Okay, Rebecca Ross just isn’t the author for me. This was a DNF and it was just the sneak peek. I gave it a good try but yeah, I’ll give in.

This sneak peek was a great intro into Wild Reverence, I can't wait to watch the story unfold!! Matilda is such a fearless, big-hearted heroine, and I loved following her journey. And Vincent… wow. I adored him in every scene. The way he loves the people around him and the sacrifices he’s willing to make? LOVE

I will be honest, I had not read the Divine Rivals duology before requesting this ARC (my attention was grabbed by the cover), but to my understanding this serves as a prequel. I’m glad that my bird brain saw this on Net Galley and decided to request the audio book and the e-arc because the second I finished listening + reading this I purchased the duology. The story swept me away – it was magical, emotional, and so beautifully written. There was a lot of self-discoveries done in a world that was cruel to both Matilda (the FMC) & Vincent (the MMC) while they learned to trust themselves and hold onto love when it finds you.
The book’s pacing is languid due to the amount of background we get but the more you read the book the more captivated you will be. If you’re anything like me, you may even cry.
The world building, character background, and the magic system are all intertwined in a way that is confusing at first, but the pieces WILL fall into place. The book wove in aspects of Greek mythology into stories of the god, horoscopes and their corresponding constellations into the magic system (the gods are born, their corresponding horoscopes and constellations determine their power, but they can steal or borrow stars). All those bits of information create a story where there is division between worlds/realms, an imbalance between immortals and mortals, and a lack of trust between those who should care for you.

“Love amongst immortals is a weakness.”

The book is dual POV between Matildia and Vincent. Matilda is the daughter of an Underling and Skyward, a forbidden union. As she grows and learns more about her powers, she also learns of a mortal boy who dreams of her. Vincent is the third son of a Lord in the mortal realm who dreamed of Matilda when they were both about 9 years old. Their story spans a mortal lifetime as Matilda is the youngest of the gods. Matilda and Vincent both must shed prejudices and alter their worldviews to make their partnership work after having been separated for 13 years. The growth of the characters felt real, like you were reading about real people and how they change (especially in a world where being perceived as soft/vulnerable makes you a target).

“There is nothing more devastating to a god than to lose their power and immortality, for their name to be forgotten and blotted out in disgrace.”

Both these characters have faced hardship into adulthood. Both of them have lost the desire to trust (especially Matilda because she could've been killed even by the people who claim to care for her). Matilda and Vincent stole my heart as individual characters and as a couple they were breathtaking. Their pasts could have hardened them but at their cores they are compassionate, kind, loyal, and selfless. Their love is patient, enduring, and full of yearning.

“I would wait a thousand years for you,” Vincent said. “If you asked me, I would wait for you until only my bones remained upon an altar. But if you must leave again, then let me follow you, Red.

Wild Reverence inspired me to pick up the Divine Rivals duology and the audiobook was beautifully performed. I am upset that I only received the sneak peek (which was up to Ch. 18) because I craved the book in its entirety as the audiobook. I honestly think that Rebecca Ross might just become an auto-buy author for me and Rebecca Norfolk, Hannah Van Der Westhuyen, and George Weightman did wonderful jobs narrating the book.

5 ⭐️ Absolutely loved this book! Thank you so much for the sneak peak of it, NetGalley!
I truly love anything by Rebecca Ross and the Letters of Enchantment series is truly one of my forever favorite series and I lovingly have reread Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows so many times already!

Being able to listen to the sneak peak of the audiobook was so much fun and you can tell that the narrators put their all into voicing the characters and truly cared about this book and the world that Rebecca Ross built! I cannot wait to finish listening to the book once I buy it from Libro.fm!

I did not expect this to be a prequel! And I don't know why I didn't. It was one of the first times I went in blind! Thanks for this sneak peak! I need to go finish it now. Very intriguing, unique and poetic, very easy to get back into the world of Divine Rivals

Let’s be real, I was absolutely thrilled to be invited back into the world of Divine Rivals. Not only that, but the lives of the Gods that were the origins of the plot line for DR.

This book felt magical from start to finish, and I loved how much story (and backstory) we received in this. Found family, destinies, and a love story that spanned longer than a decade.

Rebecca Ross has this way of making her books feel like you’re watching a movie in your brain, and this book was no different!

Admittedly, this took me a long time to get through, partially because it’s looooong and partially because the beginning starts out pretty slow. There is a lot of world to build early on so we understand the gods - yes, this is connected to Divine Rivals, but this story has its own depth of the powers of the gods.

The world building in here is insane. There’s so much intricacy to the gods and the hierarchy of powers. We also get to see the world through the course of Matilda’s life since the book begins with her birth and spends time in her childhood/adolescence, and then continues to take place mostly in her adulthood. This expands our understanding of everything even more.

