the slow-burn romance, however, sometime after the halfway mark the banter lost some of it's appeal. I would say that toning it down a little bit could have prevented the "banter burnout". I also would have liked a little more time spent on the world building and plot, At the end of the day though this was a funny quick read that romantasy fans will certainly enjoy.

This book surprised me. The writing style is different from what I normally read — but once I got used to it , it completely won me over. The humour, the banter, the tension? Give me 10 of this book. What started off as curiosity quickly turned into me staying up way too late or reading at work begging them to kiss already

At its core, this is a clever and original take on the enemies-to-lovers trope. Aurienne is a determined, morally upright healer, and Osric? He’s an absolute menace!! Sarcastic, emotionally unavailable, and dramatic in the best way. I adored how unapologetically himself he is. Our sassy king!

Their dynamic is sharp and filled with layered tension which is not just romantic, but moral and ideological too. The slow burn is exactly that very very slow. But it’s intentional, and it works. Every interaction between them is a tug-of-war between disdain and reluctant fascination, and I couldn’t get enough.

The chapter titles deserve their own paragraph. They’re witty, chaotic, and perfectly matched to the tone of each chapter. I found myself giggling at the start of every one.

Also worth mentioning is the magic system which was thoughtful, physical, and high-stakes. This world doesn’t allow for easy power; every magical act has a cost, and that adds such weight to the decisions made by both characters. I saw a lot of complaints about the (lack) of romance however being a duology I do think it’s intentional. Often in series the enemies are quick to be lovers half way through book 1 and the rest of books can feel like a chore. So I’m really not mad about the pacing.

It’s giving enemies to lovers, forced proximity, morally grey MMC, dry wit, moral conflict, scientific fantasy with emotionally repressed chaos

Final thoughts: This isn’t your typical fantasy romance. It’s clever, character-driven, and packed with sarcasm and snark. If you enjoy morally grey characters, intelligent world-building, and enemies-to-lovers written with intention, this is one to pick up. Just… be emotionally prepared when you realise it’s a duology.

The banter in this is most certainly unmatched. The writing style gave me the biggest Assistant to the Villain vibes in the best way. I was constantly laughing out loud. I also thoroughly enjoy a good old enemies to lovers where they truly despise each other throughout the majority of the book and this hit the bullseye.

If I could sum up this book in one word it would be FUN! I went into this book completely blind and was pleasantly surprised by how refreshing this book was.

Throw in the best banter between the mc and fmc I’ve seen that will have you laughing throughout, TRUE enemies to lovers and a wicked slow burn that has you squealing with the way they go from disgust and insults to dancing in the rain and holding hands, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy is a read that I recommend to all.

Huge thanks to Little Brown Group UK and netgalley for this arc!

A witty and enjoyable enemies to lovers Romantasy!

Aurienne is a Healan, an order sworn to do no wrong, a talented healer.
Orsric is a Fyren, a hired assassin. And he just so happens to be in need of some healing.

This book did take a while to get to the point, as I say, but once it got there I really enjoyed it.
At first when I saw the long list that could rival Tolkien's world building glassary at the start of "The Hobbit", I was scared, I'm not going to lie.
However, it soon became apparent the world was fairly easy to grasp which will make this an enjoyable read for new Romantasy readers too.

My main issue was although we had a whole book of Osric and Aurienne, there wasn't much chance for us to get to know them other than a few hints here and there that alluded to a tragic past or previous lover. We really didn't learn much about either of them on a deeper level and instead what we got was very surface level "she's the stern and serious bookworm type" "he's the sarcastic rich boy type".
And considering I've just read the whole first book in a duology, we should really be further developed than that.

Having said that, I enjoyed the romantic tension (especially toward the end of the book) and the book was delightfully witty, at times having me laughing out loud or smiling at my kindle like an idiot.
These moments of banter between the two main characters really was the highlight of the book and the reason I will be picking up book 2 once it releases.

"The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy" was a story with great characters, good world building and an interesting plot, but the writing was not completely for me and I felt very distanced from the characters most of the book, because Aurienne and Osric both take their time to open up to each other and with that, to the reader. Both are very focused on what they need to accomplish and it take a lot of time until there are hints for a romance.
I really enjoyed the snarky conversations between the characters and also the Slowburn aspect of the romance. The plot also really got more interesting in the last quarter and I see the potential.
All in all the vibe was very YA - which made the spicy parts to the end cringy and they felt unnecessary to me personally.
But I'm open continue the story and see where Brigitte Knightley leads us here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the opportunity to review this book. I was beyond excited to be approved for it. 

I was first familiarized with Bridgette's impeccable writing when I read her fanfiction that ultimately resulted in this book, and have since longed for more as it scratches an itch in my brain. The characters are complex, the dialogue is skillfully written and the banter is top-notch! 

The worldbuilding felt original and fairly easy to follow. I was glad of having it explained throughout the duration of the book instead of having it all dumped in the first couple of chapters. 

I will look forward to book 2!

Thank you to Little, Brown Book group UK for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley all opinions are my own.

