This is one of my favorite Netgalley reads so far! I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much. I found everything about this story excellent, the characters, setting, pacing and I can’t wait to read more by Rebecca Ross.

Rebecca Ross has always been a favourite author of mine, and this was no exception. I was addicted to Iris’s story from the start. From her struggles, to her triumphs and every thing in between I have never been happier to root for a character. And the slow burn romance was perfection. Not to mention the tragedies of war that were shown through all the characters stories and backgrounds. Absolutely amazing.

Okay okay okay, immaculate vibes, BUT... I'm struggling to like this one as much as everyone else for a few key reasons:

1. The rivals turned to lovers too quickly - I want ANGST and there was little of that here. I know things had to move a bit quickly to set up for the end and the issues of the second book, but I think the author could have included more leading up to the characters falling in love

2. This is going to sound stupid, but they say each other's names too often and I couldn't deal. This is something Ross does in her other books (I picked up and put down one of her other books earlier this year). It sounds clunky and unnatural and I hated it.

3. There wasn't enough worldbuilding and lore. I would say this is low fantasy for sure and it is YA but I still need more backstory in my fantasy. I need to know how the gods come into play and magic as well. How did the typewriters become magic?? Why are the gods fighting?? I just felt like I didn't get much information for real.

All that said, the atmosphere of this story is done so beautifully. The world feels full of magic and wonder even though I don't know much about it. The prose is lyrical and deep and the friendships are lovely.

The ending did also grab me for the next book. I did find myself thinking about this book a while after I put it down. That's why I'm giving it four stars and why I will be picking up the sequel as soon as it's out. I want the angst that is promised, and I want to know how things play out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC!! I would recommend this to anyone who loves romantic fantasy.

I initially struggled to feel pulled into the plot of the story, despite loving the characters and world the author created (which I’ll get into more in just a minute). This may have been due to the time jump between the first and second chapters, which was a bit disorienting. However, within the first couple of chapters, we are introduced to Roman and the plot quickly takes off from there. Some of the twists were expected but others took me by complete surprise, which made for a fun read.

The perspective of the novel alternates between Iris and Roman, which is a dynamic I either love or hate for enemies-to-lovers stories. And despite the pitfalls of split perspective stories, it works really well in this story to give the reader a full view of what’s going on. Additionally, it provides some depth to both characters, which makes both main characters more enjoyable. I enjoyed both characters even more when they were in scenes together, as they have excellent chemistry.

The book takes place in a unique setting, mixing elements of high-fantasy and Victorian-esque technology. I enjoyed this steam-punk like setting and found it a surprise after reading the description of the story when the book was sent to me. The author also does a great job of setting the scenes as well and I quickly felt immersed in Iris’s city as well as the front lines of the war.

Divine Rivals is the first book in veteran author Rebecca Ross’s new series Letters of Enchantment. The book features a vibrant and immersive world with living gods, enchantments and steam-punk elements. There is also great chemistry between the two protagonists, Iris and Roman, who share point of views throughout the story. While the plot does start out slow, fans of magical enemies-to-lovers plots will fall head over heals for this beautifully written novel.

What is there to say that hasn't already been said? This book had me by the throat from page one. I adore Iris as a main character, and Roman is such a sweet love interest. I adored their banter and their chemistry, and while my favorite parts were at the beginning when they were working at the paper together, I loved the direction the story took. But then - that ending. I actually cried at the end of the book, these characters have my whole heart. Seriously, if you haven't yet read this book, what are you waiting for? One of my favorite reads of the year.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for granting me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The rare, transcendent reading experience where you feel that you have lived the characters' journeys just as much as they have.

A YA that I actually liked--except for the YA part. Maybe it's useless at this point? I don't know. 

So this was a book club pick and I was actually really eager to read it given all the hype surrounding it. It's one of those that I don't think I've heard a negative word about. 

So this story completely sucked me in from the first page. I'll admit right off the bat, I'm a HUGE Rebecca Ross fangirl. I haven't read all of her books, to be honest. But the ones I have, I feel like she can do no wrong. 

With Divine Rivals, I really loved Iris and Roman's whole romance. It's so sweet and just the kind that I love to read about progressing. Also the female friendships that develop--oh my, goodness. It's that whole found-family vibe. 

