Wow. What a beautiful book. I love Rebecca Ross and her stories. I don't have much to say about this because I don't want to spoil anything, but it is such a good book. I highly recommend, even if you haven't read Divine Rivals (though you absolutely should read that one as well!).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolute Must-Read for Romantasy Lovers ❤️

Wild Reverence is a beautifully written and captivating romantasy that immediately swept me away. Rebecca Ross’s writing style is elegant yet effortless, with a flow that makes the story a joy to read from beginning to end.

The characters are exceptionally well developed, and the love story between Matilda and Vincent is tender, emotional, and heart-pulling in the best way. Their journey together is both moving and unforgettable.

Ross also crafts a unique and imaginative magic system that adds depth and intrigue without ever feeling overcomplicated. The vivid descriptions of the Skyward, Mortal, and Underling realms are so immersive—I felt as though I was walking beside Matilda, experiencing each world right along with her.

The book begins with world-building, which may feel a touch slower for some, but it lays the essential foundation for the story…and once the action kicks in, it doesn’t let up—making this novel a page-turner that’s nearly impossible to put down.

I highly recommend Wild Reverence to anyone who loves romantasy. It delivers on every front—rich characters, swoon-worthy romance, gripping action, and a vividly magical world.

✨ Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This may be the most stunningly tragic yet heartwarming love story that I’ve ever read.

Infinity stars. Roman Empire book.
I’ll never get over it.

Rebecca Ross does it again! Such a beautiful story, so beautifully detailed, so poetic. Matilda’s and Vincent’s story was energetic and captivating. A perfect continuation of Devine Rivals and Ruthless Vows! In instant 5 star!

I am absolutely obsessed with this book! Rebecca’s writing does it for me every time. The way she writes keeps me invested in the story! Vincent and Matilda’s love was so perfectly executed and I will be thinking about them for a long long time. Thank you for this eARC!!

Rebecca Ross never fails to deliver a fantastic book. This was a wonderful follow-up to the Letters of Enchantment duology (which will always have a big place in my heart), taking place in the same universe but before Iris and Roman's time.

Matilda, a young goddess born in a cut throat world where gods are out to steal each others powers, must discover her abilities and learn how to wield them As a child, she meets a boy named Vincent in his dreams who asks her to use her abilities to help him. Ten years later, they finally meet face to face and must work together to change the gods.

“A tether formed between us. Invisible but undeniable. A cord wound from my rib to his.”

I didn't think the romance and love shared between Iris and Roman, built entirely through letters in the original duology could be topped, however the connection between these two main characters in dreams and in person was top tier. The level of yearning had me melting.

Even more impressive was the way Ross was able to take the mythology of the gods to a deeper level in this book and develop them more as full characters. It was interesting to see how brutal the gods could be on a whim.

If you are a fan of the original duology. I highly recommend this prequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

Confusing and overcomplicated, Wild Reverence is a disappointing follow up to the epic duology, Divine Rivals.

Despite reading Divine Rivals, the book series WR is a prequel for, recently I could not understand this book. Everything was complicated and not as it seems and it was simply too dense for me to enjoy. This was a miss for me, unfortunately.

“He chose me first, I replied, “He dreamt of me before I knew of him. His soul found mine before I even knew how to look for his.”

I don’t even know where to begin with this book. It’s was honestly one of the most beautifully written stories I have read in a long time. Rebecca Ross wove so much yearning and wanting into every page of this book. This book is as much a coming of age story and it is an epic romance. My heart truly fell in love with Matilda and Vincent.

If you are a fan of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows then you will love this prequel. Getting to see these gods that we read so much about in the first two books was such a delight. I love how she connected this story to Iris and Roman’s. The imagery and descriptive was Rebecca writes truly made me feel like I was in this story. Although Vincent & Matilda’s love is the heart of this book, the father-daughter relationship between Bade and Matilda was so touching.

This story is well paced and beautifully written. Truly a masterpiece. A HUGE thank you to St. Martin Press/Saturday Books and Rebecca Ross for the opportunity to read this book. It was truly an honor.

Wild Reverence is another excellent read from Rebecca Ross. It is part of the Letters of Enchantment series. This one is listed as #0 and is followed by Divine Rivals (#1) and Ruthless Vows (#2). You'll definitely want to read these in order.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced digital review copy.

I discovered Rebecca Ross when I worked at Barnes and Noble, the cover of River Enchanted always catching my eye and I eventually caved and bought it and devoured it and Fire Endless. I had not made the connection that she was the author of Divine Rivals, so when I picked up Wild Revernece only to learn the same mythology is used in Divine Rivals..I fear I may be hooked.
Rebecca's command of mythology, folklore and history within the spaces of her books is so intricate. Wild Reverence felt like I was reading a history of lives, of something I should have already known. But the learning was consuming. I wanted to know how it worked, who to ally with, who to be wary of. And yet I was still suprised in the end as I have been with all her books, they never end how I think they will, but not in a bad way, in a new way I have only ever seen with a small handful of writers.
Castles and realms and cold rivers with tumultuous battles kept me clinging to the pages of this book. Truly the penultimate fall read to kick off the cozy season on September 2nd

Beautiful writing of the gods and mythology from the world of Divine Rivals. The society of gods are properly inhuman and imaginative. I didn’t connect deeply with these characters but really enjoyed the folklore elements.

I don’t think this one is going to be as popular as the duology, it’s slower and stranger, but I did enjoy it.

