Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5 (Two short open door scenes)
⚠️ trigger/content warnings at the bottom

💫She’s in his dreams
💫 Childhood friends to lovers
💫 Mythology-inspired
💫 “That’s my wife”
💫 Love letters

This is not the light fantasy I typically prefer, and while it took me a second to get into, I quickly became immersed in the beautiful writing and I ended up loving it!! This book is thick, like soup. You’ll want to savor it.

This book is in the same world as Divine Rivals, but it has a much different style and maturity level. Wild Reverence is for adults, while Divine Rivals is YA. Also, Wild Reverence is set in the realms of the gods as well as the mortal realm, so there is a lot more world building than Divine Rivals. You can definitely pick this up if you haven’t read Divine Rivals!

I loved how we saw Matilda grow from a baby to an adult, and mature into her magic. In many ways, this is a coming of age story.

All the characters, from Vincent, our haunted MMC, to the side characters, were fantastic. I didn’t expect Bade, the god of war, to be the best character, but he is! I loved the found family element.

The romance was so beautiful. I’m a sucker for a star-crossed lovers story with a happy ending, and this definitely didn’t disappoint!

This book was so lush and atmospheric - a perfect fall read. Out September 2! Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Saturday Books for the arc!

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7777603049
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
⚠️ trigger/content warnings: lots of bloody violence, both real and fantasy. On page death. Drowning. Loss of parent.

I loved Divine Rivals so I imagined enjoying this a similar amount. I am IN LOVE with this book. I loved hearing the world about the Gods before the typewriters fell into our main characters hands. This story had suspense, mythology, and love. It kept me guessing and made me tear up. I devoured this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC which publishes Sept 2. If you loved Divine Rivals get yourself a copy. No notes.

Rebecca Ross is at her fabulous best with this one. Welcome back to the world of Divine Rivals folks!!
As the tale goes, once upon a time, a god child was born and the first to hold her was not her father, but the god of war. He named her Matilda.

The tale unfolds lazily introducing us to the underworld, mortal realm amd Skyward with its chief players and the powers they control. In a world where powers are coveted and feelings are dangerous, what will befall a goddess who falls for a mortal??

If this premise doesn't entice you, dear reader, to pick up this book, I am not sure how else to induce you.. the slow burn between a mortal whi wishes to burn at the altar or the goddess who fears attachment and yet sells herself to save those she loves, or shall I talk of the brother who emerges triumphant, against all odds and brings hope, or better yet the tale of the god of war smd his love... All these gems and more are woven into the threads that neither Fate nor Death can mar in this most excellent story..

Happy reading everyone!! Thank you to Macmillian and Netgalley for providing me with the arc!

I loved this book so much! I really enjoyed the fantasy side of this story and how the gods were created by the author. The entire book felt whimsicle and I loved it so freakin much! I cannot wait to have a physical copy of the book to myself!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

What a beautifully written book this is! It’s been a long time since I read books 1 and 2 in the letters of enchantment duology, so I thought that I wouldn’t enjoy this book as much. I vaguely remembered the back story about the gods.

All that to say, I LOVED this book despite not remembering any of the first two books. This book stands completely on its own and complements the duology perfectly. There was so much action and anxiety inducing moments that had me on the edge of my seat. Matilda and Vincent were perfect; loved their character growth and the fantasy aspect woven into their love story and throughout the book. I also loved the side characters! I think Bade needs his own prequel and I also loved Nathaniel’s loyalty. There were a few loose ends with some of the other gods that I wish got resolved but I hope this leads to more prequels.

I also downloaded a sneak peek ARC of the audio and highly recommend it. I will be purchasing that when it comes out for sure. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC and the opportunity to read the book before publication!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Reading a new book by an author you know and love is always a special experience. You already know you enjoy the writing style and can trust that the plot of the new story will be one you will enjoy. After falling in love with Divine Rivals, this is how I felt about Rebecca Ross's new story, Wild Reverence, which takes place in the same world as Divine Rivals, though much earlier in time. I literally could not put this one down! No one does star crossed lovers the way Ross does. The longing and yearning for one another, the obstacles that the couple faces -- both together and apart, the sweet satisfaction when they finally get their happy ending after so much struggle... Wild Reverence has it all.

