I received the audiobook for this for an honest review.

I am speechless. When I first received this arc, I couldn't get into the audiobook. It was nothing to do with the story or the narrators - I just wasn't in a good mental space for a story that was set in a war setting.

I've been wanting to pick it back up for the longest time but finally felt I was able to do it this weekend. I have barely slept because this story consumed me. In the best way ever.

First off, Rebecca's writing is beautiful. Enchanting, haunting, devastating, and wonderful. I felt like I was reading straight from the souls of these characters and I was fully invested in them. I questioned if Rebecca somehow stitched my heart right into the pages of this book to the point I couldn't let go even if I tried. I was too attached, too invested, and too in love with their story.

The world-building, gods, magic, and war are so incredibly unique but also something so relatable that you could compare this to our own histories. I absolutely love the idea of a mystery pen pal, typewriters and all the magic behind that closet door.

Iris is an absolutely wonderful FMC and I never drifted from her. Our leading man is so honest and so precious. The love story is top-notch. The idea of rivals to lovers is something I think people always think means enemies. But this wasn't the case - it was very clear and I devoured it.

The narrators are great and fit the roles wonderfully. I think listening to or reading this book is a must. This is part one of a duology and it does leave on a cliffhanger. One that I did not see coming. This has been a top read for me this year. I felt bad that I didn't read the story sooner to give my review, but I am happy I waited because you will want to give your entire heart to this story because it will def take a part of yours once it's done.

This was an interesting book, a bit of fantasy, a dash of romance, and a war. I love the idea of the typewriters and their ability to send letters to each other. The ending of the book definitely makes you look forwrd to reading the second book. I can't wait to see what happens with Iris, Kit, and their friends.

Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk did a great job narrating this novel. I appreciated the alternating POVs, it made it easier to figure out who was speaking.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced listening copy of divine rivals. this was much better over audiobook since it switches between povs.

What I loved:
✨Blended Genre: YA Fantasy + Historical Fiction + Romance, but I do agree with @thats.one.for.the.books that the book feels more New Adult rather than Young Adult.
✨World Building: not overly complex but wholly imaginative with the war among the Gods. Hopefully, we see more of these warring Gods in book 2.
✨Characters: I love both Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt. Their rivals-to-lovers relationship fills me with both heartache and hope. Both characters search for their own path in life, while destiny forces their paths to keep crossing. Pure swoon-worthy!
✨Terrific Narration: This is my first time hearing Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk, and I think they brilliantly perform both characters, filling the story with magic. I hope these two narrate the rest of the series.
✨The ending: the cliffhanger is both a chef’s kiss and an “ugh - why do I have to wait” moment. I rarely enjoy a cliffhanger in a series, but I think this ending is perfectly written.

Regardless if you read fantasy or not, I highly recommend this addictive lyrical book.

Full review to come. I adore Ross' writing. What I loved most about the story was the lore. She had me searching whether or not the history of the world was real or made up. Her world-building has always been so unique and Divine Rivals is no different. The story starts off slow but picks up and keeps you hooked. I'm very curious to know where this story will lead especially with that cliffhanger of an ending!

In a world torn apart by war,
journalist rivals continue to communicate using the enchanted typewriters their grandmothers left for them. However, Iris doesn’t know it’s her rival on the other end.

I'm generally not one to like stories of war, but this one was pretty good! It’s such a cool idea to have this centre on journalists at the war front. The ending was really intriguing and makes me want a sequel.

I was kind of getting bored in the middle, because despite the action, I just didn’t care as much about our main characters. I cared more about Marisol and her wife than Iris or Kit.

The magical typewriter thing was a bit wild, but I still don't quite understand the full spectrum of magic in the world. Guess I'm waiting for answers!

Biggest win for this book: when Iris is issued her gear for her war correspondent job, they specifically say they're giving her menstrual products. THIS IS HUGE FOR ME. Wherever you find peace, conflict, tragedy, etc. THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO MENSTRUATE THERE. I love that menstruation is becoming more visible in society, and mentions like this don't go unnoticed for me. Bravo!

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.

This is a very interesting take on a world war novel. It has all the period pieces of a WWI/WWII novel, but this war was created by two gods. The details of this book are fantastic. They really create an excellent atmosphere. The pacing is just a tad off. The beginning and end go very fast, but there is a bit of a lag in the middle that could turn some people off. The romance is cute, but a little cliche and convenient.
Overall, a beautifully written book with a great atmosphere.

The premise of this audiobook intrigued me right away and I loved the narrators. I found myself trying to understand the backstory for most of the book though. I enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out the war. I enjoyed the magic in the book with the letters but everything else was difficult for me to grasp and that deterred me from enjoying this book more. I listened to the audiobook up until she goes to war and decided to not finish this.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love the way Rebecca Ross writes fantasy that is softer, quieter, and more intimate than most contemporary authors, even when incorporating popular elements like magical war and fate-of-the-world stakes. The workplace rivals-to-lovers romance between Iris and Roman was sweet and heart-wrenching. The anonymous letter writing trope is just not my favorite, although I didn’t mind the way it was resolved in this book.

