carolina's Reviews > Divine Rivals

It's odd, how quickly life can change, isn't it? How one little thing like typing a letter can open a door you never saw. A transcendent connection. A divine threshold. But if there's anything I should say in this moment -when my heart is beating wildly in my chest and I would beg you to come and tame it is this: your letters have been a light for me to follow. Your words? A sublime feast that fed me on days when I was starving.

reread (December 2023): this book deserves a million stars 💖 it’s one of the most beautiful books I’ve read, Iris and Roman mean the world to me and I need them to be happy 😭 I NEED ruthless vows right now!

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

Divine Rivals is a historical fantasy romance set in a world devastated by a war between gods. We follow Iris and Roman, two rivals competing for the position of columnist at the Oath Gazette. To cope with her brother's absence, Iris starts writing letters, unaware they're magically delivered to her rival. Roman starts writing back anonymously, and so a strong connection is forged between the two, binding them together.

Ross has intricately woven a story of love, loss, grief and hope within the pages of this book. It's beautiful and heartbreaking and haunting. There's something so magical about this story, and despite the heavy themes and the doom of the ongoing war, it often felt like reading a fairy tale. It was so easy to forget the chaos, to get lost in Roman and Iris's letters. Their beautiful, thoughtful, honest words penetrated deep into my bones. They were like a healing balm, tending to old wounds. Of all the things I loved about this story, their union is the highlight. Two people coming together in a time of war. In a time when nothing is guaranteed and life could end at any moment, they found a safe haven in each other. They let down their armour, realized how much they needed each other if they were to survive this war. Divine rivals - that really is the best way to describe them. I loved the way their relationship evolved from rivals to lovers in such a pure and innocent way. Like a light that grows brighter every day, a seed of joy in a very sad world.

There's a tenderness to both characters, a vulnerability that was refreshing to read. Iris, despite her soft words, is anything but weak. She's brave and fights for what she believes in. And Roman, beneath his sassy exterior, is a deeply sweet and caring boy. They were both so lost in their grief and guilt, but found comfort in each other's words.

But I think there is a magical link between you and me. A bond that not even distance can break.

I'm in love with this story. The poetic writing, the exchange of letters, the mythology, the setting - it all comes together to create a wonderful story. The pacing is done well and the side characters add so much to the story. I wish there was a bit more explanation about the world and the magic system, but I think the author didn't reveal everything on purpose. The next book will surely have all the answers.

Hope is a very beautiful thing, and I think it takes courage to hold on to it, especially when it seems like your whole life is going to fall apart. Iris and Roman found something worth hoping for in a broken world and that’s everything.