Ross’s writing has a tendency to find little stitched closed wounds in my heart. Ones that I feel a little alone in and maybe need to know that they have also been carried by another person. Her stories tear at them but when those spots heal themselves back up I feel better and stronger for it. Like a little soul muscle that needed a chat and a hug. I’ve yet to read a Rebecca Ross book that I didn’t find a friend in.

Wild Reverence is no exception. From Matilda’s struggles with belonging to Vincent’s desire for peace and simplicity there were whispers of permission to just be who I am all over the pages. But also in classic Ross style all of those things are painted with a tender strength and never weakness.

I promised to share a few more specific examples of things I loved but the more I think about them the more I think they might be a little spoilery so if you’ve read it please jump into my DMs so we can discuss our favorite (or not so favorite ☺️) things about it!

I’ll leave it at, if you’ve loved Ross’s books in the past, I think you will find a place for this one too!

(This is part of the Letters of Enchantment series and is a loosely connected prequel. While reading Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows first is not required I do recommend it.)

Rating: ✨Loved it - 5 stars✨
Romantic Content: Vague open door
Other Content: Death of a loved one, violence/war, abuse

The storytelling here is beautiful, and i know there are circumstances where I would have been able to sick into this far more than I was able to this time. Pick this if you already know and love Rebecca Ross’s style or want a slower and more lyrical tale. It is well crafted and the mythology is really interesting.

Note: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wild Reverence completely swept me away—I stayed up until 4 a.m. because I simply could not put it down. Ross’s pacing and her gift for character building are unmatched; her writing feels effortless yet powerful, the kind that makes you forget the outside world exists.
I was hesitant to return to the world of Divine Rivals, since that duology meant so much to me, but Ross did not disappoint. This story feels both familiar and entirely new—rich with atmosphere, deeply emotional, and filled with characters that burrow right into your heart. It’s moving, immersive, and unforgettable. Tears were shed, and I’ve already preordered multiple copies.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arcs!

Rebecca Ross is a beautiful storyteller and has such a talent for painting a vivid world and bringing mystery and intrigue to it.
If you read Divine Rivals, then you are probably familiar with a few of the characters from her newest story, Wild Reverence, which is a prequel in the Letters of Enchantment series.
While I love Ross's writing and the way she brings things to life, this story didn't pull me in quite as much as Divine Rivals. The story following Matilda was interesting and brought a lot of light to the world she created but it wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be. If you are a fan of the books, Circe or Song of Achilles, then you would love Wild Reverence. I just didn't get pulled in quite as much as I did with Divine Rivals.

While I liked the Divine Rivals dualogy I did not love as much as everyone else seemed to. I loved the writing and the prose in which Rebecca Ross writes in so I thought maybe I would like this one. But unfortunately I may be to cynical for a story like this one. I could not make it past 50 pages and the rest I had to skip and read the last few pages to find out what happens. It bored me but the writing was still good as always.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts are my own!

Well, strong start with a dedication that hit me in the feels immediately: "For anyone who has ever had to let go of someone they love"

This was a fantastic book, and as a fan of the Letters of Enchantment duology, I loved getting background on the overall lore of their world, the gods/goddess, and the lead up to that series' conflict. With that said, this book was far more than just a background to that story. This story follows a young goddess, Matilda, through her journey of finding herself and her place in their world. She is unique in this world as the only goddess with ties to all of the realms and deep questions about where she fits and what her true power is.

The MMC, Vincent, is a mortal whose life is intertwined with Matilda, the girl who has joined him in his dreams since childhood. It was beautiful watching their connection grow outside of dreams to bridge the gaps between divinity and humanity.

At its core, this is a story about the power of love and the sacrifices you might have to make to experience it, if only for a fleeting amount of time.

The only reason this wasn't five stars was I felt the beginning was slow and hard to dive into, and there were a few places where the jump in timeline was hard to follow, including the epilogue (though it was epic).

