2.75/5

Set in an England-esque land closely resembling a World War I/World War II time period complete with portable typewriters and a war with fronts, Divine Rivals sets a somewhat fantastical stage for a rivals-to-lovers romance with loads of other tropes thrown in for good measure. Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt compete for a spot on the staff of a reputable newspaper, the Oath Gazette. As the title and synopsis of the series suggest, Iris eventually makes her way to the front of the war as a correspondent. Reminiscent of the magical pen pal exchanges in The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, including the aspect where the man knows with whom he corresponds but the woman does not, the two continue to exchange letters magically while falling completely in love with one another. Unfortunately, what I expected to be a brilliant YA fantasy romance turned out to be a very busy plot with haphazard, superficial world building and no clear focus as to what kind of story this book aims for.

I feel there are many things this book tries to be, but it doesn’t quite succeed at being any or even one of them. It is simultaneously a war-time romance, pen-pal romance, supernatural-gods-and-vengeance story, Hades and Persephone retelling, and many others that are too numerous to list. To begin, the enemies-to-lovers aspect starts off strongly, but our two main characters barely have any on-page, face-to-face interactions to build tension before we see them start to exchange letters via magical means (hint: it’s not the wardrobe). They are also not technically rival journalists, but I’ll leave the details of that statement for readers to figure when they read the book. It is somewhat a fantasy, as it’s set in a different world from ours with dead gods (or asleep gods) and different names for days of the week, with tiny touches of magic here and there; but it is clearly based off of our world with a setting and time period around World War II, except the Germans don’t drop the bombs on the London-esque city (Avalon Bluff), wyverns from a Hades-type god do.

The book is relatively short, sub 400 pages, for a fantasy novel (though it is a duology, so in total, it’s probably going to be 760-800 pages). I feel there is a lot lost with Divine Rivals because of how similar the world is to ours during early 20th Century time period of the world wars. If not for the casual mentions of mythical beings and gods and 21st century practices like same-sex marriage, it would be historical fiction. I would call it fantasy-lite or fantasy-adjacent. As it is, it feels more like a puzzle was just stuck together with pieces that kinda fit and were forced together to say it was done. It may have been better to just write around 550 pages and trim down the excess to make it more polished and put together.

Divine Rivals also does not read like a YA novel (not even an upper-YA novel). The themes are very adult, corresponding to the age range of the characters, who are all 18 or older. It doesn’t fit a typical trope for YA novels, such as coming-of-age or young love.

I’m sad the past few books from Ross have just been giant disappointments for me; they just don’t feel like they’re written by the same author. This one in particular would have been better as a historical fiction because that is essentially how it reads. The magic system and world building don’t feel organic enough and act as gimmicky clutter instead, and it also derivates a bit from the author’s two previous novels, A River Enchanted and A Fire Endless, with its use of music as a magical power (complete with a magical harp player) over the conflicting gods of the narrative. Readers who are new to Ross starting with Dreams Lie Beneath or A River Enchanted will find this book fits the writing style, but those who have been reading Ross since the 2018 debut of The Queen’s Rising may have to squint a bit at the world building and plotting to find a resemblance.

My thanks to NetGalley and for the ALC and the eARC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

It was a mistake to read this– because now I have to wait OVER A YEAR FOR THE SEQUEL


Divine Royals by Rebecca Ross plays at the heartstrings and makes a perfect enemies-to-lovers trope. Iris, our main protagonist, has such a special place in my heart. Her love of writing and her determination to matter in a world which views her background first and her qualifications second sets up the stakes early in the book. Her brother goes off to war, so she writes to him in hopes that one day he will get her messages. She has the world on her shoulders, and mr. Roman C. Kitt does not help. When he first meets her, he holds prejudice, as he is an aristocrat and she is from the lower rungs of society. At first I got Narnia vibes because the way Iris sends her letters is through her wardrobe, and the man who mysteriously starts to respond to her does the same. Especially because this is set around the time of World War 1 (as I am assuming due to the fashion, technology, and the stakes that are discussed in the book). With impending war against the gods, Iris wants to be more. I was on the edge of my seat with this book, and I would recommend that when it comes out April 4th, that you reserve Divine Rivals, whether from your local library, bookstore, or a friend.

