3.5⭐️

"This is the beginning of the end, I thought. If heartless gods can be made soft by such love, we are all doomed"

Divine Rivals is one of my favorite YA fantasy reads of all time so I was so endlessly happy to receive this eARC! Rebecca Ross returns with her beautiful prose that reels the reader in. I enjoyed getting to know the gods more, especially our FMC, Matilda. Matilda is a goddess born of two realms and herald of the gods. She is the first god born of two realms and as a result is constantly moving to avoid the many attempts against her. In one instance, she meets Vincent, a mortal man that she can’t stop thinking or dreaming about. As Matilda and Vincent’s paths become intertwined, we see her grapple with her duty to the realms and her desire to be in the mortal realm and be with Vincent.

I loved that we got to know all the gods more in this and dive into their desires and their struggles. The magic system is expanded and adds new fun elements. While I loved all the context that this gave the Letters of Enchantment world, I struggled to really connect with this for some reason. The first 50-60% of the plot is veryyyy slow and found myself getting pulled away from the story. I enjoyed Matilda and Vincent’s relationship but just didn’t find myself truly connecting to them.

Despite this, once the plot picked up around the 70% mark I did find myself reeled back in. The ending was really beautiful and the epilogue made me want to pick up Divine Rivals all over again. Even with my issues with it, I still absolutely recommend picking up Wild Reverence to return to this wonderful world that Rebecca has created!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my reviews! 🍃🤍

Wild Reverence

I just got into reading some fantasy this year as a girl who only previously read thriller books. I have branched out into many other genres over the last year. I read Devine Rivals and Ruthless Vows and I loved them both. When I first started Wild Reverence I would be lying if I didn’t say I didn’t struggle a bit with the fantasy elements as a new to fantasy girl. I was happy to find there was a bit of a teaser audio that I had access to. I relistened to what I had read and it helped me understand it tremendously. Once I got into the book, I didn’t want to put it down. I had to know how the story of Matilda from the gods and mortal Vincent was going to play out. The book is brilliantly written. Had almost a Shakespeare type vibe to the words for me how elegantly things are worded. Overall the book for me was a 4.5 rating. Definitely more than a 4 but not quite a 5 for me. I highly recommend this book to the fantasy girlies. It was a lovely read and thank you to NetGalley for the advanced e copy.

And So A Goddess Fell in Love With a Mortal

| romantasy | fantasy romance | high fantasy | gods x mortals | chosen one | hidden identity | dual POV | heartbreaking | beautiful | constellations | magic | realms | dreamscape | vivid imagery | poetic | deals and bargains | souls | soulmates | friendship | found family | choice | forbidden romance | standalone | romantic | mortal x immortal | yearning | god-child | lore |

Only to Be Forgotten...

This is a standalone novel, though it precedes the Letters of Enchantment duology.
I have never read the writing of Rebecca Ross. This was my first time indulging in one of her stories. I was completely captivated not only by her storytelling but also by her ability to craft a world and characters that felt so complete and incredibly vivid.

This book simultaneously felt like something I had never read while feeling as if I had been longing to read it my entire life. It was poignant, and poetic, and just incredibly beautiful to its roots. Reading it felt like uncovering a long-buried secret, and I sat on the precipice of a magnificent discovery the likes of which I have never encountered.

There is a lore and a mythology within this story that is unique and unexpectedly captivating to the point of mesmerization. Ross writes with a rare blend of intelligence and lyricism. It is beautifully crafted with a poetic prose-like rhythm. So many lines lingered with me. Lines of longing, sorrow, inevitability, and wonder. Lines that inspired, that filled me to the brim, that undid and overcame me all at once.

This book left me with an exhilarating sense of free-fall as a reader. I was afraid to read it, to finish it, but I also couldn't deny myself the satisfaction of an ending. It made me happy, it made me incredibly sad to the point of aching, and there was a bittersweetness to it that made my soul stir with a beautiful sadness. I am so full after reading this story that my cup has runneth over.

This wasn't just a book that I read; it was an experience that I lived, breathed, and savoured.