I really liked the mythology, and the plot pulled me through the story, but I realized eventually that I didn't care about the characters. It was still an enjoyable read. 3.5 stars.

i loved being back in the world rebecca has created. divine rivals is still my favorite of all her books. but this one was so lyrical and immersive. i love how the author showed love and loss. the complexities of it. thank you St. Martin's Press | Saturday Books and Netgalley

Wild Reverence is my first read by Rebecca Ross, so I didn't know what to expect in terms of her writing, world-building, etc. - but I have definitely heard of her and her great successes in the past. She has a really popular backlog and a devoted fanbase, which can be intimidating and a bit of a turnoff sometimes (in terms of the rabid fanbases that authors sometimes accumulate). I am delighted to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm not sure if I was expecting to - but I did. There are a lot of fantasy books out there right now, that deal with gods and magic and realms. It seems to be the popular sub-genre at the moment. I really liked Ross's approach to magic and gods. This book is MASSIVE - there is a lot to read - and it took a few chapters for me to get settled in, but once I was settled in, I couldn't stop reading. Matilda is an extremely likable character, very refreshing and not reckless or thoughtless. Vincent is kind, introspective, and also very likable. This good isn't gory, or overly sexual, so I don't think there is a ton of need for trigger warnings or to exclusively call this an adult fiction novel. A trope I love - marriage of convenience - pops up in this book. It was very well-written! I liked the romance a lot, it was very easy to fall in love and root for the characters.

The entire book was well-written. I liked that the timeline of this story is lengthy - it goes from childhood to well beyond the lifetime we'd expect to see. The world-building was phenomenal - I didn't have too many questions about the magic system.

Also, Vincent's letter. Love love love.

This book was fantastic! I'd recommend it, and I'd read it again. If there are more books in this series, I'm interested. I doubt there is more to Vincent/Matilda's story, but other characters... I'd love to read more!

Yes, yes a million times yes! I've absolutely loved every single book by Rebecca Ross, and Wild Reverence is no exception. This book is set in the same world as her Divine Rivals/Ruthless Vows duology, however it is not required that you read those two books first. Rather, this book is set WELL in the past from those books but lends itself to fleshing out the mythology and religion of the original books beautifully. One of my few complaints about Ruthless Vows when I first read it was that I didn't understand the Gods and how they worked, and this book explains it perfectly. I'd almost recommend reading this book BEFORE the duology if you're just picking them all up as maybe you won't be as confused as I was.

Now for this book; it's a beautiful mix of a coming-of-age story where a young girl comes into her power and believes in herself and that anything is possible, and a love story with a young boy learning to feel devotion after being burned in the past. These two characters were so fun to inhabit, their thoughts and feelings were so lifelike, even as one is a goddess she never felt out of touch with humanity. I loved the side characters as well, Matilda's father-figure Bade was compelling in everything he did and said, I loved getting to spend time with him as well. The villains were deeply unlikeable in every way, which made rooting against them and seeing their downfall all the sweeter.

Overall, I loved this book so much. I'd highly recommend it for anyone who loves a good romance with great fantasy world building, interesting magic system, and characters who grow substantially throughout the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the copy of the e-ARC.

I am continually struck by the absolute beauty of Ross’s writing. From the Dramatis Personae on, she pulls readers in to Matilda’s journey and her place in this richly crafted and evocative world. I am a forever fan.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy for review!

Wild Reverence was a joy to read from start to finish. This story felt poignant, nostalgic, bittersweet and comforting to me. I loved experiencing Matilda's childhood in the beginning of the book, seeing her struggles shape her into the woman she becomes, and her relentless determination to remain hopeful, loving and kind.
Wild Reverence has good pacing, between letting us explore the realms of the gods, experiencing mortal battles and how the Gods and Goddess respond to it, the inner workings of court life above in the Skyward realm and below in the Under realm. I was easily able to sit for hours reading this story, always wanting to know what might happen next! Ultimately at its core, I found Wild Reverence to be a story of selfless love - choosing to protect your family regardless of the cost to yourself. The reoccurring themes of patience, yearning, determination, hope...left me with a five star rating, a feeling of peace and a few tears. If you were a fan of Divine Rivals you'll love stepping back into this world, and if you weren't, I still feel that you can enjoy the story just as much... And then you'll want to run to read Divine Rivals after.

Review of e-book (listened to Chapters 1-18 on audio):

4.5 stars rounded up.

