Table of Contents
Author: Rebecca Ross
Genre: Historical Fantasy romance
Published: 2023
Pages: 357
Spice level: 2/5
Synopsis
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 vanishāinto 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.
Divine Rivals : Why is so popular right now?
Divine Rivals gathered the sudden attention of the entire book community. Suddenly, the book was EVERYWHERE and appeared to be the perfect title to read after Fourth Wing.
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Although Fourth Wing was published on May 2, 2023 (a month after the release of Divine Rivals), the latter became incredibly popular only recently
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After reading Fourth Wing, people started searching for new fantasy romances to read, and Divine Rivals captured the community’s attention.
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I must admit I was genuinely surprised as well, as the two titles are not similar at all. However, the cliffhanger at the end in both books and the tension between the main characters could explain why readers leaned towards this book after Fourth Wing.
Related:
Divine Rivals reading order
Divine Rivals is the first book in the Letter of Enchantment Series and should be read FIRST.Ā
Divine Rivals sequel release date:
The second book in the series is called Ruthless Vows and is scheduled for release on December 26, 2023.
Letter of Enchantment Series first book “Divine Rivals“
Divine Rivals sequel and last book in the duology. Sheduled to release on December 26, 2023, preorder it here
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Divine Rivals tropes
Is Divine Rivals enemies to lovers?
More than enemies to lovers, we can affirm that Divine Rivals is a rivals-to-lovers story. Roman Kitt and Iris Willow are colleagues at the same newspaper and are vying for the same spot as columnists in the Oath Gazette. They can’t tolerate each other, and Iris often plays pranks on him.
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It’s like an office enemies-to-lovers dynamic but set in a fantasy world with World War 1 vibes and magic.
The romance aspect in Divine Rivals
Divine Rivals is a character-driven story with a STRONG emphasis on romance.
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Essentially, the entire story is guided by the interactions between Roman and Iris. The book does a good job of gradually exploring every aspect of their personalities, placing significant emphasis on the mysterious letters they share as pen pals ā without Iris realizing that he is the one responding to her
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So yes, you can expect a lot of romance in this book, plot twists, and a HUGE cliffhanger at the end. Not suitable for the faint of heart, but so worth reading it!!
Divine Rivals is a Dual Pov Fantasy Romance
I was pleasantly surprised while reading ‘Divine Rivals’ ā the book is narrated from the two main characters’ POVs, Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt.
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It’s unusual in the world of fantasy romances, where typically you encounter either a single POV or, in some cases, multiple POVs with numerous subplots.
Read more:
Divine Rivals spice š„ rating
Divine Rivals is a Young Adult (YA) book; HOWEVER, there is some spice in the book.
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The good news is that there is no fade-to-black (or closed door like its called in this article ) For new romance readers, a fade-to-black scene in a romance book is when the sex scenes occur off the page.
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In Divine Rivals, we can find one explicit scene, but it’s written in a way that is almost poetic. It doesn’t describe the act itself, but you can clearly deduce what’s happening (if you know what I mean šĀ ).
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I loved that the author had the courage to go against the general rule in YA to simply fade to black the scene completely. Instead, she took the risk, and the result was excellent and well-executed.
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This is a clear example of how you can write a beautiful sex scene without being overly explicit.
Divine Rivals spicy chapters
In case you’re wondering, here is the exact chapter where there is some level of spice. Remember that the spice level in Divine Rivals is very mild. But it was a very cute scene nonetheless and with NO FADE TO BLACK
The Chapter is…:
Chapter 39. Vows in the Dark, page 308 until the end and the Firt part of Chapter 40
Divine Rivals Special Editions
Divine Rivals Fairyloot special edition ( may 2023 box )
Does Divine Rivals have a Happy Ending?
One of the most frequently asked questions in the book community is regarding the ending of Divine Rivals.
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Everyone seems to be left in shock after the ending, so some people begin to ask if it was worth reading, because if there’s something romance readers hate, it’s bittersweet or bad endings.”
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And yes, the book ends in a big WTF… A cliffhanger the size of a planet… and your heart will surely be torn into bits and pieces.
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But don’t be afraid, this is a romance series after all, and all romances should end in a HEA (happily ever after).
