Every once in a while, I get caught sleeping on a hot book. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is one of them. I got an ARC at YALLFest 2022 because someone mentioned it involved journalists. Rebecca visited St. Louis on her tour for this book and I got my ARC signed, but still hadn’t read it. The book blew up on socials and I still didn’t get around to it. It wasn’t until the YALLFest 2023 schedules started coming out and Divine Rivals was on the list for something that my friend and I decided to buddy read it before we went…. and I blew through it so freakin’ fast.

Divine Rivals [Buy Bookshop Amazon LibroFM] follows Iris and Roman. They start working at a newspaper around the same time and are up for the same promotion, turning them into rivals. Once Iris’ brother went off to fight in a war between two gods, her mother fell apart, so she’s supporting the two of them with her newspaper job, so there’s a lot on the line for her. With no letters from her brother since he left, Iris starts typing out letters to him and putting them in her wardrobe, where they disappear.

But they don’t go to Forest. They end up on the floor of Roman C. Kitt’s room. Details give away her identity right away, so he tells her it’s not Forest, but doesn’t tell her who it is. The letters continue going back and forth magically and they get to know each other better…. but then things change dramatically for one of them and the war front becomes a not-so-distant concept anymore.

I read this one so fast. I don’t know what it was about this book that sucked me in so quickly, but I was invested in less than 30 minutes of reading. I’m not usually a fantasy girlie, but this was a delightful blend of fantasy, magic, historical vibes, and romance, which made it more easily accessible fantasy.

And that’s to say nothing of the beautiful writing. The letters between the two main characters are gorgeously crafted with emotion and depth. I mean, what girl doesn’t want a guy to write her letters? But when they are letters like that? Shoooot! Ain’t no resisting that! Plus, there is a magical connection so obviously that makes it better.

Divine Rivals is woven wonderfully with a variety of forms of tension. I cannot even express how enjoyable this book was and how ready I am to get my hands on the second book, Ruthless Vows [Buy Bookshop Amazon LibroFM] as soon as possible.