This slow burn enemies to lovers story was such a fun read. It started off a little slow but definitely picked up, and I really enjoyed it. It had me laughing out loud at times. I loved the banter and barbs they threw at each other. Osric was my favorite, he had some hilarious one liners. I enjoyed how it ended and I’m looking forward to seeing where the story goes next.

The True Enemies to Lovers you’ve always dreamed of.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy was so great! What a fun ride throughout. You will laugh ( literally laugh out loud) you will root for the Osric and Aurienne the entire time.

THE BANTER…….. I don’t even have to say more. It was perfection. With such a slow burn the banter between them really kept it slow cooking !

Brigitte not only created lovable characters but the plot line was wonderful as well!

Love every second of this!

What is it about Dramione this year??? This was an absurdly perfect book. Absolutely loved everything about it. It has humor, romance, mystery, tension, banter, everything you could want.

Osric and Aurienne are the best leads, and witnessing their slow journey to each other just filled me with giddiness. This book is deserving of all the stars. Definitely adding this to our collection. I mean, how many copies is too many?

I was really looking forward to this at first. The premise sounded super interesting. Unfortunately, this just wasn’t for me, and I had to DNF it at around 35%.

I don’t know what it was exactly about the writing style, but it was really hard to get into from the beginning. There was a lot of back-and-forth dialogue right away with so much "he said, she said" and not much world-building. Like, at all. The terminology came at you fast, and without any real context, it got confusing really quickly. I constantly felt like I was missing something. And honestly, I’m wondering if that’s because I’m not familiar with the Dramione fanfic it’s apparently based on? Maybe? I don’t know. But either way, it just didn’t work for me.

I didn’t connect with any of the characters, and a lot of the jokes fell flat. It felt like the book was trying way too hard to be funny but it just wasn’t. The humor was kind of off, and most of the jokes didn’t even make much sense. I lost count of how many penis jokes there were by 35%, and they weren't even good ones. It just felt immature and overdone. In the end, it just wasn’t my kind of read.

That said, I think readers who loved the original fanfic might have a totally different experience. If you have a connection to the fanfic or know what kind of humor to expect going in, you might enjoy it a lot more than I did.

For fans of romantasy this one is for you,

Knightley's title will be just the thing to recommend for folks looking for something to hold them over till the next Forth Wing books come out. Aurienne and Osric are for the fans who thought that Hermione and Draco were a long game, and wanted to see it play out with a backdrop of political enemies and opposing Orders.

I would love to see more world-building and magical explanations in future books, but this will be an easy recommendation for folks looking for a fun romantasy read.

So, I loved this. I've no idea what I was going in expecting but this was way kore romantic and cute/sexy than I anticipated. The fanfic is barely hidden and I kinda love it for that!

Please RUN to your closest bookstore to get a copy of The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy! I highly recommend! This book had me kicking my feet and giggling the entire time, it's so funny. The witty, charming, cheeky, brilliant lines had me laughing out loud. I'm not exaggerating when I say I laughed at something on every other page. While the story does get slightly repetitive at times and the slow burn is reeeeal, there was never a moment I wanted to stop reading. Honestly, I would have loved it to be even longer. I've already been recommending this book to people in my life and at work. I love these characters, I love the humor, I love the banter and I love the world. I can't wait for the next book in the series!!! Sign me up!!!

DNF @ 20%
I am so sorry I wanted to love this. I have tried reading this 3 times now and each time I just put it down and move on to the next book, fully intending to come back, trying again, then repeating the process. I think I just wasn't into the style of humor or the characters. I couldn't tell you. I should have loved this, but I didn't, unfortunately.

Big thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Ms. Knightley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

So I actually honestly *just* discovered Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal etc etc etc and freaking GOBBLED it up at light speed. I mean, to the point where I immediately started a re-read because I needed more time to dwell and linger in the story. Dramione fanfic: what I never knew I needed. Ms. Knightley's writing was so, so, so, so good: sparkling, irreverent, clever, structure and characterization the likes of which I would expect from an author at their apex, not a (so-called) fan fic debut. Imagine my complete surprise when I was casting about for something, anything, else from this author and realized I had an ARC waiting patiently for me to get around to it.

Irresistible Urge does share some qualities with Draco; wit, fiercely intelligent protagonists (of both genders!), complex and richly textured worldbuilding, vaguely similar professions for the female leads, and a more-or-less murderous bent for the male MCs (more, in the case of Osric). I must confess, Osric had me hook line and sinker the moment his collection of rescued dogs was introduced. *swoooooooon* Aurienne was a little bit harder to fall in love with, as she is just SO prickly, but watching her unbend oh-so-slowly under Osric's constant barrage of flirting is so much fun.