Unfortunately I Did not manage to finish this book. I found the writing style difficult to get on with, but that's probably just me with what I'm used to and usually read. I found the world building a struggle and a bit of a info dump from the start (which I'm not usually used to)
I loved the cover and that is what initially drew me to it and the hype surrounding this book. So I jumped at the chance to read it. As I'm obsessed with enemies to lovers but this just isn't my sort of thing. I was slightly confused with names and terms/details about Orders etc. maybe if it was a physical book it would have been easier to flip back and fourth to read the front explanations again but harder to do with a E-copy, but yet again probably just my preference.
I think it has a good potential but just not my sort of read and I do think it will be very successful for the right reader.
I think I may even try it again when I have a physical copy and maybe another time. I feel it could be worth the revisit.

An extremely fun read, impossible to put down. The vibes were perfect, I devoured it in 24 hours. Brigitte writes the most charming characters and following them is full of giggles. One of the few books to make me laugh out loud.

SQUEELING AND KICKING MY FEET.

“I’d rather you hate me than not think of me at all.” I am screaming, I went into this book pretty blind other than the title but I had been told there was some heavy world building. I did not feel that way at all I ate this book up. The chapter names had me on the floor, they are iconic, the forced proximity the tension the enemies to lovers I was hooked. This is no doubt going to be one of my top reads, I am so excited to see what comes next I have so many questions I cannot wait to see answered. The companion animals were incredible, I loved this aspect. I really enjoyed how it went from hating working together to something that came natural. I hope Osric gets more chances to ensure if anyone touches Adrienne they pay with their life in the next book. I need the next book to be announced immediately even if this is not out yet.
The way the spoke to each other, this was written incredibly I will be raving about this for a while.

From the very first page, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemies completely pulled me in — and let me just say: the foreword. If you know, you know. It sets the tone perfectly for what turns out to be a witty, engaging, and layered story.

One of the standout aspects of this book is the world-building. While it’s not immediately clear where or when the story is set, I actually appreciated that the author didn’t spoon-feed the setting. Instead, you’re gently immersed, and I found that I adjusted quickly to the vocabulary and terms unique to this universe. That said, the occasional lack of clarity — like no explanation of what a daguerreotype is (yes, I had to Google it, and yes, it’s real) — might throw some readers off. A small glossary might have helped.

The dialogue absolutely shines. The banter had me genuinely chuckling — the kind of humor that feels natural, not forced. One line in particular, on page 21, caught me off guard in the best way. And by the end of Chapter 1, I was fully invested in both the plot and the characters.

As I got further in, the author continued to surprise me. Chapter 3’s casual mention of a character being 200 years old made me laugh out loud — “Did she forget to die?” is a note I scribbled in the margins. These little moments of dry wit kept me turning the pages eagerly.

Throughout I did note a small critique: at times, the language can veer into the unnecessarily complex. For example, the use of “débrouillardise” might come across as pretentious when a simpler word like “resourcefulness” would have done the job just as well. It’s a minor hiccup in an otherwise smooth read, but worth noting. Personally I don’t like having to come out of a story multiple times to Google what words mean once I’m fully immersed.

Overall, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemies delivers a fantastic mix of humor, heart, and imagination. It’s a book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, yet still manages to create a compelling world and lovable (if sometimes chaotic) characters. I’d absolutely recommend it — especially if you enjoy a bit of snark with your star-crossed rivalries.

I'm grateful for the chance to review The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy. The premise of this book is fantastic, and I was excited to dive in! As I read, I noticed that the story takes its time to unfold, which for me, meant that significant plot points or shifts in the characters' dynamic were quite delayed. This extended build-up, while creating anticipation, occasionally made the reading experience feel a bit drawn out. Additionally, there were instances where the narrative style was quite intricate, and I sometimes had to work to fully understand the flow of events. Ultimately, I was invested in seeing the conclusion.

Really enjoyed this one. Loads of humour sprinkled throughout which can be lacking in other books in the same genre.

Would have loved to see more Mrs Paterson and her dynamic with Mordaunt, I hope she continues to make her presence known in book 2!

Speaking of book 2 - I think it’s been set up very nicely & look forward to reading it

The banter, the story - it was hilarious. This was a damn good book. I haven't read the Dramoine fanfiction yet, and I don't know if I ever will, but you can bet this is about Draco and Hermoine, but in a very different way. It's a whole new universe. The magic system? Chef’s kiss. The worldbuilding? Fantastic. It was a wonderful read, but also with a hint of darkness.... A big hint of darkness. But I liked it. It was really good and this book deserves all the hype it gets.
To be honest, it took me a bit to get into the story, I was literally fighting a reading slump at this time, but I'm glad I pushed through. The story between Aurienne and Osric was a rollercoaster. Their banter, which mostly ended in a verbal fight scene and then back to dead silence and yet determination to achieve their goals was great.
I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I'll keep this short. But let me tell you one last thing, the slow burn has been slower than slow, which can be quite frustrating at times, but it's worth it.
The release date is coming up and it will be in stores on July 8.
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Little, Brown Books Group and Brigitte Knightley for sending me an e-arc.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is exactly what it says on the tin—a glorious mess of tension, banter, mutual hatred that slowly turns into something much more blush-worthy, and literally laugh-out-loud funny. If you're a sucker for enemies-to-lovers drama you're in for a treat.

