I’ve been procrastinating writing this review for a while now. I LOVED the book—the characters, the story, everything! But I didn’t (and still don’t) really know how to put my feelings into words.

I’m not a fan of insta-love, and this was fantastic because it was the exact opposite! It was so slow that for the first third of the book I had no idea how the author was going to turn the hate the two MCs felt toward each other into something else. I honestly couldn’t see a way for them to open up and reach the point where they actually started to care. But they did! And the transition was so smooth that I can’t even pinpoint when it happened. All I know is that I need to read the next book now—not just for the romance, but for everything else too. I love a good mystery, and the plot here is fantastic! We got a few clues along the way (and I did manage to guess some things), but I still don’t see the bigger picture. I need to know more, to find out what happens next!

The world-building was also very intriguing and well done—I kept imagining living in that world and wondering where I’d fit in.

And the dialogues! The banter is incredible (so witty and funny), but honestly all of the dialogue is just so well done. I laughed out loud more times than I can count.

The only drawback for me was that the pacing felt a bit slow at times. Maybe that’s because I didn’t have much time to read and could only fit in small chunks here and there, but I didn’t always feel the urge to keep going when I had other things to do (whereas with some books I can’t put them down). But again, maybe that was just me. :)

Definitely recommended!

Clever wit, descriptive, brilliant characters, and full of loathe at first sight - I loved this book and eagerly await the next..

Unfortunately this book was not for me :( There were moments I enjoyed but overall the humour was a bit too vulgar for me and I struggled to connect to the characters. However, I found the magic system intriguing and the plot was easy and fast paced.

First and foremost, let me just state that I am sincerely sorry to this book for the rating and review that I gave to it at the beginning of the year. So this time, I went into this book with a completely different mindset than I had before and really no expectations. THIS is enemies-to-lovers/ a slow-burn romance with the tension, the banter/bickering, and such an addictive plot. This is what I wanted 😫
4.25

I went in blind without reading the original Dramione fanfic and was pleasantly surprised. The Monty Python–style humour, inventive magic system, and the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc was fantastic. I am an absolute sucker for enemies to lovers. The plot and storyline overall were enjoyable and I did have a good time reading this.
That being said though, the characters just didn’t fully land for me. They echoed Hermione and Draco (as expected knowing this was a Dramione fanfic) but felt more like imitations than fully developed in their own right. I do also feel it could have been shorter as well.

If you’re going into this book, expecting it to be like the Dramione fanfiction that the author has written, then you’re going to be slightly disappointed. However, if you’re going in looking for a pure, enemies to lovers romance featuring some fantastic banter between an assassin and a healer, then you’ll love this book.

Slow burn romance between two enemies
The fyren are an order of assassins, who are skilled fighters and killers. Osric Mordaunt has a complex condition that he doesn’t know whether will heal, which is when he meets Aurienne Fairhrim. The pair together are kind of taboo, being from opposing orders with very different focuses, which leads to them meeting in secrecy. Aurienne is persnickety, a brilliant healer, who is very much focused at the task at hand. I loved how Osric was the one who falls first, and tries to hide and deny it.

What you’ve got with the combination of the two, is a hardened fighter determined not to show his weaknesses (or his budding feelings), and a healer who is used to seeing all manner of people in various states of undress. They share some really fun banter between the two, as they make jibes at each other but also share the excitement at the healing progress. Aurienne is very different to others who would normally throw themselves at Osric, and it’s certainly intriguing for him. The romance is very slow burn, and witnessing their journey is certainly part of the appeal.

A magic system with new terms
I’m no stranger to books with glossaries, being a fantasy reader. There are many terms in The Irresistible Urge to Fall In Love With Your Enemy that drive the plot. The magic system in this book is called seith, which everyone possesses and can use at a basic level. However, if they want to master the application of magic, they need a tacn, which is a brand seared in their palms. Those who have tacns have joined orders in this world. There’s also deafols, who are animal familiars.

It does take a while getting used to all the new terms, but the application of them throughout the story was done well.

