Divine Rivals

Iris & Roman will forever remain in my heart as one of my favourite bookish couples ? Can't wait for book 2.

a lovely storyline with the sort of romance that felt all too real

Amazing start to the duology absolutely loved it so much! Starting book 2 straight away. Roman and Iris!

It was ok, but still pleasent. I enjoyed it especially at night

i fell in love with this book. language is so charming, it’s impossible to stop listening!

Buen libro, romance sin ser chickflick fácil de entender y historia diferente

Not what I was expecting when I initially saved it under my tbr list, but this one is definitely worth all the hype and so different. I love Iris and Roman so much. Their love for each other is achingly beautiful and I couldn’t stop listening.

האם הוא שווה את ההייפ?
הייתי אומרת שכן , כתוב היטב ויפייפה רומנטי ומיוחד עם וייב של רומן היסטורי ממלחמת העולם השנייה אבל בפנטזיה אורבנית( לא בדיוק הקאפ אוף טי שלי)
הבעיה הכי גדולה שלו היא האיטיות של העלילה והסלואו בורן
ורק בחלק האחרון של הספר העלילה תפסה תאוצה
נגמר עם סוף פתוח
ממשיכה לשני

I just loved this beautiful story. Couldn't put it down.

Wow.... I wasn't prepared for this.
I started reading this one yesterday, a bit more than 24 hours ago.... and I just finished. OMG, that is for sure the second-best book I have read this year!!!!! Rebecca you're going to kill me, girl!

I'm gonna be completely honest, when I first saw this book I thought it was going to be a 'Percy Jackson' 2.0 and I struggled to accept the fact that this was going to be my next read (and I would enjoy it). I sit here, writing this in complete disbelief that this book has ended, especially the way it had... making me EXTREMELY anxious for its conclusion that's coming out in less than 8 days!!!!!
PLEASE, give this one a try as I did, you won't regret it!!!

BRO FREAKING DID NOT HESITATE ON THAT ONE OH MY GAWD ??

Exquisite writing. Iris and Roman's love for each other is so achingly beautiful. This slowly became a comfort book for me. I can't wait for book 2

I'm not very good at finding words that would do justice to properly review this book, but I'll try my best, I absolutely love it, I fell in love with Iris and Roman, I enjoyed their rivalry the way they started writing to each other was beautiful and made me yearn in a way I haven't in a long time, their chemistry was there from the start, I'm son in love how they are so into each other and specially Roman he was always open about his feelings for Winno. Also, the war between gods is such a refreshing concept. Even though we are left with more questions than answers about them I know we'll know how those elements will play a more significant role in the sequel, I'm going to lose my mind while I wait for it but I won't mind ? this book is just that good ??✨ I don't want to give in too much about the book I went fully blank I didn't know much about the plot and in grateful I read it with open mind and without having much expectations and it surprise me so much ? please give it a try but keep in mind the trigger warnings of this book!!! War, battle, bombings, injuries, medical treatments, blood, loss of a parent, loss of a sibling, grief, depression and abandonment.

Good book, but the end disappointed me a little, but is a good book to read

I enjoyed the story! It is exactly what I needed for the beginning of fall!

I enjoyed this audio book so much! Such a beautiful love story and brilliantly written. I really loved the narrators voices and the way the two of them complemented each other. I can’t wait to listen to the next one!

Wonderfully original and easy-to-read. Not too dark, not too light. Reminded me of Hold Back the Stars, which is very different as it takes place in space, but sometimes the brain connects things and we (*I*) don't know why. *shrug*

This story gave me butterflies. My heart fluttered as I read. And that ending?! Really?! A cliffhanger! I’m so glad I had the second book ready and waiting.

I loved this. Two mortals, rivals in their work, correspond with magic typewriters and fall in love, all set against the backdrop of two warring gods hellbent on defeating one another for their own reasons.

This was such a sweet romance/fantasy. I loved the development of the relationship between Iris and Roman (Winnow and Kitt). I loved the world-building and the cadence of the words as they rippled across the page. I even have a new affinity for snails. And ending on a cliffhanger makes me hungry for the next book immediately.

This is a book to savor and think about. I both read a physical copy and listened to the audiobook just so I could fully immerse myself in the tale.

Highly recommended!

I spent a lot of this book not really caring about the main characters. I honestly found them rather boring. I found the lore around the type writers and the Gods way more interesting. I did however care by the end I just dislike it took the whole book for me to get there. I did immediately start the second book.

The world building was so good i felt like i was in it. The writing in this is so beautiful.

I really liked the characters and was rooting for them to get together.
The yearning was SO good!

I can’t wait to read the next book. I hate that it left off on such a cliff hanger.

I didn’t expect to also get the enemy/love interest’s pov but, I really enjoyed it.

The world being set in early 20th century with magic and enchanted things was pretty cool.

Entertaining and well-paced, this fun first series installment has some predictable “You’ve Got Mail” vibes but those tropes are well-worn for a reason. Engaging, fun and I look forward to reading more!

