Wild Reverence Honest ARC Review:

Honestly, if I could give 6 stars, I would.
Oh wow!! I laughed, sobbed and everything in between with this story. I have read Rebecca Ross’ other novels and they were great. This is worlds beyond even those. Wild Reverence was beautifully written with incredible characters and world building. I adore this story. If you are a Romantasy fan, this is a wonderful addition to your TBR!

Matilda was born in the underworld realm that was lit only by the light of flames. For years, she knew she had a father but was not aware of his name or location until her mother was betrayed and murdered by a trusted ally.

Matilda, coming into her own power, getting to know her father and two other realms, grew into a strong, independent FMC. Her character was complex and developed as she overcame obstacles throughout the novel.

Matilda was able to travel realms as messenger and could enter the dreams of a mortal boy who she came to know and love.

Poignant, heartwarming and inspiring, Wild Reverence is sure to knock your socks off! I look forward to more from Rebecca Ross.



Thank you so much Net Galley and St Martins Press for sharing this ARC with me.

I absolutely adored this story. I found myself thinking of these characters whenever I had to put the book down. Their trials, heartache, and growth. Almost every character had some sort of development and it kept the story interesting and entertaining. I love this world the author built and with the imagery she uses, I can clearly picture every scene in my mind. Further, the stories she tells are of characters that, while may not be the main characters in the overarching conflict that colors the world, play a central role in shaping the outcome of that conflict, and I have always been intrigued by those types of stories.

You know going into the story that there is a tie-in to the Divine Rivals duology, but you are kept guessing as to exactly what that is through the story even with all the Easter eggs peppered along the way.

I highly recommend this book. I don’t give out many 5 stars, but this one earned it for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC and i am anxiously awaiting the hard copy I preordered months ago from my local bookstore!

3.5 stars rounded up. First of all, thank you to SMP for the ARC! So I loved divine rivals and was so excited to hear this took place in the same world but focusing primarily on the gods and goddesses. Although I really enjoyed parts of the book, some parts fell a bit flat for me such as the build up for the romance. I also wasn’t a fan of some of the conflict.
I did enjoy learning about the gods and goddesses and it in fact made me want to reread divine rivals after learning more about them. I enjoyed Matilda as our fmc. I never disliked her. And I really liked the ending of the book. Overall I think If you’re looking for a different type of fantasy book this might be for you.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley for the ARC.

What a wonderful prequel (of sorts) to the Letters of Enchantment series. 🥹 The love story was just as swoon-worthy as the original couple, but I also loved the love story between the FMC and her father figure just as much.

Also was not expecting this to have my favorite trope ever (fake marriage).

5 stars

Thank you to Net Galley and to Rebecca's team for the ARC! This is an honest review with my own opinion.

This was a beautiful novel to compliment the world that you created in the Divine Rivals series! This was a unique take on gods and goddesses, which not many books possess, and the truly different process that these immortals take in their minds. Rebecca has a way with words and making you feel things, and this was a book that I simply couldn't put down!

I really, really enjoyed Wild Reverence!
The world building, the magic, the Gods and realms were so interesting and unique.
I have not yet read Ms. Ross previous novels so had no previous background of the world. It was mysterious and so, so interesting!

I loved the the romance and the journey the FMC and MMC went on. The longing, the waiting, the true devotion was beautiful in their decades long story.

I was very intrigued by the plot, world, and the systems and definitely need more. The battles, war, and family dynamics, both Gods and mortals, kept the story flowing so well it was hard to put down.
The writing was beautiful and descriptive I adored the language and elevated style.

I will say I would not classify this as YA. It may start as young characters but they grow to adulthood throughout and the open door spice scenes should at least put this into NA category.

Another beautifully written masterpiece by Rebecca Ross!! I was so eager to read Wild Reverence, especially when I heard it was set in the same world as Divine Rivals (one of my fave books of all time)! And I was not disappointed! I LOVED Wild Reverence. Matilda and Vince’s story is so sweet; there is so much passion and longing, I was sucked in from the very beginning. There is so much to say about them and how their different lives intertwine so magically, but I don’t want to reveal too much! I loved them so much and I’ll be thinking of Matilda & Vince’s first real meeting forever! I also really enjoyed learning more about the divines & their realms; the complexities, the history, what Enva and Dacre were like before we met them in Divine Rivals. Wild Reverence is truly such an amazing book and I can’t wait for everyone to read it. It is has all of the elements that make Rebecca’s books so good: magic, romance, fantasy, friendship, found family, and scenes that are so beautifully written, they replay in your brain long after you’ve read them. While you don’t have to read Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows in order to enjoy this book, it definitely does make it more special if you do. Wild Reverence comes out 9/02!!

oh my GOSH I LOVED THIS SO MUCH !! truly Rebecca Ross has such a way of reeling you in with her gorgeous imagery. The 3 realms were are so uniquely beautiful, I want to visit.

Matilda is able to slip into dreams and finds herself falling into the dream of a young mortal boy around her age. The only issue? She lives in the underling and is immortal, the daughter of a god.