I'm truly in awe of Ross's writing in this book. I want to preface by saying that Ross's writing is very hit or miss for me. I enjoyed Divine Rivals, but I found Ross's Elements of Cadence duology to be repetitive and detached from the characters. After reading this book, I've come to the conclusion that where Ross thrives is in her world-building. I think if the mythology of the world of Elements of Cadence had been explained before the main story, then I would have cared more about that story.

But back to this book! If you've read the Letters of Enchantment Duology, then you may be expecting this story to focus on the main gods from that duology. While those gods make appearances, for the most part, our story follows a young goddess as she comes into her magic, realizes how to navigate the ruthless world of the gods, and falls in love with a mortal. Her story may not be important to the main plot of the Letters of Enchantment Duology, but without her, that duology would not exist. I loved having the mythology and capabilities of the gods laid out for me. My knowledge of gods comes from Greek and Roman myths, so whether I want to or not, I impose the magical abilities of those gods onto most other god stories, UNLESS the author explains otherwise. I've only read Divine Rivals in the original duology (so far), but I remember being really confused about the gods' impact in the story. Reading this first will really flesh out that aspect, and I'm excited to read the Letters of Enchantment Duology with the knowledge I now have.

The beginning of this story almost had me putting down the book for good. It was pretty tedious in my opinion, but after the 30% mark, I was hooked and couldn't put it down! All those details I initially thought were unimportant turned out to be imperative later on. Ross marks the way for the reader to follow. I want to reread now, knowing what I know. This book is complex and romantic and gut-punching. I cried. The writing is beautiful and ethereal. And the MAIN CHARACTERS?! MY BABIES?! Matilda and Vincent deserve the world, and I love them sooooo much. Main characters are important in any story, but these two really really kept me reading. I needed them to be okay. I needed them to be together. I needed them to find HAPPINESS. They deserved it.

I really appreciate this story. Did it need to be over 500 pages? For me, few stories do. But by the end, I wanted more.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so fantastic I am not even sure if I can find the words! It follows a young goddess named Matilda from childhood through adulthood and the relationship she has with other gods, goddesses, and mortals. She is a curious girl split between three worlds and feels incredibly torn in her loyalties. Through dreams as a child, she establishes a friendship with a young boy named Vincent. He is a thirdborn son of a lord and is drawn to Matilda even though she comes and goes from his life regularly. There are many twists and turns in Matilda's tale as she learns more and more about those around her.... and herself. (I won't spoil that for you).

While it is a slower paced story, the lyrical, enchanting, and poetic writing style of this book draws you in like you are under a spell. It truly feels like you are reading a myth. It is so unique! The relationship between Matilda and Bade, the god of war, was a rollercoaster for my emotions. It seriously had me in tears. One of my favorite elements was witnessing the internal dialogue of Matilda as she grew and adapted from the beliefs and knowledge she had as a child into that of a grown independent woman. She learns to question every one around her and everything she thought she knew. And even after the story has finished, the epilogue provides another twist that left me smiling.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed "The Knight and the Moth" by Rachel Gillig. They both have a very dreamy lyrical style to them that is unique and fascinating! This was definitely one of the top reads for me so far this year.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read the arc! I will be buying so many copies of this book.

I loved Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows and couldn't wait to read this one, but I felt it was a bit slower than the other two and had a hard time getting into it. I did like that it was in the same world.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this advanced copy.

I have absolutely no words to describe how much I loved Wild Reverence - this was such an easy 4.5 star rating for me! At this point I will be reading anything that Rebecca Ross writes, she has such a beautiful way with words I can never put her books down.

Wild Reverence brings the reader back into the Divine Rivals universe with a focus on the gods from the Underworld and Skyward. Matilda is a goddess of both the Underworld and Skyward who is seen as a mere low ranking herald, however she has deeper powers that even she doesn't realize. Vincent is a mortal, who as a child saw Matilda in his dreams. After a fateful encounter, they share an immediate connection which unfortunately breaks and they don't see each other for years.

This story was told so beautifully and I loved seeing Matilda come into her own and grow into a strong and confident goddess. Her relationship with Vincent was so enjoyable to read and you can feel all of the yearning which I LOVE in a book.

