I love love this book! I went through big feelings reading through the story. A lot of heartache for Iris. Iris and Roman’s story is both romantic and heartbreaking. Rebecca’s storytelling was very fluid. Story’s plot is unique. I was gripped by Iris and Roman’s journey as well as the subplots.

If you have ever wondered what true magic feels like, pick up Divine Rivals. Rebecca Ross’s writing is enchanting and unlike anything you have ever read, trust me. Ross’s prose is like a river; each word flows together seamlessly. You’ll find yourself completely absorbed by Iris and Roman.

Divine Rivals is the story of Iris and Roman, two journalists competing for the same full-time columnist position at the Gazette newspaper. Iris is compassionate and brave. She longs to make an impact on the world through her words. However, her home life has steadily declined in the last six months. Her brother, Forest, enlisted to fight in the war between the gods. As a result of his leaving, their mother copes by drowning herself in alcohol. The only bright spot in Iris’s life is her writing. Roman Kitt, our other protagonist, is the bane of Iris’s existence. He appears to be everything Iris is not, rich and carefree. Naturally, Iris loves to mess with him daily. However, there is more than what meets the eye with Roman Kitt. I think you will all love him just as much as I do.

Divine Rivals is a beautiful, lyrical, heart-wrenching story that will leave a lasting impression on you. This story immediately captured my heart. Ross’s ability to make you feel is unlike any other. She encapsulates so much emotion in the pages of each of her books.

First, thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc of Divine Rivals in exchange for my honest feedback!

This book was so interesting! I wasn’t completely sold it for probably the first 30-40% of it but once I got past that I finished in a day.

The premise of this book is so unique. Enchanted typewriters that can send messages between writers. An ongoing war between two rival Gods. A brother who hasn’t been heard from since he joined the war effort. The sister left behind who feels like she’s losing everyone she loves.

At the very heart of this novel is a love story that gave me very strong ‘You’ve got mail’ vibes. The relationship between Iris and Roman grows in so many ways during this book and I loved it. Their letters to each other were my favorite part of the book.

What didn’t seem to work for me was what seemed like the clash of two worlds. For most of the book it reads like a historical novel and it feels like Iris is about to join the WWI trenches as a journalist. The war is such a distant part of the book that the fantasy element for this one seemed lacking, aside from the enchanted typewriters.

I did find myself really enjoying this book and am planning on picking up the next one when it comes out!

Thanks again to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press!

Divine Rivals was the first book I read from Rebecca Ross, but it certainly won’t be the last. I loved the way she entwined mythology and hints of magic to create a wonderful backstory for an otherwise ordinary world.

Ross’ writing was lyrical, and the plot kept me spellbound. My only critique here was that I wasn’t fully content with the middle portion of this book. It was well done, but some of the knight-in-shining-armor character interactions made me roll my eyes, and the love interest was a little too perfect and clichéd for my taste. Normally it wouldn’t bother me as much, but when the beginning and end are so perfect, the middle has a lot to live up to.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to go read all of Rebecca Ross’s other books immediately.

I received a digital Advance Reader’s Copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
4.5/5 stars.

Well I’m a mess now. I’ve loved Rebecca Ross’s books since The Queen’s Rising but somehow I keep thinking I’ve found my favorite and then it gets one-upped by whatever she writes next. Divine Rivals is no exception.
It quite possibly might be the most creative (and my favorite) take on “The Shop Around The Corner”/“You’ve Got Mail” that I’ve ever read and it’s fantastic. Add in a war of the gods and letters sent through a wardrobe and I’m absolutely hooked. 10/10 recommend. Now I need to go have a cry and wait impatiently for the sequel. Because it’s just that good.

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own and a review was not required.

This story has the same effect as seeing a glimmer of light whilst being held in a space immersed with seemingly impenetrable darkness.

It's amazing to me how RR has taken the horrors of war and crafted a narrative that guides the reader to focus on hope, new directions, and comfort. Just like that light. It's really quite lovely.

And it's all because of the writing. There is such a light and ethereal quality to it, which helps lift the heavy and traumatic events of the plot. And the writing also really suits both Iris and Kitt's personalities, as well. To me, this doesn't feel like an author telling a story about two characters, but rather two characters telling their own story themselves.

I am absolutely blown away by this book and know it's one that I will come back to again and again.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an eARC of Divine Rivals!

