Rebecca Ross brings us back to the world of Divine rivals where there are two types of gods and goddesses: some that live above or skyward and some that live below. Matilda is the first goddess of both realms. She is a Harold of the gods and a lesser goddess. As a new goddess, Matilda's position in her world is fraught, relying on allegiances and alliances in order to prevent the other gods and goddesses from trying to steal her power and life to enrich themselves. As she makes herself known in this complex and dangerous world, she must decide whether to be loved among mortal kind or feared.

Matilda's world is thrown off balance when she is tasked with delivering a message from death to the mortal boy whose once upon a time with the help of her ally she could help him conquer his nightmares. This boy who has since become a man has hardened his heart to the gods and his trust for Matilda, which was once absolute is now gone. As Matilda weighs into mortal warfare for him, the truth about her origins and her powers begins to come to light and despite it all she finds that her love for this mortal boy could change everything.

I don’t know what Rebecca Ross puts into her books, but they are so addictive to read. Her books are not brief so you’re in for quite the wild ride. This book takes place in the same universe with the same magic rules as divine rivals although the world is more flushed out on the sides of the gods and the goddesses than what we knew about in divine rivals.

The love between Vincent and Matilda while forbidden and brimming with tension absolutely captivated my heart but how can love between an immortal being and mortal ever end in anything but tragedy? A Hallmark of the romance genre is a happily ever after which posed the question of how would she give us a happily ever after. While I would say it is maybe not the most conventional happily ever after I do say that she was able to nail this one and also answer a lot of questions that the other Divine rivals' book had set out for us. I also feel it left the door open in order for her to possibly come back and continue to explore this world and its unique magic system. I would love to spend more time here and I am itching for the real story of Adria and the god of war from their POV.

If you’re a fan of vibrantly detailed settings, morally grey immortals who maybe aren't so different from our darkest selves and a forbidden love story that defies it all, then I think you will also love this book. I cannot recommend this one highly enough.

Went in thinking I’d love it as much as Divine rivals but unfortunately I did not. While it is beautifully written, there were certain points in the book where I thought “what’s the point” or “where is this taking me”. The ending was finally exactly what I wanted and craved from the book but it lasted all of 2 chapters. The ending felt a bit rushed in the end as well and I felt like there was more I needed as a reader. Despite all this I still think it was worth reading and I did like the characters.

“We were doomed, she and I. 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.” ✨

For me, Rebecca Ross can truly do no wrong, and that continues with Wild Reverence. Ross brings us in to the realms of the Underlings and Skywards to give us a beautiful story of magic, enchantment, gods, and star crossed lovers. I love how this story shows us Matilda and Vincent from birth to death, and shows us how the gods meddle with mortals and vice versa. While this story can be read as a standalone, I appreciate that by the end we learn the history of the magic system and the typewriters in the Letters of Enchantment duology. I was also crying by the end, so there’s that

First off, I don’t think you need to read the Letters of Enchantment duology in order to enjoy Wild Reverence. But you will pick up on some fun easter eggs if you have!

The writing and prose was so lyrical and beautiful and definitely kept me reading when the pacing was a little slower. This book is definitely more character vs. plot driven which, for me, can be harder to get through but I was definitely invested in the characters and their relationship!

I was a little disappointed in the ending though. I felt like it was rushed and I didn’t get the payoff I was hoping for after such a slow burn romance. I just wanted more 😅 But I loved the epilogue tie in to Divine Rivals!

I would definitely recommend this book, especially if you loved The Letters of Enchantment!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Saturday Books for the ARC copy!

First and foremost I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Wild Reverence! This was my first read from Rebecca Ross, and I wasn’t sure what to expect going in but I finished this book tear-stained and touched by the story of Matilda and Vincent!

I will be very honest, the beginning was slow for me and I contemplated putting this down as I found it was hard to get into. The first part (or roughly 200 digital pages) I found to be quite dry, lengthy, and overly verbose at times; it’s clear that this first bit was obviously foundational for the story, and while this book is a standalone, I felt like there were pieces I was missing from other books of hers that may have made the entry into Wild Reverence a smoother one. That’s really where my quandaries lie, however once Matilda entered adolescence, the storyline picked up and I became hooked.

