Quite simply, I loved reading Wild Reverence. It’s haunting, tender, and lyrical. It's emotional pull and prose reminds me of Piranesi, The Knight and The Moth, A Song of Achilles, and Heavenly Bodies.

Matilda, our FMC, grows into her own, starting in the first 25% of the book during her god-child years and forming a unique dream friendship with Vincent, the MMC, all while struggling to show love in a divine world where love is a weakness. This extended "early years" is necessary for the world building, but may put off some readers as we are in the mind of a 12 year old for a few hours of reading.

As she grows older and finds herself in fate’s path again with Vincent, her power and confidence grow, as does their blooming love that started as a fake marriage to help save the castle and people of the river. In this, we see how gods are never safe and constantly plotting and killing to steal another’s magic, which complicates the war at hand. It was a perfect balance of divine rivalry and mortal struggles.

It was so beautifully written, and I definitely cried near the end with some scenes (I have daddy issues, so).

I strongly recommend this to those who love a slow build and appreciate soft and tender love with Greek god like characters and lore. Thank you to St Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review this eARC!

Wild Reverence is beautifully written and deeply immersive with poetic prose that feels otherworldly and I ate it up. I went in knowing little about the world, since I haven’t read Divine Rivals yet (which is absolutely next), and I was blown away.

Set in the same universe as Divine Rivals, this novel functions as both a prequel and a standalone. Though the pacing begins on the slower side, it makes it easier to absorb the world-building, the introduction of gods and realms, the ensemble of characters, and the rising stakes. My love for Matilda and Vincent extended to several side characters, some of whom I was glad to see become more prominent as the story progressed.

The forbidden love and second-chance romance between them is tender and full of yearning, reminding us that to be seen is to be loved. I appreciated how Ross portrayed them as mature, emotionally complex adults navigating trust, vulnerability, and sacrifice despite their circumstances. Their journey is as much about healing as it is about love.

Reading this novel was an emotional experience, and I cherished every moment. This is easily one of my favorite books and what a way to be introduced to Rebecca Ross!

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross is expected to be published on September 2, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an unbiased review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

4.5! It was a joy to dive back into this world in a new way but with Ross’s characteristic depth, intrigue, and charm. The characters are complex and well-developed, and I believed Matilda and Vincent’s fated love. It some ways, Matilda is an underrated and hero, which was a refreshing take for a female-driven fantasy book. She is not all-powerful or able to conquer all, and yet Matilda succeed. Again, Ross wove a world I felt like I was living in, and I could put it down. The half star off is only for pacing, which felt a bit off at points, especially in the book’s first major time transition.

*SPOILERS*




"You've been gone for three days, and I have never been so conscious of time before now. I count the hours, listening for the bells to mark them. I collect each moment that you've been away, and I feel them gather in my bones like winter.
I long for you."

I felt the same with the Letters of Enchantment, and will repeat myself here: I cannot get enough of Ross's writing. Her prose and use of imagery is sublime, and paints a picture that even those like myself can enjoy. This was easily a 10/10 read that I could not put down and wanted to never end. The slow burn is SLOWWWW but not arduous, and I do wish there was a little more spice, but what was there fit so well within the narrative. (The yearning!!!!! The pining!!!!!)
Matilda's story is teeming with twists and turns and was so intriguing, and Vincent's POV added so much flavor and suspense.
One of my favorites for sure.

I highly recommend this to everyone!

When I first started this book, I didn't realize that it was set in the world of the Divine Rivals duology because although I want to read that duology, I have not read it yet. I went into this book completely blind, and I really wanted to like this more than I did. I didn't dislike it, but it was just entirely too long and slow moving for me. I struggled hard with this book. Larger books aren't really an issue for me usually, but I think the pacing just made it too hard for me to stay interested. At the half way point, I was not even sure where this story was ultimately going, and I wasn't invested in Matlida and Vincent. The one thing I did really enjoy was Bade's character, but otherwise this was just very mid and honestly, more of a disappointment.

The absolutely magical feel of this story reminded me of reading Greek and Roman myths with the gods fighting over power and having secret children. Matilda is the youngest god, the only one born recently, and a complete mystery, even to herself. As she grows into her powers, she finds that makes her a target of the political infighting of their system.

