This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Book Evaluation:

Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️

World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎

Cover:📔📔📔📔📔

Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻

Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️

Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒

Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞

Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂😂

Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖

Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧

Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨✨

First Impressions

Ruthless Vows is the conclusion to this epic duo series by Rebecca Ross. I didn't know what I expected, all I knew is that "Divine Rivals" blew my heart out of the water with that ending and I had to jump into this conclusion and it was everything I could have hoped for and more. I literally took my time reading this because it was so good. I didn't even look at my progress percentage like I normally do because I was so swept away by this story. The conclusion is not an easy one, but its a journey of heart and soul and courage and I soaked it up like a sponge and never wanted to let go of this one.

First Line

There was never any doubt in her mind, even after all these dust-streaked mortal years, that Dacre would one day come for her.

Summary

In the previous book, our couple, Kitt and Iris were seperated by the consequences of battle and war. Now Iris is working in the city of Aoth to try to get word out of the truths of what is happening with Dacre and his agenda. Kitt has been healed by Dacre but at a very heavy price, forced to write for him with no memory of who he was before or the woman who holds his heart. But as Roman gets closer to Oath and as Iris gets closer to Roman, they find their way back to each other. But will they be able to bring peace to their people once again or will vengeance of a demi god destroy them all...

What I Loved

There was so much to enjoy about this one here. I was instantly drawn into this story and my heart bled for Iris and Kitt and the journey they need to go through. There is such longing between them that cuts deep to the reader. I was so fascinated to see where Ross would take this story. I can definitely see the talent that she hides behind and if you enjoyed the journey in "Divine Rivals" then you most definitely will be excited with what is delivered in this one.

The seperation between them just after they get married and embrace the love that they have for each other was so real and heart wrenching. You feel the distance between them and you just want them to find each other again. Even though they are apart, they find their own ways to connect...through writing letters. And the words that they share with each other as they rediscover their love and Kitt finds his own way back to even being a stronger man melts the heart. I was intrigued about the plot with Dacre and it stunned me in so many ways. Even though some of it was predictable, some of it really had some turns I didn't expect to happen. And there were some actions taken that I literally wanted to get pom pom's and cheer my couple on. Even though it ends in a HEA, doesn't mean that Iris and Kitt don't lose some people they love deeply. That broke my heart....I was literally sobbing. But there is also such a message of redemption, hope and healing that completes this story. Definitely a story worthy of getting physical copies on my shelves and reading again pretty soon because I am not ready to let go of this couple.

What I Struggled With

Nothing.

Overall View

Ruthless Vows is a conlusion that is a epic sweeping finale of truths being revealed, personal rediscovery and the power and atonement behind honest true love that wins the day! AN FLAWLESS WINNER OF A READ!

Book Details (also in my shelves)

Sub Genre: Historical Mythological Fantasy

Character Types: Journalists

Themes: Danger Elements, Love Letters, Magical Realism, Married Couple Pairing

Tropes: Amnesia

Book Perspective

DUO Pov

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict

Plot Conflict

Song This Book Inspires

Come Back...Be Here-Taylor Swift

Recommendation For Reading Order

Yes

Ruthless Vows was an absolutely beautiful conclusion to an already breathtaking story. I’ll admit, the beginning felt like a bit of a slow start — but in hindsight, I believe that had more to do with my own reading slump than the book itself. Once I picked it back up, I devoured it within a week. Rebecca Ross’s writing has that enchanting quality that pulls you straight into the heart of her world, and you don’t want to leave.

The love between Iris and Roman is pure and magnetic. While Divine Rivals felt like a romantic adventure — the spark, the promise, the beginning — Ruthless Vows leaned deeper into the fantasy, the stakes, the world building. And yet, the romance never dimmed. In fact, the vow between them, formed in the first book, became the thread that wove their hearts back together. I adored the way their connection remained strong even without closeness or constant communication. It was profound, rooted in understanding and trust.

The drama? Superior. Rebecca Ross knows how to stir emotion without overindulging, how to create tension that doesn’t just entertain but lingers. There were moments I laughed, moments I teared up, and moments that genuinely shook me. But what truly sets this book apart is its honesty. One quote in particular has stayed with me:

“It was not always a happy story, although it was an honest one.”

That line captures the soul of this duology. It doesn’t shy away from grief or uncertainty, and in doing so, it becomes all the more real — even in a fantasy setting.

One area where I felt just a touch of longing was in the side character arcs. Characters like Tobias and Addie had such potential, and while I appreciated their presence and importance to the story, I wish we’d gotten more insight into their journeys — perhaps a few dedicated chapters earlier on. We do get glimpses in the final quarter of the book, which were beautiful, but it left me wishing for just a little more.

And of course, a part of me wanted to linger longer in Roman and Iris’s world post-war — not because the story needed it, but because it was just that well done. Their love felt so earned, so real, that I simply didn’t want it to end.

That said, I genuinely believe this duology is the perfect length. It feels complete — no more, no less. While I’d eagerly read a standalone about the gods (please!), it isn’t necessary. Ross struck a perfect balance between fantasy and romance, depth and hope. It’s a story that will stay with me for a long time.

