This has to be one of my favorite fantasy novels to date. This book is full of political intrigue, magic and dragons, a badass FMC (Malina) and a soft hearted Roman general (Julianus). The pull between Malina and Julianus was palpable from their first meeting when Malina is dancing with her sisters. Julianus is one of my favorite MMCs because he’s honestly so caring and doesn’t want to be tasked with the burden that has been thrust upon him as the Roman general. I’ve always been drawn to more fantasy/romantasy books that are heavy on the politics and this one certainly hit that plot point for me. This book is just all around fantastic and I loved it so much I read it in just 48 hours!

If this book doesn’t take off once it’s released, I’ll genuinely be surprised.

Thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for the eARC!!

I know 2 things:

1. This Romantasy is going to blow up when it comes out!
2. This one wasn’t for me!

This is a story about a witch blessed with emphatic magic to feel and control the emotions of others. She is captured by an infamous Roman general who is immediately captivated by her and makes her his body slave. In this world the Roman Empire is obviously corrupt and lots of people are actually dragons. The general (love interest) is keeping secrets and is probably not as evil as his reputation would have you believe.

I appreciated that the Malina wasn’t just a snarky stabby rinse and repeat FMC. She’s definitely snippy but I wouldn’t quite put her into the 100% insufferable category. Secondly I liked that the author picked Ancient Rome as her setting inspiration because finallyyyy the girlies get to have their romance empire moment. Nice!

Unfortunately at the end of the day I don’t think I was ever going to jive with a colonizer/slave master x slave romance. For this story to even remotely work it would have to be handled with such nuance. Firebird doesn’t have that. The power imbalance between them was so icky that I found myself closing my eyes in dread at scenes leading up to intimacy because I was like “no pleaseee don’t do anything until you both are actual equals.” That’s just not a pleasant way to experience romantic progression.

This issue was also exacerbated by the fact that the love interest Julianus is a dragon. The dragon within him often says things like “you are mine” “tell me you’re giving yourself to me” “my treasure” “say you are mine” etc. I understand these are romantasy cash lines but given the context, they were uncomfortable to read. I’ll also say that since this is a romance you know the love interest is going to be redeemed and has his reasons etc etc. but I just didn’t buy it. I don’t care why he conquered and murdered all her people, I care that he did it in the first place.

Let’s move on from the romance. Let’s talk about world building/ setting. This is a Romantasy pitched as From Blood & Ash meets House of the Dragon. Unfortunately the only similarity between Cross’s Roman inspired setting to George R.R. Martin’s Westeros (besides the existence of dragons) was gratuitous violence towards woman. I was hoping this story would have complex political maneuvering and characters with depth with that HOD comp.

I really wanted to love this one! Unfortunately not for me. Thank you bramble for the earc!

This is a fine book if you want a fast-paced book with minimal world building or backstory. However, if you are wanting a Roman-inspired fantasy that is complex with a deep backstory and complex magic system, this is not the book. For some reason, the Romans of certain blood lines and lineages are also dragons, none of this is really expanded upon and it feels very egg clumsy. There are too many subplots between the plotting to overthrow the emperor and the mysterious hordes of non-Roman dragons that decimated the MMC’s forces.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s such a fresh and fun take on fantasy, set against the backdrop of Roman times. In this world, half-skins (half dragon, half human) rule Rome, and one of them falls for his witch slave—talk about a captivating dynamic! Caesar and his generals are half-skins too, which adds a fascinating layer of power and intrigue to the story.

I’m always in the mood for a possessive MMC, and when dragons are involved? Say no more! This was such a refreshing fantasy—my personal favorite aspect was that there were no trials. (Ha!) If you’re looking for a unique fantasy with fiery romance and compelling world-building, this one’s a must-read.

3.5 ⭐️
2 🌶️

tropes
* dragon shifters
* witches and gods
* forced proximity
* fated mates
* touch her and die
* he falls first

Things you should know:
Fast paced, ends in a cliffy, and written in 3rd person.

Thank you to Tor for an arc of this book!

I loved the pacing and how addictive it was. I had a hard time putting it down. I didn’t super vibe with the writing style at times to be honest. I felt both connected and unconnected at the same time.

I thought about it more and the ending of the book was such a huge disappointment. The fmc Malina is a witch who has magic that lets her control emotions. When she’s in a tough spot at the end and she’s barely drugged, she called the mmc to help her and not so anything with her magic at all. You can’t convince me that she couldn’t have funneled fear into him all she had to do was latch on to him and pour into it.

