I have never wanted to immediately to turn back to page one and start rereading a book- until Wild Reverence.

Wild Reverence is set in the same world as Divine Rivals (which is one of my all time favorites.) Although Matilda & Vincent's love story happens 600 years earlier- we wouldn't have Iris & Roman without them.

Matilda is the herald to the gods- an underestimated, and often overlooked, middle court god. She was born of a skyward father and an underling mother- making her the only god capable of traveling between all 3 realms, including the mortal realm. But her mother never revealed the identity of her father- so Matilda's childhood was spent in the under realm.

When Matilda was a god-child, the goddess of dreams snuck her dream scrolls- often including the dreams of a raven haired mortal boy, Vincent, who has perpetual nightmares of drowning. Not long after she begins reading these scrolls- she starts appearing in this boy's dreams and rescuing him from the watery death he has always dreamt of.

Around that same time, Matilda finds herself tangled in the dangerous web of black market dealings that her mother partakes in, including the sale of eithral scales- the only material that can kill the gods. After one of these scales ends up in the wrong hands, Dacre comes looking for the ones who stole scales from his precious pets without his knowledge. And Dacre knows exactly where to look because Matilda revealed the culprits during a dream walk with Vincent. The goddess of dreams shared this information with her brother and this tragic chain of events led to her mother's death and Matilda fled to her father in the skyward realm in order to avoid the same fate as her mother.

13 years below. 13 years above. Matilda is no longer a god-child, but a goddess who has grown into her power as herald of the gods. She has sent to deliver Enva to Dacre as his bride and the tangled threads of fate lead her back to Vincent- who needs her aid.

In the midst of this fast paced, adventure filled, and politically scheming world- Rebecca Ross managed to fit a lifetime of tension, yearning, pining, and love that transcends realms. I never thought that anything would be able to top The Letters of Enchantment series. But I was wrong. Wild Reverence was a reckoning that I never knew I was waiting for. This book left me both speechless and a blubbering, sobbing mess at the same time. Be prepared for emotional damage and make sure you have tissues on hand.. especially when you get to the epilogue.

Rebecca Ross is the queen of yearning & tension. And with this book, she proved that you can have both pining and spice in equal parts without sacrificing the plot. From the romantic tension, the impending war, the love that transcends all realms, the political intrigue, the tragic stories, and the easter eggs to divine rivals- Wild Reverence is truly a literary masterpiece that I would read 100 times over.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Summary:
Matilda, a young goddess with messenger magic, guards a dangerous secret in a realm where gods kill for power. Her world collides with Vincent's, a mortal river lord who once dreamed of her, when she delivers a letter to his bedroom. As their destinies intertwine, Matilda must choose between godly traditions and the vulnerability of love, risking her magic and more.

Review:
Rebecca Ross has crafted a spellbinding tale in "Wild Reverence" that captivated me from start to finish. Set in her Letters of Enchantment universe, this book offers a fresh take on the romantasy genre.

What I loved:
- Matilda and Vincent: Their characters are beautifully developed, growing and evolving throughout the story.
- Nathaniel and Bade: Supporting characters who add depth, heart, and richness to the narrative.
- Magic system: The unique approach to divine powers and their interaction with the mortal world is fascinating.
- World-building: Ross creates an immersive and captivating realm that feels both familiar and refreshingly new.
- Pacing: The story moves at an engaging pace, making it difficult to put down.

Common tropes you'll find:
- Coming of age
- Slow-burn romance
- Found family
- Gods and mortals

"Wild Reverence" is a must-read for fans of fantasy romance. It offers a unique magical experience that stands out in the genre. If you're looking for a book that combines divine intrigue, personal growth, and the power of love, this is the perfect choice.

Thank you to Rebecca Ross, St. Martin’s Press, Saturday Books, and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well, it’s safe to say I’ve found my favorite book of the year!

MY.GOODNESS. Rebecca Ross really just has a way with words. Her stories sweep you in and become a part of you while you’re reading. Wild Reverence is an achingly beautiful story, filled with grief, longing, unfair truths, and deep-rooted love. I felt every emotion reading this book - all the way down to my soul.

Am I sobbing as I write this? Yes. I’m going to have to use a second hand to count the books that have made me cry now. Do I already want to start it all over again even though I just finished the last page? Absolutely yes.

