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A review by giulianalb99
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book… Oh my goddess this book😭😭
I think this is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read in my whole life. The way the author writes, how it captivates you since the very first page… I don’t have words to describe this incredible book, I don’t think this review will give it enough justice.
I loved every character. Iris and Roman have my whole entire heart forever and ever. I’m very new to the romance genre and a good friend of mine <b>(Helen ily and I love reading with you and sharing our thoughts and scream and cry together okbye)</b> told me to give it a try together and that’s what we did. I kinda went into the book without not knowing too much about it, only that it was a rivals to lovers and that mythology was involved. That trope is one of my favorites and I love mythology so I said “why not?” and OH. MY. GODDESS. How it started, how the author makes you feel as if you were Iris yourself (I also felt like in some ways I could identify with her a lot), the banter between her and Roman, how it started as a competition and ended up as one of the most beautiful romances I’ve ever read… so many good things and so many feelings. I actually cried, and I NEVER cry, that’s what you do to me, Rebecca Ross. I loved how they had their own problems and insecurities but loved each other regardless. The letters were each one better than the other, it was so beautiful to see how their relationship kept on progressing with each letter. I think I’m in love with Roman, and I’m not kidding. Every time I picked this book up to read it, he kept on getting better and better and better, and now I’m depressed because he’s the standard and men like him don’t exist so basically I’ll just die alone.
How can Rebecca Ross portray such incredible and deep feelings just with her writing? How she talks about grief, about being insecure, about war (as if she were there herself), about being/feeling alone, about their love that made me cry and laugh, and giggle and smile and about so many things… My heart ached all the time.
As always, unfortunately there’s always a but, and the only “bad” (there’s nothing wrong with this wonderful book) thing I would like to point out is that it barely talks about the main plot (the Gods Enva and Dacre), only at the beginning and at the end. By how it ended (what a huge cliffhanger omfg) it looks like in the next book there will be more of it and I just. can’t. wait.
It is a huge crime that:
1. This book is not that recognized and it’s really underrated.
2. That I have to wait until april of 2024 for the next book to be released.
Everyone needs to read this book, period. Like, there’s no excuse. It has mythology, rivals to lovers, amazing main & side characters, he falls first, etc etc etc ♾️, and it just fulfills your entire being, it makes you feel whole, complete.
I don’t think I can write any quote because I literally underlined the entire book, but here are some of them that I particularly loved🤍:
<i>Grief is a long, difficult process, especially when it is so racked by guilt.</i>
<i>I think we all wear armor. I think those who don’t are fools, risking the pain of being wounded by the sharp edges of the world, over and over again. But if I’ve learned anything from those fools, it’s that to be vulnerable is a strength most of us fear. It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are.</i>
<i>But I think there is a magical link between you and me. A bond that not even distance can break.</i>
<i>The world is about to change. The days to come will only grow darker. And when you find something good? You hold on to it. You don’t waste time worrying about things that won’t even matter in the end. Rather, you take a risk for that light.</i>
<i>You are worthy of love. You are worthy to feel joy right now, even in the darkness.</i>
(I’m going to stop with the quotes now because I’ll just end up writing the entire book).
Last but not least, if you’re planning on reading this book, check the trigger warnings before doing so (tw such as: death, war, death of parent, grief, gun violence, alcoholism, medical content, car accident, etc.)
I think this is one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read in my whole life. The way the author writes, how it captivates you since the very first page… I don’t have words to describe this incredible book, I don’t think this review will give it enough justice.
I loved every character. Iris and Roman have my whole entire heart forever and ever. I’m very new to the romance genre and a good friend of mine <b>(Helen ily and I love reading with you and sharing our thoughts and scream and cry together okbye)</b> told me to give it a try together and that’s what we did. I kinda went into the book without not knowing too much about it, only that it was a rivals to lovers and that mythology was involved. That trope is one of my favorites and I love mythology so I said “why not?” and OH. MY. GODDESS. How it started, how the author makes you feel as if you were Iris yourself (I also felt like in some ways I could identify with her a lot), the banter between her and Roman, how it started as a competition and ended up as one of the most beautiful romances I’ve ever read… so many good things and so many feelings. I actually cried, and I NEVER cry, that’s what you do to me, Rebecca Ross. I loved how they had their own problems and insecurities but loved each other regardless. The letters were each one better than the other, it was so beautiful to see how their relationship kept on progressing with each letter. I think I’m in love with Roman, and I’m not kidding. Every time I picked this book up to read it, he kept on getting better and better and better, and now I’m depressed because he’s the standard and men like him don’t exist so basically I’ll just die alone.
How can Rebecca Ross portray such incredible and deep feelings just with her writing? How she talks about grief, about being insecure, about war (as if she were there herself), about being/feeling alone, about their love that made me cry and laugh, and giggle and smile and about so many things… My heart ached all the time.
As always, unfortunately there’s always a but, and the only “bad” (there’s nothing wrong with this wonderful book) thing I would like to point out is that it barely talks about the main plot (the Gods Enva and Dacre), only at the beginning and at the end. By how it ended (what a huge cliffhanger omfg) it looks like in the next book there will be more of it and I just. can’t. wait.
It is a huge crime that:
1. This book is not that recognized and it’s really underrated.
2. That I have to wait until april of 2024 for the next book to be released.
Everyone needs to read this book, period. Like, there’s no excuse. It has mythology, rivals to lovers, amazing main & side characters, he falls first, etc etc etc ♾️, and it just fulfills your entire being, it makes you feel whole, complete.
I don’t think I can write any quote because I literally underlined the entire book, but here are some of them that I particularly loved🤍:
<i>Grief is a long, difficult process, especially when it is so racked by guilt.</i>
<i>I think we all wear armor. I think those who don’t are fools, risking the pain of being wounded by the sharp edges of the world, over and over again. But if I’ve learned anything from those fools, it’s that to be vulnerable is a strength most of us fear. It takes courage to let down your armor, to welcome people to see you as you are.</i>
<i>But I think there is a magical link between you and me. A bond that not even distance can break.</i>
<i>The world is about to change. The days to come will only grow darker. And when you find something good? You hold on to it. You don’t waste time worrying about things that won’t even matter in the end. Rather, you take a risk for that light.</i>
<i>You are worthy of love. You are worthy to feel joy right now, even in the darkness.</i>
(I’m going to stop with the quotes now because I’ll just end up writing the entire book).
Last but not least, if you’re planning on reading this book, check the trigger warnings before doing so (tw such as: death, war, death of parent, grief, gun violence, alcoholism, medical content, car accident, etc.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Violence, Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and War
Moderate: Mental illness and Blood
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Vomit, Car accident, Sexual content, and Addiction