The main characters? A walking disaster duo. One’s emotionally constipated, the other’s a hire-for-crime murderer. They argue like it's their job, flirt like it's a crime, and fall for each other in the most wonderfully frustrating slow-burn way possible.

The banter is chef’s kiss. Sharp, funny, occasionally unhinged. At one point, I highlighted so many lines I gave up and just bookmarked the whole chapter. Is it realistic that two people who supposedly hate each other have this much sizzling tension? No. Do I care? Also no.

In short: it's chaotic, romantic, a little bit unhinged, and an absolute blast. Highly recommend if you're in the mood for sharp insults, soft feelings, and the emotional equivalent of screaming "just kiss already!" for 300 pages.

DNF 19%

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This is going to be a great read for fans of comedy enemies-to-lovers romantasy - but it is fairly light on the fantasy part. I feel like the author had a good idea for the world this was set in, but it was not explained or explored particularly well. I was not drawn in by the plot, world-building or the characters. The writing was solid enough, but this alone was not enough to keep me engaged.

This is not my usual sort of genre but I thought I would give it a go.

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7620708525 (will also review on Amazon once book is eligible)

Although it started life as fanfiction, Knightley's The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, part one of the Dearly Beloathed duology, has done what few fan-fic-to-trad-fic works has managed: it has become a well written book in its own right.

One of the issues with fanfiction which becomes published fiction is that fanfic relies on the shorthand of knowing the world, the characters, the relationships and dynamics which already exist, and any other detail the author doesn't want to explain. When the work is then transitioned into becoming its own thing, the author, suddenly, has failed to world-build, to character-build, to answer questions. The familiar is gone, and what remains is pockmarked and moth eaten, made holey by its severing of association with the source material. Brigitte Knightley does not have this problem. She has neatly, and with great attention to detail, filled in those blanks. Her world is soundly built, detailed, sprawling, and unique. Her characters have depth, motivation, and other relationships. Her magic system, politics, and social mores are consistent and easily understood. If I didn't know that this had once been fanfic, I wouldn't know.

Osric Mordaunt is going to die. Not in a philosophical 'our time will come' kind of way either, in an 'imminent possibility of execution' kinda way. He's unwell, his magic failing, and if his order finds out, it's curtains for this handsome, slightly dramatic, young assassin. Cue Aurienne Fairhrim, she is the healer of a generation, a marvellous, miracle-working scientist, whose expertise, and past fascination with the old magics of their nation, might just save his life. That is, if they don't kill each other first. Forced together, through no small amount of coin and meddling on Osric's part, the two race against time to save him from the consequences of his nature, all the while contending with the power and politics that separates them, and a growing closeness they can't deny. But there is more than Osric's life on the line. A pandemic rages, politicians and nobles seem unwilling to help, murky deals are struck which put them both in danger. Something is building, and this unlikely pair might be the only ones who can do something about it.

TIUTFFYE is a unique blend of science-y forced proximity, humorous exchanges, budding romance, lewd jokes, and moral quandary. It has some similarity in vibe, plot, or humour with Cursed Under London, Sorcery and Small Magics, and Assistant to the Villain, but ultimately it is entirely its own. An ideal read for those who love banter, slow-burn, and enemies-to-reluctant-allies-to-maybe-something-more. Laugh out loud funny, with moments of tension and the hint of feet-kicking romance to come, this is an all round great read.

Minor loss of points for SPaG errors early on, but this is a galley so hopefully those will have been caught!

I look forward to the release, and I am keeping everything crossed that I can 1) pick up a beautiful edition of this from somewhere and 2) might just get approved for the second one!

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Woman in STEM meets fantasy world in this perfectly cozy, magical and whip-smart debut.

I fell head over heels for what felt like a rom com in a rich fantasy world. Think medical researcher/doctor, but her specialty is the bodily system that permits people to wield magic. How cool is that!! Pair that with a stubborn, cool (and hot!!) assassin who needs healing and is so desperate to impress her, two people who frustratingly don’t realise how perfect they are for each other, top-tier banter, and a simmering, melting slow burn, all told through enchanting and witty writing, and you’ve got the brilliant concoction that is this book. Hate to love at its finest!

I finished it because I don't usually leave books unfinished, but at times I wondered what I was reading, and that's a shame because I thought I would really get hooked, and there was a lot of hype... but it wasn't for me.

Look, I can't say it's a bad story because the characters are quite well-developed, the universe is more than interesting, and I think the story progressed very well, but I couldn't connect. I felt lost at many points, and since I kept putting it down for weeks and picking it up again, it made it worse.

It was entertaining, with lots of humor that I really enjoyed, and I think the author has potential. I'd like to read other works by her.

Thank you so much for Little Brown Book Group for the ARC I read through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.