A slow burn enemies to lovers inspired by the Dramione fic DMATMOOBIL? Yes, please and thank you. One of my most highly anticipated reads of 2025 and it did not disappoint.

What to expect:
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
Forbidden love
Who is prettier?
He falls first
Acts of warranted brutality
Morally grey MMC
Sharp wit and dry banter
Forced proximity

Osric, our morally grey MMC, is an assassin (Fyren Order). He’s arrogant, with a penchant for violence. Aurienne, our stubborn, razor-sharp-witted FMC, is a healer (Haelen Order)—and, unsurprisingly, they absolutely cannot stand each other.

Osric has a problem: he’s dying, and the only person who can heal him is, of course, Aurienne. Naturally, she refuses—until he makes her an offer she can’t resist: funding to inoculate against the pox.

The banter between these two had me laughing out loud. They’re both so arrogant, with equal disdain for each other, which really fuels the tension and slow burn. The way they slooooowly begin working with each other instead of against each other during their misadventures was perfection. I devoured the buildup of tension and loved seeing the loathing transform into hate-yearning.

We’re immediately thrown into the action, and I won’t lie—I was a little confused at first by the Seith and Orders, especially with some words in Old English. But as the book went on, I grew to love it, and I think Brigitte did a wonderful job creating something unique. The deofols were intriguing, and I loved how they reflected their characters' personalities.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this. If you like enemies-to-lovers stories where they are truly enemies, witty characters, beautiful imagery, and unique magic systems, you’ll love this.
The ending left me desperate for the sequel!

Thank you NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK and Brigitte Knightley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the e-ARC.

The Irresistible Urge... follows Osric, an assassin with the fearsome Fyren Order, who is in dire need of healing. He comes to a precarious agreement with Aurienne, who reluctantly employs her skills as a Haelen to try to reverse his damage.

I was so excited to read this and honestly it surpassed my expectations. Brigitte Knightley has such a brilliant writing style full of dry wit, intertwined with lyrical prose in some of the more tender moments.

As someone who enjoys a good enemies to lovers romance, some of the stories I've read recently feel incredibly samey and the banter just falls flat. The Irresistible Urge... is the perfect example of the trope, and the dialogue between Aurienne and Osric is just stellar. I literally highlighted so many passages that made me laugh or were unexpectedly moving.

The worldbuilding was another pleasant surprise. There is plenty to love in what Brigitte has created, from the warring kingdoms, magical Orders and vibrant folklore. One of my favourite things was the draefor—a sort of spirit creature used for communication. Aurienne's is so sassy and a character all on her own.

I can't think of anything bad to say about this book, if I'm honest. It did come as a surprise that it isn't a standalone and does end on somewhat of a cliffhanger. It's worth mentioning that the book is very dialogue heavy (which usually wouldn't appeal to me as I adore intense scene setting, but as mentioned earlier there are some beautiful passages where no words are exchanged at all). Also if you're not keen on extensive references to bodily secretions and genitalia (with both scientific and hilarious intent), this might not be for you.

Overall, I absolutely adored this book and ate it up so quickly. I need more of Osric and Aurienne already!

This is a such a whimsical delight of a novel! A TRUE enemies to lovers with a goofy scoundrel of a hero and a brainy, no-nonsense heroine. Tragically, I did not realize that it was but the first in a series and when I saw what percentage I had left, I was heartbroken!! The magic system and world building here is fantastic, and I feel like we've only just dipped our toes into how this will expand further. No spoilers but....Brigitte Knightly is the master of the slow burn, and she's gonna make us wait for it - but the payoff should be worth every minute!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown for approving me for this ARC. I was in shock when I received the email and then actually screamed in happiness. This is one of my MOST anticipated reads of 2025. The others being Alchemised and Rose in Chains, all re-writes of Dramione fan fiction. Irresistible is by the writer of Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love (which I haven’t yet read) and are two different novels instead of a re-write but I think they are slight similarities in premise (don’t quote me on this).

Knightley is an exceptional writer in witty humour. The first few pages of Irresistible had me chuckling away and I had chuckled a great many more times by the end of the first chapter. This doesn’t happen often. In fact, I can’t even remember the last time I read such a funny book. Her banter between the two main characters, Aurienne and Osric, is spot on: the jabs, the snide comments, the looks. They really are not fans of one other.

The world building is more akin to a cosy fantasy where it’s gentle and low stakes. The book is almost whimsical in a sense. It is a STEM-based romance and I can see why. Aurienne is essentially a healer/researcher (like a magical surgeon) and very highly skilled at her job and she speaks in a technical way to explain her findings. Kudos to the author for making it not hard to grasp the concepts too, considering this is a fantasy.