Some confusion & humour
Perhaps it was my eARC that I read, but I had trouble adjusting to how each chapter alternates between referring to the two main characters by their surnames, or from their first names. I later realised that it differs according to the point of view that you’re reading, although it’s technically written in third person from both perspectives. It would have been better for consistency to stick with one name, rather than alternating between the two.

The book is written in a very proper way, but features some random, hilarious moments and very adult humour. There’s no shortage of male appendages or body parts in this one, particular since a lot of it centers around healing.

There are also two spicy scenes at the end of the book, but they’re not what you would think, as I was left wanting by the end of it.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall In Love With Your Enemy is a slow burn, enemies to lovers romance featuring a British humour and a fantastic magic system. I particularly enjoyed the banter between Aurienne and Osric, and witnessing him slowly realising his feelings towards her. I also liked Aurienne’s creativity and passion for healing and seeing her try and solve Osric’s disease. This was definitely a fun read from a debut author, and I look forward to the next book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Osric - assassin, menace, and all-around silver-haired problem, is in desperate need of a healer. Enter Aurienne, brilliant scientist, moral compass, and member of an enemy order… which basically means she’d rather amputate his leg than help him.

The only problem? She needs funding, and he’s holding the purse strings. Cue the reluctant alliance, late-night research sessions, and very professional arguments that somehow have way too much heat in them. Watching these two clash, negotiate, and definitely not flirt was half the fun. It’s slow burn in the best way, with banter sharp enough to cut glass and tension that builds like a kettle left on too long.

There were moments where I wanted to shove their faces together and yell, “Just kiss already!”… but honestly, the build-up made the payoff all the sweeter. The banter is delicious, the tension magnetic, and while the pacing dips here and there, the dynamic between these two kept me hooked.

I've never read a book with dialogue as sharp and witty as this. The BANTER!! My cheeks were hurting from how much I was smiling from page one, and I had to pause after every other paragraph because I could not breathe from the laughter. Our two main characters, Osric and Aurienne, are complete opposites, with one being a respectable healer and the other a ruthless assassin. When the pair are forced to work together to save Osric's life, the challenge is as much enduring each other's company as it is finding an impossible cure - a truly mortifying ordeal (iykyk).
If someone took a workplace rom-com and infused it with murder and magic, this would be it. Brigitte Knightley is a master at writing tension, so much so that you won't even notice there's no spice because the characters' lingering looks are just as intense. Classic slow-burn torture. I've also never seen insults as colourful as those you'll experience within these pages (yes, I took notes, just in case I also need to flirt with an arrogant, insufferable-yet-unreasonably-attractive, magic-wielding assassin). The romantasy genre is yet to see two protagonists as emotionally constipated as Osric and Aurienne, and I need them to confront their feelings ASAP! If you want something that has the comedic chaos of Assistant to the Villain and Fangs for Nothing, this is the book for you.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is a really truly engaging book.

I think if you like witty, low-heat romantasy with complex magical systems and morally ambiguous leads then you’ll be great. Its strengths lie in tension, tone, and intelligence—but I think you have to be patient with this book. It’s very slow for a slow burn, which I wasn’t expecting almost no pay off for the burn but it’s so romantic, so magical, and so sharp.

You have to be fully engaged and fully paying attention to pick up on all of the detail and subtle plot points but it’s worth it.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is a delightful low-stakes fantasy that pairs Aurienne, a strong-willed and severe healer, with Osric, an extremely self-assured assassin, in a story brimming with wit, banter, and reluctant alliances.

<i> “Death.”
“Ah.”
“Bit of a problem, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sir.” </i>

<b>Their dynamic is the heart of the book</b> - Aurienne’s dry sass and stern morals clashes perfectly with Osric’s deadpan demeanor, creating a hilarious and endearing enemies-to-reluctant-allies-to more.

<i> Mordaunt asked what he was meant to do with this stupid hook, other than strangle her with it. Aurienne said he could use it to hang himself if he wished. These warm goodbyes exchanged, they parted. </i>

<b> WHAT I LOVED </b>
✨ The Banter
The back-and-forth between Aurienne and Osric is chef’s kiss. Their snarky exchanges had me giggling and scoffing throughout the entire book.

✨ Supporting Cast
The side characters are just as sharp and entertaining, adding depth and humor to the story.

