The Divine Between #1

Between Wrath & Mercy

Specs:

What The Vibes Are

What It’s About

A mother will do anything to save her child, no matter the cost.

After her daughter is kidnapped, Emmeline Highclere—a thirty-four-year-old mother living in isolation with memories and grief her only companion—must do everything in her limited power and divine abilities to get the girl back.

Emmeline believes that her daughter, Elora, is the Beloved—the conduit with goddess-granted divine abilities prophesied to bring peace to the Three Kingdoms. Because the last person thought to be the Beloved was brutally murdered by the enemy kingdom of Folterra, Emmeline has dedicated the last sixteen years to hiding her daughter and keeping her safe. When Elora is kidnapped by a Folterran prince, Emmeline must leave her place of hiding, resolving to do anything to rescue her daughter. But to have any chance against those who took the girl, Emmeline must call upon one of the most powerful conduits in the Three Kingdoms, the Crown Prince of Vesta—the man who broke her heart—and hope he helps her despite their estrangement.

With the weight of his father’s impending death hanging over his head, Crown Prince Rainier has begun to make moves to prove his dedication to assume the role of king. When he is visiting the estate that was once a second home to him, the woman who has long haunted his dreams and consumed his thoughts appears before him, asking for his help to find the child she had with another man. Now, he must decide: does he drop what he is doing to help Emmeline, or does he maintain his unwavering duty to the Crown?

Now, Emmeline and Rainier must work together to find the Beloved—to save the girl from the Folterrans and fulfill the prophecy of peace—while they both battle feelings of remorse and heartbreak, trying to ignore the heated desire and simmering attraction between them that never left.

From relative isolation to the capital city of Vesta and onwards to Folterra, Emmeline must find out exactly where her daughter has been taken—seeking out help along the way—and bring her home before it is too late.

Progress Thoughts & Rants

I received Between Wrath & Mercy by Jess Wisecup in my The Bookish Box’s December box. Here are a few photos (not mine) of this beautiful edition! I’d take a picture of mine, but the foil rubbed off on the cover in some areas as I was reading. Massive bummer.

Favorite Quotes

“You got harder, and I got softer.“I gave a nervous laugh as I deflected, squeezing his biceps to illustrate my point. He studied me for a moment before he started kissing my stomach, dragging his tongue over me between kisses.”I love your soft.” Another kiss. “You don’t have any idea how much I fucking needed your soft.“

– Rainier & Emmie, Chapter 29

“I love you, Emmeline. I have loved you from the start, and I will love you until we are both just a whisper in the wind. It’s your eyes I see when I close mine, your heart I want to hold, and I’d set this whole damn world on fire if you wanted to watch it burn.”

– Rainier, Chapter 33

“Your stretch marks are scars, proof you grew life and nourished it. I wish I was there to see it. To see you swell with a baby and coo over an infant.”… “Preferably my babe, not Faxon’s. But it would have been beautiful to see, all the same.”

– Rainier, Chapter 38

“The sun itself could not shine as brightly as you.”

– Rainier, Chapter 42

“You have held my heart in your hands since the moment I met you, Emmeline. Every beat and every skip you have possessed. Every thought and every dream, every secret, and every fear has belonged to you. You ignited a flame in me which has burned and sputtered and raged. Ours is a fire that will never go out. Ours is a fire that will swallow us whole, and I’d rather burn with you than live in the dark.”

– Rainier, Chapter 43

Thoughts & Conclusion

***Possible Spoilers below

Between Wrath and Mercy takes place in a fictitious realm where the setting is the kingdom of Vesta. Vesta is accompanied by two other kingdoms – Folterra and Nythyr – one is neutral, while the other is vicious. In this realm (or world?), there are Mortals and Conduits. Conduits are mortals gifted and blessed with a varying range of powers from the Gods. Among the Conduits, there is the prophesied Chosen One known as the Beloved. The Beloved is fated to be the strongest Conduit, as well as being blessed by four Gods. They are prophesied to bring peace amongst the three kingdoms, but of course, there’s one kingdom that doesn’t want peace. *cough cough* Folterra *cough cough*

This is probably one of my favorite Romantasy novels as an adult. While it is a long read, I was captivated by the plot and the world-building. Jess Wisecup keeps you engaged by not revealing the character’s past all at once; you get snippets of it throughout the story. Now, if you’re wondering about Emma’s husband, based on this trope was are 3 possibilities… He’s dead, He’s part of it, or He fled when he lost Elora. Guess you’ll have to read to find out.

♡ G&P