There are endless choices for a reader looking for a book about gods and mortals, but none I’ve read have ever been quite so intricate, spellbinding, deep, or profound. Now in my heart, somewhere in the world of endless possibilities, there is a grand loom embracing the tapestry of life. Past, present, and future are woven there. Above, fate weaves the future, the possibilities, the beauty, and the decay of what could be. Below, death unravels, remakes, and sometimes lets fate pass through or even deceives and obscures. There is a beautiful duality between fate and death, and somewhere in the middle is life, living, our choices, our mortality, and the fragile brilliance of simply existing as life happens.

I cannot recommend this book enough. 5 golden star points for Rebecca Ross. I eagerly await the release of Wild Reverence. I am certain it will top charts and capture the hearts of readers everywhere.

Indulge a moment, and take a chance. You'll fall in love with Wild Reverence and the writing of Rebecca Ross, just as I have.

Happy Reading, Friends xx

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the advanced readers' copy in exchange for an honest review.

𝟑.𝟓 ★

“𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒔 𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒕𝒉, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘. 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒊 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕; 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔, 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒂𝒘 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓. 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒖𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏, 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆. 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒊 𝒌𝒏𝒆𝒘 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒆𝒓.”

wild reverence is a beautifully written prequel to divine rivals and ruthless vows. from the very beginning you are reminded of the complexities of this universe, the complex relationship between nature and power. in this story we are following a goddess named matilda, being born from two gods she was a rare occurrence during a time when gods were literally at each others throats. she was always underestimated as the herald of the gods and never feared by her fellow gods and goddesses that were hungry for power and willing to kill for it. as matilda grows up, she crosses path with a boy named vincent within the realms of his dreams. for years she is unsure as to why they were connected, but she will soon find out the purpose behind it all.

it’s hard for me to go in depth about my feelings for this book without ruining things that should be experienced by the reader when they read this book for the first time, so i will just say this:

matilda and vincents love was honestly the highlight of this story and anytime they were separated i ached for them to be reunited. i loved seeing them fight for one another while both of them were constantly being tested and having to balance personal ambition, love and loyalty. the character development we are able to watch matilda and vincent go through from childhood, adulthood and beyond is something that deserves some recognition. as they grew and matured, their love and relationship was growing right alongside it.

i did struggle with some of the initial world building and didn’t get fully into the story until about the 50% mark, which is a big reason for my rating.

𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘤𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴, 𝘴𝘵. 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 / 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 🤍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½
Wild Reverence is everything I love about Rebecca Ross—lyrical prose, vivid atmosphere, and characters that feel real and tender. The story is slower in pace, but beautifully immersive, like stepping into a myth. A gorgeous blend of fantasy, romance, and heart that lingers long after the last page.

𝐒𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬.
If I were to try to list my favorite parts, I would have to rewrite the entire book. Every word is beautiful, meaningful, magical. I was entranced the entire time and now my heart is absolutely shattered to be leaving this world behind.
The story however, will stick with me always.

“𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙠𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣.”

𝐓𝐋;𝐃𝐑 - This is a story of star crossed love between a female Hermes and a mortal man in a world set against them where gods rule all while stealing each others magic, and the humans are merely pawns for them to move across the board at their leisure.

“𝙒𝙚 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙, 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄.”

🦉 𝗚𝗼𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀
✨ 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲
🦉 𝗙𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲
✨ 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝘆
🦉 𝗖𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘁𝗵
✨ 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂
🦉 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀
✨ 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻
🦉 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭
Every detail leapt from the page, pulled me in. I was standing by the river, I was flying in the wind, I was walking the wasteland, I was living this story with the characters. Rebecca built a massive, lush world with two separate god realms, a mortal realm, and an after realm. All of which were fleshed out and inviting in their own ways. It reminded me of Greek mythology in so many ways, but I honestly preferred her version better.

“𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚, 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙡 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙪𝙥𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙧.”

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮
My heart aches for these two. Against all odds, every obstacle, even some of their own doing… They fight for each other. Their relationship is made of waves. Time together and time apart. I was yearning right along with them. And for once it was the FMC that was strong, and the MMC who was a “lowly” mortal. It was a refreshing take I never thought I needed. And while the MMC is a *𝐠𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫*, and I’m more of a German Shepard kind of girl, I never once cared. He is the epitome of a perfect book boyfriend. I would die for this man. He must be protected at all costs. 🥹

“𝙈𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚. 𝙈𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩. 𝙈𝙮 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩. 𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙚, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙝𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙘𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙣𝙚.”

