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good
Roman and Iris are the cutest thing ever. Love the plot and it was overall such a good read. Very little that I would change about this one.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Enchanting love story!
On the cusp of preorders and a flurry of activity surrounding Wild Reverence coming in early September, I decided to do a full reread of Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows. I just finished up the first in the duology, and I was once again reminded to revisit some of my favorite novels from time to time. It’s no wonder this book is beloved by so many. The characters are easy to become engaged with, especially our two leads, Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt. They are both writers, competing for the coveted columnist position at the local Oath Gazette. You’re can quickly see these two becoming quite the pair with their playful banter, but also their quiet reflective words on their thoughts and fears. Add in a touch of charm and enchantment with some magical typewriters and away the story takes you! When Iris faces a loss in her life, she looks to make a change, leave home, and become a news correspondent for the war being waged between two gods. I love the tale of the war between the gods, Enva and Dacre, and why it is being fought. Roman is facing demands by his father at home and an arranged marriage that he does not want for himself, so he soon leaves home and joins Iris at the same war front. This book is a love story, a story of magical connection, the devastation of war, and the grieving journey following deep loss. It’s an excellent YA read and I highly recommend the duology if you haven’t picked it up yet.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Heartfelt and moving personal connections
Wow. There were so many powerful elements of this book that kept my attention and pulled at my heartstrings. Iris is a newspaper reporter in an alternate reality close to ours (from maybe WWII type era) where there are wars between two remaining gods. She is trying to balance her life between the needs of her sweet but alcoholic mother, her missing brother Forest who goes off to fight for one of the gods, and her interactions between the people at the newspaper. Chief among the latter is her rival, the aristocratic and snarky Roman C. Kitt. Those dynamics drive the plot into their own relationships and involvement in the wars. What I liked: - Oh, the letters! I agree with other reviewers that they are amazing and touching and deeply emotional. Iris exchanges letters with a magical transmission to what she assumes at first is her brother but really is Roman. She is able to pour her heart into those letters and Roman starts to pour his heart back. They feel utterly real, and the magic element of why those two individuals are able to connect that way is sweet. - The side characters and dynamics at the newspapers were very well depicted with meaningful interactions and logical plot progressions - The struggles with her mother and missing her brother were insightful about living with loss - Marisol's house and the people in it were a true joy with richly developed characters - Attie was a wonderful partner with Iris off to war and sharing the hardships - The war scenes were a heart wrenching mix of dedication and brutal loss that reflects back to WWI experiences - The growing relationship between Iris and Roman was well paced and mostly believable with some very sweet parts at Marisol's house What I didn't like - The noble character of Roman wasn't a good fit with the family he came from without any indication of how he had that goodness rather than the bitter selfish person he portrayed and was groomed to be by his family - Roman's family was very one dimensional as was Miss Little - I won't give away one of the twists toward the end, but the person involved explained how they came to be there but you didn't feel their experience at a deep level Bottom line is that when I finished this book I was glad I already had the next volume to read. I found that the sequel didn't live up to the promise of this book, but that doesn't detract from the powerful lead this story gave.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
How are People Connected?
I am flabbergasted. My heart is torn asunder. My mouth is hanging open and all I can think is, "How am I supposed to review this book?" I have been under a magic spell for the last two days, and I have been spit out into the real world, and I'm not ready to let go of the enchantment of Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals. Imagine an early turn of the century, a steampunk world infused with magic, and you have the setting of Divine Rivals. The major city of Oath is where the novel begins. Iris Winnow lives with her mother, Astar, and her brother, Forest, in a poor flat, in a bad part of Oath. Despite her circumstances, Iris has the lofty goal of wanting to write for the City's best newspaper when she finishes school. The world Iris lives in is changing. For hundreds of years, the Gods who used to rule have been asleep. Legend tells that the evil God, Dacre, who rules the underworld, was put to sleep by Enva, the God of the Overworld, who sang him to sleep with her magical harp. Iris's brother, Forest, comes home one day, completely possessed by the notion that he has heard Enva call him to war against the newly awakened Dacre's forces. Gone before she or her mum can argue with him, the loss of Forest devastates the family. Astar, who was a waitress in a diner, just stays at home drinking wine. Iris drops out of the last year of school to work at odd jobs and try to keep Astar safe. Much to her surprise, she receives an interview request from The Oath Gazette, based on an essay she had written while in school. She is offered a probationary job to be chosen as a columnist. Enter Roman C. Kitt, dashing, dark-haired, blue-eyed, dressed to the nines, upper-class son of wealth, a competitor for the columnist position. From the minute she meets him, Iris feels his condescension toward her. She is late twice in one week because of dealing with her mother and he teased her about not wanting the position. The tendrils of the magic world begin to work in Iris's life when she decides to start expressing her frustration and loneliness by typing letters to her brother and not sending them. One day, she folds one up and slides it into her wardrobe. To her amazement, not only is it gone, but she receives a reply. Divine Rivals: Letters of Enchantment is a book about how lives are magically entwined. This first book in the series is intensely personal, anguishing, and full of moments of transcendent bliss and the love of good friends. Ross puts in so many evocative elements of magic, intersections where people can change, and sprinkles the plot with unexpected events that the reader is continually kept guessing. And this includes the ending, which left me in shock. I can't recommend this book enough. I'd give it ten stars if I could. And prepare yourself to immediately get all of the books in the series. Rebecca Ross is an otherworldly talented writer.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Unexpectedly Captivating: A Journey of Growth and
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross was a pleasant surprise. At first, I found myself struggling through the early chapters, unsure of where the story was going or if I would connect with the characters. But as I pushed further in, Iris' journey really began to draw me in. Her growth throughout the book was so engaging, and the slow burn of her relationship with Ronan was both tender and intense. It’s one of those books where, once you're hooked, it's hard to stop reading. The ending, however, caught me off guard. The pacing picked up so quickly that I was left almost breathless, wanting more. It felt like a whirlwind, and now I'm itching to dive into the next book to see how everything unfolds. I’m excited for where the story is heading and can’t wait to see how Iris and Ronan’s story evolves
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A stunning duet!
4.5⭐️ A stunning duet, a story which could only be told by Rebecca Ross, with magic emanating from the pages. I couldn't help but adore Iris and Roman with their cheeky personalities and witty banter. The progression of their relationship from workplace rivals, to friends, to something more was well paced alongside the underlying story of the gods war. Theirs is a slow, simmering romance, one that made my heart ache with each moment of yearning. Oath, their home, is reminiscent of cities we may know in real life. It gives the story setting a sense of familiarity, albeit with magical influence and its own unique history. We traverse the land to outer cities and to the warfront, too, experiencing the harshness of war as well as the tenderness of home, friendship, hope, and love. The element of magical letters was the spark that drew me to this story and I'm so glad it did. Iris and Roman's letters they wrote, the family they chose, the vows they made, and the lives changed, will be moments I revisit when the world needs a little more magic.
Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
uniquely charming
How sweet, wonderful and uniquely charming this story is! I was entranced from chapter one to the very end, and will start book 2 ASAP! Wonderful academic rivals to lovers! Their love is just to unique, magical and utterly heartwarming in a time of peril!!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Romance, Fantasy and War
Absolutely engaging story. Loved the world building, the way this story was written and painted in my mind was just perfection. It was almost like reading a fantasy historic fiction. Two of my favorite genres in one. The romance and character growth drive this story and that is something I truly loved. Especially because it is done slowly, creating a perfect development of the story and their story. The war/political angle was another aspect of this story that I loved. It kept me wanting to know more and learn more. Very nicely written. After that ending I cannot wait to read the next one!!! My heart can’t take it!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com