I was lucky enough to read this author’s works before (although it isn’t a true “rewrite” of a certain story, there are some glimmers that carry over), and I was so curious to see the shift to traditional publishing. When I say I’ve been READY for this, I mean it! I preordered as soon as possible, and let out a (quite horrible) shriek when I got approved for the ARC.

Let me put any concerns to rest: this was a work of ART.

The world building was phenomenal. I was drawn in by the magic system, the different Orders and their abilities, and just the world itself. I never felt like the lore was being “dumped” on me as a reader — which I know is sometimes unavoidable in fantasy novels but I tend to personally hate. Everything unfolded easily and left me wanting more; from learning more about the Tiendoms (kingdoms) themselves, to the dynamic between Aurienne and Osric (AHHHHH).

If you live for a good enemies-to-lovers slow burn that actually burns slow instead of one that has the aforementioned enemies becoming lovers a few chapters in, you MUST read The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy. If you live for witty writing and snarky characters, beautiful imagery and clever magic, you will absolutely love this. You want twists? Brigitte Knightley delivers. You want a book that leaves you desperate for the sequel as soon as you finish the last page? THIS IS IT.

I could not recommend this book any harder.

This book was an absolute delight! The humor was sharp and well-timed, making me laugh out loud more than once. The banter between the characters was effortless and witty, adding so much charm to the story. Each character felt lively and engaging, keeping the plot moving at a great pace. I found myself completely invested in their journey and couldn’t put the book down. The mix of humor and heart made for a fantastic read, and I can’t wait to see what happens next. If you love clever dialogue and lovable characters, this book is definitely worth picking up!

this was too high fantasy for me. I think I am over the romantasy category, it's exhausting. I did not finish.

I am filled with conflicting emotions for this one. For every thing that worked for me there was an aspect of this that didn’t 😔.

I loved the banter between our MC’s but I oddly enough didn’t love some of the humour.

I loved the enemies to lovers aspect but I felt some of it was repetitive.

I love a slow burn romance (Mariana Zapata taught me well) but pacing of the story impacted my investment in the romance, as well as the story.

I was so curious about the characters and I did like them, but I also felt like I barely knew them (atleast until the near end of the story). Same with the magic system or the world building.

I learned a lot of new words though and I DEFINITELY need to know what happens next but unfortunately this wasn’t a love for me.

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing for my ARC 💜.

2.75/5

The story follows Osric Mordaunt, a ruthless assassin, and Aurienne Fairhrim, a compassionate healer, whose lives unexpectedly intertwine when Osric's desperate need for a cure forces him into Aurienne's domain. Osric's vulnerability stemming from his illness immediately humanizes him, moving him beyond the stereotypical assassin archetype. Aurienne, burdened by the desperate plight of sick children and the financial struggles of her Order, is equally compelling. Her initial reluctance and suspicion towards Osric are understandable, creating a believable foundation for the burgeoning relationship.
The dynamic between Osric and Aurienne is the true heart of the novel. The author skillfully portrays their internal conflict as they grapple with their burgeoning feelings while remaining loyal to their respective Orders. The "irresistible urge" they fight against fuels the narrative with palpable tension, creating a delicious push and pull that keeps the reader invested. The banter is sharp, the yearning is palpable, and the forced proximity driven by their collaborative efforts to solve both Osric's illness and the mysterious pox outbreak adds layers of complexity to their dynamic.
Beyond the romance, the plot surrounding the re-emergence of the Pox provides a compelling and engaging subplot. The mystery surrounding its origins and the ethical dilemmas faced by both Orders in their respective approaches to treatment add depth and intrigue to the story.
This story is a satisfying read for those who enjoy slow-burn romance, morally grey characters, and a compelling blend of action, intrigue, and undeniable chemistry. I highly recommend!

I managed to push through, but the beginning of the book was tough. The first chapter began with, I’m sick, she has medicine but she’s dangerous, I will find her, okay I’m there. There was endless unfamiliar terminology that required too much thinking to be able to enjoy. Later, the story had more humor and was easier to get into. I can’t see myself recommending this but I will likely read book two to see how the story concludes.

This was far more fun than I could have ever anticipated. I found myself laughing in spite of myself through the majority of this book — especially the beginning and the end. The wit is dry and ever so British. I ate this up. If readers are looking for a big romance with this book… they wouldn’t be wrong but it puts a most slow burn romances to shame. This is a slow burn if there ever was one. Not to worry! It looks as if there will be PLENTY in book two. Knightley seems to be dedicated to make her characters and readers earn every ounce of this romance. I’m sure I and MANY more readers will be eating out of the palm of her hand.

thank you Netgalley and Brigitte Knightley for this arc!

