I absolutely ate up this author's previous duology, Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, so I was looking forward to this book set in that universe a lot, and I was not disappointed! You definitely do not have to read that duology to understand this book - this is technically a prequel - but it's really good so I recommend it. This book is about Matilda, a goddess born with insignificant powers and no idea who her father is. She grows up in the ruthless Under Realm, where her mother teaches her that gods are constantly trying to kill each other to absorb each other's powers. One of Matilda's only warm relationships is her connection to a mortal boy Vincent (hard to explain without giving anything away). At the tender age of 13, tragic events rip Matilda from her mother, her home, and Vincent. But just over a decade later, she and Vincent are brought together by a strange combination of circumstances, and a series of unbelievable events are set in motion.

The beginning of this book is a little slow, mostly because this is the first book set in this universe that spends a significant amount of time in the realms of the gods, so there's a lot of building out of the mythology and characters. It's incredibly well-written and you can tell it's ramping up and speeding up throughout, so it kept me engaged. Once Matilda leaves the Under Realm, things really start moving, and the conflicts and relationship dynamics are delicious. I loved the way this book wove in the gods' existence into medieval times; it was fun and interesting to see Matilda and her fellow divines get involved in wars in castles and fights over inheritances and territories. This was also a much more romantic book than I was expecting, in every way. The depiction of the connection between Matilda and Vincent is so incredibly tender and lovely, and I also really enjoyed the way Matilda expressed how frowned upon it was for a god to experience any level of emotion, but how she couldn't resist it anyway. I also loved the found family aspects of this book. This was just so enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

Peak Rebecca Ross right here!! This was beautiful, a story meant to be savored, a slow burn. So romantic and lyrical. Matilda and Vincent were incredibly strong characters, the minor characters shine as well. If you love the Letters of Enchantment, please read this!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Goodreads for early access to “Wild Reverence” by Rebecca Ross. 5 gorgeous acts that somehow sing with nuances that you know from the timeline of the series of events that happens after and yet, completely stands alone. Ross’ arc of writing throughout this series has completely sucked me in – “Diving Rivals” feeling almost nearest to historical fiction, and then a building of more fantasy elements and plot in “Ruthless Vows”, and now a culmination of pure legend/lure and mythical godly magic in this prequel. I have been enchanted through every story. A little long for this normally contemporary rom girlie, so I was grateful for the formatting of breaking up into the acts - also made it feel even more theatrical with a nod to classic epics! That being said, there is action everywhere! Warning that you might actively shout at the characters as they decide which course to take, especially with our extremely thoughtful and compassionate baddie heroine Matilda. “DON’T TRUST THEM” escaped my mouth more than once! Basically if you want a magical battle-tested slow burn that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this one is it! I can’t wait to buy Ross’ next adventure.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this read!

Rebecca Ross is simply one of the best at weaving myth, magic, and heart. The Enchanted Letters series is one of my favorites, so reading this one was a no brainer.What I loved most is how it feels both epic and intimate. There are gods, bargains, betrayals, but at the heart of it all are two characters you can’t help but love. Matilda’s strength and vulnerability made her such a compelling heroine, and Vincent’s grief and determination gave the story so much emotional weight. Together, their relationship felt raw and real and deeply human (very reminiscent of Kitt and Iris).
The world building is lush without being overwhelming, though I did have to circle back a few times to get a grip on it, but this is typical with my experience of fantasy. Every detail, from the salt vows to the dreams that blur into reality felt purposeful and vivid. And the writing? Gorgeous in that signature Ross way: lyrical but still completely readable. This being a prequel--It reframed what I thought I knew of the Enchanted Letters series and helped me better contextualize Kitt and Iris' struggles, by shedding more light on the God's that loomed in their storylines.

This book has all the ingredients I look for in fantasy: atmosphere, heartache, high stakes, and epic romance between two characters I am fully invested in and is easily one of my favorite reads this year. You'll love this especially If you loved Divine Rivals or crave fantasy that mixes mythology, romance, and heartbreak but you do not have to have read the enchanted letters series to read this one.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early! As a devoted fan of Divine Rivals, I was beyond excited to return to this world—and for the most part, it didn’t disappoint.