Matilda, a young goddess whose magic lies in being a messenger for the realms, ultimately faces hardship from a young age which forces her to grow up quickly. Along the way, she encounters a mortal boy, Vincent, who she visits in his dreams. Eventually they meet, and the story follows both Matilda’s duties of being a herald of the realms while navigating power imbalances, and simultaneously tells the story of Matilda and Vincent joining forces and falling in love along the way. Their story is beautifully written, with various different themes and messages being woven throughout. Ross writes in poetic metaphor and simile that brings the characters’ emotion and experience to the forefront of the page, which is what kept me so entangled in their worlds.

*Enter the heartbreak and subsequent ugly crying*

Ross writes the love story of these characters beautifully, but kisses that sword softly before plunging it deep when the characters begin tangling with the knowledge that one of them is mortal, while the other is immortal, and time is not on their side, for eventually one of them will pass on without the other. Just about started screaming when Ross writes “this will break us both in the end. It will break me to live on when you have breathed your last. That I will continue to come to the river, years from now, and see you in every current, in every rainfall, only to remember that you are gone” (ugly sobs intensify, sniffles uncontrollable, actively placing a wellness check on myself). Ross explores themes of love (familial, platonic, romantic), grief (anticipated, active, and historic), vulnerability, sacrifice, fear, and bravery throughout the book, and then stitches up that mortal sword wound with a little bow in the epilogue.

Overall, once you get into the book it is truly a beautiful story that will also lowkey hurt your heart but put it back together. 4/5⭐️

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for an eARC of Wild Reverence in exchange for an honest review.

Born ​in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

I cannot even put into words the love I have for the both of them and their journey. As a lover of the Letters of Enchantment duology, a deeper glimpse into their world from the gods and goddesses point of view was so refreshing. Well, aside from Dacre, this just made me hate him even more. There are necessary evils in stories, he was not one of them and I hate any page time he gets. But Bade? Sweet, secretly soft for the women he cared about Bade! He has my whole heart. He's the adopted father figure everyone wants.

Matilda's growth was so good! To see her go from a naive child, to a strong woman to the ultimate badass who finds her true power? I'm here for it, I love it, I can't get enough of it. Vincent was a good support character for her, but I felt like he was not as well fleshed out (to be expected since this was following Matilda for the most part).

And one thing about Rebecca Ross? Boy does she really get you with that plot twist at the end that has you screaming and staying up late to finish her books.

Utterly captivating and beautifully written. Rebecca Ross has a way with world-building that transports you into the world like you're living among her characters. Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams and their journey is perfection-- no notes.

DNF after 54%
I wanted to love this, but I couldn’t get myself to care about the characters. The pacing also felt quite slow. I think I would have enjoyed this book if it was 100 pages shorter.

This book transports you into a beautiful world that only such lyrical writing can create. It did take me a little while to really get hooked, and I had to push through a few chapters before I was fully intrigued.

Once the worlds of gods and mortals begin to intertwine, the story becomes so much more magical especially as Matilda, a goddess, seeks help from Vincent, a mere mortal. Learning more about Matilda’s life and her story was fascinating, though I will say this is definitely a chunky read.

Perfect for fans of lush, myth-inspired fantasy who love to sink into an immersive world.

I did not want this to end. It felt like reading mythology growing up, it was magical, and interesting and I want more.

ended up having to temporarily dnf this one around 10% since from reviews it appears that reading Divine Rivals first would improve my understanding a lot. From my research I didn't think it was related, but I am going to revisit and add to this review once I've read Divine Rivals! Excited to dive into this world - at 10% I am already a fan, and expect to love it even more so after finishing the duology.

thank you to st martin's press and saturday books for the arc copy!

Ms. Ross never fails to disappoint me! I knew this was going to be a 5 star read from opening the page. It felt so good to be back in this universe but with new beautiful characters. The writing was exceptional and the romance was chefs kiss.

4.5 ⭐️
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC! I got it close to the publication date so this book is already out in the world. And I’m so glad it is! What magical writing. Rebecca Ross has such a way with words. I loved being back in the same world as Divine Rivals, but a much earlier story. So amazing to find out more about the gods and the ways magic works there. Matilda was everything. Reading about a baby goddess being born and growing up was fascinating. Vincent was the ultimate sweetie. I adore him. Read this book, people!

Wow. This is the best book I have read this year. I truly adore the relationship between Matilda and Vincent. This was the best kind of love story. The Letter of Enchantment series is holding top spot for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP for giving me the opportunity to read this book.
Rebecca Ross can do no wrong in my eyes. This story is full of heartbreak and it ties together so well that all I want to do is cry. It starts off slow but as you get through the story you are reminded of the Letters of Enchantment series.

