Are you looking for an enemies-to-acquaintances-to-lovers with a forced proximity trope?? This is the book for you! This was such a fun romance and really reminded me of India Holton! The magic was fun and easy to follow and the romance was super fun! The creative insults were delightful. Would recommend!

This is the first book in a planned duology, and I think a potential reader needs to know that going in! Some duologies give you two complete but complementary stories, but the Dearly Beloathed duology is very much one story split in half. Based on a witty, sparkling fanfic from the Harry Potter fandom, The Irresistible Urge... is required to do a lot of worldbuilding to re-set the characters and lore into something that won't trigger She Who Must Not Be Named's legal team. This is fine! It just means that the book takes a long time to get to the bits I enjoy in Knightley's writing, which is the interior monologue of the characters trying to resist their attraction to one another, and the verbal sparring between this pair of enemies to eventual lovers. There's a lot of plot and very little payoff in this first book, so it's hard to judge this as a standalone work, imo. I like the writing style very much, and Knightley does a great job of creating her own fantasy realm and magic rules. However, if you're here to see the enemies become lovers, this book will not satisfy you. She is not kidding about the slow burn! 3 stars for romantasy tropes being done in a way that feels both familiar and new.

Okay folks, Dramione fan-fic inspired book #1 of 2025 has been read and guess what? It was actually amazing and I completely loved it! I saw a not-so-great review for it a few weeks ago from another blogger and honestly went in expecting what I usually get from romance heavy books - a bit of popcorn fun with some spice. What I did not expect was the level of bawdy humor (loved it) and the ridiculous amount of tangible yearning. There’s no insta-love here. Only insta-hate.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy follows Osric Mordaunt, Fyren assassin extraordinaire, and Aurienne Fairhrim, a brilliant healer of the Haelan Order as they are forced to work with one another. Osric’s magic is dying and Aurienne is the only person who could possibly reverse the damage, unfortunately, she hates him on principle because he’s an assassin. He speeds up death while she tries to slow it down. Osric donates 20 million thrymsas (fantastical currency!) to the Haelan order at Swanstone, which they desperately need to develop a vaccination for a pox epidemic and Aurienne is cajoled by her superior to help Osric. Aurienne resents this very much but is now duty bound to help this vile man who she daren’t admit has rather handsome features and nice veins in his forearms… Osric thinks Aurienne has a stick up her ass and hates to admit even to himself that she’s quite beautiful. The two meet up every full moon to try some harebrained rituals in an attempt to cure Osric's magical degradation and verbally spar. Of course, over time they both have somewhat of a change of heart toward one another but won't admit it.

The dynamic between these two characters is one of my favorite things ever. The humor, which as I said earlier is quite bawdy at times, made me laugh repeatedly. The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is a barrel of fun and I enjoyed everything about it. The worldbuilding is admittedly a bit confusing, mostly because I couldn’t determine exactly what time frame we were in or if it was a totally alternate world with only somewhat familiar place names. Either way, that didn’t matter much at all and might be cleared up with a nice map or a re-read.

Overall, I completely loved this book and I’m so glad I decided to check it out after some initial hesitancy due to an already busy July ARC schedule. I will be tracking down a physical copy (hopefully a pretty special edition one) when it’s released on July 8. The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is the first in a duology which makes me sad because now I have to wait for the next installment. This would be a divinely fun book to binge at the beach or simply if you need something to give you a good laugh and some excellent yearning that made me smile. Also, if you’re hesitant because this was based on a fanfic, don’t be, because I really couldn’t tell and I knew it was based on one thanks info around the book-o-sphere and some marketing I’d seen. All in all, this will definitely be going on my Best Books of 2025 list!

(At a glance I can only see the resemblance of Osric to Gwendoline Christie (aka Brienne of Tarth) on this particular cover.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All thoughts are my own.

This was so unbelievably fun and had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. Both of these characters were so snarky and sarcastic and matched each other's energies so well. Literally all of their interactions had me giggling. This was great. Truly great. And now I need the next book please. Please read this when it's released for a super fun time!

