Escape reality when you fall into the pages of the magical love letters of Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, two workplace rivals turned lovers during a time of a mythical war of the gods.
Quick Tip: You should read the # 1 New York Times bestselling Divine Rivals series in order: first, Divine Rivals and, second, Ruthless Vows.
Also known as the “Letters of Enchantment” books by Rebecca Ross, these two books will enchant you from the book cover to all the pages in between in this social media favorite romantasy series. Explore the fantasy world and expert tips, including the age rating, for reading it below.
Divine Rivals Series in Order
The Divine Rivals series in order comprises two books, also known as the “Letters of Enchantment” series:
- Divine Rivals (April 4, 2023)
- Ruthless Vows (December 26, 2023)
Divine Rivals should be read first.
Divine Rivals is the first book in the series by Rebecca Ross, a #1 New York Times bestselling author of Young Adult fantasy books. This book introduces the reader to young journalists Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, two workplace rivals turned lovers after they exchange a series of magical letters as they cover a war between the gods, Dacre and Enva.
Ruthless Vows is the second part of the story of Iris and Roman, more deeply exploring the difficulties of war and the challenges it brings to their relationship.
The series is a TikTok favorite that was published by Wednesday Books, a YA fiction publisher that is an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group, which is part of Macmillan Publishers.
Quick Takeaways & Reading Tips
Genre
The Divine Rivals books are a fantasy romance series (otherwise known as “romantasy”). Its main romance tropes are workplace rivals to lovers and forced proximity. The couple also come from different classes, and one is engaged to have an arranged marriage.
It’s a slow-burning romance series that hearkens to World War I, but with mythology and magical correspondence.
Age Rating
The publisher recommends the Divine Rivals series for Young Adults ages 13-18. I recommend it for ages 14 to 16 and older, based on war themes and some mild romance.
Trigger Warnings: war, death, grief, and addiction
Spice Levels:
- Divine Rivals: 1 out of 5 (see chapter 39)
- Ruthless Vows 1 out of 5 (see chapter 35)
The romance in this series burns slowly and is both limited and mild. The writing style of these scenes is more implicit and poetic than it is explicit. One example:
“She felt safe with him, skin to skin. She felt full and complete; she felt the wholeness in the dark, this weaving together of vows and body and choice.”
– Chapter 39 of Divine Rivals
Tips
- I most highly recommend the audio version, as the reading style enhances the fantasy elements of the narrative. I recommend the ebook version over the hardcover because the hardcover has a small font that can be hard to see for some readers.
- The fantasy world-building is very basic and easy to understand, so don’t be afraid of it!
- Divine Rivals ends with a major cliffhanger, so you should commit to reading the sequel, Ruthless Vows, as well. It reads more like two parts of one story than two books.
- Be prepared for lots of plot twists throughout both novels — particularly at the end of both books. These twists ultimately make the series “worth it,” especially after more dense war themes pick up in Ruthless Vows.
Letters of Enchantment Series: Book Summaries and Reviews
Divine Rivals (Book 1 of 2)
#1 New York Times bestseller
My rating: ★★★★☆
Divine Rivals is a Young Adult fantasy romance story that shares the workplace rivals to lovers story of Oath Gazette journalists, Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, who are competing to be promoted to columnist.
Iris comes from a lower-class family. Her beloved brother, Forest, is fighting in a war between two gods, Dacre and Enva, and her mother is battling alcohol addiction.
Roman comes from a wealthy family, and he is engaged to have an arranged marriage.
As they each cope with their personal problems, they correspond by way of magical typewriters and enchanted letters. Only Roman knows it is Iris behind them. She believes him to be a mystery man named Carver.
When circumstances leave Iris corresponding on the front lines, Roman follows her there, and the plot thickens.
The questions this novel presents are whether Iris will find Forest, and whether Iris and Roman will get together.
It’s a slow burn with mild spice that makes for a great “starter” fantasy book, as its fantasy elements aren’t difficult to understand. While it’s geared toward Young Adults, it reads well for adults too.
It’s a good choice for fans of the Fourth Wing series, historical fiction, mythology, writer protagonists, and magical realism.
Ruthless Vows (Book 2 of 2)
My rating: ★★★☆☆
Ruthless Vows picks up where the massive cliffhanger in Divine Rivals left off. So as not to spoil any plotlines for you, I’m going to be vague here: as the war rages on, the bonds of family and love are tested.
This book focuses more on facing the challenges of love at a time of war, and its themes focus more heavily on the brutal realities of war.
The war, and the many plot twists it causes, leave this fantasy world and its characters forever changed.
This book is more dense than the first, but the shocking plot twists make it well worth it. While the gods, the war, and magic could have been better fleshed out, the limited fantasy world-building does make this series easy to read.
If you plan on reading the Letters of Enchantment series, you absolutely must read Ruthless Vows or you will be left knowing only half of the story of Iris and Roman. It’s more like a “Part Two” than a sequel.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is part of the Letters of Enchantment series of two books. The second and final book is Ruthless Vows.
Yes. The sequel to Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is Ruthless Vows, which was published in December 2023.
There are two total books in the Divine Rivals series by Rebecca Ross: first, Divine Rivals, and second, Ruthless Vows.
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is a duology of two books, otherwise known as the Letters of Enchantment series. Book one is Divine Rivals and book two is Ruthless Vows.
No. While there is some spice (“open door romance”) in Divine Rivals, it is very minimal, mild, and implicit as opposed to explicit. It can be found in chapter 39.
Conclusion
Experience the magic of the Divine Rivals series in order: first, Divine Rivals and, second, Ruthless Vows.
You should read Divine Rivals first and, if you do so, you should absolutely read Ruthless Vows afterward, as it’s more like a “part two” to the story of Iris and Roman than it is a sequel.
It’s a beloved book series for both Young Adults and adults alike, and it’s great for fans of The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros and historical fiction series.
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