I will admit, at first the story was a little slow but I’m so glad I stuck it out. I love Matilda and Vincent. Seeing her learn all about her magic and growing into everything she can do was amazing.

But my favorite part of this story was the ending. Without any spoilers, read Divine Rivals before you read this story…

I only wish we got to see more of Matilda and Vincent together and see their relationship grow more.

I fear I am somewhat at a loss for words but I will try to articulate my thoughts about this book and at least what to expect. Huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for making this a Read Now option!

This is essentially a “prequel” to Divine Rivals but you could probably read the books in any order or just this one. It is technically a standalone! There’s a satisfying conclusion and you can end at this book if you want. It’s set in the same world as Divine Rivals, except we follow the gods that rule the Underling realm and Skyward. If you haven’t read Divine Rivals, that’s ok! The world building in this is AMAZING and you will not be lost.

At the beginning, we follow Matilda when she is a god-child living in the Underling realm. Matilda has to grow up quicker than most and by the time she’s a young adult, she’s forced into the shrewd games the gods play. Vincent is a mortal and often meets Matilda in his dreams yet they have not met each other in the waking world. As they grow older, their lives continue to become more intertwined.

This is genuinely one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. The magic was so creative, I was in AWE. I will write a more detailed review closer to pub date but, what you can expect from Wild Reverence:

✨ New Adult
✨ Standalone
✨ Gods and goddesses of the Under realm and Skyward
✨ Mortal x Immortal love
✨ Strings of fate
✨ Games played by gods
✨ Unique magic and amazing world building

Absolutely Stunning!

Wild Reverence was everything I wanted and more. I loved it! The writing was pure magic—so vivid and lyrical, it felt like I was being transported into another world. I’ve always loved stories about gods and mortals, and this one hit all the right notes.
The story swept me away from the very first page. Rebecca Ross’s writing is absolutely magical—lush, lyrical, and dripping with emotion. I’m a sucker for stories involving gods and mortals, and this one delivered that dynamic in the most beautiful way.

The romance? *swoon* I was completely swept up in the romance. The characters were rich and layered, and their connection gave me all the feels. It’s the kind of romance that lingers with you long after you close the book.
The plot had everything—heart, stakes, wonder, and depth. Every twist pulled me deeper into a world I didn’t want to leave. This book was more than just a fantasy—it was an experience. It was one of those books that you never want to end, and when it does, you're just sitting there hugging it.

If you're looking for a story that’s both epic and intimate, full of mythology, emotion, and a love that transcends, Wild Reverence is it. Rebecca Ross has outdone herself. Highly recommend to anyone who loves poetic storytelling, swoon-worthy romance, and tales where the divine meets the deeply human.

This book is the perfect balance of action, power struggles and reverence.

Matilda, the herald of the gods works to balance courts, power and love as the newest god in the underlying court. Vincent, a human boy, has nightmares - until he is pulled from the by the Herald. There story is beautiful and magical. A test image to true love and what it can bring you, how far it can take you and what you can suffer because of it.

The first half of the book felt slow but it sets a lot of groundwork and pays off in the latter half of the book. It really picks up after the 50% mark. It was so awesome to see a lot of the structure of the Underlying and Skyward courts and how they operate. How gods powers and alliances are forged.

I loved seeing the growth of Matilda and Vincent as they went from children to Adults.

The strands of story woven in from Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows was perfect. You don’t have to have read those books to love this one, but if you have then it is so magical to get to see some of the glimpses of the gods we got in those books be really fleshed out here.

Set hundreds of years before the events of Divine Rivals, Wild Reverence is a beautiful tale that gives us a deeper dive into the gods of this world and their magic. The story is told in what is essentially 3 major parts: the before/history that gives us context and establishes relationships when the protragonists are young, the meatiest part of the storyline wherein our MCs are entwined in a mortal battle, and then the aftermath of these events. This story reads more like an epic and it feels a bit medieval, with fortresses and battle camps and chainmail - at the risk of sounding cliche it gives some Game of Thrones (tv) vibes. And Rebecca Ross very masterfully crafts a story that allows you to visualize every setting, every detail, and immerse yourself into the story like you're watching it play out in your mind.