I gave this book 4 stars. If half-stars were an option, I’d probably give it somewhere between 3.5 and 3.75, but rounding up feels fair. I really enjoyed this story. The plot was expansive and well-developed, the characters were good, and the prose—divine (pun fully intended). The beginning and end were definitely the strongest parts. I was immediately hooked by the lush, lyrical writing. I’m rarely one to notice prose unless it’s painfully bad, but Rebecca Ross’s style is genuinely exceptional. She uses elevated, even pretentious language in a way that feels completely organic. I now know what people mean by lush, lyrical writing, so thank you to Rebecca Ross for that.

That said, some of that magic faded in the middle, once the mortal world became the focus. And I’m not sure if it was a shift in writing style or that the characters didn't seem quite so vibrant, but the story lost a bit of that enchantment from the beginning. Still, it retained my attention throughout, and the ending absolutely delivered.

To conclude, this was a strong and enjoyable read. And while it might not reach the emotional heights of Divine Rivals, it’s definitely a worthy follow-up. I’d absolutely recommend it to fans of the series.

I loved the start of this book, the rich universe of the gods and goddesses, their nature, and myths around them were excellent. It was one of the best built magical societies that I've recently read; the rules of their world were simple but solid which made it easier to place the several new characters. I deeply enjoyed how their power system was portrayed and their continuous betrayal and cunning. The bond between Matilda and Bade was so pure and honest, I'd hoped we could see more of that than we ended up.

And then came the other significant part of the book, Matilda and Vincent's relationship. I knew that one of the major elements of this book would be their love story but I didn't expect to be this disengaged with them during the whole time. I realized that everything is more interesting in this book than their romance or Vincent's conflict with his uncle. I felt the only reason why we were following Vincent's journey was because we had to and the only reason why Matilda loved Vincent was because she had to - this is a romance/romantasy novel after all. I just couldn't believe their feelings for each other and the whole situation felt like a 'predestination', nothing more. (Which was how actually their acquaintance started, but it didn't evolve into more than that.)

I think overall the start of the book made my expectations too high and the romance part just wasn't strong enough to keep me entertained compared to the other potential plot points. But the epilogue was fantastic! Now I want to know how the divines fell and disappeared before the events of Divine Rivals.

I received an arc of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

I devoured every word of this book like it was my last meal. Wild Reverance is one of my favorite reads of 2025. RR's writing is vivid, breathtaking and deeply immerses you in to unique magic system inspired by Greek Mythology. The characters and world building drew me in and hooked me from the moment my eyes hit the page.

Vincent and Matilda's relationship is the definition of star-crossed lovers. A Goddess X Mortal trope that took me on a journey of magic, love, fate, trust, aching loss and to keep going, keep fighting, even though life can be extremely cruel.

Someone needs to write a laureate essay on the way Vincent YEARNS for Matilda with every fibre of his being. Matilda is your classic strong heroine FMC, but her sacrifices, grief, self discovery and navigation of betrayal are devastatingly beautiful to read.

This was my first RR book and it did NOT disappoint! I haven't read Divine Rivals or Ruthless Vows yet, but I'm definitely going to now!

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much Netgalley for this arc!!!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it did not miss!

I adored Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, but this, THIS, was something I didn’t even know I needed.

Rebecca’s writing is so tender and poetic, emotional and devastating. She knows how to bring the ache and write the most tender romances. Well done, Rebecca. Well done! 🥹

❤️ Things I loved ❤️
-his nickname for her 😭
-no one but you
-the longing
-dual pov
-“who did this to you”
-found family
-dreams and letters
-he is her safe place

✨Favorite quotes✨
- “He dreamt of me before I knew of him. His soul found mine before I even knew how to look for his.”
- “But I had discovered that the greatest magic happened when I trusted it, wholly. When I closed my eyes and reached out my hand.”
- “My home is your home. My arms are a haven for you to rest. My last na e is yours if you desire it.”

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of Wild Reverence!

The writing was beautiful and immersive, and I really enjoyed getting lost in the world that Rebecca developed; she does such a great job with her world building! I really loved the yearning from the MMC—I could feel his longing for Matilda woven throughout the book, and his love for her felt like another character in the novel, at times. I appreciated that he wasn’t written as an overly strong or stereotypical hero, but was just a man (maybe with some depressive stuff going on) who simply wanted to build a quiet life with the woman he loves. That representation really worked for me, because it felt relatable and accessible.

