Divine Rivals
by Rebecca Ross
★ Top 25 book of 2023 · #15 on Best Books of 2023
Eighteen-year-old Iris lands a coveted newspaper job during a war between gods while her brother is missing at the front. Her unsent letters reach her rival Roman Kitt, who anonymously writes back, creating an unexpected bond.
Best for: Fantasy fans who love rivals-to-lovers romance and stories told through letters
Divine Rivals is #15 on BookWard's Best Books of 2023, out of 34 2023 books that cleared our data bar.
What Divine Rivals is about
Iris is eighteen and believes her writing can make a difference. A war between the gods is raging, her brother is missing on the frontline, and her mother is lost in a haze of addiction. She has just landed a prestigious job at the Oath Gazette, a chance to turn her words into something real.
Each night she writes letters to her brother, never expecting an answer. Somehow they reach Roman Kitt instead, her cold, unforgiving rival at the paper and the person she trusts least. He writes back without giving his name, and the two build a magical connection through their letters. A romantic, atmospheric and emotional story about rivalry, love, war and the power of putting words on paper.
Divine Rivals on the Best Books of 2023
Divine Rivals came out in 2023. Of the 34 books first published in 2023 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #15 on our Best Books of 2023 list.
Why it made the list: 244 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (12 ratings). The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 2023 list
- Things We Left Behind Lucy Score, #13
- One of Us Is Back Karen M. McManus, #14
- Happy Place Emily Henry, #16
- Yellowface R. F. Kuang, #17
See all Best Books of 2023 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 2022 Best Books of 2024.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 214 want to read it, 10 are reading it now and 20 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.2 out of 5 from 12 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 47 | 55% |
| Reader love | 68 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 41 | 20% |
Questions about Divine Rivals
When was Divine Rivals published?
Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross was first published in 2023.
Was Divine Rivals one of the best books of 2023?
Divine Rivals is #15 on BookWard's Best Books of 2023, out of 34 2023 books that cleared our data bar. 244 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (12 ratings).
Why is Divine Rivals on the Best Books of 2023 list?
244 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.2 out of 5 (12 ratings).
More of the best books of 2023
- Fourth Wing Rebecca Yarros, #1
- King of Pride Ana Huang, #2
- Iron Flame Rebecca Yarros, #3
- Powerless Lauren Roberts, #4
- The Chalice of the Gods Rick Riordan, #5
- King of Greed Ana Huang, #6
See the full Best Books of 2023, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
Find your own best books
Add what you have read, rate it, and BookWard will recommend what to read next.
Free while in beta. No credit card needed.