Oh look, another book that's left me in total despair because I will never experience it again for the first time.

I didn't know this book existed until Wednesday Books kindly reached out and offered me early e-ARC access. Little did they know they also handed me the weapon that I would willingly use to crack my very heart wide open.

While I was halfway through reading this book (and already desperately in love with it) I pitched it to my friends as rival journalists who unknowingly communicate through magical typewriters outside of work in a world besieged by a WWI-type war where people fight for gods. That was all it took for half of them to add it to their TBRs, and I hope it's enough for anyone on the fence as well. The premise is simply incredible, and it delivered at every turn, leaving me with a beautiful story that is equally romantic and heartbreaking.

I cannot get over this lush and magical yet so bleak world. Hundreds of Gods and Goddesses once ruled this world until only a few remained to lord over the mortals, and they were put to sleep. Except Enva and Dacre have now awoken, and he is out for revenge. Mortals are called to fight on their behalf in a World War One type with trench warfare ... and monsters. It has a Hades/Persephone type vibe that I loved. The cities themselves are lightly magical, with the magic in the bones of the buried dead gods seeping into the streets and buildings themselves.

Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt work at the same newspaper, both having started near the same time and consequently in constant competition for that coveted columnist position. Wow, that was a lot of alliteration. Sorry. Moving on! Iris left school early to keep her and her mother in the black now that her brother has heard Enva's call and gone to fight in the war. Iris struggles to keep a brave face and constantly worries about her brother. She writes him letters, keeping them in her closet because she can't bring herself to send them. Roman, on the other hand, is a privileged young man with parents who *think* they know what's best for him and lay heaps of guilt on him for something that happened a few years ago. While he suffers and wants for nothing, Roman struggles for lack of choice in his life and dreams and love.

This was a rivals-to-lovers romance in the best way possible. I mean, can you say swoon? I don't want to give away the details of how the romance unfolds or how it nearly broke my heart every other page after a certain point, but rest assured it is so worth reading.

This story keeps you on your toes, keeping the reader simultaneously in deep dread that everything is going to fall apart and embarrassingly hopeful that actually, everything will be just fine. My entire reading experience was me saying over and over "If this person dies, I will riot" while holding back happy tears. And then it ended on a cliffhanger. I am distraught.

To say I am dying for the sequel is a complete and utter understatement. I want to absorb this book into my very soul and cannot wait to re-read it again before the second book comes out. Wednesday Books, if you're reading this, please help a gal out at your earliest convenience.

Rebecca Ross is an incredible writer and
I was so excited to be granted an advance copy of this book from NetGalley, and Wednesday Books in exchange for my honest opinion

I absolutely loved this book! The romance between Iris and Roman is beautifully written. I just could not put down this book and am hoping for more.

The story is superbly written and delivered. Highly, highly recommend.

*Minor Spoilers

Rebecca Ross is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.

Divine Rivals was AMAZING! Two rival writers set out to outdo one another, only to find themselves coming together against all odds.

The world building is outstanding! As a reader you can almost feel the atmosphere and tension of the Oath Gazette, or fear when Marisols house is shaking around Iris and Roman.

Highly recommend
Thank you @netgalley for the arc

I loved the main characters! They gave me major Anne and Gilbert Blythe rival love story vibes set in a 1930’s You’ve Got Mail, only instead of bookstores and emails you get journalism and typewriters with fantasy layered in. Becca’s wordsmithing prowess sucks you in and you find yourself needing to read the book all in one go. Which I did.

A lot of characters to find throughout, all with different stories. Some I liked, others I didn’t. The two main god’s I had to really sort out as we learn about them slowly and we didn’t have all the pieces of the puzzle right away. So some things I felt confused about but by the end the picture became very clear. I fully expect the next book to dive into the god’s realm even more.

The world itself feels gothic and beautiful. Full of all the old things I love. Like Sherlock’s old London aesthetic with Poirots modernity. Simply stunning.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced readers copy!

I wanted to enjoy this but I feel like it was not what I was expecting, I was left wanting more but also... not wanting to read another.

A young woman develops a rivalry with a competing journalist after her brother leaves to fight in a deadly war between gods.

This book was well written and the story easy to follow. It was interesting to read a historical YA that wants to replicate the culture and mannerisms of a war novel but for younger readers.

