Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Read: 5/13-5/24 2025

✨ Review ✨

Thank you so much St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC!!

Rebecca Ross did it again! This was so beautifully and emotionally written. It felt amazing being back in the Divine Rivals world, she truly has a way with words that make you immersed in this magical story.

It was fun seeing some familiar faces and I absolutely love the epilogue!! I can’t wait to read more of your work Rebecca Ross!!

Releases September 2, 2025
Amazon Pre-order Link: https://a.co/d/7d3EIN8

I’m a little nervous to be one of the first to review this book because it seems like a lot of responsibility. Overall, Ross’ writing can always pull me in and even trick me into reading a 500+ page book. It took me over a month to finish this one, but I really did like it. It was interesting how Ross took us back into the same gods’ world of Divine Rivals and she even explains the magic of the typewriters near the end. The rest of the book was quite the journey and could have definitely been condensed. It was a little long and scattered in my opinion, but I did love Matilda and Vincent. I’m curious what others will think about this one!

Ross plops you into this lush, godly world that feels like a fever dream lovechild of Circe and a Pinterest board titled “Ethereal Cottagecore Fantasy.” It’s all misty forests, golden light filtering through ancient trees, and a pantheon of deities who are somehow both majestic and total hot messes. The story follows Matilda, a young goddess who’s basically the divine equivalent of that girl in your book club who’s always almost got her life together but keeps tripping over her own heart. She’s destined to connect with Vincent, a mortal who’s so charming I forgot how to blink for a solid three chapters.

The writing is where I lost all sense of chill. Ross’s prose is so gorgeous it should come with a warning label: “May cause spontaneous poetry recitations and an urge to run barefoot through a meadow.” Every sentence is a little gift, wrapping you up in this world where magic hums in the air and emotions hit like a tidal wave. Ross doesn’t just write; she casts a spell.

And the humor! Oh, the snappy banter had me cackling like a witch at a full moon party. Matilda’s quips are sharp enough to cut through divine egos, and Vincent’s cheeky retorts? I’m sorry, I need him to narrate my life.

But let’s talk about the emotional gut-punch. Ross doesn’t just want you to read; she wants you to feel. There’s this deeper undertone of love and fate that had me tearing up one minute and fist-pumping for Matilda’s quiet heroism the next. I was invested, y’all. Like, cancel-my-plans, ignore-my-emails, don’t-talk-to-me-unless-you’ve-read-this-book invested. I remember reading one chapter on my lunch break and accidentally getting cheese on my Kindle because I was too invested to notice my sandwich staging a revolt.

It’s a prequel to the Letters of Enchantment duology, set centuries before Divine Rivals, but you don’t need to read those to fall head over heels for Wild Reverence. (Because I haven't read those... Yet). It’s sweeping, it’s romantic, it’s got that slow-burn tension that makes you want to scream into a pillow.

Wild Reverence is a glittering, heart-wrenching gem that deserves all the stars and maybe a shrine. Go read this book. Like, yesterday.

(Also, this is my 100th book of the year! Yay me!)

<i><b>"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.”</b></i>

The book was really good! It does have a slow start but once it picks up I was loving it! I was invested in these characters and fell in love with them.

Wild Reverence takes place in the same universe as Divine Rivals. It’s a standalone and a prequel, you don’t need to read Divine Rivals duology but I definitely recommend reading it before. I hadn’t read either books in the duology and wished I had to get an understanding of what to expect. But I did enjoy being surprised and not knowing.

Reading this definitely makes me want to start the duology!!

