Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.

Matilda is a minor goddess who wants to survive by staying invisible. But she finds herself being drawn into the games the gods play as her fate becomes entwined with that of Vincent, a mortal man.

Honestly, I love this book. The writing is lyrical and engaging. Language plays a huge part in creating the tone and setting of the story. And the world building and lore here are incredible. I enjoyed Divine Rivals, but really wanted more about the gods and the magic system. This absolutely delivers. All of the characters are interesting and dynamic. Matilda is the primary POV character, and I love the way we see her view of the others change as she grows up. I love the characters, I love the world, I love the magic system, I love the way relationships allow Matilda to blossom as an individual (very Philadelphia Story, in my opinion. And her nickname is Red?!?!). Everything about this story was right up my alley.

All that said, I do think there are some minor pacing issues, as well as a few characters/story lines that never really get resolved. I also wanted to savor the ending a bit more, given all that had transpired to arrive there, and was slightly disappointed by how rushed the end feels. This was still a solid 4.5 for me though!

If, like me, you enjoyed reading mythology/fairy tales as a kid, you enjoy characters who have to unlearn the idea that love/vulnerability is weakness, or you are intrigued by unique magic systems, this might be the book for you.

Content warnings: mild language, violence, some sexual content, and death

I really enjoyed this! It was a little slow paced, but I loved every part of it. The godly pantheon world building was really cool, and I liked seeing Matilda’s childhood. Then seeing Matilda as an adult and how she grows into her power was so cool! I loved all the side characters too, they were so fleshed out and I cared deeply for all of them. I do wish the end had been a bit different, but I’m not upset about it.

I ❤️ Rebecca Ross
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the eArc!

I adore this book. It contains god and goddesses, magic and myths, unimaginable power but ultimately it is a story about the power of love. Love connects beings more deeply and powerfully than anything else including the magic wielded by gods. Vincent and Matilda meet as children in Vincent’s dreams, and the unbreakable bond between the two is forged. One a goddess, the other a mortal, but they understand each other as no one else in any of the realms do.

They are separated for a long while due to circumstances, but Matilda returns to Vincent when he needs her most. His faith has been broken by her absence from his life and tragic happenings, but he can’t resist the pull to her. Over and over again, they together triumph over what life throws at them. No matter what others think, no matter the consequences, it is them against the realms and their inhabitants.

I haven’t read the Divine Rivals duology and lived this book regardless. So don’t let not having read those stop you from picking this one up. I do know there are Easter eggs in the book for those who have to enjoy as well. Either way, read this. You won’t regret it.

This was a beautiful atmospheric read. The romance felt a bit more secondary and the pacing was a bit slower but overall a good book that I enjoyed.

I enjoy the fantasy genre and author Rebecca Yarros does an excellent job of world building so this was a case of my mood affecting me to not finish this book! I could not get into this one and so unfortunately I am DNFing it.

BRILLIANT!!!! 🌟 This was just an amazing addition to the Letters of Enchantment duology. I didn't realize jumping into this book that it was going to weave itself so seamlessly into this world. (yes I neglected to read the blurb again and just jumped into a book blindly 😅 but it keeps working out so well for me so I'll probably do it again)

I LOVED Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, I thought it was super sweet and just an amazing story. I feel that the magic and fantasy lends itself to be a brilliant opening read for people who maybe 🤔 don't typically like fantasy. I honestly felt like it read more like a Historical Fiction with a sprinkle of magic lol 🤣

ANYWAY for those who felt like that duology didn't have ENOUGH magic 🪄 or explanation of the gods/magic system THIS book answers EVERYTHING and more. It is such an amazing addition!!!! In a way I almost felt like I wish I was able to read this book first 🤔 because it just set up everything so well.....but at the end I was honestly almost in tears with how beautifully Rebecca wove both storylines together.