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬
Each god is made up of a constellation of magic. Other gods kill them to steal their stars, and their magic in the process. Trust is impossible, and the magic is cool as hell. Rebecca played on seasonal and elemental magic, but in her typical fashion took it a step further. One of my favorite parts of Divine Rivals was the magical letters. (I’ve always been a sucker for letters in books, add magic and I’m a puddle on the floor.) The FMC is a messenger for the gods, her magic being that of delivering. And trust me, it’s way cooler than a simple postal worker between realms. 💌

While this is a standalone, it’s also a prequel to Divine Rivals and Ruthless vows. And while connected, they are vastly different. I think it’s safe to say if Divine Rivals wasn’t for you, this could very well still be. This takes place far in the past and feels completely different.
*𝐇𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫*
My friends who enjoyed Divine Rivals will enjoy the small connections and the way it all ties together in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hands down if you loved the Letters of Enchantment series this is a must read!

There is so much valuable context packed within this one novel and I had the best time connecting points to the Letters of Enchantment series all throughout. The plot was intriguing from the beginning, I was taken by surprise at multiple points and could not put this down. The novel contains ongoing revelations, with steady pacing, which makes for an enjoyable fantasy read. Though the setting + magic was just okay, I appreciate that it was pretty simple to visualize and follow along with. Yet I do wish the romance would have been executed differently to be more believable.
I would have appreciated more depth in the dreams or more letters between Matilda and Vincent. I did find the writing style to be considerably distinct from the Letters of Enchantment series which was the only slight let down, it wasn't as captivating. This could be due to it being adult instead of YA but I love annotating and very rarely annotated this read.

Overall : Spectacular context + admirable characters = A great read.

Last note: the ending and epilogue were so perfect I will be thinking about them for a long time.

Wild Reverence is Rebecca Ross’s newest YA fantasy and a standalone companion to her beloved Letters of Enchantment duology. The story follows Matilda, a young messenger and herald, who finds herself drawn into a world of underlings, skyward gods, and enchanted doors that transport her between the mortal realm and the divine.

At first, I found the pacing slower than my usual preference. Ross spends a good amount of time establishing the world and mythology, which may feel drawn out to some readers. However, given the YA audience, I think the gradual build could be appropriate. Once the story found its rhythm—about a third of the way in—I was hooked. From there, Matilda’s journey to embracing her role as a young goddess, while navigating love, allies, and enemies, kept me fully invested.

The worldbuilding is imaginative and unique, and Matilda’s transformation is both empowering and heartfelt. I especially enjoyed the balance of magic, myth, and character growth that Ross weaves together so well.

That being said, I was disappointed by a late-book revelation about a key character’s sexuality. With only about 40 pages left, this development felt abrupt, unnecessary, and disconnected from the rest of the story. For me, it disrupted the flow of the conclusion and lessened my overall enjoyment.

Overall, Wild Reverence is a beautifully written YA fantasy with enchanting mythology and a strong heroine’s journey. While I initially rated it 4 stars, the final act left me lowering my rating to 3 stars. Still, fans of Ross’s lyrical storytelling and imaginative worlds will likely find much to admire here.
#NetGalley #RebeccaRoss #WildReverence

3.5 stars! As someone that doesn’t typically enjoy prequels, I was pleasantly surprised by this! Rebecca Ross’s writing was just as beautiful as always and I really enjoyed getting the backstory of the Gods. The character growth was actually fantastic in this, especially with Matilda. Matilda’s and Vincent’s love was timeless, intense and beautiful. I will admit it took me quite a while to get into and the pacing overall was pretty slow, but I ended up enjoying myself in the end. Overall it was emotional, it was magical and I’ll probably do a re-read on audiobook when it comes out to see if I enjoy it even more the 2nd time around now that I know what to expect.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press, Saturday Books and Net Galley for the ARC! This is set to be released on 9/2.

Like Circle or Song of Achilles, but with more plot and faster moving. This book was excellent. I went into it not knowing what to expect; as a big fan of Divine Rivals I wasn't sure how to approach something else set in that world. I was blown away by the complexity of the story, the many interwoven details, and the magic system thoroughly thought out. I hope for more stories like this!

