Rebecca does Romantasy so well. The writing was magical and beautiful. I damn near highlighted the entire book because each page is so quote-worthy, by the time I finished I had chills.

This is my first Rebecca Ross and she definitely lives up to the hype. The slow build to an irresistible yet unavoidable romance was beautifully executed. Each character felt well-rounded and enjoyed the world building, especially through the eyes of Matilda who was a relatable heroine. I can't help but feel like this is a great read for anyone who loved Tessa and Will Herondale.

I was touched by the beautiful message of the novel: words and souls hold symmetry, they bear each other into existence.

Overall an enjoyable read that is also well-written.

Pardon my French, but this was absolutely FUCKING amazing! Rebecca Ross does it again her story telling is so lyrical, her worldbuilding vivid, and her characters are full of depth. I could picture every detail so effortlessly!!!

And can we talk about Vincent and Matilda?! Vincent, a mortal. Matilda, a goddess. Their love story was everything. Emotional, intense, and utterly captivating. I laughed, I felt the tension, and yes…I SOBBED 🥹

I tried to savor every page because I didn’t want it to end, but of course, it had to. And now I’m left both in awe and a little heartbroken.

Truly, a beautiful, unforgettable read. Thank you NetGalley for this advanced reader copy!

gorgeous, effective, fantasy romcom. the worldbuilding is impeccable, as the constellation theme details all work really well. the connection is sizzling, the characters are built well, and though many of the twists are expected they're still twisty enough to work. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I was so happy to receive this arc but I’m sad to report this one isn’t for me.
Something doesn’t click with me, I didn’t have the urge to pick it up at any point which led to me not wanting to force it and resulting in a sad dnf @ 29%. I was way too bored and uninterested, after loving divine rivals and liking ruthless vows this fell so flat.
If you’re wanting the feel of divine rivals I fear this won’t provide that. Hope others have a better experience with this one!!

Reading that back sounds so harsh but I haven’t got that far in that I can actually judge the full extent of the story and of course the conclusion.
(2 stars for the intrigue of potentially reading in the future, maybe)

Thank you NetGalley and Saturday Books for the ARC. What a wild ride. I knew once the MMC started writing letters to the girl haunting his dreams we were so over. Rebecca definitely did what she does best with this one!! I loved Matilda!!! What an incredible FMC. She was such a baddie but also broke my heart with never being able to trust and believe about who cared about her. I love how fearless and selfless she was. Vincent was also just a 10/10. I feel so lucky I got to read this and learn more about this world. Thank you Rebecca for writing another incredible book!!!

Thank you for giving me the chance to read an advanced copy of this book!! 3.5 ⭐️ for me! There were parts that I absolutely loved and couldn’t stop reading and then parts I struggled to get through which is why it took me so long to read this book. The magic, the love between Matilda and Vincent, the bond with Bane, and the battle were great parts for me, but there could have been more of that and less of the background stuff that wasn’t really necessary. Just my opinion! Still a good story and I will continue with this series, should more books come!

Anything written by Rebecca Ross is an immediate read for me. An adult slow burn that immediately transports you into the middle of a new world. I related to the FMC Matilda a lot with her overcoming her own hardships and never giving up on her path. Take me back to Cambria ANY TIME.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-Arc copy of Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross.

As a fan of Rebecca Ross, I was so excited to dive back into the world of Divine Rivals with this book. Wild Reverence is a prequel to Divine Rivals set in the past, focusing on the gods and goddesses. In typical Rebecca Ross fashion, it’s a deeply atmospheric story.

We follows Matilda, a goddess, and Vincent, a mortal. These two make a fast and strong connection with each other when they meet as kids inside a dream. After being separated for years, they find each other again, and their story really takes off from there.

I really loved their relationship. They are so fiercely loyal and would do anything to protect each other, even with the threat of war hanging over them.

The writing is beautiful (wouldn’t expect anything less), the magic feels vibrant & the worldbuilding is fantastic and easy to imagine.

I will say, I did have a couple small issues. The beginning felt a little slow to me, and it took me a while to feel fully invested. It wasn't until the last 30% of the book that I couldn't put it down. Also, while I liked both characters, I sometimes wanted a little more depth from Vincent.