I was really enjoying the push/pull between Aurienne and Osric (not to mention the actual PLOT) and was very disappointed when the book ended and the inevitable wait for book #2 began. I will be purchasing my own keeper copy for the collection and have already purchased this for my library. Highly recommended to readers who like very clever, very funny, and very dark romantasy.

This is a really cute start to a romantasy series that has promise. It's hard not to fall in love with both the main characters as they each navigate this magical world full of death and destruction.

Thank you so much to the publisher for the opportunity to read this book! 4 star read for me, I absolutely loved it. The slow burn, the tension, the HUMOR. I was absolutely kicking my feet and giggling SO much throughout this book! I loved their spats, the action, and just how much fun this story really was. I would absolutely give it a 5 star except the only thing I didn’t love was some of the world building/magic system (words used to describe it) I kept having to go back to page 1 to look them up again and again because it was just very confusing at times.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and to be completely honest, i have no idea how to feel about it...

The romance part, I loved. I've read DMATMOOBIL (dramione ff) few weeks ago I can tell you - this is not a rewrite of that story. The vibes are similar but that is where it ends. The plot and the characters are different. Aurienne is a healer, and Osric is an assassin. He is suffering with strange disease that is depleting his magic, and she is the only one who can help him. They hate each other but have to cooperate, each for their own benefits. And i must say that I very much enjoyed their intellectual banter, and them insulting and roasting each other actually me laugh out loud. And don't even get me started on them finally starting to catch feelings and being in the worst denial possible. These two are delulu af and i love them hhaha. And their slow burn was really slow, which i appreciated! Made me truly excited for the book two 🤍

Now, the things i sadly didn't like... the world building. I feel like there was almost none. We have a new world, kingdoms, orders, but nothing is really explained. There is glossary at the end and thats about it. Since this is romantasy, I expected author to give the same attention to both romance and fantasy. Even after finishing the book, I am confused about the politics and magic system. And I don't like that. So while i loved the romance part, the fantasy elements were severely lacking. Another problem I had was shockingly the writing itself. It was harder for me to get into DMATMOOBIL, but once i got used to author's unique, clever and witty writing, I was vibing with it and loving every single word. In this book, that moment never came. I was struggling with complicated vocabulary throughout the whole book. The words I didn't understand were coming up constantly. It may be because I am not native English speaker, but I never struggled with writing to this extent. It was so pretentious and complicated that I literally felt stupid...

Overall, i had huuuge expectations, mostly bc the fanfic is one of my absolute fave. And while this was a different story, I saw some similarities and those are what I adored about this book. Despite my struggles with writing, I will read book two and hopefully love it more 🤍

I read the arc for The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley. This book was not for me, unfortunately. I found the writing to be immature and not polished. It wasn't painful, but I did not enjoy anything about this work. I thought maybe this was YA, and then I found out it was fanfic based on the HP IP and I think maybe it was initially YA as they were all still kids when that series finished. I do not know as I did not read this when it was fanfic, but it just reads too young for adults to act, think, behave, speak in this manner. I want to thank #netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-arc.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy
By: Brigitte Knightly
4 stars

Thank you @Acebookspub for the beautiful PR package that included this physical ARC & @prhaudio for the ALC! I did an immersive reading of this one where I listened and read at the same time! It was such a great audio experience and really brought depth to the reading experience!

I’ll start by saying that this one is heavy with the British-ism & humor! This romantasy is simmering with underlying tension, slow-burn angst, witty banter, and an actual FOR REAL enemies-to-lovers trope. Aurienne is a healer of the Haelan Order while Osric is an assassin of the Fyren Order. The two have two completely different goals in this world known as The Tiendoms but end up working together after Osric finds himself in need of a very specific type of healing due to a degenerative disease. Osric bribes Aurienne with an obscene amount of money to help fund their Orders ongoing immunization efforts for a long forgotten disease that’s recently resurged and has been overwhelming the Haelans.

We then get a glorious fantasy world wrapped in adventure, mystery, crazy antics, nonstop verbal sparring, and slow unfurling of attraction. This world building was done a bit differently than most fantasy books and I loved it! You’re thrusted into the action right off the bat and learn as you go. As you keep reading, the world and the characters become richer and layered, keeping you wanting more.

Aurienne is by the books, buttoned up, and the best at her craft. Osric is charming and egotistical who loves nothing more than to rile up Aurienne. I love that this one was just the building of tension and backstory for these two and cannot wait for book 2! It should also be noticed that this is 100% an original story and as someone who read the fanfiction it spawned from, every aspect is rewritten anew.

What you get:
Enemies to Lovers (not quite lovers yet)
Healer x Assassin
Forced Proximity
Opposites Attract
“Touch her and die”
Witty Banter
Magical Adventures and Shenanigans
Trying to solve a mystery

Ooh, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy, what a fantastically zany, eccentric, and endearing read you are! Not to mention laugh-out-loud funny! The humor in this work shines so brightly, and it becomes an inviting scene for readers to engage readily with its protagonists as they watch them most certainly not fall in love (wink, wink, nudge, nudge).

