A full guide to Divine Rivals: Characters, review & spice levels
Divine Rivals synopsis:
NO GOD
NO CREATURE
NO WAR
CAN COME BETWEEN THEM
The latest from the number one SUNDAY TIMES bestseller Rebecca Ross
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, their fate depends on their facing the depths of hell … together.
After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again …
All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.
But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands – that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper – an unlikely magical connection forms.
Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?
An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.
Warning: There are minor spoilers in this article so please discontinue reading if you haven’t read this book yet.
Divine Rivals characters.
Divine Rivals has two main characters and is told from two POVs:
Iris Winnow
Iris is a wholesome, talented and strong young woman who is reeling from the loss of her beloved brother Forest Winnow who has enlisted in the war between the gods. Physically described as having wide-set hazel eyes, wavy chestnut hair and freckles, she’s not a Mary Sue in the slightest. She’s riddled with flaws and insecurities, yet she’s still relatable and likeable—loveable even. We learn the workings of her mind and how she shields herself against the world due to all the painful losses she’s endured.
Roman Kitt
Roman C. Kitt is “tall and lithe with cheekbones that could cut stone.” He comes from a prestigious background and privilege. His writing is also extraordinary, to Iris’ dismay. From Iris’ perspective, he exudes a cheeky, conceited demeanour. That’s what his middle initial stands for, Iris surmises. Naturally, we’ll get to discover layers about him, from his family life at home to his innermost demons and intimate thoughts. His character arc is transcendent as we watch his evolution, influenced by his past traumas, his father, his Nan and above all, his relationship with Iris.
To support the two main characters, there is also a diverse array of side characters, including:
Attie (aka Thea Attwood)
Marisol Torres
Keegan
Forest Winnow
Aster Winnow
Lieutenant Lark
Captain Speer
Dacre
Enva
Zeb Autry
Mr Kitt
Mrs Kitt
Daisy Winnow
Alouette Stone
Nan Kitt
Elinor Little
Herman Little
Sarah Prindle
Prairie
Helena Hammond
Divine Rivals gods.
According to lore, there are two families of gods: The Skywards, who had ruled Cambria from above, and the Underlings, who had reigned below. Once, there had been a hundred gods between the two families, dispersed across the firmament, land and water. But over time, they’d killed each other until only five remained, who were then overcome by humankind and buried.
These five gods mentioned in Divine Rivals are:
Dacre
Enva
Mir
Alva
Luz
The two main warring gods in Divine Rivals are Dacre and Enva. Rebecca Ross has confirmed on her AMA that we will be seeing more of the gods and fantastical elements in Ruthless Vows.
Divine Rivals book review.
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 stars.
Spice level: 🌶
1/5, mild.
I'm slightly flummoxed at how much I adored this book and Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt because BookTok recommendations can be a hit or miss for me. But this was a sublime read that induced much emotion, serotonin and possibly even a tear.
Set in a destructive, heart-wrenching war between gods, Iris and Roman are both pure and adorable and I loved both of them, their quirks and flaws.
Despite using a well-worn premise of academic rivals to lovers, the story and world are innovative, intricate, evocative and heavy-hitting, combining fantasy and historical fiction, including the rich mythology of gods, amazing supporting side characters and more.
An agonising wait for the sequel, that's for sure!
Trigger warnings:
Heavy war themes, violence, alcohol addiction, death of a parent, death of a child, grief, PTSD.
View my Divine Rivals review here.
FAQs.
Spoiler alert for below. Please discontinue reading if you haven’t read Divine Rivals yet.
Is Divine Rivals a standalone, or will there be a book two?
Divine Rivals is a duology, and book two, Ruthless Vows, was published on the 26th of December, 2023. You can get Ruthless Vows here.
Is Divine Rivals spicy?
Divine Rivals isn’t spicy. There is one romantic scene, but it’s quite mild, not explicit, and leans more toward a fade-to-black. The age rating is somewhere between YA and NA.
HOWEVER! Rebecca Ross has mentioned on her Instagram AMA that there is some spice in the second book of the duology, Ruthless Vows. As to how much 🌶 exactly, we’ll have to wait and find out!
Does Divine Rivals end on a cliffhanger?
A huge one! Ouch.
Where can I check out Divine Rivals fanart for Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt?
Some Divine Rivals book edition covers depicting Iris and Roman are simply charming! Take a peek below:
Left: UK edition
Right: Fairyloot edition
And don’t worry, I’m certain the Divine Rivals fanart will be flooding BookTok and Bookstagram soon enough.
Enjoyed reading Divine Rivals? You may also enjoy reading:
A Court of Thorns & Roses | A Court of Mist & Fury | A Court of Wings & Ruin | A Court of Frost & Starlight
One Dark Window | Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig
A Deadly Education | The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik
