Rebecca Ross just does not miss! I was looking for something similar to The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy when I remembered I was approved for this e-arc and boy did it delivery!

Rebecca is one of those fantasy authors that deserves to be on the same pedestal as SJM, Leigh Bardugo, Sabaa Tahir, VE Schwab, etc because she is AMAZING.

Divine Rivals was written so beautifully that I imagined this story so so perfectly in my mind like a movie was playing out. The characters were beautifully fleshed out. We were given just enough world building to not confuse the reader & still enjoy the story and where it is headed.

I emotionally connected with each character, even the side characters we didn’t see as much because Rebecca has a way of bringing their voice and personality to life in almost no time.

I was able to predict parts of the plot but the ending just..:ugh! Blew me away and I am so so mad about how Rebecca is going to put us in for a LOAD of pain in the sequel, I can just feel it.

If this book isn’t the next big YA hit I will be fully surprised!

All of Rebecca Ross's books have incredibly immersive world building, and DIVINE RIVALS was no exception. From the first page, I was drawn into the 1910s-esque world, from the city of Oath to the countryside to the literal trenches of a war between two gods and their armies. And the characters -- I loved them and my heart ached for all of them. I especially loved how much Iris and Attie and Marisol all came to care for each other, forming their own family and looking out for each other. I was so worried about them -- and Roman! -- sometimes that it stressed me out, but on the other hand, the fact that I cared that much about the characters is another point in the book's favor.

Content-wise, there's some war violence (not graphic) and non-explicit romantic content. This book does read a little older to me, so it might be better placed in a high school. The war setting and the development of the romance reminded me a lot of Allison Saft's DOWN COMES THE NIGHT.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an ARC for my review.

I really enjoyed the authors voice in this book. I wasn't over done. It felt very normal with a nice flow. I immediately fell into the rhythm of this book and couldn't put it down. I had to finish it in one sitting. And I did just that. The female lead was no over powered or just a damsel in distress either. She was compassionate, strong willed, and dealt with her grief. The male lead was very likeable as well. He seemed dreamy yet not attainable. I really enjoyed the plot with the Gods at war and also side characters she meets.

What a magical mash up. The Shop Around the Corner meets WWI with gods and magic.
I generally stay away from the word lyrical when describing prose, because it usually means overwritten, but in this case I will make an exception. So many exquisite turns of phrase without feeling like the author is trying to get the most of her thesaurus or being pretentious. Just beautiful.

Highly recommended, though that end...I am going to need book 2 sooner rather than later.

This was a nice little romantasy enemies-to-lovers novel set in a world that’s not exactly our world but close enough that it feels easily accessible. The two main characters are evocative with very relatable motivations, and their journey from “I fucking hate this person” to “I am in love with this person” is subtle and nuanced in a really lovely way. Their relationship is at times infuriating and at times super sweet and pure, threaded throughout with the kind of snark that I absolutely love.

The world building is a little slow to reveal some larger aspects of how the world functions, but the way the mythology of the world is set up and revealed is pretty clever.

I’m writing this review 2 days after finishing this book and I’m still thinking about it; still thinking about the characters and the situation in which they found themselves at the end of the book. A great setup for a book 2 which I will 100% be reading. I simply want more, and I want it now! Not to say I’m unsatisfied with the end, because I saw that cliffhanger coming, but dang if it doesn’t still hurt.

I’m giving this one a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Any book that makes me want to auto-buy the next in the series is a keeper.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

ID: The background is a close up of an antique typewriter keyboard. The foreground is a Kindle e-reader showing the cover of Divine Rivals.

Divine Rivals is easily one of my favorite books I’ve read this year! It gave me Lovely War vibes but so much better. I was immediately captivated by the relationship between Roman and Iris and how it evolved through letters. I stayed invested in both the plot and the romance through the whole book. And that ending! I can’t believe I’ve got to wait until 2024 to find out what happens. This read like historical fiction with some fantasy elements but quite unique in its execution. I think this might be my favorite book from the author to date. What a fantastic and distinct addition to the YA genre.

“It’s not a crime to feel joy, even when things seem hopeless.”

Divine Rivals is a masterpiece of a novel, full of heartache and relentless hope!