Overall, I did thoroughly enjoyed this even though it took me some time to finish it.

Apologies if this review is a bit of a hot mess, I had major surgery and my brain has been all over the place.

This is a top read of the year for me, hands down and I will write a full review on my goodreads, once I have gathered all my thoughts.

This book bled into my soul and I will forever think of it. The entire story was so captivating and mesmerizing, drawing you in to the world, the characters and the absolute race against time and gods themselves. It was breathtakingly satisfying in each act that built to a beautiful point in the story.

I have been longing for a book like this for so long and I will forever recommend this, think back on it, and reread long after this.

This book was the perfect prequel to Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. I did not think there could be such a romantic and poetic epic fantasy that tops the romance in Divine Rivals, but I was mistaken. The prose within Wild Reverence felt like a long love letter written between Vincent and Matilda. They will now be remembered within my heart for a long time to come. This may be one of the best books I have read this year.

“What if the goddess you once prayed to… actually answered years later?”

That’s the premise behind Wild Reverence, Rebecca Ross’s newest romantasy that blends divine mythology, letters, and a slow-burn love story that hurts in the best way.

This is a standalone set in the same world as Divine Rivals, but you don’t need to have read it to dive in.

It follows Matilda, the youngest goddess of the underrealm, whose quiet role as a divine messenger hides a dangerous secret. Her job as Herald is to carry letters across realms. Though her power seems unremarkable, her journey is anything but.

Years ago, Vincent of Beckett, a mortal noble, reached out to Matilda in a desperate prayer. When his plea went unanswered, he closed himself off from the gods and forgot the comfort she once offered.

But when Matilda suddenly reappears in his world, carrying the very letter he once sent, their lives become entangled in ways neither expected.

As ancient traditions and divine tensions threaten to erupt, Matilda and Vincent must face what it means to trust, to change, and to open themselves to love—despite the risks.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it didn’t disappoint. I loved it and rated it 5 stars.

The beginning moves a little slowly as it lays the groundwork—there’s a lot to take in with the gods, their history, and how the magic works. But once things are set up, the tension kicks in, and the pace really picks up. It kept me on the edge of my seat.

The writing was lyrical and romantic. I could picture the world Rebecca created so vividly.

It’s a slow-burn romance full of yearning! The spice is very minimal, as this is an adult romance (unlike the more YA feel of Divine Rivals), but it was so beautifully written.

I loved the side character relationships, especially with Bade, the God of War, and also Vincent’s brother, Nathaniel.

The epilogue tied everything together so perfectly with the Letters of Enchantment duology that I wanted to reread Divine Rivals the moment I finished.

Bottom line: definitely read this if you loved Divine Rivals. Even if you haven’t, it’s still a powerful, emotional love story.

Huge thanks to @NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for letting me read this eARC before release!

"I would wait a thousand years for you. If you asked me, I would wait for you until only my bones remained upon the alter. But if you must leave again, then let me follow you, Red. “

I am very sadly DNFing at 42%..

This was one of my most expected releases of 2025 and I really wanted to read more from Divine Rivals universe.

It was marketed at Adult, but it felt more like a YA until this point. The writing felt too repetitive and I couldn't find myself caring about the characters or enjoying the book at all..

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca has a way with words. Her writing style is unique, beautiful, and has a way of transporting her readers into the world she weaves. Wild Reverence is a story about love winning over everything, in the end. To read about Matilda and Vincent’s story was nothing short of breathtaking. Incredible. It’ was so refreshing to read about not even time separating true love. Not even the fact of mortality could keep the two apart. Vincent showing Matilda that it was okay to love and trust, and simply sleep in his presence was heartwarming and hope restoring. Matilda’s character development was a thing to witness also. Those who truly cared for and loved her helped her grow into who she was destined to be.

3.5⭐️

Set in the world of “Divine Rivals”, “Wild Reverence” tells the story of Matilda who lived hundreds of years before the demise of the gods. High fantasy, childhood-friends to lovers set to a backdrop of medieval/age of revolutions politics and warring.

I found it to be well-written and the additional world-building to be enjoyable. I liked learning about the different Skyward and Underling gods.

