as a huge divine rivals fan, i think i had a lot of expectations going into this that the book unfortunately didn't live up to. at first i was very intrigued but overall i think the book was a little too long and the plot was wayyy too drawn out. rebecca ross' writing was stunning as always, so i wish i liked this one a little more than i did :( regardless i will continue to read each new book she publishes.

thank you netgalley and st. martin's press for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning of this was rough. There were a lot of characters with a lot of powers and I had a hard time caring for any of them. (Outside of Bade - he is hands down the best character of the entire novel. Now that I’m writing this, I think this would have been a five star novel if this would have been his story instead of Matilda’s.)

The plot really started to get interesting around 40% when Matilda and Vincent’s storylines intersected, but it shouldn’t have taken that long. Matilda and Vincent were fine, but I was infinitely more interested in the supporting characters’ stories and conflict.

Those were my two biggest complaints, because I LOVED everything else. How the gods are born into their powers, how it’s tied to the constellations, how they can steal and borrow magic, how they are cunning and brutal and cruel - it was all very cool and unique. This had all of the backstory to the gods that I wanted in Divine Rivals. The last half of the novel was action packed and I couldn’t put it down.

I enjoyed this way more than I expected and would love to see more like this in the future from Ross!

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

Matilda is an Underling, a Divine born in the Underrealm to the Goddess of Winter and an unarmed father. In the cold underground chambers lit by gemstones Matilda watches and learns from her mother, a being who trusts no one, not even her own allies. Matilda comes of age in a violent, distrustful world, away from the sun, her only joy recoded dreams of a boy her own age and the adventures they go on together. When her mother is betrayed, Matilda goes Skyward to find her father and meets the boy she has only known in dreams. Years later they come together again so that Matilda can fulfill his wish for aid. Vincent is no longer a boy but a young man, lord of Wyndrift, his keep besieged. To bolster the people the two pretend to we’d. But there is nothing false about their feelings for one another.

I never thought I could love a book as much as I loved Divine Rivals, an utterly magical story of love and magic, but Wild Reverence is just as enchanting and just as romantic. Readers hearts will be forever changed by Matilda and Vincent’s love story.

Wild Reverence is a captivating return to the world of Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals duology. Set in the same universe, this companion novel expands on the mythos of the gods and deepens the lore that readers only glimpsed in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows.

The story follows Matilda, a messenger of gods and mortals. She finds herself drawn into the ancient tensions between the Skywards and Underlings while not sure where she fits in either realm. Ross weaves her tale with lyrical prose, heart warming romance, and of course magic.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially because it gave me the chance to learn more about the lore of the Divine Rivals universe, Wild Reverence steps back to show the broader view of the world. The mythology is richer and the details make the setting feel more immersive. This book made me want to go back and experience Divine Rivals all over again!

Overall, Wild Reverence is a beautifully written and engaging addition to Divine Rivals’s universe. If you loved the mix of romance, lore, and divine mystery in Divine Rivals, you’ll find plenty to enjoy here. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was my first Rebecca Ross book and it will not be my list! I have to go back and read her other books. Wild Reverence is so good! Here we meet Matila who has messenger magic from her realm. She's not the most powerful but there's a boy who dreams about her even though they have never met. AWWW!!!! Yeah I was sucked into this story! Its about human's verses the gods in this fantasy romance. I cannot wait to buy the physical copy!

Incredible.

All of Ross’s prior stories I consider to be magical realism, but this has so many whimsical elements I would firmly categorize it as fantasy.

I remember finishing ruthless vows and being unfulfilled. There were so many lore puzzle pieces that were missing from that duology.
Wild reverence has woven all those pieces together in a way that I didn’t anticipate and it has worked beautifully.

Vincent and Matilda? So good.

My only qualm is the pacing, which holds true for all her books. They are quite slow until about 40%

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this arc.

Matilda is born as the herald of the gods with secret powers even she does not know of, and as an adult she is tasked with delivering a letter to a boy whose dreams she's been in over the years in order to save his life. When she returns to him, he resents the gods for abandoning him but agrees to a fake marriage in order to save his lands from being taken over by his abusive uncle.

Like Ross's previous books in the Letters of Enchantment series, this book is poetically written, with beautiful descriptions of the environment, the magic, and the feelings of the characters. It's less fast-paced and action-packed than the other books in the series, but it has the same beautiful build of romance between the characters. I wouldn't call this one enemies to lovers, but Vincent does resent Matilda at first and grows to respect and then love her. It may still satisfy fans of enemies-to-lovers romances due to the dynamic of resentment along with being forced to be allies by circumstances and then falling in love.

My main issue with this book is that it felt too long to me. I enjoyed reading Ross's beautiful writing, but it's over 100 pages longer than the previous longest book in the series and it seemed that at certain points Ross was just adding obstacles to the relationship between Vincent and Matilda just for the sake of there being obstacles and for the length of the book. This might just be partially due to how much I hate miscommunication being used as the vast majority of the conflict in a book, though. The worldbuilding is definitely interesting, but I would've liked to see more about certain parts of it like the Wastes given that this seemed to me like it would be a fantasy-heavy book based on the description and length. As it is, it does significantly prioritize the relationship between the two main characters over the fantasy aspect of the book. I would've also liked to see more about the relationship between Nathaniel's brother and his boyfriend, and generally more of a "happily ever after", instead of just being told there was one, given that it was a romance-heavy book.

It was definitely interesting to see how this book tied into the main series. I think it would work to read it before the main series, but I liked reading it after the main books because of the callbacks.

✨ ARC Review ✨

Rebecca Ross has done it again and again her prose is pure enchantment. Wild Reverence swept me away with its hauntingly beautiful writing, a goddess × mortal romance that made my chest ache in the best way.

Matilda, the youngest goddess of the under realm, carries words between realms but also a dangerous secret. Vincent, a mortal boy who once dreamed of her on the darkest night of his life, has long since hardened into a lord of the river. Until fate brings her tumbling through his window, and suddenly the bond they once shared in dreams becomes an all-too-real tether neither of them can deny.

This book is slow-burn yearning at its finest. Their love feels impossible, yet destined. The pining. The letters. The vows. The sacrifice. It’s breathtaking and devastating all at once.

🌑 goddess × mortal romance
🌑 marriage of convenience (!!)
🌑 enemies, allies, and dangerous gods
🌑 yearning that hurts
🌑 lush, atmospheric world-building
🌑 lyrical, soul-deep prose

Ross masterfully expands the world of Divine Rivals while giving us something wholly unique; an epic, aching love story woven into court politics, prophecies, and divine power struggles. This is a book you feel in your bones.

📖 Pub Date: Sept 2, 2025 (and yes, the luxe edition is STUNNING with black stained edges, foil, custom art!!).

“True love is more divine than any ruthless god.”

#WildReverence #RebeccaRoss #NetGalley #FantasyRomance #Romantasy #GoddessRomance #MortalImmortalLove #MarriageOfConvenience #SlowBurnRomance #EpicFantasyRomance #Bookstagram #DarkFantasyRomance #LettersOfEnchantment #StMartinsPress

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross is a richly detailed fantasy novel that explores themes of power, longing, and love between gods and mortals. The narrative is immersive, with poetic prose and careful world-building that expands upon the mythology introduced in Ross’s other works. The novel’s emotional depth and strong character arcs make it a rewarding read for fans of literary fantasy and intricate world lore. Recommended for those seeking atmospheric fiction with an emphasis on character growth and mythic storytelling.

This was a beautiful book. Rebecca Ross does it for me every time! The world she builds is full of learning, longing, love, heartbreak, triumphs and everything in between and it was so well done.

This was a pretty long book, almost 600 pages, but I could have read a lot more! Matilda and Vincent were a joy to read and their story is so romantic. I also would have loved more insight into some of the other characters, particularly Nathanial.

As a prequel, there isn’t a whole lot until the end for the set up to Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. However, it does build the world out and explains a lot more about the gods and how their world and rules and politics work. This can absolutely be read as a standalone, but I really want to go back and re-read the other two now to see any hints of this story woven in.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved everything Rebecca Ross has ever written, and Wild Reverence is no exception. Ross explores deep and relatable concepts, such as fear and vulnerability, and does so in a way that makes readers FEEL the characters' feelings for themselves.

Wild Reverence was one of my most anticipated reads this year. The Letters of Enchantment duology is a favorite and I will always cherish them deeply. It is with great surprise and sadness that Wild Reverence, a prequel set in the same world, didn’t elicit similar emotions for me.

Rebecca Ross is a beautifully talented writer, there is absolutely no debating that. But I feel that in this case, for me, it was part of the downfall. Ross’ writing here is overly flowery and takes center stage, while the plot and romance is left waiting backstage.

The idea of a mortal and a goddess falling in love is always an intriguing one. My issue with the romance in this book is that there is literally none. Wild Reverence falls prey to a Ruthless Vow situation, the two main characters spend very little time together and I never felt any emotional pull towards them. This relationship suffers from “tell, not show” syndrome, which will always be a dealbreaker in my eyes.

The pacing of this book also felt inconsistent. The beginning dragged, with small bursts of action peppered throughout the middle, but the last 25% finally delivered the momentum it deserved. By that point, I found myself more engaged and eager to see where the story would lead. I only wish the rest of the book had carried the same level of excitement.

The epilogue, however, was a wonderful surprise. It provided the connection to the Letters of Enchantment duology I had been long awaiting.

Obviously, I am in the very small minority who didn’t completely love this book. So if you adore Divine Rivals or Ross’ other works, still give this one a shot. It is no doubt unique and provides some interesting aspects. I am confident it will be a massive hit for many readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

I truly am at a loss for words. Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross is one of the most stunning books I have ever read. Ethereal, poetic, transcendent, romantic, perfection. This book is one you will easily find yourself getting lost in, and feeling hollow once it’s over.

This story follows Matilda, the herald of the gods, and Vincent, the mortal Lord of Wyndrift. You watch them grow from childhood to adult, all while navigating increasingly difficult circumstances in both the mortal and divine realm, as well as growing closer together. This novel expands upon the lore of the gods featured in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows and in my opinion, adds so much depth to that story. I loved the setting, the slow burn relationship between Matilda and Vincent, and the drama/ dynamics of the Gods. Certain side characters such as Bade, captured my heart and his relationship with Matilda was such a highlight of this book for me. The medieval-esque time period of this book was just perfect for the story. Rebecca Ross’s writing was at her peak from beginning to end. I truly do not have a bad thing to say about this book.

Matilda and Vincent captured my heart just as Iris and Roman did. To everyone who loved Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, I promise you will love Wild Reverence just as much if not more. This book is a MUST buy this fall. A new all time favorite!

A huge thank you to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I feel truly blessed to have been giving the opportunity to be an ARC reader for one of my favorite authors!

thank you to netgalley for sending me an arc!!!!

”i had discovered that the greatest magic happened when i trusted it, wholly. when i closed my eyes and reached out my hand.” ☁️🦉💌✨

i went into this with VERY high expectations because both divine rivals and ruthless vows are 5 star reads for me, and i’m pleased to say that wild reverence met those expectations with flying colors. 🩵

this is a story of life, loss, power, fate, and most of all, love. the love between a goddess and a mortal man. the kind of love that can endure the distance of different realms, and the kind of love where souls meet in dreams. not only was the romance absolutely stunning, but so was the found family. i think my heart grew three sizes while reading this as it made room for such a lovely cast of characters.

i 100% recommend to fans of the letters of enchantment series. this was the perfect prequel, and even though this takes place before iris & roman’s time, you’ll see how it ties in with their story. 🥲

“they did not realize the power they truly held over us, these humans who lived for a brief moment of time. but it was far greater than they knew.”

Loved this book!! Rebecca's prose is absolutely stunning. I found this to be slow to connect with but once I did, it HIT. Thank you so much for granting me an early copy of this!

My goodreads review:

4.25

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!! When I read the Divine Rivals duology a year ago, it truly blew me away and took over my life for two weeks. One thing I felt was that I needed more information on both the magic system and the Gods. Boy, did Rebecca deliver on that with Wild Reverence. You in no way have to read this book before the Divine Rivals duology but I really wish I had because I think it would have given me good background on those books before diving in. Additionally, as always, Rebecca's prose is absolutely stunning. Highly recommend preordering this one! P.S no epilogue has made me smile more :)

I did not think Rebecca Ross could out do Diving Rivals and Ruthless Vows but this was story was so breathtaking. I am absolutely stunned by the insanely beautiful love story of Vincent and Matilda.

