I couldn't put this down -- I thought the pacing was really good, the plot was interesting and clever, and the love story was heart wrenching. You don't need to have read Divine Rivals to enjoy this by any means, and I do think that this adds richness and context to Divine Rivals. If anything, I would have liked a bit more time with the two main characters (Vincent and Matilda) together.

I've read both of Rebecca Ross's duologies and found myself wishing they were standalones -- I thought this was really good as a standalone, and I hope for more like it in the future!

If there is one thing Rebecca Ross will do in each book, it is stir my heart with how beautiful she writes. Wild Reverence is truly a work of prose in the best way. She has once again illustrated how truly powerful words can be with this beautiful, heart-wrenching story of love between two people whose lives were tied in the tapestry of fate and death. Everything was so incredibly detailed and vivid. The story itself provides more lore behind the Skywards and Underlings, with the easter eggs (and the truly touching epilogue), creating some beautiful full-circle moments. It felt so good to be in this world again, and I'm so glad I got this ARC.

Wild Reverence is a breathtaking prequel that expands the world of "Divine Rivals" with a passionate, destined romance. The gorgeous prose and rich world-building are as enchanting as ever, creating a story that is both epic and deeply personal. It's a truly unforgettable read.

After reading Letters of Enchantment, Rebecca Ross became in stant buy/download author for me. Wild Reverence just hammered the final nail in the coffin of that sentiment.

This book was so beautifully written and everything i was hoping for. I loved getting to dive back into a familiar world and see the beginnings of storylines from Letters of Enchantment.

The world building was poetic as I expected. Having aphantasia can make it overwhelming on occasion, but the way Rebecca has with words makes her stories and world building easy to follow, even with the many gods/goddesses and astrologies related to them.

AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A MAN THAT YEARNS. I thought I loved Roman Kitt, but Vincent went so above and beyond. The yearning for Matilda, the love for his people, the devotion to all of them, UGH. I just cant imagine a better MMC for a book of this caliber. The dynamic between Vincent and Matilda, spending so many years waiting and wanting and the constant pull toward but also away from each other. She was the perfect pairing for him.

This book really makes you feel all the emotions in a full 360, and I'm so glad I got to experience it from . I cant wait to see what Rebecca Ross gives us in the future.

Okay, I don’t see how the title matches the story, but WOWZA! This book was amazing! It was the story I didn’t even know I needed. The prequel that I didn’t think could exist. I LOVE it!! Letters of Enchantment is my favorite series by her and she did not disappoint. It took me approximately 2 seconds to DEVOUR this book. She is such a talented author. This story follows the life of a goddess, how she loves and matures, and grows into her powers. The epilogue tied a lot of strings together. Highly recommend!

Favorite quote: “War only makes love flame brighter, defiant. It seems to bloom from the bloodshed you leave behind, unfurling from the most unlikely of places. From the broken seams of the world. From the graves and the anguish and the fear you inspire.”

Which do you prefer…to be feared or be loved? This is hands down my favorite Rebecca Ross book to date. If you love mythological fiction with lush worldbuilding and powerful prose, Wild Reverence should be at the top of your TBR. This novel swept me away with its ethereal settings, unforgettable characters, and lyrical writing style. The story centers on Matilda, a goddess who serves as a herald and has the unique ability to travel between nearly all realms. The story begins with her childhood and is interwoven with another main character, Vincent, a mortal whose perspective adds depth and humanity to this sweeping tale. The magic system in Wild Reverence is fascinating and a new take on how to give and take power. Power can be lent temporarily or permanently taken through death, which adds a constant undercurrent of tension. While there is violence and death throughout the story, it’s handled with care and not overly gratuitous, but essential to the lore and structure of the world. The setting is beautifully drawn and you are fully immersed within the setting and story. Rebecca Ross is amazing with her descriptions that make you see what’s unfolding in vivid detail. Although it’s set in the same universe as Divine Rivals, you absolutely don’t need to read that duology to fall in love with this book. There are small connections and overlapping characters, but Wild Reverence is very much its own story, and a stunning one at that.

