Divine Rivals follows rival journalists Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt as they compete for the same columnist position at the prestigious newspaper publication, Oath Gazette. Against the backdrop of their cutthroat rivalry, a war between gods rages on. With her brother at the frontline and no contact with him in weeks, Iris seeks out her grandmother's magical typewriter. Initially, Iris believes her letters are going to her brother, but unbeknownst to her, they are being sent to Roman.

This is the first book I've read by Rebecca Ross, and it will definitely not be my last. Ross does an excellent job of weaving fictional historical lore and magical elements into the story, creating a rich and immersive world. My favorite aspect of the novel was the letters between Iris and Roman, which allowed for a deeper understanding of their characters and their motivations. The romance between Iris and Roman is sweet, intimate, and complex, adding another layer of depth to the already captivating plot.

The only flaw with this novel is the pacing. For the majority of the book, the plot moves slowly and mainly focuses on character development. By the 70% mark, the plot and romance began to quicken, and things feel a bit forced. The slow pacing worked well, and I wish the author had stuck to it until the end. Despite this, the book still manages to deliver a satisfying conclusion that sets up for the final installment.

With the combination of war, romance, friendship, and fantasy, there is something for everyone in Divine Rivals.

If you are a fan of the following, you'll enjoy this book:
・ Margaret Rogerson's writing
・ The penpal aspect of Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer
・ Rivals to lovers
・ Slowburn romance
・ Sarcastic banter
・ Historical fantasy
・ Character-driven stories
・ Smart characters
・ Letters and articles in books

I've devoured every book Rebecca Ross has released! I own multiple copies of most of her books and I don't see that changing anytime soon. DIVINE RIVALS is going to break my wallet because I will be buying all the hardcover editions I can find.

I've had the ARC for this book for MONTHS, then I found out it was a duology and I just haven't been prepared to hurt myself like I knew this book would. I've read her other duolgies so I had a pretty good idea of what she would do to her readers...I mean...her characters. And OH did it hurt?!

Here I am, a week before the book actually releases, and I'm sitting her stunned and freaking out with no one to share the agony I'm experiencing. Iris and Roman's journey, yes, there's a journey...multiple journeys...and their love story. It's the best kind of love story! Rivals to lovers, sharp tongued banter, beautiful letters, heartfelt words...and a heart-rending ending!

Thank goodness this author is a quick writer and hopefully we get the sequel very soon. Although, today, right this moment, if I had book 2 in my hands, I don't know if my heart would be ready for what's about to come next. Nah...I would totally devour it.

Ohhh Rebecca Ross… a new autobuy author for me! I loved A River Enchanted and A Fire Endless so so much that I knew I had to get my hands on her newest book, Divine Rivals and I’m so glad that I did. First of all, the audio of this one was fantastic. So well done and with dual narrators it really brought the book alive for me. Second, I can’t get over how well written this book is. It covers multiple genres… a bit of history, romance and some fantasy mixed in and Rebecca wrote them flawlessly. Absolutely recommend this book. & if you are new to fantasy I think this would be a great place to start!

I had seen and heard nothing but glowing reviews for Divine Rivals and I worried that it might not live up to the hype. Well folks, this book was absolutely amazing. It's my first novel by Rebecca Ross and I am stunned and in awe of her talent. The rivals to friends to lovers romance and epistolary elements in the novel were chef’s kiss. The mix of fantasy and historical kept things engaging and completely drew me into the story. This book consumed me and I didn't want to put it down. I appreciated that Ross didn't shy away from the more difficult topics (please see CW's) and instead showed grief, healing, love, and loss in a beautifully raw and sometimes bittersweet way. I cried several times in the novel, some happy and some sad tears, but it was chapter 32 and the story of Sycamore Platoon that had me stopping my walk and quietly weeping on the sidewalk.

The romance between Iris and Roman had me swooning and grinning so hard. I loved how their relationship developed and evolved from would be rivals to so much more. It was such a tender and beautiful exploration of first love. The series is a duology, so I knew after feeling so much joy there would be a painful cliffhanger, but that ending still gutted me. Iris and Roman have my whole heart and I'll be dying a little each day as I wait for the sequel.

I both and read and listened to Divine Rivals, and Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk were phenomenal! They truly became Roman and Iris and their voices complemented each other so well. I also loved how the audio was produced so that each narrator was reading their letters even if it wasn't their POV chapter. It created a more immersive listening experience and heightened all of the emotions. Definitely recommend this one on audio!

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 5 stars

CW (from the author): Loss of a parent, loss of a sibling, a parent struggling with alcoholism, profanity: mild, depictions of PTSD, violence: moderate to severe, mature scenes: present on the page, but not explicit

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

Well my friends…

I think I read my favorite read of the year. Rebecca Ross never disappoints. I am a forever fan! 😍

Divine Rivals is a rivals to lovers story about two writers after the same columnist position. With her brother off to war, Iris needs to get this job in order to keep her family from falling apart. During this workplace battle with the handsome Roman Kitt, Iris finds out that her letters to her brother have been mysteriously given to her rival by some form of magic. With two magical typewriters, both are plunged into a immortal war-torn world. Can their words and hearts survive it?  

This romance was so poetic and beautifully written. I was drawn into this book from page one. The rivals to lovers arc was absolutely perfect. And the letters. The LETTERS! 😍 I have no words for how much I loved their written relationship. The build, the chemistry, the distance, the protective vibes…the intimacy! Roman and Iris have my heart!

This story has WWII kind of vibes with a magical element. So fun to get a historical style fantasy! I loved that we discovered this fantasy world as the characters did. There is so much we have yet to learn, and I enjoyed going on the journey with them. 

I read this book physically and on audio. Fantastic read both ways. I highly recommend this book for fantasy lovers who want romance. 

How dare you @beccajross for writing this amazing story. I'm SO obsessed. 

This book comes out April 4th! You won't regret jumping into this story!

Thank you @macmillan.audio
@netgalley for my early copy. All thoughts in this review on my own

*Romance- fade to black
*TW- war, trauma, death of loved ones

#rebeccaross #divinerivals #favoriteauthor #macmillian #wednesdaybooks #bookphotos #fantasyreads #booksof2023 #apriltbr

You know that cozy feeling when you’re reading an excellent book and you’re just totally absorbed in the pages? Divine Rivals gave me that feeling from start to finish. It was so, SO good.

Rebecca Ross is an excellent writer and I’ve enjoyed her previous books, but something about this one just stood out from all the others. I was totally entranced. I couldn’t put it down. I absolutely loved every single thing about it. Divine Rivals felt like I was reading Atonement meets The Chronicles of Narnia meets The Lovely War.

Roman and Iris exist in a time setting similar to WWI, however the war is between two feuding gods, with some light fantasy elements mixed in. The way Rebecca Ross weaved the story, however, just feels so natural. The writing and descriptions were perfectly done. It was so easy to imagine the kind of world Rebeca Ross painted with her words. Chapter 25 (iykyk) alone played out in my mind like a freaking movie scene, music and all! I absolutely ADORED the romance between Iris and Roman! Nothing beats a good rivals-to-lovers romance, and Divine Rivals delivered! The ending left me aching for more, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the sequel.

4.5 stars

This is enemies to lovers done right. That ending was a wild ride that demands you read the next book so you can find out what happens. It does have a lot of graphic descriptions of war, so be prepared for that. A romance is most of the plot for a good portion of the book, along with a few magical typewriters. I loved so many of the secondary characters, and hope we find out their fate in the next book.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Divine Rivals is a triumph. I was pulled in from the first page and held in this story's grip until the very end. The world building was visceral and grounded. The prose was fabulous-- the whole thing, beautifully written. I cannot say enough about the character and romance arcs in this story. They were both executed masterfully. Winnow and Kitt are two characters I will not soon forget. My only complaint is how long I have to wait after that mind-blowing ending. This book is a new addition to my list of all-time favorite books. Simply put, Ross nailed it.

*Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from the book, but wow am I glad I read this!

The writing in this book really made me captivated and invested in the story. The romance was exactly what I wanted from this, while not taking away from the plot of book.

It did take me a little while to get into the book, which is why it’s a 4 star for me.

Overall, I seriously cannot wait for book 2!!

I'm so happy to have discovered this new series called Letters of Enchantment! Can't wait for #2! Two young journalistic rivals, of course, fall in love. But this happens slowly, achingly through a series of magical letters...
Iris Winnow is trying to make ends meet with all her hopes pinned on becoming a columnist at the Oath Gazette. The only thing stopping her is handsome, cold Roman Kitt. While her brother is off fighting a war between Gods, Iris decides, after more heartache, to sign up as a war correspondent at the rival newspaper. The letters she had been sending to her brother, meanwhile, had been intercepted by Roman. They are both in possession of magical typewriters. Iris falls in love through these letters (not realizing its Roman), and Roman won't let anything keep him from Iris. Can their love survive this mystical war? Again, cannot WAIT for book 2!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this e-arc.*

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!