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A book with a similar ending and “vibes” (regarding how character-driven the story is, not the general setting) could be “Once Upon a Broken Heart.” So, if you want to read something akin to Divine Rivals, definitely check it out
The Fairyloot edition, as gorgeous as always, is reminiscent of the UK cover, but – if you ask me – the cover is a little… spoilery? Anyway, please don’t pay too much attention to it, hehe.
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It comes with exclusive bonus content ( a chapter from Roman Pov ), digital sprayed edges and digital signature among other exclusive perks.
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I like the Owlcrate edition, but the cover doesn’t speak to me. It’s a typewriter, nice, but it would have been better to maintain the overall style from the US and UK versions.
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This Divine Rivals special edition comes with exclusive end pages and coloured stencilled edges. It includes an author letter and bonus content as well.
Divine Rivals ending explained
If you don’t want to be spoiled, please ignore this section altogether. This book has a significant event almost near the end, and if you want to fully enjoy it, it’s better to avoid any kind of spoilers.
Divine Rivals ending
We finally discover that the guy in the mask is Forest, Iris’ lost brother, and he was also the one who stole the survivor packs and Romanās jumpsuit.
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Upon realizing that the man in the mask isn’t Roman, Iris enters a state of panic and yells at her brother to go back and find Roman.
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Iris sees a moving shadow, someone chasing them, and looks back to see Roman (without a gas mask) trying to reach her. The wind begins to blow in Roman’s direction, carrying the lethal gas in the air, and he starts to stumble. His jumpsuit is stained with blood, and he struggles to regain his balance.
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Forest refuses to go back because he is determined to keep Iris out of danger. So, they leave Roman behind in the grass, surrounded by the lethal gas, and Roman watches helplessly as his wife gets farther away from him.
Divine Rivals Epilogue and brutal cliffhanger
In the epilogue, the Underworld god Dacre finds a moribund Roman crawling in the grass. Roman relentlessly denies the prospect of death. Dacre admires this will to live, how the kid is fighting for his last breath, and how he seems to have a purpose to live.
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Dacre then decides to bring him back to life to serve as a soldier in his army.
Frequently Asked Questions
Divine Rivals is a duology. The second and final book, “Ruthless Vows”, is expected to be published on December 26th of this year.( 2023)
Divine Rivals is a rivals-to-lovers story. Roman Kitt and Iris Willow are colleagues at the same newspaper and are vying for the same spot as columnists in the Oath Gazette.
It’s like an office enemies-to-lovers dynamic but set in a fantasy world with World War 1 vibes and magic.
Yes, ‘Divine Rivals’ is told from the perspectives of the two main characters: Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt.
Divine Rivals is a rivals to lovers fantasy romance. For a full trope guide check this useful image with all the tropes
Yes!! Divine Rivals has a wonderfull Fairyloot edition with a special cover and exclusive art.
You can check the special edition here
Divine Rivals ends in a HUGE cliffhanger (but totally worth the read!!) But don’t be afraid because this book is labeled as a romance; therefore, we are guaranteed a HEA (happily ever after) in the second book.
Divine Rivals is a Young Adult (YA) book; HOWEVER, there is some spice in the book.
In Divine Rivals, we can find one explicit scene, but it’s written in a way that is almost poetic. It doesn’t describe the act itself, but you can clearly deduce what’s happening
YES, it’s a slow burn with lots of tension and characters that start as rivals with nothing in common (she comes from a poor family, he is the son of a well-respected family with lots of money).
Final Thoughts: My opinion on the ending of Divine Rivals
I must admit, I foresaw something like this happening at the end of the book, given how happy Iris and Roman were, and with 100 pages still remaining in the book.
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I was genuinely afraid of reaching the end of the book because I KNEW things were too good to be true… and I was right. š
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I loved the Epilogue and seeing Roman’s will to live. Dacre arrives and transforms him into something from the underworld.
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Roman, once the most jovial and happy person, is now transformed into this dark creature – almost semi-human. , and Dacre recognizes his anguish and “cold deep spirit,” going to the extent of granting Roman a full life again.
There are some similarities to the fight scene between Anakin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, where Anakin lost his legs and arms. Here, Anakin is determined to survive because he wants to ensure Padme’s safety.
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Roman’s will to live follows a similar pattern; he is willing to do anything to find Iris again.
Dacre recognizes his anguish and “cold deep spirit,” going to the extent of granting Roman a full life again.
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