Loved it!!! This is a DARK romantasy set in the Roman Empire with Dragons, I was hooked!!! BUT I've seen a lot of negative reviews about the slave/master dynamics at play in the romance so I think the marketing needs to switch up a bit to reflect that cause I can totally understand being upset or triggered by that if you don't know to expect it. If that's not a romance you wanna see, I respect that but this is not the book for you! We have Malina, a witch that can read and manipulate emotions, who is captured by Roman Commander AND dragon shifter, Julian, OH and they had met by chance years ago! I am a slut for dragon shifters, ever since I read Heart of the Dragon by Gena Showalter, so this just worked for me. Julian and his dragon are possessive and obsessed and though he's Roman, he's working to undue their awful society! I'm so HYPED for book 2!

I honestly didn't know what to expect from this book. I absolutely love the cover design and that's what drew me in... and dragons. To say I actually really enjoyed the audio is an understatement. I was really intrigued the entire time. I really enjoyed the Roman atmosphere. I'm excited to see how the next one goes!

Due to the backlash of this book, I am not doing an official review on my pages. I did enjoy the audiobook and am excited for the rest of the story if we are moving forward with it. I don’t agree with the narrative people are spreading about the book.

Some will either love or not like this book. I went in blind and will say I preferred the audiobook more than reading the book alone.

I was really excited about this book since Juliette Cross writes one of my favorite paranormal romance series. However, I've tried to read one of her fantasies before, and it just wasn't for me. This book ultimately turned out to be the same. It was difficult to follow along, especially on audio, and I struggled to get into it. I still love this author, I just don't think her fantasies are for me.

Okay, let’s talk Firebird by Juliette Cross. A dark, dragon-filled alternate history of ancient Rome? Yes please. The worldbuilding was super cool—Rome ruled by dragons, complete with deathriders and firestorms, was such a creative twist. I was really drawn in by the premise and the whole mythology-meets-military fantasy vibe.

Malina started off as a strong character, and I was so here for her sharp tongue, inner fire, and fierce spirit. But as the story moved on, that spark started to dim. I wanted her to keep challenging the world around her, but it felt like her edges were softened too much by the end.

And then there’s the dynamic between our two leads. Julian taking Malina in as a slave to protect her was the book’s biggest red flag for me. I appreciated that their connection started years earlier—infatuation was already there, and he never treated her like a true servant—but the power imbalance still felt icky at times. It’s a delicate trope, and I’m not sure this one handled it in a way that fully worked for me. I just wish that when they decided to take their relationship to the next level, she wasn’t still his slave. Especially since she had to wear a collar with his name on it to show his ownership over her—it’s hard to root for a romance when it’s literally branded with that kind of control.

Overall? The romance had some steamy potential, and the danger kept me intrigued, but it didn’t fully ignite into a favorite. Still, if you’re into enemies-to-lovers, dragon-shifter vibes, and plots against empires, it might just light your fire. 🔥

This was an eArc provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I liked this one — not my very favorite ever but it was still a solid read.

It’s important to note that this is a enemies to lovers, fated mates, captor/captive vibe set in a magical, dragon centric Ancient Rome—and it included elements from that time period like slavery and a super patriarchal, emperor-based political system.

That being said, I actually thought the author did a good job of navigating a relationship between a political figure and his slave, and quickly shows how much disdain he has for slavery and the current political system, including his uncle the emperor, and how he manipulates things within the messed up system to protect those who would otherwise be targeted by other political figureheads.

It’s morally grey for sure, but this book felt like a combination of the morally grey lines drawn in shifter or omegaverse stories, mixed with historical context and political controversy.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 (rounded up to 4)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

“A Roman Dragon and a Dacian Dancer.”

I recently finished Firebird by Juliette Cross, the first book in her new series, and I have to say, I really enjoyed stepping into this world. Thank you @netgally for this #ALC . The story introduces us to Malina, a human woman with power to influence people's emotions and Julian, a Roman Dragon General. When she's captured she learns that not all Roman’s are bad and she may yet still be able to fulfil her grandmother’s prophecy.

First - the elephant in the room. Before reading, I'd seen some online drama surrounding this book. Based on my own reading experience, I honestly feel that much of it was either not reflective of the actual content or perhaps blown out of proportion. I definitely encourage people to read it and form their own opinions. This cancel culture is ridiculous. Everyone is entitled to have their own opinion but I will definitely argue on this one as there is NOTHING about this book that should give people the reason to be so mean to the author.

