Available Formats
The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy
By (Author) Brigitte Knightley
Little, Brown Book Group
Orbit
8th July 2025
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
Romance: fantasy and paranormal
Paperback
416
Width 153mm, Height 234mm, Spine 22mm
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-loversHigh interaction slow burnHypercompetent idiotsHe falls first and harderSlaughter as a love languageUtterly unique, hilarious, swoony beyond my wildest dreams! This book is an instant classic and a true masterpiece, and I've never read anything like it. Like a warm hug, that also made me laugh, and also took my breath away and made my heart explode. It's like the author took every single trope I adore and executed them in the most perfect way. A magnificent book, and I cannot wait for it to become everyone's favourite and to bring them as much joy as it brought me! -- Ali Hazelwood
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
Brigitte's modus operandi is to write what she wants to read: enemies-to-lovers romances that put the unresolved back in UST. Her work is enjoyed by fans of slow burns, tongue-in-cheek romcoms, and suffering.