A review by librarianryan
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross

adventurous dark emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

 

I get it. I know why this book is all over TikTok. This book is fabulous and the fact that I must wait for book two is annoying. This book reads very much like an 80s historical romance novel. I mean that as a compliment. There are two competing journalists, who both want the same job. But war has come about, and they both end up on the front lines as war correspondents. Besides our historical setting, you have a fantastical element that this is a war of God’s, not a war of people. We also have a “You Got Mail” type of plot where they are communicating by letters, and only one person knows the real identity of the other one. This book was adventurous, had action, it was sweet, and it had heart. There were times that I thought... well this is the end, and then it wasn’t, but I’m glad it wasn’t. There are a few things that are a little odd in this world.  First, the setting is 1892 yet it feels more like 1930s.  However, there are certain things like IVs and medicines that help heal that seem really out of place for the time. Third, this is a love story that wants the reader to know both characters are virgins who get married at age 19. The sex scene was decently done but not needed. I think part of the problem with this book is it feels like an adult book but marketed as YA. I would not put it as a new adult because the stuff that makes new adult, new adult, isn’t in this. At its heart, this book is a sweet romance that leaves the reader desperately needing the next book. And the fact that there’s not even a year between the two books is a very good thing. And since I listen to this as an audiobook, I will have to say there are a few instances where the tone of the audiobook changes. Almost like they cut in a corrected section. While it takes nothing away from the story, it does pull the reader ouch of their language trance and snaps them back into reality.