I have read many books, and very few have had me giggling manically aloud, my parents eyeing me concernedly. This book was one of them and may also be the reason my parents now wish to confine me to a mental institution. Bridget Knightley (a fitting pseudonym for an author of romantasy), has crafted a roller-coaster of a story, her wit and sarcasm keeping the reader entertained throughout even the most routine plot points and interactions. The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy is delightfully self-aware, playing into its clichés and stereotypes while adding an unexpectedly original twist at critical moments and turning points. While the world-building and characters are also meticulously constructed, Knightley’s dry sense of humor and the scintillating banter between the characters are what makes this book a true joy to read.

The novel is set in an alternate, fractured version of England, where ten kingdoms (or Tiendoms, as they’re referred to in the book), vie for power. Whereas the general population all have access to Seith, a form of magic, most can only channel lesser amounts of Seith for menial tasks and uses (such as traveling by Waystone, a fictional teleportation stone). However, those who have received a tācn, a mark upon their left or right palms signifying their loyalty to one of the Orders scattered throughout the Tiendoms, have access to a much larger reserve of Seith, and can use it for considerably more diverse purposes.

Aurienne Fairhrim, one of the book’s leads, belongs to the Haelan, an Order of healers. Aurienne is brilliant, brutally efficient, and a tad bit conceited, though Fairhrim calls it, “…competence untainted by performative humility.” Osric Mordaunt, the book’s second protagonist (although I hesitate to call a murderer-for-hire one of the good guys), is a member of the Fyren, an order of assassins, and the Haelan Order’s antithesis. The Fyren are famous for profiting off the Tiendoms constant skirmishing, selling information, and catering to wealthy aristocrats who need some troublesome, migraine-inducing presence in their lives disappeared.

Mordaunt finds himself in between a rock and a hard place when he learns he has contracted an incurable disease called Seith rot that will inevitably neutralize his Seith channels and, in time, result in his demise. Recommended by two bumbling physickers, Mordaunt seeks out Fairhrim, the most well-known, universally acclaimed Haelan to ever walk the hallowed halls of Swanstone, the Haelan’s headquarters. Fairhrim is devoid of any inclination to help Mordaunt, someone who has ended quite a few lives himself, but when Fairhrim’s superior, Xanthe, gives her a direct order, Fairhrim is left with no choice. While attempting to find the cure to an incurable disease, Fairhrim and Mordaunt end up digging deeper than they ever thought necessary, unearthing an unnerving web of conspiracies, political and otherwise. The two fail to realize just how deeply they have delved into the forbidden; and when they do, it’s much too late to turn back.

While both Fairhrim and Mordaunt have seen an abundance of gore and death in their professional careers, the two have completely contradictory views on the value of life as a result. Mordaunt’s lackadaisical, careless attitude, and Fairhrim’s uptight, prickly disposition reflect their experiences and conflicting outlooks on life. Their incongruous motivations and personalities give the book a charmingly humorous touch, as neither can seem to stand the other. At their first meeting, Mordaunt breaks into Swanstone and attempts to seduce a puzzled Fairhrim who has mistaken him for the new undertaker.

“This felt, to Osric, like the right moment to begin to intrigue her. He pushed his hood back a little, so that she could see a bit of the Face. He tilted his head so that his cheekbone caught the light. His cleft chin clefted majestically. Who wouldn’t want to heal this?” (Knightley, 13).

The book’s light-hearted dialogue entices the reader, drawing them in, yet belies unexpectedly graphic and emotional descriptions of the dying children Fairhrim must care for and the emotional and mental toll it takes on her, along with the brutality of the Fyren weighing on Mordaunt, as his order culls the weak and elderly. The two find unforeseen common ground and begin to develop a deeper understanding of one another throughout the story, and while the novel comes to a far from conclusive end (a duology, the second book’s release is currently pending), we can see that their feelings for each other become increasingly clear, though whether or not those feelings will be realized remains to be seen. “He and she sat in the moonlight as lover and beloved,” (Knightley, page 359).

All in all, this heartwarming, insightful book provides a narrative impossible to look away from. Like an onion, this book has layers. Beneath the comical quips and jocular wise-cracks, the reader will find a much deeper message; the book’s rare serious moments and emotional intelligence serve a purpose yet to be unveiled. May you unpeel this book delightfully.