I think the characterization worked well with the plot, my only criticism would be that the more intense parts of the story should have been written that way. It seemed like the writing glosses over some of the more gritty scenes and I think the book could've managed fine if the writing leaned into the terror and sorrow and fear.

Rival journalists find love through magical typewriters?? During a war of the gods?? You better be ready.

"Your letters have been a light for me to follow. Your words? A sublime feast that fed me on days when I was starving."

Rebecca Ross' Divine Rivals took me for surprise. At first, I was not sure this was going to be my cup of tea but hoo boy I was wrong.
Reading about war is always hard, and this book was heartbreaking, but it also had so much light and hope in it, I just could not put it down.
I really enjoyed the mix of historical fiction with fantasy and monsters. It was unique and the characters were easy to fall in love with. The gods did not play a huge part of this book, (they talk about the myth of them a lot) until the very end and that was a little disappointing but the way she sets up the next book makes so much sense and I'm excited to see where the story goes with the gods being introduced more.

I guess I just have one question for Ross: how am I supposed to wait to find out what happens next??

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for the eARC!!

Divine Rivals is quite possibly the most romantic and beautiful book I have ever read!! Rebecca Ross writes the most swoon worthy cinnamon rolls and I cannot GET ENOUGH!! 🥹🥹
The plot was extremely unique as it is a story between two journalists who are competing for a spot as a columnist in a very popular newspaper 📰
Iris, one of our protagonists is talented & witty but has a very troubled private life as her brother is out fighting in a very dangerous magical war & her mother drowns her sorrows in liquor. Iris doesn’t have much except a typewriter gifted to her by her grandmother that is her most prized possession.
Roman Kitt- our other protagonist lives a lavish and comfortable life- he is very arrogant & a little grumpy (and Iris looooves messing with him 🤣) but there is more to Roman Kitt that meets the eye & I loved learning about his character & backstory

Now, I don’t want to say much because I went into this story blind and I enjoyed every word, every letter, every page. It is such a beautiful, heart wrenching, deep, and emotional story filled with sooooo much love, hope, perseverance. There is also a war going on between two gods that gave me Hades/Persephone vibes- I loved this storyline almost as much as the main storyline!
I know this book is pitched as shadow and Bone meets Lore but honestly this book is sooooo much more than that!! I cannot recommend it enough!

The only thing I dislike about this book is the fact that I read it seven months before its publication and now I'll have to wait forEVER for the sequel!!

Iris and Roman are two young journalists from very different backgrounds, competing with each other for the coveted columnist position at the Oath Gazette. There is a war between gods raging in the west, a war that Iris's brother Forest has opted to fight in. After months of no contact with him, Iris begins typing letters to Forest and slipping them under her wardrobe door as a means of coping. But these enchanted letters end up in the hands of Roman, who strikes up an anonymous correspondence that will alter both their lives.

Rebecca Ross has an uncanny ability to draw readers into her stories, and Divine Rivals is no exception. As a rule, I generally don't enjoy the Young Adult genre, but this is a beautifully written book that definitely toes the line between YA and Adult. There is one moment in particular that took my breath away, in chapter 32. Just, stunning prose at an emotional climax!

This was a truly engrossing read with vivid characters and an interesting fantasy world — in my mind's eye it's basically a WWI-era setting with enchanted buildings. I simply cannot wait for the second installment, that epilogue had me screaming!!

Massive thank you to Rebecca Ross, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I’m in love with everything about this book - the lyrical writing, the cheeky banter, the historical elements, and the magical realism. This is an enchanting story and I couldn’t get enough. It’s a warm and heartfelt tale set against a ruthless and agonizing backdrop.

Enva and Dacre, two gods that were slain and buried, have suddenly reawakened. As rivals they have begun a war that is tearing apart the human world. They are magically recruiting mortal citizens to fight for their cause. As the story progresses, we learn more and more about these gods and their backstories. The lore is captivating and adds fascinating layers to the plot.

The world-building is engrossing, with its legends of old gods mixed up in a tumultuous atmosphere of war-torn society. It’s such a unique setting and I adored the genre mash-up of it all. Their society is ravaged by the funding of propaganda and opposing beliefs. It is an emotional climate while everyone is worried about their relatives and loved ones.