<i> Fairhrim was unafraid, violently unafraid, daring him to continue. They stood close. That was the thing about war: every clash, every battle, brought each nearer and nearer to the other. Their breaths intermingled, passed thresholds their lips would never cross. The wrongness of it was almost erotic. </i>

✨ Slow-Burn Romance
The tension builds beautifully, with well-paced, organic development. Every accidental touch and reluctant moment of vulnerability had me hooked.

✨ Cozy Yet Fresh Worldbuilding
The story avoids heavy info-dumping, instead weaving in world details naturally. It blends familiar fantasy elements with unique twists, making the setting intriguing without overwhelming the reader.

<i> “Besides, they threatened to kidnap you.”
“And? You threatened to kidnap me.” “Exactly: only I can do that.” </i>

<b> SOME NOT SO GOOD</b>
✨ Patience Required
The world unfolds gradually, so there are definitely times you feel lost about the magical elements.

✨ Unexpected Ending
As the first in a duology, it leaves several questions unanswered, and the stopping point felt a tad abrupt. That said, it’s absolutely set up for an exciting sequel!

<i> “Might we,” asked Aurienne, “go anywhere without subtracting from the population?”
“Would you prefer,” asked Mordaunt, “that we add to it?” </i>

<b> OVERALL </b>
This book is a joy—funny, charming, and impossible to put down. If you love witty banter, slow-burn romance, and cozy fantasy with a bite, The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is a must-read.

<i> Thank you to netgalley for this advanced reader’s copy. All thoughts and opinions are honest, truthful and mine. </i>

3 stars

as someone who was beyond excited to read this (considering i read the hp universe to prepare for all the dramione fanfics coming out this year) this was not my cup of tea. however i do want to say although this is my opinion - there is definitely an audience for it.

my number one critic is that i do love my prose but this was filled with overly complicated jargon and excessive inner monologue that made it seem like the author had to reach a certain word limit. the pacing was unbearably slow until the last 70% and the world building nearly non-existent (minus the glossary that was intimidating). as a result, it was clunky and hard to read.

the plot and the romance definitely picked up towards the end - which i loved & made the last little bit fun to read. and there were some witty clever remarks which were fun throughout.

if you love a slow burn enemies to lovers - do give it a chance but i have a feeling the original fanfic was executed better due to the already existing world & characters we all know & love.

do i have a feeling that the next book will be better - 100%! will i be picking it up just to find out what happened because im a nosy bee - 100%.

a big thank you to Netgalley & Hachette Australia & New Zealand for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review!

This breaks my heart but.... 2.75 stars?????????

Just a PSA: this might be a biased review as I have read and adored the original. So, 2 stars compared to the OG and maybe 3.25 stars if I did not know the og counterpart.

First of all, I absolutely hate insta-love and I fear that was the case here. The chemistry just did not work the same as unlike in the mother fanfiction, these two characters did not know each other before this story started. There was no history there. She met him, immediately decided she ~hates~ him because of his career choice (tbf, understandable) and he dislikes her because she's haughty (tbf, as she should be).

This story takes you to the almost similar albeit more minimal adventures that H and D went through in the mother fanfic. Honestly the pining wasn't present. The realisation that "hey, this person's actually ok!" wasn't slow. IT JUST HAPPENED. They spent probably a collective of 5 full days together and suddenly woof woof they're hot for each other.

Also where was the world-building??? Again, did not work because the world wasn't pre-built as it was in the fanfic. War was brewing but.. why? What was the reason? What's the politics behind all this??? Anyways.

On to the brighter side this was still actually quite funny. Osric still had one-liners that made me chuckle and Aurienne's dry humour was still such a good combination with the other's sarcastic wit. The plot was interesting although quite underbuilt, but I assume everything will fall into place in the next book.

Ok. end rant. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

*actual rating: 3.75 stars rounded up

Overall I really enjoyed The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy - it is the quintessential enemies-to-lovers *slow* burn with witty banter, interesting side characters, and an intruiging overarching plot wrapping it all together; and I am definitely going to be picking up the sequel book of this duology (worry not - there is no gaping cliffhanger here! Similar to Dana Schwartz' Anatomy & Immortality duology, which is satisfactorily closed enough if you want to end after book 1, but definitely enough intrigue left to continue to book 2).

