Just phenomenal! Everything about this book was everything I hoped for and more. I loved the characters, the development, the story,t he plot, the narration. JUST EVERYTHING! all the stars and more!

This book made my list of most anticipated romantasy books of 2025 because I loved the storyline but also because of the DRAGONS. I think that reason alone will have people picking up this book (as well as the cover which is STUNNING!).

I have only ever read one paranormal romance from Juliette Cross so I was eager to dive into this one and see what she had up her sleeve when it came to fantasy with shapeshifters.

Ancient Rome is not a time period I’ve ever seen in a romance and I thought that was a really unique setting for this story. The prologue about the myth of Medusa hooked me right in as I wondered how it would play out with Malina and her sisters (more to come on this I guess).
Malina’s “witchy powers” were another interesting hook but I wish we got to see her use them more.

Julian was a great hero to love. Someone who had to put on a public face while plotting in the background to overthrow his uncle. To show how his uncle and his cronies were such decrepit people, there were some scenes that were a bit hard to swallow so readers should take note of the trigger warnings. I would have loved more of the political intrigue and manuveuring instead of just the one or two clandestine meetings regarding their secret plot.

The dragon shapeshifting abilities were definitely awesome – especially when they came out to save her. But I also loved Julian’s fierce protectiveness to the ones he saved and now have working at his home.

The “meet cute” between Julian and Malina was great. I could envision this man with a dragon inside him bewitched by the young maiden dancing in front of him. But while I loved that initial meeting, the romance between Malina and Julian was a bit hard to believe when they reconnected. I would have liked more build up between them instead of the instalust that transpired. It was a lot of telling versus showing.

I think the series has potential as the overarching conflict and the tidbit you learn about at the end is intriguing but the conflict for this first book was a bit predictable so I wasn’t quite swept away with this one as I had hoped.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book! It is a dark romantasy but it is NOT a “master/slave” romance. That is the byproduct of the world they inhabit not their true relationship.
The story was intriguing and kept me interested the entire time. I liked the Ancient Rome setting and dragons are always a plus. It is a dark world with the Romans being the elite and enslaving anyone they conquer (and don’t kill) on the battlefield. The MMC is one of the hated Romans and the FMC is the “witch” that was captured during a battle. But everything is not as it seems, Malina realizes Julian isn’t the conqueror she assumed and their first chance meeting stuck with both of them. I liked the world building and the Gods and different cultures portrayed. The author did really well with the storylines and making it realistic. The love build up between the two was enjoyable and there’s some good spicy scenes. I’m really looking forward to the rest of this series!

This was incorrectly marketed as a fantasy and should be noted that the subject matter is dark. The dynamic between the hero and heroine is problematic.

Dragon shifters, magic, Roman mythology, and characters who make terrible decisions in the name of love. Firebird by Juliette Cross delivers all of that and more.

Read if you enjoy:
✨ Roman mythology
✨ Dragon shifters
✨ Forbidden Romance
✨ Enemies to Lovers
✨ Political conflict
✨ Captor / captive

The Roman mythology and dragon lore hooked me instantly. I loved how Cross reimagined history through a romantasy lens. It felt unique and made for a more interesting story.

That said, the romance moved a little fast and out of nowhere. It was a little too insta love for me. I love a good fated mates moment, but I craved a little more build up to fully buy into their connection. Give me some longing. Some tension. A little more “will they or won’t they” before the magical soul binding kiss of destiny.

Thank you so much Bramble for the ebook!

The book has a really interesting concept for a romantic see. It set in an alternate Roman empire type of situation with dragons. There is content warnings for how the relationship empire power dynamic is actually in the beginning between the MMC and the FMC. The world building is interesting And the story as for well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bramble and Ms. Cross for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

This book had me at its (gorgeous) cover, but then I was sold when I read Ancient Rome but with dragon shifters. Gah. I did note the TWs at the bottom of the blurb but I read very widely, including very dark romance, and I am familiar with the history of Ancient Rome (along with many other ancient civilizations, including Greeks, Egyptians, Ethiopians, Sumerians, Celts, etc). The dynamic many readers find problematic (understandably, in modern times) was unfortunately a very commonplace one in ancient times. Malina is a fascinating character, although I would have liked little more backstory or time with her family. Fast-forwarding her story to her reunion with Julian just sort of made her entire story about their relationship. Small quibble though, as it's definitely a dynamic relationship, and Julian is a great character. I LOVED all the different dragon types and the hierarchy.

