I really liked this book! I read Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows in 2023/2024 so getting back into this universe took me a few minutes to remember the gods and the plot, but after a while it came very naturally. The prose is as beautiful as I remembered and the characters were very well fleshed out and appealing. I have to say that the romance aspect between Mathilda and Vincent felt a bit dry and sometimes too out-of-the-blue. After 13 years of not seeing eachother, I would have imagined a bit more anymosity on Vincent's part but he very quickly forgotten her. I feel like it would've amped up the tension that way. I'd say Bade is by far the most interesting character and I wished we could've seen his relationship with Adria and the dilema between him being the god of war and Adris the goddess of peace. All in all, an amazing read and I will recommend it to my friends! 5/5 ⭐️

⭐️: 4.5/5

Being so for real, it’s been a sec since I read Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, and initially, I was really struggling to remember the names of the gods and goddesses involved in those stories, as well as their relationships to each other. As I got deeper and deeper into Wild Reverence though, it all started to come back to me, and I also came to realize that, while this is a prequel of sorts to the Divine Rivals storyline, it’s set so far ahead of that one that it’s really it’s own story. It also has its own worldbuilding, for that matter, since we learn SO much more about the Underlings and the Skyward than we ever learned before. This expansion of the mythology that Divine Rivals was based in, as well as a bit of backstory about the main gods in conflict in that one was a lot of fun to read about, and made me want to also go back and do a re-read of that series!

Ross’s writing, as always, is so beautiful, in a way that makes you want to savor her word, and not binge them. When we were getting into the main story throughout the first half of the book, I wasn’t sure if I was totally invested in Matilda and Vincent’s story, but the second half totally won me over. This wasn’t a short book, so it did take me longer than normal to read, especially with the slow-ish start, but I’m so glad I kept going, since I’ll be thinking about it and the feelings it evoked for a long time!

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress @saturdaybooks for providing this eARC in exchange for my review!!

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

“I would know she was near, even in the darkness.”

“It made me feel as if there was some justice in this world – that cruel gods and men were not rewarded by paradise when their end came – and that was a comfort to me.”

This story is such a beautiful addition to the Letters of Enchantment universe. Rebecca Ross’s prose is so lyrical and immersive, drawing you fully into the world she creates.

Matilda and Vincent's love story is one for the ages. Vincent, a mortal, begins seeing of Matilda, a goddess in his dreams. When they finally cross paths at thirteen, he knows she's the only one he will ever want. Matilda, on the other hand, must guard her heart, her Faultline, to keep herself safe from the other gods. Years later, when their paths cross again, Matilda swears to protect Vincent at all costs. What follows is a beautiful love story woven with hope, grief, and sacrifice only true love can demand.

Thank you again to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

This was a really great book. I loved seeing the world of Skyward and Underling before the events of Divine Rivals. The story of Matilda and Vincent was great and so well done!

I wish I could rate this more stars. This is my first book by this author and it was magical, romantic, and even soul crushing at times. I was enthralled through the entire story. I did not want to put it down

you are truly not ready for me to pour my love out for wild reverence. if you ever need to know one thing about me — my book type is divine rivals and absolutely anything @beccajross writes. getting my hands on wild reverence was truly a dream come true. reading this and being part of the divine rivals world again made me emotional in ways i couldn’t explain. the yearning & longing, the stars and constellations, the wind, the clouds, the sky, the beauty of it sums up wild reverence. vincent and matilda, two souls bound to one another,, constellations forever intertwined. meant for one another, no matter the span of time or distances between different realms of the world.

the prequel to divine rivals — getting bits and glimpses of what we know about enva and dacre mentioned in the previous duology, makes me heart ache for one of my favorite characters in the world, iris and roman. my kitt and my iris, two souls that were intertwined in the world of magic and gods just as beautiful as the love story that unfolded in wild reverence.

now, enough about me gushing over this story. everyone, mark your calendars. wild reverence is out on sept 2. run and get it before i catch you (im just kidding! but really im not)

(p.s thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for allowing me to read this masterpiece early. my heart is so full)

Wild Reverence is a book to savor. An epic companion to Divide Rivals featuring the rich mythology of the gods, goddesses, and magic that once walked amongst mortals.

At it's heart is Matilda, the youngest goddess of her time, with the power to ferry messages between the fueding realms. Matilda's newness to her own world allows the reader to experience many firsts, helping us to understand the vast lore of her magical existence, right alongside her. It makes for an immersive reading experience.

Further, as Matilda can traverse the realms as no other character can she has encounters as unique as she is. Specifically, she forges an attachment to a mortal - Vincent, lord (not god) of the river. They first meet as children, weave in and out of each other's lives for a time, and collide as if bound by fate. Their relationship is grounded in choice and is a rare opportunity for Matilda to advocate for her own desires. Other gods may use her for her power and connections, Vincent wants her as is. Matilda chooses him, his love, his passion for no advantage other than fulfillment. This radical choosing unfolds softly amongst such turmoil that my heart broke and mended itself with each trial they faced together or apart.