5 ⭐️ an enchanting journey you need to read!

I enjoyed Divine Rivals, but really did not like Ruthless Vows at all, so I was curious to see how this prequel would stand up.

I did find it a little intimidating in those first few chapters when Rebecca was laying down a lot of new world building of the gods and their magic/power systems, but pushed though and reaped the rewards. The whole book was an enchanting masterpiece. I was completely captivated by Matilda’s journey and her growth throughout the story.

The pacing on this book was great and didn’t feel at all rushed **cough** looking at you Ruthless Vows **cough**. Rebecca definitely redeemed herself with this one and even, dare I say it, topped Divine Rivals.

This book is definitely one of my favorite 2025 reads and I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley, St.Martin’s Press, and Rebecca Ross for this chance to read an early copy. 🩷

Brutal. Passionate. Epic.

These are the words I’d describe Wild Reverence by sheer attempt. Not only has Ross written another masterpiece, I believe it may be one of the most beautiful pieces of literature I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

There are no words that can describe the amount of love I have for this world and series, somehow it grows to incomprehensible measures. From how real Ross’ characters always feel, to how magical her worlds are, I’m always impressed by the talent she has as an author.

Matilda and Vincent were so very romantic in ways barely touched in most stories written today. Their undying loyalty and love for each other was always so inspiring and strong. I enjoyed seeing their love blossom, be challenged, accepted and fought for. There were so many lines in this book that I would have written out in little pieces of parchments because I thought they were too beautifully romantic and passionate to ever possibly be forgotten.

The world of Divine Rivals has grown on an epic scale with the addition of Wild Reverence. Time, a long history of it passes through this tale. The magic of constellations, gods, goddesses, life, death, and so much more was always so captivating, yet never overwhelming. I never wanted to stop reading, but whenever I had to and I’d return, I was completely immersed right back into the story immediately.

Matilda has become one of my favorite characters of all time, most notably female heroines. Her strength to endure such brutal challenges and heartbreaking moments, yet grace and love for so many . . . It’s powerful, if there’s even a right word to encapsulate how great she is; how great Wild Reverence in its entirety is really.

And Vincent, an excellent example of masculinity. His heart was not only his strength but I also believe his greatest weapon and softest haven. His everlasting hope, loyalty, and love for Matilda, brotherhood kinship to Nathaniel, and quality of leadership both to something as large as his kingdom to something as singular as his adopted nephew . . . Also powerful. Also perfect.

I could quite literally go on for ages about praise for Wild Reverence, but how many times can I say something is perfect, and so is every little detail about it that I could name? The volumes in this series are beloved pieces of treasure I’ll always love for all my life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy). This review is based off of an uncorrected proof.

This book, the love story, and the story were perfect!! I was captivated through the whole thing. Matilda was so mature when she was young without even realizing it. She was determined, strong, loving and feared all in one. Her story opened up this world even more for me. I didn’t want to leave the world at all. Everything about this was just perfect… I don’t even know how to put it in words.

Even better than DIVINE RIVALS!! Rebecca Ross' writing is spectacular (as always) and the yearning (the yearning!) between Matilda and Vincent was electric. Loved this one!

3.25 stars
This book was okay. It was more fantasy than romance, and I was hoping it’d be more romance than fantasy. It’s just my personal taste in books. I really did not like the ending at all. If I would have read this before reading Divine Rivals, I wouldn’t have picked up the next book.

This is a bummer of a review for me to write, because I was really looking forward to this one. I loved Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, and hearing this was a prequel that set up the system of gods/goddesses/etc was really compelling to me. Unfortunately, although much of the writing is as poetic and lyrical as we've come to expect from Rebecca Ross, the book is overloaded with characters and information which doesn't allow the reader to become immersed in the main story between Matilda and Vincent.