At its core, Wild Reverence is the story of a goddess, Matilda, who falls in love with a mortal man, Vincent. It is the stuff of myth and legend but despite their extraordinary circumstances, Matilda and Vincent don't want power and influence and recognition, they just want to be together, against all odds. One of my favorite things about this story is getting to know the Underlings and Skywards that we learn about in Divine Rivals. The politics, the ruthlessness of gods, also the rules of magic are really expanded and explored in Wild Reverence. We are introduced to both sets of gods through Matilda and her story but we also get to see the mortal world and how it is tangled with and influenced by the gods through Vincent's story. Also, the side characters! They really add so much to the story, different layers that add seamlessly to the plot, like Matilda's relationship with Bade and Vincent's relationship with his brother.

Overall, Wild Reverence was a total hit for me and I recommend it to anyone who loved Divine Rivals or anyone who enjoys star crossed lover stories with a healthy dose of magic and grounding in mythology.

This story was beautifully written, engaging, totally unique and just absolutely stunning in every way a book could be. I loved how intertwined our MMC and FMC’s destinies were and how everything was laid out for us to be part of their journey to finding each other 💕 this was a very emotional read for me as there are several tough subjects and life lessons Rebecca hits here - loss, trauma, grief, finding yourself, learning who you can rely on, betrayal….the list could really go on! I laughed, I gasped, I cried (a lot, mainly through the last 10% of the book 😩), this was truly an emotional journey I was so happy to be on! If you’re familiar with Divine Rivals and loved that, this will be an absolute perfect read for you ✨

Rebecca Ross never fails to bring a great story written well!! Matilda and Vincent's story leave you wondering if there's going to be a happy ending... Multiple times! I love that they bring out the best in their partner. There is one open door scene and it has a page break so it's easy to skip if that's something you prefer skipping. I would've liked the book better without that scene personally.

Beautiful, enchanting, and magical... Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross kept me coming back for more! Matilda’s fierce journey of finding where she truly belongs is both poignant and powerful. Growing up, Matilda knows nothing of her father, her mother being sworn to secrecy from the very beginning, yet she feels like she does not truly belong in the Underling Realm where she is being raised. Though her heritage ties her to the High Court, she is only of the Middle Court.. a simple herald, far less powerful than the gods who dismiss her. Yet in that underestimation lies her strength, and her path soon leads her into a fate-altering conflict where danger is never far behind.

When thrust into the mortal realm, she finally comes face-to-face with Vincent, the boy she has known for months but never met. Their meeting is no coincidence however, and it becomes the turning point that draws Matilda into the mortal war, binding her fate to battles far greater than her own and forcing her to reckon with who she truly is.

Like other books from Ross, this one continues to be rich in mythology and layers characters into a story that is both epic and intimate. Matilda’s bond with Bade, the father she never had, was one of my favorite aspects, grounding her amid the tension of the gods and her struggle to belong. I also love that we see the beginning of Enva and Dacre's "love" story and the prologue is fantastic at wrapping up all the loose ends to set the stage for Divine Rivals. Wild Reverence is a beautiful, moving tale of identity, power, and the courage to claim your place in the world. Thank you St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC!

Let me just say Divine Rivals was a 5⭐️ read for me. One of my favorites of last year in fact. Ruthless Vows didn’t disappoint either.

This one was (shocker) fantastic as well! I will say the beginning was slow for me and it did take some time for me to really be invested. This is a prequel to the DR series, and there is a lot of information to absorb in the beginning. We learn about the workings of the gods and goddesses, which is quite a bit of information since only two or three are mentioned in the DR series. Obviously, that takes some time to get through and understand, so the first 40% of the book or so is a bit slow, but informative and lyrical and beautiful as per the usual. Once we get into the meat of things, the pace picks up quickly. I really enjoyed Matilda’s story and her love, it was such a bittersweet love story.

THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. Y’all, I wasn’t prepared for how quickly Matilda came into her own, and Bade 🥹. Vincent really does some inner work as well, and I love how his character rounds out. Each character is important to the story, and there are A LOT of characters; the way RR makes you feel for each character is honestly a feat in and of itself. I enjoyed the poetic justice of the antagonists, and the ending was just 👌🏻.

The writing is very similar to her other books, but perhaps a touch more lyrical and mythical in tone. To be fair, this is a retelling of the gods and goddesses, which is all very mythical anyway. The tone is perfect for this story, and the writing was descriptive and easy to visualize and read.

Easily a 4.75⭐️ book, the only reason it doesn’t get the full 5 is because the beginning took a while to hook me. I just wasn’t invested until almost the halfway point, but there is a ton of information to absorb in the beginning, so I understand why.

I definitely will be thinking about Wild Reverence for a long time. Reading it felt like listening to someone recite an epic ballad. The overarching themes of love, mortality, and finding your place in the world were executed with gorgeously lyrical prose that sat deep within my soul. There were several times where I read a sentence and I felt like all of the air had been sucked out of my lungs.

Readers of the original Letters of Enchantment duology will notice a shift in tone and voice in Wild Reverence. While Divine Rivals is a heart wrenchingly beautiful love story, Wild Reverence is its mythological equivalent. It is full of beautiful storytelling, but the characters do feel a bit distant.

What keeps this book off my list of five-star favourites is the pacing. It was rather inconsistent, and felt like it dragged a bit in the middle. I almost feel like this would have been better as a series, allowing more tension to build and more time for the reader to get invested in the characters.

Overall, the writing is poetic and the overarching plot was excellent. I think that those who enjoy the tone of mythological retellings and plot driven fantasy readers will enjoy this, while I think that those who need to really connect with the characters may struggle with it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saturday Books for this ARC. This review is an honest representation of my reading experience.

Rebecca Ross' new book expands on the universe of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, focusing entirely on the life of the goddess Matilda. I actually think this installment is even better than the first two books. I loved exploring the lore surrounding the gods and learning more about Dacre and Enva. I would do almost anything for both Matilda and Vincent. I hope we see more stories in this universe in the future!

This was such a whimsical and fantastical standalone prequel to the Divine Rivals series.
.
I had high hopes for this book after reading The Divine Rivals and Rebecca Ross did not let me down. The story starts out a little slow, but it was so interesting to gain more perspective of this fantasy world and get a little history lesson on the mythical “gods” of this world- loosely based off Greek and Norse mythology.
Ross has such beautiful prose and I loved our main character Matilda, she is a main character you root for and sympathize with, truly a “hero” in every sense of the word. Our male character Vincent is pretty swoon worthy, but I kind of wish we had some more scenes of the two of them together when they were younger. I think it would have made their moments together as adults more impactful.

All the mythical “gods” in this book were so interesting and well written. It really added depth to the story AND to divine rivals.
Rebecca Ross is starting to become an “auto buy” author for me. I would recommend her to anyone who loves Romantasy and enjoyed The Letters of Enchantment series!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Wild Reverence!

I LOVED this book. It hooked me in from the very first page, to the very end. I could not put it down - it may very well be my favorite book of the year so far. The only complaint I really had was some phrasing was overused a bit, I feel like we heard about "sinister hands" and "ichor" way too much. But perhaps I am being too picky.
Wild reverence is a dual POV romantic fantasy set hundreds of years before Divine Rivals. A young boy starts having dreams of a girl who saves him from his nightmares. He thinks she is just a fabrication of his dreams, until one day, they run into each other in person. They eventually lose contact until years later, when she comes to him bearing a message from the gods...
SO worth the read and recommending from the rooftops to all who will listen.
5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this banger in exchange for my honest opinion!

It was bound to happen, I have adored, swooned, loved everything Ross has written it was only a matter of time that one wasn’t going to be a total win.

