REVIEW: "Ruthless Vows" by Rebecca Ross (Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult)

RUTHLESS VOWS by Rebecca Ross
	Publisher: Wednesday Books Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Publication Date: April 4th, 2023 Series: Letters of Enchantment, #2 Standalone: No, Cliffhanger ending
Categories/Tropes:
Strong Heroine, Fantasy (Gods, Mythical Beings, Enchanted Objects), Creatives (Writers)
Other Books By Rebecca Ross:
#1
Description from Publisher:
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.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
This was certainly a very exciting book, as much or possibly moreso than the first! My favorite thing about this is the way that we get to see Iris and Roman fall in love through letters once again, this time with Roman being unaware of who was really on the other end. Iris had to wrestle with what to say and how to say it, like Roman did before, but with the added weight of the world to worry about. The way that alliances came about, many unexpected, felt authentic to a world being taken over by a tyrant. There were multiple times where I felt the descriptions of how people acted during a potentially divisive experience were so poignant it squeezed at my heart. The things most would say they would do versus the things that they actually do, and the reactions to those whose actions match their declarations. It hit home after the last few years, that's for sure. The way that the god 'romance' hit was a bit jarring at times, though it certainly made it easy enough to figure that Dacre was the villain, through and through. The way that he was annhiliating basically every city until the capital, Oath, until his unwilling bride came out of hiding was pretty extreme! This was a fantastic conclusion to Iris and Roman's story!
My Source: I purchased a hardcover copy to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Rebecca Ross
Rebecca Ross is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy books for teens and adults. She has written multiple highly acclaimed duologies, including LETTERS OF ENCHANTMENT, ELEMENTS OF CADENCE, and THE QUEEN’S RISING as well as two standalone novels: DREAMS LIE BENEATH and SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG. When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband and her dog.

REVIEW: "Divine Rivals" by Rebecca Ross (Fantasy/Romance/Young Adult)

DIVINE RIVALS by Rebecca Ross
	Publisher: Wednesday Books Genre: Romantasy, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult Publication Date: April 4th, 2023 Series: Letters of Enchantment, #1 Standalone: No
Categories:
Magic, Gods/Mythical Beings, Military Invasion, Political Intrigue
Other Books By Rebecca Ross:
#2 Elements of Cadence, #1 Elements of Cadence, #2
Description from Publisher:
When two young rival journalists find love through a magical connection, they must face the depths of hell, in a war among gods, to seal their fate forever. After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again. But eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow just wants to hold her family together. Her mother is suffering from addiction and her brother is missing from the front lines. Her best bet is to win the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette. To combat her worries, Iris writes letters to her brother and slips them beneath her wardrobe door, where they vanish—into the hands of Roman Kitt, her cold and handsome rival at the paper. When he anonymously writes Iris back, the two of them forge a connection that will follow Iris all the way to the front lines of battle: for her brother, the fate of mankind, and love. Shadow and Bone meets Lore in Rebecca Ross's Divine Rivals, an epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
OMG, the arc for both Iris and Roman, as well as for Irish *&* Roman!! I honestly wasn't sure if I would like this one as I read the opening scene. It just felt a bit slow... And then Roman Kitt entered the chat and the story ramped up and I literally couldn't put this down and read it all in one sitting! Iris starts as this downtrodden 18-year-old who is struggling to just survive day-to-day, hoping her soldier brother is still alive and that her mother will stop spending all of their money (and her time) on drinking. She's irritated by how handsome, witty, and talented her work rival is, as she wants to hate him but just cant. This is mostly her point-of-view, but occasionally switches over to Roman Kitt's (her rival). I'm immensely glad for that, as stories told like this, with a secret & candid communication is had between "strangers" really works best when we at least get a glimpse from the other side. Roman is a privileged 19-year-old who is, as is very eloquently described, a writer who is getting to write his own story. His family has expectations for him and he has convinced himself that what they want is what he wants. Well done, Rebecca Ross, as this book is just so well-written that it made me laugh, cry, and be giddy with the romance. I loved so many of the turns of phrase, and the emotions were just so VISCERAL. There was a masterful balance, keeping you from going too far over the edge of despair, and allowing you to laugh when the world was falling apart and not feel it was wrong. The various supporting relationships in this felt very organic, and the characters were all diverse in a very natural way (I love diversity of characters that don't rely on stereotypes!). The world building also felt authentic, with the magic/fantasy aspects being more than just a convenient plot device. Roman and Iris spend most of this book teetering on the edge, which means that their relationship is a slow burn that ultimately turns into an inferno. Despite their ages and the potential for melodrama, the kind of angst that can be frustrating for the main trope here isn't present. There is a sweetness and sincerity to their bond that leaves you no doubt that they make each other better. I appreciated the amount of "steam" in this, as it wasn't afraid to acknowledge that these were young adults in love, but it also didn't go into unnecessary detail. I got a chuckle from Roman & Iris's lorry drive to the front lines, for instance (IYKYK), and think things like that added to the authenticity (Roman is only human, after all...). The ending had me nearly in tears, fearing the worst. I just may wind up devoting most of my weekend to this series and I grab the next book!!
My Source: I purchased a hardcover copy to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and 100% my own.

