Review of Divine Rivals (Letters of Enchantment #1) by Rebecca Ross.
“In the meantime, I hope you will find your place, wherever you are. Even in the silence, I hope you will find the words you need to share.”
– Divine Rivals
Rebecca Ross
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is a captivating romance with enchanted letters and unexpected twists
Synopsis
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.
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.
Review
What a delight! Divine Rivals, authored by Rebecca Ross, really hit the spot. This book was impeccably written and perfectly balanced with rivalry, romance, and friendship. Additionally, the storyline and world-building were immaculate, elevating this romance novel to a whole new level.
I fell in love with Iris from the moment I turned the first page. She has such a sweet personality, but a complicated past which gives her character a lot of dimension. Iris is such a lovely character that has been through a lot. We see her develop and grow in this book while she learns to accept certain situations and truths about herself and others around her. I loved following her around in Divine Rivals and absolutely swooned over her banter and chemistry with Roman.
Roman also has a great personality. When we first meet him, we see a facade he has put up, but throughout Divine Rivals, we learn that there is so much more to him as a character. We get to know his past and present and get a glimpse of his thoughts and dreams.
One of the most delightful aspects of the story was the unique and captivating way in which the characters got to know each other. It was through enchanted letters passing through wardrobes that they – unknowingly – got to know each other on a deeper level.
The letters were very personal and seemed to be meant for each character. They shared secrets, gave advice, and opened up a world of wonder. As readers, we got to know their deepest thoughts and feelings as they read these magical letters. We felt a part of their journey.
“It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are. Sometimes I feel the same as you: I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there’s also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, “You will miss so much by being so guarded.”
Even though Divine Rivals is a romance book set in a fantasy setting, the storyline was very much present and surprised me. I was so invested in the history between the gods and the war that is currently raging in their world. There is so much more to this romance book than meets the eye. Ross magically weaves different elements such as love, magic, grief, and hope into one beautiful and immersive story. Divine Rivals is unique, and reading it was a breath of fresh air.
The pacing was great, in my opinion. There wasn’t a single moment when I wanted to put this book down. I actually had to force myself to stop listening to the audiobook. Perhaps only the last part of the story felt a bit rushed. We witness numerous events unfolding in the blink of an eye, which requires the reader (or listener, in my case) to remain focused and attentive.
The ending *gasp*! The twist the author gave to the story right at the end was so good and really makes me want to read the sequel right away.
Would I recommend it?
Yes! The writing in Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is impeccable, and has balanced elements of rivalry, romance, and friendship. The characters, Iris and Roman, were well-developed and had great chemistry. The book goes beyond being just a romance novel with its exploration of themes like love, magic, grief, and hope. The pacing was great, and the ending left me gasping for more.
Overall, Divine Rivals is a delightful and immersive read that I highly recommend. Will be one of my favourite reads of the year!
Rating
9,5/10
Details
- Trigger warnings / Addiction, alcoholism, blood, child death, death, death of a loved one, medical content, panic attacks, PTSD, sexual content, violence, vomit, war.
- Representation / Lesbian side characters
- Genre / Romance, fantasy (young adult)
- Pages / 368
- Publication date / April 4th, 2023
- Publisher / Wednesday Books
- About the author / Rebecca Ross has written multiple highly acclaimed duologies, including LETTERS OF ENCHANTMENT, ELEMENTS OF CADENCE, and THE QUEEN’S RISING as well as two standalone novels: DREAMS LIE BENEATH and SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG.
When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband and her dog. Find her on Instagram @beccajross or online at www.rebeccarossauthor.com.
With love,
heavenlybookish 