Divine Rivals

Letters of Enchantment #1

by Rebecca Ross

No god, no creature, no war can come between them

When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, their fate depends on their facing the depths of hell… together.

After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again…

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, Romantasy, Audiobook, Fiction, Enemies To Lovers

368 pages, Hardcover

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

Rebecca Ross is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy books for teens and adults.

She has written multiple highly acclaimed duologies, including LETTERS OF ENCHANTMENT, ELEMENTS OF CADENCE, and THE QUEEN’S RISING as well as two standalone novels: DREAMS LIE BENEATH and SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG.

When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband and her dog. Find her on Instagram @beccajross or online at www.rebeccarossauthor.com.

Rebecca is represented by Suzie Townsend of New Leaf Literary & Media.

Reviews

[kendyl ʚ♡⃛ɞ (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

∞/5 ★’s

⁀➷ ❝iris, you are worthy of love, you are worthy to feel joy right now, even in the darkness. and just in case you're wondering...i’m not going anywhere, unless you tell me to leave, and even then, we might need to negotiate.❞

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

𝓼𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀

❥ 𝒶𝓁𝑒𝓍𝒶 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎:
love me like you do by ellie goulding🥹🦋

what do i love most about being a reader?
being reminded that simple ink on paper can quite literally change your life and perspective on things.

before i get into my review…i just want to remind you lovelies that i don’t read a lot of fantasy or ya books. i also HATE third person. with both those things being said…i was hesitant to read this ya fantasy, but now i simply can’t wait to read more and the third person!? i literally loved it. now i truly don’t mind third person at all🤭those who know me, know that i am the biggest whore for romance, but after finishing this masterpiece!?!? i can’t even begin to look at another romance book on my shelf right now. divine rivals easily became one of my favorite reads of 2023! i loved everything about it<3

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝒶𝑒𝓈𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓉𝒾𝒸:
- fantasy war setting
- magic
- letters
- dual pov

❥ 𝓉𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈:
- he falls first and falls harder
- workplace rivals to lovers
- poor girl, rich boy
- slowburn
- found family

❥ 𝓉𝓇𝒾𝑔𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈:
death and the romance may make you feel extremely single afterwards…even if you’re in a relationship like me😂😞okay i’m sorry, but i didn’t just want to put death.

❥ 𝓅𝓁𝑜𝓉:
10/10 so captivating. the chapters are really short in the beginning and get longer towards the end, but the plot is so good that you won’t even notice. once you get to the halfway point of the book…you’ll be on the last page in a blink of an eye. if you are a big fan of romance and you don’t read a lot of fantasy because you feel that you won’t enjoy it…reading a romantasy will change your life! sometimes a standard romance book lacks a good plot or the plots may feel very similar to other romance books, but if you mix a fantasy plot with a good romance subplot…you’ll find yourself never getting bored with what’s going on. if you haven’t read a lot of fantasy…it may get confusing at times, but i promise you that’s normal!!!<3

❥ 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝒾 𝓅𝓁𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎:
iris winnow and roman kitt live two very different lives, but they are similar in some aspects. they both share the same love for writing and happen to be rivals, fighting for a promotion at their workplace. while iris’ brother, forest, is off at war, she continuously writes letters to him…letters that end up in her rival’s hands. what happens when roman writes her back knowing it’s her, but she has no idea that it’s him?

❥ 𝓌𝓇𝒾𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔:
beautiful and poetic. i truly mean it when i say that rebecca ross could bury me alive with her words and i’d die a happy woman. suffocate me with your words, rebecca, please😩the amount of things i underlined in the book. i swear, if i could, i would put all of my annotations in my review, but goodreads would tell me that my review is too long. there are so many quotes and so many scenes that stuck with me🥹

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓀𝒾𝓉𝓉:

⁀➷ ❝iris, look at me. you deserve all the happiness in the world. and i intend to see that you have that.❞

roman kitt is the definition of: if he wanted to, he would🦋he shows it throughout the entire book and i am 100% swooning over this man🥹as perfect as his life seems to be, it’s anything but perfect. with a dark past and a dad who likes to be in control of his life, roman only has two things to look forward to…his writing career and writing anonymous letters to a girl who despises him. roman, in the beginning of the book, is very cocky, a bit arrogant, and kind of an asshole at times. one of my biggest weaknesses is seeing a man go from that to absolutely swoon worthy🫦if you’re looking for a new fictional man to be obsessed with…he’s the one🤭

❥ 𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒾𝓃𝓃𝑜𝓌:

⁀➷ ❝i think you and i are simply better together, kitt.❞

my queenie! iris is one of those fmc’s that make you question if you want to be her or if you simply just want her😍i’m very jealous of this bitch, i want roman for myself🫦hm, weird. anyways! ugh this girl is so strong and so brave. her story makes me wanna sit in a running shower and sob😔

⁀➷ ❝sometimes i'm afraid to love other people. everyone i care about eventually leaves me. i'm not afraid of being alone, but i'm tired of being the one left behind.❞

⁀➷ ❝i realize that people are just people, and they carry their own set of fears, dreams, desires, pains, and mistakes. i can't expect someone else to make me feel complete; i must find it on my own.❞

⁀➷ ❝some moments, i feel okay. and then the next, i'll be struck by a wave of sadness that makes it hard to breathe.❞

she’s so real and relatable, i just want to give her the biggest hug ever🥺🫂iris and i would be besties. i’d spend my time bonding with her and reading every little thing that she writes because i know it’ll be beautiful🥹💋

❥ 𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓈:

⁀➷
❝love,
iris❞

❝yours,
—c.❞

them>>>
their letters>>>
my roman empire. i swear i will be thinking about these two nonstop until i get the second book in my hands! i absolutely loved reading their letters to each other! definitely one of my many favorite things about this book! i’m getting butterflies just thinking about roman’s words to her🦋every time roman called her by her first name…instantly weak in the knees. i’m telling you besties, it just hits so different when he has never called her by her first name before! their banter was chef’s kiss hehe🤭let me just also remind you guys that this man waited outside her door for a few minutes to make sure she locked her door. on my knees for him🫦🫦

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝒻𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝒻𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎:

⁀➷ ❝they're not even my sisters by blood, but i chose them. and that sort of love is everlasting.❞

marisol, attie, and keegan…i absolutely ADORE these characters so much🥺marisol and keegan…please adopt me rn😩my parents fr! marisol’s relationship with iris🥹oh my- i can’t say much about it because i don’t want to say spoilers, but just know it’s very special to see after everything that happened! iris and attie, their friendship is so cute!!!!! i love love love! thank you rebecca for giving me side characters that i absolutely adored🤭

❥ 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑒𝓃𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔:
basically the ending feels like it’s just the beginning! i was not expecting that at all. everything that happened in this book was so unpredictable! i had a few theories and i’ll proudly say that they were all very very wrong. i’m patiently impatiently waiting for book two. very much anxiety ridden, leg bouncing up and down a mile a minute, hearting racing! ahhhh i’m so excited🤭just to be clear, dacre and i have MAJOR problems🔪

❥ 𝒶𝓈𝓉𝑒𝓇/𝒻𝑜𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓉:

⁀➷ ❝just in case you didn't know.. you are by far the best sister i've ever had. i'm so proud of you. and i'll be home before you know it, little flower.❞

⁀➷ ❝let me guess. he’s young, handsome, suave, and knows you write better than him, so he's doing all he can to distract and worry you?❞

iris’ mom, aster and iris’ brother, forest…i have very mixed feelings about the both of them. there were some things that bothered me about each of them…but i still have some love for them. i need book two so i can solidify my feelings about forest!!

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓈𝒸𝑒𝓃𝑒𝓈:

she glanced at him, studying his face. ❝has anyone ever told you that you squint when you lie?❞
❝no, but only because no one has spent as much time looking at me as you do, winnow.❞

❝what’s she like?❞ nan asked. ❝daisy’s granddaughter?❞
roman stared at his tea dregs. ❝i’m not sure. i don’t know her that well.❞
❝in case you forgot, i can tell when you lie, roman. you squint.❞
he only laughed, because hadn’t iris said the very thing to him last week?

❝iris,❞ he whispered, and she stiffened. ❝you'll go through the windshield if you don't lean back.❞
❝i’m fine.❞
she had no choice but to relax, aligning her spine with roman's chest. his arm slid around her waist, and she rested in the warmth of his hand, knowing he was keeping her from bashing her head against the windshield.
❝am i hurting you?❞ iris asked him.
❝no.❞
❝are you squinting, kitt?❞ she teased.
she could feel his breath in her hair as he murmured, ❝do you want to turn and see for yourself, winnow?❞
~~~the squinting scenes are so little and seem like nothing, but to me…they’re everything🤭also she sat on his lap for THREE hours…lucky girl🫦😩

he turned to face her, running backward and slightly ahead, so he could keep his gaze on her as she labored up the hill.
❝that’s it. you’re doing great, winnow.❞
❝shut up, kitt.❞
❝absolutely. whatever you want.❞
~~~he’s so down bad for her and i am here for it🥹🦋

❝tell me more.❞
❝more?❞ she breathed, and while her hand felt hot as kindling, she didn’t pull away from him. ❝if i tell you anything else today, you’ll grow tired of me.❞
❝impossible,❞ he whispered.