I loved Matilda and Vincent, their devotion and their love which had to withstand over decades. The romance aspect was really beautiful and well crafted, but there are also platonic and familial relationships that felt real and profound. There are easter eggs and connections to the original Letters of Enchantment duology which fans of that series will absolutely devour. I think this is a very well done companion novel and worked well as a standalone to allow us to learn more about the gods, the realms, the magic, and their relationship to the mortal world.

I really enjoy Rebecca's writing and I think this book ranks towards the top of her works for me, similar to how I felt reading her Elements of Cadence duology. If you like her previous work, I definitely recommend it, but it is also for anyone who enjoys romantic fantasy that doesn't lean on cliches we often see in romantasy. Thank you to Saturday Books, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review.

Rebecca Ross just has that beauty with words where her creations suck you in instantly and you feel yourself being transported into her writing. Just the way she writes relationships, love, life and everything in-between in a way that is easy without getting bogged down with extreme world building and the confusion that comes with many other fantasy writers.

This book brought me the same joy as A River Enchanted and Dreams Lie Beneath, you could feel that passion in her writing.

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross was a wonderful book that I took on vacation and hoped to fill some time with. Ha!

I had a five hour plane ride and was enthralled from the moment that I opened the book and didn't look up until we were landing. I sat at the pool pretty much ignoring my family until I finished it and then started re-reading it on the plane ride home. In other words, I loved it!

When Matilda, a goddess who has the gift of delivering letters through realms falls into Vincent's room, the magic is just beginning (in regards to their love story) and I loved watching Vincent go from the hardened man he had turned into because his pleas were ignored into something more.

The author is a wordsmith of the highest order, she weaves a tale that had me literally holding my breath in anticipation of what would happen next to these two.

This was my first book by this author, but definitely won't be my last.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

The herald to the gods and an irreverent mortal - bound together by dreams, war, and love.

When I imagine someone saying, “Tell me a story…”, these are the stories they want told. It was wonderful. A perfect fantasy book. Compelling characters, world-building that is unique but not overly complicated, plot that dashes forward yet slows for a breath when needed.

Often when I read fantasy books, at one point or another, I am like, “Pffft that was silly.” This had absolutely no silliness in it, in the best way. Every detail was so thoughtful, meticulous. No opportunity left unsavored. Pure magic.

I absolutely did cry for basically the whole final act. The tears were worth it.

The biggest thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early copy to review.

I loved this. Ross's writing gets more and more beautiful with everything she publishes. This felt so mature (I see what she meant by this one being new adult but not wildly smutty compared to things she's previously written) and beautiful without being flowery and stuffy.

I loved so many characters — Matilda, BAAAAAAAAADE, Adria — and especially loved getting to see more of Enva. In particular, I adored the way this filled in so many sweet little gaps from the Letters of Enchantment duology. If you've ever wondered how those typewriters came to be, you have just got to read this book (to the very last page!).

The only reason I would "dock" a quarter star from this is that I felt it started a little slow... and... I was not especially attached to Vincent (don't hate me). (SPOILERS AHEAD IF YOU HAVEN'T READ) I would probably have enjoyed it more if there had been some more bite to the fact that he was mortal and she wasn't. I kept thinking, "She has 14 stars, surely she can give him a bunch of them, and they'll be gods together!" I'm totally good with Ross not going that direction, but the way his mortality isn't really a problem for her in the end felt almost too easy.

But still. Amazing book. Loved getting more of this world. So many stars!

Wow, I couldn't stop reading, I became so invested in the characters and the world-building, and I enjoy faster-paced, action-packed stories. like these so it was right up my alley! And the epilogue, chills! Will be recommending to our readers as well as other Rebecca Ross titles!

WILD REVERENCE by Rebecca Ross was one of the most beautiful books I’ve read.

The authors writing is absolutely beautiful and lyrical. I was absolutely captivated by the story from start to finish, I could get enough of it.

Set in the same setting as Divine Rivals about 600 years prior, Rebecca has a way with her storytelling that just completely draws you right into the story and the characters, it’s hard to pull away from it.

The characters were incredibly written, so much much emotions they experienced. So complex, you couldn’t help be drawn to them or connect with them in some way.

