Rebecca Ross delivers again. The characters, the story. Everything. I was so excited to get to dive into this prequel. Divine Rivals is probably one of my all time favorite books but Wild Reverence was here to compete. The story blends romance with a lyrical prose that creates a tale that feels both intimate and epic. Fans of Divine Rivals (like myself!) will love the mythic scope, though this also stands strong as its own story. A graceful balance of heart and high stakes.

If the beauty of Divine Rivals, world building of Throne of Glass, and confusion of Onyx Storm had a baby, it would be the dreamy, fantasy, whimsical book that is Wild Reverence. Rebecca Ross’s writing is so poetic in its cadence, and I found myself soothed by her storytelling. This book is supposed to be set in the same world as the Divine Rivals series, but I found myself more drawn to DR than I did with Wild Reverence. This book has a TON of world-building, descriptive details, and critical characters that I found myself both skimming and getting confused at the details (probably because I skimmed some!). That being said, if you love that type of fantasy book, then you’ll love this! I would say it errs more in the fantasy genre than romantasy so just know that going in. Overall, not my type of romantasy, but nevertheless it is beautifully written and is a good story.

Stunning. Simply stunning. The prequel I didn't know I needed. Ross has become an auto-read author for me, so when I saw this book was available, I jumped on it. I didn't read the blurb, had no idea what it was about, and was absolutely shocked when I realized it was in the same world as Divine Rivals/Ruthless Vows. This is a gorgeous, sumptuous story about hard choices, love, and yearning.💖
4.75🌟

Thank you so much to NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Press for sending me this arc to review!

Wild Reverence was one of my most anticipated reads for 2025. I absolutely love with my entire being The Elements of Cadence duology and enjoyed The Letters of Enchantment duology. I had such high hopes for this one and sadly after getting through part 1, which was about 25% of the book, I couldn’t continue. Rebecca’s writing is beautiful as per usual, but I did not feel any sort of connection to this story or the characters and picking this book up felt like a chore. I feel that the pacing was very off and there was a lot of telling rather than showing which was a big part of what led to the feelings of disconnect.

I’ve seen a lot of positive reviews for this book, so if you love Rebecca’s writing and The Letters of Enchantment duology, definitely still give this one a shot. This is just my personal experience and this book sadly isn’t for me.

Thank you, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

I have read and loved the Divine Rivals duology and I was stoked I was allowed to read this one early. This can be read and enjoyed even if you haven’t read Divine Rivals, but I recommend the duology first. There are a few easter eggs in this. This book delves into the world of the gods that were in the duology, but in exquisite details. The writing and worldbuilding in this is impeccable, the backstory and dialogue are seamless.

Matilda is born with biological parents of opposite dominions. She doesn’t feel specifically a part of either side, but at the same time she has the potential to transgress the divide. Matilda is a messenger of sorts and she meets Vincent by chance. The way the love story develops with yearning is perfect.

I highly recommend this if you’ve enjoyed any of Rebecca Ross’ work. Even if you haven’t read her before, this is a great place to start. I will be buying this in hardcover when it’s released.

Set in the same world as Divine Rivals, this story focuses on Matilda, a young goddess who acts as a messenger between the three realms. She has the power to carry words, but is otherwise unassuming and unthreatening to the other gods and goddesses. When Matilda happens to find herself in the nightmares of a mortal boy, Vincent, a deep and trusting friendship develops. The only person Matilda genuinely feels trust with. However, they are driven apart and years go by. Matilda spends her days hiding from the threat of Dacre’s torture and Vincent spends his days angry at the gods and goddesses (including Matilda) for abandoning him in his darkest days. But Fate and Death have woven their paths together again. They face many battles together and alone. But the greatest is Vincent’s mortality.

This story has so many twists and turns. I was hanging on every word and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough! And the ending….well, the ending was perfect.