❝i’ll pay whatever you want.❞ he stopped typing to look at her. ❝tell me your price.❞
iris bit her lip, wondering what she should ask for. ❝are you sure about that, kitt? what if i want you to wash my laundry for the rest of the war? what if i want you to massage my feet every night? what if i want you to make me a cup of tea every hour?❞
❝i can do all of that and more if you like,❞ he said, deadly serious. ❝simply tell me what you want.❞
~~~roman, baby, please marry me🛐

❥ 𝒻𝒶𝓋𝑜𝓇𝒾𝓉𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑜𝓉𝑒𝓈:
➸ ❝kitt and i are like fire and ice. i think we'd probably kill each other if we had to be in the same room for too long.❞
➸ ❝i write words that i don't despise half of the time. words that will mean something to someone else, as if i've cast a line into the dark and felt a tug in the distance.❞
➸ ❝perhaps it begins with one person. someone you trust. you remove a piece of armor for them; you let the light stream in, even if it makes you wince.❞
➸ ❝a piece of armor, because i trust you. a glint of falling steel, because i feel safe with you.❞
➸ ❝others who share your pain will also help you heal. because you are not alone. not in your fear or your grief or your hopes or your dreams. you are not alone.❞ 🥺🫂
➸ ❝but i think there is a magical link between you and me. a bond that not even distance can break.❞
➸ ❝i don't think you realize how strong you are, because sometimes strength isn't swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. sometimes it's found in quiet, gentle places.❞
➸ ❝keep writing. you will find the words you need to share. they are already within you, even in the shadows, hiding like jewels.❞
➸ ❝it’s odd, how quickly life can change, isn't it? how one little thing like typing a letter can open a door you never saw. a transcendent connection. a divine threshold.❞
➸ ❝your letters have been a light for me to follow. your words? a sublime feast that fed me on days when i was starving.❞
➸ ❝i am coming to love him, in two different ways. face to face, and word to word.❞
➸ ❝we’re safe here. you're safe with me.❞
➸ ❝my iris. i don't know who i would be without you, but you have made me in all ways better than i ever was or could have ever hoped to be.❞ he gives me butterflies🦋
➸ ❝you’re beautiful, iris.❞
➸ ❝but just in case you were wondering...i'll gladly read whatever you write.❞

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

❥ 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝓎 𝑔𝒾𝓇𝓁:
siffie🥹first of all, i just want to express how much i hate our time difference! i love you endlessly and it was such an honor to buddy read this beautiful book with you<3 i still have so much to talk about with you about this book hehe i’m so excited! this was my second br ever and eee it was sm fun!

siff's review<3

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･･:*.ೃ࿔⋆❀°

pre review:
❥11/19/23

mind: empty
heart: sunk
eyes: red

⁀➷ ❝you and i…we need to stay together. we’re better this way.❞

i have a bf, but reading about roman and iris made me feel so SINGLE. brb while i go yell at my bf for not writing me letters. he does but he needs to step it up.

i simply don’t even want to look at another romance book right now or anytime soon. i need to get ahold of rebecca ross and beg her to bury me ALIVE with her words. i’ll die happily!😭😭

⁀➷ ❝i love the words i write until i soon realize how much i hate them, as if i am destined to always be at war within myself.❞

rtc when i can stop relating to this quote and when i can process that fucking ending!?!?! omg rebecca…book two, now🛐

❥11/13/23
oh i just know i'm going to love this one!!!!🥹🦋 shei will kill me if i don't🔪

br with my lovely angel siffie <3

[brooke (hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

➸ 4.25 stars

”you are worthy of love. you are worthy to feel joy right now, even in the darkness.”

this story follows two young rival journalists roman and iris. these characters take us into their lives as people working for a newspaper covering the war. both are vying for a promotion as columnist in this cutthroat environment. against the backdrop of their cutthroat rivalry, a war between gods rages on. their fierce rivalry takes an unexpected turn when they unknowingly start writing letters to each other, iris shares her day to day thoughts as well as her deepest grief with her correspondent and he reciprocates.

— oh this book has my entire heart, this was so heartbreakingly beautiful!! i went into this book blindly and had no idea what to expect with this story, and to say, im so glad i did bc i was pleasantly astounded by what unfolded.. the hype surrounding this book is very much justified. this was an enchanting story, i just adored watching roman and iris find love through a magical connection. their love was so tender and emotionally raw.

➷ this story weaves an enthralling tale of war and the blossoming romance intertwined within its turmoil. divine rivals unfolds within the world war I-esque setting, a raging war happening between two gods who are using humans as their troops to cause devastation. there are elements of trench warfare and the overall impacts of the loss through war. the descriptions were realistic and brutal.

➷ the letters are no doubt the best part of this book, they were so intimate and i simply can’t get over them. the writing in each letter just had so much raw honesty and an undercurrent of longing. you could feel their emotions pour out of each letter!! they formed a connection through loss and grief and sought solace in one another through letters. rebecca ross has the most beautiful, poetic writing style ever, she is an expert in lyrical prose, it completely enchanted me—i absolutely adore the way she delicately crafts her words, it was so exquisitely beautiful.

“if there’s anything i can should say in this moment when my heart is beating wildly in my chest and i would beg you to come and tame it—is this: your letters have been a light for me to follow. your words? a sublime feast that fed me on days when i was starving. i love you iris.”

➳ this story follows iris winnow, an ambitious journalist who dropped out of school after her brother went off to war to fight for the goddess enva and she does her best to care for her alcoholic mother — she gets a job at a local, prestigious newspaper writing obituaries to earn money to pay the bills. after a devastating incident happens, iris packs up her life, leaves oath and travels 600km away to the front lines of the war to find her missing brother. she gets a job as a war correspondent and uncovers the harsh truths on the devastating war that is occurring. this is where the story truly comes alive as it explores the experience of trench warfare.
iris is well-crafted character who is the easiest character to root for!! her vulnerability and struggles with abandonment and fear of never being good enough were tangible. she is very strong-willed, compassionate and empathetic — i adored how she always goes out of her way to help others were in need, befriends them and listens to what they have to say. she’s faced many challenges but she is still very earnest.

➳ roman, charming and witty and the polar opposite to iris. he comes from a wealthy family and is much more privileged compared to iris but he wants to make his own way in life. but omggg i want this man for myself. the way he abandoned his family obligations and followed iris into the war zone bc he couldn’t bear the thought of being without her?! the way he loves iris so deeply and shows up for her every single time?? when he was in immense pain and couldn’t walk so he crawled just so he could reach her.. now that broke my heart into tiny lil pieces!! when he stood outside her door and didn’t leave until she locked it?? shields her with his body when there was an explosion without hesitation?? walked up a hill with a wounded leg JUST. FOR. HER. plss im running away giggling. i need him, i want him, i love him. he is the standard and he needs to be talked about more!! i rly enjoyed the wholesome pining, the way he’ll do absolutely anything to protect her even it if means laying down his life. aaa he was just so soft for her, it had me melting. 🥹

“sometimes strength isn’t swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. sometimes it’s found in quiet, gentle places.”

even though i did love this, i did have a few qualms i want to point out:

— i wish we got to see more of their rivalry. it was very rushed out imo and was more one-sided.. it didn’t last as long as i was anticipating, they were very much attracted to one another from the very beginning.

— i wish we got to see their relationship blossom more, their love story was very much rushed, we didn’t get enough time to connect to it - it all happened so quickly without much on-page bonding. i wanted to see more burn and more tension.

— i would’ve liked more information regarding the world-building, it felt very shallow at times and contradicting, like there is electricity but they use typewriters, there is a war between two ancient gods but their armies are made up of mortals. i didn’t totally understand the time period or the vibe she was emulating. i also would’ve loved more on the gods — who are these gods? and how did these mortals start fighting for them?

after that cliffhanger, im eagerly anticipating for the sequel!! i hope we get to see more world-building in the next book as the one focused on building up the characters.


#1 Divine Rivals — 4.25 stars
#2 Ruthless Vows — 2.5 stars

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵

br w my gorg bestie leila 🫢🩷

[SK (Back for good this time? We'll see) · Rating 5 out of 5]

✅ Reread (Sept 2023)

I am sobbing and in pain again after that ending. I swear this might be the most beautiful book written this year. It's all things good and all things pure. If you haven't read it yet, trust me, you are missing out on something special 😭

Roman Carver Kitt has my heart. Everything he does is sheer perfection and his love for Iris speaks volumes. Book boyfriend material? Heck no. He is husband material 🥹❤

~•~•~
Original Review (July 2023)

I DID NOT SIGN UP FOR SO MUCH PAIN 😭💔 My heart is in pieces after that ending. Why did y'all not warn me 😭😭

Did I love it? Absolutely with my whole heart.
Was it perfect or flawed? It was absolutely perfect. I wouldn't change a thing.
Does it end on a brutal cliffhanger? A BIG FAT YES. Am gonna be crying for days.
In a slump after Fourth Wing? Grab this book.

THIS IS YOUR SIGN TO BUY IT. IT IS WORTH THE MONEYYYYYY

Y'all can probably tell how much I loved this book. The people are not lying, this is worth the hype.

✔️ Read if you like Shadow and Bone
✔️ Historical fantasy romance
✔️ Rivals to lovers
✔️ Pen pals

Iris (FMC) and Roman (MMC) have been working and competing for the position of a columnist alongside each other at the local newspaper. There's no denying that there's spark between the two but can they overcome the rivalry as the war of gods loom over. Amidst the brutal war and magical creatures, finding solace in letters, in each other's company seems to fill them with hope and something more.

The world building is not too complex, it might seem that way in the beginning but the author sets the stage brilliantly. Never info dumping, she paces the history of the towns, the platoons, the creatures and the gods- Enva and Dacre beautifully. The typewriters sure are an interesting feature. It came so naturally and was so easy to read, love when authors do it right. The pacing is consistent, not too fast not too slow. I was so mesmerized by her writing, the story and the characters, I was envisioning it all and didn't know where the time went.