It's a really fantastic concept that is unfortunately executed not nearly as well as I hoped. Some of the dynamics between the gods and goddesses are quite fun, and I really liked Bade. I just wonder if maybe it would have been served better as a duology with the gods/goddesses being introduced in the first book, and then Matilda/Vincent's story into the epilogue taking off in the second book. I so rarely advocate for this, but I think there was too much going on, which took away from the central story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Another INCREDIBLE story from the brilliant mind of Rebecca Ross! I fell in love with this author after reading A River Enchanted and A Fire Endless because she does such a stunning job of bringing the settings to live, giving so much character to the landscapes of the worlds she builds. I'm happy to report that this book was no different!

Not a book setting stan? (What are you, a regular person? haha) The characters in this story are so intriguing, I found myself instantly bought into Matilda's life and story (which isn't always the case for me!). I'm a sucker in general for a story about gods/goddesses, but the addition of this specific ranked magic system was perfect and made the story all the more gripping as the characters aren't without their own weaknesses.

Finally, the way this love story was written has cemented its place on the top of my list of favorite books of 2025 (and maybe even of all time). I related so much to the long-distance that Matilda and Vincent had to endure (even though my experience had much less to do with magical goddess duties), which created an even deeper investment in devouring this book to see how it would all weave together in the end. I'm a sahm of four with unbelievably limited free time and I finished this book in less than 48 hours. I literally couldn't put it down. If that's not a stellar endorsement, I don't know what is!

TL:DR Read this book. Once you've done that, go read everything else that Rebecca Ross has ever written and then just keep doing that for as long as she releases books.

Thank you so much to netgalley and the publishers for ARC access!!!

A miraculous read that will leave your heart full and yearning for more.

Those who have read the Divine Ritual duology, will have some semblance of the divine characters in this novel. It is not necessary to read them before reading this.

Wild Reverence had me hooked from the first page to the last. The storyline was unique, compelling, and never lost my interest.

This is a story about gods, mortals and the journey an immortal named Matilda takes with her mortal friend, Vincent. We learn about each character and the trials they face over time. A must read for lovers of unique fantasy, a slow burn love, and the obstacles life throws your way.

I thought nothing could compare to what I felt for Iris and Roman.

I was wrong.

Wild Reverence is a beautiful beginning for a familiar world. Though it takes place many years before the events of Divine Rivals, there are still familiar faces, myths made flesh. That was my favorite part of this novel, I think - diving below the surface of the tales we learned in Oath, finding out just how human the gods can be. (As an incredibly obsessive mythology nerd, gaining more insight into the pantheon touched on in Divine Rivals was like injecting caffeine directly into my bloodstream. I needed to know more IMMEDIATELY.)

Matilda and Vincent stole my breath away. I was raised on Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices trilogy, so I’ve always have a soft spot for lovers doomed simply by the passage of time. This book felt like a warm cup of tea, and their relationship was much of the reason why. Childhood infatuation growing as they did, blooming into true, persevering love - and wonderfully written, to boot. Matilda’s humanity being the perfect key to Vincent’s armor, making them both more human and more divine. Their story has earned its place on the bestseller lists (and it will get there easily, I guarantee that).

This is a prequel to the Letters of Enchantment duology, yet could very well be read as a standalone. It is in the same world and gives a glimpse to the gods of the world but any significant tie to the prior books is really just in the epilogue. The writing is as soulful as the duology but the characters and how they connect are even more complex. Perhaps for the reason that Matilda, the female main is a goddess and connected to gods above and below, this story takes on an almost mythical feel that made me connect to it even more than Divine Rivals or Ruthless Vows. This was a nice read from both the perspective of wanting to revisit the world of Letters of Enchantment and just enjoying a slow-burn romantic fantasy and the ending is an actual ending without a cliffhanger.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press - Saturday Books) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

First and foremost I want to thank Rebecca Ross, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to review this book in advance! I had my fingers and toes crossed for this ARC and it absolutely blew my mind 🥹

This book was so original and I was instantly hooked! It starts with Matilda the FMC born from Zenia an Underling Goddess, whose constellation points end up being 6 (deeming her to be a middle court goddess). She is a herald yet her full potential is not revealed instantly. The kicker, Matilda is half Underling, half Skyward.

