Wild Reverence by Rebecca Ross — Review and Content Warnings

Author: Rebecca Ross

Genre: Mythic Fantasy

Series: Standalone, prequel to Letters of Enchantment duology

Age Rating: Adult (content suitable for Teen+ readers)

Synopsis

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 soon discovers the cost of love and wrestles with the implications of her power.

Content Warnings

General Rating: Teen+ (14A / PG-13)

Spice Rating: Moderate

Two intimate open-door scenes (ch. 68 & 84), but they are written non-explicitly and without graphic details. Ross writes in such a way that a naive reader could entirely miss the implications of these scenes. No references to anatomy, no crude language.

Violence Rating: Moderate

War violence, attempted murder, attempted suicide, death of a parent, death of a child, murder, and physical abuse are all present.

Profanity Rating: None

Note: This is an adult novel, but the content warning level is deemed appropriate for older teenage readers. While the above elements are present, they are handled with restraint and woven into the story’s arcs.

Overall Rating: 5/5

What I Liked

• Matilda’s gradual transformation: I loved watching her journey from guardedness to openness. Her gradual willingness to love resonated deeply.

• The father-daughter bond with Bade: Matilda is uncertain of their relationship for much of the book. The slow reveal of their connection gave the story emotional weight.

• Romance with Vincent: Sweet, patient, and respectful. Ross balances intimacy with restraint, making it both heartfelt and comfortable for sensitive readers.

  “You hold onto her. But who could hold onto the wind? And—better yet—who woud be so foolish as to trust—to love—such a wild being?”

• Ross’ lyrical prose: Ethereal and immersive, her writing painted vivid imagery without tipping into overwrought description. I want to re-read it just to savour her sentences.

Themes and Reflections

• Being Known and Loved: Matilda learns young that the gods, powerful though they are, are also vulnerable. She hesitates to let herself be loved, and learns what it means to be seen, known, and loved exactly as she is.

  This is the beginning of the end, I thought. If heartless gods can be made soft by such love, we are all doomed.

• Vulnerability: Matilda learns that love requires vulnerability and risk. She learns what it means to sacrifice herself for the sake of love.

  What could I have done to keep a goddess safe? I realized that it could not be achieved by embracing her. Only by letting her go.

• Choosing a Simple Life over Power: There is more to life than power, Matilda discovers. Vincent, too, longs for a simple life where he is not required to rule a fiefdom.

  “Asking questions about mortals is a weakness?” “Feeling for them is,” he corrected.

Writing Style

• Ethereal and magical

• Lyrical, lush, and descriptive

• Intimate, yet reserved

• Gradual world-building without info-dumping

Tropes

• “Who did this to you?”

• Star-crossed lovers

• Gods and mortals

Books Like This

• Circe by Madeline Miller

• His Fair Assassin by Robin LaFevers

• The Knight and the Moth by Rachel Gillig

Publisher Info

• Publisher: Saturday Books

• Release Date: September 2, 2025

• ARC provided by NetGalley—all opinions are my own

For an in-depth reflection on deeper themes in Wild Reverence, read my Holy Plot review here.

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