Divine Rivals is quite possibly the most romantic and beautiful book I have ever read!! Rebecca Ross writes the most swoon worthy cinnamon rolls and I cannot GET ENOUGH!! 🥹🥹
The plot was extremely unique as it is a story between two journalists who are competing for a spot as a columnist in a very popular newspaper 📰
Iris, one of our protagonists is talented & witty but has a very troubled private life as her brother is out fighting in a very dangerous magical war & her mother drowns her sorrows in liquor. Iris doesn’t have much except a typewriter gifted to her by her grandmother that is her most prized possession.
Roman Kitt- our other protagonist lives a lavish and comfortable life- he is very arrogant & a little grumpy (and Iris looooves messing with him 🤣) but there is more to Roman Kitt that meets the eye & I loved learning about his character & backstory

Now, I don’t want to say much because I went into this story blind and I enjoyed every word, every letter, every page. It is such a beautiful, heart wrenching, deep, and emotional story filled with sooooo much love, hope, perseverance. There is also a war going on between two gods that gave me Hades/Persephone vibes- I loved this storyline almost as much as the main storyline!
I know this book is pitched as shadow and Bone meets Lore but honestly this book is sooooo much more than that!! I cannot recommend it enough!

The only thing I dislike about this book is the fact that I read it seven months before its publication and now I'll have to wait forEVER for the sequel!!

Iris and Roman are two young journalists from very different backgrounds, competing with each other for the coveted columnist position at the Oath Gazette. There is a war between gods raging in the west, a war that Iris's brother Forest has opted to fight in. After months of no contact with him, Iris begins typing letters to Forest and slipping them under her wardrobe door as a means of coping. But these enchanted letters end up in the hands of Roman, who strikes up an anonymous correspondence that will alter both their lives.

Rebecca Ross has an uncanny ability to draw readers into her stories, and Divine Rivals is no exception. As a rule, I generally don't enjoy the Young Adult genre, but this is a beautifully written book that definitely toes the line between YA and Adult. There is one moment in particular that took my breath away, in chapter 32. Just, stunning prose at an emotional climax!

This was a truly engrossing read with vivid characters and an interesting fantasy world — in my mind's eye it's basically a WWI-era setting with enchanted buildings. I simply cannot wait for the second installment, that epilogue had me screaming!!

Massive thank you to Rebecca Ross, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

I’m in love with everything about this book - the lyrical writing, the cheeky banter, the historical elements, and the magical realism. This is an enchanting story and I couldn’t get enough. It’s a warm and heartfelt tale set against a ruthless and agonizing backdrop.

Enva and Dacre, two gods that were slain and buried, have suddenly reawakened. As rivals they have begun a war that is tearing apart the human world. They are magically recruiting mortal citizens to fight for their cause. As the story progresses, we learn more and more about these gods and their backstories. The lore is captivating and adds fascinating layers to the plot.

The world-building is engrossing, with its legends of old gods mixed up in a tumultuous atmosphere of war-torn society. It’s such a unique setting and I adored the genre mash-up of it all. Their society is ravaged by the funding of propaganda and opposing beliefs. It is an emotional climate while everyone is worried about their relatives and loved ones.

This story is told from two perspectives. Both of our main characters, Iris and Roman, are competing for a columnist position at a newspaper. I love stories about books, writing, and reading. It's a fun experience and instantly relatable when characters enjoy it as much as I do. I enjoyed the dual perspectives that gave us a more in-depth look into their personal lives and motivations.

This is enemies-to-lovers at its finest. Divine rivals is the perfect way to describe our two main characters. The banter and animosity between them only heightens the tension as they reluctantly grow closer. Their relationship is the perfect contrast and compliment to the harrowing environment that it takes place in - that something so good can bloom and develop even under such circumstances. It’s a light and airy love story that will leave you with tears of both sadness and joy.

I was introduced to this author by her book, A River Enchanted, where I was swept away by her writing style. There was something flowy that just drew me in. So when I saw the arc available for her newest book, I was excited to immediately request it. And after reading this one, I will definitely be checking out some of her other backlist books soon. I couldn’t recommend this book more highly and it is sure to be an instant hit. Readers of fantasy, romance, and historical genres will all love this one.