One of the big plot points was julian wanting to kill his uncle and in the end, the throws it all away for malina. But it was done in a way that made julian seem like a simp in the worst way.

I am a long time Juliette Cross fan and have been anticipating this book for over a year. Firebird is so incredibly unique but also has all of the things we long for in a clutch to your chest and never let it go romantasy.

This is the story of a woman with some magic. She is captured as a slave in a Roman noble's home. And he's a dragon. Proximity, their past and a whole lot of coup like drama take the front of the stage while a STEAMY fated mate romance simmers. Cross weaves in stories and fables and heat in a way that reminds me of Scarlett St Clair. (and you know I very rarely compare to my friend SSC) It's addicting and the perfect read that I needed on a trip. I can't wait for book two. (Trajan?! Please?)

4.25⭐️

Firebird is a fast paced fantasy novel that will put the “roman” in romantic! It follows Malina, an empath, who is captured by the general of the Roman army, named Julian, after a battle. Malina is forced to be his “body slave”, but the only thing she is serving him is an attitude. This world has a complicated magic system that includes men who can turn into dragons, magic from Gods, and much more! As much as I loved the world building in this book I felt a little confused on how only some people had the dragon ability and some didn’t. This is the first book in a series so I am sure answers that I have will be shared in future books!

Don’t be fooled into thinking this book focuses only on romance...no no no. There is a lot of plot going on. You are dealing with Malina (our MFC) grieving over the deaths of her family members during war, a powerful Ceaser who is out of control, Julian (our MMC) trying to find help in rebelling against his evil uncle, a slave boy who was almost killed for just being part dragon, etc. There is some sexual content in this book which frankly I am not a fan of in books, but if it bothers you I would recommend just skipping those sections.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I was little underwhelmed with the big fight scene at the end. It felt like it was entirely too easy to end after spending so much time talking about this rivalry. I would have preferred that to be a little harder to end. It just felt too neat and tidy.

I am excited to continue the series and the future & thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader’s copy of this book!

Dragons, Magic, Spice (2 peppers), He falls first? Count me in.

From the first 20 pages of this book, I was hooked. If you're looking for a Romantasy with a "touch her and die" MMC this is for you. The world building was done well and not all crammed in the first couple of pages. The re-telling of Ancient Rome made it easy to imagine the clothing, the setting, and the landscape.

I can't wait to read the second book when it comes out.

This book falls under the tragic “Red Tower Syndrome” — the book’s sales rely primarily on the physical appearance of the book, not necessarily what’s on the inside. This was all around a very “meh” book. There were tropes that I felt were just there to tick off some boxes, the writing was not sensational, the romance was lackluster, the characters lacked personification, the world building is not really there, and there are haphazard explanations for what could easily be plot holes if poked too hard. The only good thing about this book was the idea of dragon-shifters — I really liked that. Thanks to NetGalley for ARC access.

I had high hopes for *Firebird* by Juliette Cross, especially with its intriguing premise as a blend of *House of the Dragon* and *From Blood and Ash*. However, the similarities to those stories feel superficial at best, with dragons and a bare hint of political intrigue serving only as the story's backdrop. Unfortunately, the execution left me struggling to connect with both the narrative and the characters, leading me to ultimately DNF the book about 10 chapters in.

The story centers around Malina, a dancer from a lineage of witches, and Julianus, a Roman general and dragon shifter. Their connection begins when Julianus sees Malina dance for the first time and feels an immediate, possessive pull, knowing his dragon has claimed her. To protect her, he resolves to stay away. However, a time skip abruptly moves the plot forward, reuniting them under far more troubling circumstances. After a battle, Julianus takes Malina captive, thrusting them into a forced-proximity master-slave dynamic that forms the foundation of their relationship.

The romance follows predictable tropes for this setup, but I struggled with the power imbalance and the discomfort of the dynamic. Julianus sees Malina as more than a trophy of war, but that nuance doesn’t feel meaningful enough to redeem the problematic elements of their connection. Additionally, an early scene involving graphic sexual violence felt gratuitous, overshadowing any potential chemistry and making it hard to return to the story.

The antagonist, Caesar, falls into the archetype of an evil, lecherous villain with little depth, which detracts from the larger political stakes. While the worldbuilding had potential—with dragons, witches, and Roman-inspired elements—it didn’t feel fully developed. The spice level in the romance is there, but the dynamic between Malina and Julianus left me too uncomfortable to appreciate it.

Juliette Cross is a talented writer, and the prose reflects her skill, but the plot choices and themes were not to my taste.