***spoilers ahead***

I loved the “logic” behind how the letters traveled. I love a logical magical system– I know, a little oxymoronic, right? But there is something about making magic realistic that makes it all the more fun to read. Having not only this generational understanding of Iris and Roman, but also a neutral conversation through anonymous pen pals breaking down the barriers of class and rivalry. I do think it is interesting that he knew who she was the whole time, because realistically, he is the one who needs to “change” his mindset– it makes me wonder if there is a dual-protogranoist motion between them. We start with Iris first, so we are lead to believe she is the protagonist– she definitely has a lot more stakes in the sense that her brother is off at war, she is dealing with a now alcoholic mother, and knows that she cannot use any of this information at work because people will say that she is trying to find excuses. Her no point of return was when her mother died, the last tie to Oath, especially after she lost the competition.

However, I believe Roman also has a protagonist role because we see his perspective, his stakes. We see that he has sacrificed, that he has extreme guilt over the loss of his younger sister, and that his father holds his future above his head. He has to grow and understand himself, understand his wants and desires. His turning point was no longer having the comfort and security of Iris being near him, even if she isn’t a fan of him yet.

I do think Ross keeps it a slow burn– it is almost three quarters through the book before they kiss.

My only qualm with the book is that I don’t really understand how the gods play a role (besides the obvious war). What do the other gods do? There are five gods, but we only really hear about Enva and Dacre and their turmoil. I am curious about how the rest of them play a role, and I hope that in the sequel we get a little more nuance, as because Roman has been taken to the underworld, I’m expecting some of his chapters to be set there.
Ross has a way of storytelling that makes the fantastical real, and with beautiful imagery, I felt like I was there in Oath, I was there in the east, the trenches, and more. I am already recommending this book to others and I am hoping that you will pick this book up as well, if only to share in my pain of having to wait for over a year!

This was so much better than I was expecting. It was my first book by Rebecca Ross and it certainly did not disappoint. I loved it. So much emotion and heart. Cannot wait for the sequel cus that ending..... ugh. Definitely recommend this o e.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for a chance to read the eArc.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!
"A girl who writes letters to her missing brother, and the boy who reads them."
Divine Rivals follows Iris Winnow in a world where the Gods are at war. Her brother has just left to fight and Iris is working towards getting a promotion at the Oath Gazette if her workplace rival Roman Kitt does not get it first. It has been months since her brother left and she has not heard from him but she continues to send him letters that magically vanish from her wardrobe door. Iris believes the letters go to her brother but they fall into the hands of none other than Roman Kitt. When Iris is drawn to the front lines as a war correspondent, she continues to correspond with her anonymous friend but it is difficult to find hope and love at the front.
Divine Rivals is a novel I was highly anticipating after hearing raving reviews from some of my favorite YA authors. It is my first Rebecca Ross book and it certainly won't be my last. I absolutely loved this book! I was invested from start to finish crying and smiling the whole way through. From the beginning, I felt so connected to the characters and so immersed in their world. I loved that Roman got a POV and I hope to see more from him in the sequel since his POV was less frequent toward the end. I feel like I got to know Iris and Roman so well and I am very invested in them as a couple and individually. It never felt like the author was telling us about these characters, it felt like they were telling us themselves. The writing was so beautifully done in this book. I already described its effect on the characters but it truly immersed me in the world. I could picture everything so clearly and even after finishing the book I still feel so connected to the world. I will say this book does not end perfectly and you will be wishing for the sequel to come sooner. I have already preordered a copy of Divine Rivals because I loved it and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Truly and honestly, if I loved this book less, I might be able to talk about it more. But I don't wish for that. I was hesitant to have such high expectations for Divine Rivals because it is my favorite trope in my favorite genre because the disappointment might be more than I could bear, but I am so glad I did because this book deserves all the praise and more. The book's magic felt whimsical at times but set amidst a war, it teetered between light and devastating all at once. Two rival journalists find themselves through a magical connection when Iris sends letters to her brother at war, only to have them received by her charming and handsome—but utterly annoying, of course—work rival, unbeknownst to her. The rivalry between Iris and Roman felt authentic, which has been thoroughly lacking in other rivals to lovers stories. I felt their tenacity and drive, but also the way they were drawn to one another. They both had faults but it made sense for their characters, which were real and made me ache in every possible way. The plot was moving, never feeling like there was a dull moment as it always felt like it was inching towards the finale, and it was, and it absolutely paid off. I cannot believe I have to wait until who knows when for the second book. I cannot stop thinking about it and honestly, I don't know if I want to. This book is incredible, and it is absolutely the rivals to lovers book of my dreams.

don't know if maybe I simply haven't happened about WWI-era/1910s fantasy, but this is the first fantasy book I've read set in the 1910s and I liked it? To be clear, this book is not set in OUR world, but the setting mirrors the 1910s in terms of technology, fashion, etc... and the war happening isn't WWI, but it is reminiscent of it.

