I loved the Divine Rivals Duology and was looking forward to this prequel to learn more about the gods. As to the gods, it was interesting and I felt like it broadened the understanding of the reader. However, the pacing is slow and for a very long book, it dragged for me. I love Rebecca’s books for the deeply romantic love stories but this did not deliver on that for me. I didn’t get that deep connection between Matilda and Vincent. I liked the connections to Divine Rivals but getting through this was tough for me.

I listened to the sneak peak on audiobook and enjoyed both narrators. I think if I had the full audio, I would have liked it more.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the gifted ebook and sneak peak audiobook. The thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Content Notes: Vague, brief open door romance

If 6,7,8,9,10 stars were an option… Rebecca Ross would get all of the stars. I have no words. Set in the world of Divine Rivals, but completely its own story. Possibly my best read of the year.

Giving feedback on only the first 18 chapters. Most of the sneak peek audio had the same narrator so it was hard to get a good feel for the others but I did enjoy what I heard. The male narrator for Vincent read at a faster pace than the other narrators which meant I i had to constantly adjust the speed for the different narrators.

Brilliant. I am just blown away by Rebecca’s beautiful and lyrical prose. It was soft and lush, striking and sensual. It was reminiscent of Madeline Miller’s Circe (one of my favorites) in the way the plot slowly unfurled, with each vibrant prose a new petal opening up to show the beauty of the whole story. It’s rich with detail, lush with emotion, and perfectly balanced with tempered pace and relevant action. I savored every moment!

I went into this pretty blind, not realizing it took place in the same world as the Letters of Enchantment duology. While I enjoyed those two, that would not have necessarily been a selling point for me. I adored that it was its own fresh story (albeit with some familiar faces) and focused on new characters in a new setting.

The love story was just starting by the time this sneak peak ended and I was riveted. It was absolutely dreamy (pun intended) and the yearning was palpable from the moment our MC’s meet. The emotion pulled at my heart in such a visceral way!

Narration: This was stunningly narrated. Occasionally when I enjoy a book this much I wish I was reading the physical copy in order to reread or highlight lines, but the narration flowed so well and had such a lovely intonation, I couldn’t imagine consuming these words another way. I cannot wait to keep listening!

Thank you so much to Macmillan and NetGalley for a sample ALC. I adored this and cannot wait to finish listening!

Endlessly excited for this book! While I am reading the ARC simultaneously, I have LOVED listening to this novel, and will highly recommend this format alongside the book. So complementary together!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC in exchange for my honest review!

4⭐ (because I was only given 18 Chaps!!! Need more!!!)

Tropes on the table:
🌌 Dream-bound connection
✉️ Fate-delivery magic & secret letters
👑 Forbidden power dynamics
⏳ Slow-burn reunion under high stakes
✨ Mythic goddess x irresistible human lord

I’m so intrigued to see how Matilda and Vincent’s story will unravel—already the tension, devotion, and sacrifice are set up so beautifully.

Also, I have to shout out the narration—absolutely stunning! The British accent added this rich, almost ethereal quality to the storytelling that made me melt. I was hooked, and it elevated the entire listening experience.

I was so intimidated to start this book, but then this dropped on netgalley and it was the perfect solution for my nervousness. I listened to the entire sneak peek and just wish I had the full version because I was having the time of my life! I loved the different voices and I, loving this book completely

Even though I’ve only listened to 18 chapters so far, it already sounds really good!

The audiobook Wild Reverence turned out to be atmospheric and well narrated. The voices of the narrators sound natural and don’t pull you out of the story. I really enjoy the atmosphere and the theme of gods, and I can’t help but picture them as Greek ones. It hooked me right away, even though I couldn’t quite find the mood to pick up the book before.

Audio:

The narrators are amazing. They have the perfect accents, cadence, and feeling to allow Rebecca's words to come to life in a beautiful way. The production is amazing quality, I felt like all of the chapter changes and narrator switches were very smooth. Being able to sound ethereal and immortal is such a talent and she pulls it off magically.

Content:

If I could give this book more than five stars I would. I don't know how Rebecca manages to be so elegant and lyrical in her writing but I am in absolute awe.

While Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows told us the story of the mortal lands in relation to their battles fought for and because of the gods - Wild Reverence allows us to step into Skyward and Underling and see the myths for ourselves.

This book takes place in the past and follows Matilda (a young goddess) and Vincent (a mortal lord) and their lives as their love story slowly unfolds. They have to overcome obstacles and be truly vulnerable and trusting to one another while the world around them seems to just want to tear them apart (remind you of anything?).

Unlike the other two books, this time we get a lot of insight into the gods - their desires, secrets, alliances, homes, etc. It absolutely added the depth that was missing in parts of Ruthless Vows. We got to see first hand how the gods interfere with the mortals and how their fates are all intertwined with one another.

The side characters in WR were wildly compelling and complex. I adored Bade - seeing the god of war change over time and come to terms with who he wants to be vs who he has been was shockingly deep for a character that easily could have just been brought in as a plot device when needed. Nathaniel - Vincent's younger brother - is also a really interesting character and I'd love to see more about him and his life (before, during, and after the events of WR).