The ending of this one weaves perfectly into Divine Rivals - so if you haven’t read that one yet, this is a perfect place to start - and if you have read it, you’ll appreciate this story even more! I cannot recommend this one enough!!

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - May 27, 2025
Publication Date - September 2, 2025

*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @beccajross, @stmartinspress, @saturdaybooks and @netgalley!

Rebecca Ross did it again folks! I was so excited to read this prequel after loving Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows! I got so immersed in the story that it was a shock to leave the world when I had to put the book down. I love that the importance of words is a running theme! Wild Reverence has a touch of letter writing that made me want a pen pal desperately. What does a girl need to do to get a man to write her letters and fall in love with her? Asking for a friend... I also loved the relationship between Matilda and Bade, something about their connection really got me in my feels! I was so sad when I finished reading because I didn’t want it to be over. I need to do a re-read of the whole series soon because I miss the world and characters already!

If you like romantasy books with the Gds and stars, you have to try Wild Reverence and the rest of the Letters of Enchantment Series!

Get excited to read Wild Reverence, available September 2! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

This book was everything I wanted and more. I deeply missed the world of Divine Rivals. And my goodness, does Rebecca always knock it out of the park with a slow burn romance. She also blessed us with a dual POV, this story is just perfection.

Vincent and Matilda meet in childhood through Vincent's dreams - how do you not want to read more from just that? Every time he called her, "Red", I just squealed. I love the relationship between Bade and Matilda, the softening of his heart over the years and being the father she always needed. Learning more about the Gods and Goddesses of Underling and Skyward was so exciting. The biggest treat of all was learning about how the TYPEWRITERS came into existence, I screamed.

Reading this book, you experience a wide range of emotions and deeply. Anytime I want to feel something, I reread a Rebecca Ross book and this book is absolutely included now.

Rebecca creates these magical worlds that sweep you away, and as you read, time is forgotten. You want to keep reading as you get towards the end of the book, but you also don't want to finish it because you don't want it to end. This was book of the year for me, hands down. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the e-arc.

Loved this book SO MUCH, if I didn't have to sleep and other responsibilities I would have read it straight through! Before reading this book I had read Divine Rivals but not the sequel, Ruthless Vows, yet. You do not have to read either to read Wild Reverence.
Rebecca Ross . . . writes so well that I easily get lost in the worlds and stories she creates. This story is filled with great characters and relationships and made me feel happy, angry, suspenseful, sad at times.
Tropes:
Forbidden Romance
Star-Crossed Lovers
Slow-Burn Romance
Gods & Mortals
Meddling Gods
Spice level I would rate 2 out of 5, pretty low but would not recommend for younger readers. Loved, loved this book and highly recommend to anyone who enjoys romance/fantasy genre!

This book blew me away. I couldn’t put it down. Matilda’s journey from humble, naive goddess to powerful, adult warrior was riveting. I loved how she grew into herself and her power. Her character growth was perfect.

I enjoyed Vincent’s journey as well, albeit heartbreaking. He was kind and strong, nurturing but fierce. Their relationship was very believable.

I like stories that have a good balance of fantasy elements and romance and this one hit the mark. The fighting between the gods and goddesses kept me captivated, but I was also invested in what happened between Matilda and Vincent. Their love story enhanced the plot instead of taking me out of the action which I think is a difficult thing to do.

The plotting and the pacing was excellent. There was a lot of tension and with 20% left in the book, I had no idea where it was going. The conclusion was satisfying. This book takes place in the same universe as Ross’s Devine Rivals duology. It was fun to see references and familiar characters pop up.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it absolutely did not disappoint. Thank you @netgalley, @beccajross and @saturdaybooks for an advanced reader copy of this book. It will be released on September 2, 2025 (4.5)

This is one of the best things I’ve read this year. Ross does an excellent job with staying a shade in the Letters of Enchantment world, while crafting something completely different. The world, the gods, and the yearning built as the book progressed, and I could not put it down. Matilda is perfectly balanced between the emotionally detached gods and having more developed feelings, and it never felt like she lost herself. An absolute treat.

This was my introduction to Rebecca Ross and I absolutely loved this book. I wasn't sure if this could be read if you hadn't already read Divine Rivals; however, while it is set in the same world you do not need to read her other books first.