This is a love story full of longing and sacrifice. The way their fates are twisted together but still their lives pull them part is so heart wrenching. There are so many moments in this story that surprise me caused me to lose my breath.

Outside of Vincent and Matilda there so many interesting characters. I loved getting a full view of the world of the gods and goddesses. The way they interact with each other and the political intrigue kept me on my toes. Bade was a stand out. His relationship with Matilda was one of my favorite things about the story. There was a moment towards the end between them that had me sobbing.

Rebecca Ross really comes through with such an interesting magic system in world that feels like something you’ve never experienced before. I sincerely wish I could give this book more than five stars. One of the best I’ve read this year if not the best.

4.75⭐️

4.5🌎, 4.5📖, 5🖋️, 4.75👫, 5❤️, 1🌶️

Wow. Just wow!
I absolutely loved this book. If Circe by Madeline Miller and Divine Rivals had a baby, it would be Wild Reverence. Rebecca Ross’s ability to craft a beautiful, heartbreaking love story is truly unparalleled.

I especially enjoyed getting to explore more of the world introduced in Divine Rivals—particularly the mythology surrounding the gods. Set hundreds of years before the events of Divine Rivals, this story follows Matilda, a minor god, and her tragic fall from grace after falling in love with a mortal named Vincent.

It’s a tale of intrigue, betrayal, and forbidden love. I absolutely cannot recommend it enough.

young goddess matilda is gifted with humble messenger magic, making her herald to the gods, carrying words and letters throughout the realms. but there is a mortal boy who dreams of her - even though they have never met in the waking world. years later, matilda comes to the boy - now an irreverent lord - and their fates become so intertwined that even death cannot separate them, but at great cost. matilda must face her greatest fear: to love, and be loved in return.

I wanted to like this so badly, because I loved divine rivals and ruthless vows, and was so excited to return to that world. unfortunately, wild reverence fell far short of my expectations.

to put it simply, I was bored. the plot moved at a snail's pace for the first 70% of the book, but at the same time, there was so much going on that it was difficult to know what the driving point of the story was. even then, the true point wasn't revealed until the epilogue, which after everything else, didn't carry the expected emotional weight.

the romance between vincent and matilda didn't feel forced, but it also wasn't believable. they didn't have any chemistry, and their yearning was more told than shown - making it hard to empathize with them both as individual characters and as a couple. I wasn't able to see or feel their connection throughout the story, and it had only barely improved by the end. they also felt fairly static and one-dimensional to me, even as matilda stepped into her true power (again, not revealed until like the 70% mark).

and finally, the vocabulary. don't get me wrong, I love purple prose - some of my favorite books are deep royal purple prose. when done right, it feels epic, timeless, and sweeping. in the case of wild reverence, it felt like a student using a thesaurus and trying to meet their word count when a more common word would have sufficed, to the point where it was distracting (sinister, anyone?).

overall, I'm disappointed that I didn't like this one. however, I think it falls more closely under cozy fantasy - slower pace, meandering plot - and think it would be great for readers who enjoy that genre. personally, I prefer more action and stronger characterization when it comes to fantasy.

thank you to st. martin's press | saturday books and netgalley for an arc.

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross swept me away! Every page felt like the unfolding of a secret tale finally being revealed to me. I was completely amazed by the way Ross wove in tie-ins from her previous books, creating smile worthy moments of recognition for longtime fans without ever alienating new readers while doing so. Despite these character connections, the story of Matilda stands powerfully on its own, you don’t need to have read anything else to be moved by its magic. The world building is awe inspiring, drawing you in with a sense of wonder that lingers long after you close the cover. Rebecca Ross remains unrivaled in her ability to craft characters that live and breathe beyond the page.

*Thank you to my friends at St. Martin’s Press | Saturday Books for a gifted ARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. I really enjoyed the divine rivals duo-logy and was excited to read this next release from Ross. Although it wasn’t on the same level as Divine Rivals, I did really enjoythis mythological story that’s based on the world of Dacre and Enva from DR. It was well written with an interesting plot and good character development. You couldn’t help but like the characters. You can read it without having read DR, but I found the subtle references to that book fun. 4.25⭐️