<b>Thank you to Rebecca Ross, NetGalley, and the publishers for the chance to read and review this e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts and opinions remain my own.</b>

A fan of Rebecca Ross since The Queen's Rising, I was ecstatic when I heard there would be another book tied to the Divine Rivals Universe. Even more excited when, as a mythology fan, I heard it was centered around the Gods/Goddesses. I will say the plot for 60% of the book was slow. I didn't like the pacing at all and felt bored but as soon as ACT 4 hit I was immediately sucked in. Looking back I understand that the information given at the beginning was needed to make sense in the end but it was tough to get through. The similarities between Iris and Matilda are not lost on me and I really like the epilogue that hints to Divine Rivals. I love how she wrote Vincent, finally a man who TRULY yearns and Bade is my overall favorite character of this story. Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins Publishing Group for giving me the chance to read this before everyone else 🫶🏼

*Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review*

This book was fantastic. I fell in love with the characters and really enjoyed the unique magic system. I was a bit skeptical at first because of how fast it started, but I think it helped to keep me hooked throughout. I also loved how the epilogue connected this book to the world of Divine Rivals and gave an additional backstory. I will 100% be recommending!

Rebecca Ross’s writing makes me feel like she has cracked my heart open and taken a peek inside. There’s something so poetic and beautiful about it that tugs at my soul and feeds my hopeless romantic heart.
Wild Reverence is a story of gods and mortals, of fate and magic, of love and sacrifice. It’s set in the same universe as Divine Rivals and it follows Matilda, a goddess and a messenger who is torn between three realms - Underling, Skyward and Mortal. And Vincent, a mortal who sees Matilda in his dreams.
It didn't take long for me to fall in love with Matilda&Vincent. Matilda is hungry for life, for freedom, for love and I felt so much for her - I wanted to hold her hand through all of her hardships. She is very guarded, with good reason, and seeing her trust Vincent and slowly let herself be vulnerable with him made me emotional. I thought that her heart, while being her fault line and her weakness, is also her biggest strength. Vincent's love isn't loud but it is strong and unwavering. And despite his mortality, despite his nightmares, he is so fearless in loving Matilda. Their romance and yearning, the tender way they love each other was utterly beautiful and brought me to tears many times.
I was completely immersed in Rebecca’s storytelling, I felt like I wasn’t reading but listening to someone weave me a fairytale, a legend about a goddess who loved a mortal. I loved learning about the gods and their magic, the different realms and I loved how perfectly everything ties into Divine Rivals. It made me love the Letters of Enchantment duology so much more! Rebecca Ross is an amazing writer and this is undoubtedly going to be one of my new favorite books.
～Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press/Saturday Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

I enjoyed the tone of this book, it’s giving you the back story of the gods we have met in previous books by this author in a cozy way. I loved the backstory and how characters were tied together. I enjoyed the expansion on the gods, their relationships with each other, and how their society worked. The main characters love interest was fascinating in how they met and formed a bond.

An absolutely beautiful and emotional love story that could only have been written by Rebecca Ross! It tells of a love that could transcend time and space and realms! It contains an overarching story of the vulnerability of love and exposing your weakness to those whom your heart deems worthy. Ross has once again captured me with her beautiful and enrapturing words. The story and emotions run deep and make you believe that love is worth fighting for.


I loved that the main female character was a God who was so strong physically and mentally but emotionally, she craved a love that was viewed as a weakness. And the male main character was a mortal whose heart was hardened with loss and pain. Their paths destined to cross, but afraid to let the other in. They were surrounded by war, politics and scheming on all sides, and a host of side characters that made for a rich and irresistible story.

I went into Wild Reverence with cautious optimism. I didn’t love the Divine Rivals duology, but I’ve really enjoyed the Elements of Cadence series, so I was curious to see where this one would land for me. Thankfully, it ended up being a strong and immersive read that kept my attention throughout.

The writing is just as lyrical and atmospheric as I’ve come to expect from Ross. The world she builds here feels textured and lived-in, full of magic and quiet tension. The story has a slower pace at times, but I appreciated the way it gave space for the characters to grow. Matilda’s journey was compelling, and the relationships she builds along the way felt emotionally grounded.

While a few parts felt more drawn out than they needed to be, the payoff was satisfying. I was especially taken by the mythology woven through the narrative. It gave the story a sense of weight and history that I loved.

All in all, Wild Reverence worked for me in a way that Divine Rivals didn’t. It reminded me why I enjoy Ross’s writing and left me eager to see what she does next.

