I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books & NetGalley

Genre: Fantasy, Alternate Historical Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical Romance
Spice Level: Med (not overly detailed but on the page)
Wow Level: Maximum
Tropes: Rivals/Lovers Poor/Rich

I couldn't wait to read another book by Rebecca Ross. DIVINE RIVALS isn't anything like the last one of hers that I read, except for the fact that I loved it!

There are two levels to this story.
1. The war between the gods
2. The journalistic war between Iris Winnow and Roman C. Kitt

Holy-moly, I was invested in Iris immediately. I wanted her to beat out that posh turkey Roman "Cantankerous" Kitt. But then I got to know Roman. Now I was in big trouble because I loved both characters for different reasons. She's resilient. He's downtrodden. They're both amazingly driven and great writers.

Cue the typewriters.
Iris has been writing letters to her brother but never received a reply.
Then one day she does. But it's not quite what she expected. Who on earth is answering her?
We as the reader know the answer, but she is fully stumped.
Why is it easier to write a faceless person than have a genuine conversation face-to-face? I'm not sure of the answer, but we see it all the time on social media.

Thus starts the heart (pun intended) of the story. I was willing to suspend disbelief for anything the author wanted to throw my way.

I also loved seeing the war from a different, semi-outside perspective. The mythology was awesome too. I felt both You've Got Mail and Persephone & Hades vibes at different times, but if you aren't familiar with those stories, go ahead and read. I promise you won't get lost for a minute. This book stands on its own "legs" but it's not a standalone.

This book wrapped me up in the most delicious way, and now I'm on edge waiting for the next one. Seriously? Can't she have them both come out at the same time?

I highly recommend this book. (I think it will appeal to adult readers more than the YA audience, so it will be interesting to see what happens with the fan base.)

Happy reading!

What an incredible start to a new series. And what a breath of fresh air as this was unlike any fantasy I've read in recent years and I had a really good time with it.

To start with I really like epistolary aspects in books and so I loved the letter writing parts of this book. And I liked the backstory and magic woven around it with the story of the typewriter's and how these two characters came to be able to exchange these magically transported letters.

Looking at our characters I really loved both Iris and Roman as main characters. We get both of their POVs throughout the novel and I was equally as happy to be reading in either of their heads. They both felt like well fleshed out characters to me and I was rooting for them each and rooting for them together. Their romance was very well done and I was totally hooked on them as a couple.

The setting of this fantasy world that felt like it was pulling on World War historical novels was really well done as well. It was an incredibly immersive atmosphere and especially once we moved the story to the war front it really felt like you were there with the characters.

Where this book really shines and elevates it from just really good to one of my favorite YA books of recent years was the emotion in it. Rebecca Ross knows how to reach into your chest, grab ahold of your heart and just absolutely tug on it. From falling in love with the characters as they fell for each other to the emotional gut punch that comes with being on the front lines of a deadly war emotion was seeped into every scene and it was a phenomenal read. I'm writing this review a couple weeks after reading and even just writing this out is making me want to reread and surround myself with this story again already.

After this book and her Elements of Cadence duology Rebecca Ross has found herself a top spot on my list of authors whose backlist I need to read all of immediately

In a world driven by warring gods, Iris sees her brother go off to serve in the army and her mother descend into depression. So when the opportunity arises to become employed and support her and her mother, Iris quits school to work. In an attempt to balance a missing brother, distant mother and stressful job, Iris finds herself writing letters to her brother for his return home. When leaving them for him in their shared wardrobe, a mysterious thing happens — they disappear! Everything changes though when her wardrobe provides her a letter in response.

This slightly magical world lines up with a WWI era type world of battle fronts with trenches, new types of bombs, medical aid and support from back home. The incorporation of war correspondents offers a unique angle into a war story. The magic of the gods also adds a unique twist to the story. The love interest is also a fun treat. An enjoyable read. 4 stars.

