I have read several books by Rebecca Ross that I really loved (A River Enchanted, Divine Rivals), so when this one came up on Netgalley, I was quick to request an ARC.

Wild Reverence takes place in the same universe as Divine Rivals, but it is set many years before. Matilda is a goddess with a unique lineage and set of powers. She first encounters Vincent, a mortal river lord, through his dreams. Years later, they encounter each other in the mortal world, when Matilda answers Vincent's long lost prayer for help.

I found this book to be incredibly slow moving, and while I loved the descriptions of the divine realms and all of the tense interactions amongst the gods, I couldn't really get invested in the romance itself. Matilda and Vincent spent almost no time together on the page, and while I can buy into fated soul mates, I still wanted to see an actual romance develop between them, rather than just insta-love.

Had this book been written by someone whose work I hadn't previously loved, I probably would not have continued reading it after the first few very slow chapters.

Wild Reverence is set in the same world as Rebecca Ross’s Letters of Enchantment duology. The story follows Matilda, the herald of the gods, and Vincent, a mortal man who has dreamed of her for years. When their paths finally cross in waking life, Matilda is drawn into a dangerous game between gods and mortals. Their unexpected bond pushes her to question loyalty, destiny, and the cost of love in a world where even the smallest choice can alter the balance of power. Once seen as weak by the other gods, Matilda grows into her strength, forging her own path and refusing to be shaped by anyone else’s expectations.

As with her other novels, Ross’s prose is lyrical and immersive, making it easy to visualize the vivid settings and become fully absorbed in the world. The pacing is on the slower side for the first three-quarters of the book, but each moment lays important groundwork for the emotional climax and satisfying resolution. While I enjoyed the world-building and story, I personally connected more with Divine Rivals.

I also had the chance to listen to the first 16 chapters of the audiobook, narrated by Hannah van der Westhuysen and George Weightman (with Rebecca Norfolk also listed as a narrator but I don’t think she’s in the first bit of the book). Both narrators brought the characters to life with skill and complemented Ross’s beautiful, lyrical style of writing.

Fans of Rebecca Ross will be swept away by Wild Reverence’s immersive world, lyrical prose, and tragically beautiful story, following Matilda’s journey from overlooked goddess to a powerful, self-determined hero.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the ebook and sneak peak of the audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is September 9, 2025.

Rebecca Ross's writing is utterly magical.
I loved this book. The character development, the lyrical prose, the romance, the world, everything. I knew after reading the first page that this was going to be special.
After reading both the Letters of Enchantment and the Elements of Cadence series, Rebecca Ross became one of my top authors and she absolutely lived up to that with this book. I will read anything this woman writes.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Saturday Books for the e-arc!!

It took me a while to finish this book, which was nothing to do with the book, and everything to do with me but I finally gave it the time it deserved. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ross is known for her lyrical storytelling, and most of her stories are character driven, rather than plot driven. Matilda is a goddess who doesn’t really belong in any of the worlds, and meets a mortal boy, Vincent, in dreams.

There are fights among the gods, the mortals, love and loss throughout. I have not yet read Divine Rivals so I cannot speak on the world it has grown, but this book is satisfying on its own. My only note is there are a lot of characters, so plan to continuously expand who is in the story at any given time. I would recommend this as a fall read, and be prepared for all the emotional ups and downs.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of the book.

4.75 stars.
I really enjoyed this book. It gave me the same vibe as Divine Rivals. A perfect prequel for the serie in my opinion.

I loved the world. I'm so glad we had more information about the Gods in both realms, their magics and everything else around it. (Really enjoyed seeing Dacre and Enva again outside of the war). It was awesome to see how they work, so different and similar to mortals. Bade is a new favorite of mine. I wouldn't say no if we get more about him.

The Wasteland was such an interesting place and concept. I loved every moments we had here. The nighmares idea was great.

I really liked the characters, how the romance was here but not too much. Mathilda and Vincent were great together and their story was sad and adorable. Bade and Adria have my heart, and so did Nathaniel, who was awesome during the whole book. Even the villains were interesting. I enjoyed them too.

I loved reading both Mathilda's and Vincent's POVs.

I just wish we had one more scene between Bade and Mathilda before the end, my new favorite father/daugther relationship.

I can't wait to read the book again.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me an advanced copy of the ebook.

Wild Reverence is perhaps the most poetic fantasy book I have read. The worldbuilding and character development are masterful. I was hooked by the first paragraph and delighted in being consumed by a book I couldn't put down, it feels like that hasn't happened in a while for me. Every description, be it about the most mundane thing to fantastical musical coins, was breathtaking; I was really impressed by the word choices of Rebecca Ross in this fantasy novel. The real winner for me in this book were the descriptions and worldbuilding.