A dark fantasy rom-com where Aurienne, a healer, is tasked with attempting to heal Osric, a handsome assassin from a rival order

For the fellow Dramione girlies, this is not a re-work of DMATMOOBIL, but it's certainly Dramione coded and has many of the aspects we love from it!

You will love this if you love:
-morally black MMC with platinum locks and a soft side
-brilliant and competent FMC with unruly curls (duh!)
-slowwwest of slow burn
-banter
-a romance focused plot
-sassy animal(-ish) sidekicks

The good far outweighs the bad, but there were a few things that I didn't love:
-The *overuse* of crude humor. It felt a little repetitive (how many p*nis jokes do we need?) and excessive. I think it detracted from Knightley's witty writing style.

-I really felt the character/romance development from Osric's POV, but Aurienne just kinda felt like, "I hate him, I hate him, I hate him, to maybe he's handsome, maybe I love him." I felt like her side needed to be flushed out a bit more.

Also, I think Knightley did a great job creating a new world. It isn't super in-depth, but honestly I don't think it needs to be, since this story is primarily character focused. It was a well-done backdrop to the main story.

And last but not least, congratulations and well done Brigitte Knightley! I can't wait to read more of your writing. I love your style and think it's just so much fun.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC! All opinions are my own.

I was on the fence about this book for the first bit but once I fully got into the story and the banter picked up I knew that it would be an instant hit. 4.5 stars out of 5! I cannot wait to read the next book.

Enemies to lovers is superior and it’s somehow even better in a romantasy setting, the stakes are higher the tension is higher! This was so good! The world was so complex and thought out. Aurienne and Orsic and their tension and enemies to having to work together to lovers slow burn deliciousness was SO GOOD! I struggle keeping tings straight while reading fantasy/romantasy which then comes through on my reviews! But I had A GOOD TIME!

Thanks to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

did someone say slowwww burnnnn?! bc the slow burn x (true) enemies to lovers girlies are going to eat this one up!

it admittedly took me some time to get through this book, but once I hit about the 60% mark, i felt like things picked up and i was invested! i’m so interested to see where book 2 takes us! i’m dying to know who’s behind It All👀 (iykyk)

tropes + things:
+ first in a duology (but no huge cliffhanger bless!)
+ banter!
+ British slang
+ healer x assassin forced to work together
+ political machinations
+ enemies to lovers slow burn
+ unintentionally down bad mmc🤭

Mordaunt was my favorite part of this whole book! i thought he was hilarious, witty, hot, secretly soft, and i don’t care at all that he’s a little murder-y😚

overall 3.5⭐️s rounded up! i do wish we got some more world building. i felt like there were some Orders we didn’t hear about at all and i’m so curious about them! i also feel the need to say that some of the humor was a little crude for my taste, so if that sort of thing isn’t your jam, you might want to skip over some parts!

ty ty ty Berkley for the arc!!! ily forever!

Osric Mordan, assassin extraordinaire, and Aurienne Fairhrim, healer phenom, find themselves forced to work together despite their factions being enemies. Osric is desperate to cure a disease that is slowly blocking his magic, and Aurienne wants nothing more than to stop a Pox that is devastating children. Together with their unique expertise, they must work to cure two diseases and solve the mystery behind the recurrence of the long-forgotten box, but can they deny the attraction that begins to spark between them.

There are so many things to love about this story, like the slow burn, enemies-to-lovers journey that feels earned, a magic system that plays with the history of Great Britain while still having a sense of humor, and, of course, the banter. That being said, I had some complaints about this book. First of all, the world-building leaves a little bit to be desired. The author drops a made-up word in the first paragraph without every remotely explaining what it was, with context clues I could tell it was a picture of some sort, but it was a huge missed opportunity to describe whether it a 3D projection like Star Wars or a moving picture like Harry Potter or something completely different. I’ve still got no idea. Similarly, the pages describing the different orders were at the end of the book. Aurienne and Osric’s orders were described in detail, but the others were mostly left up to context clues or virtually no clues at all. My other frustration about the book is the ending. While I appreciate that it is a duology, it didn’t really feel like there was any resolution at the end of this book, nor was it a clear cliff-hanger. It just felt like they cut a longer book in half. All that being said, I’m bought into the world, Osric & Aurienne, and the stakes of their plight, so I will definitely be reading book two.