After her brother goes off to join the war being waged between two gods, Iris becomes a journalist for a local newspaper, and fights her own battle with a rival writer for a permanent job as a columnist. Her brother is MIA and her rival is driving her mad, so she finds comfort in typing up letters to her missing brother and just leaving them in her closet. But then the letters start disappearing and are replaced with responses, although they’re not from her brother. A man named Carver is somehow magically receiving her letters, and the two strike up a friendship. When Iris gets a chance to work near the front as a war correspondent, she takes it, but she also takes her magic typewriter with her so that she won’t lose the connection with Carver that has become so important to her. And when her rival follows her to the front, her feelings for him – and for Carver – become complicated. All the while, the conflict of the gods comes closer and closer to disrupting Iris’ world.

It was…okay. A fair-to-middling YA romance-in-a-fantasy-setting (I don’t think I’d call this a full-on romantasy, but I can’t exactly explain why). I’ve read worse, but I’ve certainly also read better, and I don’t think I’ll bother continuing with the series.

This is a beautiful book. Ross's story of the magical communication between two letter writers draws one in immediately, as the writing is lyrical and touching. The slow development of the romance between two journalists competing for one correspondent's job at the city's key newspaper also plays out in the background of the tensions of an ongoing war between two gods who drag the residents of the country into their service. I've enjoyed Rebecca Ross' writing in the past, and this is another winner. Looking forward to the sequel!

I had read Rebecca Ross's Elements of Cadence series and absolutely loved it. When Divine Rivals popped up with a lot of buzz and was on my library app as an audiobook I borrowed it. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as Cadence but it was pretty close. The 2 main characters are likeable and the romance felt real - the supposed enemies bit was very low key and lasted about 5 minutes. I went to the sequel asap.

I felt kind of bad Roman that has a control freak of a father to have arranged marriage with someone Roman doesn't even know anything about and the girl doesn't know a thing about him they should have a least dated first and getting to know each other before they get married maybe their feelings for each other are different from what their parents want.

At least Roman was being caring and thoughtful and making sure Iris was all right if someone in my family that has died I won't want to be alone I would want someone to be around to talk to and have meals with and especially at night since it going to be my first time being alone without a family member around. Does Iris even own a alarm clock since she is always sleeping thru the day where she is suppose to be a work and I am surprised that she wasn't fired on how many times she has been late to work everyday. Least Roman told Zeb the truth about Iris what is going on in her life of losing her mother I don't know why she couldn't have said anything about it once before how can her boss know what is going on if she doesn't say anything to them. I really don't like Elinor and her father seem like no good people if they are building bombs and all three of them should gotten in trouble and Roman should have went to the police for what his father, Elinor and her father are planning on doing.

Iris doesn't or Roman doesn't even think they know they were writing to each other and I hope when they do find out about it I hope they aren't going to be mad about it and Roman don't marry that girl his father wants him to marry thank god I don't have those kind of parents. I felt that Iris was little boring at times and I have to say I liked Roman more then Iris and I gave this a 4 stars.

Absolutely loved this one - the dynamic between Iris and Roman is sharp and witty, perfect for two people who fall in love while competing with each other. The world-building is intriguing & I can't wait to pick up the next book!

This book made me feel something deep in my soul. This will forever be a favourite of mine.

The gods Dacre and Enva are at war, and Iris Winnow's brother, Forest, has gone off to fight. In their town, however, they are largely untouched by the war and the newspaper where Iris works doesn't like to cover it. She misses her brother and her mother lost her job drinking, so getting the columnist job that she and Roman Kitt are rivals for is of paramount importance. Meanwhile, she writes letters to her brother on her Nan's old typewriter, sticking them into the wardrobe where they disappear. And then one day, Iris gets a letter back - and the letter writer isn't Forest.

An enemies-to-lovers fantasy romance that's been getting a lot of hype. It was fun to see Roman and Iris's friendship develop over their correspondence (we're told pretty early on who the other letter writer is), though it is a little You've Got Mail where one party knows and the other doesn't. As Iris continues her reporting, we get more details of the war throughout as well, and stories of the gods. I did think that for a slow burn there were still some decisions that felt abrupt, and while I expected a cliffhanger from a first book of a duology, I was a little annoyed by the ending.

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
Letters of Enchantment series #1. YA / NA science fiction fantasy. Mythology. Cliffhanger.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. Eighteen-year old Irish Winnow is focused on her family and survival. Her brother left to fight in the war and she hasn’t heard from him. In her worry, she writes a letter to him, knowing she can’t mail it but wanting to express her sadness with gone and the problems with their mother. She slips the letter in the closet and finds it disappears the next day. Even more surprising she gets a letter from someone in return though she doesn’t know who.
Meanwhile Iris works as a competitive journalist, trying to win a permanent position at the newspaper. There she meets and competes with Roman Kitt. She might be interested in him but she needs the job more than a boyfriend. And for now, she can dream and find solace with her mysterious letter companion.

Mythology elements of war in a historical setting. Iris must wear shoes that are too small because there are no other options. A bit depressing as her brother is missing, there is very little money and her mother is depressed and needs help. Roman is a bright beam in the dark story as they progress towards the front. The magical typewriter is obviously important but we don’t know the full story yet.
The war brings danger and death and a cliffhanger.
I had to start this four times before it made itself interesting and I wasn’t aware of the cliffhanger areas of time. I will eventually read the second book but it may be next year before I get to it. I enjoyed The Queens Rising series more.