Vincent finds himself yearning for the red hair girl who keeps popping up in his dreams. Reuniting after a decade of silence, he immediately falls in love, although he doesn’t quite realize it at first.

I really love the reversal of the “damsel in distress” ideal with Matilda being the one to always be there rescuing Vincent and keeping him safe. They’re friends to lovers transition was so genuine 🥹 it’s multi pov so once they are older, we get Vincent’s pov to see him start realizing how much he cares for her and fears for her safety. His chapters had such a realistic tone that you could feal his fear.

Can’t recommend this enough. I love anything Rebecca Ross does, but this truly is far and beyond some of her best work. I loved it so much!!

Lyrical, emotional, and utterly enchanting—Wild Reverence is a sweeping tale of love, sacrifice, and fate that lingers long after the last page.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy. I was pleasantly surprised to receive it and excited to read Wild Reverence ahead of its release. I’ll definitely be adding this to my classroom library order this fall.

Wild Reverence is a beautiful and epic story about love, death, fate, sacrifice, and the power of story. The characters in this story are flawed and nuanced. It was easy to root for Matilda and Vincent— not just for their love, but for their survival and growth. Villains aside, it was easy to invest in the side characters as well. The settings, both the realms and mortal world, as well as their relationship to one another, were vivid and rich.

The pacing of this story felt reminiscent of a myth retailing (e.g. Madeline Miller’s Circe), which feels appropriate given the epilogue— and that Matilda’s story is a myth in the mortal realm of this world. There were just a few moments that felt repetitive.

I can’t write a review for a book by Rebecca Ross without mentioning the writing/prose. As with her previous novels, there is some really beautiful writing in Wild Reverence. I found myself stopping just to appreciate some of the writing and to take in the emotions and sentiments Ross was conveying.

Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross brings us back to the same world we experienced in the Divine Rivals rivals series. Since that was one of my favorites in the past few years, I was very excited to receive an advanced copy of this.

Enchanting from the start, we follow Matilda and Vincent, two souls pulled together in a world shaped by the gods.
Matilda, the youngest goddess is a messenger of sorts, and delivers letters to and from different realms. Vincent is mortal, and despite never meeting her, he dreams of Matilda. When she comes tumbling into his window with a letter for him, everything changes.

This book has a lyrical way about it. It feels magical and reminds me of reading Lord of Rings as a pre-teen. I just got lost in the story. My only complaint was how slo it moved for during the first quarter of the book. Had I not known this author well and that she tends to pick up quickly mid way, I would have had a little trouble completing.

I absolutely loved Wild Reverence. Rebecca Ross writes with such lyrical beauty, it felt like reading a love letter to storytelling itself. The emotional journey had me in tears more than once and I couldn’t stop thinking about it even when I wasn’t reading.
Matilda and Vincent’s slow burn romance is filled with tension, yearning, and fate. Their connection was immediate as children but it’s their reunion as adults that truly begins their love story. The meddling gods trope was used perfectly and the way this book ties into the Divine Rivals universe felt seamless without being overly dependent on it.

The characters are deeply developed and the relationships, especially between Matilda and Bade, felt so real and moving. Bade was such a standout for me and a total surprise.

This book was everything I wanted and more. I’m beyond grateful for the ARC and already counting down the days to reread it when my finished copy arrives.

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

Any words that I write would be inadequate to describe how wondrous this book is. I couldn’t put it down. We see so much more of the world than in Divine Rivals. While it’s a standalone, it could almost act as a prequel of sorts, with the focus being on the gods and goddesses of the world. It was beautiful and heartbreaking. The pacing was quick, with one thing after another happening. While there were quiet moments, none of those moments were boring. I was never left waiting or wanting something to happen. The ending was beyond perfect, more than I could have hoped it would be. I enjoyed Divine Rivals, I recommend it to people, but I probably won’t ever reread it. But this book, Wild Reverence, I will tell everyone I meet to read it and I’ll reread it whenever I want my heart to ache. 14/14 stars 😉

The most magical and perfect read. She writes SO beautifully!! I loved getting to dive back in the the same world as Divine rivals.
The plot and romance were beautifully done. I’m honestly left speechless at the moment.

I am so excited to see her on tour!!!

First Thank you to Saint Martin’s Press, & NetGalley for approving me to read this ARC. I am a huge fan of Rebecca Ross and her ability to weave stories.

I want to start by saying that our main female character is so uniquely developed I was so impressed by her in so many ways.

When I finished the Divine Rivals duo logy, my review literally said, now please give me a prequel. I am glad that I didnt get the prequel I asked for about Dacre and Enva. I got one that is in the same timeline as their story but this one was so much better than what I could have ever thought.

Some things I really loved: This wasn't primarily about two people who fell in love, but rather Matildas life. Who Matilda was and what made her who she was. Yes there's a love story that defies the odds, and is the primary reason for their fated stories, but Matilda is so much more than that.
Vincent was the perfect level of main male character, but not so much that I found his storyline annoying.
Bade was/is still my favorite part of this book when it comes to side characters who took center stage on so many aspects of Matilda.

