The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy cover art

The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy

Dearly Beloathed, Book 1

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The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy

By: Brigitte Knightley
Narrated by: Heather Long, Thomas Judd
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About this listen

 '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

***THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ***

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

Praise for The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy:

'Sworn enemies, underhanded shenanigans, dazzling magic and delicious romantic tension make this a witty, wonderful gem. Whether you're Team Aurienne (she of the incandescent brilliance) or Team Osric (he of the magnificent cheekbones) or just Team Would You Two Just Kiss Already, I promise you'll love this' Sangu Mandanna, author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

'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©2025 Brigitte Knightley (P)2025 Hachette Audio UK Action & Adventure Dark Fantasy Fantasy Humorous Funny Witty Enemies to Lovers Heartfelt Magic Witchcraft

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All stars
Most relevant
Absolutely loved listening to this story, the narrators were brilliant and matched perfectly for the characters! I loved the dry humour of the whole book too, can’t wait for the next one!

pspspsps

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This will be the highest praise I’ve ever left in a review. Knightley is a gift. Loving this genre of books unfortunately means you often have to settle for some very poor and unoriginal writing. Not so with this author. The writing is smart and witty and fresh and smart and fun and and and. The humour is perfect, I’ve lol’ed so many times throughout listening to and thoroughly enjoying this. It’s a very different story from the fanfic many of us has read (which probably stands among the top 5 fictional works I’ve ever read - I loved it so much and never wanted it to end), a whole original story and it stands very well on its own. Any criticism? Not really. I think I might have been a little bit more riveted if I read this book instead of listening to it. The narrators are great, but maybe a little bit too… soft? Cosy? Not racy enough? The only thing I’m missing in this book is more romance and spice. I’m not a fan of the infinite slow burn made quite non-exciting because of the wholesome narrators. I can’t wait for the next book and anything else knightley will ever write.

Smart, witty, lovely

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One of the best books read for a while. Got me out of my slump and the first books I have had to devour and feel the need to continue on and hear what happens next.
So delightfully British. I hope it remains so in other regions as this portrays our humour so incredibly well.

Incredibly funny story with humorous and quick witted writing.
Characters are hilarious and brilliantly portrayed.
Plot and sub plot is intriguing and flows beautifully.
My first and well deserved 5 star read of 2025

Delightfully British and belly laugh inducing.

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Laugh out loud funny snark. Loved all of it except the ending. Disappointing to end on a cliffhanger without a HEA.

Excellent but cliffhanger

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The only thing I would change would be to put the glossary first so the listener/reader is familiar with the terms, beyond that, this book was amazing, funny beyond measure, beautiful writing and witty banter,exquisite characters. Can't wait for book two!

Brilliant, witty and addictive

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