Review based on an Uncorrected Digital Galley provided by St. Martin’s Press - Wednesday Books and NetGalley. Thank you!

after loving the isle of cadence series, i was so excited to get an ARC of divine rivals, as i loved the lush writing and setting as well as the mature romances in the author's previous series. unfortunately, i was a bit disappointed by this one.

it's a historical fantasy that takes place during a world war I type setting but with warring gods as the two sides of the war instead of world powers, with the main characters working as newspaper reporters/writers. and of course, the main characters are rivals at their newspaper who end up falling in love, partially via a letter-writing correspondence where one of them knows who they're writing to and the other doesn't.

so on paper it should've been super good, but the characters and world just fell a bit flat for me. the pining was a bit drawn out, and i wasn't that invested because i didn't care for the characters as much as i had in the author's other series i read.

just because it wasn't my cup of tea, this does not mean i think it was poorly written or that others shouldn't read it! if you love the rivals to lovers trope or historical fantasy, you should definitely give it a try! i just didn't connect with the characters as much as i usually like to, and so that made reading this book a bit of a slog for me.

big thanks to the author and publisher (and NetGalley) for an eARC!

I was given an Arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow! I had a hard time getting into this book but by 20% I couldn’t put it down.

The gods are at war and the humans are suffering for it. Iris Winnows brother has left for war and hasn’t been heard from since. So she gets a job at a local paper to make ends meet. Here she meets her biggest rival (or so she thinks) Roman Kitt, and they are both vying for the same position.

Meanwhile back at home Iris starts writing letters to her brother and putting them in her wardrobe only for them to disappear…until one day someone writes her back.

Only After she leaves the newspaper and heads to the front lines to be a war correspondent does she learn that it wasn’t the wardrobe magically delivering her letters to her “friend” but it was their set of magical typewriters.

I absolutely loved this book and have already told several people they MUST add it to their TBR.
5/5 stars for me.

On par with how I feel about a lot of Rebecca Ross' work. While this was one of my most anticipated books of 2023, I don't think it hit the notes I wanted. Like all her work, it's well-written and solid. but there's just something that, despite its engaging premise, didn't draw me in enough. Still, I always want to see what the author will do next. Her adult debut was one of m favorites and I hope she gears more of her work that way in the future.

Thanks St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books/Netgalley for the ARC!

Has a book ever taken your breath away?

Where you’re not sure you’ll ever be the same again after reading it? The author takes your soul and dips it into the ink of the story and finding, once you’ve read the last words, you’ve been washed ashore on a deserted island, watching the horizon for a ship that will take you home, wondering all the while if you’ll ever find something as lush and heartbreaking as the pages you were completely absorbed in?

Sublime, Divine Rivals will pull you into an adventure of a lifetime, holding you captive from the opening pages to the very end. I was enthralled.

There are so many reasons to pick up a copy of this brilliantly written book.

I devoured each chapter, my emotional state in a tangle of heartbreak, awe, and joy. I ugly cried in this one friends and it has been a while since I’ve needed an entire box of tissues.

And the ending!!!

I need the next book. 😭

Rebecca Ross is beyond talented who is capable of transporting readers into a world fully envisioned, your senses transfixed on every lush and heartbreaking detail, and characters you want to bundle up into your heart and never let them go.

I want Iris and Carver to have their happy ending. Please Rebecca make that happen. 🤞

Run, don’t walk, to grab a copy of this one.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Divine Rivals follows Iris and Roman, two rival journalists fighting for the columnist position at their newspaper publication. Iris is also writing letters to her missing brother on an old typewriter, and unbeknownst to her, they arrive at her enemy’s door. Soon, Iris is sent to the front lines to report on the fighting there, and she begins to rethink her opinions of Roman when he shows up by her side a little while later.

This is a high fantasy novel about family, love, and the realities of warfare. Both Iris and Roman have complicated relationships with their families, and it was incredibly fascinating to get to explore this. Especially Iris’s relationship with her brother, Forest.

