The last like 15% lowered my rating a bit, it felt a little like it went off the rails. I just wish the world-building was focused on more, but really loved the characters. But will definitely be reading the next book when it comes out!

Iris Winnow's life is hard, and Roman Kitt isn't helping. She's sure if she can get a coveted job at the Oath Gazette newspaper, things will improve, but Kitt is also up for the job and he's got a wealthy father to pull strings. She's also been writing letters to her brother who left to fight in a war between the gods that magically seem to disappear when she slips them into her wardrobe. Then one day she received a reply, but not from her brother. Instead, she starts a correspondence with an alluring stranger.

With touches of fantasy and romance in a compelling war story, this audiobook with alternating narration from Iris and Kitt adeptly creates a fully imagined world. The two narrators do an excellent job to convey the emotions of the characters and the haunting mythology of the story. An excellent listen!

**Title:** *Divine Rivals*
**Author:** Rebecca Ross

**Rating:** ★★★★★

**Review:**

*Divine Rivals* by Rebecca Ross is a spellbinding blend of fantasy and romance, set against the backdrop of a world at war. The novel follows two rival journalists who find themselves unknowingly exchanging letters through a magical typewriter. As they share their thoughts and struggles, a powerful connection forms between them, even as the chaos of war threatens to tear their world apart.

Ross’s writing is lush and evocative, perfectly capturing the intensity of both the battlefield and the budding romance. The characters are well-drawn, with depth and vulnerability that make their journey compelling. The blend of magic and reality is seamless, adding a unique twist to the narrative. *Divine Rivals* is a beautifully crafted tale of love, hope, and resilience, sure to captivate fans of both fantasy and romance.

Really good audiobook with a sweet and romantic feeling spun throughout. Really enjoyed the entire plot

Rebecca Ross's "Divine Rivals" is a spellbinding fantasy novel that masterfully weaves together elements of intrigue, romance, and political maneuvering in a richly imagined world. This book not only meets but exceeds expectations, delivering a captivating story that will leave readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.

At the heart of "Divine Rivals" are its compelling characters. Ross has crafted protagonists who are complex, flawed, and utterly relatable. Their journeys are marked by growth and transformation, as they navigate the intricate webs of power and deception that surround them. Each character, from the determined heroine to the enigmatic love interest, is rendered with depth and nuance, making their relationships and conflicts feel authentic and compelling.

The world-building in "Divine Rivals" is exceptional. Ross brings to life a vibrant realm filled with ancient traditions, magical intrigue, and simmering political tensions. The intricacies of the divine rivalry at the center of the plot are portrayed with meticulous detail, immersing readers in a realm where gods and mortals collide in ways that are both awe-inspiring and perilous.

The plot itself is a triumph of storytelling. Ross skillfully balances intricate political machinations with pulse-pounding action and moments of poignant emotion. The pacing is brisk yet allows for deep dives into character motivations and the unfolding of intricate plot threads. Every twist and turn feels purposeful, leading to a climax that is both satisfying and tantalizing in its promise of what is yet to come.

Ross's prose is elegant and evocative, painting vivid images that transport readers into the heart of her fantastical world. Whether describing majestic palaces, treacherous landscapes, or intimate moments of connection, her writing sparkles with lyrical beauty and emotional resonance.

In conclusion, "Divine Rivals" is a tour de force in the realm of fantasy literature. With its compelling characters, intricate world-building, and masterful storytelling, Rebecca Ross has crafted a novel that is sure to captivate readers from beginning to end. Fans of epic fantasy and political intrigue will find much to love in this mesmerizing tale of gods and mortals, power and sacrifice. "Divine Rivals" is a must-read and a testament to Ross's talent as a storyteller.

There’s just something so addictive about academic rivals-to-lovers and I just can’t get enough of Iris & Kit’s romance. The tension throughout this book kept me glued to the story. Not only was the romance addictive, but the fantasy setting and plot added so much atmosphere to the book. There were also moments where the description of grief was just so accurate and cutting that it made me cry. I liked that while Iris and Kit were rivals/enemies, they were not cruel to each other. I feel that oftentimes enemies-to-lovers are portrayed only as hating one another, but Ross was able to create a very convincing conflict between our two characters by focusing on the competitive and jealous nature that can often be seen between rivals. The end left me desperate for the next installment!

