About the Book:

Title: Divine Rivals 

Author: Rebecca Ross 

Publisher: Wednesday Books 

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Pages: 368

Genre: YA Fantasy, YA Historical 

Synopsis:

NO GOD
NO CREATURE
NO WAR
CAN COME BETWEEN THEM

The latest from the number one SUNDAY TIMES bestseller Rebecca Ross
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.

Review:

 

*I received an e-arc via Netgalley and Wednesday Books for review. All thoughts are my own. Thank you for the opportunity! *

I absolutely LOVED this book, and it has quickly become one of my favorites that I have read so far this year! I jumped on the opportunity to read this one, as I absolutely adore Rebecca Ross and all of her books. This book kept me totally enthralled from start to finish. There was magic, great worldbuilding, action, adventure, a truly epic love story, and characters that I grew very attached to. This story totally gave me WWI vibes and I was here for it! So heartbreakingly beautiful! 

Iris Winnow is trying desperately to keep her family together. Her brother is on the frontline of a war where he is forced to fight on behalf of the gods, and he is now missing in action. He hasn’t answered any of her letters. Her mother is drowning herself in her sorrows. Iris feels that her best bet to help her family is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands, that of her handsome but cold competitor at the paper, Roman Kitt. However, an unlikely magical connection forms between them.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters traveling along with them, can their bond withstand the fate of mankind, and more importantly, love?

I thought the competition between Iris and Kitt was wonderful! It was so fun to read the banter between them. Iris comes from a rather modest background, and the position at the paper could be life changing for her. Kitt on the other hand comes from a wealthy family, but he has a rather controlling father who so desperately wants to fit in with high society, that he doesn’t let his son make any decisions for himself. Kitt is trying to get the position at the paper more because of familial expectations, rather than his own desires.  Kitt feels like he’s completely trapped, and he also mourns the death of his sister. 

When Iris and Kitt find themselves in the middle of the war effort, things really take an interesting turn! 

Just an FYI, the author posted some content/trigger warnings for this book:

Loss of a parent
Loss of a sibling
A parent struggling with alcoholism
Profanity: mild
Depictions of PTSD
Violence: moderate to severe
Mature Scenes: present on the page, but not explicit

The ending of this one killed me, and I can’t wait for book two! Can I have it now, please? 😉 Available April 4, 2023, I hope that you will consider reading this one. Highly recommend! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author:

Rebecca Ross writes fantasy novels for teens and adults. She lives in the Appalachian foothills of Northeast Georgia with her husband, their lively Australian Shepherd, and an endless pile of books. THE QUEEN’S RISING, THE QUEEN’S RESISTANCE, SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG, and DREAMS LIE BENEATH are her titles for young adult readers. A RIVER ENCHANTED is her adult fantasy debut, publishing February 15, 2022 with a sequel to follow. When not writing, she can be found reading or in her garden, where she grows wildflowers and story ideas. Find her on Instagram @beccajross or online at www.rebeccarossauthor.com.

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