About the Book
Ruthless Vows is the second and final book in Rebecca Ross's Letters of Enchantment duology, following Divine Rivals. Set in a world where gods wage war on the mortal plane, the story picks up two weeks after the first book ends. Iris Winnow is back home in Oath, shaken from her time at the front, and Roman is missing, held in the realm of the god Dacre, stripped of his memories and writing war propaganda without knowing his past or the people he left behind.
The dual narrative continues here as it did in the first book: Iris and her fellow journalist Attie head west again to cover the advancing war, while Roman navigates his situation under Dacre's influence, slowly piecing together fragments of who he was. The central tension is both external, a city unprepared for invasion, a government unwilling to acknowledge the threat, and internal, centered on identity, loyalty, and what remains of a person when memory is taken from them.
Readers who haven't read Divine Rivals should start there. Ruthless Vows is not a standalone entry, character relationships, the magical correspondence mechanic introduced in book one, and the war's backstory are all necessary context. The duology as a whole sits at the intersection of romantasy and historical fantasy, with a 1920s-inspired aesthetic and epistolary elements woven throughout.
Narration & Audio Performance
Alex Wingfield narrates both books in the duology, which gives the audiobook a consistent voice across the full story, an advantage when picking up a sequel in audio format. Wingfield's pacing is measured and deliberate, which suits the book's tone. This is a story with emotional weight and slower dramatic beats between action sequences, and the narration reflects that without rushing through quieter passages.
Character differentiation is serviceable. Wingfield handles Iris and Roman's contrasting voices with enough distinction to follow the dual POV structure clearly. The emotional register rises appropriately during high-stakes moments without tipping into melodrama. That said, some listeners may find the delivery slightly flat during the romantic scenes, the narration holds a consistent middle tone that doesn't always match the intensity the writing is reaching for.
Production quality is clean. There are no notable issues with audio clarity or pacing artifacts. If you finished Divine Rivals in audio, continuing with Wingfield here is the natural and sensible choice. If you're coming to the duology fresh, listening to the sample is recommended to gauge whether the narration style fits how you process romantic fantasy.
The Audible Verdict
Ruthless Vows is a solid conclusion to the duology, and the audio version is a reasonable way to experience it, particularly if you already listened to Divine Rivals with Wingfield narrating. The narration is competent and consistent, though it doesn't elevate the material in any notable way. It's a good candidate for a free trial credit or a monthly Audible credit if you're working through romantasy releases, but the narration alone isn't a reason to prioritize it over print.
Listen on AudibleIs This Book a Good Fit for Audio?
The Letters of Enchantment duology has structural elements that translate reasonably well to audio. The narrative is linear, the dual POV chapters are clearly delineated, and the pacing, while slower in stretches, doesn't rely on visual formatting or diagrams. Listeners who enjoy romantic fantasy in audio as a genre will find this fits that mode comfortably.
The one format consideration worth noting is the epistolary element. Letters and written correspondence appear throughout both books as plot-driving devices. In print, there's often a typographic distinction that signals a shift into letter format. In audio, this distinction depends entirely on narration cues and tone shifts. Wingfield handles these transitions clearly enough, but listeners who engage strongly with the visual presentation of letters on the page may find something is lost in the audio translation.
Overall, this is a better-than-average audio fit for the genre. It works best for listeners who are already audiobook-comfortable with romantasy pacing, meaning you're fine with chapters that prioritize emotional interiority over plot momentum.
Popular Listener Questions
Do I need to read Divine Rivals first?
Yes. Ruthless Vows picks up directly after the events of the first book and assumes full familiarity with the characters, the magical letter mechanic, and the war's setup. Starting here would be confusing.
Is this the same narrator as Divine Rivals?
Yes, Alex Wingfield narrates both books in the duology, so the voice and style are consistent across the full story.
Is this a good audiobook for fans of romantasy?
It's a reasonable fit for the genre. The pacing leans slower and more emotionally focused than action-heavy romantasy, so listeners who prefer that mode will likely enjoy it more than those who want a faster plot.
Is this book appropriate for younger teens?
It's published as Young Adult fiction. The content includes war, loss, and romance, but falls within standard YA parameters, appropriate for most teen readers and adult YA fans alike.
Similar Audiobooks
Essential prerequisite. Same author, same narrator, same world, start here if you haven't already.
Shares the romantasy blend of war, gods, and central romance. Popular with the same readership.
Dark academic fantasy with a strong romantic undercurrent, appealing to readers who like mythology-adjacent worldbuilding.
Romantic fantasy with a war backdrop and slow-burn central relationship, similar emotional pacing to the Letters of Enchantment duology.
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue
Memory loss as a central plot device and a romance tested by extraordinary circumstances, structural parallels to Roman's arc in Ruthless Vows.
Audiobook Details
| Title | Ruthless Vows |
|---|---|
| Author | Rebecca Ross |
| Narrator | Alex Wingfield |
| Genre | Young Adult Romantasy |
| Year | 2023 |
| Publisher | Wednesday Books |
| Abridged | Unabridged |
| Cast | Single narrator |
| Author-narrated | No |
Ready to listen?
Ruthless Vows is available on Audible, if you're finishing the duology, a free trial credit is a practical way to close it out in audio.
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