I LOVED Kitt and Iris. Such a sweet and unexpected love story. Everything from the story of the typewriters, to their rivalry was well written and made me swoon ever so slightly.

The Lore of the God Dacre and the Goddess read much like the story of Hades and Perspheone, if Hades would have started a war just to have her.

I really enjoyed the ending. In some ways, it was a cliffhanger but it didn’t leave me with a feeling of frustration but just full curipusity and intrigue! I’m so excited to see how this story continues.

First thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!!

This book is so heartbreakingly good!! It was a amazing mix of war drama and fantasy. I swept up in the story and I could not put it down. There was a perfect mix of romance and the overall story and I cannot wait to read more.

My only critique is that I wish this book was not advertised as “Like Shadow and Bone.” This book is so different from it and has its own special world to get lost in. This book is made for those who love period dramas and lord of the rings.

My only critique is I wish it was coming out sooner so I could buy it for each and every one of my friends for Christmas.

I'm new to Rebecca Ross, having read A River Enchanted (and it's follow-up) this year and I just want to say I am a massive fan. Her writing is so lush and incredible and she creates worlds that I get lost in.

Divine Rivals is her best yet, in my opinion. I'm going to go out on a limb and say (as of September 20, 2022) that this is my favorite book I've read this year - and it's one of my top 5 favorite books of all time. The story or Iris and Roman resonated with me in a way little else has recently. My heart soared and ached right alongside these two. I could not get enough.

Highly recommend.

I can't fully review this book the way I'd like for fear of spoilers but I will say: this is an utterly beautiful book with a devastating cast of characters.

And you should absolutely go in blind. I experienced so many emotions and the writing is incredible all the way though - Rebecca Ross does not miss with Divine Rivals.

I cannot wait for the world to have this book and for me to own a physical copy;.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

As always, Rebecca Ross’ writing is beautiful and I know this new duology will be beloved by her fans.

Iris Winnow’s world is falling apart. Her mother is an addict and her brother is missing from the front lines of a war between the gods. To support her family, Iris needs to win the columnist position at the Oath Gazette. Unfortunately, her rival, Roman Kitt, is competing for the position as well.

Desperate to contact her brother, but not knowing where he is, Iris begins writing letters to Forest and slips them under her wardrobe, where they disappear. However, Roman is the recipient, not Forest, and he decides to anonymously write back.

This story had a very unique historical fiction feel to it mixed with fantasy. I felt like I was reading a book set during World War I, but with magic and monsters.

The enemies to lovers romance was well done and I enjoyed watching Iris and Roman’s relationship develop. The letter writing was a fun added element.

I did have a hard time getting into this story. The first half of the book was very slow and it felt like the developing romance and the war plot were two different stories. They didn’t quite mesh well together for me and I had a really hard time deciding on a rating because of this.

The last 20% of the book is where everything really picks up and I am very interested to see what happens in book two.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

Divine Rivals is a must-read book. Rival journalists? A war between gods? Magical typewriters? Yes, please!

Iris Winnow and her professional rival Roman Kitt both work for the Oath Gazette. Iris' brother has left to fight on the front lines of the war between two gods who call mortals to fight for them. When Iris feels like she has lost everything, she goes to the front to report on the war. She does not expect what she finds at the front or the person who follows her there.

The writing in Divine Rivals was top-notch. Rebecca Ross has a lyrical writing style that is so easy to get lost in. She writes with powerful feeling and I was swept up in the emotions she evoked. I thought that the story was told extremely well and I was not prepared for the ending. I will be anxiously awaiting the second book in this duology.

The slow-burn, rivals-to-lovers romance was so well done. I love the trope where characters are communicating and don't realize they're talking to each other, and Divine Rivals had a fantastical twist on the trope. I thought Iris and Roman's relationship developed at a great pace, and I appreciated their communication and personal growth through the story.

I highly recommend this to fans of The Lovely War! It was a YA Fantasy Romance that will also appeal to fans of NA/Adult Fantasy Romance.