One of the underrated things is the way the author dealt with heavy topics- war, grief and loss of life play a big part in this book. So if any of the things feel uncomfortable, do reconsider as it is a very emotional book. The way it's depicted and the sheer raw emotion written was beautifully heartbreaking to read. There were side characters who were just there for a few pages but they made me cry. They made an impact. The words they carried were powerful.

The characters made this story so amazing.
💠Iris- She is such an interesting and lovable FMC. Although she is just 18 but there's so much maturity to her. The way we see her struggles, battling emotions and presenting a tough exterior for her brother, for her mother and whoever close to her- is commendable. The way she is ready to protect others and put others first is beautiful to see.

✒️Roman- I loved him from page 1 itself. A 19 year old with zeal. A bit grumpy in the beginning but there are reasons for that. The way he was dead set on doing anything and everything for Iris 🤌 The way he was never shy to show love. The way he was never held Iris back. The way he fell for her ❤️‍🔥 He is full of charms and wit and ready to be with Iris no matter what. Need me a Roman 😭 His story about Del made me sob NGL.

The supporting characters are a nice addition to Iris and Roman's and the gods story. I liked Attie a lot and am sure I will love Lilac too. I liked Marisol and her 'mom energy' and Keegan too however short a while we see her for. Forest is sure an interesting character and I won't elaborate on it further due to spoilers. Y'all but I really want to see Sarah achieve her dream 😭

The romance was PERFECT 🤌 It's so deliciously sweet and swoon worthy, I fell in love with their love. The chemistry is present right from the beginning. I loved how both of them are so into each other and especially Roman, who is never afraid to show it. The sweet spicy moment in a YA book was beautiful to read. I loved how their relationship developed and grew stronger and stronger.

The ending absolutely broke me. I knew something would go wrong but had no idea of the intensity of it. It was such a brutal cliffhanger and with the epilogue, am crying again just by thinking about it.

I cannot recommend it enough y'all. Easily one of the best books I read this year. It's definitely going to be one of my favourites ever and I already cannot wait to reread it. Books like these make me realise why I love reading so much 🥺❤️ I honestly want to protect and cherish my copy of it.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Guys, just trust me.

~•~•~
LET'S GOOO 🙌🤞

~•~•~

Eep my copy just arrived and it is so beautiful. Cannot wait to get to it, have high hopes

[Yun · Rating 3 out of 5]

How did the promise of a war between gods turn into a middling historical fiction with a lackluster romance and nary a whiff of fantasy? I'm honestly a bit stunned.

I went into Divine Rivals with high expectations. I'd seen the gushing reviews and the deluge of 5-star ratings. And I'd gotten a taste for romantasy and I wanted more. In fact, I was so certain I was going to love this that I saved it for just the right moment when I'd need a little extra zing in my reading repertoire.

So I settled myself in, ready to be swept away in a fantasy of epic proportions, with an enemies-to-lovers romance for the ages. And how can it not be amazing, with gods at war and two rivaling journalists who don't fight with their swords but with their words. Yes! Except no, because this didn't really deliver on any of it.

Instead, what I got was more or less a historical fiction. The fantasy element is so diminutive, I felt like I could blink and miss it. You see, the gods were unhappy with each other, and they're recruiting humans to fight in their war. And that's pretty much it for the fantasy part. Oh, and there's some magic in old houses and typewriters. You can see how that would be disappointing for a reader expecting, well, more than that.

The majority of the story is told from Iris's perspective and she never really gelled into an interesting character for me. At every step, she does what you would expect a character to do, nothing more, nothing less. Her brother is fighting in the war, so she misses him. She sees an opportunity to join the war effort, so she does. There's a cute boy at the office, so she's attracted to him. But there's another nice boy she writes with, so she's attracted to him too. At no point did she surprise me in any way. I found Roman to be the more compelling character, but his perspective is only a little bit here and there.

As for the romance, it was serviceable but ultimately uninspiring. There was no real chemistry, no banter, no spark, nothing that made me swoon or crack a smile. The majority of it played out via Iris and Roman's letters to each other, and they felt distinctly YA. The writing was deep in the way of teenagers, but much ado about nothing for old folks like me. In fact, it reminded me of AOL chat logs from back in the day. I wonder if I were to dig up my own from my teenage days, it would come up similarly bland and overwrought.

That isn't to say I didn't enjoy any of it because I did. But I kept waiting for that moment when the words I'm reading on the page would turn into an immersive experience, and it never did. Every element in here—the war, the fantasy, the characters, their writing, the romance—was pleasant enough to while away a few hours, but in that take it or leave it kind of way.

No one's more disappointed than me. Compared to what I had imagined in my head, this story paled in comparison. But to be fair, part of that was my fault. What I wanted and what I got were complete opposites. I'm a huge fan of romance and fantasy, which this isn't really, and not a fan of wartime historical fiction, which is all this is.

For all my complaints, I did get some enjoyment out of it. And since it's a duology and I already own the second book, I'll go ahead and finish the series. Fingers crossed that the second book has more of the exciting elements I'm looking for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~
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This was a pick for my Book of the Month box. Get your first book for $5 here.

[Ayman · Rating 5 out of 5]

did i finish the book ? or did the book finish ME ?!? 🫣

my gawwwwwd ! perfect ! perfect ! perfect ! everything down to the last minute detail ! this book felt heavenly. it was deep down soul touching and had a demonic possession over me!👹

iris and roman had my whole body creased and shivered. from their banter, rivalry, letters, like gahhh damn they were made for each other so perfectly. the way roman literally dropped everything to be with her!!! his dream job, his engagement, his family!! he is the motherfucking standard 👏🏽

this whole book felt like a movie being played in my head. i could so accurately see and describe every single detail in every scene from the look in their eyes to the threads on their clothes. it felt like tasting poetry. and i was melting (sweating)🫠

everything outside the romance was actually interesting too. a fucking HIT! the plot, the war, the myths, the gods that are fighting for some fucking reason… the way i just sat there, for what felt like 10 years, looking out my window and slowly tried to process wtf i just read ?!?! this is definitely one of my top books of the year! i’ll always be thinking about these characters at the forefront of my mind 🤧

[chloé ✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this. book.

academic rivals to lovers with the cutest, purest, most wholesome man while there is a violent war raging between gods?! absolute perfection.

Roman C. Kitt has my entire heart. 🫶🏻 the letters he writes to Iris (via typewriter!! i mean, come on!!!) are enough to make him one of the best book boyfriends of all time. i adore this man.

(let it be known that there is so much more to this story than the romance. the writing is beautiful, too.)

inject every word of this book into my veins. i would also like to drink copious amounts of tea and work on a typewriter in a smoky, dim office now, please. as they say, ✨the vibes were immaculate.✨

i need Ruthless Vows to release immediately! i am willing to skip christmas this year so i can have book two in my hands on december 26. 🫶🏻

˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗ ˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗ ˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗ ˗ˋˏ ♡ ˎˊ˗
update 1/4/2024 book two was just as good... you can find my review for Ruthless Vows right here!!

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

this story has the same effect as seeing a glimmer of light whilst being held in a space immersed with seemingly impenetrable darkness.

its amazing to me how RR has taken the horrors of war and crafted a narrative that guides the reader to focus on hope, new directions, and comfort. just like that light. its really quite lovely.

and its all because of the writing. there is such a light and ethereal quality to it, which helps lift the heavy and traumatic events of the plot. and the writing also really suits both iris and kitts personalities, as well. to me, this doesnt feel like an author telling a story about two characters, but rather two characters telling their own story themselves.

i am absolutely blown away by this book and know its one that i will come back to again and again.

a tremendous thanks to st. martins press/wednesday books for the ARC.

↠ 5 stars

[Rena Rodrigues · Rating 1 out of 5]

The world building is so bad at some point the main male character says he loves summer because it’s when baseball season is back, they use lifts and have electricity but use typewriters, the war resembles the fighting strategies they’d use in WWI and there’s magic and gods. The romance is horrible, the dialogue is so cheesy and cringe it does not even allow you to have a cozy fun read, it’s just strange. Every single chapter sets something that brings you out of the story. I do not understand the hype. I think we need to start reading more to acclaim better books, cos being over 25 and having this as a major literary favourite is just bad

[Ali Goodwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I went into this thinking it was going to be your typical enemies to lovers romantasy but its not at all! This was such a pleasantly different read. It is SO beautifully written. And I loved how Roman & Iris's relationship was so vulnerable & emotional. This was overall a very raw & beautiful read about love, letters, & war. My only wish is that we got to delve more into the gods/mythology and the politics of the war but based on how the book ended, I'm thinking we might get more of that in book 2!

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 2 out of 5]

so much potential wasted, this book literally takes place in the middle of a war with gods and all we get is a magical typewriter and a bland ass “rivals” to lovers romance. maybe i should’ve picked the authors other book was my first book.

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how I absolutely adore this book !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Alexa Raye · Rating 5 out of 5]

∞ ⭐️ my favorite book of 2023 🥺

[Marianna Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ Well. That ending killed me. I LOVED THIS I CANT STOP CRYING I NEED BOOK TWO NOW!!!!!

[honestlysophie · Rating 1 out of 5]

she writes letters like i did when i was heartbroken at 13 over my minecraft boyfriend

[Rachel Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

*re-read*