I know this is getting heavily marketed as Draimone fanfic, which I understand is the author's personal writing background before being trad published, but honestly I have 0 interest/connection to that. Would it increase my enjoyment of this novel? Possibly. But I feel that this book has enough to hold up on its own without the intense marketing around that (and indirectly continuing to benefit <that> author in the process).
The thing that drew me to picking TIUTFFYE up was everything else lol - fantasy academic setting, slow burn, enemies-to-lovers; having enjoyed The Love Hypothesis and with Emily Wilde on my never-ending TBR; and that didn't disappoint! ngl this book also improved my vocabulary with a lengthy list of words I had to look up lol, but it contributed to the academic setting and nature of Aurienne, and complemented Osric's intelligence and cunning in his profession also. While this spills over into the banter and writing style which suits my humour and enjoyment, there was also a lot of cruder dick-and-balls and toilet humour jokes/banter which weren't to my taste personally, and at times disrupted my enjoyment of a scene.

I hope in the final published version there is a map! It would've helped a lot to connect and envision the actual world - I think we're in some alternate historical England? But it's kinda vague... there is a 'introductory' cheat sheet to the magic system, but that is really... the only explanation

Would probably recommend this to fans of (and vice versa): A Rivalry of Hearts, Assistant to the Villian, and the aforementioned The Love Hypothesis!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me access to an arc copy in exchange for an honest review. All feelings and statements are my own.

What to expect:
- romantasy
- slow-burn romance
- enemies to lovers
- woman in STEM (it's giving The Love Hypothesis if it was set in a fantasy realm)
- healer x assassin (a.k.a. opposites attract!)
- he falls first and harder
- A+ banter (like, a little unhinged. I love it).
- perfect mix of plot and character-driven romance
- Dramione fanfic essentially!

Have you seen a greater list of tropes in a fantasy book? This is the holy grail, and I ate it up, leaving zero crumbs.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy - Brigitte Knightley 🩷🗡️🖤

8/10 ⭐

Enemies to lovers + slow burn = an absolute delight!

I was super intrigued by this book when I heard it was being traditionally published - especially knowing what the work was originally 👀

I was very keen for a slow burn (and I mean reeeeaaaaallll slow burn, basically to the end) and I ate this up!

I loved Aurienne and how strong she was, but I absolutely adored Osric! Their wit and banter was so enjoyable to read and it only got better and better 🤭

Brigitte is an amazing writer because she truly made me laugh out loud SO many times! The world building was very well done and I really liked seeing Aurienne and Os explore different places during their tests.

Their seith magic system was also super easy to get an understanding of and I loved the mix of medical terminology and magic ✨

I loved the dedication to the old English language and the consistency throughout, but I definitely learned new words reading this and my dictionary got a work out 😂

Because of the language and words used I did find myself skipping some lines that I didn't understand, which was probably my biggest frustration.

But the characters, plot, and slow burn yearning created definitely made up for it!

I'm super keen to read the second book once that's out and highly recommend this one if you're wanting to cackle and fall in love with these two enemies 😍

Thank you for the e-arc of this book!

#booksta #bookstagram #reading #reader #enemiestolovers #fantasy #fantasyreader #fantasybooks #romance #bookreview

After a book full of witty banter, sarcastic comebacks and a vain MMC?

This is for you.

As soon as I saw the first chapter title, "Irresistible Bastard Meets Immovable Bitch", I smirked and settled in for a good read. 
 
Yes, this is a slow burn, this is also a slow pace read, the story progression takes awhile to start moving and we get alot of medical chit chat and not much action. I think this builds the characters personalities but does this for a lot of the book; alot of repetitive scenes and banter.
 
The book was carried by the verbal sparring, back and forth-tongue in cheek tone and it helped me get through what was a sometimes difficult writing style (but very unique) full of words I didnt understand (later found out these were french words but the MMC is not french), where it sounds like the author swallowed a thesaurus and had to fluff up every sentence unnecessarily. The story is good though...once it gets back on track.
 