I experienced so many emotions with this read from grief to happiness, heartbreaks to yearning, and peace

This book was filled with mystery, love, wonder that I believe anyone would loved.

A true love story to novel and expression of devotions and need.

When you finish this book the story will truly linger on you, it would be hard to let it go, you will be consumed by it

Overall, this was an absolutely beautiful story. Definitely excited to read more of the authors work in the future.

I don't know if I have adequate words to describe Wild Reverence and the experience of reading it. Rebecca Ross weaves stunning worlds together with her words and I was so excited to be back in this world again. Divine Rivals is one of my favorite books ever, and maybe the best book I had ever read. I loved Ruthless Vows too - to be clear! But Divine Rivals was special. Wild Reverence was a step above DR and RV if that is even possible.

Matilda and Vincent will have my heart forever and ever. Rebecca managed to break my heart so many times during this story and I just kept asking for more. I loved that we got to dive into the other gods and goddesses and relationships between two courts of gods, and with mortals, too. I will be rereading this over and over again. What a stunning follow up to Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. I am equally blown away and not surprised at all. I cannot recommend this enough.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Rebecca Ross enchants once again with Wild Reverence, a standalone romantasy set in the same universe as Divine Rivals. This novel delivers all the emotional resonance, lyrical writing, and mythic depth readers have come to expect from Ross, while offering a fresh story with its own beating heart.

The story follows Matilda, a goddess with the rare gift of delivering letters across realms, and Vincent, a mortal whose plea to the gods once went unanswered. Years later, their paths collide in a tale full of longing, danger, and tender romance. Ross blends myth and mortal in a narrative that feels both otherworldly and deeply human.

What makes Wild Reverence shine is Ross's prose—lush, poetic, and immersive. Her worldbuilding is as intricate as ever, painting the underworld and mortal realm with rich detail and emotion. Matilda is a compelling protagonist, and her growth from a quiet, duty-bound goddess to someone who risks everything for love is both poignant and powerful.

That said, the novel occasionally leans a bit heavily on its lyrical style, which can slow down the pacing, especially in the first half. Some readers might crave more action or clarity in the world’s rules, especially for a standalone.

Still, Wild Reverence is a beautifully written, emotionally satisfying tale of love and sacrifice. It’s perfect for fans of Divine Rivals, or anyone looking for a romantasy with heart, myth, and magic.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC

—Receiving this arc from NetGalley is very special and exciting, as it is the prequel to the Divine Rivals duo which is an all time favorite of mine

This story follows a young goddess and her love story with a mortal. It was very long (and slow at times) as we learned about the mythical world but was very satisfying. The story itself was just plain good and the prose was lyrical and beautiful.
If you loved Divine Rivals like I did this is a must read.

Not entirely sure what to rate this. I think I'll settle on a 4 for now. Even though I loved certain parts of this, others were a bit underwhelming, and I think the book as a whole felt a little lackluster at times.

A list of a few (but not all) tropes you can expect:

*Friends to lovers

*Slow-burn

*Found family

1/5 🌶️ for a few non explicit scenes

<i>A Wild Reverence</i> revolves around the gods that we were introduced to in Divine Rivals, but this doesn't follow the story of Dacre and Enva like most would have expected; instead, this book follows a divine named Matilda and a mortal named Vincent whose paths were seemingly predestined to cross.

Wild Reverence seemed to lay the groundwork for Dacre and Enva's book by delving into their backstory, as well as explaining how the other divines are connected, so I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they're the focal point for the next release.

I have to admit that I hard a hard time getting into this initially, it didn't really "click" with me until around the 25% mark; but even then I struggled with connecting with the characters- like, all of them. Something about the plot just felt a bit surface level until the midway point, and still yet the relationships didn't always feel believable or adequately fleshed out.

The story between Vincent and Matilda was beautiful, but yet it also felt like it lacked pertinent information to make their stories cohesive. Some of their interactions felt rushed and predictable, but then others were intricate, poetic almost.

Matilda, a herald from the lower courts, came off a bit too stoic for me; she gave a lot of single word responses that just didn't fit the scene in my opinion. I think I expected her to be a bit more graceful/eloquent with her words. Not to say she wasn't at all, it just wasn't fluent. However, that all could just be personal preference, so take that bit as you may.

