I was very excited to read this book after absolutely loving Divine Rivals. You don’t have to read that duology to read Wild Reverence, but there are Easter eggs that are more fun if you’ve read it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book but I did have mixed feelings along the way. This book has a lot of world building that filled up a lot of the story, in my opinion. Yet, I still am left with a lot of questions. I hope there are more books set in this world so I can learn more. Also, this book is definitely a slow burn. On top of there being a lot of world building, there’s a lot of telling stories instead of showing them. This happens because the timeline of this book spans over decades. But I’m someone who enjoys dialogue between characters so this took some getting used to.

The book starts with Matilda, the female main character, being born and you go through her childhood and that’s when you learn a chunk of world building. Very little of the first 20% of the book is dialogue due to this. After she’s an adult and the true plot starts, there is more dialogue and current scenes happening but there are still spans of just telling us what’s been happening over the span of days, weeks, or even years. This being said, this author writes very beautifully and I do truly enjoy her writing.

While I think very few couples can top Iris and Roman in Divine Rivals, I really enjoyed the romance of this book. It had some tropes that I find enjoyable. The tropes aren’t too in your face and fit the plot, so don’t let that deter you. This book was slow burn for most of it but did get a bit suspenseful near the end as in I just didn’t know what would happen next and had to keep flipping pages to find out.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the epilogue had me gasping. I will continue reading books by this author.

Thaaank you for this being Read Now! One of my most anticipated reads

The vibes were incredible! For all of the books in this world I struggle to clearly visualize the world but for some reason it works anyway. Ross’ writing is so magical, atmospheric and beautiful I was swept away with the story sort of like a dream.

I loved reading about the creation, gods and how they live. This was all so interesting and Bade- how I love him. I got so attached to Vincent, Matilda and really everyone in the world. I loved it.

This book is all about the vibes and dreamy quality. For me, it gives a similar vibe as Laini Taylor’s books.

Thanks to NetGalley and Saturday Books for the ARC

This book CHANGED my life. It’s even better than Divine Rivals?!

Ugh her way with words 🥹

I absolutely adored the Letters of Enchantment series and was so excited to see this was set in the same world but this time focusing more on the gods. The writing was the same beautiful and eloquent writing that Rebecca Ross is known for but for some reason I had a harder time immersing myself into this story. I think the book was too long to read on kindle and I started to get fatigue after a while. The middle of the book did slow down a good bit and made it feel sluggish trying to get through it. I really did enjoy the beginning and ending, it just felt like maybe there was too much happening but also nothing really happening in the middle. The ending and how everything tied up was so delightful though! It was heart breaking at times and lovely at others. I really enjoyed Vincent and Matilda and my heart broke for them and the tragedies that surrounds them. I think if the pacing had been slightly faster and I would have read the physical or had an audio as well, I would have given this all the stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Saturday Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I haven't read Divine Rivals, but I figured I would give Wild Reverence a try. I felt it was very slow and you were missing so much going on due to Matilda being all over the place. The book was very long for not a lot of action. The world building was very dense. The chemistry between the main characters was also lacking. Overall, I felt the story line was good, just needed a better execution.

spice: 1/5 (ch 67 84)

➸ 5 stars

“For anyone who has ever had to let go of someone they love”

𓈀 🪻 𓄹𓂃 thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for the advanced readers copy!

“And I wondered how it was possible for my heart to miss something that I had never experienced.”

this book. THIS. BOOK. i loved everything about it. rebecca’s writing is so utterly beautiful and magical. i was so immersed in this book and this story. being back in the world of divine rivals felt like coming home but it also made me look at that series with an entirely different perspective! i highly recommend going into this book blind!!

“Love amongst immortals is a weakness.”

we learn more about the entirety of the gods; powers, motivations, lifestyle, etc!! it was so intriguing to me and like nothing i’ve ever read before! we got to see some of the gods that were introduced in divine rivals and knowing more about them in depth added to much that was missing in the duology!

“He held me like a mortal father embraces his daughter, like nothing could tear me from him.”

i will have to say my favorite god is bade, he wasnt the main focus but his story was SO interesting!!! the letter, adria, everything after that!! his relationship to matilda brought tears to my eyes.

“I could have fallen to my knees to know I had been dreaming of her all this time.”

in this story, we have the goddess x mortal trope which was EVERYTHING.

it all starts with a dream. a boy with nightmares and a goddess who answers. a bond that formed to protect from the fears that haunt. their first meeting was EVERYTHING TO ME. it was so pure.

i loved how we got a lot of backstory before getting into the main plot, it added so much depth!!

full, in-depth review is available on my goodreads!

Set centuries before the time of Divine Rivals, Wild Reverence follows Matilda and Vincent as their fates and tragedies intertwine.