When I found out Rebecca Ross was writing another book set in the world of Divine Rivals I jumped at the chance to read it. I love how Rebecca writes romantasy and she has perfected the slow burn. I also enjoyed that this could be read stand alone or in combination with Divine Rivals/Ruthless Vows. This was my first time reading a fantasy where there was a mortal + immortal pairing. I loved it! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

This book took a little time to fully grab me. The opening is dense with backstory and worldbuilding—there’s a lot to absorb about the gods, the Underlings, the Skywards, and Matilda’s role among them. While it’s beautifully written, the early chapters moved slowly for me as I tried to get grounded in the lore.

However, once the story shifts to focus on Matilda and Vincent, it really takes off. Their connection is emotional, unique, and incredibly compelling. Matilda is a fantastic protagonist—strong, devoted, and easy to root for. Her love is fierce and deeply felt, and Vincent, while not the usual type of romantic lead, works so well alongside her. Their journey kept me engaged all the way through.

My main critique is the length. The book could’ve been at least 100 pages shorter, especially with some of the emotional beats and hardships Matilda faces repeating a bit too often. The pacing drags at times, particularly in the first third.

Still, Wild Reverence is a beautifully imagined, emotionally driven fantasy with a standout heroine and a romance worth investing in. Fans of lyrical writing, slow-burn romance, and myth-inspired fantasy will find a lot to love here.

Did I finish this book or did the book finish me? Absolutely incredible from start to finish. If you read and loved Divine Rivals, there is no question that you should read this one. That hole in your chest that Iris and Roman left? This fills that in the warm yet agonizing way that drives us to recommend a book to our friends for the sole purpose of not having to suffer alone. (So thankful for my advanced copy, however until it releases and I can make my friends read this, my therapist will be hearing all about it.)

I grew so attached to these characters over the course of their story and the rollercoaster of emotions it took me on. The love story was tragic, hopeful, inspiring, and soul crushing all at once. It was more than just a love story though. There was enough action to keep me hooked while getting a closer look at the Gods and their worlds before the war. Getting to know them as individuals was something I didn't know I needed until I was ugly crying for all the love and sacrifice shown in the end.

I loved Matilda and the way she always fought for what was right, no matter the cost to herself or how many shamed her for being too soft and too weak. "I did not regret what I had done. I would do it again and again if it would save the mortals I had come to care for and protect. Once I acknowledged this, my shame faded." She was a truly inspiring heroine who grew so much despite everything she faced.

I loved Vincent and the respect her had for Matilda and her power. This is a man who would crawl through hell on his hands and knees for her, but not before giving her the chance to save herself. It was so refreshing to see a woman be valued for everything that she is and allowed the opportunity to fight her own battles and write her own fate. He recognized her strengths and wits and never doubted her ability to stand on her own.

And Bade... seeing the god of war learn to love healed something in me I think. A man ready to throw his glory and ego aside for what really matters, and to keep showing up even when he was no longer duty bound to fight a battle he hadn't asked for. It's not often that my therapist knows the name of supporting characters, but she absolutely knows this one.

From messy family dynamics and betrayals, to tragic loss, battle, magic, love and hope, this book had it all and I will never stop praising it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
📆 Pub Date September 2 2025

♥️ Forbidden Love
♥️ Mortal/immortal romance
♥️ Soul bonded friends to lovers

A poetic masterpiece of love and yearning. Devastatingly beautiful, I cried the last 30% of the book. It’s one of those feelings where you know you’ll be thinking of Vincent and Matilda for a long time to come. I felt as though I was stepping into a Botticelli painting, such longing and yearning. My heart is broken and so full—how is it possible to be feeling so much!

If I’m honest, I’m still at a loss for words and it’s been nearly 24 hours since I finished.

As a Beckett myself, this book hit me in a very specific way that is probably unlikely to be quite the same for most other people—unless they are also Becketts and the last of their name (I’d like to form a club if they’re out there though). That said, there are so many other parts that were universally poignant and this book is a magnificent example of how a tie in story can also stand perfectly on its own.

