Thank you @WednesdayBooks and @MacMillan.Audio for the #gifted ALC/ARC of DIVINE RIVALS.

Y’all… this book… it’s amazing and you simply must read it!

It has:
- Rival journalists
- 10/10 banter
- Slow burn romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Magical typewriters
- So much angst and longing
- Love letters that will make you weep

After loving A RIVER ENCHANTED, I was nervous to read a new duology by Rebecca Ross. What if I didn’t love this new book as much?! But omg this book blew me away. I devoured it in 2 days and now am desperately waiting for any news of the sequel.

Rebecca’s writing is just beautiful. She’s able to take an incredibly tense and difficult subject (like war, death of a parent/sibling, grief, etc) and handle it with utter care. It doesn’t feel forced or voyeuristic.

Similar to BABEL, this book reads like historical fiction but with a fantasy element woven in. If it weren’t for the gods warring on the Western front and the enchanted typewriters, one could almost think that this was a standard WWI historical fiction love story.

I did a mix of the eARC and the audiobook and the narrators were fabulous! @Rachels.cattic.reads mentioned to me that the male narrator sounded a bit like Daniel Radcliffe and I totally got that vibe (even though it wasn’t him). Even though I loved the audiobook, I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy so that I can reread and annotate.

DIVINE RIVALS is out April 4, 2023!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4856925854
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYLLG-r_ig/

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an ARC of this book!

I absolutely loved divine rivals. I can get behind a rivals to lovers romance if it’s done well and this was definitely one of those times. I have read one of Rebecca Ross’ books before and honestly I think now it’s time to hit up her backlist because of how much I really liked this one. there really is just something about her writing and the way she manages to keep you engaged because I picked this up on a whim and did NOT want to put it down. yes I binged it and I loved it and I think you will love it too.

YA fantasy romance lovers add this to your TBR right now. This book will make you feel all of the emotions. The end will leave you wanting the second book intensely.

In Divine Rivals, Iris and Roman are going after the same promotion at the newspaper. Roman needs the job to satisfy his family, while Iris is driven by her passion. They find themselves magically linked but war is breaking out around them. Iris finds herself needing to get closer to the battles to find her brother.

The characters had me hooked from the start. The correspondence between the two was so deeply emotional and beautiful.

The backstory of the Gods and the world building behind the war was forgettable and felt out of place. But everything else in this book more than made up for it. Great narration on the audio version.

This had a similar feel to This Is How You Lose The Time War. But Divine Rivals is preferable to me because it had more going on in the overall story.

Anytime I hear of Rebecca Ross and Isabel Ibanez working together by encouraging each other on a book - you will find me cheering for them! Both authors have a magical flair for YA fantasy, and tackle themes that are unique to the YA realms. I reviewed one of Ibanez's books recently, and was so pleased to read that Ross and Ibanez are now attending events together (as you can see their friendship in the dedication to this new book)!

This new series, (Letters of Enchantment, book 1), by Rebecca Ross, was wonderful! Journalism is a prominent theme here too, with the main character starting out working for the Oath Gazette, and letter-writing is one of the common forms of communication in this book. In our digital age, I found this refreshing, and a great inspirational resource for youth who have interests in writing courses. To see author Ross interweave all of this together made for an outstanding book! I want to see Ross and Ibanez’s names together as authors for a joint book soon.

Divine Rivals stole my heart. To think that this novel was created during COVID, brings more meaning to it. Ross managed to show that writing as a form of communication (versus in person) can be a highly effective way to change the world around you. Warring gods, battles, family dynamics, and enemies to lovers were all interweaved to bring a superb read! Five out of five stars……and again, can’t wait to see this pair of authors take the YA fantasy world by storm, individually and as a team!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley for this arc. I read this voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