This is an adaptation of a Dramione fanfic, but took more care to distance itself from its inspiration than Julie Soto's Rose in Chains. Here, Hermione's character (Aurienne) is a member of a healing order of magicians, and she is of course brilliant. Draco's character (Osric) is the last member of a formerly wealthy, dissolute clan attempting to rebuild the family fortune through the lucrative business of assassination. Osric sustains an injury that only Aurienne can heal, and thus begins our enemies-to-lovers romance.

This was fine. I didn't find myself overly invested in either of the main characters or their romance, but it was an enjoyable read nonetheless.

This was a fun one! I've read the original fanfic and was excited to be able to grab an arc for this. My only issue with this is the story felt a bit jarring at times, with chapters feeling like they were each a different story, or ending abruptly, which took me out of the story at times. However- Orsic is THE ULTIMATE BOOK BOYFRIEND!! Checked off every single box. Their banter and wittiness was perfectly executed, and I really felt the chemistry between these two.

This was honestly such a fun read i enjoyed it so much ! I came for the enemies to lovers, and this book body slammed me into obsession.
Aurienne and Osric don’t just bicker they verbally duel like it’s foreplay. Like umm yes please! I Was eating it up like it was my last meal. It was just pure, delicious hate to love slow burn that had me screaming into my pillow, kicking my legs up in the air and feral for every crumb of softness. Their chemistry is so volatile it could be classified as a natural disaster. * fans self*

And the worldbuilding? Gorgeous. Dangerous. Full of magic and mystery that actually serves the romance instead of hijacking it. I wasn’t just reading I was spiraling.

Knightley, what kind of spell did you put in this romantasy? I’m unwell.


* will be making content to post on my socials I can not wait to have the book trophy this was so good! And that cover yaaaassss

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for this e-arc!

Two magical people from enemy orders team up to solve an incurable disease and maybe stop hating each other along the way!!!!

My first Dramione fanfic to trad pub pipeline book!!! I forgot to expect fantasy world building lmao!!! I was just rubbing my grubby hands together smirking about Draco and Hermione getting a makeover!!!!

This book was full of funny and very UK-vibes banter, beautiful prose between the banter, and a top notch loathing to admiration plot line!! Osric was witty and charming and hilarious and Aurienne was the perfect counterpart (hates him hardcore ladies!!).

If you’re looking for enemies to fondness, an ongoing series, and a trad pub book filled to the brim with Dramione-level yearning look no further!!!

I had a fun time and can’t wait for the next one. A solid 4 stars!!

Read This Book If…you love Flynn Rider from Tangled!

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigette Knightley

Genre: romantasy
Series: Dearly Beloathed # 1
Spice Level: 1/5🌶, just kisses
Setting: alternate universe England
POV: dual, 3rd person, past tense
Tropes: enemies to lovers, hurt/comfort, slowest of burns

My Thoughts:
Having read the original Dramione fanfic that inspired this book, I was very curious how it would be adapted to stand on its own! Unlike the fic, these two had no prior history and the setting is totally unique. I liked the healer x assassin dynamic, as well as the diseases they are up against.

However, my main issue with the fic continued into this story: long, disjointed chapters that feel more like short stories. In my opinion, this could have been cut down into one book instead of extended into a duology. This was the slowest of burns, both story- and romance-wise.

Overall, I enjoyed the snappy British dialogue and how Aurienne and Osric fought their feelings valiantly. I just don’t feel connected with them to continue with a second book.