Wild Reverence is a story that feels like a great artistic masterpiece being unveiled with each stroke of a paintbrush, with its entrancing prose, magical imagery, and divine world building. I love stories that delve into the lives of gods to illustrate how they grapple with not only the weight of immortality, but also the natural call to the humanity within us all - some yearn for as many pieces of life as possible while others resist with all they have. Matilda was a beautiful depiction of what it is to be tethered to multiple worlds, unable to be defined by any one thing and therefore limitless in her potential to be a champion for all. The connection between the stars and the magic system was beautiful and the way in which no god was truly immortal due to their given faultline of head or heart again brought a human connection to these beings who may consider themselves to be far detached from such things, but are tethered to it all in more ways than they realize. Vincent was a strong complement to Matilda who was the first and only one to ever fully see her completely, deconstructing the thoughts she had as a child that fear is more powerful and desirable than love. Yes, love may break through one's defenses, but it also fortifies one's soul with a purpose and reason to perservere that is greater than oneself. While their story did not see them together for eternity, it was not to be measured in time but by the depths to which their affections ran, which proved to have no end. I loved the ways in which the main characters found themselves not solely through their time together, but also independently as they were met with obtascles and choices that would weave the strings of fate in one way or another. The development of the relationship between Matilda and Bade was so well done; they both were missing that familial bond in their lives and found it within one another without force or obligation, just true care and love. It can be difficult when needing to traverse through time to push the plot forward to do so without it feeling as though pieces of the story have been stolen from the reader, but the passage felt natural and inlaid with enough context to read as a timelapse/montage of scenes, giving readers just enough to capture the feeling. The way this story contextualizes the history of the conflict and dynamics at work in the Letters of Enchantment duology while being so strong as a standalone is masterful and makes me excited to reread the duology with a deeper connection to the world of the gods and see if my perspective and reading experience will be different. I became quickly convinced that Rebecca Ross was in possession of my personal list of beautiful words as they were checked off one-by-one (looking at you effervescent, ephemeral, evanescence, revelry, reverie). Her writing is very engaging, and I think the tie-in of more niche wording was purposeful and remained true to the story, but I will note there were a few instances where it felt a bit repetitive since these unique word choices stood out each time. I truly enjoyed leaping back into this world and experiencing it expanding to new realms, both far into the sky and deep below the earth. Matilda and Vincent are a testament to the beauty of finding that which brings you peace, in dreams and nightmares alike, for that is how one remains tethered to the world, and to themselves. While the lifespan of a human can be a mere fragment in the eyes of the gods, its brevity does not take away its value or impact as seen by the way in which Vincent will continue to live on through Matida. Matida's faultline may be her heart, but light cannot seep through and gardens cannot blossom without a few cracks. I had a wonderful time reading this!!

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 4.5

Oof, this is going to be a tough one for me to say because Rebecca Ross is one of my favorite authors but this one was a DNF for me. It felt so beyond slow, and I had absolutely no connection to the story/characters. I’m so sorry, I wanted to love it, but it just wasn’t for me.

Rebecca Ross does it again! Wild Reverence is a beautiful standalone fantasy novel with stunning prose and a gorgeous story. My favorite part is the magic system. I loved the link to horoscopes and that you could steal another god's magic! And the yearning between Vincent and Matilda??? Incredible. This is considered an adult book but it's certainly adult light. The love story is tender and pure.

If you're a fan of Divine Rivals, you'll love this book.

Ooh did I enjoy this book! I’d read the Letters of Enchantment series and didn’t put it together that this was a prequel till I read the epilogue. Oops! This is a fast-paced romantasy that kept my attention throughout!

I was so incredibly excited to receive an eARC of this from NetGalley and absolutely devoured this read. I really loved both A River Enchanted and Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross so I knew there was a good chance I would love Wild Reverence as well and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT!

Pros:
-Ross's prose is as beautiful, lush, and atmospheric as I remember. Her style just works for me!

-I really enjoyed Matilda's character development as she grew and carved out a place for herself in the realms. Her relationship with Bade was a particularly bright spot in my opinion and I loved watching it unfold.

-The YEARNING!!!

-The worldbuilding, especially in regards to the time spent in the realms of the gods. I felt like this was a weak point in Divine Rivals so I was happy to learn more about how the other gods operated.

-Divine Rivals easter eggs. These were fun to see! I haven't read Ruthless Vows yet so there is a good chance I missed a number of these that could have further enriched my reading experience. However, I don't believe that this detracted from it either.

Cons:
-I felt like the pacing lagged a bit in some places but not enough to seriously hurt the story.

-Some of the characters didn't feel fully fleshed out for me. Those that were, were lovely! Those that weren't, felt closer to character sketches and I would have liked to see more of them.


Overall, I loved this novel and Ross has cemented herself as an auto-buy author for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for this eARC.
Find a copy of this on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7824070878

Wow! What a beautiful story of love, loss, betrayal and hope. I have loved Rebecca Ross’s writing and this one still blew me away. We meet Matilda a young goddess who is the herald for the realms. She is given the opportunity to help a mortal when she was young with his nightmares and a sweet friendship is kindled. She is betrayed and 13 years she is separated from her mortal friend Vincent. Then they are thrust together again in a twist of fate with a marriage of convenience. Matilda is thrust into a world twists and turns and I gobbled it up. I loved Vincent, he was so sweet, kind, but also grumpy and very much put off by the gods (for good reason). The love he had for Matilda was so sweet and strong. I loved it. If you enjoyed the divine rivals and ruthless vows duology then I highly recommend this one, the Easter eggs this story had for them was so fun! I loved learning more about the gods too. I highly recommend this series if you enjoy marriage of convenience, betrayal, gods and goddesses, twists and turns then this is it.

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross is a PREQUEL to DIVINE RIVALS....... YOU DO NOT NEED to r ead them to read this book IMO.

Did I finish this book, or did it finish me?

That was one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. Beautifully heart wrenching. Rebecca poured her heart and soul into this book. No notes.

This was a stunning prequel and I cannot wait for you all to read it.

When you tell you I am EMOTIONALLY DEVASTATED....... Wrecked in the most beautiful way...... You need to read this!

I just have no words!

Thank you Netgalley and St, Martin's Press for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Saturday Books & St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross.

This was my first time reading a novel by Rebecca Ross so I’m unfamiliar with how Wild Reverence and Divine Rivals tie together; however, I loved reading about Matilda’s journey and growth throughout this book.

