Book Review: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

Quote: 

"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. But if I've learned anything from those fools, it's that to be vulnerable is a strength most of us fear. It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see 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." 

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."

Blurb: 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 write 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.

Book Tropes: 

• Enemies to Lovers
• War-torn Romance
• Slow Burn
• Anonymous Pen-Pals
• Cliffhanger Ending
• Mythology & Gods
• Magical World
• Found Family
• Historical Fantasy

My Personal Views: Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is an enemies-to-lovers fantasy fiction novel.

In a world where gods were laid to rest by humans, two deities—Dacre and Enva—have awakened and gone to war. Many humans have taken sides, joining the battle in the West. One of them is Iris's brother, Forest. Before leaving, he promised to write to her, but it's been far too long since she's heard from him. Still, Iris sends letter after letter through her magical wardrobe, unaware that it's not Forest who’s receiving them.

The one thing that keeps her going is her aim of becoming the columnist for the Oath Gazette. But her rival, Roman Kitt, who is also aiming for that position is not making it easy. Soon, though, Iris realizes there’s nothing left for her at Oath and leaves to become a war correspondent in the hopes of finding her brother.

In the beginning of the book, there was a lot of world building and the story started off slow as well. I went into the book with high expectations after hearing so many glowing reviews, especially since it’s an enemies-to-lovers trope—one of my favorites. And while it didn’t blow me away, I’d say it did a solid job of meeting those expectations.

Be the bond that Iris and Roman shared throughout the book, which sparkles like a bright star in a dark sky or be It the plot line filled with the war and magic. It will truly make you feel like you are there in the war field along with the characters.

The story truly makes you feel the sadness and brutality of war, the pain it causes, and the tears it brings to soldiers, their families, and even those watching from afar as the world is torn apart.

The magical world Ross has created is rich and captivating. A little advice: I suggest buying the second book in advance (because I regret not doing that and now have to suffer through the cliffhanger!).

The ending of the story will leave you thinking about it for days. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bigger cliffhanger—Rebecca Ross knows how to keep readers hooked. You’ll be left wondering what happens next.

Now coming onto why I did not give this book a five star, even though I have written pages of compliments for this book (literally because I am writing the review down first on a page). From an enemies-to-lovers book, I expect top-tier banter and angst, which this one didn’t quite deliver, unfortunately. If I were the type to rate books in decimals, this would easily be a 4.5-star read. Overall, it was a great experience, and I can’t wait to dive into the second book of the duology.

Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5

Until the next read,

Aditi.