Osric is in need of a healer, stat! For death looms near and only one person has the potential to reverse the grim reaper’s course. Enter Aurienne. Of excellent moral compass and compassion, you’d expect her to readily heal Osric. If only he wasn’t an unscrupulous assassin from an enemy Order. Osric is the last person Aurienne desires to heal. Never one to turn down a challenge, Osric finds out how desperately Aurienne needs funding for a medical project, and so with some monetary threatening, er, offering, Osric is able to gain Aurienne’s reluctant help. But this healing is no small feat and it will take much research and investigation to find a plausible treatment. The more time spent together, the more Osric and Aurienne butt heads and bicker. Love is certainly not a threat to their antagonist relationship. Falling in love? Ha, out of the question if you’d ask them, but if you’d ask me….well, the healer and assassin doth protest suspiciously too much...

Osric and Aurienne are a total hoot! Their dialogue towards each other, as well as internal monologuing, had me grinning and cackling and eventually swooning! I love how blunt they are with one another. I love how they challenge one another, which is undoubtedly a major factor in that slow burn that evolves their connection. And yes, it’s certainly a very, very slow burn, but it’s one with a promising pay off in the next work(s). I was satisfied with its pace. I appreciate that we take our time in watching these characters go from feeling animosity towards one another, to begrudging respect, to an alarming (to them ha!) warmth in their hearts they dare not address. It’s very well paced and with Osric’s very life in contention, there are also real stakes anchoring down an otherwise light-hearted plot.

All this makes for a journey that feels like home. I felt the uplifting nature of fun, twisty humor and the soft embrace of anticipatory love on the horizon. There are so much hijinks to contend with, not just in character action but even in chapter titles! They kept me on my toes and kept my smile so firmly, and so widely, on my face! It’s such a bizarre story and I say that in the highest of compliments. I have never followed a trail like this one leads, but it’s one path I will not be straying from.

Where I became tripped up on this journey is the world-building. I wanted so badly to love it, all the ingredients to do so are there! But I spent too much time lost in this world to appreciate it. The glossary at the beginning is essential reading, but I should not have to continuously refer to it. It became more chore than enjoyment, which is frustrating because the world truly is fun It’s clear so much thought is placed in it, but it feels like a world readers are expected to know at first glance rather than being greeted and welcomed to a tour before we settle in. That said, I truly hope there are more books to come because I can absolutely see myself acclimating very well into this world. In fact, towards the final act I felt I was finally getting my footing right, and I know that will carry on even more strongly in the next installment.

Overall, this is absolute fun! I am ready to make like Osric and bribe whoever is needed to make that sequel happen! I need it ever so badly!

Until then, I’m so glad I left this story with a big ol’, silly grin and lightened heart.

What a superbly unique reading experience!

Thank you kindly to Berkley Romance, Ace, and NetGalley for this advanced complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Brigitte Knightley's "The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy" delivers exactly what it promises: a delightful and often laugh-out-loud funny rivals-to-lovers romance that will leave you with a warm feeling. This book is a fantastic choice for anyone who loves witty banter, palpable tension, and a satisfying slow-burn.

The core strength of this novel lies squarely with its two lead characters and their vibrant dynamic. Our protagonists, often starting as professional adversaries, are well-developed, each with their own quirks, insecurities, and charming flaws. The "enemy" aspect of their relationship is genuinely engaging, built on genuine competition and sharp, clever exchanges rather than contrived misunderstandings. This allows the transition from rivals to something more to feel organic and earned, making their eventual shift towards affection all the more rewarding.

Knightley truly shines in crafting their dialogue. The banter is consistently sharp, quick-witted, and genuinely funny, creating a lively rhythm that propels the story forward. You can practically feel the sparks flying off the page as they go head-to-head, both professionally and personally. Beyond the humor, there's a lovely undercurrent of emotional depth as they slowly start to peel back layers and see beyond their initial impressions of one another.

While the plot itself follows a fairly familiar romance arc, it's executed with fresh energy and charm. The secondary characters are often a highlight, adding color and support to the main storyline without ever overshadowing our central couple. The pacing is generally excellent, keeping you engaged throughout, though there might be a few moments where the "will-they-won't-they" stretches just a touch.

In summary, "The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy" is a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming read. If you're looking for a romance with smart characters, fantastic banter, and a well-executed enemies-to-lovers trope, this book is definitely worth picking up. It's a charming escapade that proves some urges are simply too strong to resist.