Vincent I loved, he was a third born son to a Lord in the mortal Realm, and I feel that his story flowed better...he was the easiest character for me to connect with. Perhaps it was because he was more attuned to his emotions as opposed to Matilda, in which case I can't fault the author because obviously a divine wouldn't necessarily start off with the same intrinsic desires/feelings as a mortal would. However, it seemed like his mother was possibly going to be an important character, yet we never found out anything about her. At one point I was even under the impression that she might have been a divine, but nothing more was said.

Allllllll of that to say, I still enjoyed it. I would still recommend it. I think I just went in with high expectations and I don't think I can say for certain that those expectations were met.

Huge thanks for NetGalley, Rebecca Ross, and St. Martins Press for the advanced digital copy!

the writing style of this book is stunning and the words feel like they are weaving a spell instead of a story. I experienced so many emotions while reading this book. the romance is captivating and the characters are nuanced and deep.

A mesmerizing masterpiece! This book was so beautiful and enchanting, I could feel it in my bones. I loved every piece of this story and Matilda and Vincent will forever hold a piece of my heart. Rebecca Ross is truly so talented a writer and has perfected such lyrical writing that completely draws you in. I was so sad every time I had to pause reading and so happy when I had time to pick up the book again. I cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on this beautiful beautiful story. Thank you so much For the chance to read this book early! I am so grateful for the eARC.

I loved this book.

This book was written the way I wished Ruthless
Vows had been written. It was beautifully descriptive. It was captivating and compelling. The relationships were fleshed out and made me invested in the characters. I was moved to tears more than a few times. "Father!" (Sobs).

Being able to get a glimpse into the lives of the gods and goddesses was intriguing and I felt the end of the book tied in nicely to Divine Rivals. I loved Matilda and her character development.

My suggestion: read it.

Wild Reverence left me breathless—literally sighing as I clutched the book to my chest, aching in the very place it had broken open. Oh, Rebecca Ross, how do you do this to me every time?

This story is a stunning tapestry of gods, mortals, fate, and defiance. At its center is a Harold—a divine messenger—who walks between realms with a destiny not yet etched in the stars. Raised in a quiet, sheltered corner of the world, Matilda is thrust into a realm of chaos and consequence, trained by the God of War and guided by the God of Dreams. Along the way, she collides with Vincent, a mortal boy whose connection to her is immediate, profound, and utterly world-altering.

From the first page, I was enthralled. Ross has always had a gift for weaving myth into something intimate and breathtaking, but Wild Reverence is a new level of brilliance. The gods here are capricious, dangerous, and gloriously complex. The mortals? Caught in their wake—until, of course, love dares to challenge the natural order. I adored the balance between divine manipulation and mortal agency. The stakes felt mythic, and yet deeply personal.

Matilda is absolutely perfect—a divine child aching only to be loved, yet growing into a fierce protector, unafraid to bare her teeth for those she holds dear. Her journey is one of transformation and finding strength in vulnerability and power in her humanity. Her relationships, even with her enemies, are layered with intensity and emotion. I rooted for her every step of the way, and my heart broke each time she was forced to pay the price for daring to feel. Vincent, too, is unforgettable as he is thrust into torment and war, driven by a heart that refuses to harden. His love for his people is rivaled only by the tender bond he shares with Matilda. Their love is soft, aching, and pure and exactly the kind that makes you want to cry in both joy and sadness as we are taught that a love between a mortal and a god is ultimately doomed.

As always, Rebecca Ross delivers lush prose, impeccable world-building, and characters that will haunt you in the best way. Wild Reverence is a divine addition to the Divine Rivals universe, and I’m counting the days until everyone gets to fall under its spell. This book has everything I love—mythology, romance, heartache, destiny—and it gave me more than I ever expected.


**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

Loved this book! Set in the same world as Divine Rivals, Wild Reverence is the story of a goddess Matilda who is drawn to a mortal. I was drawn to this one due to the romance sub plot but loved the mythology woven into the story. I said I would write this review as soon as I finished but I already cannot articulate everything I liked about it! Ross’s writing and the way she wove the story together made this one hard to put down. Definitely recommend to others.