In a time of gods and men we meet Iris Winnow, seeing her dear brother off to fight in a war between gods Decre and Enva. Suddenly the sole caretaker of a heartbroken and sick mother, her job at the local newspaper the only source of income to provide for herself and her mother's drinking habits. Enter fellow writer Roman Kitt, Iris’s co-worker and sworn enemy. Sparks fly between them from the start, in a current battle of who will be lead writer at the Oath Gazette.

The real magic happens when Iris, who has been writing letters to her brother for months by slipping them under the door of her closet. Never having received a reply, now finds a letter slipped from the other side. But it’s mystery author is not her dear brother…

Rebecca Ross has yet again woven a tale with such inviting prose and mythic themes that are absolutely beautiful to behold. I loved the parallels, whether on purpose or not, of Enva & Decre and Hades & Persephone. But the story of Iris and Roman stole my heart. All the hardships they face both alone and together just made me root for them even more. The slow realization of knowing the other was an absolutely stunning thing to see. **spoilers** this is the You’ve Got Mail for all the fantasy girlies! **spoilers** Roman Kitt is yet another book boyfriend to I’ll be adding to my collection ;)

This is truly a story of love and hope persevering in a time of darkness and heartbreak- and it’s not over yet. The ending had me on the edge of my seat the entire time and I cannot wait for the next book, is it 2024 yet??

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent story. Engaging. This better have a sequel !!!! The ending leaves you wanting to know what happens next !

I am gutted that this book won't be out until next April, because I desperately need the sequel. Right now.

This could have been just another historical retelling or alternate history (World War I, now with 200% more deities!) However, it's really so much more. The backdrop of the war between Enva and Dacre is an interesting twist on Persephone and Hades, the twist being that Persephone books it out of Hades' realm and then declares war. Good girl. Ross doesn't shy away from the visceral horrors of war, but contrasts it with the most romantic love story I've read in a good while. It's wholesome and uplifting and made me cry. I was particularly delighted that the romance didn't drag out across the whole series. Iris and Roman getting married was really lovely and brings an extra dimension to what I assume will be Roman's possession by Dacre.

Absolutely perfect. Ten stars.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross was a marvelous fantasy tale.

This book was fantastic. It deserves every star it got.
I am so excited to read more from Rebecca Ross.
This author is so talented. Her writing is beautiful and captivating.
The world Ross created was phenomenal... Only word I can think of. Just phenomenal.
She created an intricate, magical, atmospheric story surrounded by rich characters that you do not want to leave behind. It is so stunning and it draws you in at once.
I was completely captivated by this book the moment I started reading it.
I literally did not put it down until the very end.

And I'm looking forward to seeing what you create next. Because after reading this book I need more of you.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Wednesday Books,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

I know everyone says this about their favorite authors, but I really would read Rebecca Ross’ grocery list. What is fueling that mind of hers? After reading and loving A River Enchanted earlier this year when it was a BOTM pick, I binge read her whole bibliography with the exception of just one book I still need to get to. The woman knows how to write! She has such a captivating, lyrical style that always gets my emotions flowing.


Divine Rivals is unlike anything I’ve read before. It comes war fiction, fantasy, and romance together so seamlessly and I found this unique story fascinating. The war is between two rival Gods that are recruiting a lot of soldiers against their well, with others joining in to protect their towns and loved ones. One of the gods, Dacre, gave me serious Hades vibes. The story opens with the main character, Iris, saying goodbye to her brother as he heads of to war, only to never hear from him again. Iris gets a job as a journalist in competition for a job with a impeccably dressed man named Roman who is quickly becomes her rival. Desperate to speak to her brother, Iris writes letter after letter to him on a typewriter given to her from her grandmother that magically sends letters off into oblivion. One night she receives a letter back that says “This isn’t Forest.” The romance has a great “You’ve got Mail” feel.

Just such a good book! I found the pacing in the middle of the book to be a bit slow for me and the last 20% was really fast-paced. I wish the last 20% was fleshed out more because it was easily my favorite part of the book. The wait for the next book is going to be brutal after that ending! Highly recommend if you think the combination of Historical Fiction and Fantasy sounds appealing.

4.5 ⭐️

What a strange, lovely book.