The story was well told and developed. There was never a huge lull in the story that made it feel like the pages were dragging on. New plots were revealed at timely intervals and there were no major plot lines left untended to. Everything came together very nicely in the end, even if it felt like there were a lot of storylines going on, they connected in believable and complimentary ways that built depth to the story and characters.

This gave us an insightful background to the world that was first introduced to us in Divine Rivals and helped add further depth to the world and its magic. I hope that we will get more story of the gods in the future, this one was impossible to put down and left me wanting more.

Rebecca Ross has a writing style that is somehow calm and quietly lyrical even when describing battle. While her books may not be groundbreaking tales and tend to be vaguely reminiscent of each other in plot; her writing remains a genuine delight.
Ross is the rare writer that you can see improving with every new story.

Wild reverence was captivating, sad, and full of discovery. Against my better judgement and expectations it made me feel things- which, at the end of the day, is the best compliment for any book.

While I personally didn't need the fan service to connect this book to her previous duology, it is a nice touch.

"She was beautiful in a way that robbed breath and stole dreams."

Last year I fell in love with Divine Rivals and Ruthless vows. So I cried when I was sent an arc of Wild Reverance… when i tell yall i already preordered multiple version of this book. Anything Ross writes I will eat up. To no ones surprise I fell in love with this book!!!! Getting to learn more about the gods from the Divine Rivals universe was incredible and super immersing. The magic, the stars, and the lore of the gods were all so fascinating and beautifully written.

For the beginning of the book we follow our main characters as kids, at first this felt slow but it really does make you feel so much more connected to them later on.

DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE YEARNING!!!!!!. I felt every bit of it, they love eachother so strongly and intensely it legitimately brought me to tears yall. Without spoiling anything, I can say there are multiple scenes in this book that had me on the biggest emotional rollercoaster of my life. From crying to cheering to crying again… and dont get me started on the the ending it legitimately gave me chills.

Overall, Wild Reverence was magical, emotional and the perfect addition to this universe. 🥺

**4.5 STARS**

Content Warning: death, violence

+ I love Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows so when I saw this was a prequel to the series, I was intrigued! Wild Reverence is a story about the gods, and one in particular, Matilda. The storytelling is exceptional, beautiful, and poetic. It’s definitely what I come to expect from this author. She has a magical way of telling a story and I am always entranced by her books.

+ Matilda is such a fascinating character. She’s born to a Skyward father and and Underling mother, but Matilda wasn’t gifted any godlike powers that made her a threat to anyone. She was just there, just a nobody, but her character goes through a lot and being able to cross into realms was one of the most powerful characteristics she had – she just doesn’t know it until later.

+ I really enjoyed learning about this world of Gods. The world building as expected in a Rebecca Ross book is done so well. We even get a glimpse of how Enva and Dacre (the gods at war in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows), and a hint of how their story begins. I love how we get a real sense of gods being all powerful, and caring about the human world really. And vice-versa with humans, some worshipping them, and some indifferent to them, not wanting to bend their whole lives to worshipping gods.

+ The romance starts off with Matilda and Vincent in their younger years. And the romance really doesn’t take off until later in their adulthood. It’s a sweet romance filled with yearning, longing, devotion, loyalty – a love that spans realms and time. I was rooting so hard for them.

+ Love the epilogue and how it ties into Divine Rivals!

~ I’m not sure why but the beginning of this book did not hook me right away. It was a slow build and I think I was looking for Enva and Dacre and not focusing on Matilda, who didn’t seem significant until her character grows. It took me a few days to really get invested in Matilda’s story but once I did, I could not put the book down.

~ Speaking of Enva and Dacre, I actually did want to see more of them in this prequel. I feel like they remain such a mystery still.

Final Thoughts:

It took me a few days to settle down with this book, the world-building is about Gods we have never heard of (except for Enva and Dacre really) so there was a bit of information and building to do. But when it finally clicked in my head I didn’t want to put down the book. We get to see this different realms, and learn of different Gods, learn about Matilda who seems insignificant at first but becomes one of the main Gods who’s impact is greatly seen in Divine Rivals. I loved Matilda’s journey from nobody to someone to reckon with – all while she stayed good and not power-hungry. All she wanted to do was lead a simple life with Vincent, the mortal man who she had a connection with as a child and now as an adult. I was rooting for their love story across realms and time – it’s heartbreaking and beautiful. Overall, this is a beautifully written prequel to the Letters of Enchantment series.