The yearning, the longing, the desire, the trust, the vulnerability, the despair practically leapt off the page. I don't even have words for how utterly perfect the epilogue is. It ties everything together in such a beautiful, magical way.

I would LOVE to have more from this universe, if Rebecca is willing to expand on other gods stories or other eras in Cambria I am HERE for it.

I read a full ARC of this book and absolutely loved it. I love audio books and had to snag this sneak peak of the audio to get a taste of what that would be like. The narrators are on point! I loved this and can’t wait to listen to the full audio!

I want to thank Net Galley and McMillan Audiobooks for the chance to listen to the first 18 chapters of this audio. I loved it and can’t wait to listen to the complete story. I loved the narrators voice for Matilda and Vincent for the most part but felt like there wasn’t enough of a difference between Dacre and Ophtia’s character.s.

Matilda is a herald of the gods, a messenger between realms - and an outcast in every one of them. Vincent of Beckett is a mortal praying to the girl in his dreams, begging help for his kingdom against the enemies at his castle’s gate.

This book really oscillated between a 3 and a 4 star read. The first handful of chapters are a slog in a way I did not expect, and it was difficult to connect with the story. The writing is far too flowery. If I were in the mood for that I could’ve enjoyed it more, but the pace felt like walking against the current. Their story is very sweet, and their relationship is just starting to pick up where the sneak peak ends.

If you’re a passenger princess, reading-for-the-vibes type reader, you’ll probably love this. It’s pure escapism. However, I felt like I was taking it too seriously and asking questions like “but what time does the flow start” in a book that wasn’t easily able to answer them. Regardless, it was a good time.

I enjoyed Matilda's audio narrator, but didn't love Vincent's. I think I would give this a 3/5 star review for the audio, but a 4/5 for the story as I originally read as an ebook.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Saturday Books for the advanced audio sneak peak!

Thank you for this sneak peek preview of wild reverence! I can not wait to finish listening! The hardest thing with the preview is you have to wait to finish it! Either way this story is going to be excellent when I finish!

Thankyou so much for the sneak peek!!

The first 18 chapters were AMAZING!!’ I need the rest immediately

I’m incredibly grateful for the chance to listen to the first 18 chapters of Wild Reverence! Rebecca Ross and her writing you guys…so mesmerizing!

The book follows Matilda, the youngest goddess of the Underworld Clan. She is gifted with messenger magic, enabling her to carry words and proclamations between realms. Through dream scrolls, she forms a connection with a boy named Vincent. But when Matilda accidentally reveals a secret in one of his dreams, it sets the events of the story in motion. Vincent has only ever seen Matilda in his dreams, and on the gravest night of his life, he calls upon her for aid. When his call goes unanswered, he is forced to become a hardened lord of his land and ultimately tries to forget Matilda.

The narrators are so talented, they really brought the characters and the world Rebecca Ross created to life! I can’t wait to keep listening when this book releases! I usually love listening to the audiobook while reading along—it helps me retain information better and really enhances the immersive world-building! I was hooked after just two chapters, and of course, the audiobook ends on a killer cliffhanger!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the sneak peak at Wild Reverence.

The first 18 chapters of the audiobook that I got to listen to were fantastic! The narrators did a wonderful job bringing the story and characters of Rebecca Ross to life. Ross has created a lush world of gods and mortals with wonderful imagery and use of language. The world-building in this novel and the slow build of the relationship between Matilda and Vincent has captivated me--I can't wait to continue this story and the journeys of the characters once it is released!

I fell for the sneak peek again!

I’m hooked! Can’t wait for the book to come out so I can finish this. Really interested in the story!

Ahh… it is a sneak peek version that’s only 25% of the whole book and it ended at such a cliffhanger that I can’t wait to see what really happens ahead.

TBH, the world is really cool. But, I guess I preferred Divine Rivals way more. That doesn’t mean that it is not enjoyable. Well, listening to just one fourth of a book, we can just say this much.

Can’t wait to read what happens later…ahh

I read the eARC of Wild Reverence and can also confirm that this NARRATION IS INCREDIBLE! Thank you so much for the opportunity to be enthralled all over again!

I read a "sneak peek" via Netgalley today, and I'm loving it. It's very different from Divine Rivals. It is a slow build with the two main characters, but the focus is on Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan (think Greek-inspired) with the lowest level (as it seems when they look into her powers as a babe). She does not know who her father is, as her mother feared what he would do when he found out that she not only hid the pregnancy but also never told him he had a child. The gods are funny about children, and if they feel threatened at all, regardless of whether they are of their blood, they could lash out and kill them. When another goddess sneaks magic scrolls to her that share the dreams of a human boy, they meet in secret in his dreams and become fast friends, until one day they meet face to face. This quick look into both of their stories leaves them both in situations that are beyond their control, but I assume that their lives will once again cross and be entwined.

This short glance into the book has me curious where this story will go. There seems to be trouble in both the human world and the realm where the Gods reside. My rating so far is 4. It could go higher or lower depending on where the rest of this story takes me. Once I get it, I will update this accordingly.