The book starts off with Matilda being a god-child with parents from two different Realms. Because of her bloodline, she is able to travel between different realms as the Herald of the Gods to carry messages between them. Matilda will experience relationships such as betrayals, friendships, allies, love, and so much more. Being a descendant from a god means that you’ll have abilities that other gods can obtain if they destroy you through your weakness. She has to learn to hide this while trying to save a mortal ally that Matilda has known since childhood.

This was a very enjoyable young adult/coming of age fantasy read that I promise I won’t forget. I may need to begin reading Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals next to finish tying in all the pieces.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is possibly my top read of the year. The writing in this book is so ethereal and mythical, it gave the book such a soft, powerful feeling.
I love that the story starts with so much of Matilda’s childhood. We are given the chance to really see her origin story, like reading a mythos being written. It also gave such an emotional connection for the rest of the story to build on.
This book has such a strong emotional core at its heart. I felt so tied to Matilda, Vincent, and all their loved ones. And the love story between Vincent and Matilda built so well throughout the entire story. The yearning that takes place in this book was so good!
I love that we get so much world building on the gods in this book. We see things from such a different perspective than what we see in Divine Rivals. I loved learning more about the Skywards and Underlings. It adds such a rich layer to the story in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows.
I think the plot and the action we are following in this book is so perfectly simple. It allows the emotional payoff in this book to build, without a ton of different plot points taking away from that. The humble story also reflects Matilda and Vincent so well.
I love how this book wraps up and how it ties everything together. Definitely a top read for me!

4.5⭐️ rounded up.

First of all, I'm so very thankful that I got to read an early eGalley copy of this before release. I can't believe I got to be one of the first to read this!! I feel so blessed and so lucky, really! Thank you to St. Martin's Press for this awesome opportunity.

Wow. This book was so unique. I absolutely loved delving into the world of the gods that were first introduced in Divine Rivals. It was not what I was expecting but really blew me away.
You get a bit of a glimpse into Enva and Dacre's story, which I would love to know more about.

The last 30% of the book really made this! It was really building up most of the book for that moment. I loved it. I fell in love with these characters and the journey they went on.
The imagery was so ethereal. It's one of those books where I just want to really see it come to life on film because of how beautiful it is.

Matilda and Vincent. Though not quite on the same level of Iris and Roman - I love the wildness of their story. Matilda has to be one of my favorite fmc's right now. I loved her as a character! She was fierce, strong, compassionate, and unpredictable. Vincent was ever patient and steadfast in his love for Matilda. I absolutely loved him, too.

I loved the ties that brought it all back to how Divine Rivals begins.
I love good story telling and Rebecca Ross does just that. She's a great story teller!
♡♡♡

4.5 ⭐️

Divine Rivals is one of my all-time favorite books, and I’ve been chasing that same magic from Rebecca Ross ever since. Wild Reverence delivered. Her writing is so beautiful, it often feels like reading poetry.

Set in the same world as Divine Rivals, the beginning moves a bit slower, with more world-building. But once the world is set, watching Matilda grow into a formidable goddess was worth every page. I also loved the glimpses we get of the other gods, offering a deeper understanding of their power and personalities. Bade has stolen my heart, and I’d love a whole story about him and Adria.

Told through both Vincent and Matilda’s POVs over the years, we witness their first encounters as innocent children in Vincent’s nightmares and watch the bond between them deepen over time. I adore a dual POV that lets us see the MMC fall hard. That letter from Vincent 🥺 … my heart.

The cherry on top? The epilogue drops a Divine Rivals revelation but I’ll leave it at that.

If you love unique magic, fated love, and gods both good, bad, and everything in between..this book is for you. Fair warning: it’s more plot-driven than action-packed, but the beauty of the writing and the slow-burn intensity made every page worth it.

What a magical and emotional novel. Wild Reverence is deeply marketed as a prequel to Divine Rivals, but this novel is such a powerhouse in itself that it outshines her other books.

Wild Reverence follows Matilda, a young goddess coming into her herald powers, surrounded by the corruption of the gods around her, and with her fate mystically tied to a young man named Vincent. What follows is a splendid romance full of yearning.

With compelling characters, a fantastic slow-burning romance, and it's own mythology, Wild Reverence is a breath of fresh air in the romantasy genre.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Ross takes us back to the world of Divine Rivals in her newest book Wild Reverence. The story follows a young goddess named Matilda as she navigates her way through life in the underworld and finds in the dreams of an unlikely ally, a mortal named Vincent.

Ross expertly weaves the lives of characters together in unexpected ways. I loved being able to see decades of time for these young characters in the span of a single book so that readers could notice how different tragedies and choices within characters’ lives played out long-term.

This book was so lovely, heart-wrenching, sweet, painful, unexpected, and unassumingly powerful. I loved every heart break and soared with every joyful moment. I highly recommend this book; five stars 🌟❤️✉️

Rebecca Ross is an INCREDIBLE writer. This one is more A River Enchanted (or Ruthless Vows) than Divine Rivals. It’s a meandering story of gods and mortals and love and war and magic. Beautifully written and full of so many stunning quotes that break your heart and put it back together again. A perfect standalone.