4.5 ⭐️

Another beautiful love story that had so much depth and emotion. Rebecca Ross is truly a genius when it comes to prose. Even the simplest of thoughts transcend into poetry when she gets her hands on it. I felt so much towards every character, even one’s whose entire love story happened off page, which is remarkable.

Vincent and Matilda create a love story teeming with yearning and devotion that can hardly be contained.
Wild Reverence is a beautiful standalone that will rip apart your soul, while also being a a great prequel for the Divine Rivals duology.

This story will live in my soul for years to come.

Wild Reverence was everything I hoped for. Matilda’s story is full of love, loss, and vulnerability that feels like true strength. Rebecca Ross’s writing is as breathtaking as ever. This book will be one that I will be laying in bed thinking about at night.

I loved this book! It was so interesting to learn more about the gods in the same universe as divine rivals and the romance had me in a chokehold. It was very beautifully written, very lyrical like most of Ross' books. I throughly enjoyed it

Wild Reverence was everything I hoped it would be and more. I loved the Divine Rivals duology and when I found out that Rebecca Ross was releasing a prequel of sorts about the lives of the Gods in that world, I was ecstatic. The novel follows the young goddess Matilda, who is torn between the two factions of Gods and Goddesses of Above and Below. Throughout the novel, Matilda grapples with what it means to be a goddess and exactly what type of goddess she will become. Matilda feels things very deeply, in a world where Gods and Goddesses are supposed to be aloof and strong. She of course, is strong in her own way, in that she is in tune with her humanity and vulnerability in a way that just jumps off the page. Matilda deals with the plots and schemes and her fellows Gods, as well as humans, all while coming to the aid of her childhood friend and love Vincent. Their love story is beautiful and poignant, in that Matilda is a goddess and Vincent is a human; one with an endless lifespan and one with significantly less time. Vincent and Matilda both deal with anger, resentment, yearning, and explore their feelings in a truly meaningful way. Every time they were on the page together, I couldn't look away. Along with her love story, Matilda deals with familial strife, both with her parents and her father-figure who all seem to be waging war in an endless power struggle. They keep their feelings close to their chests in order to protect themselves, which leads to some very interesting plot developments and regret from many of the characters, Ross examines intense family dynamics, the complications of loving someone when it seems like everything is against you, and how loss shapes you as a person, whether you are a human or God. Ross's prose continues to shine in this novel and her writing is more beautiful than ever. Wild Reverence is a beautiful expansion to her Divine Rivals world, and it is a story that I will be thinking about for a long time.

A heartfelt thank you to Saturday Books and Netgalley for providing me with the arc. I will have spoiler warnings below, you can skip those paragraphs.

Read if you like:

Childhood friends to lovers
Second chance romance
Pining and yearning
Court politics
Magic
Mortal x Immortal

Rebecca Ross takes us back 600 years before Divine Rivals, to the world of gods and goddesses, as fickle as the Greeks portrayed them. We are reacquainted with Dacre and his Underling court, as well as Enva and her Skyward family. Each divine's power and position is symbolized by their constellation. The more stars, the more power one has. And as is the case whenever power is involved, there will always be those who will connive, betray, and kill for it.

Matilda is born with six stars to her name, enough to not be the weakest, but lacking the stars to matter. This keeps her safe and generally ignored, though there is a secret she is hiding: not only is she the last divine to be born, she has an Underling mother and a Skyward father.

As a child of both worlds, she acts as a herald, delivering letters and missives for both groups of divines. Though she has a freedom of movement between the three realms (skyward, underling, and mortal), she has a difficult time trusting anybody. There are only three that she trusts-- her mother, her mother's ally Bade (god of War), and a human boy with gray eyes whose dreams she has been in-- Vincent of Beckett. They grow up together in his dreams, and strike a rare friendship.


***SPOILERS***

Years pass and Matilda grows up in the Underling court. Tragedy strikes however, when Bade brings a dying mortal queen, begging for her to be made immortal, a woman he has fallen in love with. Though her life is saved Bade is disgraced for succumbing to such a human emotion as love. This shakes the entire power dynamics of both courts, and power plays are made, friendships broken, betrayals ensue. Matilda's mother is killed, leaving Matilda fleeing Skyward for sanctuary. And there she remains in hiding for thirteen years.

Bridging the gap between Skyward and Underling is the mortal realm. Humans go about their daily lives subjected to all kinds of elements and strife, and will often send pleas to the divines, asking them for help, for safety, for aid in their struggle for power. Some prayers are answered, some ignored. Matilda, being new and unknown, is generally forgotten by the mortals. No one knows her name, no one prays to her.

Except one day when she receives a blood stained prayer missive containing the words “Matilda, help me.“ And she knows there is only one person who must've sent it: her friend Vincent, the boy she has never forgotten.

I read this book expecting to be struck by Matilda and Vincent's love story. And it delivered. Told in Rebecca Ross' beautiful, poetic prose, their story was both restrained and emotional, poignant and touching. Much is conveyed through simple looks, vows of loyalty, and acts of service. But just like in Divine Rivals, Ross excels in letter-writing. And as promised, we do get letters in this story. Maybe not as much as we did in her earlier duology, but letters just as impactful and moving. They are one of my fave parts of this book, along with the many nods to Iris, Roman, and their magical typewriters.