Admittedly, I never quite jived with Rebecca Ross's writing in the past. The Queen's Rising series was beautifully written, like a cathedral stained glass window. The plot and characterization was plain in comparison. After Divine Rivals, consider me a Ross convert.

Did I truly understand what was happening in this WW1/WW2 alternate universe? Absolutely not. But did I still eat up every morsel? Undoubtedly. This is my main qualm with this book- the circumstances and logistics surrounding the war between Enva and Dacre, and how the human world is organized. The relationship between Iris and Roman and the development of the world are more than enough to redeem the oblique insight on the gods' war. But I just can't see what the gods' war adds to the story. This would almost work better if it were a magical realism historical fiction- set it in 1910s, keep the magical typewriters, get rid of all the other fantasy elements. Alas, the gods' war elements will stay, and Ross needs to add significant development to this weak link.

This is a slow-burn, the plotting steady and cracking like a dying wick. It takes its time, but the story marches ever onward. The last 1/3 of the book felt a bit haphazard; clearly, parts 1 and 2 were more finely tuned and refined. Part 3 was a 4 star read, but parts 1 and 2 were full-on 5 stars.

Ross's prose are decadent, as always. I'm a sucker for purple prose, as I'm always captivated by shiny things. Sometimes, these golden words hide the muddy plot and characterization underneath, as it does in Ross's Queen's Rising series. But in Divine Rivals, the words reflect the thoughtful, sweeping, romantic tale underneath. Far and away, one of my top reads to start 2023.

WW1 setting. Two gods at war, enlisting humans to serve as their foot soldiers. A brother gone to fight for the cause. A sister missing him and not hearing from him on the field while her mother spirals into drunken depression. She gets hired as a journalist but has to compete for the spot with a rival colleague. Magic buildings/rooms, and enchanted objects. Enemies to lovers, and whirlwind romance.

This book gave me all of the feelings! I unexpectedly loved the journalists on the front lines historical fiction vibes it gave off despite not being drawn to this time period generally. I loved the rivalry. The romance had me rooting for them, swooning, and my heart being torn open. My heart is in agony and anxiety right now.

I don't know what I'm going to do with myself until the sequel arrives!

Contains inexplicit sexual content.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for sending me a free ARC to review through Netgalley!

This is the epistolary novel I've been waiting for! It has everything I love: lush gorgeous prose, rivals to lovers, an unstoppable heroine, (typewriters!) and a fascinating World War I inspired fantasy realm. This was a wondrous, magical book, crafted by one of my new favorite storytellers. I adored getting swept away in these pages––read this, read this, read this!

My mind is still reeling from the ending of this book, so bear with me as I try to formulate my thoughts.

Ross captured my heart with her debut adult novel, A River Enchanted. After seeing the blurbs for her newest book, I was really excited to get an ARC and dive in. There are very levels to the plot of this book, the foremost being this: “A girl who writes letters to her missing brother, and the boy who reads them.” However, on a much broader scale, we have a war between gods that draws humanity in. The world-building was unique, and unfortunately I don’t think I totally got used to it. It’s almost a historical British setting: we have electricity, regular jobs, etc. However, it’s juxtaposed by a magical realism aspect in that there are several gods and two of which are at war. Enter a world we’re mystical creatures exist side by side with science. Kitt and Winnow are also in possession of magical typewriters. While readers get some backstory into why the gods are warring, it still didn’t feel natural to the story. It could have easily (in my opinion) just be a regular war between two countries or rulers. I do think that the second book will explore this fantasy aspect more, which I look forward to reading about.

The crowning jewel of this book is truly the romance. Ross has a way of writing romance that smolders. It oftentimes looks like friendship, but there’s an intensity to it that makes your heart melt. This is an enemies to friends to lovers book, so readers get all the good parts from each trope. There’s the banter of enemies (really rivals in this case), and there’s also the loyalty and support of friends. I adored Kitt and Winnow so much, and I hope you all will as well.

I’ll finish this review with my favorite quote from the book:
“I am coming to love him, in two different ways. Face to face, and word to word.”

