4.5

Divine Rivals was the most gripping story I have read this year. I was so attached to Iris and Roman I could barely put this book down. I truly think this is just the beginning of my dive into Rebecca Ross’s writing and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next

It's often said that we can only show our true selves when we're backed in a corner and that feels like the running theme of this book: we are in desperate times, what are your desperate measures?

Divine Rivals is the first book in a duology set in a fantastical alternate WWI time period where the gods are at war, no one really knows why, and when faced with the unthinkable happening to our loved ones what are we willing to stand up for? Our main characters are Iris and Roman, rival journalists, tied together via a magical typewriter that allows them to send letters to each other. There are secret identities involved and a lot of pining.

The book reminded me so much of how it felt to be in love for the first time, that desperation that comes with finally feeling like someone understands you without asking and not being able to bear to lose it. It was atmospheric and romantic and very well crafted. The prose was as beautiful as the story was simple (and I mean that is in the nicest way possible).

The book's cliffhanger ending nearly killed me, though, so I am sitting here counting down the days until we get Book 2. 5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Wow. This book is absolutely amazing. This was recommended to me by a friend, and I’m so glad I picked it up—the story is captivating, once you get into it. It started a bit slow but then drew me in with an amazing historical romance/fantasy novel. The writing and story is well developed and the characters are engaging. A story of two competing journalists turned into a story detailing war, this book is sure to suit most readers. Absolutely amazing!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this title.

I really enjoyed this book! I thought the story was really engaging and beautiful. The writing style was so good. This book covers some really heavy topics including war, alcoholism, and death, but yet it was a pretty easy read. The writing is really beautiful and light. I enjoyed the relationships explored in this story as well as the magical/fantasy element with the letters. This was a pretty quick read and was engaging throughout.

This book really wasn't what I was expecting, but that was great. Historical fiction isn't usually my thing, but the magical and fantasy elements really made this story fun. I'm not sure that I loved how this book ended, but it sounds like maybe it's going to be part of a series (or at least that there will be a second book). Overall, this was a really good read, and I enjoyed it a lot.

This book was just plain wonderful! Rivals to lovers is a fun genre.

Shop Around the Corner/You’ve Got Mail in a fantasy war situation. I never knew I needed this. I was completely hooked from the beginning. I just wanted to sit and read all day.

Kitt was the best. Truly. He did everything he could for Iris. And I loved watching these two together. Heart eyes all day.

As for the ending…I’m basically dying now. I need book two asap!

After A River Enchanted and A Fire Endless, I am a huge fan of Rebecca’s writing. I was almost giddy reading this novel, just knowing I will be transported to a new world with magic and great characters. It surprised me even expecting these emotions. Absolutely lovely story of love and loss, yearning and learning. To quote the author "a girl who writes letters to her missing brother, and the boy who reads them."

Entering a world of rewoken gods in a town called Oath. Iris Winnow, a budding reporter, works at the Oath Gazette trying to stay afloat after her brother joined the gods’ war and her mother struggles with addiction. The one person still keeping Iris on her toes is Roman Kitt, a rival journalist vying for the same columnist position in the paper. Their connection grows through their magical typewriters, writing out letters each night and slipping them through their wardrobes. Until a heartbreaking event alters Iris’ trajectory to the front lines of war.

Beautifully written and respectful to the realities of war, it was interesting to see it from a fantasy perspective. Truly deep at the core this is a story of the perseverance of love and connection between the characters. The fantasy and magic are a big bonus, I loved the magical typewriters and their owners were great characters. I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of loss and living in a world at war. I would categorize this as more adult than YA due to the seriousness of the topics portrayed in the novel, even though the characters are in their late teens/early twenties.

Divine Rivals publishes on April 4, 2023 🐌

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an early copy of the ebook, this is my honest review.

A historical fiction/fantasy/romance? Sounds like a lot, but this author makes it work.

There are two main plot lines in this story.
1) The complicated relationship between two journalists at the Oath Gazette, Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt. It is pretty clear there is a hate-to-love relationship in the works, but that takes some time to develop.
2) The war between two Gods, Dacre and Enva, which is waged on human soil.
*There is also the mysterious case of letters between Iris and an unknown someone, that are sent/received through her wardrobe. I thought it was evident fairly early who the other person was, but the bigger mystery is how the letters were being transported, but I won't get into that.

While the story begins as the two young journalists vie for the same job at the paper, the story eventually moves to the front lines where the war is being fought. That's when the dynamics of this relationship begin to evolve as the truth about the origins of the letters is revealed. It also introduces us to two fierce women, Thea Attwood, another reporter, and Marisol Torres, the owner of a B&B hosting the reporters. I adored both women and how they worked to stay safe and protect one another.