Things I enjoyed:
 
✨️ Deofols

♠️ Slow burn: this is true enemies to lovers. Both from very opposite moral factions. The disgust is real. I loved seeing the verbal evisceration, the peacocking by Osric, the secret mutual respect.
 
✨️ Touch Her and Die: He did it, oh yes hahaha

♠️ Word adjustment eg: Haelen not Healer.

✨️ Simple Magic System: very basic, you study and choose your path, some people have better control than others, if you overuse it you pay a price. Simple with limitations.
 
 
My thoughts on...
 
- World Building: just jumps right into everything.

- Dual POV: both character POVs were the same. Could have gone third person.

- Duology: thought this was a standalone. I felt this could have been edited down, there was a lot of filler/repetitive scenes and it was only 350ish pages. Around 75% ish through the book another plot is introduced and I feel like if this had been brought in earlier it wouldve been a better story.

✨️✨️✨️

You can definitely read this one without having read the fanfic, you just need to get used to the tongue in cheek writing style first.

Yes I will read the next book, I am hoping we get some action (story and couple wise) now that the setting has been made.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5

first of all thank you to Hachette, Bridgette and Netgalley for giving me a digital ARC. I really really enjoyed this book!!! I’ve said it’s enemies to lovers however I’d say it’s more subtle? It’s very much slow burn which I was munching for like man the slight brush of hands and AH making me all giddy. Writing style wise - I’m not very smart when it comes to “big words” so I learnt a lot and I was glad I read it on my kindle because I would have been googling a lotttt but that’s just me personally with the writing style. I’m also one for the aesthetics and environment that plays a major part for me as I can picture these books in my brain like I’m playing a movie and the setting didn’t disappoint. I was so entranced in this world and this story, I wanted more as in I wanted the story to continue however the way it ended was really nice - I’m intrigued to see if there is going to be another book? I really truly enjoyed it. It’s so close to 5 stars but I think the flow of writing ever so slightly got confusing for me but that’s me personally!! I’m rating this one 4.5/5!

`✦ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ 2.5 stars 🌟 1 spice 🌶

arc review 📖

જ⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🩷 enemies to lovers
🪄 dramoine coded
🩷 forced proximity
🪄 whitty banter
🩷 slow burn
🪄 tough her and 💀
🩷 healer fmc x assassin mmc

I so badly wanted to love this book. Unfortunately it felt weak in the romance/chemistry, and the world was lacking.

I think the reason for this is because it was dramoine fan fiction converted into its own book, however, there was a lack of original world and lore construction. The only way to enter this storyline is with the presumption of J.K. Rowling's Potter-verse in mind, as well as the Draco and Hermione friction.

As an original piece of work, it requires more romantic tension and chemistry.

I was able to read it slowly, with many breaks, over several weeks 🤷‍♀️

────୨ৎ────

⋆˙⟡ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡𝑜 𝑛𝑒𝑡𝑔𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒 𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑎 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑝𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑐

Enjoyed the banter but found this could be quite repetitive, love the cover and loved the development of characters, particularly our morally grey Osric

4.5⭐️!

This book was SO FUN!! It was silly and goofy and funny and occasionally sweet and I had the best time reading it 🥹.

I was a bit intimidated at the start with the really long glossary of words but it didn’t end up being too overwhelming once I was a little bit through the book!

The best part of this book by far was the humour, it was so dumb and dry and silly and unserious but I genuinely laughed out loud so many times. I know it absolutely is not for everyone, but it hit for me 😌.

The plotline of this book was not super fast paced, it sort of slowly built throughout the book and by the end I was like okay I need book 2 to find out what’s going to happen in this world! 🩷

The romance was SLOW BURN, and I LOVE that!! The banter was so funny. I am a sucker for an opposites attract / hate to love trope and this was done so well 🤌🏻.

I definitely know this book will not be for everyone, if you don’t like the humour you probably won’t enjoy. I know some people found it a bit slow, so just be aware it’s not a super fast paced fantasy! It’s definitely more of a good vibes and good characters type book than heavily plot driven (in my opinion) 💫.

I feel like if you like the humour and vibe of Emily Wilde you’d like this!