The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley: Book Review

This was one of my most anticipated reads and I’m so happy it delivered. At first, I worried, because the beginning was slow, but soon enough, it grabbed me and wouldn’t let go until the very end.

Editor’s note: I initially received a free e-ARC (advanced reader copy) in exchange for an honest review, but have since purchased a signed hardback copy (photographed below).

A quick verdict: This book is pure slow burn gold. It’s funny, entertaining and the characters don’t fall for each other immediately (or, you could argue, at all in this book). I had trouble getting into it at the beginning, but once I got deeper into the story, I found myself loving it. It’s one of my favorite books now!

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• My rating: 5 ⭐
• Is it spicy? No.
• Standalone or series? Duology.
• Read if: You want a really good fantasy romance with enemies to lovers, a proper slow burn, and tons of humor.

Thoughts and Feelings

Let me just say this right off the bat: The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy is the perfect example of a SLOW burn enemies-to-lovers romance.

When I got an ARC of this book, it felt like being blessed by the reading gods. I kept putting off starting it because I wanted the perfect moment to fully enjoy it. But when I finally did, I struggled to get into it for the first 30%. I think it was because I expected something familiar, like Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love (this author’s Harry Potter fanfic, you can download an epub on AO3 for free).

Instead, I got a completely new and complex fantasy world with fresh characters, requiring more brain power than I was ready to dedicate at the time.

But once I picked it up again, I fell in love. This book is so good.

The characters are both charming and unique but also very unlikable at times. And I love that! They aren’t made to be liked; they’re just themselves, and you can take it or leave it. As the story progresses, they grow on you more and more.

At first, the humor threw me off. It felt like nothing was taken seriously, and the constant quips were almost too much. It reminded me of India Holton’s books where cleverness is always front and center, which was fun, but tiresome. But as the story progressed, it started blending those witty moments with emotionally impactful scenes, making the humor work much better.

The enemies-to-lovers aspect here is perfection. They’re true enemies. They want each other dead and aren’t afraid to show it. They can be naked in the same room and feel nothing for each other but disdain. It’s only once they start warming up to each other that they begin to see the other as beautiful. When they finally do feel something, it’s natural and earned. That’s what I call a real slow burn.

What I loved most about the romance, though, was the moral dilemma the characters face. 

Aurienne and Osric are literally on opposite sides of the spectrum—she’s a healer dedicated to saving lives, and he’s an assassin who kills without much concern for who his targets are. They’re both ridiculously stubborn about their beliefs, too. Osric sees no problem with what he’s doing, while Aurienne finds killing people repulsive and unforgivable.

Their conflict also includes the fact that their orders are completely opposed. Being together would be a massive scandal, with serious consequences—especially for Osric. Worst-case scenario, he could end up dead. But there’s also this fundamental moral divide between them. They can’t agree on something as crucial as how human life should be treated, which makes you wonder—how can they ever make a relationship work when their core values are so drastically different?

I love dilemmas like this, seeing them navigating these impossible differences and figuring out if there’s even a way to compromise.

The worldbuilding is impressive but took a bit of adjusting to. If you haven’t read Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love, you won’t have the same expectations I did, so it’ll probably be easier to get into. But the book doesn’t info-dump at all, which I appreciate. Instead, it weaves world details naturally through dialogue and character actions. The glossary at the beginning is helpful, but you really learn the world’s mechanics by seeing them in action.

The writing itself is stunning. It’s witty, sharp, and occasionally verbose in a beautiful way. The author’s vocabulary is impressive, and the prose is a delight to read.

For those curious, this book isn’t spicy at all. There are a couple of scenes where the characters are alone with their own thoughts, one kiss scene, and that’s it. The tension comes from the slow-burn romance and the high stakes of their world. And for me, that’s perfect.

It’s one of my favorite romantasy reads, and I highly recommend that you give it a try!