I will mention I was very confused at the beginning. I didn't quite notice the fantasy elements right away. HOWEVER, the world-building was done in a caring, gradual way, rather than a heavy dump of information. I liked how the mythology was revealed, and I like how the mythology itself was structured (won't go into the details for spoilery reasons). Even to the end you still receive more and more.

As for general experience, this book was a roller coaster despite not really being that long. The ending murdered me where I stood. I am not emotionally well. And now I have to wait extra long for that wound to heal. How DARE you??? I teared up, a lot. So much talk of grief and healing and being whole.

Also Roman C. Kitt? He has my heart. Another addition to the long list of book boyfriends.

I'm a big Rebecca Ross fan and her latest book, Divine Rivals, is right up my alley. Historical fantasy is one of my favorite genres and while this was an entirely fictional world, it had WWI vibes with magic that I really loved.

Things I Likes
Upper YA - the themes in this one were definitely for a more mature YA reader
The letters - I loved that this book is told from the POV of the letters exchanged
Dual POVs

There's nothing I didn't love about this book except perhaps the devastation caused by the ending. I can't wait to read the sequel and this is easily my favorite Rebecca Ross book to date.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would like to thank the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for the ARC of this book. I read an advanced copy of this book, so the final edition of the book might be slightly different. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I read Ross’s The Queen’s Rising back in 2018, and utterly adored it. I was so excited to finally get back to Ross’s writing after so long (I’ve bought every single release since The Queen’s Rising, but foolishly kept putting them off!). This seemed like the perfect book to finally get back to her writing, with the combination of knowing it was an author I’d loved a book from before and an extremely intriguing synopsis.

This book is honestly beautiful. It’s a story about love and war, with so many dark moments and heartbreaking realizations, but with a constant core of hope and light shining from within. It’s such a comforting book in a way, as it feels like a reminder that no matter how dark the world seems to be, and how much you may have lost, there’s also something to reach for and strive for, and there’s always love. It’s a book that reminds you to find the beauty in the heartbreak, without actually trying to dismiss the existence of that heartbreak, and shows characters learning to be happy even with their sorrow.

A story like this is always a tough burden to bear for a writer, as it’s something that can so easily fail if something in the story doesn’t work. The characters have to be strong enough to feel the whole spectrum of emotion, and have to be able to connect with the reader in order to pass on the emotions. The world has to somehow be dark enough to inspire great depths of sadness and pain, yet still have a string of light to follow back out of those depths. And on top of all that, the writing needs to be able to properly convey all of it, without losing any of the meaning in muddled sentences or too dense descriptions. Somehow, Ross has managed all of this all at once, and she managed to capture my entire soul in this book so quickly. From only a few pages in, I was feeling it. I was feeling the weight of Iris’s fear and her responsibilities, I could feel myself being crushed by the expectations that Roman was bowing to, and that was somehow only the beginning of everything. The book just kept becoming more and more and more, until suddenly my head was all full of Iris and Roman and Roman and Iris. It was just, wonderful, and I already miss being in this book so much.

I cannot recommend this book enough, for so many reasons, and I can’t wait for the world to finally experience what I did, and see why I loved this book as much as I did. (Though at the same time, I almost want to selfishly keep it to myself, a secret just for me).

Review will be live on my blog on January 27

I really liked this book. Imagine a world where Gods exist and are waging a war, and human soldiers also fight. Imagine that this takes place around the early 1900's, where women are still considered second class citizens and have difficulty getting jobs and promotions.

Winnow is a young woman whose mother didn't take the death of her husband well and is emotionally unstable. Her mother lives with her sister and her family, and Winnow has a small apartment. Her brother went off to fight in the war, and is missing. She is working at a newspaper where the pay is not really enough to support her, since she also contributes to her mother's upkeep. She is a typist, and is occasionally allowed to write a woman-centric article. She is so lonely and afraid that she writes notes to her brother, and slips them under the connecting door to the empty apartment next door.

To her shock, her letters disappear, and she receives replies, but not from her brother. Her anonymous pen pal is one of the bright spots in her life. She needs that bright spot since she works next to an obnoxious young man from an aristocratic family. The two of them are rivals in a contest at the newspaper for best article. Winnow predictably loses, and volunteers for the war effort hoping to find her missing brother. She meets someone at the front that she didn't expect to see.

I enjoyed this unique story immensely. I received an e-ARC from the publisher St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

I’m not going to lie, I did a happy dance when I saw the e-arc arrive for Divine Rivals! I am a huge Rebecca Ross fan, so I had a feeling going in to this book that I would love it. Spoiler alert: I did!

