Matcha & Motifs Book Review: 5/5 

As the gods wake from their slumber angry and ready to wage war, all Iris Winnow wants to do is get the columnist position at the Oath Gazette. She’s struggling to make ends meet after her brother enlisted in the war and her mother fell into addiction. At a loss and need of comfort, she writes her brother letters that are magically transported with her wardrobe. Little does she know these letters are arriving on the bedroom floor of her annoyingly handsome rival at the Gazette, Roman Kitt. 

***CONTAINS SPOILERS*** 

Wow, can I just say wow. My heart is so full. This has got to to be the best rival to lovers trope I’ve read maybe ever? I’ve read with this trope and I am often kicking my feet, but dare I say, I was punting this time. Why is this such an underrated trope? It works super well for this story. This book feels so full and precious, so near and dear to my heart, I cannot recommend it enough. It’s sweet and deep, with a great plot and a glimpse of war and the displacement of it. The hardships and joys of life with lovable characters. This book felt like a breath of fresh air. 

Iris Winnow 

Iris might be the first female protagonist I haven’t felt the need to strangle in a while. Why is it such a common theme to make our female protagonists stupid? I hate that. However, I love Iris and her little quirks, like always feeling the need to crack her knuckles. She is sharp, righteous, and action-forward. She does what’s right despite the authorities and follows her heart and intuition. All of these characteristics make for a great writer, and that’s exactly what she is. She believes people need to know the truth and she delivers it.

There’s just enough sprinkle of selfishness and sensitivity in her character that makes her feel human and relatable. She has guilty thoughts and embarrassment and I enjoy that even with these characteristics, she makes brave decisions. 

I love that Iris is her own individual, despite this being a romance novel, she’s not waiting for anyone to rescue her. After her mom dies, there was nothing holding her back, and so, she decides to become a war correspondent in hopes to find her brother. She also does it to share the truth about the war. It feels true to her character and makes her very admirable. 

Plot 

The plot follows an iteration of the hero’s journey and I think that works wonderfully for it. It’s a beautiful mixture of things falling apart and our protagonist working to fix it. There’s a good blend of natural domino occurrence, plot urgency and space to relish. For example, when Kitt finally arrived at Marisol’s B & B, there was some development: Iris saving his ignorant butt in the wheat field, morning runs, and banter. Things escalated when they ventured to the front lines which solidified where the relationship was going. After the many hardships they encountered, there was some breathing space when they got married. A sacred silver of time where we relish that in that moment, things were okay. These components were fluid in transition and made for an entertaining story where I felt that we struggled, tried, and won. 

One key component that I loved oh so very much, was when we learned that after Iris applied to be a war correspondent, we got the line “two in one day?” It makes me think, “wow don’t tell Kitt already signed up before Iris,” but no, it was probably even better, a lovely companion. 

I love the development for female friendship and I am such a sucker for girlhood. This was a beautiful bond where Attie and Iris both had a reason for being there, and through working together and sharing a common goal, they’re friendship grew. I felt that Attie as a character had enough substance that we cared about her, but didn’t distract from the protagonist. I also enjoyed how Attie played a crucial part in escaping, and even taking the initiatives of going to the front lines first. 

In general, I enjoy the world building in this book. It’s a story of Gods, their myths, and magic uprooting our character’s lives. I would love to see more complexity in the next book, and I’m curious to see if the gods continue to be a figment of faith or a full-fledged character. 

Romance 

This had me kicking my feet and smiling from ear to ear. The romantic build-up in this book is amazing. It starts off slow with just enough dislike and plot rivalry that they are on each other’s radar. I love the way they mess with each other and that the rivalry feels real. We learned about Roman’s and Iris’s background and family life that shows why they’re fighting for the columnist position, which adds to the stakes of their relationship. And yet, when push comes to shove, they seem to care a little more about the other person’s well-being than the prize and this is a huge turning point. 

I think what makes this a great romance novel is that the romance is heavily intertwined in the plot. The whole premise is that Iris must get this columnist position for her to be able to support her mom and eventually find her brother. Her rival turned love interest makes Roman relevant the entire time. Their interactions move the plot forward, for example Roman insisting on joining Iris at the front lines and because he was there, he was able to protect her. Her lost locket was the key to freeing Forest from Dacre’s grasp. Their love is an integral part of the outcomes of the book. 

The dramatic irony of us knowing that they know so much about each other, but not knowing it’s each other is intense. Well, Roman knows it’s Iris, which I think heightens the stakes, because what is she going to do when she finds out? But also, it’s really sweet because I can see Roman slowly falling for Iris and it’s the cutest thing ever!

The emotional bonding and vulnerability through the exchanged letters feels so heart warming and I think it works really well for this couple because on the exterior they are fighting, but through the letters they are learning about each other’s secrets and true feelings, the things that are hard for them to say aloud. It’s a beautiful touch on their rivalry, and it builds contention as to why they would fall in love. 

I love how many moments led up to them being together. I love it when authors bless us with so many cute moments, and I eat it up even if there is still tension amongst them. Some might even say that makes it better.

This was a beautiful piece of work. Please read it if you like romance with a great plot. Read this if you’re a writer, and especially if your lover.