Wild Reverence will astound you with its incredible world building and sings with lush prose. It flows from grand feats of daring to tender soul bearing intimacy. Its a reading experience not to be missed.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Saturday Books for the advance copy to read and review.

I'd like to make special note, for posterity's sake, that my favorite character is Bade, the god of war. I must refrain from saying more because you should experience him for yourself.

⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ (4.5 stars)

First of all, thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for the e-arc and for allowing me to read and review before its release day!

I LOVED the Divine Rivals/Ruthless Vows duology, so when I heard this book took place in the same world, I was so freaking excited. I don't request arcs on Netgalley often, and I didn't have high hopes honestly, considering how big of a release this is going to be. So when I got the email saying I had been approved I almost cried! I was super excited to dive into this world again, and I loved reading more about the mythology of the world. That was something I remember wanting more of after finishing the Letters of Enchantment duology! Matilda is such an interesting character, and I really enjoyed watching her grow up and come into her power. I always love a found family aspect, and we definitely get a bit of that with the gruff, reluctant father figure in Bade. I enjoyed the swap in POVs, allowing us to see more of Vincent and his life in the mortal world. I found the story dragged a little bit in the middle (hence the loss of half of a star), but when it picked up again in the last 2/3 it took of RUNNING and never stopped. Loved the twists and turns along the way, and how Vincent and Matilda's relationship developed and bloomed as they were both together and apart. And that epilogue?! Ahhh I loved it. If you liked Divine Rivals I think you'll love this trip back into that magical world.

A unique and whimsical tale that I couldn’t put down! I will read anything Rebecca Ross writes and this one was such a special read! I can’t wait to reread this one!

A 6 ⭐️ read!
I don’t even know where to begin. Everything about this book was so mesmerizing, so enchanting, attention grabbing, filled with emotions and struggles. I was invested in Matildas’ story from the start! I was hungry to know more about her magical powers, how she will discover and master them. I was excited to know the story of the gods and when we discovered that Matilda was the herald of gods- the bearer of words- I understood where the magical typewriters came from in the Letters of Enchantment series.
The romance was full of yearning. Small touches that leave many desires unfulfilled. Years of waiting for your loved ones to return.
The world-building was simple to understand and quick to follow. However, I did go back to the Dramatis Personae multiple times in the beginning.
All I can say in the end is; preorder and devour this book in one go. You’ll thank me later.

Oh this book was beautiful. This gave me such a better understanding of the gods of this world as well as insight into how the events of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows came to be. Let’s start with our FMC Matilda who is an unexpected and unprecedented link between two realms constantly in disagreement. She is born seemingly average amongst gods but she experiences such a wide range of emotions for someone in an environment where it’s safer to keep to oneself. The way she builds connections with those around her even (especially while she’s aware that they complicate things) is so gradual but meaningful. Then we get to Vincent who quite honestly followed one of my favorite lines of character development. I don’t want to give too much away but the connection that is formed between them might even Rival the ones seen in Divine rivals. I feel even more in love with the world and the writing. I felt so beyond lucky to get to experience more in this world and meet even more characters to love. This is one prequel that was absolutely worth the read

I think I loved this book more than the originals. The writ8ng is beautiful. Matilda and Vincent's connection is beautiful. And Bade. Dear sweet lovely Bade. I only wish he had been seen in the end.

It’s hard to find words to express the beauty of Rebecca Ross’ storytelling, but I’ll try.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A Divine Rivals prequel (though it can easily be read as a standalone), Wild Reverence feels like stepping into a dream woven from ancient mythology.
It follows:
Matilda, newly born Herald of the Gods,
𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘷𝘦, 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.
and Vincent, a mortal man who dreams of the goddess,
𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥.
*queue the forbidden romance plotline*

“𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙… 𝙞𝙛 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚, 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙤𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙.”

This book is a beautiful dreamscape of meddling gods, strength and sacrifice, battles and betrayals, and a slow burn romance so sweet and soft it aches.
The storytelling is enchanting and immersive, set in a world inspired by Greek mythology.
And while it is slower paced and occasionally chaotic, I didn’t want it to end!

𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘈 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘌𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥.

I’m really struggling with what to think about this one.

I absolutely loved Divine Rivals. I was so excited to read this prequel. Rebecca Ross truly has the most beautiful writing style I have ever read. It’s lyrical and descriptive and poetic. It felt dense and the characters and their powers were so fun. But it felt like I was always convincing myself to pick it up. It felt like a chore. The first fourth of the book especially felt so dense and I had to regularly reread parts to make sure I understood. That made the 550 pages feel extremely long.

I’m so grateful to have been able to preview this and would absolutely recommend it to anyone I know who loved divine rivals.