This was so different from Rebecca Ross’ other fantasy novels, but no less brilliant! It leaned more towards historical fiction than fantasy, but still with some fantasy elements that kept me intrigued. I’m not a big historical fiction fan, but I loved this book!

As with her other novels, this book was so beautifully written. Rebecca has such a unique writing style that I find captivating. Each line flows lyrically to the next in such a way that you can’t help but to compulsively read her books. There’s just a magical quality to her prose that always hooks me. I cannot wait to reread this again when the books officially comes out and am (not so) patiently waiting for book 2!

So many thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an advance reader of this book in exchange for a review!
I would give this book 4.5 stars out of 5. This book was such a good surprise! I loved the Elements of Cadence duology by Rebecca Ross, and she is becoming an auto buy author for me. Her writing is so good and makes you really feel for the characters. Divine Rivals is a young adult historical fiction fantasy/ romance. I haven’t read anything like it before!

The setting was in the early 1900s, where a war is brewing between Enva a Skyward goddess, and Dacre a formerly defeated Underling god. We meet Iris, an 18 year old newspaper writer and one of her coworker writers Roman. They do not get along to say the least, with lots of snarky banter between them. However, there is a magical link between two typewriters where both Iris and Roman are able to send letters to each other. They fall in love with each other through the letters without fully communicating who they are. There are lots of twists and turns along the way with the war getting worse. The ending is a total cliffhanger! I’m so glad there will be a sequel, but it can’t come fast enough! We need so many answers!

I probably would give it 5 stars, but honestly find it so hard when my last book was A Court of Mist and Fury! Such high standards! I would very much recommend this book! It will officially release on April 4.
Be aware of trigger warnings- alcoholism, war, death of family member, some violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this e-ARC!

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH.

Rebecca Ross has to be my new favorite author of this year (even though it's early still).
First off the writing style is perfect not too flowery easy to understand but beautiful at the same time.
Emotions are wonderfully written.

IRIS has so much depth to her and I love her so much.
I loved Roman and Iris from the start but I know other reviewers didn't. I promise you will grow to love them by the end. Rebecca Ross just has a way.

The lore and history of this world is so fascinating to me. It's faint and there is quite a bit of historical fiction elements but it's interesting. I wish we did get more history behind the gods and the conflict aspect but I think that is just something that Ross might grow upon in the next book(s).
I cannot wait for the next book!

There are a few trigger warnings: Grief, Alcoholism, War, Trauma, Guilt.

Iris Winnow and Kitt Roman are competing for a journalist position at their local newspaper while a war between two ancient gods rages not so far away. With her brother off to fight in the war and her mother struggling with drinking and unemployment, Iris uses her grandmother’s typewriter to pen unsent letters expressing what she’s feeling. Unbeknownst to Iris, her letters do reach another’s eyes – those of Kitt Roman. They start to write back and forth and forge a connection, but Kitt does not identify himself.

In an effort to find her brother who is missing on the front lines, Iris becomes a war correspondent for a rival newspaper. While on assignment, she maintains contact with her mysterious pen pal, forms friendships, and sees what life on the front line is like firsthand. Will the relationships she’s created be strong enough to overcome the battle that is coming?

The first novel I read by this author was “A River Enchanted”, and I was so excited to be able to read this ARC knowing how much I enjoyed that book. Ross’s writing is imaginative, inclusive, relatable, and captivating. I’m looking forward to exploring this world she has created in upcoming publications!

In the beginning of this novel, I was in love with it. It had me fangirling and crying. It was slotting itself as a new favorite. That feeling continued until the ending, where many of the plotlines were left unfinished and new information was throw at us, waiting for the sequel to pick back up.

This is the story of Iris, a newbie reporter. She misses her older brother, who has left to fight in a gods' war. She tries to send him letters, but they get magically rerouted to Roman Kitt, her coworker and rival. Through letters, they start falling in love and inspiring each other to be brave and face the war.

The strength in this novel lies in the emotion. The author knows how to tug at your heartstrings, and does it with the delicacy of plucking a harp. The resulting music is astounding. Through poetic letters and shared sandwiches, it is a delight to watch this couple. The dance that is played around the anonymous letters is perfectly paced and squeal-worthy.

I loved all of the characters in this book. I was especially rooting for Iris, who is always strong -- even when she's breaking apart. Her journey in this book of finding strength and conviction is beautiful. Roman, likewise, is done nearly perfectly. He gets his own journey of finding independence and joy.

