I was fortunate to receive an e-ARC of Wild Reverence earlier this month, and I absolutely adored it. I was intrigued when I saw the audiobook sample was available and curious to know if the narration would provide the same level of enchantment and wistfulness I experienced when reading. I was not disappointed.

The narration is excellent and it really feels that the performance is capturing the essence of the story and the characters. I'm a sucker for a dual narration when it comes to romance stories, and I am so glad this audiobook went that direction. I will absolutely be listening to the full audiobook when it is available. Every element of the story, from the magic system to the tender romance to the minor political intrigue, exemplified Rebecca Ross's unique ability to craft a world that draws you in from the first page.

This is for the first 18 chapters of Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross. The audiobook experience has been wonderful so far. The narrator does a fantastic job conveying emotion and really brings the characters and atmosphere to life. Her performance adds depth and makes the story more engaging than it might have been on the page alone.

That said, the pacing of the story itself feels a little slow in the beginning. It takes its time building the world and characters, which can drag in places, but by the conclusion of this sneak peek audio the plot really begins to pick up and capture my attention more fully.

Overall, this is a solid start that promises even more excitement ahead. I’d definitely recommend the audiobook format for the immersive narration.

📖 Bookish Thoughts
After listening to the Sneak Peek of Wild Reverence, I’m even more excited for the full audiobook release! The narration was excellent, and I really enjoyed Hannah van der Westhuysen’s performance. This is a review of the sneak peek.

Thank you so much to Rebecca Ross, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this audiobook preview! I was fortunate to receive an e-ARC for Wild Reference earlier this month, so I was over the moon to get the chance to listen to the audiobook too.

This is a great reading. I love Ross's prose and the audiobook does a wonderful job of capturing her effervescent language. Wild Reverence is gripping from the beginning and I love all the time we spend below with Matilda and the gods. The political intrigue is very engaging and this audiobook sneak peak leaves us on a delicious cliff hanger. With audiobooks it can sometimes be harder to keep up with a complex magic system without the guides easily flipped through in ebooks and physical books. Ross does a great job distinguished between the constellations, gods, and their domains, making the Dramatis Personae and Divine Courts guide a nice-to-have, rather than a need.

This book is just wonderful, I cannot wait to share it with others in September!

I absolutely devoured this audio. love the dual narration. this was the perfect companion to the e-book arc I got as well. thank you!!!

This little snippet just made me even more excited for this book. I’m ready to jump back into her writing!

The following is an advanced review of the Wild Reverence audiobook. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for providing the first 18 chapters as a sneak peek on NetGalley!

Although I have not read Rebecca Ross’s other works set in this universe (Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows), I was drawn to this new release due to the strong reception of her earlier books. And I am happy to say that Wild Reverence lives up to my high expectations. The prose is elegant and finely crafted, well-suited for this story about the powerful gods of the sky and underworld, and the roles they play in the mortal realm between them. The cast of narrators brings the book to life beautifully, capturing the lyrical quality of the writing.

Although the pacing felt somewhat slow at first, this hasn’t negatively impacted my interest in the story, as it did help with the careful worldbuilding that fantasy requires. I am already invested in Matilda, the young herald of the gods, and I am eager to continue her journey across realms once the full book is released.

Expected Publication: September 2, 2025

I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t know the majority of what’s happening for most of the book but I enjoyed the ride. Also didn’t realize this was slightly a prequel for the Divine Rivals series that I loved. Matilda and Bade’s relationship was fun, the fine line between helper and enemy made their banter fun. Loved Vincent and Matilda

It is amazing that we are being given the opportunity to get a bit of a sneak peek to the first 18 chapters of this book!!

First and foremost, I love this book having already read the ARC. The audiobook is definitely enhancing the full experience. The narrators sound so perfect for the characters in this book. I am soooooo excited to get the full audiobook on release day!

The narration paired with Rebecca Ross' gorgeous prose combine to tell this beautiful and intriguing story! I have definitely been convinced to read the whole book on audio after this lovely sneak peek! The tone, pacing, and quality of the audio and narration are excellent. There is an ethereal quality that really sets up the atmosphere for this book of divine characters.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the Sneak Peek! Can't wait to hear the rest!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the sneak peek of Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross. This audiobook already feels like it’s destined to be a bestseller! I can’t wait to dive back in once the full release is here.

The beginning of this book grabs you. The writing is beautiful and the narration is perfect. I enjoyed the accents and I'm really excited to continue listening to it.

Wow wow this was so good! Obviously this is just the first part of the book, but so much happens! I am already sucked in to the world and the characters. And both narrators were phenomenal! I already have a physical copy of this book pre-ordered and after this sneak peek I will definitely be getting the audio as well!