This is a hate to love romance with tons of angst and pining. I loved how the romance was such a big part of this story, without taking away from other important aspects of it. I need Ruthless Vows ASAP so that I can see them get their HEA (and if they don’t Rebecca istg imma throw hands) (jk ily) (I’m not joking) ❤️

I wasn’t expecting the themes of war in this book to hit so hard, but they are *heavy*. I absolutely loved how realistic it was as it totally raised the stakes, but I l still urge everyone to read the TWs to find out if this book is right for you.

Rebecca Ross is one of my all time favorite authors thanks to her Elements of Cadence duology, and I am very glad that her other books are just as incredibly written.

Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Plot: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Divine Rivals follows Iris and Roman, two rival journalists fighting for the columnist position at their newspaper publication. Iris is also writing letters to her missing brother on an old typewriter, and unbeknownst to her, they arrive at her enemy’s door. Soon, Iris is sent to the front lines to report on the fighting there, and she begins to rethink her opinions of Roman when he shows up by her side a little while later.

This is a high fantasy novel about family, love, and the realities of warfare. Both Iris and Roman have complicated relationships with their families, and it was incredibly fascinating to get to explore this. Especially Iris’s relationship with her brother, Forest.

This is a hate to love romance with tons of angst and pining. I loved how the romance was such a big part of this story, without taking away from other important aspects of it. I need Ruthless Vows ASAP so that I can see them get their HEA (and if they don’t Rebecca istg imma throw hands) (jk ily) (I’m not joking) ❤️

I wasn’t expecting the themes of war in this book to hit so hard, but they are *heavy*. I absolutely loved how realistic it was as it totally raised the stakes, but I l still urge everyone to read the TWs to find out if this book is right for you.

Rebecca Ross is one of my all time favorite authors thanks to her Elements of Cadence duology, and I am very glad that her other books are just as incredibly written.

This was an epic historical fantasy story of war, heartbreak, redemption, and love. The writing was beautiful and so descriptive. Right from the Prologue you are brought into this world and feel as if you’re the one standing at the train depot in tears at the thought of loosing your loved one. It was easy to get lost in this story because the world building was phenomenal. The love story was so beautiful and heartbreaking and the cliffhanger at the end was pure anguish. I adored Iris and her character growth was so well done. I loved watching her open her heart and take a chance on love. Kitt has been through so much in his life and to watch him risk everything for love was beautiful. He has by far become one of my favorite leading male characters. I can not wait for book 2 and I would love to see this book made into a movie or series some day!
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review an advanced readers copy of this book.

Released today! This book was so lovely. I am not sure how Ross did it but she managed to mix the perfect amount of fantasy, romance and historical fiction to create this glorious cocktail of a book. I am so excited that this series will continue now just to wait for the next installment.

Thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an opportunity to review this arc.

I loved this book. It has so much of what I enjoy in a story, and I need the second book right now!

Rivals Iris and Roman are trying to earn a coveted position as a columnist for a newspaper. But Iris is having a really rough time. Her brother has gone off to war (a war between two gods) and she hasn't heard from him. Her mother has become a heavy drinker and has lost her job. This columnist position is important to her personally as well as financially. Roman seems to have it all together, but his overbearing father wants to be in complete control over Roman's life. The war they're writing about seems far away, but it becomes more real and immediate for both of them as the story goes on.

Iris has a typewriter given to her by her grandmother. She uses it to type letters to her brother, and by putting them in a slot in her wardrobe (where they seem to disappear), she is hoping her brother has been receiving them. But then she gets a response--and it's not from her brother. She begins a written correspondence with whoever is on the other end.

If you like You've Got Mail or The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, this book has similar vibes. Both Iris and Roman are fleshed out characters that I truly cared for as I read their stories. I found this an emotionally gripping book, and I cried during part of it. Highly recommend, and I cannot wait for the next book to come out.

This wasn’t the book I thought it was going to be. But I enjoyed it all the same.

I will start off by saying, with all the talk about a war of the Gods', I thought there would be more fantasy. But in reality, this book is very light on fantasy, heavy on wartime efforts and the love story. Essentially, it leans far more toward historical fiction than it does fantasy.