What I liked:
The writing is signature Ross, atmospheric, visual, lush
It’s romantic there’s beautiful swoony exchanges
The ideas were good

What Didn’t Work:
The plot was a bit of a mess, it felt very unfinished and needed a major edit and tightening whcih in turn the pacing suffered immensely.

Forever a fan still.

WOW! I have been a big fan of Rebecca Ross for many years, and I have learned to expect lyrical prose and beautiful storytelling in each of her books. But Wild Reverence was on a whole other level. I think this might be one of my very favorite fantasy reads of 2025!

For the best reading experience, I suggest going in to this blind and enjoying the slow unfolding of the story. The two main characters you meet are Matilda, a goddess of both the Underlings and the Skywards blessed with herald magic, and Vincent, a mortal Lord struggling to maintain control over his land with enemies facing down his castle doors. The two are connected in more ways than one and develop a deeper bond that can only be the work of fate.

This was a power packed novel! There was a lot of world building done in this novel and a very unique magic system (of which you see glimpses of in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows). You do not need to have read the Letters of Enchantment duology prior to this, but I think Wild Reverence provides a richer backstory and deeper meaning to certain characters and objects we meet in Divine Rivals.

I loved the slow development of Matilda and Vincent’s characters individually, but also the evolution of their relationship from friends to strangers to political allies to friends to lovers. There were little parallels between this book and Divine Rivals (particularly the scene with the eithrals) that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

I definitely slowed down my reading of this book so I could truly savor Rebecca’s words. As with all of Rebecca’s books, the prose is so beautifully lyrical. There were some lines in the book that I could not help but go back and reread because of how bewitching they were.

If you love Madeline Miller’s Circe, I think you’re going to love this one; especially if you enjoy books filled with political scheming, ruthless gods, and a slow-burn love story that has you in your feels.

Thank you so much to Saturday Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC!

The beginning was a bit slow the second half really picked up (especially the last 20-25%)! I really enjoyed learning more about the lore in this universe and being back in this world.

Wild Reverence is an absolute masterpiece prequel novel set in the world of Divine Rivals, in which the fate of an immortal goddess becomes entwined with that of the man whose dreams she has visited since their childhoods.

This book features the beautiful prose and incredible character work that I’ve come to expect with any Rebecca Ross novel, and which make her an auto-buy author for me. I highlighted dozens of quotes and am already looking forward to rereading this work of art.

What I didn’t expect was an emotional, heart-wrenching story of overcoming fear of vulnerability that I deeply related to in a way that made me feel like this book was written for me personally. This is a book that will not leave my mind anytime soon.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for providing a digital Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review! Not even exaggerating when I say this is the most exciting ARC I’ve ever received <3

This book took me 11 days to finish….. I’m sick. Looking back at it, it really wasn’t a bad story, I just never wanted to pick the book up. It was definitely longer than it needed to be, and the writing style really wasn’t doing it for me. I can’t believe this is the same author that wrote Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows.

Speaking of it being a prequel, how? It felt more same universe, not a prequel like I expected it to be. The whole Dacre/Enva thing is still kind of a mystery.

I’m shitting on this book a bit but I will say, I loved the relationships between Bade/Matilda and Vincent/Matilda. Unfortunately that was all I really liked.

Wild Reverence is heartachingly and heartbreakingly beautiful. It is so much more than a love story, but a story of growth, self discovery, brokenness and healing, what defines family and love (of all kinds not just romantic).

The story opens with Matilda recalling the myth of her birth. And what flows from there is Matilda’s epic journey told with all the passion and intrigue, betrayal and heroism, war and peace, divine vows and games, that you would expect from all classic Mythology across cultures. The Truth of Matilda’s and Vincent’s love story is expertly interwoven into Matilda’s own. It is a story of the Power of the Feminine Divine. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

I have not read Divine Rivals or Ruthless Vows (but own them both and look forward to them!). I had no problems becoming completely engulfed in the story. The world building was easy to follow even for a novice.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I had already preordered the hardback in May. I can’t wait to read the final copy!