The magical realism was just the cherry on top. It was what made the story for me. Magical realism is one of my favorite genres. And it was tied in perfectly with the concept of gods/goddesses/magical typewriters. 

As I previously said, it was just the YA aspect that was difficult for me. There were times the characters would act in a way that just SCREAMED youthful--and then I remembered that they are, indeed, quite young. 

I can't wait to read Ruthless Vows. Going to start it any day now!

A perfectly enjoyable read!
18yo Iris works at a newspaper to help support her mother after her brother Forest was sent to war. She dropped out of college to work and she’s hoping for a promotion to columnist. 19yo Roman, Iris’ competitor for the columnist promotion, is rich and discovers that he’s been betrothed to a daughter of his father’s business acquaintance completely against Roman’s will. Iris and Roman have an unusual connection that he soon discovers but Iris is oblivious to. The mythological war soon takes over their lives and they have to fight to stay alive and get closer to the battle than they ever expected.

Likes/dislikes: I adore the slow burn romance. The fact that this book has very few swears is refreshing. I love Roman and Iris and enjoyed getting to know them and I also enjoyed the mystery of the letters.
Mature content: PG for kissing and implied sex, on page.
Language: PG for 5 swears and no f-words.
Violence: PG-13 for grenade explosion in battle; bleeding from chemical weapons.
Ethnicity: Falls to white and the Bed and Breakfast owner has light brown skin.

This book was so unbelievably amazing I cannot wait for the next book. The writing is incredible and the characters had my heart right from the start!!

Iris Winnow didn’t have much except for her ability to use words and her pride. Her words often flowed like honey, but she wore her pride like armor. Iris wrote for the Oath Gazette where she was in hot competition for the columnist position with a slick young man named Roman C. Kitt. She had quite a few unflattering possibilities for the middle initial, but Kitt came from money and it was always easier for him to get to work on time. They had an almost light-hearted rivalry and for some reason everyone in the office seemed to think they were an item, which was odd since Kitt was in an arranged marriage.

Iris had been writing from home in the evenings because since her brother Forest went to fight for Enva her mother had started drinking and eventually lost her job at the diner. Iris hoped to write about the war or something of inter about where Forest was to help her get the columnist job. She remembered a story about a magic wardrobe, and having no other way to write to Forest, she wrote him a letter and slipped it under the door of what was once their mutual wardrobe. She got an almost instantaneous reply, but it wasn’t from Forest. It was from a mysterious friend somewhere in Oath named Carter. They got to know each other and he helped her through some of her most difficult days, and then her mother never came home. When writing up the obituaries she found a Jane Doe that fit her mother’s description, left the office without explanation to identify the body. It was Kitt that came to her house with her coat the next day when she didn’t show up for work.

Iris quit her job at the Oath and went to The Inkridden Tribune to go to the front as a War Correspondent. She said goodbye to Carter and didn’t write to him again until she was far away from Oath and him.

This is where our story started to get very emotional, because war always is, even fantasy war if it’s written well. Rebecca Ross is either personally familiar with the ugliness of war or she did her due diligence, because she brought the sidelines and the frontlines into stark relief. Among the darkness and pain, she wove in a romance which she left hanging off a frightful cliff. This is a book you will definitely want to follow into the sequel.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ever since I was approved to read the Divine Rivals I just felt different. At first glance of the book, I was excited to dive into these pages and fall in love with whatever I was going to read. I honestly wasn't picky and just needed a world I could fall into when real life got chaotic and messy.

It's safe to say, watching Iris and Roman dance around one another was quite entertaining. Even though they were rivals going for the same job, I always thought they had a special kind of connection. Or, maybe, they were bound to form one later on. Again, it's pretty safe to assume that I absolutely fell in love with them. It's also probably easy to spot on how horrible my heart feels after reading the very last word.

In a perfect world, I would already have the next book lined up for me to read. Unfortunately, I don't but that doesn't mean I soon won't. After watching these two create a bond with magical typewriters, while also learning who they truly were with or without one another and their family members... well, it was an emotional roller coaster ride. One I would gladly take over and over again just to see these two find their person and happiness.

As for the ending, well, I 'm still torn up about what happened. I'm secretly craving, hoping, and wanting these two to be reunited and for everything to make sense again. I just want Roman and Iris to be together - that's it. Gods be damned, I will riot if this doesn't happen.

Beautiful story! I so adored how the FMC and MMC got to know each other so deeply through letters. So well done!

Divine Rivals is a book that gave me every emotion imaginable. Rebecca Ross has a beautiful, lyrical writing style and her story telling can only be described as magical. The plot was strong and I was rooting for the characters from the moment I first met them.

My rating: 3.5 stars

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross was a beautifully written, heartfelt romance set in a historical fantasy world in the midst of a war between gods.

With such gorgeously crafted prose, I would have expected the worldbuilding to be just as lush, however, that was unfortunately not the case. Maybe it’s my fault for coming into this book with such high expectations; it did win a Goodreads Choice Award after all. But while I did enjoy the story, and I can admit felt a twinge in my heart for Iris and Roman, Divine Rivals read more formulaic than I had anticipated given its hype.

I can completely see why others loved the characters and their romance so much. Their emotions leaped off the page and their chemistry was instantly apparent. Iris and Roman are meant to be, truly.

For me, however, I was so distracted looking for clues into the fantasy world their story took place in that I found myself a step disconnected from the main love story unfolding. I feel like this novel had so much potential to be amazing… and settled for being just good enough.

Look, this book did exactly what it promised. It gave its readers a rivals-to-lovers romance set in a historical fantasy world. It just didn’t give much else.

Thank you to the publisher, Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

I quite enjoyed this book! I loved the You've Got Mail vibes with the letter writing between rivals and I really came to love both our main characters. There were a few things at the end of the book that I was a little confused by but knowing it's a duology I'm not sure if I'm supposed to be confused because it will be addressed in book two or if I missed something or if something needed to be written better. I guess we'll know after I read book two! My biggest negative is the open door scene at the end of the book, that was fairly out of the blue with the rest of the book being clean, a closed door scene would have fit it much better.

I liked this but didn't love it. I don't know if it was just a bit overhyped for me with all the glowing reviews or what, but I think I missed some of what people were gushing about.

I loved the setting and the overall atmosphere, I thought Rebecca Ross did a good job creating the world and bringing the reader into it. The concept of magical typewriters was really fun and I always enjoy the hidden identity trope. I loved the way their relationship developed through the letters, but once their identities were revealed I felt like the pacing went WAY off and it totally threw me.

In general I think I liked the first half more than the second. Towards the end it felt simultaneously like not much happened but also everything was rushed.

That said, I'm intrigued by the setup for the next book and looking forward to finding out what happens!

Thank you Wednesday Books for the review copy!

This book was one of my favourites of last year. Rebecca Ross has a writing style that is immersive and enjoyable. There were so many things I liked about this novel, the characters, the backstory for the world and the ending I didn't see coming. I have been eagerly waiting for the second one. Ross has easily become an auto-buy author for me. I have loved every book that I have read by her so far.

In this story, we follow two journalists who work at the same newspaper and are competing for the same job. They become connected through letters written by enchanted typewriters. This is an enemies-to-lovers tale, and some scenes take place at the front lines of battle.

Absolutely incredible, Rebecca Ross has done it again. As an audiobook this is lovely I highly recommend.

Divine Rivals is absolutely gripping. I loved the rivalry between the characters, the enemies to lovers and that he fell first, magical typewriters and all. The end filled me with rage. If she had just listened everything the worked for wouldnt have fallen apart, and now I have to wait for the sequel.

This book was everything I needed it to be and more. Heart-pounding, gut wrenching, and all around beautiful, Ross has mastered the ability of creating a world so unlike our own and drawing the reader into it as if they are living the story alongside the characters. The gorgeous prose will have you sobbing by the end of the book for Roman and Iris.

Stunning, shockingly original, and perfect in every way, I can’t wait to see where Ross goes with Ruthless Vows at the end of the month. I loved every moment of this book and could not put it down.

I have a tendency to measure how much I love a book by whether or not I’d get a tattoo of something from the book and I can say I would definitely get one for this book. 10/5⭐️