In Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, imagine a world where WWI meets You’ve Got Mail—except with gods, enchanted typewriters, and emotional chaos galore. It follows eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow, having the worst year ever. Her brother, Forest, is missing in a divine war; her mother succumbs to alcoholism and tragedy;.
and Iris has to abandon school to take a reporting job at The Oath Gazette. Oh, and her rival at work? The insufferably rich & talented Roman C. Kitt, who’s basically the human equivalent of “Ugh, him again.”
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Divine Rivals Summary by Rebecca Ross
But here’s the twist: Iris starts pouring her heart out in letters to Forest—letters she shoves in her wardrobe for catharsis. And surprise! They vanish. Even weirder? She gets replies. From “Carver,” a mysterious stranger who’s kind, encouraging, and a bit too perfect. Who is this magical pen pal, you ask? (Spoiler: It’s Kitt. Yes, that Kitt.) Why is he responding to her letters? And why is he using his middle name to stay incognito? Because drama.
As Iris writes to Carver, she begins to see a softer side of Kitt at work, even as they compete for a columnist position. Meanwhile, Kitt is falling for Iris in real life and through her letters, but he’s too scared to come clean. Can you blame him? Admit you’re secretly her pen pal and risk ruining the sweetest relationship you’ve ever had? Hard pass.
Things take a darker turn when tragedy strikes. Iris loses her mother, quits her job, and heads to the front lines as a war correspondent to look for Forest. Naturally, she writes to Carver about this plan, only to ignore his heartfelt reply. (Classic move, Iris.) Kitt, having finally dumped his unwanted fiancée and quit his columnist gig, chases after her because—well, love. Cue him walking into a literal battlefield to find her. Romantic? Yes. Smart? Not so much.
In the trenches, the truth comes out: Kitt is Carver. Iris, understandably, freaks out. But after some reflection (and a lot of mutual pining), they confess their love and decide to get married. A happy ending? Not so fast. Dacre, a god of chaos, unleashes destruction on Avalon Bluff. Amid poisonous gas attacks, Kitt and Iris are separated.
She’s rescued by Forest, who’s now bound to Dacre and conveniently terrible at brotherly reunions. Kitt, meanwhile, fights valiantly but is mortally wounded—and then scooped up by Dacre, who decides, “You’d make a great undead war correspondent.” Because why not?
Back home, Iris finds Kitt’s final letter, where he reveals everything. It’s devastating. But wait—does this mean she’ll storm the underworld to rescue him? Will Kitt ever file a headline-worthy story for Team Evil?
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Book Review: Divine Rivals
| Author | Rebecca Ross |
| Genre | Fantasy, Romance |
| Number of Pages | 357 pages |
| Goodreads Rating | 4.18 ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
| My Rating | 4⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️ |
Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals is the kind of book that makes you fall in love with love—and also want to throw your own heart into a wood chipper. (In a good way.) Iris and Roman’s story blends wartime chaos with soul-stirring romance, all tied together by enchanted typewriters and divine meddling. Seriously, magical pen pals? Sign me up!
But let’s talk about the real star here: . Will Iris ever figure out that her anonymous correspondent is, in fact, the guy she can’t stand at work? Can Roman stop being a walking heartbreak long enough to tell her? And why does Rebecca Ross insist on making us feel every single emotion?
Heartbreaking, enchanting, and utterly swoon-worthy, this book will leave you desperate for answers—and maybe a sequel. Who’s ready for round two?
Rating of Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.00
Divine Rivals Character list:
- Iris Winnow: A brave and determined young reporter searching for her brother.
- Roman C. Kitt: Iris’s wealthy and seemingly arrogant rival at work.
- Forest Winnow: Iris’s brother, who answers the call of war.
- Aster Winnow: Iris’s mother, struggling with alcoholism and grief.
- Zeb Autry: The editor at The Oath Gazette.
- Elinore Little: Roman’s unwanted fiancée.
- Marisol: Iris’s steadfast friend in Avalon Bluff.
- Attie: A fellow war correspondent who becomes one of Iris’s trusted companions.
- Dacre: The god of war, ruthless and manipulative.
Who should read it?
Anyone who loves:
- Fantasy with a historical twist
- Slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance,.. boring!
- Dual POVs – hmm… two perspectives are better than one.
- Heart-wrenching twists, story without twists are no real stories
Excerpt:
“When two young rival media personnel find love through a magical connection, their fate depends on their facing the depths of hell… together.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again…”
Quotes from Divine Rivals :
“Some wounds can’t be stitched together with thread; they need words, hope, and time.”
“Magic hides in the smallest corners, where the mundane and the divine meet.”
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FAQs
Is Divine Rivals book spicy?
The slow-burn in this book, angsty tension between two rivals who might just need each other more than they realize is okay- ish, like your toaster stuck on the lowest setting. But many fans are not so satisfied in this regard.
About the Author:
Rebecca Ross is the NY Times and Sunday Times bestselling author mainly known for her fantasy, Young adults and romance genre books.
Her book Divine Rivals has won Goodreads Choice Award for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fantasy & Science Fiction (2023)
Divine Rivals Summary & Review by Rebecca Ross
In Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross, imagine a world where WWI meets You've Got Mail—except with gods, enchanted typewriters, and emotional chaos galore. It follows eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow, having the worst year ever. Her brother, Forest, is missing in a divine war; her mother succumbs to alcoholism and tragedy;.
URL: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784546-divine-rivals
Author: Rebecca Ross
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