I loved the writing. Ross’s lyrical style truly thrives when speaking of writers and of dreams and of things that are inherently poetic. Vincent and Matilda were beautiful characters independently and as a pair. The supporting characters were whole but not distracting to the primary story. Each of their introductions and timing were so well done that you didn’t fully see the threads until they were right in front of you. Bade specifically being the first to hold Matilda, the one to give her her name, the one to protect her, even when not obligated—despite clearly being family and a father figure, I still didn’t see Matilda calling him father being what saved him and it broke me.

The heartache of twisted fates in this book were delectable. The fact that real sorrow is shown repeatedly is refreshing. Sitting with Vincent as he lived his life for seven years without her and built something both of his own and that he could welcome Matilda back into was achingly realistic and beautiful.

This book is exactly what I want when I say I want a backstory and I’m beyond thankful to have been able to read it early.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Saturday Books for the ARC. I had higher expectations for this book and it just didn’t fulfill it. I have a hard time with prequels and maybe this played into it.

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Wild Reverence. This book is set in the same world as two of the author's other books; Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. Although it is considered a standalone, it does contain some light spoilers for the other two books so I recommend that you read it after you have finished the other two. Where the other books mentioned focused on a mortal love story with a slight magical twist, this story is steeped in mythology and magic with a love that transcends realms. This book was a little slow to start; it took a lot of exposition to set the scene before the story really got going, but when it finally did, I was enraptured. This is a story about love, and loss and the resilience of the human spirit. In a world filled with power hungry gods, the story follows Matilda, a young goddess who must embark on a journey to discover if the love she holds is her biggest weakness or her greatest power. and what begins as a story of survival turns into an epic story of self-discovery when Matilda tries to carve a place for herself in a world that has refused to accept her at every turn. Beautifully written, this story had my heart aching with sorrow and hope. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone, just prepare yourself with a box of tissues when you sit down to read.

YES YES YES YES YES!!! I have been dying to read this and I am so glad the time has come. Being back into the Divine Rivals world was (dare I say) DIVINE!!

Thank you to Saturday Books and Netgalley for the free eARC. Rebecca Ross writes absolutely beautiful stories with wonderful imagery. I loved both her Letters of Enchantment and Elements of Cadence duologies. Wild Reverence was a beautiful story about a mortal man (Vincent) and a goddess (Matilda) who find their lives and dreams intertwined. We learn more about the gods and goddesses from Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows and get an expanded view of the Underling and Skyward realms. You see Matilda struggle and yearn to find love among gods and goddesses who covet one another’s power and who kill each other to make themselves stronger. Matilda learns to never let her guard down around others lest they take advantage of her. You also see the mortal world from Vincent’s POV and how he no longer pays tribute to the gods and goddesses he feels abandoned in his greatest hour of despair. Their lives are woven together in childhood when Matilda finds herself able to enter Vincent’s dreams and pull him from his nightmares. They find each other later on in life after betrayal send Matilda from the Underling to the Skyward realm. Ross beautifully writes about Matilda and Vincent’s love for one another and desire to be able to trust one another despite their histories. I absolutely recommend reading this one and I can’t wait to reread Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows after finishing this prequel.

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross deserves ALL of the stars. I absolutely LOVED this book.

Wild Reverence is a prequel to the Divine Rivals duology, which I also loved. Luckily, because it is a prequel, you don't have to have read the other books. This book is an epic story in itself and could serve as a standalone. The only thing tying it to the other books is the epilogue.

In Wild Reverence we get Matilda's origin, coming of age, and coming of power story in the most stunning way. The world building in this book is intricate but not overwhelming. Rebecca Ross has wonderful pacing and writes in a way that captivates the reader. She builds the world, the story, and the romance in both a steady and suspenseful way. Simply put, I did not want to put this book down.

If you were someone who didn't feel like Divine Rivals was "fantasy" enough, Wild Reverence definitely is. In this book we have gods battling it out for power, mortals making alliances with gods in wars of their own, mythical creatures, and magic woven into the pages. While I could never describe all of the plot points in ways that would do them justice, this book was complex without being over complicated.

The romance is a slow burn as Rebecca Ross wraps the story around your heart only so she can tug on your heart strings.

I obviously loved this book and will recommend it to anyone who listens. Rebecca Ross is officially an auto read author for me!