At the same time, a mortal teenager begins to see her in his dreams. They have a slow burn with a long separation that leads to a fake marriage. As the gods meddle in the affairs of men, Matilda and Vincent struggle to decide who they are and what they mean to each other.

I adored the magic system, the way they related to the stars, and the tie-in to the Letters of Enchantment at the end of the book. Ms. Ross's writing style is beautiful and kept the pages turning as I desired to see where the book would go next.

Rebecca Ross does it again. What a beautiful prequel to the Letters of Enchantment duology! This book did take me a while to get into because I’m a mood reader. I had to read a few rom coms and come back to this book. And I’m so glad I did, because it made me appreciate this book so much more! And I DEVOURED the second half of this. I couldn’t put it down, I had to know what was coming next!!

Let’s talk about Rebecca Ross’s world building - one word, PHENOMENAL! How does she even come up with half the stuff she does?!? With the wastelands, the stars, different magic, how to get magic, the sisters and their mother the Gatekeeper, the realms, dreams, and the list goes on!! The world building was heavy in this book, but it is soooo well done that it keeps you wanting to read on and be immersed into this world!!

Matilda and Vincent’s love - I loved it so much. I loved them both. I loved their ending. I loved how Rebecca Ross tied the ending into Divine Rivals!!

If you haven’t read Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows yet, you definitely could read Wild Reverence first and then jump into Divine Rivals! I plan on doing that when I receive my preorder of Wild Reverence!!

I honestly wish I could give this book 6 ⭐. Rebecca's writing is just so beautiful and magical, and the characters and world she builds with it are exquisite. Matilda, Vincent, AND Bade's character growth along with other side characters, was perfect. As soon as I started reading I felt like I was transported into the underworld, skyworld, and mortal realm of hers. the magic system and claiming of other gods powers is brilliant, and kept me on the edge of my seat, like who do you trust!? I cannot wait for this to be released and have a physical copy for my trophy shelf.

What a gift it was to experience another book in the world of Divine Rivals. Rebecca Ross once again blew me away with her beautiful prose. So many lines in this book took my breath away.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the advanced copy in exchange of an honest review!

Wild Reverence: by: Rebecca Ross
Pages: 544
Genre: Fantasy/ Romantasy

Summary: (thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC)
This book is set in the same world as the Divine Rivals/ Ruthless Vows Duology

This book was so good, I don’t have words. This story follows Matilda, a goddess, but also the herald of the underworld, skyward world, and mortal realm, and Vincent, a mortal Lord. It follows them both from when they’re in their teens, to their adulthood. Vincent sees Matilda in his dreams as a teenager, and when he reaches adulthood, he needs her help, and she answers.
I can’t give a proper summary without spoiling the entire book.

I loved being immersed back into the world of DR, and there is something about the way that Rebecca writes. Time slips away, and you find yourself completely immersed in the story. This book was completely perfect from start to finish. Not only was the writing style perfect, but the story between Matilda and Vincent was so beautiful, I didn’t ever want this book to end. It was really interesting to learn more about the gods and goddesses that Rebecca has created. I’ll say this with my whole chest- this is what fairytale loves are made of. This is the reason why people read, and believe in love, because Vincent and Matilda will live rent free in my head forever. The chemistry and love between these two fictional characters made me want a love like that (disclaimer: I am very happily married, but their love was SO SWEET, I was a little jealous.)
This book is easily one of my top reads for 2025, and I don’t think anything will have me feeling quite the way that this book has. The magic, the world, the ease of understanding and being able to follow along, the pace, everything about this book was glorious.

If you liked Divine rivals, this book answers so many questions that you didn’t know you had.
If you like fast paced romantasy that goes super fast and doesn’t leave you with a bunch of questions, pick up this book, you won’t regret it.
Lastly, thank you again to NetGalley and St. Martins press for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book. I’m grateful and honored.

(I'll be posting this same review on my GoodReads today, and a review on my instagram @taras.book.corner when Wild Reverence has its release day!)

"I am yours, Red. I will always be yours. Not even Death can change that.”

You know in some books that feature gods and fate, how in the prologue they give us a lil backstory or historically significant info and then chapter one comes in and we meet the main characters? Well, that’s how this book felt. A giant prologue. Full of description and flowery language, but not the actual story.