BOOKSTAGRAM POST COMING SOON

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rebecca Ross for this ARC!

I absolutely adore a lot of Rebecca Ross’s work, especially her “Divine Rivals” duology, so I was super excited when this was announced! But nothing even comes close to the feeling of getting the email that I was selected to receive an ARC for this! I have to be honest, it’s been hard keeping the secrets of this book to myself from my friends who also love her writing. This author is so special to me because my best friend asked me to be her maid of honor by gifting me a copy of Divine Rivals!

But… I think this takes the cake for my favorite Ross novel of all time. Matilda has always been seen as the youngest, most unassuming goddess of her clan, carrying only the magic of a messenger, but she’s been hiding a truth that could cost her everything. Vincent of Beckett, the boy who once dreamed of her and begged for her help, has grown into a sharp-edged lord who’s tried to forget both gods and the girl who haunted him. When Matilda unexpectedly falls back into his life, the two are forced to face old wounds and dangerous loyalties, and to decide if love is worth the risk in a world that thrives on betrayal and blood.

Ross is a master at the craft of world building, and this novel was so immersive that I felt as though I touched the surface and was plunged into their world. It was especially fun to revisit the world of “Divine Rivals” and to see the Easter eggs left throughout the story that would end up becoming the origin to that duology. I am never disappointed when I pick up one of her novels, and this is no exception. What a beautiful, breathtaking tale.

Much bigger fantasy and world building than Divine Rivals (one of my favourite books of the past few years), but the romance felt a bit sidelined. We don't spend that much time in Vincent's POV, and so it's harder to understand his devotion to Matilda as a mortal, especially when we're mostly in her POV and dealing with the whims of immortal gods with her. But Rebecca Ross's writing is gorgeous as ever, just dripping with detail and colour and resonance. And it's a lovely prequel to the Divine Rivals duology.

Thank you St. Martin Press and NetGalley for the advance digital copy!

Rebecca Ross does it again!! Just wow, what an amazing prequel to the world of Divine Rivals. I was pulled in from page one to the end.

The magic you feel from divine rivals is all over these pages. I am absolutely in love with the story of Matilda and Vincent. If a book makes me feel like duology did it’s easily a 5 star. This… this book did so much more!

I loved and was rooting for our MCs but I also caught feelings for so many side characters and rooted or hope for their demise.

I loved how you could see the few interconnect characters weaved through both stories but you don’t need to read Divine Rivals first. You will want to read it after picking this one up though if you haven’t already!

I never would have expected that a prequel could live up to the original series, but this one gives Divine Rivals a run for its money. I loved the romance in this book (though nothing could top the original), and enjoyed the adult twist on this world. I would definitely recommend to people who enjoy the series already, though it is very different, but refreshing to get a new perspective! This story further solidified the Korra-season-two atmosphere, in the perfect way.

Thank you Net Galley for the ARC of this book! When I saw this book was coming out, I was absolutely ecstatic. I didn’t realize that I needed a “prequel” to Iris’ story but here we are and sincerely, thank you! It was everything that I could have hoped for and more. I found myself cursing certain characters and physically gasping throughout this book. Bravo!

I’m a big fan of Rebecca Ross’s writing. It was a really exciting to get to explore the world she built in Divine Rivals. This story felt more mythological getting to know the lore behind the Gods and Goddesses. It felt pretty reminiscent of her adult fantasy, A River Enchanted. I was enchanted by the writing style and the romance.

Wild Reverence was not what I expected at all but boy did it deliver. It reads almost like a high fantasy book and is a slower paced book but it’s just as good and impactful as any other Rebecca Ross book. And how the ending ties in the Letters of Enchantment duology is so perfect. I loved the character of Matilda she’s such a strong FMC. It’s beautifully written and I could not get enough.

ARC 📖 Wild Reverence | Rebecca Ross
Release Date: September 2nd, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Poetic writing. Yearning. Magical system like you’ve never read before.

I VERY much enjoyed this book and was so sad to have it and. I cried multiple times. Rebecca has a way of writing that is so beautifully done.

Matilda is a goddess of the Underlings and Skywards. Herald of the Gods. At a young age she is Salt Sworn to the God of War, Bade to protect her and aid her in her time of need. To train her to be strong. Out of all the Gods, Bade has my heart!! Bade is who Matilda WISHES was her father. The only God who has shown her any fatherly affection.

Gods and Goddesses do not show vulnerability or emotion as well. It shows them as weak. For as long as Matilda has known, the Gods and Goddesses have been after each other‘s power.