This book consumed me. I read it in one sitting. I just couldn’t put it down. I loved the magic system and the world and how it was constantly in motion. There isn’t a dull moment, things are always happening and I was tense for more than 50% of this book. Matilda is our main character who we follow as she comes of age and learns her place in the world of rival gods. This story occurs before the events of Divine Rivals but can be read as a standalone or even first like a prequel. I had the full range of emotions while reading this and it is well deserving of all the stars. I would love to see this come alive as a movie. So I can experience it again.

as someone deeply obsessed with divine rivals by rebecca ross, the expansion in their realm—namely the prequel WILD REVERENCE satiated my hunger for more about their world!

Ross weaves a story that is as beautiful as it is treacherous. filled with gods walking the line between power and restraint, we’re shown two worlds: Underlings and Skyward. not only do these worlds complement each other as light and dark, but they both are steeped in the politics she has established in the Divine Rivals duology.

while the magic system itself takes a moment to figure out and get used to, her writing, as always, is vivid and beautiful with poetic prose. her pacing moves between romantic quietness to a high-stakes tension that keeps you hooked.

There is nothing I can say about Wild Reverence that hasn’t been said already. This book was brilliant in every way. While it is a romantasy Ross takes extra care not just with the heart wrenching romance, but the world she builds. Divine Rivals changed my life and reading the prequel weaved in so much insight into a beautiful world I already loved. Five stars, though, that won’t get you very far in this world…

Thought "Divine Rivals" was the pinnacle of Ross's writing? "Wild Reverence" proves there are higher mountains to climb. This sequel elevates everything I loved about the first book while carving its own magnificent path.

Matilda's journey seized my heart from page one. Watching her gradually discover and claim her powers felt like witnessing a timid spark grow into a wildfire. Her transformation isn't just about magic, it's about her finding the courage to become the herald she was meant to be.

The romance in this book? Pure enchantment. A love that begins in dreams creates this ethereal quality that had me highlighting passages at 2 AM. There's something profoundly intimate about two souls connecting first in dreamscapes before reality, creating layers of tension that had me clutching my chest.

Ross's portrayal of the gods strikes that perfect balance between awe-inspiring and terrifyingly capricious. Their whims and machinations reminded me of Greek mythology's most compelling elements, divine beings with very human flaws wielding incomprehensible power.

Don't be discouraged by the deliberate pacing at the start. Ross is meticulously laying groundwork for revelations that left me gasping. I found myself not wanting to race ahead or predict what was coming, I wanted to discover each truth alongside Matilda, experiencing every shock and wonder through her eyes.

The prose itself is a sensory feast. Ross writes with such lyrical precision that entire worlds bloom from the page. Each sentence feels crafted to pull you deeper into this realm of gods, mortals, and the complex threads binding them.

For those craving a fantasy romance that honors both elements equally, this is your next obsession.

Massive thanks to Saturday Books and NetGalley for my advance copy. As always, the thoughts shared here are completely my own.

Reading Wild Reverence feels like stepping back into the wonder of childhood fairytales, fables, and myths of the Greek gods. It stirs up that sense of curiosity, wonder, and quiet magic that lingers long after the last page. The writing is beautifully ethereal, dreamlike and lyrical, drawing you into its world with ease. While the pacing is a slow burn at times, the story as a whole is deeply captivating and well worth the journey. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you St. Martin’s press and netgalley for this arc.
Rebecca Ross's Wild Reverence is a captivating standalone prequel to Divine Rivals, and it doesn’t just expand the world of gods and mortals—it deepens it. The story introduces us to Matilda, a messenger of the gods, who is learning the full scope of her divine power. We also meet Vincent, a mortal with a complex lineage, who is caught in a political struggle within his own kingdom. Together, they form an unlikely alliance (I have so much more to say but do not want to spoil). This has easily been my favorite read of 2025!

This was beautifully written. As someone who has not read Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows yet, I came into Wild Reverence worried that it would be difficult to follow but more intrigued with the premise of this book than the duology it pairs with. I found that this did not end up being a problem for me. As far as I can tell from my read-through of the book and conversations with a friend who has read the main duology, I missed out on a couple of "easter egg" type moments where characters that will be important in the other books show up. The largest instance of this coming at the end of the book in a flash forward seeing what I presume is part of the setup to Divine Rivals. That said, this didn't detract from the story for me.

In terms of worldbuilding, I loved learning about the travel of the Underlings and Skyward and the differences in their domains. Additionally, the constellation based magic of the gods was interesting and added a looming sense of threat to Matilda's story that helped make some communication issues between characters purposeful.

There were a couple of moments where I think characters made unreasonable logical leaps on their own (one specific instance near the end on Vincent's part sticks out), and one scenario (with snow) where I thought Matilda was missing the obvious, but this didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. Overall this was a ton of fun to read and I flew through it faster than I anticipated given the length of the book. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read Wild Reverence in exchange for an honest review.

If you’re a fan of Ross’ ARiver Enchanted duet and Divine Rivals, you will throughly enjoy this book. Set in the same world as DR, this is the story of the gods/goddesses before Enva and Dacre’s battles began.
Matilda is the herald to the gods, and in learning her power she learns how ruthless and uncaring the other gods can be. She is an anomaly being from both underling and skyward and through her adolescence learns of both realms. Though she is always drawn to the mortal realm.
This story is about the love of those found in unlikely places, alliances formed and broken, as well as how souls can always find their match in even the darker spaces.

This was beautiful and lovely and more than I hoped it would be. There is action, and tender moments, building out the world of the gods in this realm. Ross is so lovely with her prose, imagery, and world building!

This was a strong entry in the Divine Rivals series, it was everything that I was looking for and enjoyed in this type of book and from Rebecca Ross' writing. I was invested in what was happening and enjoyed how it continued the storyline in a way that worked with the genre perfectly. I was invested in what was happening with the characters and how their story worked together. It was everything that was promised and I enjoyed how Rebecca Ross wrote this.