still 5 stars. I will hear no criticism on this book - this re-read just reminded me how perfect it is 😌

[Heather Mclarry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was genuinely such a beautiful book. The writing, the characters, the love?!? I am feeling so much right now and need that second book now pls!!!

[Haley pham · Rating 4 out of 5]

How did I fail to mention this book in any of my wrap ups….this one fully slipped through the cracks and I just now realized 😀

4.5 stars!!!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

They were hardly rivals and fell for each other within the blink of an eye but I vibed with it anyway

[selin · Rating 5 out of 5]

inhale love. exhale words.

some words touch your soul more than hands ever could, and here i am, owning hundreds of books, yet captivated by one that holds my heart and shapes pages into my home.

think of that crescent moon that you couldn’t take your eyes from at night, a cat jumping to your lap when you were sitting on a bench, that soundtrack from your favorite movie, your mom buying you a sweater because she knows that you love that color, autumn leaves falling onto you while you were snuggling to your jacket or your best friend’s laugh when she sees you in a bright summer day. the feeling that you get, that love, cannot be described by words; however this is the part where i am proven wrong, because divine rivals exist.

whichever genre’s reader you are, or whatever age you are, if i were to have one single book name to give entire world as a recommendation, i would let it be this one. don’t think about the plot, don’t think about the genre, don’t think about reviews or rating, just pick it up, because the way love was shown in this book will never be compared to anything i have ever seen, read or watched in my life.

if you feel like you don’t know how to love or don’t know what it feels to be loved, i promise you that divine rivals will show it to you, there are tens of love letters inside of this book between the main characters, but the way it presented was so ethereal that you get to feel that the book itself IS a love letter for you. the descriptions, the words, the characters, the events; they are all prepared in a bowl where you add realism, honesty, sincerity, trust and most importantly, love, and not just romantic love, friendship, parent and sibling love too, and presented to you in a most magnificent way that you never could’ve been imagine that could’ve been shown.

from the first page the writing holds you captive, the way how city lights flicker or how the stars shined was described so passionately that you have no choice but to immediately fall in love with the book. i don’t usually evaluate books by the literature values because i am not qualified enough for that, but i just have to take your attention to this because the way it’s written was the most beautiful thing i have ever read in my entire life. just look at how a beautiful description this is;

”Gods and goddesses dancing among the clouds, dressed in long gilded robes with stars gleaming in their hair, their gazes sweeping around.”

i have to admit that i was planning to give four stars to this book because it’s classified as a fantasy novel, however the world-building and the backstory of the gods’ war was missing some information. it was exactly like a quote from the book itself; ‘it was as if someone wanted to steal the knowledge of the past.’ it took me 150 pages to understand that this book wasn’t about a war between gods, instead, it was about how people act in a war, the fear, the passion and the love behind all of this tragedy. and once i realised that the main issue that’s presented in this book was romance rather than fantasy, i started to enjoy it a lot more. because romaniris’ love cannot be compared to anything else.

thank you for reading my review, however after this part there are spoilers, so please do not read the rest if you haven't picked this beauty up yet! 💗

”And I’m not afraid to be alone, but I’m tired of being the one left behind. I’m tired of having to rearrange my life after the people within it depart, as if I’m a puzzle and I’m now missing pieces and I will never feel that pure sense of completion again.”

iris: incredible protagonist. the way she thinks, acts and speaks is so amazing, and her love for people she cares about is so so beautiful. also she is incredibly mature, the way she takes care of her drunk mother and works to keep them alive is so heartbreaking. she wears an armor everyday, hiding her family’s poverty, never asking for reassurance even though she feels alone in the world and trying to stand up on her own feet by working her ass of for a job she wants so passionately is so admirable. her seeking the truth at all costs, staying strong while her mom’s showing reckless actions, putting her family above her, not needing anyone and defending herself by her own, knowing her value, wanting to be beautiful just for herself, telling herself she doesn’t needs her mother’s reassurance but gets bolstered when gets it, not crying in front of people, hating when her boss made her resignation sounds like she is giving up, remembering small details about her friends, afraid to love people because she always lose them.. if i see someone saying she is unlikable, watch under your bed bc i’m hiding there.. with a knife 🔪

”But if I’ve learned anything from those fools, it is that to be vulnerable is a strength that most of us fear. It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are. Sometimes I feel the same as you: I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there’s also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, ‘You will miss so much by being so guarded.”

her mind is spectacular, she talks about how much she was hungry, not just for food but for sober conversations with her mother. and the way she uses words; she ‘bled’ herself in her articles and letters, not having motivation and describing the blank page as ‘nothing more than stars and smoke and word pressed on a page’, her writing to roman but also writing for herself, her understanding how close she can be to people, yet how far away and lonely she can fell.. she is so mature and i get chills every time we get a scope of her articles and letters.

“I don’t think you realize how strong you are, because sometimes strength isn’t swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. Sometimes it’s found in quiet, gentle places. The way you hold someone’s hand as they grieve. The way you listen to others. The way you show up, day after day, even when you are weary or afraid or simply uncertain. That is strength, and I see it in you.”

roman: how to put this man’s selflessness, maturity, smartness and passion to words… he is the most well behaved, smart, dedicated and well spoken man i have ever read. you know miscommunication? reverse it and make it a character and you have roman fucking kitt. his maturity level is reachless, he apologized to iris the second the understood his words came out offensive (unintentionally), asked her if she wants to talk when she looks bothered, said to her that she’ll never be alone, asked for a final assignment since he believes that he had a unfair advantage; you literally can see he cares, not only hear by his words. he doesn’t just sees her, he sees through her.

honestly i believe that i can make you love him by listing his actions and not even adding my thoughts about him; he quitted his dream job, broke his engagement, stood against his father’s expectations to travel hundreds of kilometers on a train that broke down and walked his way through the war just to be with the girl he loves. this is not enough? okay, he was the only one to check her when she didn’t show up at work, waited behind her door until he was sure that she locked it, gets so worried about her being wounded that he couldn’t bear to sit and wondered through till 3am, rereads all the letters that iris has sent to him every night before bed, crawled to her while he was bleeding and dying, trying to reach her in his last breath. HE PRACTICALLY DIED FOR HER.

“I pray that my days will be long at your side. Let me fill and satisfy every longing in your soul. May your hand be in mine, by sun and by night. Let our breaths twine and our blood become one, until our bones return to dust. Even then, may I find your soul still sworn to mine.”

romaniris: they are fated mates. i don’t care if they are not faes or magical creatures, they are destined to be with each other. god, those letters made me cry like twenty times, the pure love among them cannot be reached by any other couple that exists. roman admiring iris’ writing and taking courage from it, his soul getting a peaceful silence while reading her letters, him being proud when iris acts brave and stands up for her words, devotes himself to her; iris not being afraid to be seen by him at her worst, her sensing the second roman arrives in a room, falling for him twice, being ready to die with him.. they both stated that there was no way for them to live if another dies. they showed each other they both deserve to be loved and be happy, and best way for them to have it was.. being by each other’s side.

”But I think there is a magical link between you and me. A bond that not even distance can break.”

i want to add some thoughts on women friendships too, because they were incredibly sincere and beautiful. marisol taking iris and attie under her wings right away, they all helping each other with chores and acting as a whole, preparing garden for arrival of keegan, attie calling iris her favourite flower, they all encouraging each other, iris calling marisol and attie her family that she is bonded by something deeper than blood, this small details got my eyes watery by showing how much of a special thing to have friends that you can call your home.

i wrote so much yet so little, because there is no words to describe how beautiful this book was in the history of languages. this is the part where my reviews ends, however, it encouraged me to write a love letter for two precious humans, so here it is;
💌
dear shei and bru,
i have been always a defender of the fact that distance makes everything fade away, but i believe our friendship is the biggest exception of my belief. we have continents between us, however you two become my home in the last few days. the book was indeed most beautiful literature piece i have ever laid my hands on, but the reason i will carry it in my heart is because of you two, thank you for being iris and attie to my marisol. so sheila luminous de guereñu docampo and bruna transcendent silva barbosa, below the sky i’m walking through, and the depth in my heart, you two are my little constellations.
yours,
-s.

oct 7: i want ‘cause of death: ending of this book’ written in my tombstone. rtc when i can function again.

oct 3: br with my precious girls bruna and shei 💗

[shei · Rating 5 out of 5]

—— 5 ✰ stars.

'As if I am a puzzle, and im now missing pieces and I will never feel that pure sense of completion again'

・❥・ Mood of the book: never let me go by Florence + the machine.

'And grief is a long, difficult process, especially when it is so racked by guilt'

OKAY. Takes deep breath, sits down, crosses leg and clears throat. Welcome to this mess!!!! I don't know how im even going to review this, so sorry in advance.

I could talk about the plot in detail, about the world building or about how the fantasy aspect didn't deliver as much as expected it, but before that, I have to say that, for me, 5 ✰ is a feeling, not a simple rating, If I were objective, this book would get a 4.5✰ maybe?? But, the emotions, the feelings, the tears, the smiles and the pain that this book put me through makes it deserve the 5✰.