Ultimately, this becomes a love story between a goddess and a mortal and the lengths they will go to for each other. It’s a story of fate and how we will always return to the ones we love. It’s a story of loyalty. And it sets a foundation for what events transpire in Divine Rivals.

After about the 25% mark, the pacing picked up and did not let up. I found myself devouring the story more and more and excited to see what was next. I loved Matilda and her imperfect decision making. I loved Vincent and his unwavering loyalty. At times, it felt a bit repetitive (and tiring for Vincent) that Matilda would often just… vanish? And once she returned he would just go on as if nothing happened? I wanted Vincent to have a little more of a spine when it came to Matilda’s actions. But I still liked them together.

Overall, I loved the plot, the world, and the romance. Rebecca Ross has done it again.

Audio notes: the audiobook for this is excellent. Told in two POVs, we get two narrators who bring the story to life beautifully. Everything is clear with great pacing. This is a great story for immersive reading.

I need the rest of this book immediately. Luckily, the hardcover is sitting on my nightstand so I can proceed without a moment's hesitation! Loved this! Cannot wait to finish!

I read The Enchantment of Letters of Duology and really enjoyed it so I was excited to read more in this world. The sneak peak did not disappoint! Ross has beautiful prose, as per usual, and the narration was done well. I’m excited to read the rest of the book!

Thank you, Netgalley, Rebecca Ross, and Macmillan Audio, for my sneak peek at this wonderful book! I am a huge fan of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows, so when I saw that this book was based on the gods from the duology, I knew I had to read it. It did not disappoint! I love the audio and the narrators. Their voices are so soothing and really make me feel like I'm there in their world.

I could not stop where the sneak peek stopped, so I am not listening to the rest of it. I'm savoring every moment and cannot wait to see how this book ends.

I would highly recommend this, especially the audio!

Rebecca Ross’s writing is as lyrical and immersive as ever. From the first chapters, Matilda and Vincent’s story is compelling, full of tension, mythology, and heart. Even with just this sampler, I’m completely hooked and can’t wait for the full novel.

This is my first Rebecca Ross book (I know, what a strange place ot start), but I am absolutely obsessed! I love how the story has a Greek mythology feel and I think that the narrators have done an amazing job in creating that feel. As somebody who typically listens to audiobooks at 1.5x - 1.75x speed, I found myself not wanting to speed it up because the delivery was just so perfect. I'm currently listening to the rest of the book and know its going to be one of my top reads this year!

This sneak peek of the audiobook was the perfect way to dive into Rebecca Ross’s newest story. It gave me both a head start on the plot and the chance to decide whether I wanted to continue with the audio or switch to a physical copy. After listening to the eighteen chapters included, I can already tell this book is shaping up to be just as powerful—if not more so—than the Divine Rivals duology. The introduction is captivating, the backstory is richly developed, and Ross once again transports us into the Letters of Enchantment world with writing that feels both familiar and fresh.

The audiobook itself is beautifully produced. From the start, I knew I’d be purchasing it on publication day. The narration is stunning, perfectly complementing Ross’s lyrical and descriptive storytelling style, which brings the world and characters to life immediately. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this early audio sample—I highly recommend the audiobook, as the narrators do a truly fantastic job.

Due to this I.will be purchasing the audio and physical book!

Rebecca Ross is one of my favorite authors, and this sneak peak didn't disapoint! The narration job is fantastic, and the prose is outstanding as always. I can't wait to read the rest of it!

The sneak peek has me excited to read the full book! Already I can tell this book will not be an epic fantasy, but one that explores the growth and life of the main character. It goes through her life and experiences as a goddess who doesn't fit in anywhere and how she interacts with others. I really am enjoying the narrator and think they do a great job bringing this character to life. I will want to read the full book with both ears and eyes though, as many of the names and places will stick better in my head when I can see them and hear them.

Ughhh I need MORE! I didn't realize this was just a sneak peek, but now I'm ravenous to read the whole thing!

This is the perfect sneak peak at the audiobook for readers. It allowed me to get a great head start on the story while also being able to take the time to decide if the audiobook is worth it or if I wanted to continue with the physical copy.

For me, this audio book is beautifully done. I knew right away I would buy the audiobook on pub day. The narration is beautiful. I am able to speed up without feeling lost and can understand everything very well.

Rebecca Ross really captures me with her narratives.

This sneak peak was soooo good!! I need to get this asap and return to the world of poetic romance that Rebecca Ross created 😍

This sneak peak really made me excited to continue the story. It feels a little different from Divine Rivals, but that doesn’t need to be a bad thing. The story and world is beautifully written, and you just want to continue,

STUNNING

Rebecca Ross has the must beautiful story telling ability. With such lyrical and descriptive writing this story comes to life right away.

Absolutely loved this unique world and magic