There is something about a Rebecca Ross book...even in the most harrowing moments her voice always imparts a sense of serenity to me. This doesn't take away from the tension or conflict though, it just eases the reader through it as though she's holding your hand on your journey. I wasn't sure what to expect going into this, I was only sure I would likely love it given the author. Rivals at a newspaper in a magical world where gods and goddesses play? Yes please! I was not disappointed at all! I loved the found family aspect, the magical typewriters, even the wartime scenes were exquisite. My only gripe, if I had to pick one, is that the main relationship was SUPER insta-love when it came to be. I can see the logic in it but it still felt a tad abrupt. But that's a very minor complaint and I still swooned away. If you love Rebecca Ross pick this one up!

What a fantastic book!

The WWII feeling mixed with fantasy was so perfect for this read. I also loved the characterization, world building, subtle magic system, and romance. Ross's writing is stunning and was a truly magical experience to follow these characters through their journey.

I cannot wait for the next book and found myself thinking: This book is so good I hurts to read it!

If you enjoy YA fantasy you're going to LOVE this book!

My rating: 5*
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Thanks to NetGalley for an early review copy via audiobook. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed Rebecca Ross's previous books and this was no different! I loved the rivals to lovers and the fantasy world with two gods, it all came together well.

5 Beautiful Stars

Ever find an author who just speaks to your soul? Rebecca Ross is one of those for me. I have read just about every single book she has written and I have loved every one of them. Divine Rivals was no exception. The story was brilliant from start to finish. And now mere months after reading it, I still think about it. Still dreaming about what is going to happen next. The ending utterly broke my heart into a thousand pieces. So the wait for the sequel is going to be pure torture.

Iris and Kitt's love story is far from over but I need Ruthless Vows asap. I never want this series to end. That would be my one complaint, the Letters of Enchantment is only a duology. It should be a trilogy or longer.

Cannot wait for the next book!!

I'm more of a fantasy reader than romance, so I'm surprised how much I liked this book. It's got magic typewriters, enemies to lovers, and such atmosphere. The writing is sublime. I didn't realize this is part of a duology, so I'm planning to listen to the audiobook when the conclusion comes out next year.

This is an excellent read, and further proof of Rebecca Ross's consistency as a strong voice in the fantasy genre. Her protagonists are as real and believable as her fantastic worlds are unique and inventive. The theme of writing that its power and transporting nature is handled beautifully, and the rivalry-turned-romance of the main characters is endlessly endearing. Another 5-star Rebecca Ross book.

I am getting angry at authors that think making my heart squeeze in agony is a sign of good mental health, BECAUSE IT IS NOT.

Rating: 3.7

Hello, I'm not well, so I'm writing this in hopes that it will get BETTER. That I'LL get better, know what I mean?
So to make this as short as possible, so let's mention the things that I loved and let's GET MOVING Y'ALL. THAT TUB OF ICE CREAM WON'T EAT ITSELF OKAY

I honestly wasn't expecting to get so immersed into the story, so like the smart and gorgeous human that (i'm not) I am, I started it when dawn was starting to arrive and my eyelids were burning themselves at the stake AND MY EXAMS WERE PILING UP (amazing decision on my part, really) and I finished it a few hours later.

Being a 'human' was above my entry level at that point, and I attribute the feelings of numbness after finishing this book to the following things:

The descriptions were beautiful! The magical typewriters, the lush writing that transported my entire being to this whole new world (ahem, Aladdin hi), the action, the intrigue, the romance, the pacing the BEAUTY of this book was engraved in every page. Yes, I believe that the romance moved a little too quickly for my liking, but PSHHH WHO CARES, GIVE ME THE DRAMA. Seriously though, I gravely enjoyed the journey this book took me in and the second book??? WHERE, WHERE IS THEE

Find me hidden under a cave when it's announced, thank you and goodbye.

4.5/5 stars!