I’ll admit it didn’t enchant me from page 1, but I was definitely intrigued and compelled to keep reading... and then I read it in 1 day! Although this book is about war and has war scenes, there’s something about it that’s…quiet. It’s the kind of book that grows on you as you read it, then you realize at some point that you actually, in fact, LOVE it. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your soul long after you’ve turned the last page. I’m still thinking about it, and it’s been several weeks.
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I enjoyed the romance between Iris and Roman. A slow burn Rivals to lovers with witty banter and heartfelt moments. If you enjoyed The Elements of Cadence duology’s focus on healing, or like a blend of family, friendship, and romance in your books, Divine Rivals is definitely a book to check out!
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My main con is the supernatural elements aren’t very developed. We learn a little about the gods and how they’re connected to the war in the beginning, then they fall to the wayside until closer to the end. I would love to see the gods/villains much more in the sequel, especially since I had a similar problem with the villain in Ross’ Elements of Cadence duology.
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The ending will absolutely rip your heart out like a beast. Although the last time that happened (with A River Enchanted) the sequel came out later that year. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me that’s also going to happen with Iris at the Front #2. I couldn’t bear it if I had to wait a whole year or longer.
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I feel greatly honored at being able to read an ARC of this book and am SO excited for others to fall in love with Iris & Roman

ivine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is getting a lot of prepublicity press, and for good reasons. It is one of those books that charms you from the first sentence and has you completely hooked by the end of the first chapter. Ms. Ross creates the most adorable characters and establishes a world that could take place in Europe in the 1920s if it weren't for the existence of gods and monsters. The whole experience is complete immersion, where lines blur between real life and the fictional one in front of your eyes. From a reader's perspective, it doesn't get much better than that.

The power of Divine Rivals lies in Ms. Ross' writing. It is a thing of beauty. She does not use flowery language or long, complex sentences to build her world or create her characters. Instead, you know she chose each word her words with care, each selected for the maximum impact it would have in whatever she was trying to do, whether it be building a world, creating a character, or describing the action. She succeeds so well in this that you can hear the clacking of the typewriter keys as each character writes a letter or a news article. You can smell the stale air of Iris' flat and feel her fear as she experiences the front lines of the war for the first time. You forget you are reading a novel and become entirely submerged in this world she builds, and it is wonderful.

Not only do you lose yourself entirely in the story, but Iris and Roman are also two of the most charming characters you will meet. Iris bursts onto the scene running late for work, in the rain, and with a broken heel on her shoe. With that description, I knew that Iris was going to be special. Then she walks into the office with her head held high despite rain-soaked hair and clothes and a lopsided walk, and I fell in love. She is earnest, lovable, loyal, ambitious, and so lonely. 

Roman is the perfect foil for Iris, although it may not initially seem so. In truth, I was cautious about Roman knowing he was writing to Iris while she remained clueless. Thankfully, Ms. Ross takes all the potential ickiness about the situation and turns it into an opportunity to see how fragile and awkward Roman is despite his perfect appearance. Those scenes show Roman at his most vulnerable, making me fall in love with him. There is something about a hero like the Avengers with all the brawn and special abilities, but give me a man and woman who show their nervousness, embarrassment, and realness every time. 

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is simply divine. I adore Iris and Roman and became full-blown shippers of their relationship after the first set of letters. I also love how she reminds readers of the mystery and romance in written correspondence. The only negative point about the book is that it ends when you are not ready for it to do so. I will be stalking Ms. Ross on social media until we get a release date for the sequel and marking that date in my calendar because it will be an excruciating wait to find out what happens to Iris and Roman next.

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley. Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Young Listeners for the opportunity to read and review this early. As always all opinions are my own.

The audio narrators were wonderful. The did an amazing job brining Kitt and Iris to life. I really enjoyed that we get alternating male and female dialogue where appropriate so if feels like they are having a conversation. I mainly opted to listen to the audiobook and couldn't put it down once I started.

I loved this! I've been a fan of Ross' work for sometime so when I saw that she had a new YA Fantasy out I jumped on the chance to read it. This follows Iris, and aspiring journalist who is struggling to keep things together after her brother leaves for the war front. Iris is competing for a columnist position at a reputable newspaper with Roman Kitt. Roman is handsome, rich, and put together; basically everything Iris is not. They are opposites in everyway, but their opposition drives them to be better at their craft. While Iris can't stand Kitt, what she doesn't know is that they are tied together in the most unusual way. When Kitt wins the spot at the paper, Iris decides to become a war correspondent in an attempt to escaper her life that has fallen apart and to find her missing brother on the front. Iris not only becomes a published writer, but she also finds so much more on the front than she was expecting.

