I loved Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, and when I heard Wild Reverence was going to take place in the same world, I was immediately pulled in. Rebecca Ross's writing has a way of transporting you directly into the story, and I couldn't put it down!
Wild Reverence expands on an already stunning magic system, and a mortal x human marriage of convenience (one of my favorite tropes). Getting the backstory on the typewriters, the letters, and the gods/goddesses made the other stories mean that much more. I was in tears at the end and didn't want the last page to come.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the ARC!

Wild Reverence is the prequel to the Letters of Enchantment duology by Rebecca Ross. It is filled with the beautiful prose that I have come to expect from a book written by Ross. It's a descriptive way of writing that doesn't overdo it by even one word, always the perfect mix to bring out the exact emotion or image.
The backstory we get in this is more of the info we were lacking in the duology. What events happened with the Gods to lead to Iris and Roman and their story? We find out more, here. This is another time in a world brought to its knees by the love story of two people that should probably not be together.

This book is somewhere between a 3 and 4 stars for me. Rebecca Ross’ writing is captivating and beautiful as always, and it takes you to a place that feels historical and magical, and I loved Matilda’s story and the characters around her. While I loved the characters and the idea of the story, the first half of the book was veryyyy slow, but the second half kept me reading almost nonstop so that did help. This book is great for fans of Divine Rivals who want a cozier, more heartfelt, slower paced fantasy with some romance.

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

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this amazing book. It was so amazing to get bac to this world. Rebecca Ross just knows how to write.

"For anyone who has ever had to let go of someone they love."
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This book… this book. Rebecca’s writing is breathtaking—lyrical, magical, and utterly immersive. Returning to the world of Divine Rivals felt like coming home, yet it gave me a completely new perspective on that series.

Here, love blooms between a goddess and a mortal—a story born from a dream, built on protection, and tested by fate. Their first meeting was pure magic, and the slow unfurling of their bond was everything I wanted. Marriage-of-convenience lovers, brace yourselves: the “my wife” moments had me kicking my feet and grinning like a fool.

We also dive deeper into the gods—learning their powers, motives, and vulnerabilities. One of my personal favorites was Bade, whose story with Matilda moved me to tears. Every god we meet feels layered and unforgettable.

Rebecca weaves longing, vulnerability, and courage into every page. I have hundreds of highlights, lines I kept rereading because they made me feel so deeply. By the final chapters, my heart was racing, my jaw on the floor, and tears streaming down my face.

Heart-wrenching and beautiful, this is a story I wish I could experience for the first time all over again.

Thank you to Netgalley for granting me the arc of one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I loved DR/RV & was enthused to see a prequel coming out.


“For anyone who has ever had to let go of someone they love”

When I first started the book, my interested was piqued just from the dedication alone. It was a slow start. But once it picked up, I got to a point I could not put it down. Wild Reverence was beautifully written. & I loved it!

I loved Matilda & how she turned out to be so much more.

I loved her & Bade’s fatherly/daughter bond. It was everything to me!

“He held me like a mortal father embraces his daughter, like nothing could tear me from him. It was the familial love I had often seen in dreams and marveled over…”

& of course, Vincent & Matilda. Ugh. . The yearning. I adored them both.

“ I am yours, Red. I will always be yours. Not even Death can change that.”

“I would wait a thousand years for you,” Vincent said. “If you asked me, I would wait for you until only my bones remained upon an altar. But if you must leave again, then let me follow you, Red.”

This is a beautiful love story and an interesting spin off from the Divine Rivals universe. For me, it was just too slow and too scattered. My favorite part was probably the last 15% because of the way the ending tied together so nicely.

"𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹."

Release Date: Sep. 02 2025
Rating: 4.5/5 ⭐️
Themes:
• Gods falling in love with mortals
• Cruelty & betrayal
• Power & control
• Fighting for peace

The way I screamed (internally) when I was approved for this ARC!!! 𝘋𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘴 was something I really loved, and having the opportunity to read 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 early meant that this hopped to the top of my TBR.

The highlights in this story (to me) are Bade (god of war) and Adria (the poet queen). Bade is basically handed a fresh baby and he just goes "alright I guess she's mine now". Seeing him change from a raging god of violence to such a "my wife 🥰" man was glorious. But alas, Bade is not the center of our story here.