I would agree that there's a distinct House of Dragons vibe crossed with Rome (the old TV show) mixed with a little Gladiator, all of which I'm a fan of, so this worked for me. YMMV of course. Be aware that it definitely IS on the dark side and the elements mentioned in the TWs are definitely part of the story and cannot be avoided. Personally I liked the story a lot and will keep my eye out for a sequel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really enjoyed this read. I was sucked into the story right from the start, and I really enjoyed the way this book was a lot grittier than I was expecting. While the romance was a little bit insta-lovey for me, I still did really enjoy it--it wasn't too bad. I honestly thought that the tropes were well done and I enjoyed watching the love interests interact. I really enjoyed the world and plot, and the set up in this story lends itself really well to the next book so I'm very intrigued in more in this world and more from this author!

I always find Juliette's books so hooky right from the get-go. She has a way of getting me sucked in quickly and getting me to feel connected to her characters right away that makes for such a fun and immersibe reading experience.

This dark fantasy romance hit on all the things I like about this sub genre. A unique take on Roman history that is indeed just as brutal as you think it will be, an interesting take on dragons and dragon shifters, and a heroine with what appears to be immense power but she hasn't fully realized it yet.

And of course, the one thing that always keeps me coming back to Juliette's books is how deeply and madly the hero falls for the heroine. This man is the definition of touch her and die and only soft for her, and I truly never get tired of that!

The romance between Julianus and Malina did have fated mates vibes to it, which lends it an insta love feel, but I didn't mind that one bit.

I enjoyed the setup for this book and world and can't wait to see our story really take off in book two!

CW: master/slave dynamic in the romance, attempted sexual assault (not between the mc's), dubious consent

I received an ARC for review

The Deluxe Edition of Firebird has beautiful stenciled edges and I LOVE the cover as well. I started reading this knowing that I’d probably buy it, regardless of whether I liked it or not. I hate to judge a book by its cover, but it’s that pretty.

Readers should pay attention to the summary and triggers on this romantasy, it was darker than I was expecting. It’s a dual first-person POV set in an alternate Ancient Rome during the height of its power, but the rulers and gods are all dragon shape-shifters. Julian is a powerful dragon shape-shifter in the Roman army; Malina is a “witch” with an Empath gift and a member of one of the many clans the Romans rule over with an iron fist. The first time they meet briefly, despite being enemies, there‘s an instant connection between them. It isn’t until years later when they meet again as the victorious conquerer and the conquered, that we find out how deep their fated connection runs. Julian shifts into his dragon form and claims Malina for himself, making her his body slave. At first, Malina hates her new Master, but there’s much more to Julian under that cold mask of the brutal Roman conquerer.

Obviously the Master/Slave relationship isn’t for everyone. Julian sees her as his “Treasure” and he’s all about the Touch-her-and-die, but he’s respectful enough to keep his hands off of her. She makes the first move and it’s a slow-ish burn. The current Caesar (Julian’s despicable uncle) is cruel and revolting; there are orgies, violent beheadings and he uses public SA as a form of punishment. I felt like the SA scene was explicit in a way that was unnecessary.

The pacing and the writing weren’t perfect, but I enjoyed it. Overall I liked the unique setting of this book and the idea of the dragon shape-shifters. Also the Art team deserves an award for making this edition so pretty! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Dark fantasy romance
Dragon shifters
Master/slave
Enemies to lovers
Corrupt kingdom
Fated mates
Forbidden love
Possessive MMC
Powerful FMC

Loved this book! I felt as if I was in Ancient Rome! Cross did a phenomenal job on the world building! Swoony romance and great side characters! I am so excited for the next book!

This book is definitely a dark fantasy romance, with very heavy topics and rough situations. It did not shy away from the darkness and grittiness of this ancient Roman world.

It DOES have:
- dragons
- master/slave dynamic (but he does not force her into anything sexual using this dynamic at all)
- spice
- fated mates

There is some dubious consent (not between the main characters) and mentions of SA.

I really liked the plot and the story and their relationship. The dragons and the ancient Roman world

But please be know this IS dark fantasy. It’s uncomfortable at times with the themes so if you don’t want to read that then this isn’t the book for you.

I really liked the goddess involvement and it left me
Wanting the next book which I can’t say because it would spoil it!

Firebird is a dark romance/dark romantasy featuring a master/slave dynamic between the main characters, who are already in a relationship when the story begins. I found the story really interesting, and I’ll probably pick up the next book because I’m curious to see how the series develops.

While I enjoyed it, I do think the plot could have been a little more focused instead of leaning so heavily into the smut. That said, it’s still a solid story overall. I think the author did a good job balancing the master/slave relationship without making it feel exploitative. Malina, the female main character, came across as a strong woman, and I never felt like she was being taken advantage of, which is really important in a dynamic like this.

One thing I loved is that the main character is a dragon shifter and Malina is a witch — it added a really fun fantasy element to the romance.

