Book Review: Letters of Enchantment Series by Rebecca Ross
Divine Rivals - Book One
Ruthless Vows - Book Two
***May contain spoilers***
***Scroll to the end for my rating***
This YA fantasy duology is a hit among the BookTok and Bookstagram communities. I received both books as gifts from friends in the community, and I am grateful that I did. However, I'm not sure this series was the right fit for me.
The concept of these books was compelling and different from some of the other popular romantasy novels on the market. Divine Rivals and Ruthless Vows were set in a more classic war-esque vibe that made them feel a little richer in history and stand out from the impending battles that exist in other books I've read. Following war correspondents instead of soldiers was a fun change.
Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt are enemies-turned-lovers, one of my favorite tropes. Divine Rivals has this sort of You've Got Mail vibe where the two writers unknowingly communicate through magical typewriters. Roman is the one to discover who is writing to him first, giving him a leg up on Iris. Writers enticed by the beauty of words, it is no surprise that these secret and private correspondences lead them away from rivals and into lovers.
Chasing after Iris to the battlefront, Roman had quickly fallen for her and was willing to defy his father, give up his new position he'd been fighting for at the newspaper, and do anything to keep her safe. It is Iris who ends up rescuing, protecting, and helping Roman heal after a debilitating injury from the war.
Once it becomes clear their feelings for one another, between them and to those around them, they take the next step and get married, before it's too late with the impending surge in the war. The thought was that if they were to die, they would die wedded to each other.
With life-threatening gas and the miracle of gas masks, Iris is saved from Dacre's forces, but quickly realizes it is not Kitt who had rescued her from the field. Being forced away, not knowing if he is dead or alive, we move to book 2, Ruthless Vows.
Ending up "fighting" and supporting opposite sides of the war, their love is put to the test as both Iris and Roman do all they can to stay alive, save the people they love, and reunite with each other. Understanding how Enva has gotten her support, how Dacre's army has grown so vast, and the reason the war began in the first place are all pieces that amplify their drive.
I enjoyed Ruthless Vows more than Divine Rivals, but not by a significant amount. I found that there was more depth to the magic, a few more surprises, and the importance of the typewriters was revisited in a new way. It made me eager to know more and seek answers to the questions I was left with from book one, yet I was still left wanting.
There are many full-circle moments from books one and two, and I felt that the details between the two were crafted very well. But these books fell flat for me. The tension wasn't particularly strong, and the magic wasn't extremely present in the first book; I found each book to be quite predictable. In terms of romance, I wonder if I'm over YA, as it no longer suits my tastes. The more YA I read, the more I feel this way. I am still open to trying others, but I fear this may be the case. I can see how these books are loved by many, but they unfortunately weren't loved by me.
For many of the above reasons, I am rating Divine Rivals 4.5 out of 10 stars and Ruthless Vows 5 out of 10 stars.
As always, thanks for reading! 💜
Divine Rivals Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Ruthless Vows Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
