letters of enchantment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 544 pages
Author: Rebecca Ross
Publisher: Saturday Books
Release Date: September 2nd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic. But in a land where gods often kill each other to steal power and alliances break as quickly as they are forged, Matilda must come of age sooner than most. She may be known to carry words and letters through the realms, but she holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest of allies to ensure her survival. And to complicate matters . . . there is a mortal boy who dreams of her, despite the fact they have never met in the waking world.

Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.

Thank you Saturday Books for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook.

EXACTLY WHAT I HOPED.

If you’ve ever thought about what a Rebecca Ross adult debut fantasy romance would look like, this hit all of those markers. I was entranced from the get-go. BUT KNOW, this is a slow build, heavily character driven story that takes you on a beautiful journey of Matilda from her youth to her destiny.

I was captivated by the writing style and the romantic atmosphere throughout. It felt like I was reading about Greek gods sitting in the Parthenon and all of the drama and chaos that results from meddling in the lives of others.

Alongside the meddling was an intensely passionate romance between Matilda and Vincent. I loved the long ago connections and the way they fought for each other over and over again. The plot was steady and well paced with action and tenderness and seeking more. The whole book just felt deeply intimate.

Overal audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: mild
Romance: vague, focused on emotions open door
Violence: moderate
Content warnings: abusive relationship, whipping, war themes, loss of life and loved ones

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Fantasy Romance
Length: 432 pages
Author: Rebecca Ross
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Release Date: December 26th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The epic conclusion to the intensely romantic and beautifully written story that started in Divine Rivals.

Two weeks have passed since Iris Winnow returned home bruised and heartbroken from the front, but the war is far from over. Roman is missing, and the city of Oath continues to dwell in a state of disbelief and ignorance. When Iris and Attie are given another chance to report on Dacre’s movements, they both take the opportunity and head westward once more despite the danger, knowing it’s only a matter of time before the conflict reaches a city that’s unprepared and fracturing beneath the chancellor’s reign.

Since waking below in Dacre’s realm, Roman cannot remember his past. But given the reassurance that his memories will return in time, Roman begins to write articles for Dacre, uncertain of his place in the greater scheme of the war. When a strange letter arrives by wardrobe door, Roman is first suspicious, then intrigued. As he strikes up a correspondence with his mysterious pen pal, Roman will soon have to make a decision: to stand with Dacre or betray the god who healed him. And as the days grow darker, inevitably drawing Roman and Iris closer together…the two of them will risk their very hearts and futures to change the tides of the war.

WAS IT GOING TO BE ANYTHING ELSE.

Five stars.

All the stars.

All the emotions too.

I loved this book. It was the kind of duology sequel you hope for. Dream about reading. After my total obsession with Divine Rivals the hype was real for this one. And hallelujah all the hype was deserved.

Just go into this book blind. The story unfolds with beautiful writing and a continuation of the storyline you won’t be able to look away from. I loved how the romance evolved, how the meddling gods affected the world and the stunning and raw conclusion.

It’s incredible. Worth the read x1000 over. I love the way Rebecca Ross writes and creates stories. They are always some of my favorite books each year.

Overall audience notes:

NA Historical Fantasy Romance
Language: a little
Romance: closed door
Violence: high
Trigger/Content Warnings: war themes (bombing and loss of life), near death experiences, weapons violence