I adored this book! The romance was beautiful, the writing even more so. I absolutely devoured this book and couldn't help the emotional pull I felt when reading about Iris and Roman. I would put the book down for a few minutes, only for my mind to shift immediately back to their story and I would have to pick the book back up again. My only wish was that we saw more of the world building. I felt little was explained about the war and the myths surrounding the Gods. The magic was more of a side plot giving away to the romance. I really hope that Ross will expand on the world-building in the next book and with the way that it ended I suspect she will. This book although different, reminded me a lot of the book Lovely War by Julie Berry. Both books had that same ethereal quality to its writing and I had the same heart and gut- wrenching feelings I felt when reading. Don't know how I'm going to survive the wait for the next book! Go pick this book up right now!

In a world caught between two warring gods, two young journalists just might find true love. At the start of this story, protagonist Iris sees her older brother Forest off to fight in the war between the goddess Enva and the god Dacre. Several months pass, and she has yet to hear back from him. During this time she finds solace solely in her writing. As her world falls further apart, she is given the opportunity to go to the front as a war correspondent, and she accepts this chance to potentially find her brother. There she sees the devastation of war, but also finds an unexpected gift, in the form of romance. Roman Kitt, formerly her infuriating competition at the local paper, just may not be as bad as she thought.

This slow burn fantasy romance was exactly my cup of tea. I need more, please and thank you. The fantasy elements are fairly minor, and I look forward to seeing more of the lore in depth in the future. The magical typewriter is such a fun element. The enemies to lovers trope is always enjoyable, and I really enjoy slow paced romances where the characters find themselves in each other, the way that Iris and Roman do. This ending is killer... I truly can't wait to see what happens next.

A war between gods and two rival journalists turned love interests; Divine Rivals is an addictive new fantasy novel that readers are sure to love!

I realized reading Divine Rivals that I am a BIG fan of the enemies to lovers trope! I absolutely loved the conflict and chemistry between the main characters Iris and Roman. I thought the connection through their letter writing was a magical touch that pulled me into the story early on.

There was an array of topics covered in this novel, from family expectations and grief to first love and found families; I enjoyed seeing the shifts throughout the story and Iris’s journey. This felt like such an easy read because I enjoyed the characters and liked the way Ross crafted the plot. I did want to know more about the magical elements and the gods in the story, but hoping this plays a bigger part in the next novel of the series.

Overall I really enjoyed Divine Rivals and I am really looking forward to the second novel!

"...because sometimes strength isn't swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. Sometimes it's found in quiet, gentle places. The way you hold someone's hand as they grieve. The way you listen to others. The way you show up, day after day, even when you are weary or afraid or simply uncertain."

Myths, magic, and a multitude of genres are marvelously mixed in this transportive tale of two rivals turned lovers amidst the brutalities of war.

Despite its fictional setting (and war), this utterly enchanting novel was one of the most atmospheric stories I've encountered all year. I was completely invested from the bullpen at the Oath Gazette to the B&B in Avalon Bluff and all the way to the frontlines and back. These characters felt real and relatable, which made me protective and invested in their fates.

Throw in a The Shop Around The Corner/You've Got Mail epistolary subplot and it's easy to see why I was such a smitten kitten.

I'm very intrigued by the concluding chapter's reveals and I believe Ross did an extraordinary job laying the groundwork for a solid sequel. One which I'll be eagerly waiting to read.

I can't say enough good things about Divine Rivals, each time Rebecca Ross publishes a book I say "this one is my favorite". Divine Rivals really is my favorite ..

We get a world building that reminded me of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wordrobe by C.S. Lewis in the sense that it's a bit of a time period piece in the midst of a war and contains hints of magic.

The lore holding this story together was fascinating and kept my attention.

Divine Rivals does have a bit of competition between the main two characters , they were both very likeable in their own ways and had wonderful chemistry..

The end of the story absolutely broke my heart and gave me quite a book hanger. it's a story that lives in the back of my mind and I can't wait to read again.

If you love enemies to lovers, stories about writers, historical , magic , emotional, you'll enjoy Divine Rivals.

I will add that if you have any personal triggers to war or military in general, tread lightly. This one brought back memories of when my husband was deployed and we had no communication except letters. I adore this story but it brought back the past in it's own way.