✧˖*°࿐ 𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒕:

I really recommend that you go into the book without knowing much about it, so everything is more surprising. But, it's about Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, they both work at the same newspaper and compete for the columnist position. In turn, a war breaks out between two gods, Enva and Dacre. And I won't say anything else heheheh. You want to know? Read it duuuhhh.

✧˖*°࿐𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈:

The writing couldn't be more beautiful, it had me in love and hooked from the first page, there were passages in the book that made me hold my breath, or even run out of it.

“It feels like wearing shoes that are too small, with every step, you notice it. It feels like blisters on your heels. (…) You wish that you could take their place, no matter the cost. “Just so you can have the peace of knowing their fate.”

“I love the words I write until I soon realize how much I hate them, as if I am destined to always be at war with myself”

The pace of the story varies a lot, at first it is a little slow, then it picks up pace, but it is a little irregular. What I do have to say is that it never bored me. Both my book girls and I, whether due to the time difference or our schedules, found it difficult to stop reading so that the missing one could catch up with us, “one more chapter alone…” and it became 5 more chapters.

✧˖*°࿐𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔:

➶-͙˚ ༘✶ 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝑪. 𝑲𝒊𝒕𝒕: Let me introduce you to my new book boyfriend!! Im so sorry Rhys, Roman has arrived. THIS!! MAN!!! It has ruined all my chances of finding a partner one day. How am I going to settle for the first sack of potatoes I find knowing that it exists!!!!! I fell in love with him very quickly, his relationship with Iris had me hooked from the beginning, reading his pov was very sweet, he is the most perfect, sensitive, kind, honest and supportive man ever and you can't change my mind!!!! !

“She hated how handsome he was. “She hated how her heart softened when he looked at her.”
“Because of course he would have one of those laughs. “The ones you couldn’t hear and not feel in your own chest”/
“Iris laughed. “God he loved the sound”


➶-͙˚ ༘✶ 𝑰𝒓𝒊𝒔 𝑬. 𝑾𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒘: MY BABY!!!!! NEEDS PROTECTION. Iris is a strong and determined woman, who is afraid since all the people she loves have abandoned her, but who is brave enough to recognize it. I really don't have words to express how much I love her.

“She knew how to stir up feelings in a reader, which Roman found quite dangerous”
“Damn he was proud of her”

✧˖*°࿐𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑺 𝑴𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑺: (please skip this part because I included spoilers) I had more written down but they were too many help.

--'Has anyone ever told you that you squint when you lie?'—'No, but only because no one has spent as much time looking at me as you do, Winnow'

'He was still standing there. Waiting. Her annoyance flared until she bolted the door. As soon as he heard the locks slide, Roman Kitt turned and left'

'-- I want to see you. I want to hear your voice' – 'Anything you would like, I would too. I’ll be here, waiting for whenever you’re ready to see me.'

'—It’s good to see you again too, Winnow'
'—That’s it. You are doing great, Winnow' '—Shut up, Kitt' '—Absolutely. Whatever you want'

'—Then he must be here because of you' '—No, Im here because of him'

'—You can pretend I’m not even here' '—Impossible, Iris' '—How come, Kitt?' '—Because you are highly distracting'

'—See something you like?' '—You are distracting me, Kitt' '—Im pleased to hear it. Now you know how I’ve felt all this bloody time, Iris'

'—Tomorrow, I want your hand to be in mine, no matter what comes. Just like this. We have to stay together, Iris'

My favorite moments in the book were the letters, I have reread them two or three times since we finished the book, they made me cry, laugh and kick the air like crazy. Lovesick sigh.

'Do you ever feel like if you wear armor, day after day? That when people look at you, they see only the shine of steel that you've so carefully encased yourself in? They see they want they want to see in you. They see all the times you've made mistakes, all the times you've hurt them or disappointed them. As if that’s all you will ever be in their eyes.'

'Everyone I care about eventually leaves me. They go places I can't find, places I can't reach. And I'm not afraid to be alone, but I'm tired of being the one left behind.'

'But I think there is a magical link between you and me. A bond that not even distance can break'

'Surely by now he knows your writing is exquisite, and above all he knows that he doesn't deserve you and your words and he never will'

Letters of Enchantment series:
╰┈➤Ruthless Vows, tbr.


THE ENDING???? UH UH. REBECCA ROSS IM SUING. I need Ruthless Vows right fucking now.

If you read everything until here, just thank you for dedicating me the time, and please please I beg u to read this 💞

[angélique · Rating 1 out of 5]

world building ? don’t know her

[sophie · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 57%. I feel like I’ve read a completely different book to everyone else?

I went in with high expectations due to the hype but ended up being disappointed. A great concept but it was poorly done.

The lack of world building made me feel disconnected from the entire story.
The characters lacked depth and the dialogue was cringy, especially the letters 😖
The plot stumbled along, and the central war element was majorly underdeveloped. There was no suspense whatsoever from what you’d expect whilst living through a war.

I just don’t get it 😞

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

december 2023 reread - If I could give this ♾️♾️ stars I would and mainly for Iris and especially Roman as they have the utmost permanence in my heart 🥹 This reread felt the same yet different but the love is still strongly there. i cannot wait to know the happy ending that’s in store for our babies and more of their beautiful words 😩


“It's odd, how quickly life can change, isn't it? How one little thing like typing a letter can open a door you never saw. A transcendent connection. A divine threshold.” ✨

This truly was such a gem of a book.

I can’t get over it.

Divine rivals couldn’t be any more true to its name as here you have two journalist rivals — Iris and Roman. Both of them find themselves competing for a coveted spot at the newspaper they work at and of course Iris finds her rival infuriating to be around yet handsome but she fails to realize the connection brewing between them.

Two enchanted typewriters that are linked, both characters in the midst of an ever growing mystical war among gods, shared grief in their losses, and a divine unbreakable connection that even Roman believes to be true “I think there is a magical link between you and me.” A bond that not even distance can break.” that is what you can expect from this

Now on to what I loved about the characters:

Iris and Romans rivals to lovers build up was done as well as could be even if I wanted more . I was relishing in how annoyed he made her and their banter along with the love and vulnerability each shared with each other esp in those letters — letters that only one of them knew who was on the other end and that made it all the more intriguing to see unravel

The letters held such vulnerability yet strength written in them, it was everythingg to read each. Even more when they started signing off their letters as “—Iris and —C to Love, Iris and Your Kitt” 💌

I loved loved loved their admiration for each others work and hyping each other up — more so Roman when it came to Iris herself and her words.

“Your letters have been a light for me to follow. Your words? A sublime feast that fed me on days when I was starving.”

My Iris," he said, "there is no question that you are the brave one, all on your own."

I absolutely loved and adored Iris’ character sm. One of my favorite fmcs. Rebecca’s way of portraying her was amazing to see unfold and develop. The tone for her dialogue felt so wise, mature and strong willed. I felt the need to protect her and let her know she wasn’t alone even though she felt that way. But she didn’t need that bc she was self sufficient all on her own

“But I realize that people are just people, and they carry their own set of fears, dreams, desires, pains, and mistakes. I can’t expect someone else to make me feel complete; I must find it on my own.”

She exemplified such strength, bravery, selflessness and determination despite the loneliness and hardships she experienced. I felt like I connected with her and saw her in myself (we love the relatability) and all the way through I was rootingg for her

“Get a grip on yourself, she thought, hands on her knees, eyes closed. This is war. This is what you signed up for. Don’t look away from it.”

Roman was just so kind, so soft with her, so infuriatingly handsome (in my head), mine and everyone else’s book husband as of now, and so selfless as he dropped everything to follow her! as if I didn’t already love him and he goes and does that while also protecting her with his life. **Roman really made it difficult for me to enjoy a romance when it comes to my expectations in how a man speaks to me the fmc in a book 😩 I legit melted every time he’d say her name (I imagine it’s soft) “Iris,” he whispered.” soo much whispering but I get why

“You and I … we need to stay together. We’re better this way.”

“I think you and I are simply better together, Kitt.”

I loved the addition of the small found family she found in Marisol and Attie. It warmed my heart to know she had this as she really deserved to have it

She realized this was her family now. That there were bonds that ran deeper than blood.”

There were minimal fantasy elements in this but the story on its own was amazing to not to care sm for it. But I have hope the inclusion of the gods is expanded upon further in the next book esp as their characters felt more like an introduction to them in this

———————————————

Ultimately, this was written so impeccable with such a compelling plot and I was in complete awe because of it. The romance was exquisite, as was the characterization and the connection between them in their trauma and grief endured. The war aspect was also written in great detail as well with the angst of it depicted for how it truly is and what it’s like.

I’m gonna need the next book asap as I have so many questions than answers in what happens next after that cliffhanger??

Thank you emara for putting me on to this <33

Quotes I loved:

“I am coming to love him, in two different ways. Face to face, and word to word.”

“The way you show up, day after day, even when you are weary or afraid or simply uncertain. That is strength, and I see it in you.”

“Little flower,” I see it now. The name suits you.
P.S. Hi, Iris.”

“Kissing him in the dark was entirely different from kissing him in the light.”

“I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there's also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tell me, You will miss so much by being so guarded”

“I rarely share this part of my life with others, but I want to tell it to you now. A piece of armour, because I trust you. A glint of falling steel, because I feel safe with you.”

“Roman Cheeky Kitt. Roman Cantankerous Kitt. Roman Conceited Kitt.”