This was so beautifully written I couldn't put it down (no really, I read it in 2 days). It was heart breaking, and hopeful, and just everything I wanted out of a story. I loved how we got so much backstory to our FMC before jumping in to the main plot, that really helped me get immersed and begin to connect with the characters in a way I probably wouldn't have if we had just jumped right in.

Divine/mortal love story, slow burn, fake marriage, betrayal, found family - this book had it all. Dual POV between the FMC and MMC which was done so well and I just loved Vincent. The twists and turns that came multiple times within the story - I never saw them coming. The ending was beautiful and I think, perfect.

Expected Release: 9/2/2025

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like coming home. Rebecca Ross writes to enamor and immerse us into whatever world she has weaved and I would give anything to live in the world of Divine Rivals.

This prequel provides us more lore and insight into the gods that were revered by Roman and Iris. It gives us more of the romance and yearning and pain that Ross writes so, so well, but in a completely different light.

I loved every bit of Matilda and Vincent, but even more than them, I loved Bade. Bade who is supposed to be hard, but made soft by the unexpected caring he found in his life. I would absolutely love love love to see more of him and Adria. I would love a novel surrounding him. I’ll even take a novella!!

And the way the epilogue is what perfectly sets the world up for Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows… the way we come to know of how the typewriters were created… poetic!!

I loved this book so much and now I cannot wait to reread the duology.

I don’t think you guys are ready for this book. It is so poetic, and beautiful, and filled with such yearning like I’ve never read. I was hooked from page one. I know it’s set in the divine rivals world (and maybe if reread that before there would have been Easter eggs I missed?) but you definitely don’t need to read that duo to enjoy this story. I loved watching Matilda’s journey through the realms and to finding her true power. Vincent was such a soft soul and I felt for him throughout the entire book. There were so many heartbreaking and tender moments in this story, I still can’t talk about them. 😭 if you haven’t pre-ordered this yet, this is your sign!

DID YOU AT LEAST KISS THE BRICK BEFORE YOU THREW IT AT ME??? No? Okay.

I guess this is what I get for getting emotionally involved *crying screaming*

I cannot wait until this book is officially out so I can scream and cry with everyone else.

Will read anything this woman writes. ANYTHING. Thank you for the ARC. Phenomenal gut wrenching read.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rebecca Ross has written a masterpiece. Set in the same universe as Divine Rivals, this tale is more like a Greek tragedy with some Easter eggs sprinkled throughout from The Letters of Enchantments duology. Matilda and Vincent are such strong main characters, and the love they have for each other really shines throughout the story. The world building was amazing, immersing you in this universe. There is found family, forbidden love, more of a look into the gods and goddesses that we didn't really get in the duology, betrayals, and much more. Run, do not walk, to pick this up!

I am almost speechless as to how amazing this novel really is. Even though I finished this book, this book is really the one who finished me. I cried a lot and had a lot of emotions, while reading this. This book is adventurous, mysterious, hopeful, tense, sad, dark and reflective. The writing of this book by the author is perfection. It is beautifully written, original, came with vivid descriptions and was extremely addicting! This is a medium paced read that consists of a unique magical system. This book’s characters were strongly developed and lovable!

This is an adult slow burn romance fantasy! It also has mythic elements, which I loved! This book can be read as a standalone or as a prequel to the book “Letters of Enchantment”. This comes with a dual point of view, a young messenger goddess named Matilda and a mortal named Vincent. I absolutely loved the immersive world building and the emotional depth this book has. I really felt the chemistry and the romantic connection between the two main characters. I feel like the side characters in this book definitely stood out. The power of vulnerability is a big and important theme in this book. It will forever be a memorable story that I will never forget!

Content warnings include sexual content, death, murder and violence. I highly recommend this book to readers that enjoyed the book “A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas!

Thank you to NetGalley, author Rebecca Ross and St. Martin's Press | Saturday Books for this eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is expected to be published September 2, 2025!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC for my read and review. Some relatively light spoilers below.

I’m often skeptical of books that include long character lists at the top (or descriptions of world building). Fortunately, while Wild Reverence did start out that way, it didn’t fall into the trap of failing to actually build the world or write compelling characters.

This is the story of Matilda, who comes into her goddess powers torn between godly society above and below. She’s linked to Vincent, a mortal, and these ties grow as they do.

I enjoyed the politicking in the godly sphere more than the one occurring in the mortal realm but overall it was all really captivating and the ending was a surprise (though a good one).