I was lucky enough to receive both an eARC and an ALC (audiobook) so I could read along while listening. I absolutely loved the dual narration! Blair Dade and Kale Williams did a fantastic job bringing the characters' voices and emotions to life. I definitely recommend picking up the audiobook if you can!

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Bramble for the eARC and ALC.

I did not finish this book. Between the master/slave relationship (mentioned in content warnings) and the FMC being 17 at the start of the book, it was hitting too many of my ick so me to even get through the first chapter.

DNF at 90% I tried to push through but just can’t anymore.

I honestly do not recommend this book unless you like Dark Romance/Dark Romantasy. Also, if you’re okay with a slave/master dynamic.

Dragons in Rome seemed like a great book, but unfortunately this book isn’t for me.

I didn’t like all of the violence (including sexual violence). Please look up trigger warnings before reading.

Firebird by Juliette Cross is excellently narrated by Blair Dade and Kale Williams. I had both the e-arc and ALC for Firebird. I loved the dual narration and that is the only good thing I can identify about this book. The content warning are completely false. A slave cannot give consent that is inherent in the nature of a master/slave relationship. The SA by Cesear in a room full of people despite her 'wanting it' is still a SA. Again, the power disparity is what makes all of this wrong. This book is marketed incorrectly as well. The smut is cringeworthy. If I could give this 1/2 a star I would. I finished it so I could tell you the consent is not given in this book because it cannot be given. Thank you to Net Galley, MacMillan Audio and TOR Publishing for my advance copy.

A different take on the romantasy genre that is all the rage. Malina and Julian meet for the first time when things are relatively mellow in the Roman Empire and their connection is instant. When they find one another again, it is on a battlefield and Julian must save Malina from the warriors under his command. The thing about these warriors of Rome though, is they are dragons - Julian included. In the years since they have seen one another, Julian’s uncle, Igniculus, has turned the Roman Empire into something ugly and insidious.

Malina and Julian have a clear chemistry and the spicy scenes in the book are great. It took a bit to get into the story, but once I did I was hooked. Looking forward to this series continuing.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title!

This book has a lot of popular tropes and I think fans of dark romantasy are going to have a blast. Be forewarned, this is a romance between a master and a slave so there's definitely some power dynamics at play here. It's also a very gritty Game of Thrones-esque world so checking trigger warnings would be a good idea before diving in. I personally felt like the author did a great job of balancing the power dynamic so that I didn't feel like Malina was being taken advantage of. I enjoyed the politics and the dragon shifter lore. I did want more emotional development though. The instalove is strong in this book and part of that is because our MMC is a dragon shifter but even so I needed more to fully believe in the romance. Lovers of alpha heroes and fated mates will eat this book up. I'm finding that fated mates only works for me if we get to see them develop a relationship as well. A mystical bond isn't enough for me to root for a relationship. I know there is a whole camp of people who go feral for this type of story though so I'm very happy this exists for them.

Cool concept, questionable execution. There were elements that I really, really loved--the overall premise, for example--that fell abysmally flat especially in the romance department. On the positive side, I did did find that the prose was good and easy to read and quite accessible. While the master-slave romance is something that will definitely ruffle feathers, I didn't so much as mind this as the lack of characterization and build-up that would've led for an interesting romance. It felt a lot like insta-love at times, which I'm not fond of. Additionally, the sex scenes were very poorly written.

Thank you for the ARC!

2025 is the year for Roman romance, apparently! This one is a darker romantasy where Roman patricians are dragon shifters who use their fearsome fighting powers and fire-breathing abilities to expand their empire.

Set closer to the fall of the Empire, Caesar oversees strict laws prohibiting miscegenation and encourages violence, rapine, and slavery (even more so than his predecessors). Julian is a Roman legatus and Caesar's nephew who is working from within to end the regime. Malina is a Dacian "witch" who his dragon recognizes as their fated mate. When she's taken prisoner and enslaved as spoils of war, Julian saves her from the slave market but puts her to work in his household.

Cross walks a fine line with her world building, making Julian a "good" Roman revolutionary. He still owns slaves and outwardly supports his uncle's regime, including attending orgies at Caesar's palace and serving as general in the Roman army, conquering "barbarian tribes." Malina is appropriately wary of her new "owner," but since she's an empath and can sense his true feelings AND they're fated mates, it's understandable to see why she falls for him.

I quite liked this book, with its fast-paced revolutionary plot marrying well with the enemies to lovers/fated mates romance. Do note the darker themes of this one, including threatened sexual assault (not between leads), plenty of bloody violence, and references to incest, slavery, and more. I'm usually pretty sensitive to these themes, and while this definitely walked up to the edge for me, I ended up devouring the book.

I'm looking forward to the next entries in the series! This one has a HEA for the main couple and good resolution with one of the main antagonists, but the revolution will continue for the full series, so don't expect a conclusion to every plot point.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.