Set in a late 1800s/ early 1900s with magical aspects and brilliant world building that makes it feel both familiar and fantastical. Both Irish and Roman are well written and developed with a host of secondary characters with their own twists and turns. Slight cliffhanger but sequel out before the year is over!

SO GOOD!! The hype around this book is so real. I absolutely loved the pacing of this, the intricate magical system and of course, our two great leads. I find it hard to really connect with YA fantasy these days, but Rebecca Ross has crafted a world that feels very lived in, and coupled it with conflict that has you on the edge of your seat. The writing is beautiful, and the main characters are so charming you can't help but fall in love with them from the start. Hands down one of the best YA/fantasy/romance combos I've read in a while.

4.25 stars

This was an enchanting book from start to finish. I haven’t stopped thinking about this cast of characters. The writing was beautiful and the story exceeded all expectations.

Despite what seemingly sounded like a simple concept, Divine Rivals is a genre-defying action packed swoonworthy masterclass in historical urban fantasy! (If that's even a thing!)

The world that Rebecca Ross has built here is truly divine. A very 1920s, turn of the century time mashed up with elements of mythology and high fantasy made for one of the most unique settings I have ever read in this genre.

And what to say about Iris and Kitt? ❤️❤️❤️ I mean I love a good enemies to lovers trope but these two were about as swoonworthy as it gets - and who knew letter writing could be so romantic?

The ending sequence made me cry, gasp and scream (especially the Epilogue!) and it just makes me want the sequel now - and that makes me cry even more because it's not out until April 2024!!

The premise of this book was very interesting, and I loved the enemies-to-lovers aspect, even if it felt a bit cliche.

I loved the writing and the world building, and I look forward to my special edition!

Ughhhhh... this book!!!! If you haven't read it, read it!!! I LOVED this book! Our two MC's were just perfect, a little sprinkle of magic and a bit of emotional trauma and grief, type it out on that funky typewriter, wrap it up in Ross' special writing pad and stick it under the door... Magical!

I honestly loved everything about this, the characters were great, we have elements of enemies to lovers, actual Gods, a War, grief and whatever else was slung at our MC's! It was magical, it built hope and I really ROOTED for them both! I am so so so so excited for the next instalment, can you tell? I couldn't even write a comprehensive review because I'm still reeling and I just adored it so so much!

I have mixed feeling about this book. I dived in, expecting to love it as I'm a bit of a history buff and historical romance are my jam but I don't know, something just didn't work for me.
It might be that this enemies-to-lovers romance felt a bit cliche and moved too quickly. Or the mythology aspect that got me a bit confused.
Nevertheless, I liked this book way more than her previous ones and that cliffhanger definitely got me hooked and ready for the sequel.

A brilliant, well plotted and gripping novel: a very original world building, fleshed out characters, a enemy-to-lovers story.
I can't wait to read the next book as I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was such an interesting read! I found myself so engrossed in the story, the characters had such incredible arcs, and I can't wait to follow this author's journey!

A magical Sundy Afternoon read, sweet Love, Magic, War and Destruction.
A very slight enemies to lovers tale with strong femine characters.
Who doesn't want a magic type writer. The ending defiently makes you want to read the next in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Harper Collins for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: death, violence, injury, war

"Divine Rivals" takes place in a world where a war between gods has escalated and their followers are now lining the trenches of the front lines. Iris Winnow is desperate to find out what happened to her brother, Forest, who enlisted six months ago after the goddess Enva called him to fight. She's working to become the lead reporter at the Oath Gazette but finds herself stopped at every turn by her rich, snooty rival- Roman Kitt. The two of them have been fighting for this role for months, but Iris' chances of gaining the job begin to fall as she grows more obsessed with finding her brother and keeping her mother sober. One night she writes a letter on the typewriter given to her by her grandmother to Forest, though she doesn't believe it'll reach him. It doesn't- the person receiving them is Roman, and he's fascinated to find that his rival is more than he ever thought. Iris and Roman begin writing to each other and soon find a friend in each other. After a traumatic event drives her from home, Iris decides to go to the front line and become a war correspondent. It's while she's out there that Iris sees the realities and horrors of war, the desperation of soldiers trying to survive, and an unexpected love when Roman follows her out into the field.

This book is absolutely gorgeously written, I read this so quickly and enjoyed every moment of it. Iris and Roman start out as enemies but as soon as things begin changing, their relationship develops so well. I loved Iris' journey into becoming a war correspondent, especially as she moved away from her life in Oath and discovered what was happening on the front lines. She's strong and confident, but also incredibly vulnerable and I really enjoyed her character. Roman is just as interesting, trying to manage the weight of his father's expectations on top of his guilt over his sister's death. The earliest parts of the book were good but as soon as Iris went to war, that's when it began to truly grip me, and I'm so glad I kept reading. Books with enemies-to-lovers storylines are always enjoyable but here Rebecca Ross has written a story about the importance of acting on love when things are at their worst, even if it means staying behind in a warzone to tend your wife's garden. The magic typewriters were such a clever addition and I loved the worldbuilding behind the gods' war with each other, I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.