This story is told from two perspectives. Both of our main characters, Iris and Roman, are competing for a columnist position at a newspaper. I love stories about books, writing, and reading. It's a fun experience and instantly relatable when characters enjoy it as much as I do. I enjoyed the dual perspectives that gave us a more in-depth look into their personal lives and motivations.

This is enemies-to-lovers at its finest. Divine rivals is the perfect way to describe our two main characters. The banter and animosity between them only heightens the tension as they reluctantly grow closer. Their relationship is the perfect contrast and compliment to the harrowing environment that it takes place in - that something so good can bloom and develop even under such circumstances. It’s a light and airy love story that will leave you with tears of both sadness and joy.

I was introduced to this author by her book, A River Enchanted, where I was swept away by her writing style. There was something flowy that just drew me in. So when I saw the arc available for her newest book, I was excited to immediately request it. And after reading this one, I will definitely be checking out some of her other backlist books soon. I couldn’t recommend this book more highly and it is sure to be an instant hit. Readers of fantasy, romance, and historical genres will all love this one.

I LOVED Kitt and Iris. Such a sweet and unexpected love story. Everything from the story of the typewriters, to their rivalry was well written and made me swoon ever so slightly.

The Lore of the God Dacre and the Goddess read much like the story of Hades and Perspheone, if Hades would have started a war just to have her.

I really enjoyed the ending. In some ways, it was a cliffhanger but it didn’t leave me with a feeling of frustration but just full curipusity and intrigue! I’m so excited to see how this story continues.

First thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!!

This book is so heartbreakingly good!! It was a amazing mix of war drama and fantasy. I swept up in the story and I could not put it down. There was a perfect mix of romance and the overall story and I cannot wait to read more.

My only critique is that I wish this book was not advertised as “Like Shadow and Bone.” This book is so different from it and has its own special world to get lost in. This book is made for those who love period dramas and lord of the rings.

My only critique is I wish it was coming out sooner so I could buy it for each and every one of my friends for Christmas.

I'm new to Rebecca Ross, having read A River Enchanted (and it's follow-up) this year and I just want to say I am a massive fan. Her writing is so lush and incredible and she creates worlds that I get lost in.

Divine Rivals is her best yet, in my opinion. I'm going to go out on a limb and say (as of September 20, 2022) that this is my favorite book I've read this year - and it's one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. The story or Iris and Roman resonated with me in a way little else has recently. My heart soared and ached right alongside these two. I could not get enough.

Highly recommend.

I can't fully review this book the way I'd like for fear of spoilers but I will say: this is an utterly beautiful book with a devastating cast of characters.

And you should absolutely go in blind. I experienced so many emotions and the writing is incredible all the way though - Rebecca Ross does not miss with Divine Rivals.

I cannot wait for the world to have this book and for me to own a physical copy;.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

As always, Rebecca Ross’ writing is beautiful and I know this new duology will be beloved by her fans.

Iris Winnow’s world is falling apart. Her mother is an addict and her brother is missing from the front lines of a war between the gods. To support her family, Iris needs to win the columnist position at the Oath Gazette. Unfortunately, her rival, Roman Kitt, is competing for the position as well.

Desperate to contact her brother, but not knowing where he is, Iris begins writing letters to Forest and slips them under her wardrobe, where they disappear. However, Roman is the recipient, not Forest, and he decides to anonymously write back.

This story had a very unique historical fiction feel to it mixed with fantasy. I felt like I was reading a book set during World War I, but with magic and monsters.

The enemies to lovers romance was well done and I enjoyed watching Iris and Roman’s relationship develop. The letter writing was a fun added element.

I did have a hard time getting into this story. The first half of the book was very slow and it felt like the developing romance and the war plot were two different stories. They didn’t quite mesh well together for me and I had a really hard time deciding on a rating because of this.

The last 20% of the book is where everything really picks up and I am very interested to see what happens in book two.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Divine Rivals is a must-read book. Rival journalists? A war between gods? Magical typewriters? Yes, please!

Iris Winnow and her professional rival Roman Kitt both work for the Oath Gazette. Iris' brother has left to fight on the front lines of the war between two gods who call mortals to fight for them. When Iris feels like she has lost everything, she goes to the front to report on the war. She does not expect what she finds at the front or the person who follows her there.

