Kissed by the Gods

Chele

She’s not finished. Move this to the TOP of your TBR!!

"I cannot believe this is a debut — Caty Rogan just REWIRED my brain. Ya know those books that you have to collect? This book gripped me to the point where I just bought a hardcover for my shelf and will be collecting every book she writes like a trophy!! HOW?? How is this a debut novel?! Kissed by the Gods feels like the kind of sweeping, emotional, absolutely feral romantasy that seasoned authors spend YEARS perfecting. Caty Rogan came out of nowhere and delivered a world so rich, a heroine so fierce, and a romance so swoon-worthy that I am genuinely stunned. What blows my mind is how composed and well-written this is. The characters, the pacing, the dialogue, the depth of the world, the secrets, the magic — it’s all so polished, yet raw in a way that feels real. Caty Rogan writes like someone who’s been doing this forever and I already trust her with my whole soul. There’s war, sacrifice, trauma, found family, ancient magic, betrayal, morally corrupt monarchy, and stakes that just keep rising. And Caty’s not finished. Leina is EVERYTHING!! Such a baddie!! She immediately captures your attention. She’s magnetic and a complete force of nature! She radiates strength, resilience, and intensity. Her growth throughout the story is one of this novel’s greatest strengths. She is forced to serve as a serf and then forced into a war—never having a choice with anything in her life. Watching her evolve from someone caught between the gods’ and kings’ whims into a power of her own is nothing short of inspiring. She takes destiny into her own hands and uses her gods-given “blessing” to change the tides of everything. Leina: “If you think I’ll play obedient soldier while Selencia is forgotten again, you’re wrong. Whatever the gods wanted from me will rot with me before I stand by and let this be the end of it.” AAGHH!! I love her so much!!!! Leina has my heart. And Ryot’s. He falls hard and fast. I am a sucker for a grumpy sunshine. Their chemistry is intense and addictive, but it’s not just about the romance in this book. I am all for romance but I hate it when the FMC becomes hyper-focused on the guy instead of handling their sh*t like the badass they are (👀looking at you, Violet). It’s a slow burn and the way they both challenge each other’s understanding of the world is perfection. Their relationship grows as they each grow and I am here for it! Ryot supports our girl from the get-go, even while he kidnaps her. We see a few chapters from his POV and we see his layers peel back in the most satisfying way. He calls Leina “Rebel Girl” all while having his own deep loyalty—not to the Altors, or the kings, or the gods, but to his own set of values..which could be seen and punished as blasphemy in their world. Leina is the embodiment of everything he believes in and we see him WORSHIP her for it. He has me swooning!! I need a Ryot in real life. And the war horses?! Holy moly!! How has no one mentioned Vaeloria in these reviews yet?! She’s perfect!! Can I have a faravar please?? Also, I went full feral, obsessive fangirl and found a prequel novella available on Caty’s website!! While not required to be read before Kissed by the Gods, I HIGHLY recommend it!! It gives even more world building—if that’s possible given how thorough Caty is— and it gives us a bit more in-depth peek at the lore and magic system in play. It has a *delicious* amount of spice to it also, which is wild because it’s barely over 100 pages. I may need to write a completely separate review on Unwritten by the Gods because HOW do you create that much emotion, and story, and depth in ONLY 100 pages? If anything is a testament to Caty’s talent as an author and architect of magical stories, characters, and (unnecessary😭😭) emotional wreckage, it’s how she does so much with so little in Unwritten by the Gods. This is going to be THE next big romantasy obsession. If this book doesn’t begin trending, I will revolt. Call me “rebel girl,” I guess. Kissed by the Gods is an absolute masterpiece and with 5 more books planned in this series, we have only just scratched the surface of what Caty has in store for us. ["

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October 1, 2025 Verified Purchase

Amazon Customer

Not Perfect but I Recommend?!