Somethings I didnt love: Where the hell was Shale when she needed him?! He kind of disappeared after the first battle then you don't see him again till she's punished and he just leaves.
I wanted more of Adria, I wanted to get to know her, and I wanted Matilda to find comfort in her like Bade does. I also wanted more of her story, her powers. How the God of War and the Goddess of peace compliment each other.

All in all. I loved this book. I loved the whole story. I loved how it ended because I didnt need to see Vincent grow old or Matilda fighting off more Gods. I also loved the Epilogue. Enva calling in her favor and Matilda still being able to walk all four realms even though she chose to go to the mists with Vincent she can still come and go as she pleases. I was so happy to hear that.

I would love to see a novella about Rowena, Orphia, and the Gate Keeper.

oh rebecca ross, how you shred my heart to pieces

currently sobbing after that ending, feeling SICKKKKK

Overall Rating: 4.75/5

I loved this. The way Rebecca Ross writes love stories is so beautiful and lyrical it’s like reading poetry. This story follows Matilda who essentially blessed with the power of being a messenger of the gods - meaning she can travel the realms. She ends up encountering Vincent who is a human boy (she was also a child at the time) and they have an instant connection. Flash forward something happens and they don’t see each other for years until one day their paths cross again and their real love story begins (as adults).

The tension and yearning is so good. This is slow burn for sure and honestly one of my favorite tropes is meddling gods which… this is.

The story fits so perfectly within the already existing Divine Rivals world and it melds into what we already know from the duology without being connected to that story directly but the little nuggets of the original book world that that are hidden are perfect.

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

I have to preface my review with the fact that I do not support St.Martins Press. I do however support Rebecca Ross. Rebecca Ross is a writer who knows exactly how to ensnare her readers. I loved every moment of this book. Wild Reverence took me on such an emotional journey and made me cry a few times, yet every time I put the book down I couldn’t stop talking about how amazing it is. It’s the type of book I wish I could pick up again for the first time. The characters in so well developed and their relationships so realistic. I have never been more in awe of a cast of characters. I have to say my favorite character aside from the main two was hands down Bade. He was such a surprise to me and I appreciated the time Rebecca Ross spent on him. I loved his relationship with Matilda and all the development it received.

I think that’s one of the things I love most about this book. I love that Rebecca Ross took the time to develop the relationships between different characters and explore the implications that those relationships had. This book was immaculate and I am so happy I had a chance to read an ARC of it. My copy has been preordered already and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

I’m between a 2.5/3 stars for this. I am disappointed as I LOVED divine rivals and ruthless vows.

As for the plot - I think there were a lot of pacing issues throughout the book which led to me being bored the first 60% of the book (I think it took me 3 days to get 40% of the way through). However after that I was absolutely flying through the book.

I did love both Matilda and Vincent individually, and as for the romance I would not say that it is a central aspect of the novel. As with her books, she doesn’t have a lot happen between the characters and uses their past to create a connection between them which I didn’t mind.

The side characters were my main love of this book tho - I would eat up a Bane and Adria book!! I also loved Nathaniel so much <333

These are some of my favorite quotes (from the arc)

“I will follow her to the mists. I will gladly let a divine strike me down when she breaths her last.”

“I realized that I could hold such happiness. There was a space for it, hidden within me, and it could grow deeper roots if I let it.”

“She had an uncanny way of making one feel like he was the only one in the world, as if she saw the deeper layers of a soul that no one else could see.”

“And there is nothing you can offer me that I want. Nothing you can give me that I need. I am hers.”

“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.”

✨Wild Reverence✨

Author: Becca Ross
Release: September 2, 2025

Firstly, I cannot express what an honor it is to read this gifted arc from Becca, Saint Martin’s Press, & NetGalley. Divine Rivals was my very first step into Romantasy and never would I have thought to have this incredible opportunity. Thank you so much

Secondly, I am always so utterly floored by Becca’s poetic writing. It is one that ignites feelings straight into your bones and she does it once again in this standalone/prequel set in the same world as Divine Rivals. We follow a dual POV from our MCs and it’s just a beautiful journey.

Matilda is the last god-born and hails from both the sky and the under. Belonging is not for her and neither is safety among the immortals where betrayals and thievery of powers is their delight.

When Matilda finds out a young mortal boy has been dreaming of her, it ignites a series of events even Death and Fate cannot unravel. After traumatic years lived in both realms, our messenger goddess gets a mission that alters her trajectory: deliver a message to the boy (now man) who she had friended through his nightmares to save his life before the clouds break.

This is such a beautifully bound read, dark and moving. We spend the first 50% really laying groundwork and then all the oaths, bargains, tricks, and lies erupt! The romance is precious and innocent while still touching those deeper and darker, yearning parts of us. This felt cosy and then the stakes soared. And we get to see how DR came to be!

Ps. The relationship with Bade and Matilda. 😭😭😭😭😭 Got. Me. Good.

Tropes you may find in WR childhood friends to strangers to lovers, who did this to you, he falls first and harder, goddess x mortal, he dreams of her, fake marriage, meddling gods, she saves him from his nightmares, he faces his nightmares to save her, unique magics, low spice (cracked door spice/low graphic description), and a beautiful ending.