The only reason this wasn't a full 5 stars for me was the beginning felt a bit slow to build up and really capture my attention. Once I hit the 30% mark that's when it really started to take off for me and from there I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Overall, I think I may have outgrown this genre and type of story. It still features the same melodic prose and writing style as Divine Rivals, but the romance feels a little less enthralling for me. I devoured the first duology, reading both in under 2 days each, but this one took me a little less than a week to get through, which really speaks to my enjoyment while reading this story. Overall, this was a 3-star read for me. I see how this can appeal to a certain audience, however I am just not that audience.

Wild Reverence is a breathtaking return to the world of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, pulling back the curtain on the gods’ mythology and expanding the lore we only glimpsed before. This companion novel follows Matilda, a messenger caught between the realms of Skywards and Underlings, as she’s swept into ancient rivalries and forced to find her place in a world brimming with magic and danger.

Rebecca Ross’s prose is calm and lyrical, yet somehow every word hums with power. Her writing doesn’t just build a world, it wraps you in it, piece by vivid piece, until you feel like you’ve lived its history yourself. The story is lush, emotional, and brimming with heart, and Matilda’s journey will cling to you long after you’ve closed the book.

This novel made me want to dive straight back into Divine Rivals just to savor this universe all over again. If you crave romance, rich mythology, and storytelling that feels like poetry, Wild Reverence is an absolute must-read.

Rebecca Ross delivers another lush, emotionally resonant fantasy in Wild Reverence. Set in a vivid realm where gods walk among mortals, the story follows Matilda—a young goddess with messenger magic—and Vincent, a mortal lord haunted by dreams of her. Their connection is both fated and fragile, unfolding in a world steeped in myth, danger, and longing. Ross’s prose is lyrical without being overwrought, and the romance hits that perfect bittersweet note. If you loved Divine Rivals or Dreams Lie Beneath, this one will feel like coming home. A standalone that still feels epic.

Wild Reverence is my first from Rebecca Ross and it certainly won't be my last. As someone who struggles a bit with romantasy, I will admit the beginning felt somewhat stagnant, even knowing that you have to set up the world(s) in great detail before the story can truly take off. And once I hit the 40% mark, it took off like a rocket and it was hard to put down. Ross's prose is wonderful and getting lost in these divine worlds was a great experience for me. Each character, no matter how minor, added to the journey for Matilda and the ongoing discoveries of her magic and powers.

She is the heart of the book and her fated relationship with Vincent is what really kept my curiosity burning throughout. We get plenty of backstory with respect to how Matilda came to be and how her constellation ruled her existence and those of the mortals that existed in the middle of her worlds. Within her past is the power to witness Vincent's nightmares and her role in endlessly trying to save him. And although I was intrigued by how they initially 'met', at times I felt that those brief encounters got a bit lost in the overly wordy descriptions.

However, like I initially stated, 13 years later when Vincent is now a Lord and he and Matilda as a powerful herald, wage war with the evil uncle who threatens to take away the family castle and legacy, is when things get rolling. There is fantastic action, paired with the burgeoning feelings between the Lord and the Herald and I was there for every breathtaking moment. There is incredible longing on the part of Vincent for the girl he only knew as "Red" and some of the rightful confusion on Matilda's part to what she started to understand wrt her feelings towards the boy she never forgot only added to the intense sexual tension between them.

But with so much going on with not only Uncle Grimald but the less than noble gods who were forever stuck in Matilda's craw, I'm still amazed at all that this wonderful divine could handle. She is forever doing everything in her power to make sure Vincent is safe. That he can wage this nonstop war and come out unscathed. Much happens in the interim and there is plenty of fallout and despair involving her beloved Bade, her newly 'found' father Thile and many of the other gods who might worship Matilda in their own way, but still want her powers for their own agendas. Simply stated: it's quite the ride.

In the end, however, I really did like Matilda and her penchant for helping those in need, even when it meant a great sacrifice to herself and those she both admired and loved most. There are plenty of moments of despair along with the ongoing ache to be the divine that can be counted on when summoned, often to the detriment of her own desires. With Matilda forever torn in many directions, I was beyond pleased and satisfied, however, that she always found a way back to Vincent and the love he gave her.

The epilogue is a bit bittersweet and for me, not having read the Divine Rivals duet, is truly the perfect push to dive into those books as this is a bit of a set-up for things to come for Iris and Roman. And in the end, I have to admire Matilda for the choices she has made in the past and for ultimately choosing love above all. Wild Reverence indeed.

4.5 stars.