I really love what Ross did with the mythology aspect in this. I'm not sure if the myth is based on an actual myth or if she completely made it up. Either way I really enjoyed that there was something otherworldly driving the war and a small magical and fantastical element to the plot. I really liked the concept of the magical typewriters and I'd love to know where the 3rd one is. I wonder if we'll ever find out. This does heavily focus on the rivals to lovers trope, and while we do get the background myth that started the war I hope to get a bit more background or interaction with the gods in book 2. I love mythology whether made up or based in ancient cultural myth and legend so I really appreciate when an author weaves that into their storyline.

This is classified as YA, but it does have some more serious and mature themes. This does end on a cliffhanger, and I cannot wait for the next book! I'm so anxious to find out what happens next! I loved the development of the relationship between Iris and Kitt and Iris and Carver. I really loved Iris' character development throughout the book. In the beginning I was wondering if she was going to throw in the towel, but she really snapped out of it and stepped up. She was appropriately scared in the situations she was in, but she was also courageous, kind, and selfless. As a correspondent she is supposed to write what she sees, but she was also respectful of the soldiers and wasn't just in it for a story. While this was tense and serious at times, it also has light hearted moments as well. The banter between Iris and Kitt is witty and their romance is fun.

Content warnings: loss of a parent, addition specifically alcohol, PTSD, violence and injury due to war, non graphic intimacy

I was actually expecting this book to be much less readable than it was for some reason, which goes to show even more than her other books that I shouldn't underestimate Rebecca Ross. I loved A River Enchanted and its sequel, and, although I liked Divine Rivals less, I enjoyed it too.
First, characters. I don't have much to say on this front, but mostly just because I don't have objections. I liked the side characters, I liked the main characters, and I felt a little less disconnected from them than i did when reading A River Enchanted. Were they better? Not really, but I got a bit more invested on that front.
With relationships, I thought the friendships were a bit underdeveloped, and the main romance seemed a little quick to me, but I saw a lot of chemistry and liked Roman and Iris together a lot. They just really fit! I will say I wasn't expecting some elements, but it's normal for the time period the book is based on.
Finally, for plot and worldbuilding, I got confused about the war a lot, but frankly, I'm used to being confused about war in fantasy novels, so I'll give it a pass. It did seem a bit underdetailed in that regard, but not to a hurtful point. The plot very much went by piece by piece, not necessarily having That One Climax for me, but I liked it.
I feel like my words make it sound like a 3-star based on my recent reviews, but I really liked Divine Rivals. I'm not sure I have quite enough enthusiasm to read a sequel, but Rebecca Ross is so productive I'm sure I won't have to wait long. I'd recommend this to fans of her other books and of YA fantasy romance as a whole with classic romcom elements and a serious spin on them.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is such a sweet fantasy romance. It's done through letters written between the MCs, and everyone knows I'm all about that pen pal life. Ross is one of my favorite comfort/escape authors. She has a way of pulling you into the story, which are usually light and fun reads.

If I could have the sequel to Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross in my hands right now, I'd be thrilled. Unfortunately, the first book in the series isn't out until April 4th, so I have quite a wait ahead of me!

I've enjoyed Ross' writing in the past, but this is my favorite of her books so far. She is always great at world-building and making you feel like you're there without being overly descriptive, but I've never fallen in love with her characters as much as I did with Iris and Roman. This rivals to lovers story had me in its grip from start to finish. If you liked the letter writing aspect of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, you should absolutely put Divine Rivals on your radar immediately.

Iris and Roman are rival journalists in a fantasy world where the gods are at war. Iris' brother is in combat and she hasn't heard from him even though he promised to write. To comfort herself, she writes letters to him and slips them under her wardrobe door where they vanish and end up in the hands of her rival Roman. When he writes her back anonymously, the two begin to form a bond. Iris becomes a war correspondent, heading to the action in the hopes of finding more information about her brother, and Roman follows her into danger.

I could see myself rereading this one this year. It was captivating and totally left me with a book hangover!

