A review by whatmeganreads
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

3.0

Womp womp. Ok, so I am being up front and owning the fact that I am completely conflicted about this book.  In fact, there were times my reactions fluctuated so completely and so quickly from one extreme to the other I gave myself mental whiplash. 

Case in point – I have begun annotating my books, which is super fun and makes me so much more invested (nerd-game = leveled up) – but in reading this novel I have a post-it on top of a section I highlighted that says THIS ENTIRE PARAGRAPH IS GORGEOUS AND GOSH I LOVE THEM, followed not even two pages later by another post-it that says THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND I HOPE THE HELLHOUNDS EAT THEM BOTH.  I was talking about the same characters on each post-it.  😬

Trying to break down my conflict…..

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝: I enjoyed the historical background elements and the world-building, and pretty much all the secondary characters and folks Iris meets up with in the war. I loved the female journalist angle.  The enemies to lovers trope is fun. 

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝: The writing left a lot on the table at times – moments that should have been super intense, major turning points were handled quickly and felt almost choppy, making them seem disappointingly anti-climactic.  The author shined in the build-up and lacked a little in the delivery of the big payouts. 

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐠𝐥𝐲: Have I discussed my biggest pet peeve in all of literature?  I HATE WHEN CHARACTERS CONTINUOUSLY AND MELODRAMATICALLY REPEAT EACH OTHERS’ NAMES.  When two (or more) characters are well known to each other, they shouldn’t do that.  

“Jan, I can’t believe you’re finally here!  I’ve been so worried about you!” 

“Oh, Chris, you shouldn’t have worried.  I was only a few minutes late.” 

“You know I can’t help but be afraid if you’re late, Jan.” 

“Chris, you’re a silly fool but I love you anyway!”  

See what I mean?  Who talks like that?  LITERALLY. NO. ONE. It’s so contrived.  And the two main love interests/characters were like that every. time. they were together.  At one point near the end, I was so annoyed I highlighted every time they said each other’s names over the course of a single conversation that didn’t even take up a whole page. ELEVEN TIMES.  She said his name 5 times and he said her name six.  One conversation.  (Does this bother anyone else? Just me?  I can accept that I may be a hypersensitive outlier.)  

I really enjoyed the central story. I enjoyed the characters immensely when they were apart.  I hated them when they were together.  I’m a special kind of twisted, I guess.  😂  

I do plan to read the second in the duology, both because I had already bought it before I read the first one and also because I’m hoping Iris and Roman will be separated and I can be free to enjoy them both separately again.  🤣  Solid 3 stars from me.