While set in a fantasy world full of gods and monsters, the world building draws inspiration from World War I and often feels like historical fiction. This book beautifully depicts the absolute horrors of war juxtaposed against the quiet hope and love found in the moments between battles. I loved the smaller scale magical elements as well.

The ending of this book is DEVASTATING. My heart yearns for the sequel.

If there is a sequel to this I need it now! The banter between Kitt and Winnow was to die for. A fantastic enemies to lovers story. This book has a bit of everything; romance, tragedy, war, gods, magic, you name it. The narrators did a wonderful job on the audiobook. Plenty of fantasy elements mixed in with real world events.

Divine Rivals follows Iris and Roman, rival reporters who are inexplicably drawn to each other, but when the godly war raging across their country calls them to action, they are forced to recon with the power of not only their words, but of love and life itself.

From the very first time I read the synopsis of Divine Rivals, I KNEW it was going to be special, and oh how correct I was!

Ahhh where do I even start! This book was utterly enthralling from start to finish! It falls into the sub genre I’v dubbed ‘Vintage Fantasy’ and the vibes were immaculate! The WWI-inspired world was rich and haunting and completely immersive!

Iris and Roman! These two own the entirety of my heart! Iris, who is so strong and brilliant with a hidden softness and vulnerability you can’t help but love, and Roman, a cinnamon roll in every sense of the word who is haunted by his past and obsessed with his rival. These characters felt so incredibly real and their struggles and pains and growth were beautiful to watch. They are the definition of soulmates!

Epistolary stories aren’t always my favorite, but this book was made to be told that way. The way that letters not only connected the characters to each other and facilitated their growing connection but also allowed them to connect with themselves. This was a love letter to words and through words that I absolutely adored.

Rebecca Ross is a master of her craft. The story, the prose, the character development and world building and deep, soul-stirring themes all worked together to create a story unlike any I’ve ever read before. It’s a story of loss and grief and hope and war and love and words and I know it’s going to hold a special place in my heart for a very long time.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress @wednesdaybooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

Two aspiring journalists vying for the open columnist position? Two magical typewriters passed from grandmother to grandchildren? Two Gods waging war on each other? This enemies to lovers told in a You’ve Got Mail style by @beccajross, will have you swooning and devastated all at the same time. The biggest bummer for me is knowing I know have to wait for the second book. I loved everything about Divine Rivals.

A friend recommended this book, and I will now 1000% be recommending it too!

5 stars

Thank you netgalley for this arc.
What a phenomenal story. i absolutely adored this book. i loved the writing, the plot, the characters, the romance, everything.

Enemies to Lovers but with a magical twist. Its a good story. A wonderful audiobook. But it was an unremarkable story. I know I'm the odd one out. But it was just another book.

Iris is a columnist and is helping to support her family. While she is working at her job she is trying to figure out where her missing brother has gone.

This author did an amazing job creating a unique story. Magical typewriters with a WWI vibe. It was like nothing I have ever read before! The ending was mind blowing and I’m eager for the next book in the series.

I would have like more details when it came to world build but overall the book was amazing.

I literally sat for 10 minutes after I finished this book thinking, what did I just read??

First, thank you to @wednesdaybooks for my advanced copy of @beccajross new novel, DIVINE RIVALS, published April 4th. Now, let's talk about my sentiments!

I thought I was following along with this beautifully written storyline of magical typewriters passed down from grandmothers who were penpals, to their grandchildren, who unbeknownst to them became penpals to each other…and then I read the last chapter.

So first, I love a good twist ending with cliffhanger-ish vibes like the next, but not only does it make me demand for a second book ASAP (I mean, I am sure Rebecca Ross will just get right on that for me!) but that ending also had me second guessing everything I had read previously. It has truly been a while since a book did that to me, and I love it!

If you like whimsy and small doses of magic in the midst of wartime heartache and despair, secret letter writing, multiple points of view, and the beginning of a series, then you will most likely enjoy this one!

I also highly recommend the audiobook, as I went back and forth between the two. The narrators are strong, and I love that male and female characters have their own voices, since it is a dual perspective novel.

Book Summary:

They say that opposites attract. But do they become divine rivals? Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt live two very different lives. One recently lost her brother to the war efforts, while the other grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Despite these differences, both have the same goal in life – to write meaningful articles that impact the world. For this reason, they are both competing for the same position at the Oath Gazette. Little did they know this competition would change their lives.

My Review:

Holy cow. I've heard a lot about Divine Rivals, and I do mean a lot. Despite this, I don't think we're talking about this book! It's amazing! Rebecca Ross has created an absolutely enchanting world. Readers will fall into the world and never want to leave.

So many elements go into Divine Rivals, but that is what makes it so successful. Naturally, we have that whole enemies-to-lovers plot, magical wartime (battling gods, oh my!), historical/steampunk elements, and so much more. It's captivating, compelling, and shockingly emotional.