“I want to know everything about you, Iris. I want to know your hopes and your dreams. I want to know what irritates you and what makes you smile and what makes you laugh and what you long for most in this world.”

“He began to see the invisible threads that drew him to Iris. It didn't feel like fate; Roman didn't quite believe in such fancies. But it certainly felt like something. Something that was now stealing his sleep and making his chest ache with each breath”

“Your grief will never fully fade; it will always be with you — a shadow you carry in your soul — but it will become fainter as your life becomes brighter. You will learn to live outside of it again, as impossible as that may sound”

[astarion's bhaal babe (wingspan matters) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"What the hell are you doing here, Kitt?" she demanded, shoving his chest. "Have you lost your mind?"
She felt his hands slide down her back, resting on the curve of her hips. If she wasn't so exhausted and stiff from the harrowing encounter they had miraculously survived, she would have knocked away his touch. She would have slapped him. She might have kissed him.
He only smiled as if she had read her mind, and said, "It's good to see you too, Winnow."

FOMO brought me here but now I'd like to publicly sue every single one of you who told me to read this because the emotional damage the last 20% of this book caused me won't fix itself.
Also, the fact that it took me this long to realize the D and R from the title are writing machine's keys and not cupcakes, should worry me but it strangely doesn't.




***
💌𝗗𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟𝗦 - 𝗥𝗘𝗕𝗘𝗖𝗖𝗔 𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦💌
★𝗙𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
★𝗬𝗔/𝗡𝗔/𝗔: 🆈🅰
★𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦: 𝙻𝙴𝚃𝚃𝙴𝚁𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙼𝙴𝙽𝚃 #𝟷
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗧𝗢𝗡𝗘𝗦: 𝙳𝚁𝙰𝙼𝙰 - 𝚆𝙰𝚁 - 𝙷𝙸𝚂𝚃𝙾𝚁𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙽𝚃𝙰𝚂𝚈 - 𝙼𝙰𝙶𝙸𝙲𝙰𝙻 𝚁𝙴𝙰𝙻𝙸𝚂𝙼 - 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
★𝗣𝗢𝗩: 𝙳𝚄𝙰𝙻 𝙿𝙾𝚅 - 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝙳 𝙿𝙴𝚁𝚂𝙾𝙽 - 𝙿𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚂𝙴
★𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗦: 𝚂𝙻𝙾𝚆 𝙱𝚄𝚁𝙽 - 𝙿𝚁𝙾𝙵𝙴𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝚁𝙸𝚅𝙰𝙻𝚂 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝚁𝚂 - 𝚁𝙸𝙲𝙷 𝙼𝙼𝙲/𝙿𝙾𝙾𝚁 𝙵𝙼𝙲 - 𝙷𝙸𝙳𝙳𝙴𝙽 𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙸𝚃𝙸𝙴𝚂 - 𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚂 𝙵𝙸𝚁𝚂𝚃 - 𝙶𝙾𝙳𝚂 𝙰𝚃 𝚆𝙰𝚁 - 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝚁𝙴𝚃𝙻𝚈 𝙿𝙸𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙲𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙴𝙰𝙲𝙷 𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁 𝙱𝚈 𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴 - 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈 𝙳𝚁𝙰𝙼𝙰 - 𝙵𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈
★𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗦: 👥👥👥👥½/𝟱
★𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼✍🏼½/𝟱
★𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧: 📜📜📜📜½/𝟱
★𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗦 & 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦: 💀💀💀½/𝟱 (𝙰𝙻𝙲𝙾𝙷𝙾𝙻𝙸𝚂𝙼 - 𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙵𝚄𝙽𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝙰𝙻 𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙸𝙴𝚂 - 𝙳𝙰𝙳𝙳𝚈 𝙸𝚂𝚂𝚄𝙴𝚂 - 𝚆𝙴𝙸𝙶𝙷𝚃 𝙾𝙵 𝙷𝙰𝚅𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙸𝚅𝙴 𝚄𝙿 𝚃𝙾 𝙻𝙰𝚂𝚃 𝙽𝙰𝙼𝙴𝚂 𝚁𝙴𝙻𝙰𝚃𝙴𝙳 𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙰𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 - 𝙶𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙵 - 𝙻𝙾𝚂𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴𝙳 𝙾𝙽𝙴𝚂/𝙵𝙰𝙼𝙸𝙻𝚈 𝙼𝙴𝙼𝙱𝙴𝚁𝚂 - (𝚂𝚄𝚁𝚅𝙸𝚅𝙾𝚁) 𝙶𝚄𝙸𝙻𝚃 - 𝚆𝙰𝚁 (𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙰𝙻𝙻 𝚃𝙷𝙰𝚃 𝙲𝙾𝙼𝙴𝚂 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙸𝚃) - 𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 - 𝙸𝙽𝙹𝚄𝚁𝙸𝙴𝚂)
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌻🌻🌻½/𝟱
★𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: 🌹🌹🌹🌹/𝟱 (𝙼𝙼𝙲 𝙸𝚂 𝙸𝙽 𝙰𝙽 𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴𝙳 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙸𝙰𝙶𝙴 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙾𝚆, 𝙱𝚄𝚃 𝙷𝙴 𝙽𝙴𝚅𝙴𝚁 𝙶𝙾𝙴𝚂 𝙰𝙻𝙾𝙽𝙶 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝙸𝚃 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴'𝚂 𝙽𝙾 𝙾𝚆 𝙳𝚁𝙰𝙼𝙰 - 𝙰𝙻𝚂𝙾 𝙼𝙼𝙲 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝙵𝙼𝙲 𝙰𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙸𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 𝙼𝙰𝚁𝚁𝙸𝙴𝙳 𝙸𝙽 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙽𝙳!!!! - 𝚆𝙸𝙻𝙻 𝚃𝙾𝚃𝙰𝙻𝙻𝚈 𝙶𝙾 𝙳𝙾𝚆𝙽 𝚆𝙸𝚃𝙷 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚂 𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗛𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗧/𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗬: ½/𝟱 (𝙺𝙸𝚂𝚂𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝙾𝙽𝙴 𝙽𝙾𝙽-𝙴𝚇𝙿𝙻𝙸𝙲𝙸𝚃 𝙵𝙰𝙳𝙴 𝚃𝙾 𝙱𝙻𝙰𝙲𝙺 𝚂𝙴𝚇 𝚂𝙲𝙴𝙽𝙴)
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗬: -
★𝗦𝗠𝗨𝗧 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗧𝗬: ½/𝟱
★𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🤐🤐🤐/𝟱 (𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙻𝙰𝙽𝙶𝚄𝙰𝙶𝙴 - 𝙶𝚁𝙰𝙿𝙷𝙸𝙲 𝙳𝙴𝚂𝙲𝚁𝙸𝙿𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚅𝙸𝙾𝙻𝙴𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝙰𝙽𝙳 𝚆𝙰𝚁)
★𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗦𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: 💔💔💔💔/𝟱
★𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘: ❌
★𝗠𝗔𝗜𝗡 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗘: 𝙵/𝙼
★𝗥𝗘𝗣: 𝙰𝙽𝚇𝙸𝙴𝚃𝚈 - 𝙿𝚃𝚂𝙳 - 𝚂𝙴𝙲𝙾𝙽𝙳𝙰𝚁𝚈 𝙵/𝙵 𝚁𝙾𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴
★𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗠𝗜𝗘𝗦-𝗧𝗢-𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦: 🖤🖤/𝟱
★𝗧𝗬𝗣𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚:𝙲𝙻𝙸𝙵𝙵𝙷𝙰𝙽𝙶𝙴𝚁 - 𝙿𝙻𝙾𝚃 𝚃𝚆𝙸𝚂𝚃𝚂, 𝙱𝙸𝚃𝙲𝙷
★𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗠𝗘 𝗦𝗢𝗡𝗚: 🎶𝚂𝚆𝙴𝙴𝚃 𝙽𝙾𝚃𝙷𝙸𝙽𝙶 - 𝚃𝙰𝚈𝙻𝙾𝚁 𝚂𝚆𝙸𝙵𝚃🎶
▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰
***I always try to be as objective as I can with my ratings for DARK THEMES & TRIGGER WARNINGS, SMUT TECHNICAL CONTENT/INTENSITY, SMUT QUANTITY, ROMANCE QUANTITY, ANGST LEVEL, ENEMIES-TO-LOVERSNESS; the ratings for CHARACTERS, WRITING, PLOT, SMUT QUALITY, ROMANCE QUALITY, are instead tied to my own subjective reading experience and final opinion of the book.

It took me almost one month to finally process my feeling and give this book the review it deserves, and still, I find myself struggling to put to words the emotional turmoil Divine Rivals put me under.

Was it the writing? The sweet romance? The story? Was it the fact that, despite not being part of the age group this was targeted at, I saw myself in both the main characters and could relate to their personal arc, both individually and as a couple?
I have no idea, but if I had to try a guess, I'd say it's simply a combination of all these things, plus the fact that Rebecca Ross is a crazy talented author.
I've had the chance to discover her just recently, after reading a book that'd been on my tbr since 2017, and I'm glad to conclude she's gotten even better with time and experience.

Divine Rivals is abook I recommend going into blindly and one I definitely can't see anyone savoring slowly. Once you get into it, stopping is as hard as breathing under water.
Rooting for the main characters to find themselves will become a new hobby, but rooting for them to find happiness by finding each other, will become an obsession.
The progression from rivals to lovers is so smooth, almost soothing in its naturality.
The setting is atmospheric, described so perfectly you can almost smell the stinging scent of gunpowder, hear the crinkle of the paper and the click of Iris and Roman's writing machine's keys.
I don't know why, but while reading it, I couldn't stop thinking of one of my favorite movies, Un long dimanche de fiançailles. They have really similar vibes and not because they both take place during a war and tell the story of two very unfortunate lovers, but also because of the gray-ish undertones, the raw portrayal of reality, and the bittersweet romance.
I like to consider myself pretty experienced when it comes to the reading scene, but those last pages made me feel like I was on a literal rollercoaster, even though I kind of saw it all coming.
I didn't expect the pain to be so powerful, probably. It wasn't until the end that I realized just how invested I am in the magical realism of this story and the delicious pain that comes with this romance.

Speaking of romance. I'm at a loss of words for how perfect it plainly was.
These two simply can't not be together. THEY CAN'T.
Roman is adorable, a real gentleman and the most cinnamon roll to ever roll, but for me, Iris stole the show. I admire her so much and my heart cried for how strong and brave she always was, despite everything she had to endure.

I can't wait for the sequel to come out, even tho, I'll admit, I am also a little scared of what will and could happen in it.
I hope that, if Rebecca Ross eventually decides to break my heart with Ruthless Vows, she wrecks it neatly so that it'll have the strenght to heal properly.

[₊ ˚ ale ࿓ ♡ ⋆｡˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I also boutght this one because why not? The cover and also the details of the stenciled edges is perfect

alexa, play the great war by taylor swift.

[Kyre Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book girlies are gonna hate me for this one… this book was good but dare I say… overhyped? Honestly I wasn’t shocked by much of it and it didn’t really feel like a fantasy book, It felt like a ww1 romance where not a lot happened.

[Júlia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Is it incredible that reading and writing are accessible to a gigantic public now? Yes. Absolutely. Is it awesome that anyone can write a book about whatever they want and find their crowd? Of course! Do I believe book bloggers and influencers are important and they deserve to get paid for their hard work reading, reviewing and promoting books? With certainty. Do I want the book industry to keep expanding and profiting like a machine for a long time to come? YES.

But I do hate the current oversaturation of titles and all of this trope selling. Trope this, trope that. I don't care if my characters are believable, I don't care if my world is developed. I just care about being able to label my book an ENEMIES TO LOVERS FANTASY, when it isn't either enemies to lover, nor it is fantasy, just so I can sell it on tiktok.

This trend setting thing went SO FAR, that now we have a ROMANTASY genre all by itself. I love some romance in fantasy just as much as the next person, but for us to need to CREATE AN ENTIRE NEW GENRE, it means this isn't fantasy anymore. It's just romance with a few magical elements. I am sorry. This is just a paranormal romance at this point, something that has already existed for nearly two decades.

As for Divine Rivals?

>No, these guys are neither enemies, nor rivals. "The gods are the rivals" No, it is obvious the title encompasses the main couple as well. They are two journalists rivaling each other for the same job.

> Fantasy? Where? Who?