What an incredible premise, and what an achievement to fulfil my expectations of that premise! Rival journalists who unbeknownst to them communicate through magical typewriters as they correspond on a war between gods? So fascinating! It was the first book I've read by this author, but I'll definitely be picking up more because they have the most gorgeous, lush writing style that just took me in so completely.

I'm hoping that, given how this book ended, we'll see more of the gods in the next book, as they weren't technically relevant to the plot for a lot of this story; we kind of just knew that they were the reason why this war was happening, but there was never any real need for it to be involving gods, so I'm hoping that aspect will be ramped up in the sequel.

I did love the characters though, and their pining for each other was displayed really well considering this book is pretty fast paced and not very long. I loved how they stuck together even when they were "rivals", and even more so as their relationship blossomed. They were a fantastic pairing and I was rooting for them throughout.

One of my favourite reads of the year!

I can’t praise this book enough, I love the world building and premise about the 2 eating gods and humanity being called to fight either side. It was interesting seeing the fall out of that but I loved seeing the journey of the main characters and I really loved the story with the typewriters. Definite recommendation from my and a worthy 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review!

I enjoyed Ross' A River Enchanted so I knew I would probably be into Divine Rivals, but this book truly surpasses its predecessor.

Divine Rivals is filled with realistic horrors of war, beautiful romantic and familial love, and a fantasic, expansive story. I really admire an author who can create feelings and experiences so close to reality within a fantasy realm. The WWI-inspired world is amazing. Every aspect is intricate, beautiful, devastating, and detailed. The letter premise reminds me a bit of the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy which I also loved, and I fell for these characters like I fell for them.

It's a fascinating premise for a war. Enva and Dacre and their I love that they all drink tea instead of coffee. I really believe that Iris and Roman are great writers and I love how different their writing styles are whilst being engrossing. Their relationship is beautiful from their friendship to their romance. I just adored them both.

I am going to give this book to everyone I know for Christmas this year because I need everyone in my life to be as obsessed as me.

Also, if I don't get the next book soon I will haunt Rebecca Ross in the middle of the night until I do. The cliffhanger-esque ending has killed me. I need to know what happens next. Five glowing stars.

Surely the cover alone sells this?
But if not, prepare for the PERFECT rivals to lovers romance, with a magical version of our own world and a battle between gods. This tale is packed with hope as well as the realities of war, on the front line as well as for those left behind.

The ending broke me, so prepare, this is an uncompleted duology. (My heart is currently hurting and will not be complete unless happiness occurs in book 2)

Rebecca Ross is fast becoming one of my all time favourite authors. Divine Rivals did not disappoint, I think Rebecca up the ante with this one, I cannot wait to read the sequel!

Five star for sure, it probably deserves ten stars!

Look, I'm going to need to stop reading books so early if they end like this. just THAT CLIFFHANGER. wow.

Okay so Divine Rivals is the story of Iris Winnow, whose brother has recently gone to war to fight for a God. Her mother has since become an alcoholic and Iris is struggling to keep them fed with her job at the local newspaper writing obituaries. She fights with her rival, the handsome Roman Kitt, for a place as columnist, but fate has other plans for her, and the battlefield looms ever closer...

This was divinely (ha!) written as always. I can honestly say I adore Ross' writing, the way she does emotions is just perfect and the letters our two mains write to each other were heart-breaking, yet full of hope too. I highlighted so many passages on my kindle!

I will say this one did surprise me a little. It reads more like a WW1 historical than a fantasy book. I was definitely expecting more magic but I did appreciate how Ross sprinkles in bits of it here and there whilst keeping a very realistic tone.

The romance unfolds beautifully, the procession from rivals to lovers is done really organically and I was so invested in their happy ending 🥺

I'm already eagerly anticipating the sequel, the book ends with a huge cliffhanger that sets up book 2 to be very exciting indeed!

Many thanks to Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the ARC.

Ms. Ross beautiful stories and sherry story telling never fails to amazes me. I’m in love with this series so much, would highly recommended almost everyone to pick this up!

This historical fantasy set against a back drop of WWII dazzled me from the start. With star crossed lovers a letter exchange and some fantasy elements tied in with a historical setting it checked all my boxes for a perfect book.

The writing is beautiful and through it I really feel connected to Iris. The pacing was great and held up through most of the story.

Modern world war love story with a fantasy twist.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tale of Iris and Roman as they grow from rivals into something special. Their story is set against the anguish of a war very similar to WW1 which makes it feel even more poignant. The fantasy elements are small, unique and well suited. Certainly a story I would recommend!