There are a lot more mentions of sex than I expected, including a slightly descriptive visit to a brothel. I’m personally not a smut fan and don’t feel they add anything necessary to a story. The use of it here was more for humour.

A few thoughts on the book itself. There is an outbreak of Pox that the healers are trying to manage. It gave me flashbacks of COIVD times. Not a great deal happens for the first half of the book as it is them researching and making attempts at experiments. There us a glossary at the start of the book and it does need to be referred to from time to time (difficult on the ARC copy on my kindle) as I couldn’t remember who some of the other orders were and what they did.

I enjoyed the book, even though I felt at times, not much happened and it was a bit repetitive, I finished it surprisingly quickly. The most enjoyable thing was reading the banter between Aurienne and Osric, such fun! It states it is a slow-burn and it really is but it was great, the characters showed depth and development over time, none of this insta-love. Will I read the next book? Yes. Will I go and read Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love? Also yes.

I rate this 4 out of 5 stars. Enjoyable, good, yes. Exceptional, no, and sadly forgettable.

SHE DID IT LADIES & GENTLE PEOPLE! She brought back yearning and now my heart will never be the same.

This is the perfect fantasy Rom-com! The magical elements add that fun and exciting background while Ostric, assassin & Aurienne, healer work together very reluctantly but they both have something the other needs.
The forced proximity when they both DETESTED each other… something else. The pace of the story is EXCELLENT, I didn’t want it to end, I kept making cups of tea to slow it down before diving back in.
BOOK 2 can not come fast enough. Such a unique and quirky book but I adored with my whole heart.

This book had me howling.
The banter was great. I know this is Dramonie fan fiction but it’s excellent. Excellent world building excellent characters I haven’t laughed so hard in long time. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and fantasy slow burn Rom com.
I loved it and preordered the book!

To say I absolutely adored this book would be an understatement! I knew from the very first line, from the very first chapter title, that I was going to love it. Not only is it going to be one of my top reads this year, but it’s gone straight to my favourites list as a top read of all time.

I really loved the setting and the fact we were in some alternate reality version of the UK. All the different place names had me laughing out loud and gave the story a whimsy feel. The magic system was also really unique with the different orders, the concept of Bright vs Dusken, and the fact that magic flowed from a tãcn. I particularly loved the deofols and how they were reflective of their owner but still had a fun, snarky personality of their own.

The humour, for me, was one of the stand outs here - I don’t think any book has made me cackle half as much as this one. The sharp banter, the clever insults, the witty back and forth between Aurienne and Osric was absolutely *chef’s kiss*. THIS is how you do enemies to lovers!

And of course, our two MC’s, Aurienne and Osric. How I adore these two. Aurienne is The Best (obviously). I loved her brutal wit and that fact that she owns how brilliant she is. It’s refreshing to have a FMC who is genuinely the very best, knows it, and is admired/respected for it. I also enjoyed how she began to question her morality as the story went on. As for Osric - he is so arrogant but in the most charming, loveable, hilarious way. He has as wicked a sense of humour as Aurienne, and they are well matched in their verbal sparing. Their reluctance to work together and their mutual loathing (turned a reluctant mutual pining) had me on the edge of my seat as the story progressed. That last paragraph - UGH! So poetic. I’ve re-read it 3 times already.

For anyone who hasn’t read the fanfic this is based off - neither have I, but you better believe it’s going to be my next read because I’m now obsessed. Not quite sure how I’m going to wait for book 2 after that ending, I already feel the need for a re-read to be back in this world with these characters. 💖🦢✨

SO GOOD I AM FANGIRLING SO HARD RIGHT NOW

DMATMOOBIL lovers rejoice — this book stands up to, if not exceeds, the heights of hilarity and reluctant, yearning, Austen-esque romance of the fanfic. Taking the rough idea of the character and plot dynamics of the fic, this book completely reskins it in a new world with a new magic system and slightly different characters, though the ancestry of inspiration is recognizable. The writing is sharp, brilliantly lucid, and laugh-out-loud hilarious — especially Osric and Aurienne's snappy exchanges of exceedingly dry, British insults. This ain't some feeble pretense of enemies-to-lovers, but the genuine article. And I can't praise Knightley's prose enough — so colorful, so precise, so vocabulary-expanding, utterly economical yet written with an eye for poetic (and sometimes graphic medical) detail, in exactly the necessary amount to paint a picture while keeping scenes moving; there's never a dull moment. The rest of us may only aspire to such literary heights. My only sadness is that this seems to be the start of a duology or trilogy, and unfortunately none of the slow-burn tension is resolved in this volume, as it leaves off approximately at the midpoint of the plot arc; I shall have to impatiently await the next instalment, whenever that may come, for any resolution. (Or just reread DMATMOOBIL. Probably that. It's never a bad idea.)