Matilda is drawn to the mortals, and is growing quickly in her god-child stage. So much unravels and it lays a strong foundation for the plot! The yearning in the book is off the charts and it absolutely tugged at my heartstrings!

So many characters thus so much information! You must pay attention while you read this book so you don't get lost; you really gotta use your brain!

I loved this, and again I can't stress how original and unique this story is!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨/5

(4.5/5) I can always count on Rebecca Ross for an enchanting read with an achingly beautiful romance.

Rebecca Ross' Letters of Enchantment duology is one of my favorites, so I couldn't wait to get my hands on Wild Reverence. I ended up loving this book. To say I went in with extremely high expectations would be an understatement.

I LOVE Rebecca Ross' writing style—at this point, I'd likely be enchanted by her grocery list. Her writing itches a part of my brain that makes me want to speak more eloquently. You can tell how much care and intention goes into her books, which I deeply appreciate.

The YEARNING in this book was delightful, especially to see the slow burn development between these two over the years. Even though not all readers will consider this a slow burn, I do because their relationship transforms over time. I also didn't realize this was adult, so when the (not super explicit) spice came I was HOWLING with excitement.

The reason I go back and forth with giving this book 5 stars is due to how much was packed into this book. I love what we got, but I really wanted more. A key example is how things wrapped up with Bade—I LOVE what we got, but I wanted more moments with these two since I adored their dynamic.

That epilogue was *chefs kiss.* I really hope Rebecca Ross continues to write in this universe because I don't think I'll ever be sick of this universe.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Incredible! Coming from a girl who doesn’t typically love prequels, this was perfection. Hands down my favorite Rebecca Ross book to date.

The friendships, the betrayals, the sacrifices, the character development, the unfiltered love, the DEPTH. 🥹😭

This book was so unique and well thought out. There are many storylines unwinding at once that kept me glued to the pages. I fell in love with not only our FMC and MMC but so many of the side characters. They were all so three dimensional and Rebecca did a great job bringing them all to life. They are the kind of characters you will miss when you’re done reading and think about long after.

The way it wrapped into Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows was done so intricately and beautifully as well.

Highly recommend!

3.5 stars

Rebecca Ross proves that she can expand on a pre-existing world by writing a prequel that both stands on its own and enriches the existing lore.

The two things that stood out the most to me about this book were how well-written it was and how much it reminded me of a Greek retelling. The writing was lyrical and rich in a way I haven’t experienced since reading Circe by Madeline Miller.

I liked Matilda as a vehicle for this story because she’s caught between three worlds. Because of this, she’s able to present a full, layered narrative. She was extremely relatable, representing adolescence and the struggle to find your identity in a world that doesn’t understand you. Throughout the book, we see her overcome prejudices and obstacles as she continues to grow and evolve. I think a lot of readers will relate to her on a deeper level.

Rebecca Ross was very intentional in her writing, knowing when to hold back information and when to drop breadcrumbs. For the most part, it worked really well. I found myself picking up on subtle hints that led to satisfying payoffs later in the story. However, the pacing was slower than I would have liked. The first half moved at a glacial pace, and I wished we had jumped into the core plot sooner. Once we got there, I was fully locked in, but it took until around the 60% mark for that to happen.

While I can see many readers enjoying the romance between Matilda and Vincent, it didn’t quite land for me. Despite this being a 500+ page book, very few of those pages are spent developing their romantic relationship. While the yearning is definitely there, it doesn’t feel like we—or they—earned their star-crossed lovers story. That said, the letters they wrote to each other contain some of the most romantic lines I’ve ever read in my life.

If Rebecca Ross had spent more time developing the romance and tightened the pacing, this would have been a 5/5 banger. Despite the issues I had, this was still a pretty solid read.

Thank you so much to Saturday Books for gifting me an early copy ahead of the official release!