*Firebird* by Juliette Cross is a thrilling and steamy paranormal romance that blends fantasy, passion, and danger into an unforgettable adventure. The story follows the fierce and independent heroine, who is drawn into a world of supernatural intrigue and undeniable attraction. Cross’s world-building is rich and imaginative, creating a vibrant universe where magical creatures, powerful forces, and high stakes come together in a fast-paced narrative. The chemistry between the protagonist and her love interest is electric, filled with tension and desire, while the plot keeps readers on the edge of their seats with unexpected twists and heart-racing moments. *Firebird* is a captivating mix of romance, fantasy, and action, with strong, well-developed characters who face both personal and external challenges. Juliette Cross crafts a captivating, emotionally charged story that will leave readers eagerly turning pages. A must-read for fans of paranormal romance and fantasy!

This was such a fast paced romantasy that had me hooked from the start! I loved the witch + dragon elements! This fated mates, Roman Empire fantasy was just what I needed. If you loved house of dragons, you’ll love this book!

Thank you Net galley and Juliette Cross for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Fast plot with an interesting storyline. What else could one ask for??
However the storyline did not feel very well thought out- good concept but a mid execution. Also, the world building really didn't make that much sense.

DNF’d at 60 percent. Many elements are repetitive and I just couldn’t take too many more descriptions of it physiques and body parts.

*I did not leave a star rating on Goodreads

I had a great time with this! I've been on a bit of an ancient world kick - I just read An Ember in the Ashes - which was probably why all the themes of slavery didn't bother me as much as they could have. I read this in two days because I simply didn't want to put it down. Is it perfect? No, but I didnt care.

Malina was an interesting character, and her ability as an empath was woven into the story well. I loved the dragon shifting, and Julianus is such a simp for Malina that I was willing to overlook his questionable actions sometimes. The cliffhanger at the end! OMG, I was kind of expecting it, but it still hit with the very last line and I want to get my hands on book two.

This book is described as a House of the Dragon meets From Blood and Ash, but the only resemblance is in the dressings of the story: there are dragons and the barest of a political plot.
Malina is a dancer from a long line of witches. The first time Julianus, a Roman general and dragon shifter, sees Malina dance, he knows that she belongs to his dragon. To protect her, he resolves to stay far away.
There is a time skip after that first meeting, probably to effectuate the plot to bring the two back together. When Julianus takes Malina captive after a battle, she becomes more than just a trophy of war, and Julianus must protect her against all of his foes. Caesar, the antagonist, is a stereotypical evil sleaze who Julianus and a few others are trying to overthrow. The romance develops as a typical forced-proximity master-slave trope might, and the spice level is 2/5.
The book ended abruptly, and seemingly without the main objectives being achieved. The idea was an interesting one, but ultimately wasn’t successful in my view. 2 stars.

Oooh i enjoyed this one. I love plots that are based in the roman empire because it always makes for an interesting plot. The fmc is a witch who meets the mmc when she was dancing. She meets him again years later when he shifts to a dragon and saves her from his men assaulting her. She is maid his bedroom slave to tend his personal needs and keep her safe. As the book goes on there is lots of Roman political intrigue, class differences, dragon shifting and the mc’s spend more time together.

I wouldn’t really call this enemies to lovers, yes the fmc hated the mmc for a while but he has always been attracted and captivated by her. There is alot of tension/attraction between them especially after she becomes his personal ‘slave’(non sexual). The mmc is a dragon shifter as all roman leagues are and he is so protective of the fmc before she even knows that they are mates. The world building and lore was so intriguing to me, i wanted to know more about the mmc’s uncle who is Cesar the Emperor of Rome.

The romance was good and steamy and though there is tension after they get together is kinda more of a partnership. The ending wasn’t really a cliffhanger but i am interested in seeing how the next book goes. I thought the writing was also easy to read and get through. Overall a good Romantasy, thanks to Bramble for this arc for an honest review.

I was very excited about this one and I thought the setting and set-up of the story was great. Unfortunately I was pretty disappointed the more I read. I found the pacing very off, would've like a lot more tension throughout. The sex scenes were odd to me. The ending just sort of resolved itself. I was left wanting and will likely no be picking up the future books.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I was sucked in immediately and could not stop until the book was over. The plot was interesting and kept a good pace which is something I really look for in a book. Also the characters were unique and there journey kept me enticed the entire time. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

I really like Juliette Cross’s writing and I was hooked immediately, I love the prophecy and that there is witches and dragons in the book but I didn’t like that FMC is a slave.