Thank you Lord, Jesus, Netgalley and the publisher (I am an atheist) from the bottom of my soul for the arc.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is a fun fantasy romance with major dramione vibes! I absolutely adored Osric and Aurienne and their romance had me on the edge of my seat. Brigitte Knightley has woven such a perfect and entertaining slow burn, enemies to lovers romance that had me swooning throughout the entire book. I am so desperate for more and waiting for the sequel will be complete torture!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If I could give this book 10 stars, I would. From the first chapter to the moment I finished, I was captivated.
I’m utterly heartbroken that I have to wait for the second book 💔

The pacing? Perfect. The world building? Spot on.
The magic system? Stunning. Honestly, for me the book has everything you could possibly need from enemies to lovers, a delicious and painfully slow burn and hilarious banter. This book had me kicking my feet like a lovestruck teenager and laughing out loud from the get go.

I cannot and will not shut up about this book and cant
recommend it enough 👏

Thank you to NetGalley and The Little Brown Book Group for the opportunity to read this masterpiece 🙇‍♀️


Review to be posted to Fable, Goodreads, Instagram & Amazon (when published)

I loved the idea of a STEM-based romantasy story & the dual pov worked really well in this book - Osric’s pov in particular was always fun to read, while Aurienne’s also provided valuable insight into the plot. The writing had some really beautiful moments (such as the scene at the lighthouse) but it took me a while to get used to the writing style, and some of the humour became very repetitive by the end of the book. It was hard to read at times due to 1) an overuse of obscure words that made me glad I was reading on kindle so I could look them up, and 2) the capitalisation of so many words, even when they didn’t seem to have a different meaning in the book.

I understand it was written with a sequel in mind but in my opinion it should have been kept as one book or paced differently, as it felt like an odd place to end the book. Still keen to read the sequel as I was really enjoying the dynamic between Aurienne and Osric by the end, and interested to see where the plot will go!

Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit for the arc!

This was such a good read!!! I enjoyed it immensely and more than I thought it would . The banter is witty and clever and the partnership between them was balanced perfectly between actual working and the very slowly building relationship. Now THIS was a real enemies to lovers !
I do wish the glossary was at the beginning rather than the end and would have made me 100x less confused than I was . The writing was amazing at times but also unnecessarily wordy in others , using substitutions of words that could worked better had she used the simpler version and made the writing less stilted . The author also capitalized words and while it was unique and quirky , it was sometimes over kill.
I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!!!! WHAT A TEASE OF A LAST PAGE !!!

This was a delicious infuriating slow burn. Aurienne and Osric are both such strong willed stubborn individuals and I loved their banter and development of their relationship.

The cliff hanger had me gasping but it just adds to the beautifully built up slow burn. I cannot wait for book 2.

- Enemies to lovers
- Women in Stem
- Magic
- Slow Burn
- Morally Grey MMC

Thank you to NetGallery, Little Brown Book Group and Brigitte Knightley for my ARC copy.

I absolutely appreciated the real enemy to lovers trope, the world building was exquisite, I may not be partial as I really love Dramonie fanfic, but this hit just the right spot in every sense. The magic system was different but still easy to understand. I can't wait to hold a real copy of this book in my hands.

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy was the witty, banter-filled, stabby, stubborn, slow-burn romance that it was said to be, and it lived up to every expectation. Brigitte Knightley’s mind is a wonder! This book was well written and the story was set at the right pace. Every part of it was engaging! I thoroughly enjoyed Aurienne and Osric’s partnership and look forward to reading more in the series!

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for approving me to read this early, it was one of my most anticipated reads for this year. I’m rating it 3.75 - 4.0 stars.

The book has such a great presence, its witty and dry humour had me hooked plus the natural charm this enemies to lovers fantasy held was so enjoyable. The magic and world is unique with lots of layers, and I hope in the next book we get to delve more into this.

My only gripe is I wish it was longer, I felt like where the book leaves off is a little unsatisfying because we were just seeing the connections and truth all come together. I just wanted to continue on, which is still a good sign because I’m 100% going to read the next book.