As always from Rebecca Ross, this was so beautifully written. I'm obsessed with her brand of lyricism and this didn't disappoint! There's something so poignant about it that brings the world and the feelings of the characters to life, making it so easy to fall into Matilda and Vincent's story and to get attached also to the people they love. I really enjoyed how Matilda and Vincent's relationship was built, and of course there was the yearning that Ross knows how to do so well!

Matilda is a descendant of both Skyward and Underling gods, so it was a treat to explore those aspects that felt like mostly just a backdrop in Iris and Roman's story. Vincent's mortal life was also fleshed out well with nice little name drops to Oath. I felt like there was a good balance of keeping this prequel very much its own story while dropping in Easter egg connections to the world's future!

Thank you NetGalley and Saturday Books for the ARC! Wild Reverence is set in the world of the gods established in Divine Rivals and follows the story of Matilde. Born as a daughter of both the underling and skyward realms, her fate is to be a herald of the gods, but there is more to her destiny that has not been revealed. As Matilde comes of age, she is drawn to the dreams of a mortal boy, Vincent from the house of Wyndrift. Betrayals and the thirst for power rule among the gods, but Matilde must do her best to navigate her treacherous surroundings and fight for the man she's been inexplicatbly drawn to. With expertly crafted world-building, heart-wrenching emotions, and love permeating every page, Wild Reverence is sure to please fans of Rebecca Ross.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this to review.

I wasn't sure if Rebecca Ross could hit it out of the park again after Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, but she totally did. I couldn't put this one down!

The fact that Ross created her own mythological system for her books is breathtaking. In the Divine Rivals series, we saw some of Dacre and Enva and their worlds. But Wild Reverence dives deep into the world of her gods through our main character, Matilda.

Matilda is the child of one Skyward and one Underling. She lives with her mother in the Underling realm as a child, where she reads human dreams for fun and finds that she's appeared in the dreams of a human child named VIncent.

I fully believe you should experience this book (as in most cases) without knowing much. But through this story, you get to know Matilda and her struggles of being torn between the worlds of her parents as well as wanting to be part of the mortal realm.

It's a gorgeous love story and labeled as "adult." There are two scenes of intimacy but know that although they might qualify as open-door they are written in very vague terms and I would have no problem handing this to my 16- or 14-year-olds.

Ross's world of the divine is so vivid, so interesting, and obviously so well thought-out. I just loved this one and I can't wait for everyone else to love it in September!

Unfortunately I DNF'd the book at 50% through after reading it for almost a month and even read it on a long train ride. Usually a book this size would take me around 1-2 weeks. The main reason why I struggled so much with this book is because of the pacing and the world building at the very beginning of the book. I LOVED Divine Rivals and Ruthless vows so I went into the book with high hopes and a general knowledge of the gods.

I found the book's pacing was inconsistent where there was a large portion of the book where I feel like nothing happened, and then all of a sudden the book picks up and I'm super interested in it, but then the books pace halts and we're back to doing basically nothing.

The parts I did enjoy was Vincent's and Matilda's relationships but in the end the plot didn't keep me engaged. I've been seeing very positive reviews about the book though so I may revisit it in audiobook format when it's published.

Thanks to Netgally and Saturday Press for the review copy.

Didn't love it, but didn't hate it. This book was one those right book, but wrong reader situations.
I am grateful for the chance to have read it.

How I savored this lyrical, lush tale of gods and constellations, of golden ichor and golden threads of fate, of yearning and the taste of bitter prayers, of romance, death, and second chances. The story is extremely slow moving, somehow both melancholic and luminous, and as a reader, I recommend just sinking into the mood.

It is set in the same world as Divine Rivals in the same way that King Arthur is set in the same world as Anne of Green Gables. But Rebecca plays with themes of destined souls, sacrifices, and sending letters in both. If you liked one you will like the other, and if you didn’t that’s fine, more for me.

🌿✨ Wild Reverence is a breathtaking journey through a mythic world, laced with longing, love, and the ache of impossible choices. Rebecca Ross builds a divine mythology from the ground up, centered around Matilda, a young goddess born of two opposing celestial realms. With the unique power to walk between the realms of the gods, Matilda becomes a bridge in more ways than one — not just between powers, but between love and duty, past and future. 💫

From the first page, Ross’s prose pulls you into a world that feels both ancient and intimate. Her writing is lush and lyrical without ever being overdone — it reads like a dream you don’t want to wake from. 🌙 The world-building is stunning: gods and mortals, Underlings and Skywards, ancient ruins and long-forgotten wars — it’s rich, but never overwhelming. The mythology she crafts is wholly original, and feels like it’s been around for centuries. ✨📜

But what truly sets this book apart is the romance. 💕 Matilda and Vincent’s relationship begins in dreams — literally — and the connection they form across worlds is beautifully slow-burn and emotionally devastating. It’s the kind of love story that builds from a flicker into a flame you can feel. Their bond is quiet, thoughtful, and charged with tension, and Ross treats it with care and depth, never rushing the emotional payoff. 🫶🔥