Rebecca Ross could write an alphabetized list of everything in her home and I would devour it! Ross’ ability to write such beautiful stories is unparalleled. Wild Reverence was everything I could have hoped for and more. As someone who adores Divine Rivals, this book took me right back to that world.

Now THAT is how you write a prequel!!!! Might be one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read.

This story is set in the same world as Ross' Divine Rivals duology and while I think reading that first will very much enhance your experience, I don't think it's absolutely necessary.

We follow Matilda (a goddess - specifically a herald who can travel through the realms to carry messages) and Vincent (a mortal). Their paths interconnect when Vincent starts having dreams about Matilda, and she then gets to read about said dreams. The first ~30% or so takes place when they're teens and they have these brief, fleeting interactions but an undeniable connection. Flash forward the rest of the book, it's been 10+ years and now adults, Vincent and Matilda have lost touch. A twist of fate brings them back together and it's clear despite the years apart their connection to each other never wavered.

Vincent is now the lord of his village and they're going through a rough time. Matilda, who starts out in the realm underground has spent the years apart learning more about the sky realm for ~reasons~ you'll see lol. Matilda is immediately ready to help Vincent, especially given her magical abilities and immortality, but with enemies (mortal and immortal both) afoot, it presents quite the challenge.

As is always the case with Ross' books, the writing was beautifully immersive. I'm thinking back on what happened as I write this review and every scene and interaction is SO vivid in my mind. I'd say there was a good balance in the pacing, it does start on the slower side but that felt important to set the scene and introduce you to the characters and stakes. The forbidden and partially second chance romance was PERFECT. Yearning and absolutely no toxicity, it felt incredibly refreshing to actually see two mature adults navigate all these barriers. I loved Matilda and Vincent individually too as well as the side characters (namely, Vincent's brother and a father figure/mentor Matilda has).

The ending was beautiful and evoked every emotion under the sun, it also weaved into Divine Rivals perfectly IMO.

Loooved this and I am still in awe at how masterful and beautiful and heart wrenching this was!

Thank you for the eARC Saturday Books!

⭐ 4.5 stars ⭐

○ Plot and pacing: 4/5
○ Characters: 5/5
○ Romance: 5/5
○ Writing: 5/5
○ World building: 4/5

Wild Reverence is the perfect addition to the world created in Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. I have loved every second I spent reading this book.

Rebecca Ross has such an incredible ability to make this story come to life with her prose. This is so beautifully written that it is so easy to immerse yourself in it thanks to the descriptions and the way the feelings are depicted. However, I did find the pacing a bit slow during the first half, though I also believe it is what suits the book best. The rhythm picks up at around the 60% mark and it is impossible to stop reading then.

Matilda is such an interesting character. I loved watching her grow up, develop all her relationships and discover her powers. I didn’t manage to connect with Vincent the same way, but I did end up loving him as well. My favourite secondary characters are Bade and Adria and I would love to be able to read their story. Regarding the romance, it fell a bit short for me, not due to lack of chemistry. I just wish we could have seen more interactions between Matilda and Vincent.

The world building in this book complements impeccably what we already know from the Letters of Enchantment duology. I loved the details about the prayers and the complexity of the gods. I found the human side of the world not as well developed, but, since that is not the main focus of this story (as was the case of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows), it didn’t bother me much.

Overall, this was such a fantastic read and, without a doubt, one of the best books of the year. It is perfect for those who loved the previous duology and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a beautifully written fantasy stand alone with a calm pace and rich world building.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Saturday Books and Rebecca Ross for the eARC of this book. My opinions are my own.

I was so excited to read this book and it delivered! This was the first book I’ve read from this author, and I was pleasantly surprised on how much I enjoyed her work.

I really loved the world building. The gods and goddesses and their magic was intriguing. I loved seeing Matilda grow along with her magic. I enjoyed that you get a lot of fantasy and magic with a dash of the sweetest romance.

This book was so beautiful! Fans of Rebecca Ross will enjoy her magical and lyrical writing as they follow Matilda and Vincent’s journey. I personally loved the linking between this book and the Divine Rivals series at the end. Definitely an auto buy author for me. Five star read!