⭐️4.5/5 stars.
Rebecca Ross is becoming one of my instant-buys. Her writing so enchanting, beautifully weaving these scenes that you can get lost in. And this book reiterates that.
If you love like those period dramas on PBS Masterpiece/BBC, especially like WWI period dramas, I think you’ll enjoy this. But there’s a twist: this is like an alternate universe version of the world reminiscent of World War I, but make it fantasy. The war in this story has the country divided due to the influence of two gods believed to be gone. (Also, once again, I absolutely adore the mythology she builds to lie under the plot) Like one of our main characters is capable of magically sending letters through her wardrobe. However, the focus of this story is this beautiful relationship developing between two work rivals. I have no words to describe how much I loved this romantic plot line. It was so god damn cute.
The only reason why I didn’t give it five stars was because I didn’t love the last like 25% of the book. It was good, there was nothing truly wrong with it, it just wasn’t as good as the first 75%. However, that should definitely not deter you from reading this book because it is truly amazing and spellbinding. Like I couldn’t put it down. I definitely recommend reading this book.
Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for providing the ARC for my honest review.

It took me a bit to get invested in this story but once I did, I did NOT want to put it down! The main character, Iris, has so many struggles in her life and when she is just doesn't know what else to do, she decides to become a war correspondent and also see if she can find her missing brother. The characters are lovable, and I am invested in this series now. I am looking forward to what comes next!! I think there is so much more to tell about the Gods and the war!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Ross, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this arc!

This had me on edge towards the end - until I realised this was going to have another book…thank god. I had so much stress reading this but in the best way possible. I was anxious but the romance and these characters were both so beautifully and intricately written. I’m so glad I picked this up!

Man. I don’t normally read YA, and I don’t normally like books about angsty teens. But damn, this book.

Somehow part a dark Harry Potter book, some part fantasy, some part you’ve got mail and yet an entirely unique book. Anxiously await the sequel.

Synopsis:

Iris’ life isn’t working out how it’s supposed to, ever since her brother went off to fight the war among gods. Her dream job at a newspaper is slipping through her fingers to her nemesis Kitt and she only has herself to blame. To distract herself, she’s been writing letters to her brother and sending them off into the abyss until one night someone answers her. When tragedy tests what she’s made of, will Iris rise to her potential?

Arc provide in exchange for an honest review.

I must say I did not go into this book expecting to have my heart ripped out of my chest but look what happened. This book was superb and made me smile, gasp, and nearly start crying. It was lovely for that and I really appreciated it.

The characters were super intense and dynamic and I found myself rooting for them almost instantly. Characters that are not committed to a cause but are instead committed to people continue to rip my heart out every day and I love them for it. They had conflicting motivations and inner conflicts. The only thing I would have wished is that they had more hobbies (or even just one hobby) besides writing. However they were very well done and I loved it.

I also want to note that this book had a rivals to lovers plot that actually worked. I was so happy with this, as quite a few rivals to lovers (and enemies to lovers) plots have the “he’s just mean to you because he likes you” and a very fast way to actually I love you. However this book had a slow getting to know you process and worked really well for that. I enjoyed reading them getting to know each other and connecting and just having a great time. It was super nice to read and laugh with the characters and connect with them.

And the plot with the war and journalism was really well done too I think. I enjoyed how both characters could explore the conflict and see why it was so bad, without actually being in the conflict themselves (directly). From family relations like Iris to having a morality conflict like Ronan, it was just so nice to see them interact with the war in a way that wasn’t by directly fighting.

The letters that were exchanged in this book were so fun and I thought quite realistic. As someone who is writing letters to a friend during my exchange year, I can confirm that people get more emotional when writing letters. So I thought the baring of ones heart was realistic and very fun to read.

The style and flow of the book was also superb. The letters were well written and the entire book was well-written and it felt like I was being dragged into the book and experiencing the setting with the characters. That was really nice and I was just completely impressed with it all.

Once again I got writing style envy, but what else is new.

The relationships drew me in and not just the romantic ones. Iris and her brother Forest, away at the war, and Iris and her alcoholic mother and mean boss, and Ronan with his family and betrothed and Nan and not really family. It was so interesting.

However I would warn you, this book is a series and the first book does end on a (slight of) cliffhanger. So if you’re not into that, then wait until the sequel is coming out before purchasing. I know I am anxiously awaiting the sequel.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this book. All of the relationships were so heartfelt and the plot was incredibly interesting. I can’t wait to read the sequel.