About the Author: Rebecca Ross
Rebecca Ross is the #1 New York Times and Sunday Times bestselling author of fantasy books for teens and adults. She has written multiple highly acclaimed duologies, including LETTERS OF ENCHANTMENT, ELEMENTS OF CADENCE, and THE QUEEN’S RISING as well as two standalone novels: DREAMS LIE BENEATH and SISTERS OF SWORD & SONG. When not writing, she can be found in her garden where she plants wildflowers and story ideas. She resides in Northeast Georgia with her husband and her dog.

REVIEW: "To Sir, With Love" by Lauren Layne (Romantic Comedy)

TO SIR, WITH LOVE by Lauren Layne
	Publisher: Gallery Books Genre: Romantic Comedy Publication Date: June 29th 2021 Standalone: Yes
Categories:
Enemies to Lovers, Alter Ego, Creatives, Digital Meet-Cute, Nice Guy
Other Books by Lauren Layne
Description from Publisher:
Love Is Blind meets You’ve Got Mail in this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy following two thirty-somethings who meet on a blind dating app—only to realize that their online chemistry is nothing compared to their offline rivalry. Perpetually cheerful and eager to please, Gracie Cooper strives to make the best out of every situation. So when her father dies just months after a lung cancer diagnosis, she sets aside her dreams of pursuing her passion for art to take over his Midtown Manhattan champagne shop. She soon finds out that the store’s profit margins are being squeezed perilously tight, and complicating matters further, a giant corporation headed by the impossibly handsome, but irritatingly arrogant Sebastian Andrews is proposing a buyout. But Gracie can’t bear the thought of throwing away her father’s dream like she did her own. Overwhelmed and not wanting to admit to her friends or family that she’s having second thoughts about the shop, Gracie seeks advice and solace from someone she’s never met—the faceless “Sir”, with whom she connected on a blind dating app where matches get to know each other through messages and common interests before exchanging real names or photos. But although Gracie finds herself slowly falling for Sir online, she has no idea she’s already met him in real life…and they can’t stand each other.
My Rating:	Heat Rating:
I am an absolute sucker for stories where people communicate online/through letters/texts without quite realizing who they are talking to. When I saw that this involved two people falling in love with one another, twice, I had to request it on Netgalley! This is a story of Gracie, a woman who has been running her family's champagne shop basically by herself, with little help from her brother or sister (with all of the pressure of keeping it going and few perks). She quit persuing her dream of being an artist to take it over, making the stress that much harder. The only thing that she really gets to do for herself is create alcohol-inspired art to sell in a section of the shop, hoping to turn more of a profit. A joy in her days is also sending messages with the man she met on a dating app, known only as Sir, who is only a friend since he is in a relationship. Enter Sebastian. Big Box competition looking to buy her family shop out. But she doesn't know that when she meets him on the street... feels a connection... and then meets his gorgeous and friendly girlfriend. It's only later, when he comes into the shop that she realizes who he is. From then, these two butt heads several times, and the banter is a lot of fun. They have fantastic chemistry and you just want them together. Sebastian keeps popping up places, and into the shop, and Gracie can't help but start to actually like the guy. I loved them together, as friends, and the "Sir" part was also a delight. The moment that Sebastian realizes what's happening is pretty cute, as are all of his actions from then on. He's definitely not the alpha male type (anyone who has read my reviews knows the Nice Guy is my favorite!), and you seriously can't help but swoon a bit. He gives advice to Gracie about what to do with her feelings for Sir, and then is just really a sweetheart. This has a very "You've Got Mail" vibe, but I'd say it works well standing on its own.
My Source: I received a digital ARC from the publisher to voluntarily review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is unbiased and my 100% own.

About the Author: Lauren Layne
Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books have sold more than a million copies in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.