Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross Book Review

 Divine Rivals 

(Letters of Enchantment #1)

By Rebecca Ross 

Published Year: 2023

Page Count: 360 pages 

Medium Used: Paperback 

Genre: Fantasy, Romantasy, Epistolatory, Gods and Magic, Young Adult, Enemies to Lovers, 2026-read. 

Rating: 5/5 😍😍😍😍😍

I didn't feel this story should be encompassed under the umbrella of enemies to lovers. There was definitely some rivalry between the two main characters - Iris Winnow and Ramon Kitt - but it was never devoid of some empathy and mutual attraction. Ramon and Iris are vying for the role of a columnist in the Oath Gazette newspaper organization. For Iris, it is a matter of survival because with her mother enfeebled and muddled in drink, she is the sole bread earner of her family. Her brother is away, fighting a war between the Gods Dacre and Enva. Dacre is the God of the Underworld while Enva is the Skywards. They too had a enemies to lovers and back to enemies history. I liked how their background is uncovered to the reader through letters and myths, flying between Iris and Roman. Her brother has enlisted when Enva sang on her harp and requested him - like many others - to fight her war. But for Roman, succeeding to the role is his way of fulfilling his father's ambition.

 Iris and Ramon have mutual admiration for each other even though they don't put it out there for each other to see. They have grand mothers who were dear friends in their time and have one magical typewriter each made by magic. They have granted these type writers as gifts to their grand children. Roman and Iris, quite accidently, learn that they can communicate with someone through letters typed on their typewriters. Roman knows the identity of Iris from the beginning but Iris is in the dark as of the identity of her letter mate. She only knows him as someone who writes well, who encourages her and soothes her worries, heals her hurts. They speak of their vulnerabilities, their sorrows, their fears of the war, about Iris's brother and other intimate issues which draw them together. When they must be separated and Iris goes to the war front as a correspondent -  it is quite far from Roman - he quits his job and follows. I know I should have felt skeptical here but it reflected the purity and earnestness within Roman who started to resonate with the heart and soul of Iris who is his letter mate. 

Then eventually, each of their veils are pulled down and when Iris learns of his identity, her reaction and what follows is very sweet and reverent. Iris felt conflicted about her growing interest in Roman and was torn with her fidelity to her anonymous letter mate whom she was quite drawn to as well. I didn't expect the story to take the turn it took. Roman getting physically hurt and their union - kept me on my toes trying to figure where this story is taking me. At this point, I know there is a sequel so I wanted to know how the author is gonna stop this book. I usually take longer to finish my books but this one is a sprint. I ran along with the author to reach the end. And when Iris is abducted - to safety - from the war zone and brought back home, leaving Ramon behind, I wondered how he will survive and come after her. It's a surprise how the story ended. I liked it. It is also free of smut despite having a very intimate experience between the protagonists.