Highly recommended for both YA and adult readers, and especially for those who enjoy romantic fantasy with substance. If you’re someone who prefers standalones but occasionally dips into duologies, this is the one for you.

I can’t wait to read more fantasy in the future — and I’ll be recommending this series to everyone I know.

Breaks my heart to type this because Divine Rivals was one of the best books I read last year, but honestly I would give this 3 stars. It’s not that I didn’t like it, but it wasn’t memorable like divine rivals. I’m going to split this review in to 3 parts so my thoughts don’t get jumbled.

Iris+Roman- I will forever love their love story. I still think about divine rivals DAILY. however there was not enough of them in this book. There were veryyyyyyyy few scenes of them actually even together and Roman didn’t remember her for half the book. Their banter and chemistry was the best part of book 1 and this one felt a little empty without it. Also, they annoyed me a tad in this one because of some of the decisions they made. They could have very easily escaped or avoided certain situations and events and they just chose not to? Or chose to stay? I know they had to be in certain places or situations for the plot to continue but a lot of times their reasons for being in those situations weren’t convincing. And it made me not feel as bad for what they were suffering because it was easy to see how it could have been avoided.

Side characters- Attie and Tobias were one of the best parts of this book!!! I ate up every scene of them together and found myself squealing at the tension. I love them so much!!! As for some of the others, Shane was SUCH A DISAPPOINTMENT. I was so excited for the reveal of who he was after the hints he was dropping. Thinking he was someone on the frontline that Roman had me and had also been taken by Dacre. Or he worked for Roman’s family or something. There were literally so many possibilities for an amazing/cool reveal because Roman had no memory. And he was literally no one. Just some random person. Such a wasted character. Now for Forest. We didn’t get enough character from him either. After him literally dragging Iris from Roman and the front lines I needed some deep talk between him and Iris or some breakdown or something from him to deepen their bond or give his character more dimension. But he was just kinda…there. Also Roman’s dad. After him trying to kill Dacre and seeming to care for Roman at the end I was hoping for a father/son moment that just never came either. The Littles were also hinted to be major or important characters in the first book and they weren’t utilized in this one either. There were so many moments they could have been vital to, but they were just casually mentioned in the paper at the end. Over all just not enough character development on side characters that were brought in.

Plot-lastly, the plot. Would it make sense if I said the plot was both too big and also too little? Divine rivals walked the line of being a low fantasy high romance novel perfectly. Roman and Iris were the center and the war was the sub plot. With magical elements and gods that made sense. This book tried to dive deeper into the war, and a lot of it just didn’t make sense. The stories of the gods and envas/dacres back story was very confusing and kept changing. It was supposed to “change” because history was wrong but by the end I had no idea what was going on. Dacre was also a very unbelieving bad guy. His motivations for things were just very boring and he didn’t strike fear or tension for me as a reader. The book just sort of lost its spark by trying to make the war such a big part of its plot, while also not having any twists or turns. And the romance wasn’t enough of a plot. It needed to pick one of the two and focus more on it, instead of leaving me wanting more for both. There were tons of random world building names and places and events dropped without proper exposition around them to make the world make sense. So while the plot felt too big in that sense, it felt too small in that it really felt like nothing crazy or exciting happened. I wanted a twist where someone they knew was a double agent for Dacre. Or Enva was actually really evil and Dacre was good. Or something with the other typewriter and messages. Just SOMETHING more. They made a plan. They followed the plan through. And they won. It was a tad anticlimactic.

All together a good book! Not one I would probably re read though. Iris and Roman/Attie and Tobias were most definitely the best parts and I wish we had gotten more of them!!!

"Despite our mundane lives, perhaps we make our own magic with words."

"Their souls weren't mirrors but complements, constellations that burned side by side."

What can I say? Divine Rivals was magnificent and I enjoyed it a lot. I was really looking forward to seeing how the story resolved and I have to say... I was not disappointed. I think this was a perfect ending. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel at first because I felt like things were moving slowly. I mean I think honestly I was just bitter that Iris and Roman were separated still. I don't know what I was anticipating... okay yeah I do... I just wanted things to magically be fixed haha. However, my god that would have been so disappointing given the marvelous story that unfolds here. I just missed their beautiful and witty banter. Yet, we did get some side romances to make up for it and they were adorable.

Can I just say that the times this book had me on the edge of my seat was ridiculous. The emotions it made me experience were unfair. I mean I'm trying so hard not to spoil things but I cannot explain to you how hard that is. I enjoyed that this one was even more war focused, but like in ways that directly and seriously impacted all our characters. I enjoyed more of the Dacre/Enva story and I feel like they played a bigger role in this one than the first. I enjoyed the typewriters coming into play again; I don't know why but their is just something so sweet and beautiful about a romance that is mostly carried out in written letters.