Wow.
This book.
I don't know why it took me by surprise, because I've enjoyed all books I've read by Rebecca Ross, but this one really went above.

Iris is dealing with a lot. Her beloved older brother has gone to the front lines of a war between gods, her mother is suffering from addiction, and she has to deal with the entitled Roman Kitt at her newspaper job. One of the only things that seems to help is writing to her brother- and putting the letters under her wardrobe door where they promptly disappear. Soon we find out that they're appearing in the room of none other than Roman Kitt- who starts writing back. The two form a bond over letters, even as they continue their rivalry at work. When things get to be unbearable at home, Iris decides to head to the frontlines herself, as a reporter. Soon, Kitt joins her and their relationship really begins to bloom.

The world building is just exquisite- it's not quite steam punk, but fantasies that take place within an industrial revolution always hit differently. Between rivals to lovers AND the epistolary element to Iris/Roman's relationship, I was a goner. Also, the cliffhanger at the end would do Sabaa Tahir proud... I absolutely cannot wait until the next Iris at the Front book is in front of me.
Seriously, I can't wait- when can I get that ARC?!!

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross before publishing.
All thoughts spoken are my own.

GR rating: 5 ⭐'s
My rating: 5 ⭐'s

When Iris Winnows brother hears the call and enlists in a war of the gods, her family collapses. Writing to him on the front lines, she is yet to receive a single letter in return. At least not from who she was hoping for. The letters Iris writes end up in the hands of her rival, Roman Kitt who anonymously writes her back. Forming a connection, the two navigate their growing feelings for one another (despite Iris not knowing who he is), and the bond brings them to the front lines where they must fight for each other, man kind, and love.

I don't even know what I can say about this book. The story is beautifully written and reminded me so much of a studio ghibli film. Beautiful, heart stopping, and full of hope.

Rebecca had me hooked from the very first page, and I couldn't put it down, binging it over two excessively late nights. Divine Rivals is one of the best books I have read in a long, long time. The tension between Iris and Roman was exquisite. The slow burn. The rivalry. The world building. UGH I was in love with all of it.

Divine Rivals was truly captivating, and I'm still thinking about it nearly a week after finishing it. My one complaint is that darn cliff hanger at the end! I was not okay...

I will, without a doubt, be recommending this book to absolutely everyone. I am absolutely thrilled for the next book!

Releasing April 4th 2023

*review posted to Goodreads. Will also be posted to my instagram upon release day.

Writing: 5/5
Character Development: 4/5
World Building: 4/5

Warnings: Death, War

POV: Dual

Themes: Romance, Adventure, Magical Realism

Divine Rivals was such a magical book to read. Even though there was only a few fantasy elements in the story it still felt like it was full of magic because of Rebecca Ross’s wonderful writing. Iris was such a fun character to read about. You definitely felt everything she felt while she was experiencing a war going on between two gods. Roman was a strong character who was stuck between doing what he was told and what he wanted. I loved their interactions between each other and how they made each other stronger.

This is just such a good book and I would absolutely suggest reading this for anyone who loves strong characters who push against all odds for those they love.

I received a free copy of this book and am leaving an honest review voluntarily.

Rebecca Ross is quite the storyteller - I found myself going through a rollercoaster of emotions as I read this novel, but no matter my feelings I was always impressed with the way it was written.

It seems as though Iris Winnow is facing one hardship after the other - her brother Forest has just gone off to war, she’s worried about her mom, and she’s competing for a columnist position at work - it’s all almost too much to bear and takes her over the edge. After shocking news that throws Iris into a grief spiral, Iris quits her job and takes a position at the rival paper - The Inkridden Tribune.

I appreciated being able to live as a journalist vicariously through Iris from typing at a typewriter to being in the belly of the beast - Iris shows passion in her writing. Iris strengthens her writing not only through her articles, but through the “love-letters” she has been writing to a mystery man through a magic connection… *Spoiler Alert* The man she has been writing to is none other than her RIVAL from the Gazette… Kitt C. Roman. He goes under the name “Carver” as her anonymous magical love interest… and boy oh boy the dramatic irony was killing me.

Roman ends up following Iris for her war-zone assignment. Iris is hopeful that she’ll be able to make a connection to her brother somehow. There’s times that Iris is daydreaming about Carver while looking at Kitt… there are so many moments that just made me want to scream at her!