Just a masterpiece, I'll definitely be recommending this to everyone ❤️❤️❤️ I mean it did make me take a step back when I saw the page count BUT IT'S SO WORTH IT!!!! ALL OF IT

THANK YOU to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this book. This review was written voluntarily.

TRUST ME 😉 read this book BUT only after you read the original Letters of Enchantment duology, it is SOOOOO worth it. Just so amazing 😍

Absolutely beautiful story of a love that spans not only decades, but realms. Matilda and Vincent’s love could teach us all a lesson. No notes.

I had really high hopes for this book, and still feel like maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood for it?? I seriously wanted to love this book so much, and the writing was absolutely beautiful. The plot is really interesting and I love making Gods more human and flawed and diving into the moral issues of immortality that are explored in this book. Something about the middle third of this book that just completely lost me, even though I can’t pinpoint what it was despite trying so hard to figure it out. So many good quotes I pulled out!! My biggest issue is what seems like a power imbalance once Matilda gets all of her powers. She basically became all powerful with the only “bad” part being that the mortals didn’t know who she was.

This book is exactly what I love about Rebecca Ross. Her writing is poetic and you get sucked into the world from page one. I loved Matilda and Vincent’s romance and individually. Will be forcing everyone I know to read this book!!

I will read everything Rebecca Ross writes. Her tales are always well built and beautifully crafted. “Wild Reverence” is a beautiful story of a goddess’ journey through life and love. I enjoyed the slow burn build up of the romance and the creation of this world. Ross did an excellent job bringing life to all the characters. Matilda is born with constellations that make her Herald of the gods. The only who can pass between the Underling and Skyward realms. She begins to learn about the mortal world and develops a dream connection to a mortal man, Vincent. Years later, she may be the only one can save his life. The mythology created in this story is beautifully crafted. The realm of the gods and Matildas origin story were my favorite parts of this book. Not to mention a special fatherly figure relationship. Fans of the Isles of Cadence duology will enjoy this story.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I went into this with an incredibly open mind, but I will say that I didn't absolutely adore Divine Rivals like others did.

It is honestly hard to qualify what I am thinking. Rebecca Ross's writing is so atmospheric and immersive that you believe what is happening is real and that there are gods. Fantasy books now-a-days always portray the male as someone who is magical or special to make them more attractive to female readers. I love that Ms. Ross flipped this on its head and emphasized what qualities are truly admirable about Vincent.

Matilda is such a complex character and her history is so interesting that I found myself unable to leave the world. Vincent and Matilda's relationship and their journey will always have a special place in my heart. I don't want to spoil it any further but DEFINITELY read this!!!

This. was. stunning.

As someone who isn't a huge fantasy reader, it's telling that Rebecca Ross is an auto-buy author for me. She's helped me fall in love with the genre, and her writing never fails to be both beautiful and accessible.

I've done a lot of complaining about slow books that have left me bored lately, but this is what I mean when I say I actually do like slow books. This book is SLOW. There is a lot of exposition, and it takes a long time to really get to the meat of it. In this case though? It all made sense. Every morsel of world building we get feels necessary and is important to the story. I thought world Ross built was so rich, and it managed to take the ideas of Divine Rivals and expand on them in a way that felt wholly its own.

And the romance! The romance. I adored Matilda and Vincent and thought their love story was so beautiful. It grew so naturally but still felt intense and gorgeous.

This book was longer than I usually enjoy (I love a short book TBH), but it felt worth every page. I'm so glad I got to live in this world for the time that I did.

Divine Rivals takes us on a journey through ink and typewriters, but Wild Reverence takes us through the magic and godliness of what lies within them. It was filled with beautiful, poetic storytelling that makes you sob and laugh and smile.

I don’t even know where to begin, but the storytelling absolutely swept me away into the most magical, beautiful, emotional journey- and I loved every second of it. This is a story about love, fate, trust in others and yourself. It shows you that love is not a weakness but a strength. Rebecca’s writing is so spectacular. You really feel transported into the scenes, and every line is so eloquent and poetic you just get pulled straight in. I was absolutely glued to every page the further I got into the story, and I quite literally couldn’t even put the book down after 75% I just had to go straight to the end. And the epilogue? Wrecked me. If you have read Divine Rivals already it makes it so much more special and emotional.