Iris and Roman were solid characters, who were both realistic for the time period and their ages. Their banter, especially while they were still competing at the newspaper, was also quite fun. They each had their own struggles and traumas to overcome, but as was acknowledged in the book they were infinitely better together. Roman literally went to a warzone for her. He put himself between her and a grenade. If that ain't love I don't know what is.

They went through so much together, facing the horrors of war and just trying to stay alive, and I was so happy when they were happy together. Then I looked down and realized I still had a third of the book left. So I knew, I knew things were going to hit the fan.

And of course, they did. I am upset. Like how dare? I honestly don't know if I forgot or just never knew this was going to be a series or what but I was not prepared for the cliffhanger. Regardless, if these precious kids don't end happily together by the end of all of this I will be very displeased.

Finally!! A 5-star read, my first of 2023. WOW - I absolutely adored this book.

After reading A River Enchanted (4⭐️) and A Fire Endless (4.5⭐️) last year, I knew I had to get my hands on Ross’ latest. And it blew me away! The premise is unique; it combines fantasy, romance, and war fiction seamlessly and beautifully; and the writing is truly to die for.

And I loved these characters! FMC, Iris, and MMC, Roman = *chef’s kiss* Their romance was so much fun, but the rest of the story stood on its own without it, and I loved that. Magical typewriters. A war of the gods. A little angst, a lot of action. Seriously, what’s not to love?

I hated putting this book down. All I wanted to do was read this story and immerse myself in its world. The cliffhanger ending has me hoping the next book in this series comes sooner rather than later. I can’t wait!!

I am officially a Rebecca Ross stan. READ. THIS. BOOK!

I'm convinced that Rebecca Ross can do no wrong because every book she writes is amazing. Divine Rivals in set in a WW1-like time but in a world with magic and gods, and also has major You've Got Mail vibes. Iris and Roman are rival journalists documenting the war, while Iris searches for her missing soldier brother. Iris has been typing letters to her brother but then she discovers that someone else has been receiving them, and begins communicating with the mysterious stranger. As Iris gets closer to the front and closer to discovering the truth behind the war, she also becomes closer to both Roman and her mysterious pen pal as well. But can they all survive the battles coming?

The vibes in this were immaculate. I loved this alternate WW1 setting, with gods and magic alongside trench warfare. It was very well written. Plus Iris and Roman as journalists was perfect and gave so much good content about words and writing and it really spoke to the storyteller in me. I loved Iris and Roman, and their journey together and separately. They had a great dynamic and chemistry. And the ending absolutely destroyed me and I can't wait for the sequel to see how things play out.

Divine Rivals is a young adult fantasy novel about two young reporters trying to follow their dreams when their world is on the cusp of war.

Iris Winnow is nineteen when her brother Forest abruptly leaves for the war front. An ancient goddess (Enva) is starting to “call” young men and women to help push back the forces of her enemy (Dacre) as he begins to terrorize the land searching for her. In Forest’s absence Iris has no choice but to quit school and accept a position at a local newspaper where she quickly engages in a workplace rivalry with handsome Roman Kitt. During the day sparks fly between the two reporters and at night Iris writes long letters to her brother shoving them into a wardrobe while she waits for word on how to reach him. But someone, somewhere is answering her letters and it’s not Forest. The letters will be a bright spot in the middle of some of her darkest days as Iris is forced to face her insecurities, loss, love and war.

Divine Rivals is a truly unique novel in young adult fantasy. I loved the workplace banter between Iris and Roman and the realistic WW1-like details of the battles waging in their world. Both characters felt real and whole without a lot of cliches. I found myself smiling, laughing and getting emotional as the chapters flew by. Readers will find this a hard book to put down and eager for a sequel.

I highly recommend this smart, imaginative and romantic new young adult fantasy for readers of all ages.