"I should have known that one day she would return to me, unexpected and unceremoniously, as only a divine could do."

I know it’s actually a prequel to Divine Rivals, that’s very clear throughout the book and the ending (!), but it reads so literally like a prologue to Divine Rivals, so much so that I was kinda bored, waiting for the story to start. I was kinda bored and it took 4-ish chapters for me to realize that Matilda was actually the main character and not just the prologue character (can you tell I didn’t read the synopsis first? This was an auto-approved ARC, I never read the blurbs lmao). By 25% I was still kinda waiting for the story to start, even though I'd read the synopsis by then. I dunno how to describe this feeling, but it was weird 😅

"Dear Matilda.
I buried my prayers in the garden, letting the soil cover my inked words.
Dear Matilda.
The parchment disappeared, and I imagined it reaching her somewhere far beneath my feet, in a world I could marvel over but never fully know, never fully see.
Dear Matilda."

All that said, it did pick up at the, like, 70% mark, and it felt more like Matilda and Vincent’s story, and while I found it did drag on a bit, I still enjoyed it enough. Not to the same calibre as Divine Rivals, but enough.

“He may be irreverent toward all of us, save for you. I think he desires to worship you.”

I loved that letter writing was featured in here a little again, and it was full of heartbreak and wanting and whimsy, just like Letters of Enchantment. I know, logically, I shouldn't keep comparing it, but alas. Rebecca knows how to set the mood with her storytelling, and this was adult, so there was a little spice pepper 🌶️

"She was not mine by spoken vow but something deeper. Something that felt older, stronger, darker, like a language that had been sung centuries ago but had now been forgotten. Something that simmered in the blood, calling to me, calling to her."

I really liked both Matilda and Vincenet, I thought they were great characters, and I really loved Bade too (and I wanted more of him in the end!). Matilda was strong, independent, brave, loving, empathetic (which, for a goddess, says something, even Enva wasn’t that caring), and devoted to Vincent. Vincent was someone who appeared to be soft and tender-hearted, but still fought in the wars and ruled his land. A great mix really. There was also a highly anticipated “who did this to you” and I was living for it!

“Because she is yours, as you are hers,” Bade replied quietly. “And she is precious to me.”

I did wish there was more of Bade because I liked him, even though he had a rocky start, and I loved his personality. Enva and Dacre were obviously in this, you get to meet them at the beginning of the issue that leads to Divine Rivals, and you find out that Dacre was always a piece of shit and Enva is clever af.

Dedication: For anyone who has ever had to let go of someone they love

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Saturday Books, Netgalley, and the author for this ARC!

"Some stories claim that humans are beholden to the gods. But that is also not true. The divine is nothing without mortal hearts. And should we love them, we should not be punished for it."

This was one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. Rebecca Ross writes the most soul-aching, eloquent stories. This, much like Divine Rivals, was very character-driven. Although, I appreciated that more of the world was revealed in this prequel. It made the book feel so necessary, and only enhanced my love for the whole series. The decades of yearning between Matilda and Vincent was executed so painstakingly well. The way she felt safe with him, when she’d never felt safe before. His letter…I was sobbing. Another standout part of this book was Bade. I want to buy him a #1 Dad mug. This whole story was just so tender. Some loves go beyond words, beyond worlds, and beyond time.

As a huge fan of Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows, I was ecstatic to receive this ARC, unfortunately my excitement was short lived. It took me a really long time to get into this book because the plot felt like it was dragging so much. I found it hard to follow the plot and the new(ish) characters because it felt so different than the previous books in this world. However, once I was into it I did end up enjoying it. For me that meant I needed to stop thinking about DR&RV and see this as a standalone. Once I got to know the characters more, I started to get attached. The last part of the book was very high stakes, with some plot curveballs thrown in which I enjoyed. I hope we get to return to Matilda & Vincent’s story again!