The weakness of this novel lies in the unbalance between the two narrators. In the beginning of the novel, their two perspectives trade off frequently. Both of their plotlines are rich and important, and it's the dual perspective that really makes the relationship shine. However, in the middle those chapters with Roman dry up, becoming less frequent and relevant. Roman is still present and active in the story, but we never get that obvious angst and activity from his words. It's such wasted potential that it makes me want to cry.

Then we have the ending, which I feel mixed on. We got just enough conclusion for it to be an End, but the novel is much too preoccupied with its sequel that it neglects our protagonists making decisions to cap off (and celebrate in) their own quests and arcs.

A video review including this book will be on my Youtube channel in the coming weeks, at https://www.youtube.com/chloefrizzle

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.

My heart! What have you done to me?

The brilliant Rebecca Ross has crafted a tale so lyrical and beautiful it left me in tears.

Divine Rivals is Young Adult, Historical/Romantic Fantasy based in a World War II setting, albeit instead of allies and axis, it is warring gods. Our main character is Iris, an eighteen-year-old woman whose brother went off to war, leaving her alone with her mother, who, in his absence, has fallen into addiction.

Iris is a reporter, and after tragedy strikes, she uproots her current life and chases the story that is the war, hoping to track down her brother.

She soon discovers that the typewriter she uses to type her reports is enchanted; a part of a set that connects the writers who type on it. Unbeknownst to her, Iris ends up making herself vulnerable and opening up to the person with the other typewriter… her rival from the newspaper.

Divine Rivals has the following tropes:

- Rivals to Lovers
- Slow Burn
- Nostalgia
- Angst and Pining
- Hate to Love
- Forced Proximity
- Myths
- Found Family
- Epistolary and Prose Setting
- Love Letters
- Journalism
- Spice
- Hurt/Comfort

Divine Rivals is a lyrical and poetic masterpiece! Ross is a phenomenal, gifted writer whose words pour off the page and into your soul.

Iris and Carver’s romance is set against a solemn and heart-wrenching backdrop that is grief, war, and uncertainty. There are no guarantees they will live to see tomorrow; Iris and Carver live each day making the most of what they have.

Honestly, I didn't know how much I would love this story. Historical fiction has never taken up a significant amount of the novels I read, so I went into Divine Rivals with caution.

From the synopsis, I knew this was going to be a hit or a miss. Divine Rivals had the potential to break me down and put me back together. However, it might leave me utterly disappointed by what could have been.

I can say with glee that Divine Rivals swept past my wildest imaginations and turned my hopes into a reality more promising than truth.

That cliffhanger! No matter the reader, no one will anticipate just how hard it hits. The sequel, releasing in 2024, can not get here soon enough!

You need to add Divine Rivals to your tbr!

Divine Rivals is an unexpected, glistening mirror ball in a world filled with shades of black and white.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

My favorite Rebecca Ross title yet! This romance is super swoony and I love the world building and wartime location. The writing is stunning too.

This book was SO GOOD, I don't even know where to start 😭

It's a workplace-rivals irl, but magical besties (this fantasy world's version of online) - their snarky banter irl and their vulnerable conversations "online" are the absolute best. I'm so in love with both the MCs.

The actual plot itself was fascinating, and some of the twists at the end - well I'm still crying about them. Like, I need book two right away 💔

And well finally, I really liked the <i>writing</i> in this book. I don't have the words to sufficiently describe it, but I loved the way the book was written, it was really comforting and melancholic and interesting.

To anyone who read this book, feel free to message me because I need to SCREAM about that ending 😭

--- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Rebecca Ross is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The way she writes about grief in this book is so uplifting. It gives the space that grief deserves, but also leaves so much space for hope. and that is so important. This story was absolutely beautiful. Focusing on two people connecting to one another through letters that span the time during war. I loved how the characters introduced themselves to you organically through their own words and because of that you were able to relate to them more naturally. You got to see all their wonderful characteristics and their flaws. The story has mild fantasy elements, but reads more like a historical fiction. Overall, the writing sells this book itself. Rebecca’s way with words is simply breathtaking and I can’t wait to read more!

This book made my lil journalist heart sing and solidified Rebecca Ross as an auto-buy author for me.

Divine Rivals reads like a historical fiction set during WWI or WWII, but the setting is entirely fictional. This creates a very unique experience where it was slightly easier for me to imagine the world and setting because it was a little more realistic, but the story maintained a sense of fantasy which I really appreciated.

Read Divine Rivals for:
- Rivals to Lovers
- Secret penpals
- 20th century newsroom vibes
- Vengeful gods

---- 5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

If you loved previous books by Rebecca Ross you will love this first book of a duology. Her writing is exquisite.