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is a YA Romance with some Fantasy elements. Romance is totally out of my comfort zone so thankfully there’s a subplot about two Gods who go to war. Iris Winnow and Roman C. Kitt are both writers at The Oath Gazette who are competing for the same promotion. Iris starts writing letters to her older brother, Forest, a soldier who is away at war. She types the letters on an enchanted typewriter, slips them into her wardrobe and they disappear. The letters reappear on Roman’s bedroom floor from his wardrobe. They become secret pen pals as Iris is unaware that her rival at the newspaper is the author of the returning letters. Roman decides to out himself as the author but uses his middle initial, C., and eventually his middle name, Carver, in reply to Iris’s letters. This unique tale takes these pen pals down to the trenches of war. This is the first book of the Letters of Enchantment duology and after its’ cliffhanger, you’ll be looking forward to book two. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, 368 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2023. $19.
Language: PG (7 swears, 0 “f” + British swears); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
Competing for a job to afford the electric bill her mother won’t pay, Iris comforts herself by writing letters to her MIA brother fighting in the war somewhere. But someone else is getting them. Meanwhile, the warfront is getting closer.
Magic typewriters, mythology that interferes with mortal lives, enemies-to-lovers, and the horrors of WWI-style trench warfare and chemical weapons – what a combination! Ross put surprises around every corner, and I was pleased by all of them – except for the ending that snuck up on me. I am furious that I have to wait for the sequel to see how Iris survives her tragedies but also secretly glad that her story isn’t over yet. I am not ready to leave Iris and her world behind.
Iris and her brother are implied White, and Attie and Marisol are described as having “brown” skin. There is also a prominent LGBTQIA character. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, innuendo, and sex. The violence rating is for war content that include gun, bomb, and grenade use as well as the resulting blood, gore, and death.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for this eARC to review.

5/5 stars!

This was such a beautiful, poignant, and soul-wrenching read.
There was SO MUCH PAIN for Iris at the beginning of the story, and she just seemed to be getting hit with blow after blow. :( She endured so much, and remained so strong while also showing the reader times of vulnerability, whether they were in private or with Roman. I absolutely loved their rivals to lovers ARC, and the story/magic behind the typewriters was FANTASTIC. I looked forward to each letter with baited breath, and LOVED that we got to see that Roman knew it was Iris the whole time, but wasn't sure how to break it to Iris. I love that we got immersed into the war and got some detailed history about the gods, but that Iris and Roman's love/personal journeys were the main focus, leaving the war of the gods to really come to a head in the sequel. Ross also really has a knack for giving the perfect amount of layers and depth to all of the side characters, so that no matter how little part they play in the story, you get so emotionally attached to them! This is definitely one of my top reads of the year, and I'll be counting down until the sequel!

After devouring the Elements of Cadence duology earlier this year, I knew I definitely needed more Rebecca Ross in my life! Divine Rivals is the first in the Letters of Enhancement series. Iris Winnow is eighteen years old and doing her best to hold her family together. Her brother is on the frontlines of a war between the Gods, and her mother is drowning her sorrows in alcohol. She dreams of winning a coveted promotion at the paper she works for as a columnist. An unlikely magical connection forms when the letters she writes to her brother on the frontlines fall into the hands of her rival at the paper, Roman Kitt. Finding herself nearer to the war, their unlikely bond is tested in more ways than one.

It took me a little bit to get into this story, but not too long at all. It definitely is more on the historical fiction side, which was a nice change of pace for me. It is a dual POV story told from both Iris and Roman’s perspective. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story and got a lot out of their very different perspectives. Iris has been dealt a fairly tough life and finds herself up against many obstacles, whereas Roman, is upper class and has had many of his opportunities handed to him.

Divine Rivals really unpacks some of the horrors of war with a pinch of magic and mythology tied in. I found the mysteries and myths tied into the story really interesting. I also loved that music is woven into the story, adding some extra enchantment. The story was so well paced and I basically binged this in one sitting this past weekend. The ending had me in a chokehold and I am desperately awaiting the next installment!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review.