That said, the beginning felt like it could have been more fleshed out. I wanted to so badly, but I didn’t fall in love with the romance; their connection just didn’t feel fully believable (like it did between Roman and Iris). I would have loved to see more of Matilda entering his dreams and the relationship they built when they were young—it’s referenced often, but I feel like we miss out on actually experiencing it.

At times, the book included scenes that didn’t feel necessary, and the pacing sometimes felt off - like we were dragging something out for a long tie that was then rushed. The ending, specifically, felt very dragged out but the resolution was too rushed. It left me wishing for more of the actual romance on the page. I also went into this expecting a bigger focus on Enva and Dacre, though I did enjoy the subtle callbacks to Divine Rivals.

Overall, a well-written story with a unique MMC and strong atmosphere, even if some aspects of the romance and pacing didn’t fully land for me.

I’m glad that I read a few reviews before reading Wild Reverence because it set my expectations. My expectations were still high, but I knew going in not to expect a Divine Rivals type story. Where Divine Rivals read almost like a historical fiction with very little world building, Wild Reverence was quite the opposite. There was a lot of set up in the first part of the novel. This made it feel long at times, but maybe that’s just because I don’t typically read a lot of fantasy.

I loved that there was a lot of mythology in the book. I had a hard time keeping all the gods straight at first, but that got easier as the book progressed. Matilda’s story took so many twist and turns which I thought was great as it kept me guessing what would happen the entire time.

Although this is considered a prequel to The Letters of Enchantment duo, I really do think it can be read as a stand alone story.

If you’re hoping for another “light fantasy” that is heavy on the romance, I’d skip this one. But if you’re ready to dive head first into an epic fantasy adventure with some romance, definitely pick this one up!

As always, Ross’ writing is lyrical and beautiful and I loved it!

Thank you Saturday Books and Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgally for the ARK.

Oh how I loved being back in this world. I loved getting a prequel about the gods in this world. The writing always plays like a movie in my mind with how descriptive everything is.

Although it was over 400 pages, at no point did it actually feel that way. It felt like it went by so quick but it also didn’t need to be any longer.

Rebecca Ross does it again! I have really grown to love fantasy again and so when I saw Rebecca Ross had a new book I knew I had to read it! I loved the divine rivals series and this one was just as good! I loved the story telling and the intricacies in the story line. Very rarely do I enjoy every character In a book but I did! I hope there’s a second book so the story can continue and unfold more !

5⭐️ Rebecca, bbg, what did you put in this… Words cannot describe how incredibly beautiful this read was, and I feel so incredibly lucky to experience this world again.

Wild Reverence takes place 600 years before Divine Rivals, and this story follows the goddess Matilda and her falling in love with a mortal. The book begins by describing Matilda through her childhood to adulthood, and we watch as she discovers her magic, and her place among both the Skywards and the Underlings. We are also introduced to Vincent, a man who is the definition of YEARNING. Their story is unbelievably sweet, and shows how love truly has no limits.

Also, the world building was IMMACULATE. This book provides so much more depth to the backstory of the gods in Ruthless Vows, and everything ties together so wonderfully.

I forgot how poetic Rebecca’s writing is, and it really can only be described as divine. I loved Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows, and this was such a beautifully written prequel to that duology.

✨ thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me this arc in exchange for an honest review ✨

Thank you Saturday Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the e-ARC and 18-chapter audiobook preview respectively!

Wild Reverence is a lush new adult fantasy set 600 years earlier in the Divine Rivals world. I appreciated the expanded world building of the gods (something I wanted more of from Ruthless Vows). Like those of this realm, the readers are introduced for the first time to Matilda, newly born herald goddess of the divine, and Vincent, the mortal boy of which she finds intertwined in his dreams. This New Adult stands alone but also complements the YA duology. Ross’s signature metaphorical prose is visual but not overpowering. I enjoyed all the characters and secondary characters. I kind of want Nathanial’s story and to see the fall of the gods now. The battle scenes are moderately described and the few open door sex scenes are poetically described in brief-moderate detail to show character arc (something I love across Ross’s books). The pacing for me felt like a valley: gentle up and down.