I loved the atmospheric quality of this part of the story. I was transported into this chaotic world filled with blood thirsty hounds and eithrals, and two reporters balancing the harrowing war experience while falling in love.

The majority of this installment focuses on the young couple, but with how it ends on a cliffhanger, I believe the Gods will be more prominently featured in book two. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Are you a fan of romance in a world war setting with a sprinkles of fantasy elements? You need to add Divine Rivals to your TBR!

Wheeew what a journey. this book probably my first Rebecca Ross books and wow i enjoyed it more than i thought!

The writing is beautiful but still easily disgestible. So i was invested quickly to the story.

I could feel the pain when one of the characters was grieving. Feel like it took all the joy in life. But Rebecca Ross handles the topic really well.
“Your grief will never fully fade; it will always be with you—a shadow you carry in your soul—but it will become dimmer as your life becomes brighter.”

The other things that draw me more into the story is the part when Iris and “strangers” sent letters to each others.
Sometimes you feel more comfortable to talk with strangers, then we find more connection and became friend or even our closest friend.

The World War time setting adds more mixed emotions in it.
“ Even when the world seems to stop, threatening to crumble, and the hour feels dark as the siren rings . . . it isn’t a crime to feel joy.”

But i have a certain things i dislike in this book, i don’t get the explanation about the Magic and the Gods. I really want to know more about the Gods and his creatures. How about the magic system? Magic in Roman’s house? The Typewriter?

The twist at the end omg how dare u miss Ross! I need a book 2 ASAP! When it comes, please let me get the eArc for the book 2 🥹 (i’m begging you St.Martin’s Press)

Thank you Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for providing me an eArc

Atmospheric, character-driven, engaging... In a word, this book was amazing! It drew me in quickly and didn't let up. The character's were the focus of the book I think, and it was so well done. Each relationship, romantic or otherwise, was well developed and explored. Each character had nuance and layers and felt realistic and well-rounded. The atmosphere added nicely to the plot and gave it such a unique vibe. Ross's writing was easy to follow, easy to get lost in, and easy to enjoy. Definitely recommend.

Wow, what a tearjerker! I read A River Enchanted by Rebecca Ross and fell in love with her writing style. This book did not disappoint! I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this book. Rival journalists with a touch of war because of gods? Sounds good. But oh was it so much more. This book is, at its core, really and truly about war and how it affects everyone.

Let's start with the characters. Each one of them feels so real and well crafted. You cannot help but fall in love with all of them. The romance is endearing - my only complaint is that it goes from slow burn to moving very fast all at once. The heartache, however, is so real in this book. I think she did such a good job at portraying the seriousness and sadness of war, while maintaining a balance of hope so as to not overwhelm the reader. Be mindful of the PTSD and war-related trauma if you have triggers!

Lastly, the magic. This is more of a historical fiction book set in an alternate universe with gods who have magic. I think that the next book may delve a little bit deeper into what the gods magic is capable of. However, don't come into this thinking that the main characters have any magic!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this arc.
I need more and thankfully from the way this story ended...I'm pretty sure there's going to be a sequel. I loved the rivaly between these two headstrong,work obsessed individuals who find ways to nit pick and outshine each other on a daily basis. Add in a war led by gods, a missing brother, amazing side characters, magical typewriters, ley lines, and enemies turned to lovers; I couldn't put it down. You feel with your whole body for Iris and how her story has unfolded. You're rooting for Kitt to finally lead his own life. This story was bloody magical, and I highly recommend it.

Set in a time that resembles the 1940’s, Iris Winnow and her brother Forest part when he volunteers to fight in the war. But this isn’t a WWII story; it’s a war between the mythological gods of the underground and the sky.

Despondent over her brother leaving, Iris uses a typewriter that her grandmother gave her to compose letters to her brother. She leaves these letters in her wardrobe and then finds replies in their place. She learns that it isn’t her sibling corresponding, but still she finds the mysterious missives soothing and comforting.

No word from her brother compounds Iris’ stress over their mother’s oblivion as she drinks away her misery. Quitting school to earn money as a reporter seems like the only alternative to support her and her mom, but there’s another novice reporter who is her nemesis. Roman Kitt is vying for the same promotion she needs and he is a really good writer. Their interactions are filled with taunts and snide remarks. Iris likes to mess with him, just to irritate him. He likes to tease her about her tardiness and messiness. It’s the perfect setup for sparks to fly.

When Iris decides to head toward the front to report on the war and search for Forest, the action takes a turn. The conditions at the front are described just as one might expect for a real warzone. It has the feel of a real-world conflict, rather than one between fantastic beings.

