Ruthless Vows

Letters of Enchantment is a high-fantasy duology by Rebecca Ross consisting of Divine Rivals (2023) and Ruthless Vows. The series is set in a fantasy world called Cambria in which two gods, Enva and Dacre, are warring. They come from two branches of a family—Skyward and Underling, respectively—of which only three other members survive. Humans were purportedly able to place these five gods (Enva and Dacre included) into an enchanted sleep long before Divine Rivals begins. However, Divine Rivals suggests that it was actually Enva who lulled her fellow gods to sleep. Most notably, she used her musical abilities to enchant Dacre, who wanted to possess her for his own and who coerced her into joining him in his under realm by withholding his healing magic from humanity. It is Dacre’s ensuing grudge against Enva that leads to their current state of war.

Divine Rivals also introduces Iris Winnow and Roman Kitt, rival journalists and mystery pen pals who communicate via their rare, enchanted typewriters in their home city of Oath. While Iris is unaware of who her pen pal is at first, Roman knows from the beginning that it is his infuriating and competitive coworker, Iris. When Iris’s brother, Forest, is declared missing in action from the warfront, she becomes a war correspondent in West Cambria. Though her departure leaves the journal’s highly sought-after promotion open for Roman to seize, he follows Iris to West Cambria as a war correspondent because he’s fallen in love with her. While both are stationed in a town called Avalon Bluff, Iris reciprocates Roman’s feelings, and they get married. Dacre’s forces then attack Avalon Bluff. Forest resurfaces and rescues Iris but simultaneously forces her to leave an injured Roman behind. Roman is found on the brink of death and healed by Dacre.

Ruthless Vows continues where the first installment ended. Two weeks after returning to Oath with Forest, the heartbroken Iris begins efforts to contact Roman, who has started writing war propaganda on Dacre’s behalf after entering a magical contract with him in exchange for his life. The duology’s conclusion continues developing Iris and Roman’s relationship, ties up the loose plot threads and cliffhangers from the first installment, and further delves into the fantastical aspects of the world building, including the lore of the gods.