While I enjoyed Matilda and Vincent’s story, I did want it expanded upon given the size of this novel. Matilda and Vincent’s youthful dreams together were only briefly described and when they did met as adults, our period of seeing them together is minimal. Maybe several deeper conversations so we could see their connection at both ages. A large theme of this novel is the discrepancy between god and mankind, which highlights this relationship but also is detrimental. Given Matilda’s prone to flight, I wanted more grounding moments.

Themes: divinity vs mortal, identity, family & boodlines, blood, power

I highly recommend the audiobook. After listening to the preview, I bought the audiobook via libro.fm upon release.
Hannah van der Westhuyse, Matilda’s the narrator encapsulates Matilda‘s maturity (reflective POV writing style) and ethereal presence. Pacing of the story and narration flows well. George Weightmen, Vincent’s narrator, shows the weight of lordship upon Vincent and pairs well with van der Westhuyse. Rebecca Norfolk is the narrator for the epilogue and does a fine job. All three read at a similar pace and volume that was comfortable for my typical 1.5 speed.

Narration:
Performance：★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Character Separation: ★ ★ ★ ★
Diction: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Pacing/ Flow: ★ ★ ★ ★
Sound Effects: none

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lyrical, Lush, and Utterly Enchanting

Wild Reverence is Rebecca Ross at her absolute best—an exquisite tapestry of magic, emotion, and atmospheric storytelling. From the first page, I was completely swept away by her lyrical prose and the richly imagined world that feels both ancient and timeless.

The characters are deeply human and beautifully flawed, and their emotional journeys are woven with subtlety and power. Every detail—from the wild landscapes to the aching quiet between certain lines—feels intentional and alive. Ross masterfully balances romance, mystery, and a quiet reverence for nature and tradition.

This book didn’t just entertain me; it moved me. It reminded me why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place. A stunning, soul-deep read that lingers long after the last page.

Highly recommend to fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, The Wolf and the Woodsman, or anyone craving a poetic, powerful escape.

I LOVED Wild Reverence! This story was a unique reading experience as it's an adult fantasy prequel set in the same universe as her Letters of Enchantment YA duology (Divine Rivals, Ruthless Vows), which I adored. Thank you to Rebecca Ross and Saturday Books of St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of Wild Reverence on NetGalley!

Not many books have me staying up way past my bedtime on a Sunday night but boy did this one do that for me. The fake marriage had me in a chokehold - I loved Matilda and Vincent’s story! It’s entirely separate from the Divine Rivals and can easily be read without having read that duology.

I don’t have the words, nor the skill, to properly explain how beautiful this book is. Just an aching in my heart that it’s over. From page one, it reads like a lullaby: soft, melodic, and utterly immersive. There are no sharp corners here - nothing that snags or rubs the wrong way. Just a gentle path winding from one scene to the next, each chapter in perfect harmony with the last. I’m not even religious, but I couldn’t help thinking of 1 Corinthians 13 - the kind of love that’s patient, kind, and eternal.

Wild Reverence is a river. It rushes with emotion, curves with grace, and carries you so completely that you forget where the current ends and you begin.

Objectively, I’m in awe of Ross’s impeccable pacing, her wondrous imagination, the layered themes she weaves so effortlessly, and the aching beauty of every single page. Her prose is incandescent. Her storytelling feels divine.

Better reviewers than me have tried to capture the magic of this book. I’m simply humbled to lend my voice to the ocean of readers who are madly, deeply in love with it.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Rebecca Ross for trusting me with this ARC. These honest, rambling ravings are all my own.

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

I enjoyed this book immensely. I didn’t really know what to expect going in. I just knew it was set in the same universe as the Letters of Enchantment series. A magical tale was woven here, and now I want to reread Letters of Enchantment all over again.

Ross’s writing is beautiful and poetic, and she paints the most incredible world. Even though this is a prequel to the series, I would recommend reading it after Divine Rivals but before Ruthless Vows.

Matilda and Vincent will always hold a special place in my heart, and I didn’t realize how much I wanted to return to this world until I was back in it. If you enjoyed the Letters of Enchantment series at all, I highly recommend picking this up and immersing yourself again in this magical, mystical world.

*****Thank you Net Galley for supplying this book in exchange for my honest review*****
Obviously anything set in the Divine Rivals world was going to be a “must read” for me. Thoroughly enjoyed Divine Rivals, but was less impressed by Ruthless Vows. With Wild Reverence, I continue the trend of being less impressed. That’s not to say I disliked the book. I simply felt this was average.