> Enemies to lovers? They flirt with each other from page 1. The entire office knows they want to fuck each other. This was an HR inconvenience at best. They had two fights. One because she offered him a sandwich and he was too busy to say yes to it, and the other one where she calls him a nepo baby. Guess what? He is a nepo baby. (But apparently being honest is the same as being someone's enemy in trope world circus)

Another grievance of mine: Both main characters are authors, and the only way the MMC knew how to compliment the FMC was by complimenting how HAUNTING, BEAUTIFUL, STUNNING, AMAZING her writing was. Which felt a bit like a shameless self insert from the author lol Is her writing good? Yeah, it was well polished. Clean. Well edited. But it was not hauntingly beautiful.

This wouldn't have been such a negative review I guess, if this had been recommended to me in a most accurate way.

So here we go: this is a slow, co-workers to lovers romance, with small supernatural or magical elements. No, there is nothing here that compares it to Shadow and Bone or Lore. No there is nothing here that is Dark Academia like. No there is nothing here that compares this to the Hunger Games or whatever else people lied to you about to try to sell you this book.

Oh, this isn't an enemies to lovers either.

Anyways, just a slow YA wanna be fantasy but not fantasy. It's the hating game all over again basically lol

It was pretty underwhelming to me.

To be fair, it is well written. Slow paced. Pretty tamed and YA which is cute. The audio for this was awesome, the narrators did a great job. But overall, I was just bored and unconvinced the entire time. I kept thinking to myself why should I care about any of this? Her lyric writing did the opposite for me. Instead of making me AWE at the style, it just sounded a little self-serving. Like both characters were too full of themselves. I couldn't connect to either of them and didn't really want for them to be together.

Anyway, this wasn't my cup of tea but maybe it will be yours. Also, PSA: it ends on a cliffhanger.

[lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

”their names would be entwined—roman and iris or winnow and kitt because could you truly have one without the other?”

i fell in love with this book the moment i saw it and reading it made me fall even harder. the beauty of this book is unreal.

”a piece of armor, because i trust you. a glint of falling steel, because i feel safe with you.”

this book had such beautiful writing. the descriptive imagery had me so easily immersed in the story. it felt like i was a part of the book. the magic fascinated me. and most importantly: i adored roman and iris. they are one of my most special couples.

one thing i did not expect going into this experience was for it to make me as emotional as it did. i had tears in my eyes during many chapters. the words on the pages spoke to me. i connected with these characters so much more than i thought i would.

“i think about how effortless it is to lose oneself in words, and yet also find who you are.”

my favourite part has to be the letters between roman and iris. anyone that knows me knows that letters make me go weak in the knees. reading their exchanges really touched and warmed my heart. there’s something about writing your deepest thoughts and feelings without any eyes on you, and knowing the person on the other side isn’t judging you, that you are not alone. the letters gave us so much insight into roman & iris. we really get to feel their emotions with them, and a lot of it is so relatable.

iris winnow -

”i’m not afraid to be alone, but i’m tired of being the one left behind. i’m tired of having to rearrange my life after the people within it depart, as if i’m a puzzle and i’m now missing pieces and i will never feel that pure sense of completion again.”

she is honestly such a lovely character. i think anyone can see themselves in iris. her emotions and life experiences are very relatable. one of the things i love so much about her is that she’s not afraid to take risks. with her life or her heart. she puts herself out there and she’s ready to accept whatever the consequences are. she doesn’t shy away from anything. and roman is right, she is brave and strong. she went through so much in this book and she is still fighting. she is still surviving. she’s very inspiring.

roman kitt -

”i don't think you realize how strong you are, because sometimes strength isn't swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. sometimes it's found in quiet, gentle places.”

now where do i find me one? im being so deadass. anyways i need him. he’s a little more apprehensive to open up, but when he does you really see he’s the biggest softie on the inside. the way he would drop anything for her, he would die for her, he lives and breathes iris winnow. he rereads her letters every night. he constantly uplifts her. he knows exactly what she needs at any given moment and its so sweet. iris says jump he asks how high?! he would actually do anything for her and i love that for my best girl.

”i think there is a magical link between you and me. a bond that not even distance can break.”

i love how when we get each of their povs, they always mention how much they love the others’ laugh and how much joy it brings them. its so small but its always the little things that stick with me and win my heart.

“you will miss so much by being so guarded.”

i loved this book but i do have to say the world building and the description of the gods was definitely lacking. but the characters themselves don’t even seem to understand their world or why they’re at war so i guess i shouldn’t really expect too much from that. maybe in book 2?
also, i felt a disconnect between iris / attie / marisol. i was not picking up what they were putting down. i see that they formed some sort of bond during such a stressful time, but when iris was calling them “home” and her “found family” i was like what? is the found family in the room with us? did i miss a couple chapters because yall were giving roomates at best. there was more telling than showing in that aspect if im being honest.

anyways i just know when i think back on this book its always gonna be beautiful memories because what will stick with me is how much i adored the writing and irisroman together. ♡

”you are worthy of love. you are worthy to feel joy right now, even in the darkness.”

[Ri ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“He is mine, she thought, the words a pleasant shock to her soul. I am his.”


🎵 𝘈𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺 "𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴" 𝘣𝘺 𝘛𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘧𝘵.


There are stories that you just read and experience it like a movie in your head and there are stories that you live with the characters. Iris and Roman's story was it for me. This book may not be perfect in terms of fantasy aspect or any other matter but that didn’t stop me from rating it 5 stars because Iris and Roman's love story was everything. I wholly, truly and irrevocably fell in love with these two and their love. They are so so so precious and I love them with my whole heart.

“He didn’t answer, but his gaze held hers, and she thought she saw something flicker through him, like a star falling from the cosmos, or a coin underwater, reflecting the sun. Something fierce and vulnerable and very unexpected.”

I do have a thing for letters, typewriters and war or historical novels. They are painfully beautiful and as a masochist I love pain. The letters in this book were raw and aching but they also had its own beauty. They were filled with ugly truths and vulnerability. I was literally reading them word by word because I didn't wanted to miss a single thing they shared in them.

“Perhaps it begins with one person. Someone you trust. You remove a piece of armor for them; you let the light stream in, even if it makes you wince. Perhaps that is how you learn to be soft yet strong, even in fear and uncertainty. One person, one piece of steel.”

I was fascinated by the story and the characters from the very first chapter. I mean how could I not when Rebecca's writing is this beautiful and exquisite that I have no words to describe it. She just became one of my favourite authors with this book only. I loved the way Rebecca dealt with heavy topics like grief, loss of loved ones to war, healing and everything. The characters were well written that I could feel every emotion they felt. The connection between the main characters and side characters was amazing. I liked Attie and Marisol and they both were amazing side characters.

“I realize that people are just people, and they carry their own set of fears, dreams, desires, pains, and mistakes. I can’t expect someone else to make me feel complete; I must find it on my own.”

It has Rivals to Lovers with "She is glaring at him but he is grinning at her." trope. I mean its essential if its a rivals to lovers book. You know whats better than a book written in third pov? A well-written book in third pov and Rebecca just proved it. And I need more of Roman's povs but mostly I need the scene in his pov where Iris had to sit in his lap for 3 hours while they were travelling 🤭

“She was glaring at him now. That fire in her eyes could have brought him to his knees.”

The fantasy and the world building about the gods in their world was a bit underdeveloped. It was more about people and their fears related to war and how they fought and survived. Their world divided in two parts- Dacre' s followers and those who were called upon by the goddess Enva to fight her wars. There was a little story mentioned about Dacre and Enva's feud and also the other gods but I wanted to know more about Dacre and Enva's story and exactly what happened between them that led to this war. And I still don't understand that why Enva was not their fighting in the war like Dacre was doing that. But I'm also hoping we get all the answers in the sequel.


➸ Iris Winnow

I love this girl. She is so archer coded 🏹 I loved reading her povs the most and as much as her inner monologues were painful they were also so damn relatable. She's been through the worst but I admire her for her strength, her kindness and resilience. She's just 18 but she's so mature and brave and I liked we saw her growth throughout the book. I saw her struggles and how she grew out of them and always found a way to be there for others and her family. I was also happy that she now has her own found family. Even if she lost everything she got a job as a war correspondent because she wanted to see her brother. She is one of the best FMCs' I've had a chance to read about this year.


“I rarely share this part of my life with others, but I want to tell it to you now. A piece of armor, because I trust you. A glint of falling steel, because I feel safe with you.”



➸ Roman Carver Kitt

Yes I'm obsessed with Roman Cheeky Kitt or was it Roman Cantankerous Kitt or Roman Conceited Kitt?! Whatever it was I just love this man so much. He is such a sweetheart and perfect in every way. He was a bit grumpy in the start but that was also hot. He's just 19 and well mannered and he waited for Iris to lock her door. I mean no real man would ever do this and its the basic thing everyone should know about. He is intelligent, charming and also witty. Where do I find him because I wanna marry him!! The way he fell for Iris and then took care for her whenever he could and the way he shared his story and his secrets with her even though he was a bit reticent to share them at first. I loved it.


“Your letters have been a light for me to follow. Your words? A sublime feast that fed me on days when I was starving. I love you, Iris.”



╰┈➤ Their relationship