I was prepared to love Matilda and Vincent as much as I did Iris and Roman. But the love story that truly struck me and stayed with me was the one we're introduced to at the very beginning. A love story that was more familial than romantic. The love between parent and child. The bond born not of blood but by choice: Matilda and her heart-father, Bade. Their chapter through the wastelands brought tears to my eyes and stayed with me long after.

***END OF SPOILERS***

Matilda is a goddess of words and souls. How lucky are we that we have our own goddess of words and souls in Rebecca Ross, who forever enriches our world with the characters she breathes life into, the universes she creates, and the stories she writes. Thank you for giving us yet another story to devour, treasure, and love.

I literally just had to get a pep talk from my husband to stop crying because this made me literally unhinged. I loved this. Set in the same world as Divine Rivals, this will tear you to pieces and put you back together countless times. There was so much yearning and longing that felt like I was living through the characters. Their pain was my pain. Honestly please go out and read this... because you won't be disappointed.

Ross's Letters of Enchantment duology was amazing, but Wild Reverence is somehow even better. It revolves so much more around the gods, especially since the main character, Matilda, is one. I loved the medieval-inspired setting and the way Ross uses such beautiful imagery to describe it. Everything about this book feels more fleshed out than the Letters of Enchantment books, not just the gods and the setting, but also the secondary characters. Plus, the romance was amazing, as were Matilda's interactions with those who came to be like family to her. I couldn't put the book down, and I can't wait for more people to read it!

The way Rebecca Ross’ brain works is seriously something amazing.. this book was one of my new favorites!

Going into the story I was excited to be back in the Letters of Enchantment universe but I was nervous about it living up to my love for Divine Rivals, but Matilda and Vincent’s story was so so perfect.

The pacing was perfect, the world building was top tier, and it truly felt like every piece of the storyline was wrapped up nice and neat. And even the way it tied in storylines from the duology was amazing.

I don’t want to spoil anything so I’ll end my review here but I know I’ll be thinking about this book for a while & I will be reading everything else Rebecca Ross writes because I’m obsessed.

Where do I even begin? This story absolutely blew me away! The tale of Matilda, the youngest goddess of her clan, and Vincent, a mortal lord who once dreamed of her, was everything I never knew I needed. The romance between goddess and a mortal was magnificent - equal parts tender, heart-wrenching, and powerful.

Matilda is the kind of FMC I adore. She's brave and strong, yet she isn't afraid to show vulnerability. Despite living in a ruthless world where gods turn on one another, she carries a compassion for others that makes her shine all the brighter. Vincent, on the other hand, is the kind of MMC who makes your heart ache - in the best way. He yearns deeply, protects fiercely, and loves with a quiet intensity that made me root for him from the very beginning.

There is no much more than love in this story - there's magic, secrets and dangerous realms. Matilda's messenger magic, hidden truths and her journey to rewriting the blood soaked traditions of the gods made for a story I couldn't put down. The world building was amazing. I could envision everything so clearly. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

I enjoyed the romance featured in Ross’s previous two books in the Letters of Enchantment series. Wild Reverence is a prequel, though you do not need to have read Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows to love this story. And I loved it. I was captivated by the “medieval” setting, as well as the dynamic between the three realms. This read very similarly to the reimagined pro-female deity origin stories that have become more popular.
Matilda (the featured deity) is a fast-paced character. She is bold and so nonchalant, I took my time reading her and Vincent’s love story if only to make it last longer. However, watching Bade and Matilda’s relationship blossom across the page was endearing too. Ross has such an elegant way of storytelling. Incorporating Vincent’s point of view worked really well for this novel. This is the type of book that you want to read more of the characters but simultaneously feel fulfilled by the time you reach the ending. I never have high expectations for prequels, but this one was so very well done.

First off, thank you so much NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this amazing story.

From the first page, this book entranced me. Rebecca Ross took me on a journey that I never wanted to end.

The world Ross built is spellbinding, with a history that felt so real I caught myself wishing it was a place I could escape to.

Wild Reverence isn’t just one of the best fantasies I’ve read this year; it’s one of those special books I know I’ll reread again. It’s powerful, romantic, and unforgettable, a story that left me changed in ways I can’t fully put into words.

Where do I even begin? Rebecca Ross absolutely blew it out of the park with this one! The story of Matilda and Vincent was everything that I never knew I needed! This love story between a goddess and mortal man was magnificent!
Matilda is everything that I look for in an FMC. She is brave, vulnerable, and cares about the others around her, despite her power and status! Vincent was a loving MMC who yearns and protects! This story was also filled with magical elements and vivid details that will transport you as if you were seemingly in the book! The world-building and different realms within this book were on a whole other level!
I loved that this story took place in the same world as The Letters of Enchantment, and even granted deeper insight into various aspects of the duology!

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖:Wild Reverence

Set within the world of Divine Rivals, we meet Matilda, a young goddess and herald. Within dreams, she befriends a mortal boy but years pass until their paths cross again.

This tale explores Matilda’s connection with Vincent and her journey navigating the politics among the lands of the gods and mortals.

Tropes:
👀Dual POV
💫She’s a goddess
🏰He’s a lord
⚖️Political intrigue
🌟Star-crossed love
💕Fantasy Romance standalone
🏺Meddling gods

Wild Reverence is a stunning standalone with unforgettable characters and a beautifully written story examining the flaws and triumphs of humanity and immortals.

The relationship between Matilda and Vincent is wistful and steeped with so much longing. Theirs is a love that defies the gods and fate itself.

Evocative and rich, I was swept away by this tender and steadfast romance spanning across time, dreams, and different planes of existence. This is a must-read for new and existing fans of the Letters of Enchantment series!

So grateful for the author, St. Martin's Press, Saturday Books, and NetGalley for the advanced review copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Wild Reverence is a beautifully written story that really leans into cozy, dreamlike vibes. The whole dream-based connection between characters is such an intriguing idea, and I found it really engaging in the beginning. It reminded me of the intimate, letter-writing aspect of Divine Rivals, but with its own twist. I also loved finally getting to see more details about the gods and goddesses, which had only been teased before.

Where the book didn’t quite work for me was the pacing. It felt very slow, and I had a hard time staying fully engaged. By about 40%, the story still hadn’t picked up in momentum, and I found myself skimming sections. While the prose is gorgeous, it sometimes felt like the beauty of the writing outweighed the plot progression.

Overall, it just wasn’t the right fit for me personally, but I can see other readers - especially those who enjoy slower, lyrical, atmospheric stories with strong mythological elements - connecting with it more.

This was an AWESOME fantasy with slow burn romance, high stakes, and a well-developed world spanning the mortal, skyward, and underling realms. It is told from both the FMC and MMC perspectives, which I enjoyed. I have not read Divine Rivals (though I plan to now), but this did not negatively affect my reading experience.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My favorite books are the ones that thoroughly consume me and this may be the best book that I’ve read this year. The world that Rebecca Ross has created is so fleshed out, so intensely beautiful, so intricately rendered, that I cannot help but feel changed after picking up her books. If it’s possible, I loved Wild Reverence even more than the Letters of Enchantment Duology. This one felt more mature and thoughtful and breathtaking in its intensity and commitment to a world that felt utterly unique and at the same time eerily familiar. Honestly, I completely neglected my family for days and tore through this book, breathless for more. Thank you so much, Net Galley for this advance reader copy.

Rebecca Ross did it again! This book was beyond my expectations and my new favorite Rebecca Ross book. Ross excels at creating incredibly rich worlds and characters that really sit with you once you are done reading. Wild Reverence is poignant, dark, magical, romantic and haunting.

I will say, the beginning was a bit slow for me, but once this took off, it really took off. So please if you are struggling at the beginning.. KEEP GOING.

One of my favorite aspects of Wild Reverence was the explorations of relationships - familial, romantic, and platonic. The romance is beautiful and so poignant. But, I think the relationship that really shone was Mathilda and Bade's - it was built up so beautifully and plays such an important role in both Mathilda's character growth but also the overall plot of the book. The character work was just impeccable and Mathilda is one of my favorite FMCs ever. She is incredibly tender, strong, smart, and honestly a badass in the best possible way.

I also really enjoyed the tie-in to Divine Rivals, it was subtly done in a way that this book felt connected but also it's complete own story and in no way felt like a prologue to it's predecessors.

Just such a beautiful book, thank you NetGalley and SMP for the ARC.

Wild Reverence is an incredible story with so many elements. I thoroughly enjoyed being back in the same universe as Divine Rivals, but I enjoyed how different this story was.

Vincent’s yearning for Matilda is unmatched.. I wish we could have a smidge more of their story together at the end but I am happy as long as they are happy.

I fear I may never recover from this book and I’m quite alright with that.
Thank you Rebecca Ross for this universe, I hope we can experience more, say maybe Bade’s story 😅☺️

Rebecca Ross has such a gift for weaving lyrical writing with emotional depth, and Wild Reverence is no exception. The story felt atmospheric and enchanting, with characters that carried both strength and vulnerability. I loved how the themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and love were layered into a tale that was both tender and powerful. It’s the kind of book that lingers with you long after the last page

This was one of my most anticipated reads and wow it did not disappoint!!This is 6 stars, all the stars, one of the best books I have read this year! I absolutely loved it! The writing is superb and not only keeps you interested in the story but does so in such a beautiful way. This book describes all the gods and goddesses and magic that were touched upon in the divine rivals duology and truly brings them all to life. I loved Mathilda’s journey and being able to see Vincent’s point of view was a wonderful bonus. There is so much plot and story in this book, plus history and relationships that made it a truly engrossing read. I can’t wait to reread the divine rivals duology now to see how it all ties together through those books. This is truly unlike any other fantasy I have read and I highly recommend it! Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. And thank you to Rebecca Ross for writing such an extraordinary novel!