Ross has created a mythological landscape that closely resembles our world but with monsters and gods leading the battle. The relationship of Iris and Roman is the central storyline. They are the heart of the book. Iris is delightful and the women she meets near the front are further examples of strong, courageous ladies. Roman is also memorable; he’s funny and dedicated. When the two are together, the banter is sparkling and the tension is high.

The world of the gods is explored in terms of their historic rivalry but little is shown of their machinations in the current conflict. Future installments in the series will hopefully explore the gods and their role more fully. Overall, the book is intense and will leave readers gasping at the end, setting them up to anxiously await the next book.

Divine Rivals wasn’t what I expected, but it swept me off my feet nonetheless. Rebecca Ross crafted a beautiful story full of spellbinding prose and a lovely cast of characters.

I was so excited to read this book! I love Rebecca Ross’s writing, and this book is no exception to that. She has crafted a beautiful story and I’m so glad I got to read it. The epistolary elements really gave us a look at the characters’ writing style, and as reporters I think that was a really important element of the book.

I loved Iris. She really took it upon herself to do what she thought was right, and do what she needed for herself. I really appreciated her strong sense of self, and how much she was willing to step out of her comfort zone.

Roman was also lovely, and the growth of their relationship was so adorable. I do think his POV sections felt a little bit unnecessary at times, but there are bits and pieces that definitely added to the very end of the book. I know that she added his POV later in the writing process, but this definition feels like Iris’s story and his sections didn’t feel as important or as necessary.

There were a couple of things that didn’t quite work for me. I don’t think all of the side characters were flushed out enough for me to care about them individually, especially Attie. I also think that sometimes the book suffered from too much exposition and tell vs show. This was especially true in the first half, but improved later on. This last one is a tiny nitpick, but the time period of this fantasy world is definitely based on WWI, and at one point Iris mentions wearing a bra, but bras didn’t exist yet. This is a fantasy world so it’s not the biggest issue, but she would definitely be wearing a corset.

Even with those few complaints, this really was a beautiful book. I appreciate the fact that wow this book definitely had historical inspiration from World War I, Ross created a world without patriarchy, and it felt more queernormative than our own. It was so refreshing to read a book taking place in a time that feels familiar without the usual trappings of historical fantasy and misogyny.

I am definitely excited to read book two when it comes out! This was an adorable fantasy romance, and I’m looking forward to learning more about the gods. 4 stars.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me a review copy. All thoughts are my own.

A bit of a slow starter, but this book has an interesting premise based on rival journalists who both want to get a the big scoop about the ongoing war. More to follow.

Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I have never read anything by Rebecca Ross, but I should probably start now. I loved Divine Rivals. I loved the combination of realistic fiction and fantasy. We have Iris who is a journalist and wants to write about the war that is happening on behalf of two gods. Enva and Dacre. She is searching for her brother who went to fight on behalf of Enva. She is also trying to get a promotion and is competing against the infuriatingly handsome Kitt. When two magical typewriters anonymously bring them together, they find themselves as war correspondences out on the front.

I really enjoyed the enemies to lovers aspect. I loved the incorporation of the gods and the history between how this war came to be. The ending left me wanting so desperately for the next book. This is one of those books I couldn't put down.

I am so thankful to have been selected as an advance reader. I don’t think I’ll be able to shut up about this one for a long time to come. Rebecca Ross blew me away in the Elements of Cadence so I was ravenous for this one, and it did not disappoint. I could not put it down and got no laundry folded, as the baskets piled up. I think I spent 70% of the book in a dead swoon.

In summary, this was one of the sweetest, most romantic, and most gripping books I’ve read in years. It was just about perfect, from the slow, steady build, to the sweetness and delight, to the agonizing emotion of holding your breath to see if fate would bring them together after all. The side characters were wonderful as well. Nuanced, interesting, distinct, multi faceted. The descriptions of grief, addiction, war, ptsd, and fear were so visceral, and juxtaposed with unbearable clarity against the sweetness of the power of love and of choosing someone despite your fear. Ross is excellent at character development, subtlety, and descriptiveness. Each book of hers that I’ve read seriously sinks you into a sense of place that is so magical and enchanted it feels like you’re standing in a spring rain, in the lush, misty mountains of some magical land. Take me there, please.

Dying for the second book.

I throughly loved this book. I enjoyed the way it was told, the characters, the world building - although I will admit, I don't really understand the war - however I didnt care because I just loved the romance that was blooming between Roman and Iris.

It was a slow burn in the best possible way, because just reading about them slowing opening up to each other and sharing their innermost thoughts was just so good. I loved the idea of the magical typewriters - genius idea.

I couldn't put it down, and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martins Press/Wednesday Books for the ARC.

Ugh! Did I mention I dislike cliffhangers? Well I should have known being that the Goodreads description indicates Divine Rivals as Iris at the Front #1. All cliffhangers aside, Divine Rivals really grabbed me and left me wanting more and more.

Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt are competing for a prestigious columnist position at a local newspaper publishing company — the Oath Gazette. Iris and Roman are like oil and water and the competition for the promotion just exacerbated their rivalry. But Iris needed the position a lot more than she let on. She was struggling financially. And Roman, who came from a wealthy family, needed the position the least.

As Iris navigates adulthood during a tumultuous war between the gods, she loses the ones she loves most in her life — her brother who went missing in the war, and her mother in a tragic accident.

Desperate to reconnect with her brother, Iris types letters to her brother, slips them into her closet where they magically disappear. And unbeknownst to Iris, her letters land into the closet of her rival, Roman Kitt who writes back anonymously. Thus forging an invisible bond that will carry them through the ravages of war, losses of loved one and more.

Divine Rivals is the first book in the Iris at the Front series and it is sure to be a hit with the Teen & YA fanbase. I certainly loved it regardless of its genre.

The story follows and enemies to lovers trope that slowly develops over time through correspondence. The plot is reminiscent of the Griffin & Sabine trilogy where pen pals become so much more than acquaintances, But what is unique is the fantasy and magical aspects of the story.

I loved all of the characters in this novel. From the backstory of the gods to the front story of the war and soldiers, each character possessed a distinctive personality that is sure to please discriminating palates.

Overall, Divine Rivals is right up there as one of my favorite reads for 2023. I can’t wait for the sequel. Five stunning stars.

I received a digital ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

NOTE: Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy of the book!


As far as I'm aware, Rebecca Ross had written books before and it's the first time I read her work, but I remember when this book popped up on my feed via a friend who was excited to read this book and the idea of Divine Rivals being the intense version of enemies to lovers...


Well, sign me up. So imagine my excitement when I finally get to be able to read this book and OH IT HAS BEEN A RIDE so far that I can't wait for more!


Short Summary: Two rivals competing for a position at a newspaper send anonymous letters through a magical closet as they deal with war... and some unwelcome feelings of love.


Long Summary: Iris Minnow is an aspiring journalist at the Gazette, struggling to make ends meet with an alcoholic mother who is still grieving for her son who has gone to the war against the Gods Enva and Dacre. Unsure of whether or not her brother is still alive, she writes letters to him in hopes that he receives them, but the only thing pushing her are two things now:



The promotion at the Gazette and Roman Kitt.


Roman hates the visceral, emotional writing that Iris creates, and by extension, her and as the two fight for the position, all he needs is a reason to keep going after all the mistakes he has done in the past. With a rich family who wishes to expand the dynasty, Roman is thrust onto an arranged marriage as he tries to fight for something he can get without depending on the family name.


But everything changes when he gets a letter that peeks out of his wardrobe. What is first mere curiosity becomes the discovery that he is receiving the letters Iris sends to her brother. And as he learns more about his rival, the more strategies he has to steal the promotion from her... the less he wants to and the more he starts to realize that perhaps there is more to life than just war.


There could even be... love.



Honestly, it seems so rare nowadays to have Historical Fantasy books and learning a lot more about the mythology of the gods, about the fear to reveal all facets of the truth and dealing with these rivals who hate each other's guts into slowly falling in love was such a beautiful story and it made for a great train read (Because of course this book was mostly read while on the train to and from school!) It is part of a bigger series so I am definitely waiting to see where it goes but I LOVED this one and I definitely recommend you all adding this one to your shelves!


Overall: 5/5 stars

Wow what a GREAT book!! I can’t believe I have to wait a year for the sequel 😭😭. A river enchanted was my favourite book of January and this hands-down was my favourite book of February (technically I finished it in March but was over 50% complete in February so I’m counting it there!(.

I wasn’t quite sure what to think of the book at the beginning, even though like always I was immediately drawn in by the beautiful prose, imagery, setting and of course the characters. Naturally I fell in love with Iris and Ronan and the magical story being weaved, but i didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I did. While there was a small slump in the middle of the book or 2/3 through (hello calm before storm), the end was jam packed with action, intrigue and a great setup for a sequel!

I have all kinds of theories about who-is-who and what will happen next and am positive I will be ready and waiting preorder in hand for book two. Can’t wait! Highly highly recommend although check out the trigger warnings as it’s a more serious novel.