I love Vincent and Matilda. Their love and ending makes me sob.

I really didn’t know what to expect from this book after loving Divine Rivals so much but I was so pleasantly surprised by it and I am happy to report that Rebecca Ross did not disappoint.

We are transported through the realms of the underlings, the skywards and the mortals through a magical story about the goddess Matilda and a mortal man named Vincent. I absolutely loved the background story about Matilda and getting glimpses into what being a child of the gods is like. Learning about the different powers and how powers can be transferred in this fantasy novel was really done masterfully in the writing, giving the reader enough detail to always understand what was going on and also keeping it interesting enough to keep the story flowing.

The love story between our two main characters felt soft and slow and magical, is really the best way that I can describe it. The connections to other characters bloomed as the story progressed and the trials that Matilda was put through broke your heart and made you absolutely root for her triumphs.

It was also so fun to get glimpses at characters and themes from Divine Rivals and get a bit of a deep dive of the behind the scenes from the previous series.

I loved everything about this book and I can’t wait to read whatever comes next from Rebecca Ross.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Saturday Books for the eARC!!

Thank you so much to Net Galley, The Publisher and Author for the eARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily with my honest opinion.

I requested this because I loved her Letters of Enchantment Duology to find that it is the same world, with the same gods!! So that was super exciting for me because I loved that duo so much. This story was beautifully crafted and written. The slow burn and yearning was everything to me. The world building was incredible. Loved this.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t immediately hooked when I started Wild Reverence but I am so glad I stuck with it because by the end I was completely swept away. Rebecca Ross has such a gift for world building and the way she layers imagery into every scene makes the world feel alive and immersive.

The characters are what really sealed it for me. Matilda’s growth as the FMC is both believable and deeply moving, while Vincent as the MMC adds a steady, compelling balance that makes their story feel not only like a romance but a saga of love and something greater than love itself.

Ross has a way of weaving magic through her words that feels effortless and it elevates the entire story into something unforgettable. By the time I turned the last page I wasn’t just satisfied, I was in awe.

Wild Reverence is a prose-rich and emotional adventure for reader's, especially die hard fans of the original duology. The introduction of characters new and briefly mentioned in Ruthless Vow are fun easter eggs for readers as they rediscover more of this Greek-like pantheon of Underlings and Skywards.

While I did think the characters of this book were interesting, what made the plot lose momentum for me was telling versus showing of the world or experience of character that reader's would find interesting. It made this story drag in places, such as when Vincent's uncle overthrew the palace or when Matilda grew up in the Skyward court. These were parts of the world I wanted to spend more time with instead of have briefly mentioned/glossed over.

The romance between the characters felt like something out of a greek myth like Orpheus and Eurydice. It felt a little insta-lovey since the readers were told Vincent dreamed of Matilda in the beginning. I think that would have been a cool idea to flush out a little. Like if Alva truly intertwined their minds when they slept, so they both visited each other. However, I did love the character's reunion and how they gradually fell in love with each other again.

All in all, this is a lovely prequel which leads into the Divine Rivals duology. I loved learning where the magic within the typewriters came from and Enva's role in it. I am sure fans of the original series will gladly welcome this book with open arms and enjoying returning into the world and learning more about the divine machinations at work within the world of Divine Rivals.

Wild Reverence was the most enchanting book I’ve read in a while. I was sucked into a world of mythology that was whimsical and deadly. I was held rapt and holding my breath as I waited to see who the loyal allies or ruthless betrayers would be and sometimes that line was blurred and left me uncertain. More than a few times I audibly gasped, not so silently begging for the next page to be more kind than the last page.

I loved the story so much. I was so touched by the sense of family created by the main characters and the love between Matilda and Vincent was lined with so many green flags (no morally grey needed, they were perfectly honest and deeply feeling, even if keeping secrets until the others hand was shown, it was never ugly or manipulative). I loved how most of the characters were flawed and selfish (but not Matilda or Vincent, they were just pure all the time) but still good on some level creating a realistic feel to their depths.

It was lightly heartbreaking all while giving the happy ending they deserved, and by the time they were united it was truly deserved. Beautiful fascinating story. I would give this book 20 stars if I could. I loved it so much. Now on to reread Divine Rivals with a backstory fresh in my mind.