A review by cortanasreadingnook
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“A piece of armor, because I trust you. A glint of falling steel, because I feel safe with you.” 

Roman Kitt and Iris Winnow took my heart and I never want it back. They have such a heartwarming yet heartbreaking story at the same time and Ross was able to navigate telling the essence of young love, and she captured it perfectly through picturesque storytelling and exquisite prose. Divine Rivals is a tale of love and loss between two people sharing stories with each other through their words. It is a wonderful and emotional tale that navigates us through grief, despair, and the horrors of war. One thing I’ve noticed about this book is that it was spun through the elements of fantasy with a plot built on gods and magic, yet the experiences of the characters all felt so real to me. This book is like a lifeline that gives you something to hold onto during the bad days and would inevitably guide you through it. It gave me a level of comfort and emphasizes how having hope comes a long way for anyone in a dark place. I would always recommend this book to anyone. Roman and Iris have amazing, hilarious banter, a great dynamic, and a slowburn romance that would truly bring you to your knees. If you're not reading it yet, what are you doing? 

I would also like for Rebecca Ross to compensate me for my broken heart due to that ending <3 This was such a memorable read for me and I cannot wait for the sequel.