Thank you to St Martin's Press for an eARC in exchange for my thoughts.

Magical typewriters, letters passed through wardrobes, a war between tempestuous deities, and a love that comes unbidden to rivals Roman and Iris– this is Rebecca Ross’s “Divine Rivals,” a wonderful new YA fantasy novel. I was swept away by their amazing story and this better be a duology because I am absolutely dying to know what happens next!

Really unique, interesting. Completely enthralling and a little heartbreaking too.

I love the setting—WWI/II is one of my favorite historical periods. Mixed with a You’ve Got Mail type plot, it’s just adorable

I couldn’t stop reading, but never wanted this story to end.

Now I’m waiting a lllloooooooonnnnnnngggggg time for whatever is next!!!

My heart is bursting and raw as I write this review. Divine Rivals has all of the things — joy, grief, intrigue, courage, mythology, ambition and romance. (Plus a sizzling slow-burn relationship, magic typewriters with a backstory of their own and LOVE. So much love.) Like a Russian nesting doll, it’s a story within a story within a story — or something like that — and every bit is as complex as the last.

Journalists Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt are sworn competitors at The Oath Gazette. The world they live in is in the middle of a war spurned by two very different gods, which explains the presence of enchanted grocery stores, mansions with a personality of their own and magic historic objects that can whisks letters away to unknown destinations in their mortal realm.

Rebecca Ross knocks it out of the park with this book. Intricate world-building, rooted in a retelling reminiscent of ancient Greek mythology, comes alive in the battles of humans and heart between these pages. Iris is bold and flawed and a stunning writer — some of her articles about the war seriously made me want to cry, which is just a testament to Ross’s unbelievable storytelling skills — while Roman is stoic and selfless and simply dreamy.

By the end of Divine Rivals, I became so immersed in the story of Iris and Roman, I was absolutely shattered when it came to an end (please tell me book two is on the way!?). At first things happen slowly, as the first couple of chapters untangle critical motives and focus on setting the scene. But before you know it, everything is moving all at once and you’re swept up into this fantastic developing rush of adventure and dimension.

One of the strongest parts is the way Ross so deftly and poignantly keeps the grief and humanity and loss of the ongoing war at the forefront of the story. She doesn’t romanticize the battles witnessed by the characters, but instead paints a very real picture of the brutality of it, all through the eyes of Iris and Roman as they struggle to report from the frontlines. (I googled the hell out of Ross afterwards — I was convinced by the end that she herself had been a war correspondent.)

And that ENDING. It really sets up the next book in a seamless, satisfying way. What a stunner. (That’s all I’ll say about that.)

With series like The Queen’s Rising and stand-alones like Sisters of Sword and Song to her name, Ross is a seasoned, celebrated author at this point. Divine Rivals is the latest in her repertoire of YA fantasy. It is gutting and gorgeous and everything good.

*Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Imagine WWII, except it’s being fought between two ancient Gods and the mortals they magically entice into battle for them and you have the setting for Ross’s new book, Divine Rivals.

The premise for this book sounded intriguing and I began reading with high hopes. For some reason, though, I had a little trouble getting into it at first. The first quarter of the book was a little slow for me, I wasn’t connecting with the characters and I almost gave up.

However, I’m glad I didn’t!

The story picked up for me when Iris becomes a war correspondent and suddenly I couldn’t put it down. Ross had me on the edge of my seat at times (such as when the sirens would sound), tense and anxious, waiting to see what would happen next. The relationship between Roman and Iris really began to blossom for me too, turning into a sweet and, at times, heartbreaking romance. I finished this book wanting more, fully charmed by Ross’s writing style.

The first in a new series of books, I recommend checking this one out.