4.5 stars rounded up

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy follows Osric Mordaunt, a member of the Fyren Order of assassins, who is in dire need of healing. Unfortunately for him, the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, preeminent scientist, bastion of moral good, and member of an enemy order. After Osric makes Aurienne an offer she can’t refuse (a large sum of money towards funding for healing the sick) the two work together to heal his illness and investigate the mysterious recurrence of a deadly pox. However, they also find themselves ardently denying their attraction, which only fuels the heat between them.

Going into this book, I knew it was based on a Dramione fanfic. Although I can see that the characters are Dramione coded, this book and characters really stand on their own.

The writing in this book is very unique in its style. It oscillates between poetic prose and juvenile, crass bursts of humour. I don’t think this type of writing will be for everyone, but I personally loved it, and it is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read.

I adored the characters and their dynamic. The mutual loathing (and pining, later on) was palpable. Aurienne is a brilliant woman in STEM with a razor-sharp wit, as well as a penchant for following the rules. I really enjoyed seeing her loosen up throughout the book, and grapple with her morality. Osric is a charming, arrogant assassin with a talent for murder. Like Aurienne, he had a wickedly dry sense of humour, and the banter between them was fantastic. Although they had opposing orders and morals, it was so fun seeing them reluctantly work together, and to see a friendship and attraction build.

The romance was the slowest of slow burns, and although I was expecting (and wanted) a little more action, I think what we did get was realistic for the characters. I’m really excited to see how the romance progresses in the next book.

The magic system was very unique, and I loved learning how it worked and how the different orders used their magic. I also enjoyed that the magic has limitations and consequences for using too much. I adored the magical familiar characters, who, like their bonded humans, had so much personality and snark. The world building was not super complex, but I feel like in this it didn’t necessarily need to be. I did feel like a few things were glossed over, but it didn’t bother me all that much as I was having such a fun time.

The plot and the mystery that was unravelling kept me engaged, and I am so excited to see what the characters discover and get up to in the next book.

I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romantasy with plenty of wit and snark, set in an interesting world with a unique magic system. Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit, and Little Brown Book Group UK for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! The snark, the banter, the humour - it was perfect! I won’t rehash the synopsis here as you can read that in the book description but I will say that if you like your romances a little bit mean but with heart at the core then this will be perfect for you. Both Osric and Aurienne are such fun characters and complete opposites on the surface. I can’t wait to see their relationship progress in the second book. There isn’t much romantic action in this first book which I was completely fine with as I was just along for the laughs and seeing the characters develop. The magical elements were well done and I can’t wait to read more in the second book. 4.5 stars from me.

This book was insanely good. One of the easiest five star ratings I have ever given!! A true enemies to lovers.

It follows Osric Mourdant, a member of the order of assassins who requires healing and the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, who, much to her disgust, only helps as she needs funding to help sick children. She is good and he is bad but they have one thing in common… they detest each other.

There were many things I loved about this book. First of all the banter and insults that Osric and Aurienne throw at each other is second to none. They are both super quick, witty and smart, so it makes for some hilarious conversation. Also, this is truly an enemies to lovers, they soften to each other exceptionally slowly and in a believable way. Also, the magic system was really interesting, I haven’t seen it done this way before and I liked learning about it and how it works. There is also something happening in this world that is unravelling as Aurienne and Osric work together and hints at something corrupt happening at the higher levels of the orders that kept me intrigued throughout the story and I am dying to read the second book already!

This story is rewritten from a popular fanfiction that I loved and I was worried going into this that I would compare it to the fanfiction and it feel lacking because of it. That definitely wasn’t the case here. While there are some subtle nods to the fanfiction, this is a new world, with new characters and I didn’t feel like I was rereading the fanfiction at all.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a smart and strong FMC and a morally dark MMC. While this book does have a focus on a growing romance between the main characters, it still has a really intriguing fantasy storyline which is perfect for those who prefer their books with a fantasy plotline rather than just a romance.

Brigitte has absolutely smashed this. I cannot wait to read the second book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a satisfying mix of mystery, alternative UK history, fantasy, and a touch of romance. Not to mention humour - this won’t be to everyone’s taste, but I was chortling out loud for long stretches of reading time. I really appreciated the length of time the author took to set everything up with regard to plot, (non-heteronormative) world-building and the relationship between the protagonists; the story moves at a good pace but everything feels earned. I also appreciated the genuine and justified enmity between the protagonists, which very, very slowly transforms into a conflicted respect and affection of sorts over time. I’m already looking forward to the author’s next work.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.