This ended on a high note for me, but the pacing is rather slow. It definitely feels like there was much more substance to both “Divine Rivals” and “Ruthless Vows” in far less pages. This was missing some of the magic for me that the other two novels carry.

I could see both people who did enjoy the original duology appreciating this one. I could also see people who did not care for its predecessors preferring it for its medieval time-period and parallels to ancient religions.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, the most massive thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is EASILY my most anticipated release of 2025, so being able to read it in advance was an absolute honor!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️

To say I had high hopes for this book would be a enormous understatement, and my god did it deliver on all fronts. When I heard that Rebecca was releasing an adult novel set in the Letters of Enchantment world, I actually screeched. I love the world that she created with this series and am beyond thrilled that she is giving us more. Wild Reverence has all the elements that I loved from Divine Rivals/Ruthless Vows, making it join that duology as some of my favorite books of all time. The politics, the magic, the betrayals, the meddling of gods, the LETTERS and the romance, the unmatched Y E A R N I N G, nobody does it like Rebecca Ross man.

I am so grateful that I got to visit this world again and dive deeper into the world of the gods before the events leading to their downfall, and while I am devastated that Matilda and Vincent's story is one we likely wont get to revisit, I find myself also very at peace with that. I love the ending they got, they deserve literally the entire world. Love love love, I cannot wait to reread this again when it releases to the world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Release date 9•2•25

““The most difficult part will be touching.” “You are touching me now.” “Only because I am trying to remember the feel of you.””

If I could rate this book 12 stars I would. I loved the first two books in this universe and this one just made me love it even more. First of all Rebecca really brings back yearning in men!!!! THE HAND TENSING AFTER TOUCHING HER???? “WHO DID THIS TO YOU”??? I am SOLD. If you haven’t preordered this you need to. Matilda is the fmc I’ve been looking for. She believes she is stronger than she is and just grows and grows throughout the book.

If you could’ve seen the look on my face when I received this arc you’d know that anything Rebecca writes is worth reading. I was in tears opening the email and I ran and read it the second I found out. This was so good. Had me in absolute shambles in the end and on the edge of my seat in tears. Go get this book!!

4.5 star ⭐️

Rebecca Ross has a way with words! This prequel to the letters of enchantment series was a stunning and magical story. One aspect of the original duology that I loved was the gods and magic system, so getting a closer look at the divine world was really fascinating. I loved meeting Matilda and Vincent and seeing their story from beginning to end. It was beautiful and it was tragic, they were truly star fated lovers. The prose was 100% the strongest part of the novel, and it just absolutely transports you! I really enjoyed reading this one!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of Wild Reverence! As a huge fan of Ross’s Letters of Enchantment duology, I was so excited to read this—and it did not disappoint in the least. I’m always a bit hesitant to read novels that revisit the same world, but Wild Reverence was a huge breath of fresh air that not only built upon Ross’s world but brought it to new heights. I absolutely fell in love with the characters of Matilda and Vincent as well as the other gods and mortals we meet along the way. I also really enjoyed seeing things from the divine perspective and learning more about the gods and their stories. As readers of Ross’s previous duology know, she is a master at romance, and this book is no exception. This novel had me staying up late to read and audibly exclaiming or fretting over plot points throughout. Overall, this was an amazing read, and one I highly recommend both to readers familiar with her previous work and those who are not.

5 STARS ⭐️

I honestly don’t even know how to explain how much I loved this book. Rebecca Ross’s writing is always beautiful, but Wild Reverence just hit different — it felt extra magical and emotional in the best way.

Being back in the Divine Rivals world felt so special. I loved how we got more about the gods — their powers, flaws, and desires — but also this gorgeous, heartbreaking romance woven through it all. The way the story moved between past and present made it feel so layered and immersive.

Matilda was such a strong, captivating heroine, and Vincent… wow. The way he loves, the devotion, the sacrifices — I felt everything. Their relationship is full of longing and vulnerability, and Rebecca writes that kind of yearning so perfectly. I kept highlighting lines just to go back and feel them again.

And the epilogue??? Wow!

This book was romantic, mythic, and powerful all at once. It’s one of my top reads of the year, and I know it’s going to stick with me for a long time.

<i> Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. <i>

Publication date: September 2nd, 2025