So, what happens when you are literally the girls of someone's dreams? Matilda was the light that pulled Vincent from his nightmares as a child only for her presence to be ripped on the night when he needed her most. Years later, Matilda climbs through his window with a letter from Death herself and bad omens waiting on the riverbank.

The mortal fight for lordship between Vincent and his uncle is a parallel to the different gods and all their meddling, back-stabbing ways. There is the absolute need for control and power, and the desire for freedom and comfort. This is reflected in both Vincent's uncle needing to be lord because "it should've been his" and how some gods will happily throw others down just to get a taste of more.

This is a top pick for my 2025! If you wanted more of the gods and lore of the Letters of Enchanment series, this will be everything and more.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, & Saturday Books for providing an eARC of 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦. This review is entirely of my own opinion!

Normally a 600 page fantasy book would be overwhelming to me, but I felt like that page length was necessary to be able to fully immerse yourself in Matilda's world. I learned so much about the worlds in this book that I felt like I was Matilda myself! And can we talk about Vincent? SWOON! The friendship to romantic relationship was perfection, and I loved that both Matilda and Vincent showed time and time again that they would do anything for each other (and the constant support for each other no matter what absolutely drew me in). And alternating between both of their POVs made the story so. much. better! The world-building was immensely impactful and the descriptions of the worlds, people, places, etc were incredible. I fell in love with additional characters like Bade and Nathaniel, which proves just how incredibly written all characters were.

I felt such a broad range of emotions while reading this book that I actually had to take a break from reading because of what happens to toward the end of the book (I was so emotional I had to go get a tissue). WOW am I so excited to see what everyone else things when this comes out September 2nd! Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Ross, and St. Martin's Press|Saturday Books for allowing me to read the ARC!

This book was so beautiful—literal perfection. Ross wove an incredible tale of love between mortals and gods. This is a must-read if you loved Divine Rivals. Watching the relationship flourish between Vincent and Matilda was indescribable.

The worldbuilding was so interesting. I loved learning more about the different gods and how they lived and interacted. Again, if Divine Rivals was your thing, you will get to see many characters again. This is going to be in the running for my favorite book of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.

The most immersive, gorgeous, and unique stories always come from Rebecca Ross & this is no exception. Wild Reverence was thoughtful, full of yearning, and was full of Ross’ signature writing style. It’s difficult to explain how her writing makes me feel, but hopeful is a good place to start. The characters were so intricate and the setting was majestically crafted. I will read anything Rebecca Ross writes.

Recently I finished Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross. I decided to give is a 4.5⭐️s.
I really did enjoy this book a whole lot. Everything about it made me feel like I was physically there.
The writing was beautiful and so was the magic system. The magic system wasn’t confusing to me at all, matter of a fact the system made sense in a way. I really do love this authors writing, and would read another book by her again.

Wild Reverence is a stunning prequel to Ross's Divine Rivals that follows the unlikely love story between Matilda, a newly-born herald of the gods, and Vincent, the mortal son of a lord.

Matilda is the last goddess to be born, daughter of the goddess of winter who refuses to reveal her father's identity. Caught between two warring god clans—the Underlings and Skywards—Matilda's parentage from both courts makes her position precarious. Her divine rank is determined by the stars in her constellation, and too many could make her a target. Though Death claims she belongs to the middle court while both her parents are high court, there's something else Death senses but can't quite grasp.

Told in alternating first-person perspectives across decades and multiple realms, the novel weaves together court intrigue, forbidden alliances, and the complex dynamics of divine politics. Only Matilda, as herald, can travel freely between all realms, making her both powerful and vulnerable.

Ross masterfully explores profound questions: What does it mean to tie yourself to someone? How do obligations through vows differ from those born of love? What does it mean to keep your word, regardless of the cost? The story balances heartache and sacrifice with genuinely happy moments, creating an emotionally rich narrative.

I was completely obsessed and couldn't put this book down—I had no idea it was a prequel until halfway through! Ross has crafted a simple yet sophisticated magic system anchored by compelling god/goddess lore and a love story that asks all the right questions to feel authentic and believable.