Thank you NetGalley, Publishers and Author for giving me the chance to read the arc.

Simply one of the best books I’ve read in a long time, Wild Reverence has been my constant companion these last several days. Simultaneously a Bildungsroman and a romance, this novel follows the maturation of Matilda, the herald of the gods, as she comes into her power.

The side characters truly helped bring this novel to life. We get to meet the immortals who helped shape Matilda into the force she becomes, and their stories are just as poignant as hers.

To answer the 64,000 dollar question, yes, this is set in the same universe as Divine Rivals & Ruthless Vows. No, you don’t need to have read the aforementioned duology before reading Wild Reverence, but there are God winks between the works (hello, some of the most romantic love letters I’ve had the privilege to read).

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion of the work. This is one I will return to time and time again.

I don’t even know where to begin this review. I have not cried that much in a book in so long. It was beautifully written, so deep and full of heartache, and so wonderfully descriptive it felt like watching a movie. This was everything I needed from Divine Rivals about the gods. I love these characters so much, I wish I had more of some of the side characters. I wish I had more time in this world overall.

Devastating, breathless, and truly moving, Wild Reverence in every way sweeps you right off your feet. With the most sweeping romance, and elegant prose, this book will remain with me for a long while.

Wow, I can already feel the book hangover starting after finishing this one minutes ago. If you enjoyed the Letters of Enchantment duology (Divine Rivals), you’ll love this companion novel! You don’t need to have read LOE to read this book. Though it is set in the same world, it takes place before the time period of that duo, exploring the mythology of that world in more detail. It was fun seeing little breadcrumbs in this story dropped like Easter eggs for people who have read the LOE duo, though.

This book was on the longer side at 544 pages, but with the exception of the first 15%, it moved at a good clip. All I wanted to do was devour this book. As I was reading, I found myself checking my progress, thinking I had been reading this book for so long that I surely must be coming up on the end, and I was dreading it. Then I would look and realize I still had more to go and the story, thankfully, was not over yet.

Gah, this book! I loved it so much!

Honestly, I liked this book better than LOE. I loved how Ross explored what it must have been like to be a god and grow up amidst the deadly games gods play, never knowing if someone is a true ally or waiting to take their shot, never knowing is someone loves you or feels any real affection for you or if they are using you for their own purposes. I loved the bargaining, the cunning of the gods and their choice of whether to pursue for gain or not, I loved Matilda and Bade’s relationship contrasted with Matilda and Thile’s, and I loved the wise Matriarchs and their knowing ways. I loved watching Matilda navigate this ever changing landscape all while coming into her power and growing, both as a woman and as a god.

The world-building is as we would expect from Ross, borrowing elements of historic settings we readers would be familiar with and peppering it with the fantastical world of the Skywards, the Underlings, and the Wastes. Those fantastical places were described so well I could see them clearly in my mind. The romance is so good, pure. There’s tension in the mortal/immortal pairing, the forced separation as well as forced proximity without any drama of cheating or misunderstanding. It’s simply about trust, patience, and love.

It was such a beautiful story full of love, magic and myth! I would love to see another novel about Bade and Adria and their story.

Whimsical perfection. Rebecca Ross masterfully weaves myth, magic, and mortal longing into lush, evocative prose. Matilda, a goddess born of both the sky and under realms, stands apart from the others—her power small at first, but her heart boundless. Her love story with Vincent, a mortal lord shaped by war, is fierce, tender, and unforgettable. Though their bond began in dreams years before, fate brings them together again in a time when love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

This story has all the hallmarks of a Rebecca Ross novel—aching romance, atmospheric worldbuilding, and secrets pulsing beneath every page—and beautifully ties into the Divine Rivals universe. While A River Enchanted and Divine Rivals remain my personal favorites, this felt like stepping back into a world only Ross could craft, where even the creak of a floorboard or the scent of the air feels vividly, hauntingly real. If you’re drawn to star-crossed love, divine stakes, and gorgeously written fantasy, add this to your list immediately.