Divine Rivals immediately captivated me with the fantasy gods warring world building. I loved the enemy to lovers aspect of this book. I do feel that I would like to have known a little more of the lore but this book was definitely good enough to make we want to read the sequel.

I loved, loved, loved this story. The narrator's accents were not my *favorite*, as it was a little hard to understand them at times. I can see why everyone loved this so much though - it was such a sweet YA romance.

My biggest complaint about this one is that it's marketed as a fantasy novel, and outside of a magical typewriter, there were hardly any fantasy elements to this. I felt like I was reading a historical fiction novel set during WWII, minus the magic typewriter. I love historical fiction, don't get me wrong, but this book was magical realism at *best* - not a full out fantasy novel like I was led to believe. There were gods' names thrown around with little to no explanation, to the point where I started ignoring it because they did not have any impact on the overarching storyline.

The ending left me wanting more, though - and it also leads me to believe the fantasy side of things might get fleshed out more in book two. I will be reading the sequel ASAP!

Absolutely beautiful! I loved the connection of the two MCs through their grandmother’s typewriters. I am so excited to jump into book 2!

I enjoyed this audiobook and was very excited to receive and review it. The narration of this was beautiful and I am still thinking of it. The relationship between the two main characters was phenomenal and I was left with so many emotions. Loved this book!

This is one of the most beautifully written YA books I’ve ever read. If you like rivals to lovers, mythology, a splash of fantasy, and mystery, this book is for you! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review!

I absolutely love Rebecca Ross and everything she does! This was one of my top 10 favorite books of the year! Everything about it was amazing! The plot was perfect, the world building was phenomenal, the character development was just exceptional! I honestly cannot say enough great things about this book! I don't even know what else I can say that isn't going to spoil it.

I cannot WAIT to read the next one, I already know it's going to be a 5 star read as well! Do yourself a favor and read this now!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved a lot about this book. It had some of the most beautiful character development I have ever seen, especially in a YA. The writing was engrossing and kept me intrigued by every sentence. However, I feel this book shouldn't have classified itself as a fantasy. The war and history elements overpowered any sense of fantasy this book had. However, it was still such a good book.

I loved this audiobook. I had an ARC from NetGalley (in exchange for an honest review) earlier this year. I was recovering from surgery and going back and forth to my follow-up appointments. I was enraptured with every part of the audiobook. It is, no lie, one of the best audiobook performances I've ever listened to. But also this is one of the best books I've read in the last few years (not the best, but one of the best). It's one of those books that I will read/listen to again each year.
One of the measures of a good book for me is whether I think about it months to years after I've read it. This is one of those books. I'm still thinking about it months later.

As a disclosure: I actually DNFd this at 98% because I was so immersed and invested in this story. I was so upset with the way I knew Rebecca was going to end the book--that I was going to hate (but also love because it's masterfully done) the cliffhanger. I finally finished it 11/27. It was less of a blow since I know the next book is coming out in December, and I wouldn't have to wait almost a year for the continuation of the story.

This books is worth every amount of time spent listening to or reading it.

I really loved this enemies-to-lover wartime YA fantasy. It was a fun, clever premise that was well-developed, and the characters were well fleshed-out and believable. The pacing was excellent, and I felt invested in the narrative and the characters. I'm looking forward to the next book!

LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED LOVED. Sorry my review is so late. I think of this book every day. I cannot WAIT for the next one. 5 star loved.

This book took me to unexpected places and not necessarily due to the magical world it was set in.

Divine Rivals follows Iris, working her way up to reporter status in a 20s-30s world where a war between Gods makes the newsstands everyday. The only thing stopping Iris from making her coveted position is Roman, her upper class competition. Iris finds comfort from her hectic life by writing letters to her warfront brother and sliding them under the door where they magically disappear. However, the letters don't appear to be getting to her brother and instead fall into the hands of Roman himself.

To get it out of the way, the only major flaw in my eyes is the lack of world building. When you hear that there is literally a divine war going on, you expect it to be a huge part of the story but instead it's mostly merely a backdrop and therefore does not spend a lot of time explaining many things about it or creating a sense of time and place.

However, like I said this is background or establishing information for the future and the main focus of this story is instead a really beautiful love story that had me smiling while reading. The secret letter writing, the workplace competition, the hidden identity, oh my, it all worked wonderfully.

The tension ramps up in the back half of the book once stakes are laid and it becomes almost a completely different kind of novel from the first half. Ross's writing succeeds in taking you from light to heavy topics with the same amount of investment through the story and creating attachment to every character we meet.

Magic is almost entirely a side note in a story about two young reporters in a time of strife finding love and joy where they can. It's a great read and I look forward to the sequel where it seems like my few issues may be addressed and I can see what's next for these characters.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan audio for a copy of this ARC. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk. I was not the biggest fan of the male narrator but thats a personal issue and I think with the Norfolk someone edited in different parts at some point and they sound dramatically different so a line will randomly be dropped in that sounds like it was made in a different studio. It was a little off putting.

I get it. I know why this book is all over TikTok. This book is fabulous and the fact that I must wait for book two is annoying. This book reads very much like an 80s historical romance novel. I mean that as a compliment. There are two competing journalists, who both want the same job. But war has come about, and they both end up on the front lines as war correspondents. Besides our historical setting, you have a fantastical element that this is a war of God’s, not a war of people. We also have a “You Got Mail” type of plot where they are communicating by letters, and only one person knows the real identity of the other one. This book was adventurous, had action, it was sweet, and it had heart. There were times that I thought... well this is the end, and then it wasn’t, but I’m glad it wasn’t. There are a few things that are a little odd in this world. First, the setting is 1892 yet it feels more like 1930s. However, there are certain things like IVs and medicines that help heal that seem really out of place for the time. Third, this is a love story that wants the reader to know both characters are virgins who get married at age 19. The sex scene was decently done but not needed. I think part of the problem with this book is it feels like an adult book but marketed as YA. I would not put it as a new adult because the stuff that makes new adult, new adult, isn’t in this. At its heart, this book is a sweet romance that leaves the reader desperately needing the next book. And the fact that there’s not even a year between the two books is a very good thing. And since I listen to this as an audiobook, I will have to say there are a few instances where the tone of the audiobook changes. Almost like they cut in a corrected section. While it takes nothing away from the story, it does pull the reader ouch of their language trance and snaps them back into reality.

I'm definitely late to the fan club with this one that's been getting rave reviews (and now I totally see why!). Set in a fantasy world that feels like a WWII historical fiction novel with magical realism, fantastical creatures and power hungry gods. At the heart of this story is a rivals to lovers romance that sees two strangers exchanging letters through linked magic typewriters only to find they knew each other all along. Full of action, adventure and romance and an EPIC cliffhanger ending. I cannot wait for the sequel!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

Following two young rival journalist, Divine Rivals is by far more of an enemies to lovers romance story than anything else. While the plot dips into the historical fiction realm, and there is obviously the fantasy aspect with magic and gods etc, this is much more a love story. It is certainly a YA romance, with none of the spice you’d get in a S.J. Maas book, but every book I’ve read by Rebecca Ross has been a magical experience. I’ll just say that her writing makes you feel as if you’re in a song or dream.

The main reason I took a star away was for the lack of world building in terms of magic. I think this will be addressed in book two but while I could feel the magic in the writing, and there are things that could only happen with a bit of magic, the system isn’t flushed very well. Besides the myths we learn very little about how the magic of the gods work, and how the everyday magic works.

I also have a few qualms with pieces of the story that felt rather shallow. I’m a bit confused about the time-period and the fact that it’s classified as historical fiction. I felt as if it was supposed to be during World War II but wasn’t quite sure how it was supposed to fit into the greater scheme of the story. I also felt that while the ‘war’ plays a huge part in the storyline itself, I don’t feel as if I know the why of it all. I would have loved to get more information about the war itself, but like the world building, I’m sure we’ll see more of this in book 2.

This book was still highly enjoyable, and the audio narration is fabulous. I’m excited to read the second in the series when that comes out in December and will say this one does live up to the hype.

Divine Rivals is out now. Huge thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan audio my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.