I enjoyed so much about this book - the only criticism I have was that I think I was expecting more fantasy elements that involved the war amongst the Gods, and to be honest - the romance was a little too corny/cheesy for my taste, but I absolutely appreciate and recognize that I may be projecting my own cynicism onto their fresh and seemingly naive love… it slow burns and then speeds up REAL QUICK, but it doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story - I’m sure most readers will enjoy it.

I highly recommend this book to avid writers and readers, those who enjoy cute back and forth letters, DRAMATIC IRONY, people who enjoy war stories, and people who believe in love <3

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. I do look forward to the sequel and seeing how this series progresses.

4.5 stars. Rebecca Ross is such a great writer and this was a really beautiful story. The rivals to lovers romance between Iris and Roman was my favorite part - it starts with a competition to become the next columnist at the newspaper they both work at and involves lots of banter and pretending to hate each other. It then turns into an anonymous letter writing situation involving two magical typewriters during a time of war. It’s a tale full of emotion, vulnerability, loss, and sacrifice.

War settings aren’t really my favorite, but I think it worked here and added to the theme of not wasting moments and doing things that scare you. One thing I wish is that the fantasy elements were taken further, there’s some mythology about the gods and mentions of magic here and there, but it kind of felt like it was in the background. It does seem like the gods may play a bigger role in the next book though. The ending/cliffhanger broke my heart a little and I’m not looking forward to the long wait to see what happens next.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Divine Rivals was absolutely mesmerizing from start to finish. I loved the concept of the letters. The world was both rooted in our reality yet so fantastical. I found myself so absorbed that I was transported to the front lines. It is hands down one of my favorite reads of the year and I cannot wait to read a final copy once released. My only problem with this book is that I do not already have the next one... they must be a next right?

Ross is officially an autobuy author. I will be thinking about this one for a long long time.

Full review on www.readandwander.com/divine-rivals

A war between gods. A magical wardrobe,….not the wardrobe….artifact connecting two rivals. Forbidden love. Magic. Loss. Fate. Hatred. Love.

Forest was called to the front by the music of the goddess. His sister Iris was left to care for their mother. Having no choice but to find work she took a job at the Oath Gazette writing obituaries and the classifieds. She was in the running for a columnist job against her rival newcomer, Roman. Needless to say, they didn’t much care for each other. He was rude and dismissive from money and society. She was a poor school dropout.

Iris had been writing to her brother Forest since he left for the war front. Unfortunately she didn’t have an address for him so she slipped the letters into her wardrobe. The first time she did this she was surprised to see that the letters had disappeared. She didn’t receive any reply until months later and it definitely wasn’t Forest writing back to her.

Who was the mysterious person writing her? Why did she feel these feelings for Roman when he was her absolute rival? Why are soldiers disappearing from the front? Should she stay at the Gazette in perpetuity? Where is Forest? Are their monsters at the front? Which war-waging god is bad and which good? Perhaps both are bad? Or perhaps bad is relative.

I highly recommend this book. I’ve greatly enjoyed it and could not put it down. I’ve nothing but praise for it so take a chance on this one.

This book is an enjoyable fantasy adventure, there is no doubt about that. It does seem to piggyback off the current trend of mythology based fantasy. It was a good story, but I wouldn’t pick it up again.

Different from her other books, but still beautifully written. Magical typewriters connect two individuals through letters. I found it easy to fall in love with Iris and the inner turmoil she faced.
The part of the story I struggled to get into was the war between the gods. I don’t read many war books and struggled to pay attention during those areas of the book.
But, still firmly believe that Rebecca Ross is the most epic storyteller I’ve ever read.

This book is so many things in one: WWII-esque setting but make it magical realism, maybe a touch of Narnia fantasy in the form of a wardrobe, secret pen pals à la You’ve Got Mail, young journalist rivals turned lovers, epistolary sections, mythology perhaps inspired a bit by Hades and Persephone, which forms the basis for the overarching conflict. (Almost feels like it was devised just for me…)

Yet, the book manages to remain relatively simple, and there’s something sweet and effective about that, allowing all these seemingly disparate parts to come together. This is ultimately a love story between Iris and Roman, two young people who are finding their footing in a world at war. They engage in witty banter and they challenge one another at work in their careers, but also come to care for one another during moments of loss. It’s about familial love too, as Iris searches for her brother who is lost at war and yearns for his safety despite the odds. It’s a story about self-discovery, about daring to find joy even when everything else is literally crashing down around you. One might have expected the emphasis to be on the greater powers, the two gods, but they’re barely in the book: the focus is ultimately on the peripheral civilians living in the war’s shadow. The cliffhanger ending suggests that might change in the follow-up, as this will be a duology, but even if everything explodes onto a grander scale, I think I will appreciate how this first book focused on a small cast of characters and how they come to show compassion toward one another.