They had been working and competing against each other for the same position but they always had this spark between them and this undeniable chemistry. The rivals to lovers wasn't there much because they were already attracted towards each other but I loved that they still bickered and bantered even after felling in love with each other. Roman brings out the fire in Iris and he protected her with his life everytime.

“Going easy on me, then?” He arched a brow. “That’s surprising. We’re supposed to duel to the death.”


“Has anyone ever told you that you squint when you lie?” His scowl only deepened.
“No, but only because no one has spent as much time looking at me as you do, Winnow.”

The letters they shared, the secrets and pain they wrote about in those letters, the way they let their armor fall one by one to be vulnerable with each other, the way they earned each others' trust, the way Roman followed her to the war sight to be with her, their morning runs, the way they fell in love with each other, the way their loved grew stronger and stronger everyday. It was just mesmerisingly beautiful. They truly are ✨️SOULMATES✨️

“I broke my engagement, quit my job, and traveled six hundred kilometers into war-torn land to be with you, Iris.”

Their love was just so sweet and wholesome and aching and even the war couldn't taint it.
Did everything between them was rushed after they fell in love? Yes.
Did I mind it? Absolutely Not. Because it was war time and they didn't even knew if they had a chance to see each other next morning, so they did what they could do and it was perfect and reasonable. They can't just wait for the war to be over or be adults in their early 20s to get married when they already saw the brutal reality of war and what it could do to people.

“You and I … we need to stay together. We’re better this way.”


“I am coming to love him, in two different ways. Face to face, and word to word.”

The ending completely shattered my heart in pieces. Why would Rebecca did this to me. They just found their happiness after so much pain and trauma and Rebecca just ripped it away from them and left them with so many regrets and pain. Iris couldn't even tell him how much she loved him and that asshole brother of her didn't even tried to save Roman?? I hate Forest and I don't believe a word he said and Rebecca better give us a happy ending for them in book 2 or I'll riot 🤺


— Some other beautiful quotes —


➸ “It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are. Sometimes I feel the same as you: I can’t risk having people behold me as I truly am. But there’s also a small voice in the back of my mind, a voice that tells me, “You will miss so much by being so guarded.”

➸ “I am so afraid. And yet how I long to be vulnerable and brave when it comes to my own heart.”

➸ “There are good days and there are difficult days. Your grief will never fully fade; it will always be with you— a shadow you carry in your soul— but it will become fainter as your life becomes brighter. You will learn to live outside of it again , as impossible as that may sound.”

➸ “I don’t want to wake up when I’m seventy-four only to realize I haven’t lived.”

➸ “Kissing him in the dark was entirely different from kissing him in the light. When the sun had gilded them hours ago, they had been eager and clumsy and hungry. But now, in the shadows of night, they were languid and thorough and curious.”

➸ “I think about how effortless it is to lose oneself in words, and yet also find who you are.”



To my emotional buddy read partner Rae 🫂 thankyou for hearing all my ramblings and screaming in our dm. You are the best and I can't wait to read another heartbreaking book with you.


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Rae and I are definitely alergic to books with happy endings 😃 so here we are again to fall in love with this book just to let it break our hearts in the end.
Br with my most beautiful girl Raerae 💗

[April (catching up) · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾/5 ☆


“you are worthy of love. You are worthy to feel joy right now, even in the darkness. And just in case you’re wondering… I’m not going anywhere, unless you tell me to leave, and even then, we might need to negotiate.”



I honestly didn't know what to expect going into this book. I went into it knowing that it is listed as a YA fantasy but didn't expect to fall in love with it this much! I had seen so many good things about this, but the reviews just don't do it justice. This has become one of my favorite reads for this year!



Divine Rivals is the first book in the Letters of Enchantment duet. This is my first book by Rebecca Ross, and I fell in love with it from the very first word, which surprised me since I usually don't enjoy third person. Her writing is so beautiful and poetic that it just captured me. Though this is a fantasy, there are some missing pieces to the world building, but as I was reading, I completely overlooked it due to the romance that was present. It's a slow burn, work place academic rivals to lovers, where he falls first and harder this always makes me swoon so hard, romantacy that is emotional with angst, tension, grief, death and so much pain that I hadn't been expecting.



Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt are two young rival journalists. They work at the same newspaper the Oath Gazette and find themselves competing for the same columnist position. While the rivalry between them grows, so does a war that is between the two gods, Dacre and Enva. The two find solace within each other through two magical typewrites that are linked through their letters. Iris begins sharing her daily thoughts and her deepest griefs, and he does in return.



"Sometimes I’m afraid to love other people. Everyone I care about eventually leaves me, whether it’s death or war or simply because they don’t want me."

"I realize that people are just people, and they carry their own set of fears, dreams, desires, pains, and mistakes. I can’t expect someone else to make me feel complete; I must find it on my own."



Iris Winnow is so strong, brave, and just precious and needs to be protected at all costs. I absolutely adore this woman. She's so mature for her young age and has so much to deal with in her everyday struggles, but she doesn't let it affect the way she carries herself and cares for others. I was so happy that she found her own family since all the people she's loved have left her in one way or another.  I just want to wrap my arms around her and give her the biggest hug.



"But just in case you were wondering… I’ll gladly read whatever you write."

“You mentioned the other day that you think I’m only here to ‘outshine’ you. But that’s the furthest thing from the truth. I broke my engagement, quit my job, and traveled six hundred kilometers into war- torn land to be with you, Iris.”



Roman C. Kitt is grumpy and stubborn in the beginning, but when the layers start to peel back and we are left with the sweetest, kindest, gentleman that I swear you will ever meet. He had me absolutely swooning. His life seems so perfect from the outside, but he has so many struggles that make me love him even more. I won't go into detail as I want you to fall in love with him as I did. He goes through great lengths for Iris to show how much she means to him and cares for her. I mean, he stands outside her door and waits for her to lock it before he leaves. He raises the bar for real men, and I've just added a new book boyfriend to the long list.



"He didn’t want to live in a world without her and her words."

"She couldn’t bear to live in a world without him."

"“I think you and I are simply better together, Kitt,”

"Their names would be entwined—Roman and Iris or Winnow and Kitt because could you truly have one without the other?"



RomanIris are the definition of soulmates. Their chemistry is so palpable from the very beginning, even as they were still rivals. Iris gave Roman the following nicknames Roman Cheeky Kitt. Roman Cantankerous Kitt. Roman Conceited Kitt and I loved them all. They had me giggling and kicking my feet. The way that he would do anything for her and the love he has for her words had me on my knees swooning. Their love for each other was felt through every moment on the pages. And the letters they wrote to each other are everything and so much more! They were making up some of my favorite parts. I need someone to write me love letters NOW!



Side characters
I absolutely adored the love and found family that Marisol, Attie, and Keegan shared with Iris. They are the family that Iris never knew she would need. The way that they became close knit so quickly and will always look out for and do anything for one another is so precious. Now Iris' mother Aster and her brother Forest I'm not sure how I feel about them. They both did things that I couldn't fully agree with. I'm hoping for some redemption from Forest for what he did in the next book.



"It’s odd, how quickly life can change, isn’t it? How one little thing like typing a letter can open a door you never saw. A transcendent connection. A divine threshold."



That cliffhanger has me feeling so much. I was not expecting that ending at all. I will be patiently ummm impatiently waiting for the release of the next book because I have so many questions that I need answers for.



Favorite moments/quotes

"Perhaps it begins with one person. Someone you trust. You remove a piece of armor for them; you let the light stream in, even if it makes you wince. Perhaps that is how you learn to be soft yet strong, even in fear and uncertainty. One person, one piece of steel."

“I don’t want to wake up when I’m seventy- four only to realize I haven’t lived.”

"I don’t think you realize how strong you are, because sometimes strength isn’t swords and steel and fire, as we are so often made to believe. Sometimes it’s found in quiet, gentle places. The way you hold someone’s hand as they grieve. The way you listen to others. The way you show up, day after day, even when you are weary or afraid or simply uncertain."

She unfortunately had to sit on Roman Kitt’s lap, nearly all the way to the front lines.
~~Oh, how I would gladly take her place...

“I prefer salty over sweet. I prefer sunsets over sunrises, but only because I love to watch the constellations begin to burn. My favorite season is autumn, because my mum and I both believed that’s the only time when magic can be tasted in the air. I am a devout tea lover and can drink my weight in it.”

“I have the worst sweet tooth imaginable,” Roman began. “I prefer sunrises, but only because I like the possibilities a new dawn brings. My favorite season is spring, because baseball returns. I prefer coffee, although I’ll drink whatever is placed in front of me.”

"It’s not a crime to feel joy, even when things seem hopeless. Iris, look at me. You deserve all the happiness in the world. And I intend to see that you have it.”

“I think we all wear armor. I think those who don’t are fools, risking the pain of being wounded by the sharp edges of the world, over and over again."

“I pray that my days will be long at your side. Let me fill and satisfy every longing in your soul. May your hand be in mine, by sun and by night. Let our breaths twine and our blood become one, until our bones return to dust. Even then, may I find your soul still sworn to mine.”
~~ This right here got me all on my feels because it's the absolute sweetest.


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RomanIris are everything 🥹
rtc when I can form thoughts...


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In my fantasy era. FINALLY starting this to meet Roman and Iris 🩵🤭