Getting to experience the beautiful and lyrical prose of Rebecca Ross again is such a pleasure! Luckily, I also have the ARC of Wild Reverence, which is how I can continue the story that is limited by 18 chapter in the sneak peek we get here.

The narrator, Hannah von der Westhuysen, for Matilda’s POV chapters has a very soothing, soft voice that matches the writing beautifully and George Weightman as Vincent is just as fitting! I just know I’ll love the other half of the audiobook when it’s fully released in September!


Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for Provo this advance audiobook sample.

In Wild Reverence, set in the same realm as Divine Rivals, we meet Matilda, a goddess who is blessed with humble messenger magic. (something about Ross and magical forms of communication just work so well 😉)
Then you have Vincent of Beckett, a mortal lord who once begged this goddess for help in his dreams. A friendship grew between them through their unique circumstances until Matilda vanished one day. Years later, Matilda literally tumbles back into his life, not just his dreams. Their fates intertwine beyond dreams, mixing mortality with the divine.

This story is lyrical, immersive, and filled with the kind of aching beauty Rebecca Ross does so well. From the very first chapter, I felt pulled into a story about gods, mortals, and the power of connection. The familiar tug of the Divine Rivals world was comforting. If you loved Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows like I did (God teir), this prequel carries that same magic. It feels like a love letter to her fans while also expanding this intriguing world in new ways.

What stood out to me most was the way Ross balances tenderness with tension. There’s an intimacy here, not just between the characters but in the way the story itself feels natural. Ross did excellent world building and character relationships. I loved getting to know more about the divine and their realms through the eyes of Matilda.

I can’t give much away because I think it's best going into this with a little information as possible... but you will not be disappointed. It definitely lives up to the hype.

I received an ARC for an honest review--- honestly this book deserves 6 stars 🌟 I will definitely be listening to the audiobook once it's released fully (the sample wasn't enough) because I want to experience the story again and a Rebecca Ross book hasn't been narrated anything but perfectly yet.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was not only able to receive an ARC of Wild Reverence but also a sneak peek of the first 18 chapters of the audiobook and I swear it made the whole experience ten times more magical. I had already read the book before receiving the audio, but rereading and hearing the characters’ voices brought the story to life in such a vivid way. It pulled me right back in and made me fall even more in love with the characters and the world Rebecca Ross has created.

In the world where Underling and Skyward gods were still alive, Ross’ writing enchants me with its emotion and captivating world building. As I listened to the audiobook, I am not a fan of the narrator’s representation of the characters, especially for Bade and Zenia. It is as if they are always sleepy or breathless. Maybe she wants them sound wistful? But sorry no, I find them exasperating. Personally, I do not recommend the audiobook and would purchase the ebook for this (I need to finish the story and I cannot wait!)

3.5 stars for the audiobook but for the book it would be 4.5

I absolutely adored Wild Reverence when I read the ARC, so the moment I saw the audiobook sample was available I ran to download it! Listening to this sneak peek made me fall in love all over again.
Rebecca Ross’s writing is so lyrical and immersive it feels like you’re living inside the book, experiencing every emotion alongside her characters. Wild Reverence is a prequel to her Letters of Enchantment duology, and it ties into that world so beautifully and seamlessly.
Matilda and Vincent’s story - the love story between a goddess and a mortal - has completely captured my heart. I love them both so much, and I loved the narrators in this and thought they match the characters so well! Their voices add even more depth and atmosphere to this already breathtaking story.
I can’t wait to listen to the full audiobook once it’s released!
ーThank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the sneak peek!

FULL BOOK REVIEW will be following once I finish the kindle version.

The audio is perfect. I read the kindle version first and the voices matched how I envisioned they would sound.

I was able to listen to a sneak peek through NetGalley. I can see why so many people love these books. The writing was absolutely beautiful. There were a number of parts where I was genuinely in awe of how stunning some of the descriptions were. I was very excited at the idea of a young goddess trying to maneuver and find her way. Absolutely intriguing and had me hooked.

I had to look up the narrators, and they appear to be Hannah van der Westhuysen, George Weightman and Rebecca Norfolk (If this is incorrect, I’m happy to fix!). There were a number of parts where the narrator’s voice was so soft and beautiful, it fit perfectly into the authors writing style, feeling very lyrical.

My hiccup is a question that gets asked when a prequel gets released. Should you start with book number one, then go back to get the back story of the characters you already know? Or can you start with the back story, having no idea of any of the characters that are already established in books to come? I have never read Divine Rivals or Ruthless Vows, so all of these characters are new to me. Doing audiobook for fantasy has its drawbacks, and I think this prequel may be better suited if you have already read book one and two.

Regardless, the author is clearly talented and I completely understand why so many people are obsessed with these books. I would absolutely recommend this book to my fantasy book reading friends.