If there’s one small critique, it’s that the pacing can slow in the middle — mostly due to introspection and the complexity of the world. 🐢 But honestly? It didn’t take away from the experience. That breathing room gives the story emotional weight and lets you feel the stakes. By the final act, every thread ties together in a way that’s heartbreakingly satisfying. 😭🌌

💭 Overall, Wild Reverence is a story about love — not just romantic love, but the love that pushes us to question who we are and what we’re willing to sacrifice. It’s dreamy, dramatic, and drenched in emotion. If you loved Divine Rivals, or just want a romantasy that feels like poetry come to life, this one’s for you. 📖💖

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross
Fantasy, romance
Pub day: September 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh my word…. THIS BOOK! It’s set in the same world as my babies, Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows. I thoroughly enjoyed stepping back into that world and reading more about the gods.

This story was pure ✨magic✨ It gave that same magical feeling like when I read The Letters of Enchantment Duology. I loved the world building, the beautiful writing that made me feel like I was THERE, and the love story that made my heart ache. I ate up every single world, and I couldn’t read it fast enough. I was equal parts wanting to find out how this all played out, as well as wanting it to never end.

Matilda is such a likable FMC. She was powerful, but also had the biggest heart. She and Vincent were perfect for this storyline.

And that Epilogue 🥹 it was the most beautiful, perfect ending. I don’t want to say anything else because I was actually surprised by it!

This is an absolute masterpiece, and I am SO grateful to NetGalley and Saturday Books for my advanced copy! Thank you!

4.5 but rounded up. This did make it to my very rarely assigned "Favorites" shelf.

I liked Divine Rivals a lot, Ruthless Vows was not as gripping (in my opinion). This book? It was so good I kept thinking about it between reads. I found myself discussing it with my Fantasy loving, adult son every chance I could. When I finished the last page, I told him it was a must read for him when it comes out in September.

Matilda and Vincent were such great characters. The Gods and their "ways" kept me reading. I loved the contrast of the Underworld and the Sky world. The environments may have been different, but the beings were so alike that it made them enemies. I couldn't wait to see each try to outwit the other. Some plots were a little obvious, but I looked forward to the outcome just the same. Other plots were surprises; both happy and sad.

I liked the Gods' worlds so much more than the more modern world of Divine Rivals. This could be read as a stand alone if you haven't read the duology, but it is so much more enriching if you read the previous books. There are a few details that I had wanted to know the origin of that were in the duology that were answered in this book and made me smile.

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll be honest, I really struggled with this. And not because it’s bad, because it really is so good, but because my new mom brain is too tired to keep up. Her writing makes me feel like I’m dreaming and so I have to take it in chunks. I loved the glimpses and throw backs to divine rivals. The finally tie in at the end was amazing. This book explains the gods in a way I was DYING for in the divine rivals series. Their brutal power dynamics were so well thought out. I thought that both Matilda and Vincent were written beautiful and their love story was just - ugh. It’s wonderful and dreamy and everything you want from Rebecca Ross.

**thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC of Wild Reverence**

Wild Reverence is great for romantasy lovers who enjoy an emotionally charged, myth-inspired tale. With its blend of magic, fate, and heartfelt romance, it is a great addition to Rebecca Ross’s repertoire.

Like any Rebecca Ross book this gave me so many twists and turns that I was not expecting at all!! Such amazing writing

Matilda is a young goddess that is tasked with being the messenger of the gods throughout the realms, but when a mortal boy dreams of her they are irrefutably connected and their love seems written in the stars. When their past connections through Vincent's dreams provide an opportunity for Matilda to save him, Matilda literally crashes into his room to try and save the day.

This book was beautifully written, with lyrical prose and a really unique magic system. The pacing and amount of world building was a big struggle for me for most of the book, but I think fans of Rebecca Ross will really enjoy this prequel to her beloved Letters of Enchantment duology.

3.5 Stars

Wild Reverence is a beautifully imagined fantasy with a lyrical writing style that fans of Rebecca Ross will instantly recognize. The premise—gods, dreams, and a fated connection between a mortal and a goddess—offers a rich foundation for an epic tale. Matilda, the youngest goddess with messenger magic, and Vincent, the mortal lord of the river, are compelling characters with a unique dynamic that unfolds slowly and thoughtfully.

That said, the novel occasionally struggles under the weight of its own ambition. The pacing felt uneven, especially in the middle chapters, where the plot meandered and the prose leaned heavily on repetitive similes. While the world-building is lush, it sometimes overshadowed character development and emotional depth. There were also a few inconsistencies in terminology and execution that pulled me out of the story.

Still, Ross’s talent for crafting immersive settings and poetic language shines through. Wild Reverence may not be her strongest work, but it’s a worthwhile read for those who enjoy mythic fantasy with romantic undertones and don’t mind a slower burn.