A perfect ending to a perfect duology.

It was so refreshing to reading such a well rounded YA fantasy novel, and after the first one, the second novel follows Iris and Romans after a mini time jump and we are once again thrusted into action intrigue and heart break. Not as much romance in this book, but i think the first did enough for us.

It was a very good book and a satisfying ending, I do believe some things could have been fleshed out, but overall i really enjoyed this book and as i love a good duology, This was perfect

Is it possible that this book is somehow better than the first one??? All I can say is how incredible it was and how excited I was to start reading it

Wow, what a stunning conclusion to a duology that has warmed its way into my heart. I had high expectations for Ruthless Vows and it delivered. Honestly, it exceeded all the expectations that I had for it. I know there are mixed reviews for this book, but this was everything I wanted and more. I knew from the first page, I would be hooked and I was. Once I started reading, I simply could not stop and here we are now, months after release, still thinking about this book.

It caused me pain but healed me at the same time and I love books that do that. I already loved both Iris and Roman from the first book but this one just amplified my love for them. Within this story, you get to witness an incredible character arc for both of them, both together and as individuals. I loved how determined both of them are and how they dealt with the situations they were in. With the addition of Dacre and Enva, I felt this book was just elevated. There is a lot of tension and angst and pining in this, that I was screaming into my pillow a lot.

And that ending?? WOW. There is a phrase that I use in my reviews a lot and that is heartwrenching yet heartwarming. That is what I would use to describe Ruthless Vows and this duology as a whole. I never expected to be this attached to it and I am glad I picked it up when I did, Because now I have found a series that I will forever love and always come back to.

The final part of the Divine Rivals duology is not a disappointment. We left our star crossed lovers on a bit of a cliff hanger as Iris was dragged away by her deserter brother and Roman was left for dead on a vengeful gods battle field. The story picks up with Iris back in the city broken hearted with the war closing in. Roman is behind enemy lines with his body healed but his mind broken and then he starts finding weird letters in his wardrobe. I am a big fan of duologies, the plots are kept tight, the actions has pace and things are wrapped up tightly. Ross is as swoony and romantic as ever. Iris and Roman are beautiful and dreamy and I loved them so much. This was great bit sloppy emo indulgence, I throughly enjoyed it.

After being absolutely in love with Divine Rivals I wasn't sure how this book could compare to the first instalment however I wasn't disappointed and in my opinion, Ruthless Vows was even better! I adore the love story between Iris and Roman and it was so heartwrenching to continue the story. Ruthless Vows was full of twists and turns and I found the story to be exciting and tense. The perfect ending to this duology.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review! (Spoiler free)

Let me just start by saying that I absolutely loved the Elements of Cadence duology by Rebecca Ross and the prequel to Ruthless Vows, so I might be biased. Ross has this way of writing where it encapsulates you and it feels beautiful and magical, even in the hardships of her stories. It's just the right amount of magic for it to remain captivating without needing a whole lot of world building.

The quote "Let me be your secret, then. Tuck my words into your pocket. Let them be your armor." is hands down my favourite from this book, it really tells you what the book is about. It's tender yet so vulnerable.

For the Swifties among us, this book gave me 'Timeless' vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Release date: 26 December 2023

Pages: 420

Representation: Lesbian side characters

Trigger warnings: Death, War, injury details

Summary: Sequel to Divine Rivals. Two weeks since we last saw Roman and Iris, and the war rages on. The gods are ready to do whatever it takes to get their own way, and Roman and Iris will do whatever it takes to get back to eachother.

Ruthless vows is a love letter to those that believe in love above all else and aren’t afraid to fight for it.

Our two main characters were as strong as ever, with clear motivations and intent. They were consistent, lovable and their personalities really shone through. It was also nice to see more side character motivations and interactions, though a few of them were on the verge of lacking depth.

The plot focused far more on the war and it’s imminent end than the first book, and yet still entwined Roman and Iris’ love story (and letter writing) within it. It was more fast-paced than its predecessor, but still slow enough that it didn’t feel rushed. The only issue with the plot was that at no point do the stakes ever feel real. We know there’s a war, we know wht’s at stake, but we can’t feel it.We have no doubt about what’s going to happen. It’s like taking a sip of flat soda, it still tastes the same but something is missing.

The romance was as bright and bold as ever, told in such a way that their love bleeds through the pages. It’s enchanting, and a true once-in-a-library find to see this type of relationship blossom like Roman and Iris’ does. We want them to be together, and we want them to win-there isn’t even a question of it.