Thank you so much St. Martin's Press Publishing, Wednesday Books Publishing, and Netgalley for sending me an eARC of "Divine Rivals" to read and provide an honest review.

"'I don't want to wake up when I'm seventy-four only to realize I haven't lived.'"

*4.25 stars*

I know this review is VERY late (two months, to be exact), and for that, I apologize, but I'm so glad I waited to read this one. After just having finished "Fourth Wing", I definitely needed a change of pace from high/epic fantasy. While this is still a fantasy book, it was much tamer and more like historical fiction of World War 1. It also had a completely different feel to it, exploring the themes of loss, grief, bravery, hope, and love.

Things I Liked/Loved:
- The romance between Roman & Iris
- The short sections of Kitt's POV
- The plot (and the CRUEL ending; I hope the next book comes out soon or I might cry)
- The writing style

Things I Did Not Like:
- The lack of development of the worldbuilding
- The magic typewriters (I'll explain why)

I loved the romance between Roman and Iris because it wasn't insta-love, and it was rivals to lovers where the guy fell first (two of my favorite tropes in one). I also loved the "I'd-die-for-you" attitude they shared toward one another. I also enjoyed the plot because of its fast pace (which also allowed me to devour this book in three days). The writing was also heavy and full of emotion, which was also a welcome change after the epic action in "Fourth Wing". I actually teared up while reading this (TWICE!), so that usually would give this an automatic five stars, but I did have issues.

In regards to the worldbuilding development, I have to say, I was surprised by the lack of it from Ross. I've read "The Queen's Rising" duology by her and loved it, and I also have the rest of her books on my physical TBR. However, the worldbuilding elements, especially the mythology, felt thrown into the story, to me personally. Maybe we'll get more of it in book 2, but I didn't understand the point of having the gods/goddesses be the starters of the war (it felt kind of like a war between Persephone and Hades but with a lack of description) since they didn't really have a part in the story besides starting the war. I mean, we don't even see one of them until the end.

I was equally disappointed in the convenient magical typewriters. I LOVED the idea of Iris writing letters to her brother and them actually ending up reaching her rival, Roman. While the explanation for HOW the typewriters were made and how they were magic was given, the history behind the typewriters didn't feel like an integral part of the story (even though it was integral to the conflict between Iris and Roman later on).

Overall, it felt more like Ross wanted to write a book about a sister, her MIA brother, and another boy who happened to receive the sister's letters to her brother during World War 1, but she was forced to somehow make it "fantasy". That being said, I still really liked this book, and I look forward to the sequel next year!

Divine Rivials by Rebecca Ross was my first book by the author and I'm so happy that I read this one while on my vacation this month! I had like 5 books by this author on my shelf and I didn't know where to start so I started with this one. It had all of my favorite tropes in here: Slow burn romances, morally grey characters and LGBT characters too. I didn't realized the setting of the book was in the middle of one of our World War's until like halfway through and I found it I actually enjoyed this one. The ending of this book shocked me and broke my heart at the same time.. How dare u Rebecca?! Haha. I give this a 5/5 stars and I cannot wait for book 2: Ruthless vows!(:

Not quite what I was expecting, though I went in blind. This is like if You've Got Mail were a magical realism fantasy! I also get a WWII era historical fiction set in Europe kind of vibe, if there were warring Gods instead. There's a lot going on in this slow burn. The third act packs a punch and that ending - my heart can't take it - I need part 2 now!

Thank you so much, NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Wednesday Books, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Iris Winnow is a eighteen years old who just wants to hold her family together, with her mother fighting an addiction and his brother missing from the front lines. Her only plan is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette. Her other way to fight against her worries is to write letters to her brother and slipping them beneath the wardrobe door, where they vanish...into the hands of her rival journalist, Roman Kitt. When he anonymously writes her back, they forge a connection that will follow them through war all the way to the front lines of battle, looking for her brother, for love and mankind.