One of the things that stood out to me was the world-building – it was genuinely really good. Cross paints a vivid picture of this Ancient Roman inspired world and the tensions within it. The characters, Malina and Julian, were definitely interesting, and I found myself invested in their journey. The dual POV was a great choice, allowing insight into both their minds and helping to understand their developing relationship. I also thought the pacing of the book was well-handled, keeping the story moving along nicely.

Now, while I enjoyed the characters, I did find myself wishing we could have explored them even more deeply. I would have loved more insight, especially into our MMC, Julian. Similarly, while the plot kept me engaged, I felt like there was room for even more complexity and depth. It left me with a feeling of wanting more – more character layers, more intricate plot developments. It just felt like it had more potential that we didn’t completely reach. Malina, our FMC, is definitely more rounded and I loved her.

The romance aspect was another positive for me. It built at a good, steady pace that felt believable within the context of their situation – no insta-love here, which I appreciated.

Overall, Firebird was a solid and enjoyable fantasy romance read for me. The strong world-building and well-paced romance were definite highlights. Despite wishing for a bit more depth in character and plot at times, I'm certainly intrigued and looking forward to seeing how things progress in book 2!

Tropes: slave/master (or captive/captor), dragon shifter, mental powers, ancient roman inspired, rebellion
Spice 2/5
Plot 4/5
Pace 4/5
Character Personality 3.5/5
Character Growth 3.5/5
Writing Style 4/5
World Building 5/5

if you give me a world where dragons rule ancient Rome, a prophecy, and a warrior with secret softness for one girl... I’m immediately on board. Firebird is a sweeping, high-stakes fantasy romance that had me fully invested by page two and emotionally spiraling by the end.

At the heart of the story is Malina... a Dacian witch with a dancer’s grace, a fierce will, and a destiny she doesn’t fully understand. She’s brave, vulnerable, and never once loses her agency, even when the world (and let’s be honest, fate) keeps trying to push her around. And then there’s Julianus Dakkia. Roman general, imperial golden boy, and... minor detail... a dragon shifter.

Their story is set against a vivid and richly imagined backdrop: a Rome where dragons rule, deathriders attack from the skies, and the line between politics and magic is dangerously thin. It’s lush, intense, and full of that slightly mythic energy that makes everything feel larger than life. The stakes... epic. The romance... even more so.

There's definitely some controversy here that I've seen on social media, but if we look at it with a historical lens... slavery definitely existed in many different cultures, but I think it's good to understand that it was 1000% not a thing to be romanticized.

There’s action and tension and literal firestorms, but the relationship between Malina and Julianus is what grounds the story. It's tender and brutal and impossibly romantic. They’re both fighting for more than survival... they’re fighting to change the world, and maybe rewrite what fate says they’re allowed to have.

If you like your fantasy with political intrigue, ancient prophecy, forbidden love, and dragons who would burn the world for the one they love, this is your next obsession.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a wonderful job!

4/5

Firebird blends ancient Roman intrigue with dragon shifters in a way that feels both fresh and inevitable. The world-building is steeped in Roman mythology, with political schemes and rebellion at its core, all while dragons serve as the perfect metaphor for empire-driven ruthlessness.

Julian, the morally complex general, and Malina, the fierce and independent heroine, share a slow-burn romance that’s both compelling and fraught with tension. Their evolving relationship—full of mistrust and undeniable attraction—keeps you hooked, even as the plot takes its time to build toward greater action. While the book lays the groundwork for a bigger, more explosive conflict, the real strength lies in the characters and their personal growth. The side characters, especially in the political and magical circles, add richness to the narrative, though the magic system itself could use more exploration.

Blair Dade and Kale Williams excel in the audiobook, adding depth and emotion to each character, especially during tense moments where you can feel the stakes rise. Overall Firebird is a captivating start to a series full of political drama, dragon-shifter intrigue, and simmering romance. If you love morally gray heroes, empire intrigue, and slow-burn relationships, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the audiobook ARC!

DNF @ 58%

I really wanted to love this book after hearing some really good things about it. In the end though the whole master / slave romance thing just felt uncomfortable and I could not get past it. It would have really been nice if this trope along with the numerous SA triggers had been mentioned in the marketing campaign for this one.

That being said I really did like the narrator.

I loved this take of The Roman Empire. The forbidden romance was **chefs kiss** and with dragons… yes. The audiobook was well down. The narrators did a great job with the story.