There were quite a few surprises in this novel. The first was that even though I expected it to be a slow burn romance, as noted on the synopsis, I didn’t expect my own ambivalence to both characters and whether their romance ever achieved that status. Osric, had a laissez-faire towards killing and in fact, went about it on a daily basis. Whereas Aurienne was a healer and saved lives, also daily. Their two life callings were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum and the thought that they would fall in love seemed pretty unlikely. The second surprise was that she was a cold priss and Osric was an egomaniac with delusions of being a supermodel. Neither was likable at all. Why would they ever even get together? I was curious how the author was going to make things work for them so I did finish the novel, but I will say that I thought several times about putting it down and starting something else. This was a slow burn that was a slooowwww buuuurrrrnnnnn. It took a long time to get to the point.

Needless to say, I really didn’t enjoy these characters. I really don’t enjoy writing negative reviews but thanks to receiving an ARC through NetGalley for an honest review, I honestly felt I needed to give one. I will say that I’ve seen some reviews for this novel where those reviewers really enjoyed it so it could be that this one just wasn’t my jam. If it intrigues you, try it out for yourself and give it a go!

Thank you to the publisher for the free book!

Rating: 3/5 stars

When assassin Osric goes to beg (and coerce) assistance from healer Aurienne, she reluctantly allows herself to be bribed to assist him…but their hate may just turn to something very different.

I really wanted to like this book, and the writing style is one that is normally right up my alley: both beautiful and funny, with equal parts depth and wit. I can definitely tell why some people have loved this, and the characters in particular grew on me quite a bit as the book progressed. If you like a somewhat campy and adventurous fantasy, you particularly might enjoy this one!

Unfortunately, in an overall sense something about this book never really clicked for me personally. It was slow in many parts and felt repetitive, with no real plot and even less world building. The ending felt really lackluster after so much build up, and while I may read book two simply because I’ve already invested so much time, I’m not exactly left feeling eager for it after this lead in.

Finally, I know there was a lot of controversy surrounding the publisher’s Dramione themed marketing here…but whatever you might think of that decision, this is *not a Dramione coded book at all* — which makes the whole thing feel entirely bizarre to me. Still, an obligatory disclaimer: JKR is terrible and supporting her is deeply harmful to trans folks. There is absolutely no reason to elevate her IP in any way…and really no reason to do it through this book, which, again, bears no resemblance to Dramione or anything else HP-related, in my view.

CW: Blood/murder/gore; medical content; mild sexual harassment; mentions of past physical abuse

I can imagine this book will be extremely polarizing. It is full of dry humor, vulgarity, and dick jokes. Please check and be mindful of the trigger warnings.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is a humorous fantasy romance. With that title, I truly had no idea what to expect. The writing style felt very unique for a published work, but it mostly worked for me. Amid all of the vulgarity and humor, there were moments of really beautiful and poetic writing.

I did struggle a bit at the beginning because of the lack of worldbuilding. The vocabulary and spellings were complex, and a lot of new words and magical terms were never really explained. Random words capitalized and French terms were sprinkled in. It just took some getting used to, and I had to accept that I was reading a humorous work. I imagined I was watching a witty British television show which helped.

Once we got going, the story picked up a bit and I did enjoy it. Aurienne is a snobby healer mage and Osric is a narcissistic magical assassin. Where Aurienne is light and moral good, Osric is dark and selfish. The two can not stand each other. They hate each other in an almost cartoonish way, but that obviously changes after a while. The romance is bi4bi and was very angsty. I loved the yearning, so much yearning.

Aurienne is a brilliant magical scientist-like scholar and part of a magical healing order desperately treating the victims of a deadly pox that is targeting impoverished children. Osric seeks out her help to find a cure to his deadly and incurable injury.

She agrees to try old magical myths and legends to cure his incurable injury, but only if he will help her investigate the true cause of the pox. Seeking scientific answers in folklore leads them on a series of small adventures which are full of tension, forced proximity, banter, arguments, and denying their growing feelings for each other.

Random note: I loved that there were chapter titles! Bring back chapter titles.

The vibe of the last ~20% of the book felt different from the rest of the book, but it was probably my favorite part. (What can I say? Hurt/comfort is my favorite trope.)

I did unfortunately again think this would be a standalone until the last couple of chapters (I have GOT to stop doing that), but I am looking forward to seeing how the two navigate their relationship and the revelations about the pox in the second book.

Thank you, NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and Ace Books, for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this was a lot of fun! I love witty, snarky banter so this checked a lot of boxes for me. I loveee when enemies-to-lovers characters truly, truly loathe each other at the start of a series. It always leads to incredible tension and banter and I eat it right up. This is a slowwww burn so be prepared, but the tension between Osric and Aurienne is so worth it.

One final note- I really wish the publisher hadn’t fully promoted this as reworked Dramione fanfic. I know we all know that’s what it started as, but that centered the discussions of this around HP a bit too much for a series/world that has been totally reworked and scrubbed of original source material.