Highly recommended for fans of divine mythology, court intrigue, and romance that doesn't shy away from complex moral questions.

This was such a beautiful story. I was hooked since the first page and I could not put this down. While reading, it genuinely felt like I was watching a movie, the descriptions were so captivating. I was so invested on Matilda’s journey and how her powers kept developing. Also Matilda and Vincent’s intertwined lives was such a beautiful concept, I loved seeing them connect over and over again through the years :((

The epilogue made me so emotional, it was perfect. There’s so so so many great things I can say about this book but to sum it all up, I LOVED IT and it’s looking like it’s gonna end up being my favorite release this year 🥹

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this e-arc <3

This is quite simply one of the best books I’ve ever read. I never wanted it to end and yet I couldn’t read it fast enough. The way Rebecca Ross writes is unmatched. Pure poetry and art and I cannot WAIT for you all to fall in love with Matilda and Vincent like I did. The yearning and longing and tension? Omg. Life changing. And the way that she tied this story into the Divine Rivals world was so effortless and beautiful.

I was a sobbing mess for the last 25% of the book and I will remember this forever. Six stars for Wild Reverence ✨

Thank you SO so much to NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley, and Rebecca Ross for the opportunity to read this eARC. The following thoughts and opinions are my own.

Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows are two of my all-time favorite books, so when I saw that Rebecca Ross was releasing a prequel set in the same world, I jumped at the chance to read it.

The world-building at the beginning takes a little time to settle into, but once you're about 10% in, the story really takes off, and it doesn’t let up.

Wild Reverence follows a goddess, Matilda, as her life becomes entwined with that of a mortal, Vincent. I won’t spoil anything because the twists and turns are absolutely worth discovering on your own. This book is the perfect blend of star-crossed lovers, forbidden romance, and slow-burning yearning. Throw in meddling gods and court politics, and you’ve got a story so gripping you might just finish it in one sitting - like I did.

Wild Reverence is a heartbreakingly beautiful, intense, and magical ride. I’d recommend it to anyone!

I really, really love Rebecca Ross’s writing and I adore her MMCs (they’re pensive, loyal, kind, and strong, the kind of quiet hero that slips past your prickly defenses with his faithfulness and compassion). I thought the mythology was interesting and well-thought out, and I felt like I was inside the story as I read its words. I had some tiny quibbles which removed a modicum of enjoyment (and one star) for me, but otherwise a truly beautiful tale.

This is Rebecca Ross at her best! Her writing is lyrical and atmospheric, while also keeping me wholly engaged. I was transported into this world, and did not want to leave. This has been my favorite fantasy book I’ve read this year. Rebecca delivered a beautiful and gentle romance, mixed with a high stakes/ high magic fantasy. I loved it!

I really enjoyed Divine Rivals and I loved Wild Reverence even more. It was so interesting to see the worlds of the gods and goddesses and learn more about how their magic really works. I enjoying seeing parts of each of the realms and how each realm protected their secrets from the others. Even the less secretive mortal realm was not as well understood by the other realms. Matilda was such a perfect character to explore these realms with, not just because of the practical reasons from her goddess power but also her unique perspective on the realms and her peers. The way she experiences and expresses love throughout the books was also really interesting and seeing how it was shaped by each of the realms also offered more insight into the settings of the book. All the characters are richly written and their intrigue kept me glued to the page. I also loved how the last chapter of the book tied things into Divine Rivals, it both answers and raises several questions about what happens between Wild Reverence and Divine Rivals in a really satisfying and thought provoking way. This does also mean there are some spoilers, so I do think this series should be read in publishing order or you will go into Divine Rivals knowing some information the characters don't. That said I do also see how reading the works chronologically starting here would give you a different insight and perspective into the different realms and the magic system so if you're more intrigued by Wild Reverence you should be able to comfortably start your Letters of Enchantment reading here.

This book is so good & an improvement in all the right ways from Divine Rivals! It’s pretty cool that it’s set in the same world! I appreciate the advanced copy & it was such a treat to read! The author is talented & I can’t wait to read more books by her.