"Follow me here. I loved this book and it pulled me outta a slump. I thought the prose was beautiful and painted the scenes and filled me with emotion. I devoured this book in two days in all the spare time I had. The editing seemed really good, I only noticed like one typo! However. Problem. Because I read it so fast I couldn’t help but noticed that an entire character, Kiernan, completely disappears after the beginning of chapter 52. There at the start of the scene, gone before the scene ended, no explanation. So… either the editor did really well with everything except this one super obvious thing or… I mean I guess there is magic in the book… plot twist? I don’t know! Point is, I totally recommend the book if you’re craving a violent FMC, lots of pining, and a fantasy enemies to lovers. ["

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January 23, 2026 Verified Purchase

Caroline

One Of The Best Romantasies... Ever

"To say that I am UNWELL after finishing this book is a massive understatement. This, truly, is a six-star read for me. I am enamored of the world, the characters, the lore, the storytelling... and I can't believe I have to wait for more, because it truly feels like I've been living and breathing this book while reading it. Leina has spent her entire life hiding herself; to survive the oppressive rule of the neighboring kingdom, to force away thoughts of the sacrifices her friends and family have been forced to make, and to suppress the incredible and impossible strength she felt when at her breaking point. And six years later, she has to hide for a much more damning reason: she has to run from her own actions, leaving cruel messengers of the kingdom dead in her wake. She is quickly found by an Altor, a lethal divine warrior tasked with her death for her actions, but he instead takes her to the other Altors, where she learns the truth. Leina is the first female Altor in history, and the first from her homeland of Silencia. The men surrounding her do not trust her or believe her capable. Even the King does not have the power to control the Altor. And Leina herself is at the mercy of the gods she refused to believe in, who she now finds she cannot trust, as their blessing is truly more of a curse. I am violently in love with this story (and my new book husband Ryot). I don't really know what to do with myself now. The characters are so well fleshed out, they feel like real people who have suffered, whose family and capability to love is ritualistically pushed to the edges of their minds, forced to fight and die in battle against a cruel, merciless enemy in the name of perhaps even crueler gods. The relationships between characters are nuanced and beautiful. The mythology breathes life into the worldbuilding, allowing the reader to learn with Leina the intricacies of the world and the history she wasn't allowed to know as a serf. The faravars (divine winged war horses) are the perfectly moody and majestic creatures I want them to be, full of personality and deathly precision in battle. It is a world I want to steep myself in, luxuriating in the frenetic urgency of the Eternal Wars and in the gorgeous descriptions of the land and its inhabitants. Leina herself is a badass (I mean, she's essentially goddess-certified and everything), both in her own divine power and in her remarkable strength and vulnerability. The female rage is palpable, reasonable, and invigorating to behold. Her determination to save her people, even if it costs her everything she left behind, is admirable and as painful to read about as it clearly is for her to experience. And her relationship with Ryot is... sublime. I don't know how else to describe it. It's clear there is so much more to explore there, as there is with all of her relationships with her newfound family, and I loved getting swept up in the romance of it all, even with the looming threat of chaotic suffering riding in on the backs of dragonlike creatures. I need to devour the prequel novella now to stave off the emptiness I now feel in the wake of finishing the book. It's a brutal cliffhanger, and I need answers desperately, but I am so glad for having this masterpiece Caty Rogan has created in my life. I feel like we've barely scratched the surface of this epic of divine proportions, and I can't wait to get lost in its shadows. Thank you to The Nerd Fam for the gifted eARC. All opinions stated are my own. 🌶️🌶️ ["

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September 24, 2025 Verified Purchase

Hayley

Beautiful story

"I fell in love with the plot, character development, characters, and suspense this book has to offer. I really love Lenia, she reminds me so much of those strong female main characters I have come to love. Her determination is really amazing and is her love she has for her family. She really loves her brothers and I love her for it. Ryot is the male main character who is a bit grumpy but is a total sweetheart when it comes to Lenia. He’s super protective, compassionate and gentle with her and he is the perfect book boyfriend. If you love curses, gods, trails, and flying horses, this book is for you. ["

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April 23, 2026 Verified Purchase