3 ⭐️’s

i’m quite sad bc this was one of my most anticipated book for this year but it just did not hit for me. i also think it might’ve been user error? i think i needed to be in the correct headspace for this and i just wasn’t. romance was great, plotline was good, INCREDIBLE worldbuilding. so i’m going to that it that im likely the problem? idk what it was i just wasn’t able to connect in the way i normally do :/.

normally for books i feel like this i would either DNF or rate as 2 stars but i had to give credit where credit is due bc i am very impressed with the uniqueness of the magic system!

i would still recommend it to my Dramione babes tho!

Great read, I am familiar with the fanfiction it is based on and it did not disappoint. I read it together with my partner and we both equally enjoyed it.

Ahhhhhh okay that ending … I wasn’t expecting such an abrupt stop. Literally had me checking the file and double checking 🤣

I was so invested in this. The slow burn of watching them realize their feelings changed somewhere along the line.

The plot is interesting to keep you wanting to move forward but the romance between these two enemies has you kicking your feet.

Can’t wait for the next one!

This book was FUN! I am generally not a fan of "snark" but the humor in this book was so spot on for me. When she referenced PJ Wodehouse in the acknowledgements it made sense. I know this was based on a fan fic (which I have not read) and I was worried it would fall into the fanfic-into-novel trap of not fleshing out the characters and their backstories enough. It wasn't amazing on that point, especially for our MMC I wanted more history and context and depth for his character. Honestly though I was having so much fun with the rest of the elements that I didn't mind. Would have been a 5/5 but still managed a 4.5. It was one of those very rare books I wanted to go back and reread immediately. I am so very excited to see where this author goes next!!

In this slow burn romantasy and assassin is desperate for healing and the only one who can help is a healer from his enemy order. So he bribes her.

What I liked:
* The burn was sloooowwwww
* The banter was bantering
* High interaction between the main characters
* The character growth
* The action and intrigue
* The plot got bigger and bigger while keeping the couple a focus
What I didn’t like:
* That I have to wait for the next installment!

Ah, I loved this. It was funny and witty and full of moments that had me laughing out loud. These enemies are so into each other it hurts. Can't wait for book 2!

All the stars! This fresh take on romantasy creates a world unique to anything I’ve read before that only adds to the story. I loved the wit and banter in this book, and found myself having to google words (thank you for expanding my vocabulary!). The main characters were flawed but lovable. I can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

This book made me LAUGH OUT LOUD so many times. Thank you so much Brigitte for allowing me digital access to this ARC via NetGalley. This was masterful, amazing. I had such a LOVELY time reading this arc! As someone who read the original fanfic, this had brand new life, plot and narratives breathed into it- I fell in love with the characters and the world! So excited for book 2 already!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Loved it
🩷 - General Romance
🔥🔥 - Yearning, banter, emotional build and possible execution/climax.
🌶️ - A little secret self touching

This was super super fun! I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would actually, as a certified romance hater.

I think I just need romances with a little bit extra to them and this definitely had that. It was fantasy, and dark, and humorous, and with a little mystery along with it too. I cannot just do plain boring romance, so if readers want something with a little bit extra to it, this definitely does.

The romance was really great too! The banter between these two characters was oh so good and kept me actually laughing for the entire book. I also am a huge fan of slow burn and this 100% is suuuuper slow. Not a single kiss the whole book, so if you need spicy instant gratification romance, this isn't for you. But, I understand that this is a series, so if you keep going, I feel a strong payoff coming in the next book. I'm not sure how many books are slated for this series, but I would be interested in at least reading one more.

The plot itself, besides the romance was pretty good too. The magic system could have done with better explanation, since I feel as though I'm still confused on how all that worked; But, even with limited understanding, it didn't hinder my comprehension or enjoyment of the rest of the plot. It still was predictable, but I don't fault books for that, and can find myself finding even more enjoyment when I discover I was right.

This was super entertaining and I love the rise of the Dramionie fanfics this year.

You definitely do not need to like Harry Potter or anything of that sort to understand and enjoy this. I am glad the author is getting the recognition they deserve because this was FUN!

Unfortunately, I am reviewing this a while after reading it and I truly have no memory of it. It just didn't stick out to me so I can't comment on any plot or characters, just that it's not in my brain anymore...

Recap:
So, Osric Mordaunt's got himself a little problem—he’s dying from a fatal disease (as one does). The only person who can save him is Aurienne Fairhrim, a preeminent scientist and member of an opposing order. These two despise each other. I mean, they REALLY cannot stand to even be in the same room as one another. However, there’s a twist: she is in desperate need of his help as well.

Osric is a wealthy assassin from the Fyren order (very much the “stab first, ask questions later” type), and Aurienne is a Haelen healer-scholar dedicated to her practice. She’s incredibly busy with saving children from a Pox outbreak when Osric makes her an offer she can’t refuse... Cue ominous villain laugh.