Our heroine Matilda has the most incredible story. It’s filled with hardship, love, sorrow, and self-discovery. She is such a strong and unique character and I absolutely loved being on her journey and holding on to her secrets with her. Her battle to find whom to put her trust and faith in was so heartbreaking yet awe inspiring. Finding herself split between worlds and lives, it was so special to watch her figure out her purpose and path.

But my favorite character?? BADE. 😭 Bade and Matilda. Bade and Adria. Bade and Zenia. Bade and Vincent. He absolutely carried the found family trope on his back. He was such an amazing character, I was literally sobbing by the end of this because of him and his relationship with Matilda. He protected her, loved her, and guided her throughout the book even when the mere concept was frowned upon. You best believe I was waiting for MORE at the end and the fact that we don’t get it made me want to scream...😭 but I digress lol. Bade and Adria are such a beautiful part of this story. I couldn’t picture it any other way ugh it just brings so much warmth and joy to my heart. I’d read a whole spinoff book of just them!

Truly this book wrecked me and my heart. It was absolutely one of my top reads for the year. It took me on such an enthralling, emotional ride that I think everyone should experience! Nothing beats a well paced, poetic, ethereal fantasy standalone to rip your heart out and then put it back together. Wild Reverence took the concept of love letters to a whole new world. 😭

5/5 stars. I love this world and was so excited to get the chance to exist in this realm again. This is an amazing standalone romance, Ross' writing style is lyrical and flows in such a beautiful way. With each release you can tell she is becoming an absolute master of her craft, the pacing, the world-building and even the supporting characters were complex and well fleshed out. I cannot wait for what she puts out next, I am so excited to see how she tops this.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest opinion. A solid 4 star read, Wild Reverence explores themes of love, sacrifice, and trust. A prequel to Divine Rivals, we learn the lore behind the gods that exist above, below, and within the mortal world. A true delight and wonderful prose, I would recommend this book to any fantasy readers that enjoy a romance subplot,

Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 4⭐️
Plot:4⭐️
Themes: 4.5⭐️
Resolution:4⭐️
Personal Connection/Enjoyment:4⭐️
Emotional Impact:3.5⭐️
Writing Style: 4.25⭐️
OVERALL: 4⭐️

5 ⭐️

Review:

I do not think I could love an author more! Rebecca’s writing is just so beautiful. Her characters are so wonderfully developed, that you can’t help but feel something for them/with them. And this book is no different. It falls into the same world as divine rivals and I would definitely recommend reading it in between the first and second book of that duology. This one does focus more on a goddess, Matilda, and a human, Vincent. && the way that they yearn for each other, is EVERYTHING!

Summary:

Matilda was not supposed to be here. Born from parents of the underworld, and the sky world it was supposed to be forbidden. However, she is able to remain a secret for a while as she starts to discover who she is. Tasked with delivering messages to, and from the gods, with her abilities to enter both worlds. But there’s one anomaly besides her, that doesn’t fit. A human boy, Vincent, Has been dreaming about her. And after gaining the courage to meet him, her thoughts frequently are with him. But then she is sent to deliver a letter to him. He has been doomed to no longer live, but Matilda would risk her heart and immortality to save him.

