LoveReading Says
“Hypercompetent idiots” isn’t a trope I’ve ever seen included in a book’s description but when I saw it on The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy, my smile at an interesting premise turned into a laugh and I immediately knew I was going to have to read it. Osric Morduant is a gentleman assassin, a member of the Fyren Order. His magic is also fading and he’s in desperate need of a healer. Aurienne is a Haelen, just who Osric needs in fact, and she is desperately working alongside her colleagues to heal an outbreak of sick children. Haelens don’t heal Fyren, so Osric needs to get Aurienne to help whether she likes it or not. What follows is two characters at loggerheads and who, oh so slowly, start to tolerate each other. Then become intrigued by each other. All while they search for a cure for Osric and investigate the source of the deadly pox outbreak.
Brigitte Knightley’s writing style is witty and reflects each character’s personality when we read from their point of view. There’s a huge helping of dry humoured banter throughout the book and the comedy of Osric’s bumbling preening falling flat with Aurienne made me smirk, even after we discovered Aurienne might just have a good poker face. This is definitely a romantasy book for readers looking for lots of longing and the slowest of burns but there are some romantic moments and a couple of scenes where the heat spikes. I loved the combination of magic and science and how the magic system and function is depicted. The integration of the different Orders sets the stage for this forbidden romance and also creates a unique wider world. Then we have the two different mysteries to solve, which offers plot twists galore with bodies and thefts along the way. I have the irresistible urge to know what happens next.
Charlotte Walker
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The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy Synopsis
A slow burn, enemies-to-lovers romantasy featuring a scholarly healer and a gentleman assassin, set in an exquisite fantasy world, perfect for fans of The Love Hypothesis and Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries.
Osric Mordaunt, member of the Fyren Order of assassins, is in dire need of healing. Naturally - such is the grim comedy of fate - the only healer who can help is Aurienne Fairhrim, preeminent scientist, bastion of moral good, and member of an enemy Order.
Aurienne is desperate for funding to heal the sick - so desperate that, when Osric bribes her to help him, she accepts, even if she detests him and everything he stands for.
A forced collaboration ensues: the brilliant Woman in STEM is coerced into working with the PhD in Murders, much to Aurienne's disgust. As Osric and Aurienne work together to heal his illness and investigate the mysterious reoccurrence of a deadly pox, they find themselves ardently denying their attraction, which only fuels the heat between them.
Tropes include:
Enemies-to-lovers
High interaction slow burn
Hypercompetent idiots
He falls first and harder
Slaughter as a love language
About This Edition
Brigitte Knightley Press Reviews
'Utterly unique, hilarious, swoony beyond my wildest dreams! This book is an instant classic and a true masterpiece, it took my breath away and made my heart explode' Ali Hazelwood
Praise for The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy:
'Brilliant and wildly imaginative, with a delicious forbidden romance set in a fascinating fantasy world. Knightley is a remarkable talent, weaving together witty comedy, slow-burn longing, and heart-wrenchingly poetic imagery' Sarah Hawley, author of A Witch's Guide to Fake Dating a Demon
'With the most wickedly delicious banter, Brigitte Knightley is sure to become your next favourite author. This had all the things I love most: a slow-burn romance that hurts so good, truly agonizing enemies-to-lovers, with a twisty mystery at its core' Julie Soto, author of Forget Me Not
'Brigitte Knightley is such a wonderfully talented writer with a unique voice and a real genius for banter. Anyone who loves enemies-to-lovers romantasy, will surely adore The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy!' India Holton author of The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love
'The slow burn romance of my dreams. Whip smart, creative, and brimming with banter and wit . . . both the hero and heroine had me laughing and shouting to just kiss already. This one is a rare delight' Isabel Ibañez, author of What the River Knows
'Utterly unique and delightful, this is the perfect romantasy for those who like their villains (and heroes) with a touch of murder, thievery, and questionable morals. Sexy and hilarious with dry-as-bone humour, Knightley's writing is not to be missed' Elissa Sussman, author of Funny You Should Ask
'This debut boasts gorgeously-written, vivid settings, a unique magic system and fresh fantasy world, razor-sharp wit, and graceful characterization. In short, Knightley's debut is nothing short of irresistible itself' Isabel Cañas, author of The Hacienda