Woven throughout is Ross’s lyrical prose, which some might find a bit overly saccharine at times, but if you have been following me for a while you know at this point that I unapologetically swallow poeticism up. Divine Rivals is about people who love words, who understand their power to change the tide of public opinion on the front page of a newspaper, but also know intimately the way words can encourage and begin healing grief in the quiet exchange of letters. If you’re going to write about the power of words, you best be able to have the skill to back up those profound insights and observations and I feel that Ross has that ability to make you believe in the beauty of language. Having read this immediately after her most recent novel, A River Enchanted (and earlier this year, Dreams Lie Beneath), I’ve observed that Ross is drawn to some common themes and tropes: enemies-to-lovers, the pursuit of art, divided lands at war, magic harps, among a couple others I won’t mention because they’re spoilery. But, this third book is by far my favorite.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was a beautifully written book about loss, love, finding oneself and finding one’s home. Iris and Roman are rival journalists who find themselves in the midst of a war between two gods. I loved Ross’ writing style in A River Enchanted and Divine Rivals further solidifies her as a favorite writer. I was very invested in Iris and Roman’s story and am already eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Book #1 Iris at the Front
Publication Date: April 4, 2023

I don’t need the description or a title of a Rebecca Ross novel to figure out if I should read it. She simply announces it and it is added to my Goodreads account. Yet, after a stellar last year where we saw the releases of the moody Dreams Lie Beneath and the mesmerizing River Enchanted, I was kind of scared that Divine Rivals wouldn't be as good as the previous novels left some big shoes to fill. I am happy to report this might just be my favourite of hers yet! Rebecca, could you maybe leave some talent for the rest of us!?

The story is one that unfolds during a war of colossal destruction involving deities and magic. Iris is in a competition of sorts for a position as a columnist at the paper. After her brother enlists in the war she writes letters to him and slips them beneath an enchanted wardrobe only to be received on the other end by Roman, her rival at the paper. Well Roman quickly figures out the author of the letters, he feels a certain security in his anonymity, and continues to write back even when Iris finds herself as a war correspondent. 

At one point Roman writes to ask Iris if she is safe, if she is well and if she is alright. I particularly felt this when I finished reading. I wasn’t sure how I felt but knew what I had just read was impactful. I just kind of turned off my Kindle, stared out the airplane window and wondered if I would ever read anything as beautiful as I had just done again.

As with all of Ross’ books she has a way of writing that is really truly beautiful and special. Atmospheric without being bogged down in details. Heartwarming without feeling heavily saturated in romance. Magic so real it feels like something straight out of history. Ross makes you fall in love with her characters only to leave you strapped onto an emotional rollercoaster and hanging on for dear life. 

Thank you Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It’s You’ve Got Mail + WWI & Mythology.

This first book, in what I’m sure will be a series, is an abrupt departure from Ross’s previous high fantasy stories. The setting is urban and a bit gritty. A mysterious war (caused by two gods) is happening far away. The war scenes include sirens to alert the village, mythical creatures attacking, bombs, trenches, shrapnel and poisonous gas.

The two main characters are Iris Winnow and Roman C. Ketts. They are rivals for a journalist position. Unbeknownst to Iris, the letters she’s been writing her brother have been going to him. Roman begins to write back and they share an intense bond even though Iris doesn’t know his name. Rebecca Ross does a wonderful job of the enemies to lovers trope by allowing the characters to overcome their biases by sharing vulnerabilities.

Iris becomes a war correspondent and the secondary characters she meets are well-developed and lovable. The darkness of war and death is all around them, but they help where they can.

The ending is explosive and I’ll be eagerly awaiting the next book!

This is such a simple story that is rich in atmosphere and vivid in writing. It easy to read in one sittingt, the world-building is minimal, but there's no info dumping here, which would make for a good introduction to the new fantasy readers.I enjoyed romance between competing journalists and learning about them ascharacters.
I'd highly recommend this if you're looking for a fun and fast fantasy read.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review