Born ​in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

First off, thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress #saturdaybooks for an eARC of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Oh my God guys, I cannot WAIT for this book to publish and to watch everyone swoon over it! I absolutely LOVED this story. I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end! It was a huge crash back to earth, let me tell you, and I was in a reading slump for MONTHS afterwards. This is the kind of story that sticks with you and I thought about it for a long time afterwards. The world is so vibrant and full of magic, I loved learning more about the Underlings and Skywards and the history and magic behind the gods of this world. It also had me on the edge of my seat, gripping my book, praying that things turned out all right. If you love soft romance, forced proximity, magic, she's stronger, and a plot that you can't stop trying to unravel the secrets of as you read it, this is the book for you! Fans of Rebecca's Letter's of Enchantment series are not going to be disappointed in this! 10/5 stars!

This was such a magical story. It reads old and lived in like something passed down faithfully for a long, long time. I know I will dream of the mythical and strange world she created often and fondly.

I can't wait to hold a physical copy of this in my hands.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eArc!

I wouldn't expect anything less from Rebecca Ross and this book solidifies why she will continue to be an automatic buy author for me. This is such a beautiful, immersive story with plenty of heartbreak, longing, action, jealousy, and love.

It's been a minute since I've read Divine Rivals but it was interesting getting another perspective from Matilda of the several gods and goddesses and Matilda's relationships (or lack of) among all of them. I went in thinking that Bade was going to disappoint me but found myself on the verge of tears because of him.

Both Matilda and Vincent are AMAZING characters.

Matilda is such a strong character, caring, and selfless. She was so quick to sacrifice anything and everything to help Vincent. No hesitation and she loves him immensely. I love her growth and that fear never stopped her. Also, she was booked and busy!!! Always on the move to complete different tasks or to help others. Because of this, she was traveling from one location to another constantly but I surprisingly had no issues with following along and not feeling lost. It only pulled me in more.

My sweet baby Vincent. The moment we’re introduced to him, I just wanted to hug him. The YEARNING he has for Matilda, I can’t get over. Don’t get me wrong, Matilda is the same way with him but something about Vincent just felt different. He’s been through a lot especially with his family. He’s a Lord of a place he doesn’t want to be part of but he still fights for his people and does his best to protect them.

One of the many things that Rebecca Ross does so well is her ability to write loneliness. I remember thinking this even reading Divine Rivals and A River Enchanted. You can just feel the heartbreak, the want, and the defeat that Matilda and Vincent experience. The love that they so desperately want and have wanted from others and from each other had me so emotional. There are so many moments that I was on the verge of tears or fully crying because of the sadness I felt for them.

If I could add anything to this story, it’s that I wish Vincent and Matilda had more moments together, even just a few. It does make sense once we learn of Matilda’s role in the different worlds and that it requires her to constantly be on the move so it kind of makes sense that they find themselves apart most of the time. It oddly made their time together feel very precious and I found myself salivating for the moment they would reunite again.

Beautiful story. I enjoyed getting to revisit the world from Divine Rivals. Rebecca’s writing is always beautiful, and this is no exception, but I do think there was something lacking here. At times it felt like a lot of pretty words that weren’t really helping the story along.

I really enjoy Rebecca Ross’ stories and writing style. I find that it reads very poetically. Some thoughts I had while reading:

- That seemed a little too easy.
- *Gasp!* What!?
- Oooo that’s a smart plan.
- UGH I hate this guy.
- That came outta left field.

The last part of the book dragged just a bit, but overall, a rich story with interesting characters! The romance is a slow burn and took time to develop and blossom. While there are some intimate scenes in this story, I wouldn’t really call them explicit, so it gets two peppers. The world is very unique and honestly I would love to see more stories come out of it. I know Divine Rivals is set in this world too, but more historical, god filled, stories would be so cool! Now excuse me while I lookup the different editions that will be coming out……

Incredible writing, This book was extraordinary. The characters and their incredible yearning and Vincent’s POV was fantastic. This book Had me on the edge of my seat it was absolutely beautiful i want to read it again And again.

I will admit that I was a little worried that this wouldn’t live up to the divine rivals duology for me. But boy was I wrong. I absolutely loved this, The plot, the story, the characters, and the writing were all phenomenal. So beautifully written. Rebecca Ross has done it again with Vincent and Matilda in this book. And I loved the epilogue, how it all tied in the end to divine rivals and the typewriters. Especially because I could not remember what they said about who made them only that a God did. I will definitely need the physical copy when this comes out. Thank you so much for this arc!