Divine Rivals is a story of two rivals journalists who find love through a magical connection, in a era where gods are awakening and they are ready to war among themselves. In a story filled with magic, love and the future of mankind at stake, Iris and Roman fall in love, through letters and connections, through time and war, following the powerful power of love and fate in this enemies to lovers story. I'm not such a fan of love stories, but this one swept me away. Iris and Roman are wonderfully complex main characters and it was such a pleasure following them getting to know each other, letters after letters, while facing war, gods ready to destroy everything, Iris looking to protect her family, in a story moving, intriguing and so so romantic.

It's been a while since I've read/listened to a book that I simply could not put down. I don't think that I've read a historical fantasy romance like this before and I feel like all those elements were woven together really well in this book! A war between magical gods in which humans are trapped made for an intriguing setting. I did feel like there was less world building than I would find in a typical fantasy, but the vibes completely made up for that. I don't fully understand the magic of the gods and how that plays into the war, but I'm excited to see how that is developed in the sequel. I find that Ross's writing style really works well for me and this book was no exception. I feel like she captured the love story and the struggles faced throughout the book as a result of the war equally well.

Iris and Roman are the perfect rivals to lovers. I truly loved them as a couple and was rooting for them throughout the book! Iris and Roman start off as rival journalists covering the issues that result from the ongoing war and vying for the same editor spot. I loved their banter and the little ways in which Iris irritates Roman. The best part of this book was the letters. I just loved all the letters and how Iris and Roman formed a connection writing to each other. Also magical typewriters are something I didn't know I needed, but I want one now. The pining and the angst was so well portrayed throughout. I just loved their love story!

I thought the pacing of this book really fit the vibes well. The last bit of the book was where the most action happened and I felt like so many things happened to set up the sequel. I do not know how I'm supposed to wait for the sequel with this cliffhanger ending. I literally cannot wait to see what happens next!

Overall, this was a really great read! I loved the vibes, the characters, and the love story especially. I would highly recommend this to fantasy and romance readers equally!

Divine Rivals is a historical fantasy that follows a journalist as she chooses to become a war correspondent while looking for her brother in a war of the gods. The book is mostly based in the historical genre, reminiscent of WW2 books. There is just a little bit of fantasy involving the war among the gods, and notably the enchanted typewriters that are the basis for the formatting of the first half of the book.

I really liked the way the first half was written with the letters between the two characters. There’s a You’ve Got Mail thing going on, because one character knows who they are writing to while the other believes that they have never met. The writing in these letters was enchanting. I really liked how the letters were juxtaposed with the characters’ rivalry in their daily lives.

I would recommend this to readers who like historical fiction and want to dip their toes into fantasy.

Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Ross is a writer gifted at weaving an enchanting atmosphere and creating an immersive world with characters that you identify with and ache for. I loved absolutely everything about this novel - the main (and side!) characters, the worldbuilding, the romance (enemies to lovers is the all-time best trope, and I will die on that hill). The ending was QUITE the cliffhanger, and I'm aching for the sequel. This is one of those YA books that I will certainly be recommending to my young adult students, but also to adult friends and family, as well.

This ARC was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher!

After Iris's brother enlisted in the war between Enva and Dacre, old gods that had mysteriously reawakened, Iris had to drop out of school and is competing to win a prestigious position as columnist at the most read newspaper in town. Her mother is now an alcoholic and she has not heard from her brother once since enlisting. She frequently writes him letters on her typewriter that her grandmother gifted her when she was young and finds that her letters disappear after she places them in her wardrobe. She hopes that he is getting her letters until one day she receives a return letter for the first time detailing it is not her brother.

I freaking loved this book so much!! It has been such a long time since I have read something so unique, so romantic and swoon worthy, and so beautiful. I loved how romantic this was without being spicy for once. I loved how their relationship developed and how the emotions, struggles, and thoughts were so real to the time, as well as to real life, rather than being this hyped up and romanticized version of human beings. The magic elements were so discreet, I loved that it wasn't this huge thing that took up most of the world building but just something that happened to be there, and played this huge but unassuming part of the story. It was so beautifully written and really brought you into that 30's/40's type of era. Ugh I just loved it!! I loved Roman, I loved Iris, I loved the cliffhanger at the end (even though I wanted to throw the book at the wall). I cannot wait for the second book!!! 5/5 Stars, this is definitely one of my new favorite books