The first time I read fanfiction, I was a lonely twelve-year-old who had just discovered The X-Files, a perfect blend of sci-fi smarts and angst-ridden yearning. My in-person friends in middle school were sparse, but in early AOL, I had a whole community instant messaging with me at all hours about the two lead characters who needed to smooch, and needed to smooch now. At one point, the unsanctioned X-Files newsletter I wrote, edited, and distributed had over five thousand readers. Most of my readers assumed I was at least a decade older and not, as was often the case, putting off my 7th grade science homework so I could write fanfiction reviews. Eventually, I received a cease and desist letter from the very fierce lawyers at FOX TV.
In college, I went on to study fan communities while obtaining a dual degree in English and Cinematic Arts at USC. What I never saw coming was the proliferation of the fanfiction-to-traditional-publishing pipeline. In the 90’s and early 2000’s, fanfiction was something to mock, and I never admitted to reading it; that would have been social suicide. Now, students in my senior elective on romance novels swap AO3 stories that feature their favorite K-Pop bands. Publicists don’t shy away from the fact that popular romance novels 50 Shades of Grey, The Love Hypothesis, and Not Another Love Song began as fanfic; in fact, agents found stories online, noticed the strong writing, approached the authors, and made bank.
The newest phenomenon is the proliferation of “Dramione” fanfic where authors imagine older versions of Hermione and Draco Malfoy (of Harry Potter fame) falling in lust and love. That never sounded interesting to me, so imagine my shock when I discovered that Brigitte Knightley’s novel The Irresistible Urge To Fall For Your Enemy, originally based on such a pairing, to be one of the most charming, hilarious, and voice-driven works of romantic fantasy writing I’d ever read.
Osric Mordaunt is a member of the Fyren Order of Assassins, sick with a disease that needs a very specific healer. That healer is Aurienne Fairhrim, too busy saving orphan children from a mysterious pox to be afraid of Osric, who stands for everything she hates. However, when he offers her millions of dollars in research funding to find a cure, she has to say yes. Of course, hijinks ensue. And yearning. So much yearning.
I never found the original Draco particularly interesting or amusing. This is where Knightley takes the greatest liberty: although Osric is also blonde and rich with an asshole for a father, he is very, very funny. He talks like a dandy, but under all that charming wit and sarcasm is a heart of gold. Their deliciously barbed banter leads to respect and understanding, as our two protagonists bask in their battle of wits.
This is a novel with enjoyable world-building, side characters with actual personalities, and beloved romance tropes that still feel fresh. Of course, our two heroes stumble across a mystery—and nefarious plans—that they must work together to solve and stop. There are a few low-spice scenes, but compared to what romantasy usually offers, you won’t blush while reading in public. You will, however, find yourself laughing. And waiting eagerly for the second book in the duology– which, luckily, came out in early July. Read this book immediately to find yourself rooting for these two lovebirds in a way you never would for Draco and Hermione.