Melanie's review · ★★★★★

Divine Rivals Review: Rival Reporters, Magic Letters and a War Between Gods

Rebecca Ross's romantasy about two rival reporters and a magic typewriter got five stars from Melanie. Here's her review, plus what the book is about, who it's for and what to read next.

Melanie Juarez

By Melanie Juarez

1 min read · Updated Oct 2026

Melanie's verdict

Five stars. Melanie calls Divine Rivals beautifully written and says enemies to lovers is her favorite trope, done brilliantly here. Expect rival journalists, letters passed through a magic typewriter and a war between gods, with an ending she says leaves you desperate for the next book.

Melanie Juarez

Melanie's review

★★★★★

This book is so beautifully written, I enjoyed every second of it. Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope and Ross did an amazing job. Iris finds out her typewriter that her grandmother handed down to her has magic in it. She sends and receives letters to someone else, the problem is she doesn’t know who. She vents her struggles to this mysterious person while she is dealing with her rival journalist. At a time of war between Gods, Iris decides to become a correspondent and report on the war from the front lines. Her mystery person is keeping her company through their letters, but suddenly her rival Kitt arrives and she finds he’s not so bad… The ending is thrilling and makes you feel like you are actually seeing the war. It sets up perfectly for the next book and leaves you wishing it was available already 😭
Divine Rivals

The book

Divine Rivals

Rebecca Ross · Letters of Enchantment #1

Spice 1/5

  • Rivals to lovers
  • Letters
  • Slow burn

Iris Winnow types letters to her brother at the front and slips them under her wardrobe door. Someone writes back. Meanwhile, her rival at the newspaper, Roman Kitt, is making her life difficult.

If you liked: The Cruel Prince, Uprooted

Content notes

War, grief, a parent's alcoholism.

What it's about

Iris Winnow is a young reporter at the Oath Gazette, competing with Roman Kitt, the polished rival who keeps getting the bylines she wants. Her brother has gone to fight in a war between the gods, and Iris writes letters to him on her grandmother's old typewriter, slipping them under her wardrobe door. Someone writes back.

When Iris leaves to report from the front lines, the letters, the rivalry and the war all collide. It's the first book in the Letters of Enchantment duology.

Who it's for

  • Slow-burn fans. The romance builds through letters and bickering, not grand gestures.
  • Readers who want low spice. It's closed door, so it works for younger readers and anyone who'd rather skip the explicit scenes.
  • Anyone who loves a historical feel. Typewriters, trenches and newspapers give it a 1940s mood, even though it's a fantasy world.

Spice and content notes

Spice: 1 out of 5 on our scale, closed door. Content notes: war and its injuries, grief, and a parent's alcoholism. These are the major ones, not a full list.

If you liked Divine Rivals, try…

The Cruel Prince by Holly Black and Heartless Hunter by Kristen Ciccarelli both bring the rivalry with very little spice. For more ideas, see our romantasy list and our enemies to lovers list.

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Questions readers ask

Is Divine Rivals spicy?
No. It's closed door, a 1 on our spice scale. The romance is all longing, letters and banter.
Is Divine Rivals enemies to lovers?
Rivals to lovers. Iris and Roman compete for the same column at the newspaper, and the tension between them drives the romance.
Is Divine Rivals a standalone?
No. It's book one of the Letters of Enchantment duology, and the story continues in Ruthless Vows.
Is Divine Rivals YA?
It's often shelved as young adult and reads well for older teens and adults alike, with very little on-page spice.
Melanie Juarez

About the author

Melanie Juarez

Co-founder, Blindly

Melanie is Blindly's co-founder and resident bookmom. She reads every reader's quiz answers and hand-picks each blind date herself, from the family-run Blindly home in California. Nothing makes her happier than matching someone with their next favorite read.

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