Divine Rivals is far from a light and easy read. Some plots will make you feel, and others that will make you think. This story portrays love and loss in the time of war and the many layers that come with it.

I went into Divine Rivals fully expecting an enjoyable experience. What I got was an emotional read that burrowed its way into my heart. I'm not sure I'll ever be free of it...and that's okay. Now excuse me; I need to go count down the days until the next installment releases.

Highlights:
Romantasy
Historical Fantasy
Gods and Fate
Journalism

Trigger Warnings:
War
Graphic Death/Injuries
Alcoholism

While I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my review, all opinions remain my own. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillian audio for the opportunity to listen to this story.

First of all, if it weren't for the non-ending, this book would have gotten 4.5 or even 5 stars but because this book HAS NO ENDING I had to lower my rating. I hate it when I have to wait for another book to find out what happens. Even in a series, each book should have a full story on its own. This one left me completely questioning the fate of every single character, save one. I did love the story, loved the characters. The idea is something new to me and with the hint of magic in it, it really is a beautiful start. I just wish that it had an ending. I feel like I only read half a book. Beyond frustrating as a reader, especially when this is so newly out, I have to wait who knows how long until the next book. Hopefully that one will have the end of the story.

(4.5⭐️) Many thanks to my friends at @macmillan.audio for the #gifted audiobook.

Rival journalists, a war between the gods, and an enchanted typewriter.

The makings of a perfectly ethereal read.

This book fully charmed me. I found myself lost in the nostalgia of bygone days. (Can it be historical if set in a fantasy world? I’m not sure, and yet the wistfulness I felt as I read indicated so.)

The usage of typewriters. Getting to know another person in an intimate manner through the exchange of written correspondence. And then, of course, I’m forever enchanted by wardrobes thanks to Mr. Lewis. This read was wholly sentimental and redolent of the past.

But the true magic is found in Ross’ subtle writing. It’s a quiet prose which permitted a coziness and drew me in. Lyrical and yet not over so. She pens the tale with an ease that made me feel lost within its margins.

Astonishingly, this book evoked such tender feelings, even set amongst the horrors of wartime battle. The atmosphere was meticulously depicted, and there were intense scenes showcasing the atrocities of conflict.

But in those darkest moments, light shone through maintaining the overarching themes of hope and love which endeared me to the plot time and again.

I confess to closing the book with a fierce hatred for the ending. Ross, HOW COULD YOU?!!! The next installment cannot come quickly enough.

It’s worth noting that I went into this book completely blind and was highly rewarded for doing so. The official synopsis provides many spoilers for things I enjoyed experiencing through the storyline’s unfolding.

This made for a great discussion with some of my favorite buddies: @bookmarked.by.becky and @thats.one.for.the.books. Between favorite scenes and predictions for of the future, our chat was 👌🏻.

🎧 I will be adding a physical copy of this book to my shelves, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one in audiobook format. The dual narration by Alex Wingfield and Rebecca Norfolk excellently portrayed the two main characters and added something special to the letter exchanges.

“Let us make our names exactly what we want them to be.”

Divine Rivals filled a spot in my heart I didn’t know was there. That may be dramatic ( it definitely is ) but this book stole my heart from the first page and still has it in its grip. It’s like that story that makes you feel all warm and nostalgic when you think about it, but you have that feeling the entire time. I mean, we’re talking about magical typewriters that allow two people to send letters to each other through their wardrobe. If that’s not the childhood dream come to adulthood, I truly don’t know what is.

Iris was truly something to behold. She was complicated and relatable. Still trying to find where she belonged or give herself the credit she deserved. She was funny, witty, and most importantly, didn’t let others decide who she was. She struggled on that path, but always stayed true to herself even in the end.

“I am so afraid. And yet how I long to be vulnerable and brave when it comes to my own heart.”

The found family aspect of the story was especially sweet. Attie, Marisol, and Keegan were such great additions to the story, complementing each other and Roman and Iris. And were their biggest fans of course. But it’s really hard not to root for them. Again - magical correspondence.

“I wonder if this is how it feels to be immortal. You’re moving, but not really. You’re existing, but time seems thin, flowing like a current through your fingers.”

The world building, magic, and myths were enchanting (IYKYK) I’m really looking forward to see that expand in the sequel. There’s so many interesting facets to the stories and questions I was left with. In a good way. Rebecca Ross gave us what we needed to know now and planted many intriguing seeds that has led to me thinking of all the plot points I would love to see happen in the future.

I would love to skip over the pain this book caused me, because it has been a lot, buttttttttttt that’s part of what has made me love it so much. I’ve thought about nothing since finishing it on Friday, spent a good chunk of Sunday highlighting quotes, and am already wanting to reread it and relive that heartache.

Get ready for some My Heart is a Chainsaw-level obsession because Divine Rivals is the book I will NEVER stop talking about. 🖤