Writing Style:
The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, which I'll affectionately refer to as TIUTFFYE, is written in third-person omniscient POV. Basically, it’s like eavesdropping on the two main characters. It reads like a rom-com that gets hit by a semi-truck of true-crime vibes and then gets lovingly shoved into a gaslamp fantasy setting. It’s a wild ride—funny, dangerous, magical, eerie, and just the right amount of sweet. Brigitte masterfully delivers the same sharp attention to detail and tongue-in-cheek humor we loved in DMATMOOBIL, while showcasing new tricks that will keep you hooked

Review (spoiler-free; all of this is in the blurb):
Okay, I have a confession to make—I am ridiculously obsessed with Osric. Seriously, how does he manage to be both unbearably pompous and irresistibly charming at the same time? He was crafted to be the human embodiment of a guilty pleasure, and you'll be eating it up with a spoon.

Then there’s Aurienne, our fierce and brilliant FMC. She’s intelligent, strong, and morally uncompromising in ways that I know I would NOT be if Osric walked into my life. This woman has all of my respect. Witnessing her wrestle with the moral dilemma of having to work with Osric? Chef's kiss. Let’s not forget, Osric is an assassin. You know, a guy who TAKES LIVES for a living. Healing HIM wasn't what Aurienne had in mind when she sought out to heal the sick. Yet, when you see Osric desperately cling to the hope that maybe, just maybe, he could be saved, it’s impossible not to root for him. I was practically begging for a cure by the end.

Brigitte warned us: this is a slow burn. I mean, a sloth would beat this romance in a race, but the angst... the YEARNING... the tension between them is delicious. The dry humor and dark jokes are so good, creating the perfect will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic that will keep you turning pages until you realize you’ve read 100 pages in one sitting. TIUTFFYE delivers the ultimate slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers rollercoaster, and I’m already dying for more. You will be, too.

Let’s be real, though. This is the first book in a duology, which means... it ends on a cliffhanger. But before you throw your Kindle out the window—It’s not one of those soul-crushing cliffhangers. You’ll close the book with a sense of hope, not despair. Thank you, Brigitte.

Full disclosure: I struggled a bit at the beginning. There were times when I found myself rereading the same pages over and over like I was stuck in a literary Groundhog Day. I felt like I’d been dropped in the middle of the action with no map to guide me. But once I figured things out, I was ALL in.

If you’re looking for a book that combines sarcastic humor, adventures (and misadventures), and enough plot twists to make your head spin—this one’s for you.


Kudos, Brigitte. Kudos. ♡


A massive shoutout to Berkley for giving me the chance to review a free advanced copy of this book! I am genuinely honored and ridiculously excited to have my hands on this ARC. It feels like I've been presented with a golden ticket… but with more stabbing and magical healing involved.

I am O B S E S S E D with The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy...literally obsessed. This Dramione inspired romantasy has everything I love in a book:
-witty banter
-slow burn
-he falls first
-so funny
-STEM (she's a healer)
-morally gray mmc (he verges in the darker shades of gray)

Osric Mordaunt has a bit of a problem - he's kind of dying - whoops! And there's only one person who can try to heal him...Aurienne Fairhrim. You see Osric and Aurienne are kind of enemies. Osric is an assasain and Aurienne is a healer...therefore these two shouldn't really be spending any time together. But Osric finagles his way into her life by offering her something she can't refuse - enough money to help with funding for the sick children Aurienne's order is helping heal.

Soon these two are on unique missions to help solve Osric's illness. The more time they spend together the less...they want to stab one another. Over time they seem to rely more and more on one another. Even though they're growing closer to solving Osric's illness and helping one another when other dire situations arise - how could they possibly even be together when he's an assasain and she's a healer?

Gah! I just finished this book and I literally don't know what to do with myself. I loved everything about The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy. The humor, the wit, the way these two were so obviously drawn to one another but tried to fight it so hard.

The last 1/3 of the book went by way too quickly for me. I wasn't ready for the book to end. Osric and Aurienne are my new fave couple and I cannot wait to read the next book! If you're considering this book I hihgly recommend you add it to your tbr. July can't come fast enough so I can add a physical copy of The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy to my shelves!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

This was a highly anticipated 2025 release for me, and I'm heartbroken to report that I am DNFing.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘜𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘌𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺 is for the Hermione girlies - it's great representation for ladies in STEM. Unfortunately, it's like reading a thesaurus, and that's not a compliment.

The world building is overwhelming, and the glossary will be your friend; however, I'm not a big fan of books that rely on references to provide context as it breaks the immersion and feels lazy.

I was surprised that it didn't feel overly reminiscent of a Dramione fanfic, other than the basic character archetypes, and it had a vibe and character of its own. I wasn't feeling a connection to the characters, and it's so slooooooow.