The ending was satisfying, and there were no loose ends. It all tied nicely in a bow, and definitely made the last 2 books of reading worth it. There was a full circle moment that really helped make the story feel complete.

Definitely a sequel worth picking up if you loved the first book, or want some magical romance that would find each other even if the world was falling apart.

Its shining glory: The writing is as magical as the story itself- showcasing a passionate love with little face-time between our two main character, it’s a testament to Ross’ skill.

Its fatal flaw: Despite the clear high stakes, everything feels almost flat-like a dimming filter placed over a photograph. It makes it hard to invest your heart fully into the book, leaving you feeling like you’re watching it all through a window instead of being part of the action.

Read this if: You love a love that persists, no matter the circumstances. You like both character and plot driven stories that lean more towards the character side.

Skip this if: You like war stories that have deep political roots. You don’t like stories that have very character driven plots.

This was a gripping read and I was intrigued by the characters. I will look out for more by this author.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this title in advance - I loved it, and will post my full review in the future.

Rebecca Ross, the writer that you are ... To me, this is the perfect duology, and Ruthless Vows is the perfect conclusion.

I absolutely loved book one, so I was looking forward to reading ruthless vows.
I love Rebecca Ross' writing and I don't think you can go wrong with any of her novels.
I loved this continuation, the characters are wonderful and have a realism to them that brings the story to life.
The writing captures the reader and brings the sense of feeling that we are part of the story. The descriptions are lavish and everything about this book just makes it a fantastic read

A good continuation to the original tale with a flipped version of events,my only qualm is that the 'big bad' seemed way to easy to kill in the end.

Such a great second installment to the series. Got all in my emotions and fell in love with the couple even more this time around.

Can’t wait to read more of Ross’ work!

This is a really excellent conclusion to the duology, and I think a two-book series was perfect for this story. The pacing felt right, and I was invested throughout both books; there wasn't ever a time when I was bored or wanted it over and done with. Rebecca Ross writes so beautifully and eloquently, and I'm really excited now to read her other duology. I loved the expanded exploration of the Gods in this book, with the focus on Dacre and Enva's backstory. Although I would've liked for Enva to have a bigger role in the story than she did, I enjoyed the dynamic that Dacre brought to the page. Iris truly shone in this book; she was brave, genuine, strong and devoted, and I absolutely adore her as a main character. Roman was also wonderful, but Iris is definitely my favourite.

There were a few things which I was slightly disappointed with, namely that Forest felt like he was set up to have a significant role in the plot from the ending of Divine Rivals - and that just didn't happen. I also wasn't entirely sure how the whole 'Graveyard' plotline was necessary, seeing as it didn't end up being exactly impactful in any way by the end.

Overall though, this was a great conclusion to a great duology, and I can't wait to see what's next for Rebecca Ross!

I loved the first book so the sequel had a lot to live up to. I love the characters and the romance storyline. However I found the pacing of this book a little off, it was a slow start with a rushed resolution. But I found that author was really good about drawing me into the story and keeping me invested regardless if the plot was a little wonky at times.

I initially absolutely loved this sequel, your thrust straight back into the story where it left off with all the same feeling and atmosphere that Divine Rivals gave but my attention began to wain a third of the way through.

I was so craving the beautiful romance continuation from the first book and I was ready to experience heartbreak and true pain from this addition but it just didn’t happen for me, I found the story slow paced and lacking somewhat in plot, despite being in the middle of a war with a blooming romance to follow.

I really wanted so much more for Roman. His character arc didn’t quite hit the mark for me and I was left a little empty at his part in the plot and how that affected the outcome of his story.

That said the writing is in keeping with the first book, it’s beautifully quotable and has a really stunning feel to the writing style and I do still love the premise of the book and grew to love it’s characters greatly.
It’s still worthy of a good rating from me and very much worth the read… I just hoped for a little more from this one.

Massive thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to honestly review

It took me a while to finish but I blame that more on me slumping than the book. I loved every second of it and I loved being back with Iris and Roman. I do however think this suffers a little from second book syndrome, it didn't quite reach the standards of the first book but it was still an amazing read!

Great duology, original and well plotted. I loved the characters, the world building and the storytelling.
More to come
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I actually want to give this 4.5 stars - I loved it but nothing can beat the first book for me. How did this non-spicy YA BOOK grab my heart so much.

The world building continued a little bit too much in this book and I was routing for them to be re-united and then the book was elevated to amazing at that point.

I cried, I laughed and I loved

Beautifully written and I could not put this down ! I wasn’t disappointed in the last part of the series but i wish there was more of an epilogue at the end which is why I haven’t given this book 5 stars.