The Bibliophile's Bookshelf

Title: Divine Rivals

Series: Letters of Enchantment #1

Author: Rebecca Ross

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review:

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? – summary from Goodreads

Divine Rivals is a moving romantasy with wonderful protagonists and romance, set against the backdrop of war.

It has been many years since I have read this book, and it was even better than I remembered it being! I really enjoyed this book, and I am excited to see where this story goes in the next book!

The setting of this book is absolutely amazing! I don’t necessarily pay a lot of attention to settings, but this is one that sticks with me. It was incredibly atmospheric, as well as reminiscent of the early 1900s. The city was incredible, but I also love how the author describes and writes Avalon Bluff. Avalon Bluff is a rural setting, and I like how it compares to the city. The trenches are also incredibly described, and I really felt like I was there.

I read in another review how some elements of WWI could be seen in this story, and I find that I whole heartedly agree. In the way the setting is described, you can see the early 1900s with radios and trams but still relying on more antiquated technology. In the war itself, chemical warfare was also being used, which really reminded me of WWI.

The mythology of this book was incredible and expertly woven into the story. It was unique and different, and I enjoyed that aspect of the book. The gods and goddesses of this book also didn’t follow the traditional Greek/Roman gods that you traditionally see, which I appreciated. I hope there is a deeper dive into these characters in the next book.

The two main characters, Roman and Iris, were amazing! Iris was such a lovely main character. She was a well-rounded character. She was stubborn and dedicated to her work, but she also cared for those around her and had her weak moments. I really liked that she wasn’t mean and unfeeling, which I often find in fantasy novels.

Roman was amazing! He was so caring and kind, especially towards Iris, but he could also be arrogant. He was another well-rounded character, and I appreciated this. Roman also had more of a hidden and complex backstory than Iris, which drew me in. Despite this book being dual POV, Iris was the main narrator, and we got to be a little closer to her than Roman. I enjoyed seeing more of his backstory throughout the course of the book and him being vulnerable with Iris.

One of my very favorite aspects of this book was that neither Roman nor Iris were fighters. They were writers and they stayed in that realm the entire book. They were willing to defend themselves, but they did not do combat training nor did they want to. I thought that was super cool and realistic.

The romance in this book was the best! Roman and Iris started as rivals, and it slowly grew into more. I loved the letter component of this book, as well as the magic that is connected to this; it was unique, different, and sweet. Roman was able to start healing from some of his past trauma, as well as move away from his father’s influence because of Iris, which I really liked. Roman definitely fell first and it was the cutest. I loved them together and even after they admitted their feelings, they still challenged each other to do better. They were also so protective of each other, which I love so much. A small spoiler: they did get married towards the end of the book. On one hand it felt a little rushed to me, but on the other hand I love a good wedding and I love them together.

The ending was a shock, and I cannot wait for the next book! I am excited to see what happens with Iris and Roman next and am curious as to where this story is going to go next, especially with the twist at the end.

I think this book is definitely for older teens, 16+. There is a fade-to-black scene, and this book is about war, which the author doesn’t shy away from.

Divine Rivals is a moving story with rivals to lovers, war, gods, and magical typewriters!

Quotes:

“Because you are not alone. In your fear or your grief or your dreams. You are not alone.”

“I hope you’ll find your place, wherever you are. Even in the silence, I hope you find the words you need to share.”

“Let us make our names exactly what we want them to be.”

“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.”

“‘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 breathes twine and our blood become one, until our bones return to dust. Even then, may I find your soul still sworn to mine.’”