Divine Rivals was an utter delight! A fantasy novel with a historical fiction feel and an enemies to lovers romance, Divine Rivals has something for everyone. The story is centered around Iris, whose brother has gone to fight in the gods war and hasn’t been heard from since. She takes a job at a newspaper where she competes with Roman Kitt for a columnist job. Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them under her wardrobe door where they end up in the hands of Roman. When he anonymously starts to write her back, they forge a connection that the frontlines of battle and a war between gods can’t break. The You’ve Got Mail vibes hooked me and I finished the book in one day because I had to know what happened with Iris and Roman. This book has something for everyone and is one of my top reads of the year!

I loved this book. I was so happy I got approved to read before release. I'll definitely be purchasing a copy to put on my shelf!

I have loved everything I've read by Rebecca Ross, and I think this is not only my favorite of hers but it also jumped to the list of my all-time favorite books.

This book is full of action and runs the whole gambit of emotions, and the family Iris finds in the midst of war is heartwarming. I loved how the romance between Kit and Iris was built, starting as this workplace rivalry where they both want to get ahead, but see the softer more vulnerable side while exchanging magical letters.

The romance is beautiful and magical, and I love Iris' new family that lets her know she isn't alone anymore. I loved the building tension as the battle is getting closer and closer to where Iris is, and how she is getting closer to finding her brother. And that ending! OMG, hopefully, we won't have to wait too long for the next book because I'm desperate to find out what happens next!!

Obsessed with this book!
One of my favorites this year!

The story begins with iris letting her brother go off to war to fight for Enva a GOD. They say there heart felt goodbyes

The story jumps to her working as a news reporter for the Oath Gazzette she has a Rival 😉 Roman Kitt. They kind of start a little romance through type writers but iris has no idea.

Tragedy strikes and Iris take her typewriter to find her brother on the front lines. She still is able to to write and send of her magic letter by her magical type writer!

Roman then runs right after her and also becomes a war correspondent! Iris has still no idea who she is typing too!!! But in the end will Roman tell her or not? Guess you will have to read to find out!

Beautifully written I truly loved the world building and the touch of romance all through out the book!

Please go purchase April 1st!

Gods at war with civilians caught in the crossfire? Yes, please. However, I don’t have the words for a proper review.

As soon as Iris mentioned typing on a typewriter, I knew I would be hooked. Her and Carver’s characters are richly descriptive, and the reader comes to know them intimately. The book didn’t seem all that magical, to begin with. It felt a touch of historical fiction, which I absolutely enjoyed. But then magical elements started seeping into the storyline. The more I read of what’s possible and what the gods can unleash, the more I wanted.

I love the varying elements Ross added to this. It is multi-layered, with many moving cogs, characters who feel like family, a war amongst the gods, some mystery, romance, fantasy, and more. While I didn’t know this was a book 1 when I first requested it, I’m happy there is more to come from the world and characters.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s for sending this over.

Oh man Rebecca Ross is a great storyteller but this book is kind of a mess lol. Premise and worldbuilding and vibes are all excellent, the writing is quite messy and not up to her usual standard (this is where I recommend you pick up A River Enchanted), and the whole thing could have used a little more time in edits. It's promising but not fully cooked. I'll still read the next one, though. You had me at magic typewriters.