Stars:DNF @36%
Start Date:04\14\25
Ending Date: 04\15\25
Genre: Adult Fantasy
Form: Audiobook
Page Count: 400 pg.
Publishing Date: 04\08\25
Point of V iew: Dual 3rd Person
Setting: Fantasy Rome
Content Warning: Master/Salve, Sexual Violence

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Been hearing a lot about this book and how it misleads some people so I decided to listen to it. I honestly forgot I was granted the audiobook of this. Actually I forgot the e-arc of this thanks to Edelweiss way before I got the audiobook.

Of course what got me and everyone else is that damn cover. Also the fact Dragons in the Roman Empire sounds good enough for me which also got everyone wanting to read this.

I'm about to be short and sweet with this.

Who thought it was a good idea to have a Colonizer/Master and Slave romance after the whole "To Glaze Upon Wicked Gods" drama last year?

Dealing with Romans yet again as well.

Like who?

Say this with me

MASTER/ SLAVE IS NOT A TROPE!!

Of all the tropes you have at your disposal you decide to go for one that certainly shouldn't be one into one.

Why is the Master/Slave potential romance plot even needed?

You could do forced promixed with a touch of fake courting if you need a reason for your FMC and MMC to be together.

And the thing is with this book she didn't have to go that route and almost made it to a cop out by her being his slave that she is protected from everyone else.

Yes I understand historical context since it's Rome but Rome didn't have fucking dragons in it so it's already not historically correct. Like you can still have slaves in it but not have the Master/Slave romance.

Because if this book was set in the 1700's- 1860's United States.....
.
But just Master/Slave in general regardless of what country or time period it is.

What makes me so mad is the fact of the potential this book had.

The female protagonist has empathic powers where she can feel people's emotions and could change them and the male protagonist who can change into a dragon due to his roman heritage is trying to overthrow the Emperor who is his uncle.

Like come on!

The main reason why I decide to stop because it started to get boring with the lack of world building,character deveoplment and the unnecessary sexual violence going on.

Instead of having Master\Slave you could be building the dragon lore and the magical system.
Because having dragons and them having empathic powers sounds cool.

But I just don't understand for the life of me why this book does not have content warnings at all on the bulb or inside the book.

I have to get one thing straight tho that I have been seeing a lot reviews kind of skipping over

Yes the FMC was 17 almost 18 when MMC met her while she was a minor doing the prologue.

So yes people are getting that right.

When they meet again in the first chapter, it is four years after their first meeting which makes her 21 almost 22. That's when he makes her his " body" slave in his household which in his defence is to " save" her from everyone else.

I'm just seeing a lot of people making it seem like he took her as a slave at 17 which is not correct.

Still not right at all but I just don't like misinformation like that.

So yeah stay clear of this one.

Title: Firebird
Series: The Fire that Binds, #1
Author(s): Juliette Cross
Narrator(s): Blair Dade
Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Date Published: April 8, 2025
Date Read: April 19, 2025
Format: Audiobook
Free?: This book was received as an eARC audiobook courtesy of NetGalley.
Overall Rating: ★★★/5

Spice Rating*: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Fantasy Rating: 🦄🦄🦄/5
Tear Rating: 💧/5
Humor Rating: 😆/5

-ˋˏ✄ᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧ⇢

🔍 TL;DR
⤷ In a dragon-ruled Rome, ruthless General Julian Dakkia risks his life to save Malina, a captured Dacian witch who once stole his heart. As their forbidden bond rekindles, they are drawn into a dangerous rebellion against a tyrannical empire and the emperor’s deadly plans. Together, they must navigate passion, prophecy, and betrayal in a world where love could spark a revolution—or their destruction.

📣 Favorite quote
⤷ Or perhaps it was simply the gods righting the wrongs, giving me a powerful, magnificent female to be my partner against the demons of this world. I didn’t know. And I didn’t care. All I knew was that it was right and true.

🎥 Synopsis
⤷ In a brutal, dragon-ruled version of Rome, General Julian Dakkia is a feared conqueror—until he risks everything to save Malina, a Dacian witch he once loved from afar. Now a captive, Malina is stunned to discover her mysterious protector is the same ruthless centurion who once gave her a powerful talisman. As their forbidden bond deepens, they find themselves caught in the deadly web of an empire's ambitions and the emperor’s dark schemes. Together, they must defy the rules of conquest, survive treachery, and challenge a world built on power and fire. Firebird is a scorching, dark romantasy where love may be the only force strong enough to topple an empire—or doom them both.

📋 Review
⤷ Okay. So, I didn’t know going into this that it was a colonizer/slave + master romance—so if that’s not for you (as it wasn’t for me), don’t pick this up.