This was my most anticipated read of the year and I was blown away!

This book was beautifully written and I adored the characters. Rebecca Ross never fails to deliver with her whimsical writing style that whisks away the reader to whatever magical world she’s created.

This trip back into the world of the Letters of Enchantment duology was the perfect prequel story. While readers get to see bits of Enva and Dacre’s story dispersed throughout the book, Mathilda and Vincent’s story is front and center and will play a surprising role in the Divine Rivals/Ruthless Vows books. There are also plenty of references to the original duology that readers are going to love!

I loved the romance between Mathilda and Vincent. The level of pining in this book is spectacular! If you loved Iris and Roman, you are going to love Mathilda and Vincent!

Wild Reverence is a wonderful addition to the world of The Letters of Enchantment! I can’t wait to fangirl over this book with everyone

This story was so lovely.

Rebecca Ross is really great at getting the reader immersed into her worlds. I had no problem imagining where we were in the story, or what the landscape/characters looked like. I loved the different feelings I would get when certain characters came onto the page, whether it was good or bad! I loved how you couldn't quiet trust any one god/goddess consistently, and how making a bargain could be tricky.

Everything Matilda went through in her life, especially navigating her relationship with Vincent was so interesting to me. I loved how much time was spanned in this story. We see them grow from children into adults, and see how their lives were shaped before they reconnected. As much as I loved Matilda's relationship with Vincent, I loved hers with Bade nearly as much. I definitely cried a few times reading this book!

This is a difficult review to write because I’m not sure how to do it justice. Simply put, Wild Reverence exceeded all expectations I had as the newest installment of the Letters of Enchantment series.

We follow the story of a young goddess Matilda from her birth then throughout adolescence and adulthood. She’s taught to be fierce and feared, to hide her weaknesses and hone her strengths, but it’s clear from the start that she has quite a soft spot for mortals even though she is raised as an Underling. She’s drawn to a mortal, Vincent, and their connection is a mystery that slowly unravels throughout the book. As in Divine Rivals, Rebecca Ross writes with such eloquence and the care and longing felt between Matilda and Vincent made me feel the same giddiness as with Iris and Roman. I was constantly rooting for them and waiting to see how their relationship would develop. The dual POV was done well but I loved that it was still a story that centered Matilda rather than the two lovers equally.

Wild Reverence also comes full circle as the backstory for the events that occur in Divine Rivals and its sequel Ruthless Vows. I remember there being a lot of criticism around Ruthless Vows and its focus on the politics of the gods and the war being a bit confusing, but Rebecca Ross absolutely knocks it out of the park with the world building in Wild Reverence. I loved how the new concepts of magic and explanations of conflict between Skywards and Underlings were introduced in a way that made sense for her previous works.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a novel where I felt that there were true stakes, where I felt anxious for characters, and where I really felt invested in their journey. Matilda wasn’t perfect, her flaws and weaknesses frequently highlighted, but she was such a fun protagonist to follow and root for. I’m very glad to have been able to read her story in advance and I’m so looking forward to the rest of the world getting to meet her soon.

5 stars all around ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

⭐️Second chance Romance
☁️Slow burn
⭐️Dual POV
☁️Unique magic system

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for the arc! I can’t believe I got to read an advance copy of Wild Reverence!

I loved this story! Each character has their own unique voice & part they play & I loved getting to know them through this book. While a prequel in a sense, Wild Reverence takes place in its own world centuries before the one we’re introduced to in Divine Rivals/Ruthless Vows.

On the surface, it’s a book about gods & mortals with each group in their predetermined boxes. But looking deeper, it’s a story of transformation & belief & love that perseveres, love that conquers. It’s not a quick or easy journey for the characters— or me, as I was on that emotional roller coaster right there with em.

WR was well written & engaging. I connected with the characters & was quickly immersed in the story. Overall, I give this 4.5 🌟

Rebecca Ross has a way of writing that draws you into another world completely, and I devoured this 600 page book in no time. I can’t tell you how much I loved this book!

I loved that Matilda thought things through before taking any action, and always listened to her intuition. Her goodness shone through in all of the choices that she made, and I loved how noble she was in difficult situations.

I loved Vincent’s steadfastness and courage, and Bade had my heart also. There was just so much to love about this epic story. I need more books like this!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review!