I never, in a million years, thought I would need a story about competing war correspondents falling in love. This is so vastly different from Rebecca Ross’s other books I’ve read, but it has firmly cemented her place as a favorite author. I’ll probably buy anything she releases at this point because this book was SO good.
Iris Winnow dropped out of school after her brother went off to war to fight for the goddess Enva. Her mother started drinking to forget, and after winning a writing competition, Iris is now working for one of the major newspapers in the city of Oath to pay the bills. One of Iris’s few joys is typing up her feelings on her grandmother’s old typewriter and sliding them under the closet door portal to her mysterious penpal. Roman Kitt works at that same newspaper and he’s Iris’s coworker and competitor for the single available columnist position. Roman is from a wealthy family, but just because the cage is gilded doesn’t make it any less a cage. He’s being forced to marry a woman he barely knows and doesn’t love to further cement his family’s new money position in society - yet another part of his life his father has dictated. Though Iris is his competition, he finds her letters to be both remarkable and comforting though she has no idea that he is the one receiving and responding to her innermost thoughts.
When Kitt gains columnist, Iris leaves and goes to the war front, hoping to find her brother and write about the horrors of war so that the citizens of Oath might send aid to their neighbor and fight against the god Dacre. There she finds new friends and a way to escape her past but then Kitt is right there with her because he’s fallen quite in love with Iris. Iris and Roman Kitt have the most wonderfully satisfying rivals to lovers romance, which creates some truly beautiful moments in this book. This is offset by the horrific losses suffered because Rebecca Ross never lets you forget that even though this is a love story, it’s set in the midst of a violent and terrible war.
I absolutely devoured this book and wouldn’t have guessed that I’d love a WW1-era fantasy story to such a degree as I do this one. The ending is really something else and I am dying for the sequel right now because this duology is meant to be binge read, one after the other. This is one of the best young adult fantasy stories I’ve ever read and also one of the best romantic fantasy stories. It’s fabulous, filled with lore and myth, love, the horrors of war, and friendship. It’s surprisingly hopeful for a story with such dark themes and I think it will appeal to a broad age range of readers.

This book didn't feel intrinsically *fantasy* until the last page. And yet? I still freaking loved it. Imagine taking a WWII book and making it about warring gods instead. Then add in an epistolary romance between rival journalists. Hi, Wednesday Books? I'll take 20. The dual narrators were exceptional, especially for dramatic readings of their correspondences. I'm convinced that this book is best read on audiobook honestly. Iris was so headstrong and determined, while Kitt is infuriating and dapper. Rebecca Ross, I want the latter half now please.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for my ARC and Macmillan Audio for my ALC in exchange for my honest review*

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is a fantasy novel about two journalists competing for a position at a prestigious newspaper amid a raging war between two gods. Iris Winnow needs the position in order to make a better life for herself and her mother after her brother answers a goddess's call to join the battle, and standing in her way is the wealthy and cold Roman Kitt. When the letters she has been writing to her brother magically end up in Roman's hands, he writes back anonymously and they forge a connection as the world continues to crumble around them.

The story reads like a historical urban fantasy with the characters writing letters on typewriters and traveling exclusively by train.  The fantasy elements fit in seamlessly with this setting. The story is written in a combination of normal narrative format with letters mixed in throughout. The dual POV allows readers to fully appreciate the depth of the developing relationship between Iris and Roman before they themselves even fully realize it. While the story could easily be dark and somber, the characters find strength and connection in one another that makes reading it very enjoyable. I found myself having trouble putting the novel down and immediately bought some of the other novels Ross has written before I even turned the final page.

The writing is beautiful and it's the type of story that reminds readers why they themselves love to read. I'm definitely looking forward to discussing this one with my friends upon its release.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this wonderful book.

The hype around this one is well deserved! Rebecca Ross has a beautiful way of writing that really sinks you in to the story and makes it almost impossible to put it down. Divine Rivals is pumped full of plot with a very special magic connecting rivals-to-lovers Iris and Kitt in the midst of a growing war between two gods.

Iris is a fantastic protagonist. She is strong willed, smart/clever and despite her hardships and loneliness in life she is always looking out for others. Iris is the type of person you would be lucky to have as a trusted friend when crap hits the fan because you could always count on her in every way. She is independent but doesnt fall in to any of the usual clichés that make a YA protagonist too much for me. I really loved her and was rooting for her every step of the way!

Kitt and Iris have a perfect rivals-to-lovers setup. Gunning for the same position at their cities newspaper while also secretly being in love with one another gives us plenty of build up that feels natural for their characters and the story at play. They come from very different lives and their independent knowledge and ambitions pair perfectly with one another, two halves to a whole.

The pacing was very well done in my opinion. We werent quickly rushed in to anything and were given proper details for all the things we need to know regarding the war and the world we're in. Nothing felt like it was moving slowly either which is tricky when providing lore.

Overall I think this book is fantastic and everyone should read it! The ending had me clenching my kindle for dear life and now I have to painfully await book 2 (which I absolutely NEED as quickly as possible).