I think what I loved most about this one was just how much love enabled our characters to do. They were willing to do anything for the ones they loved. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. I seriously cannot express to you the moments I laughed, cried and screamed at this book. I think it was executed beautifully and I really loved that our characters had to work for their happy ending. I love being reminded how much I enjoy YA stories sometimes they have this ability to transport you. Basically if you haven't read this series... and like also recommend it to everyone you know.

Divine Rivals was a tough act to follow. It was so breathtakingly beautiful, and it gutted me with the ending. I had high hopes for Ruthless Vows, and while it was good, it lacked that intensity and greatness that I felt from Divine Rivals, which is why I settled on 4 stars after rating DR 5.

Potential spoilers maybe? So be wary. I’m just talking candidly.

This book picks up right after the ending of DR. Roman Kitt has been captured by Dacre in the war against Enva. Iris Winnow has been reunited with her brother, Forest, who she thought was dead, but she’s now been torn away from Roman and will do anything to find and save him, including risking everything to return to the front.

The lyrical and romantic letter writing is back in this one! I love these magically-linked typewriters. Roman has a bit of amnesia after his wounds are healed by Dacre, but he quickly begins to remember who he is through dreams from Enva and through contact with Iris.

This one felt like it drug on a little bit compared to the first one. There was a lot going on with the war and everything, but it wasn’t quite as thrilling. I even thought the ending dragged on and the entire book could have been 20-30 pages shorter, at least. I felt like the executions by The Graveyard were just extra and unnecessary.

We did get our HEA for Roman and Iris, and it seems that Attie gets one as well! The deaths were not totally unexpected as it is war, but they weren’t really written in a way that made me feel much, honestly.

I expected a little more from Enva. She was a bit of a let down as a character. I kind of found it odd that her and Dacre’s “face-off” also was so minute that it didn’t uncover any more truth about their relationship. That fell flat for me considering they’re the entire motivation behind this war that is fueling the plot of this book.

Overall, it was good. I’m glad I read it, as it was the ending to a story that I fell deeply in love with in the first book. It just pails in comparison to the first book for me.

INFINITY STARS ⭐️

I often get nervous when I read a highly anticipated/hyped up story. Divine Rivals was, in part, so wonderful to me because I knew nothing about it going into my read. I fell in love with Iris and Kitt, and the unique storyline filled with magic, gods, war, letters, and a sweet love story. Ross left us on a hefty, jaw dropping cliffhanger, making it painful to wait for book 2. I was unable to read anything weeks leading up to its release.

Once again, Rebecca Ross writes so beautifully and intricately that i felt like I had escaped into the story myself. I would look up from the book and had to blink back to reality. Ross’s writing gives a perfect description of the world and happenings, without being too wordy or overstated. I was gripped from start to finish, and felt all of the emotions. My heart raced, I felt nervous, scared, sad, happy and giddy, devastated, and relieved. I adored this book beyond words, and will stay with me forever.

I think this book had a lot of pieces that were missing for me, compared to Divine Rivals. There were parts of it that moved me to tears, and as expected with this author, the world and relationship building within the book were very well done.

I think the fact that we were already clued in to what the war was about helped me enjoy this book a lot more, and I think it had more exciting moments throughout the story that kept the pace up. However, I still feel that the overall pace of the book felt a little too slow for my taste. I’m honestly not sure why these books continue to feel this way for me, because there were plenty of exciting elements, as I just mentioned.

A couple more specifics:

I was literally groaning internally every time Iris and Roman kept something on their person that they shouldn’t have. Like I get that you’re in love, and all of your correspondences and gifts/whatnot have sentimental value to them, but SURELY not enough to risk the fate of the entirety of your civilization. You are far too intelligent to be doing this, and especially SO frequently.

I did love all of the little pockets of the story that were astonishingly exciting. It did have a LOT of “keep you on the edge of your seat” moments; I won’t go into detail on all of them as to not spoil some of the craziest parts of the book!

The. Plot. Twists. I am always a SUCKER for a good plot twist, AND I consider myself hard to fool (usually/very frequently guessing plot twists really early into the story and failing to get surprised by them), but I was caught off-guard by pretty much every plot twist this story had to offer. I was pretty delighted by that, although I’d probably have preferred a little more “shock and awe” when each of them come to light. Similar to some of the moments in DR, I wished there had been more of a reaction/conversation about some of these bigger revelations.

Overall, I preferred this book to DR, and there were tons of moments to fall in love with.

Felt like I was actually there. Same for the first book. Love! Wished there was more to read of them!

Loved it

Schnell lieferung und gute buch

Amazing book, keeps you on the edge. Love the characters. If there was one book I wish I could read again for the first time is this one.

Love always finds a way back and this one proves it. Roman and Iris face everything and find their way back together, loved every second reading it.

Na minha opinião, a sequência cumpriu certinho o que tava prometendo.

Amei os personagens desde o primeiro momento do primeiro livro, e aqui não foi diferente.

Foi delicioso terminar essa duologia.

Único ponto negativo na minha opinião, foi a falta de mais desenvolvimento/presença de alguns personagens, mas de resto gostei bastante.