Book Review | Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Author: Rebecca Ross
Published by: April 4, 2023
Rating: ★★★★★
Genre: YA Fantasy // Magical Realism
SYNOPSIS
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love.
Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.
This is a story about a love story hot off the press.
I have to admit; I was taken by surprise when I found myself invested in this! Historical romance has never been my cup of tea & this definitely had that vibe- but it managed to bridge the gap between my usual preferences and historical fantasy so well!
While centuries-old gods wage war in the background and this is a story about the impacts of war on a large scale, the author never strays far from the heart of the story: at its core, "Divine Rivals" is a tale of love in its many forms- the deep ways in which humans will perform incredible feats of sheer will for the people they care for- but it’s also a story about divine magic! I loved the small touches of magical realism weaved throughout- from the shops to the typewriters to the ways in which the characters interacted with their surroundings in magical ways.
Speaking of characters, Iris and Roman's growth is so lovely. Their interactions, laden with witty exchanges reminiscent of the "You've Got Mail" had me rooting for them from the start & SCREAMING at them when they make dumb choices.
Five stars this was an absolute delight and I cannot wait for book 2.
Thank you so much NetGalley & Wednesday books for the eArc!
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Hi, I’m Angie. I live in California & often trade sleep for reading time. I enjoy books that make me forget about how tired I’m going to be, and coincidentally I also really love coffee. My favorite genres this year have been horror, sci-fi & romantasy- but I’ll read anything with a compelling first line.