A unique consolation of stars is given to you when you’re born, reflecting your powers. When a God or Goddess is killed their stars, go to the person that killed them making them more powerful. Each God/Goddess has a “fault line” as they are mostly immortal. This Fault line is how they can perish in what they protect themselves with their lives.

Alva, the Goddess of dreams start giving Matilda scrolls of dreams from a boy named Vincent whom she grows attached to. On Matilda’s first journey delivering a message as a Harald she meets Vincent face-to-face for a fleeting moment. Changing Vincent’s life!

Not long after that events occurred where Matilda is thrust into the Skyward Courts for years. Losing contact through dreams with Vincent completely.

Years later Matilda was given a message from Death to save someone from meeting their time if she could make it in time. She traveled to the mortal realm and came crashing into Vincent’s bedchambers, reigniting a spark since childhood. But she is immortal and his days are numbered as a mortal man.

“We were doomed, she and I. One day, I would perish, and she would live on, endless as the stars. But if we were doomed, then let us fully embrace it.“

She stays to fight with Vincent to keep Wyndrift from falling into his uncles hands.

Matilda is ripped in 1,000 different directions when the only place she wants to be is at Vincents side. The odds are against her with many Gods and Goddesses from the Underling and Skyward realms.

1000/10. Preordered a hard copy and will reread again. ARC 📖 Wild Reverence | Rebecca Ross
Release Date: September 2nd, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Poetic writing. Yearning. Magical system like you’ve never read before.

I VERY much enjoyed this book and was so sad to have it and. I cried multiple times. Rebecca has a way of writing that is so beautifully done.

Matilda is a goddess of the Underlings and Skywards. Herald of the Gods. At a young age she is Salt Sworn to the God of War, Bade to protect her and aid her in her time of need. To train her to be strong. Out of all the Gods, Bade has my heart!! Bade is who Matilda WISHES was her father. The only God who has shown her any fatherly affection.

Gods and Goddesses do not show vulnerability or emotion as well. It shows them as weak. For as long as Matilda has known, the Gods and Goddesses have been after each other‘s power.

A unique consolation of stars is given to you when you’re born, reflecting your powers. When a God or Goddess is killed their stars, go to the person that killed them making them more powerful. Each God/Goddess has a “fault line” as they are mostly immortal. This Fault line is how they can perish in what they protect themselves with their lives.

Alva, the Goddess of dreams start giving Matilda scrolls of dreams from a boy named Vincent whom she grows attached to. On Matilda’s first journey delivering a message as a Harald she meets Vincent face-to-face for a fleeting moment. Changing Vincent’s life!

Not long after that events occurred where Matilda is thrust into the Skyward Courts for years. Losing contact through dreams with Vincent completely.

Years later Matilda was given a message from Death to save someone from meeting their time if she could make it in time. She traveled to the mortal realm and came crashing into Vincent’s bedchambers, reigniting a spark since childhood. But she is immortal and his days are numbered as a mortal man.

“We were doomed, she and I. One day, I would perish, and she would live on, endless as the stars. But if we were doomed, then let us fully embrace it.“

She stays to fight with Vincent to keep Wyndrift from falling into his uncles hands.

Matilda is ripped in 1,000 different directions when the only place she wants to be is at Vincents side. The odds are against her with many Gods and Goddesses from the Underling and Skyward realms.

1000/10. Preordered a hard copy and will reread again.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice Rating: 🌶️ (2 short closed door scenes)

I loved Divine Rivals and was so excited to hear that there was a prequel coming out centering on the story of the gods. Rebecca Ross' ability to weave a beautiful story did not falter and I loved the relationship between Vincent and Matilda. The story is rich in lore and features backstories of the gods from the original duology. Although I did find that the pacing started getting super slow once I reached 40%. of the way through and took me awhile to connect to Matilda as a character. I loved her character growth and how she grew to be confident in her own powers. The story did start drag towards the end and there were unnecessary conflicts that were thrown in. Overall if you loved fantasy in Divine Rivals and wanted more of it, I recommend picking this up.

rebecca ross can do no wrong. straight from the beginning i was hooked. to be back in the divine rivals world is such a treat - to see all the divines and dive even deeper into who they are, how they came to be. i cannot believe that ending either... i will need 10+ businsss days to recover.

thank you netgalley for the arc, i can't recommend this enough 💛

3.75⭐️

Some of you might be like why are you being so nitpicky about the rating but it is what it is. This could’ve been a full four or five star book for me because it started off really really well but about 40% in it sort of felt like the plot was lost and I didn’t understand why they were focusing on that specific portion about that around 70 to 80% it picks back up.

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc