Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross Series: Letters of Enchantment #1
Also in this series: Ruthless Vows
Published by Wednesday Books on April 4, 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Historical Fiction
Pages: 357
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
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After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again…
All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.
Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?
An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.
Finalllllllyyyyyy I am out of my book slump! I’ve seen this cover around and seen the glowing reviews, but it’s classified as YA which tends to not draw me in anymore so I’d held off on giving it too much attention. But then one day, in the middle of a months-long book slump, I wanted something so uniquely different from anything I’ve ever read. And Divine Rivals fit the bill! First off, it doesn’t feel YA at all. There’s this sweeping romance that feels very mature and like it can stand the test of time. It definitely gives the historical fiction vibes I love so much, with the way the characters dress, the cars, the old money, etc. but it’s set in a completely different world from ours and there’s a hint of magic and a system of Gods and Goddesses that throws it into the historical fantasy genre. I took a little while to get my bearings and really feel invested, but then I quickly became obsessed and binged both books back to back.
I don’t want to spoil anything about what initially connects our two main characters, but it’s unique and magical and I loved these two together. I loved watching them navigate the twists and turns of their relationship, revelations popping up all the time. Roman is such a sweetheart, and I love how deeply he felt. I loved Iris’s bravery and tenacity. Both are very talented writers, and a large chunk of this novel is pieces they’ve each written. I’ve never read a book like this, and I thought it was so interesting. I really enjoyed the ins and outs of the mystical war between a God and a Goddess, and the people who worshipped them by choosing a side to fight for. And yes, I mean literally fight. There is war in this book that mirrors WW2. There’s soldiers and trenches and bombs, grenades, some magical weapons, death, lost and missing family/friends, and imprisonment. Magic adds layers of complexity to it. I loved the supporting characters and the found family aspects. Iris makes two great friends, Attie and Marisol, and I loved their relationships with each other. There’s a sweet little cat who makes her way safely and happily out of book 2, so fear not for her as you read!
All in all, Divine Rivals is unique and exciting. It’s magical, heartwarming, heartbreaking, swoony, and it kept me biting my nails and on the edge of my seat into the wee hours of multiple mornings. The writing is absolutely beautiful. I love how Rebecca Ross crafted this story, and the words she chose. There are some powerful messages of hope, love, resiliency, and never giving up. Fair warning, this book ends on a major cliffhanger and you will absolutely want to dive right into Ruthless Vows as soon as you finish. I’m so glad I had access to it right away, as I was not expecting this and ended up throwing my reading schedule out the window to read it next! You’ll find my 5-star review of that book in the coming weeks. I highly recommend both books!
OOh nice! I got this one from Fairy Loot however many years ago that was and its sequel. Haven’t made my way around to them yet but glad to hear they were entertaining! I remembered I tried reading one of her books before but it wasn’t a good match with me and I think I DNF’d it but this one sounds so different and I was willing to give it a tr! Glad to hear you enjoyed it and it helped get you out of a slump! Gives me hope that I will enjoy it too! Great review!