The writing in Divine Rivals was top-notch. Rebecca Ross has a lyrical writing style that is so easy to get lost in. She writes with powerful feeling and I was swept up in the emotions she evoked. I thought that the story was told extremely well and I was not prepared for the ending. I will be anxiously awaiting the second book in this duology.

The slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers romance was so well done. I love the trope where characters are communicating and don't realize they're talking to each other, and Divine Rivals had a fantastical twist on the trope. I thought Iris and Roman's relationship developed at a great pace, and I appreciated their communication and personal growth through the story.

I highly recommend this to fans of The Lovely War! It was a YA Fantasy Romance that will also appeal to fans of NA/Adult Fantasy Romance.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my thoughts.

Magical typewriters, letters passed through wardrobes, a war between tempestuous deities, and a love that comes unbidden to rivals Roman and Iris– this is Rebecca Ross’s “Divine Rivals,” a wonderful new YA fantasy novel. I was swept away by their amazing story and this better be a duology because I am absolutely dying to know what happens next!

Really unique, interesting. Completely enthralling and a little heartbreaking too.

I love the setting—WWI/II is one of my favorite historical periods. Mixed with a You’ve Got Mail type plot, it’s just adorable

I couldn’t stop reading, but never wanted this story to end.

Now I’m waiting a lllloooooooonnnnnnngggggg time for whatever is next!!!

My heart is bursting and raw as I write this review. Divine Rivals has all of the things — joy, grief, intrigue, courage, mythology, ambition and romance. (Plus a sizzling slow-burn relationship, magic typewriters with a backstory of their own and LOVE. So much love.) Like a Russian nesting doll, it’s a story within a story within a story — or something like that — and every bit is as complex as the last.

Journalists Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt are sworn competitors at The Oath Gazette. The world they live in is in the middle of a war spurned by two very different gods, which explains the presence of enchanted grocery stores, mansions with a personality of their own and magic historic objects that can whisks letters away to unknown destinations in their mortal realm.

Rebecca Ross knocks it out of the park with this book. Intricate world-building, rooted in a retelling reminiscent of ancient Greek mythology, comes alive in the battles of humans and heart between these pages. Iris is bold and flawed and a stunning writer — some of her articles about the war seriously made me want to cry, which is just a testament to Ross’s unbelievable storytelling skills — while Roman is stoic and selfless and simply dreamy.

By the end of Divine Rivals, I became so immersed in the story of Iris and Roman, I was absolutely shattered when it came to an end (please tell me book two is on the way!?). At first things happen slowly, as the first couple of chapters untangle critical motives and focus on setting the scene. But before you know it, everything is moving all at once and you’re swept up into this fantastic developing rush of adventure and dimension.

One of the strongest parts is the way Ross so deftly and poignantly keeps the grief and humanity and loss of the ongoing war at the forefront of the story. She doesn’t romanticize the battles witnessed by the characters, but instead paints a very real picture of the brutality of it, all through the eyes of Iris and Roman as they struggle to report from the frontlines. (I googled the hell out of Ross afterwards — I was convinced by the end that she herself had been a war correspondent.)

And that ENDING. It really sets up the next book in a seamless, satisfying way. What a stunner. (That’s all I’ll say about that.)

With series like The Queen’s Rising and stand-alones like Sisters of Sword and Song to her name, Ross is a seasoned, celebrated author at this point. Divine Rivals is the latest in her repertoire of YA fantasy. It is gutting and gorgeous and everything good.

*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Imagine WWII, except it’s being fought between two ancient Gods and the mortals they magically entice into battle for them and you have the setting for Ross’s new book, Divine Rivals.

The premise for this book sounded intriguing and I began reading with high hopes. For some reason, though, I had a little trouble getting into it at first. The first quarter of the book was a little slow for me, I wasn’t connecting with the characters and I almost gave up.

However, I’m glad I didn’t!

The story picked up for me when Iris becomes a war correspondent and suddenly I couldn’t put it down. Ross had me on the edge of my seat at times (such as when the sirens would sound), tense and anxious, waiting to see what would happen next. The relationship between Roman and Iris really began to blossom for me too, turning into a sweet and, at times, heartbreaking romance. I finished this book wanting more, fully charmed by Ross’s writing style.

The first in a new series of books, I recommend checking this one out.