I really enjoyed this book. It has the feel of a hystorical romance mixed with a Greek mythology but is actually neither. The characters are well developed and you can feel the connetion growing between them. The story and plot just keep growing and drawing you in.
I highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Holy crap this book was so good! I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this book but I loved it way more then I thought I was going to. The characters were great I loved Iris, and Roman owns my heart. I’m want the next book now! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Very engrossing from start to finish. Appropriately heart breaking throughout. An excellent love story that pulls the heartstrings but still leaves the reader with hope. The world war twoesque fantasy was a fresh setting that could be explored throughout many books. The writing style was lyrical and beautiful but the purple prose is not distracting. The world building through the characters letters was nicely laid out and helped to not bog down the narrative. The world is mysterious. I found the conflict between the gods to be a little far fetched. I think that may have to do with the marriage of magic and 20th century weaponry being used during the war. An overall excellent read. 5/5 strongly recommend to fans of Lovely War by Julie Berry or any of Ross's other books.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This was a page turner for me. Warring Gods and a magical wardrobe and 2 rival journalists. IT was just perfect and epic enemies to lover’s fantasy I loved every second of it.

I haven't read a book that actually made me cry in a while, but Divine Rivals did me in. I ended up SO invested in this story and the characters. I don't have any clue how I'm going to make it until the next book in this series comes out, seeing as how I read this as an ARC and it's not even out yet!

Divine Rivals is set in a fictional world ruled by sleeping gods who have recently awakened and started a war, which is in the background for most of the story. Iris is an aspiring journalist competing for a prestigious columnist position with the wealthy and equally talented Roman. Though they start out as rivals, both begin to fall in love with each other through their writing, in a beautiful slow burn enemies to loves romance. Iris is also dealing with some heavy trauma and grief, which she pours out in letters written on an enchanted typewriter. Her letters are initially written only to herself - until someone starts writing back.

Though it's ostensibly fantasy, the story reads like historical fiction set in one of the wars of the early 20th century. Iris eventually ends up at the front as a war correspondent, hiding in trenches and dodging bullets, grenades, and bombs. As such, the fantasy elements seem like afterthoughts - I liked that they were there, but they were so minimal they almost detracted from the story. That said, based on the ending, they will come into play more in the next book, which I NEED right now.

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.

5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beautiful, brilliant, imaginative and unforgettable!

First of all, this is my second Rebecca Ross novel and she is quickly becoming a favorite! She is amazing!

Iris is a writer. She works for the Oath Gazette along side her rival, the wealthy, Roman Kitt. They are both vying for a spot as the Gazette’s new columnist. Both are excellent writers and both have lots of potential.
With Iris’s brother off fighting in the war, she spends her days writing and longing to hear from him. Her mother has become an alcoholic since her brother Forest left for the war and Iris struggles to not feel lonely and hopeless. She begins a new correspondence with a stranger when she starts passing notes through her wardrobe. She develops a friendship with this stranger….. a friendship that sustains her through many trials, fears and hopeless nights.

This book clearly leaves a huge gaping hole at the end for book #2. My heart literally broke as I finished this book and I so desperately wanted more! I have nothing, literally nothing negative to say about it. It’s brilliant!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

While the war between the gods comes closer to the town of Oath, two reporters discover a link between their typewriters.

Iris waits to hear any report of her fighting at the front for the goddesses. Unknown to her, her anonymous correspondent is also her rival in the press, where they are both competing for the same columnist position. But as tragedy strikes, Iris goes to the front as a war reporter, determined to find her brother and understand why the gods are fighting. Full of war-torn danger, unexpected romance, and an ending that will leave you screaming, Divine Rivals is a fantasy novel that sets itself apart from others.

The setting is reminiscent of England during the Great War. I love how Rebecca Ross used magic to show how mundane it feels to Iris and Roman. Yes, most gods are supposedly gone, but shops are enchanted to show what you can afford, and typewriters can be enchanted. The modernity of Oath is a breath of fresh air for readers weary of gothic castles and stagecoaches. Ross also draws on historical research to make the setting as realistic as possible during a war. The additional details of dash-packs and emergency sirens made sure that there was a constant threat, building anticipation for their uses.

And, yes, the romance. I don’t want to spoil anything, but the buildup is satisfying as well as the direction their dynamic could change after the first book’s ending. (Ross, were you cackling as you write that?)

Perfect for fans of the film 1915 and for those who want trains and typewriters in their fantasy books, Divine Rivals is the strong start of a series.

A copy was provided to me by NetGalley. All opinions are my own.