Keep your box of tissues handy! Rebecca Ross’s Wild Reverence is a poignant prequel to her duology The Letters of Enchantment. While it can be read on its own, it’s most powerful when read after the duology, as it ties many narrative threads together and deepens the reader's understanding of the world and its characters.
This story is a stunning tale of fate and a love story between a mortal boy named Vincent and a god-child named Matilda. Their paths cross and separate, only for fate to bring them back together in a truly unforgettable way. Yet, this book offers so much more than just a beautiful romance. It explores the profound idea that family isn't always defined by blood. The novel masterfully shows that the people who provide us with the most love, support, and affection are often those we choose to have in our lives, not those we are born into. The world-building is absolutely top-notch, so vivid and immersive that I could easily picture myself within the skyward, underling, and mortal realms.
Ross also challenges readers to reconsider their own moral compass. The world of Wild Reverence is not one of simple rights and wrongs. The book demonstrates that life is full of shades of gray, and things we’ve been raised to hate or mistrust can, in fact, become the very things we love the most.
With its emotional depth, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes, Wild Reverence is a truly exceptional read. I give it a resounding 5 stars! Make sure to add it to your TBR list for its release on September 2, 2025.

+++I have received this eARC in an exchange for an honest review+++

I want to thank @beccajross @netgalley @saturdaybooks and @stmartinspress for allowing me to read this amazing eARC. I truly feel honored to have had the privilege to read and review it.

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Rebecca Ross is one of the most amazing writers of our time. This book, just like her others, transport you into another world but yet the words are not overly complicated so you truly understand everything she has written. I hope that makes sense. She’s just such an amazing storyteller. I’ve been waiting a long time to read this and it did not disappoint!

4.75 ⭐️
ARC // Releases September 9, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Saturday Books for an advance copy.

———— All thoughts are my own.

I loved being back in this world, and it makes me want to reread Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. If you haven’t read those two books, I think Wild Reverence would be a great place to start, and if you read the duology, you’ll see some familiar faces. I find Rebecca’s writing so beautiful; it’s lyrical and descriptive, and I loved this story of oaths, faith, greed, and love.

“War only makes love flame brighter, defiant.”

We learn more of the gods who have graced the world prior to Divine Rivals, how their stories have stayed or the narrative has been skewed one way or another. We learn about the goddess Matilda, herald of the gods, and how her life becomes intertwined with Vincent, a mortal lord, via his dreams. Vincent and Matilda met as teenagers, and something tears them apart for over a decade, and when they find each other again, the stakes are high. They know how hard it would be to be together, but they fight to try, and that’s what makes this story so beautiful to me. You’ll fall in love with Bade, the god of War. His relationship with Matilda is so tender and beautiful, it’ll make you tear up. You’ll fall in love with Vincent and Matilda, and you’ll root for their happiness, but you won’t see much of it; this is the story of the long in-between moments of how they got there. There are multiple villains in this story, and they get what they deserve, especially that slimy worm of a god.

I enjoyed this book very much, I laughed and I cried, mostly cried. Some scenes had me clutching my shirt and some had me putting it down, but picking it right back up because I had to know what happened next.

5 ⭐️ Wow that was an absolutely beautiful story 🥹 the absolute slow burn & yearning mixed in with the magic and world building is Rebecca Ross specialty. The way that she writes I can never get enough 😭

For divine rival lovers, you’re going to love this and how it ties in 🥲

Thank you so much to net galley for the opportunity to read this absolute beautiful piece of literature.

I loved this so much. I will say that Divine Rivals was not my favorite and with this being set in the same world, I was unsure. But this gave me everything I wanted. The stories of the different gods/goddesses, the lore, the stars, the power imbalances, etc was perfect. The first part of the book is a lot of set up with that, but I was never bored. The love story is wonderful. Matilda and Vincent are both strong characters and I truly enjoyed every event. The ending was PERFECTION. No notes. Rebecca’s prose is nearly unmatched. She is a beautiful writer. Normally I like books with a lot of dialogue and get bored with pages of prose but that was absolutely not the case here. The set up to Divine Rivals’ storyline made me even want to read it again. I don’t think you absolutely have to read the duology to enjoy this book but it does make the ending even better.

Magical, beautiful, romantic! We get immersive world-building, a goddess/mortal romance with yearning AND without a creepy age difference, siege warfare (battle scenes! trebuchets!), and a father-daughter relationship that made me cry. Hard. This book both wrenched and warmed my heart. I love that a significant amount of the plot was driven by how messed up the gods were. It really leaned into the Greek god familicide/dark soap opera vibe, except with permadeath to really up the stakes. Will Matilda thwart Vincent's premature death? Will Matilda herself die?? Will Daddy Bade??? I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

You do not need to have read the Letters of Enchantment duology in order to enjoy this. It stands fully on its own. The only part that really ties in the previously published books is the epilogue, but if you haven't read the others, that teaser might intrigue you enough to give them a try!