Favorite Quote:

“Dear Matilda,
You have been gone for three days and I have never been more conscience of time before now. I count the hours, listening for the bells to mark them. I collect each moment that you’ve been away, And I feel them gather in my bones like winter.
I long for you.
I do not know when this happened, when the current rose, and I let it take me, willingly, but there came a moment when I looked at you and could not breathe. there was a moment when I watch you depart, and I wanted to fall to my knees.
I know that you and I come from different realms, and that you will be prone to wander, as your magic prompt you. And I am a man with fruit and a set number of days allotted to me. That I do not want to waste. My life feels brief as the due when I compare it to your ocean, but if you will have me, this is what I offer you.
My home is your home. My arms are a haven for you to rest. Mine last name is yours if you desire it. I will love you to my grave, and even beyond it, when the Miss welcomed me, when I am hopefully very old and gray and grouchy and have spent the season beside you when you are here and dreaming of you when you are gone.
I love you, dearly, red.
Come home to me. Return to me, when you can. I will be watching the skies in the river until then.
Yours
Vincent“

Tropes:
• gods/goddesses
• found family
• magical powers
• political intrigue?

*5 Stars*
Summary: Such a heartbreaking yet comforting return to this world.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was invested, emotionally enthralled, and stressed the heck out. I haven’t been this worried while reading a book in a while.

Things I Liked:

- The Writing: Just as lyrical and storyteller-esque as with the Letters of Enchantment duology. I both love and hate (because it makes me sad) reading books that shape the characters as legends soon forgotten by mortal kind, and this book nails that tone.

- Matilda: What a great protagonist to follow. She’s strong and brave and confident yet uncertain and passionate and multifaceted. I loved seeing the world of the gods through her eyes, and I loved her powers and how she used them. I could really feel how godlike she felt to those around her.

- Vincent: Another great character to follow. Same as Matilda, he’s such a strong character who both knows and doesn’t know what he wants, exploring what it means to be a man who has “everything” and wants none of it.

- Bade & Secondary Characters: I loved just how filled out the world felt, especially in regards to the side characters. They all felt like they were people in their own right (especially Bade, I loved his relationship with Matilda). Even those meant to just be plot points or solely moved a scene forward, I felt like I was getting a glimpse into a real person crossing paths with our main characters. Great antagonists as well!

- The Worldbuilding: In the LoE duology, the gods are all dead, and we know virtually nothing of their world. I am so so glad we learn about it here, both realms plus the wastelands. Such a richly explored divinity system.

Things I Didn’t Like:

- Really only two minor things. Pacing felt off at times, but only because of the type of story that was being told. We spent a lot of time with 12-year-old Matilda, but missed all her years growing after that until about 22/23? I wish we’d seen some of it rather than just hear about it, because it actually becomes relevant to the plot.

- The other minor thing: I just found it so weird that someone (minor SPOILER) gets married to their murderer. I saw it being set up but… so weird, especially since we never learn who that character is as a person.

That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I’m so satisfied with its ending, no matter how bittersweet it was!

I literally sobbed through the majority of this book. The writing was fantastic. I didn't want it to end.

A romantasy filled with drama, tension, romance, and fighting for what you believe in.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press / Saturday Books for providing an e-arc. All opinions are my own!

Short Synopsis:
Wild Reverence follows the story of Matilda, a young goddess and message carrier, who is navigating her place in the world amongst the under realm, the mortal realm the sky realm. When she’s sent to deliver a letter to Vincent, a lord in the mortal realm, it sets them on the path to become star crossed lovers amidst a battle to save Vincent’s home.

My Thoughts:
I really struggled to get into this story until closer to 50% of the way in. Had I not heard so many people raving about this one, it likely would have been a DNF. Once the story started to pick up, I absolutely loved it! The second half alone would have been five stars for me! I adored Matilda and Vincent’s romance and the ending had me near tears!

Read this one if you like:
✨ Romantasy
✨ Star crossed lovers
✨ Relationships between Gods and Mortals
✨ Slow burn

Once again Rebecca Ross has given us a story we didn’t know we needed. Wild Reverence was magical and romantic and filled with such beautiful words and world building it was hard to pull myself away once I passed the first quarter of the book. I will say that it did take me a little bit to be pulled into the story. The yearning and love between Matilda and Vincent was truly beautiful and getting to see those little Easter eggs from the other books we a fun little treat.