Memorable Quote: “Hate could feel strangely like something else.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

This one was a little unexpected for me! Very dense, detailed back story and worldbuilding which lended a freshness to some of these other Dramione stories. I was intrigued by the EXTREME slow burn. I think there were elements of a slow build/yearning that are missing in some contemporary romances, and for that, I enjoyed the book even more.

I'm DNFing this at 20%. Sorry, I triede twice to get into this!

I'm so confused by this book. Is is rewritten Dramione (Harry Potter) fanfic? Because I don't see that at all. My biggest issue is I'm really lost. So many words are being thrown at me of a world that I just don't understand. I know there's a guide of terms in the beginning, but I shouldn't have to flip back to that every few seconds to understand what is going on. I do think if I press on, I may like this more because the characters intrigue me, but it seems like it will take a lot of work to get there, and the storyline itself isn't exciting enough to pull me further.

As someone deeply immersed in the world of romance books, I’m confident this novel will be a massive hit, not just with Brigitte’s fanfiction fans but with a much broader audience as well. The novel is truly fantastic- cleverly written, brimming with wit, and packed with all the beloved romance tropes readers adore, like "he falls first," "deal-making," and "forced proximity." Plus, its a true slow-burn romance and a genuine enemies-to-lovers storyline. It’s a versatile read that will obviously thrill romantasy fans, but also appeal to readers who enjoy contemporary romance with well-written characters and witty banter, as well as dark romance fans looking for something on the lighter side.

This was one of my most eagerly awaited books of 2025, and it absolutely lived up to the hype! All in all, it was an incredibly fun read, and I can’t wait for Kiss & Tale to stock it on our shelves! Thank you so much for this ARC!

As someone who never really got into the Dramione ship or the subsequent fanfics, I was suuuuper nervous going into this book. I’ve found a lot of fanfic turned traditional publishing can fall flat in the character development or world building because usually the readers already know the characters and world. Fortunately, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy didn’t suffer from that and I had a great time reading it! The writing style was super unique and quirky, I kind of loved it!! Everything was much sillier and goofy than I anticipated in the best way possible. I adore how the author doesn’t seem to take herself too seriously and this was a joy to read. Aurienne is a science girlie, and as one myself, I found that aspect of her character my favorite. Osric is a little shit that I would absolutely die for and harass in the same breath. I enjoyed the slow burn between Osric and Aurienne, however I wanted some sort of big relationship development by the end of the book. However, the ending was set up perfectly to make me committed to reading the follow up story and I’m 1000% invested in the story now. If you enjoy shenanigans, two idiots pining but in denial, an extremely component FMC, and cute spirit animal sidekicks with their own personalities, definitely pick this one up when it releases July 8th!

Thank you Ace Books for sending me an early copy!!! I will treasure it forever and will be begging at your doorstep for an ARC of the second book.

This was such a fun read! It is a SLOW burn with true enemies to lovers. The banter is some of the best banter I’ve ever read, even from the beginning, the onion scene had me laughing out loud. The dry humor is just so me. I knew I liked Osric right from the start but I honestly think my favorite characters are the deofols, their one liners delivered everytime. Or maybe the critique crickets because they were hysterical.
Now I know most people might find the amount of dick jokes in this to be immature and not funny but I guess I am the target audience because I just love how unserious all of it is.
The famous fork scene is too comical and solidified my love for Osric.
Now some things I didn’t love. The world building really was non existent and a lot needs to be explained. It’s easy to get lost in some of the terms. Also another big thing for me (which is probably a person problem) was the amount of complex words in this book. I had to stop multiple times in every single chapter to google the meaning of words. It kept taking me out of the story and preventing me from really immersing myself in the story. It just seems unnecessary to add that amount of pretentious words.
3.5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley for sending me an arc!!

The writing in this book was whimsical and unique and the characters seemed really fun, but unfortunately it just wasn't the book for me. But I know this will definitely appeal to a lot of other readers!