⤷ That being said, the prevalence of that dynamic was not as large as some other books I’ve read (or, more commonly, DNFed). I didn’t enjoy the story as much as I would’ve hoped (prior to learning of the relationship dynamic), given the magical twist on Roman history. The idea that high-ranking Roman soldiers have the ability to dragon-shift partially and/or fully is interesting on its face, and that aspect was executed well enough.

⤷ I do feel like the entire story could’ve been told without the MMC being the slaveowner of the FMC. There could’ve been a different dynamic to their relationship, given that they were already from two warring factions.

🌟 I wish…
⤷ If you’ve made it this far, it should be unsurprising to say that I wish it didn’t have the slave/owner dynamic to the story. Also, I wish the author hadn’t used certain words in the spice scenes—specifically, c*** and nub. It’s more of a personal preference, but I tend to immediately cringe at the sound of both of those words in the context of a romantic scene.

👍🏻 Recommend?
⤷ Unsure tbh. I’ve seen many people upset at the author’s portrayal of slavery in this story, particularly with the way in which it was presented and possibly even glorified. There was nothing in the story outside of that which made me rush to finish it or to recommend to anyone, but it also wasn’t the worst book I’ve ever read. If you think you could get past the slavery of it all, then, maybe?

-ˋˏ✄ᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧᐧ⇢

*About Spice scale:
🌶️ BELL PEPPER
Low heat: sweet love story with romance that is closed door or fade to black. Mostly fluff or implied spice.

🌶️🌶️ JALAPEÑO
Smoldering: sexual tension, at least one (not especially graphic) sex scene, not much coarse language.

🌶️🌶️🌶️ HABANERO
Hot: generally two to three extensive/detailed sex scenes, and increasing use of coarse language.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ GHOST PEPPER
Scorching: four to five explicit sex scenes, much description and detail, lots of coarse language.

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ CAROLINA REAPER
Erotica: is the plot in the room with us? Lots of sex scenes, explicit descriptions. Heavy kink/trigger warnings and/or pure smut.

Definitely a 4.5

This isn’t my usual genre… but Juliette completely converted me!

This mystical retelling of the fall of Julius Caesar is nothing short of epic. Before I begin, please note I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review and honestly, I was blown away.

Going in, I was hesitant. This isn’t typically what I reach for, and the first chapter starts off slow, taking its time to build the world. But stick with it—the payoff is worth it. The author gradually immerses you in a reimagined Rome, one pulled into an alternate dimension where dragon shifters rule and live among the gods. I know, I know, it sounds wild. I was skeptical too. But hear me out…

Let me set the stage: enter Julianus Drakkus, our magnetic MMC. Once he appeared (end of ch. 1) I was hooked. The chemistry between him and the FMC is electric, the tension deliciously drawn out. And the slow-burn romance? Absolutely worth the wait. The spice was seamlessly woven into the story— tasteful, intentional, and oh-so-satisfying. I’m giving it a solid 🌶️🌶️🌶️.75

The pacing of the book was masterfully done, with plot twists perfectly placed to keep you on edge. And Caesar? He was written as the kind of villain you LOVE to hate. I especially appreciated the depth and complexity of the characters, it’s clear the author poured care into each one.

As for the Duel (not duet) narration, it was strong overall. The dual narration mostly worked well, though I’ll admit a couple of mismatched voice moments had me giggling. Still, the story was compelling enough that those moments were easy to overlook. In terms of tone and performance, the narrators nailed it.

Bottom line? I’d absolutely recommend this audiobook to anyone open to a genre-bending, mythology-infused, slow-burn fantasy romance. And I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Please note my instagram and Amazon reviews are still pending at this time.

After hearing of the problematic themes of this book that have been circulating, I have decided not to read/promote this book. I hope you can understand

Firebird has the potential to be the next big romantasy series, and I can't wait for more! I loved the reimagining of Roman mythology. The addition of the dragon creatures as the gods brought a very fun element. The first book set up the world well without an “info-dump” feel.

The place where this book really shined is in the character development. I thought that our FMC was very independent and headstrong. I also liked that she was learning the Roman world and how to navigate a very hostile situation. Our MMC was the perfect combo of moody, brooding, and heartfelt. I liked that we got chapters from his POV that shed light on what he thought of the empire. His character was slowly fleshed out over the course of book one and there is still much more to learn over the series. These complex main characters created situations where you could cut the tension with a knife, and I LOVED IT. This is the main thing that I look for in a romantasy read and Firebird had wonderful pacing and tension.

One perk of the audiobook was that it featured dual narration. I love when we get dual narration in dual POV books, as it feels so much more immersive. Both narrators fit their parts and were easy to understand. I would recommend that everyone listens to the audiobook! I loved this book and I can't wait to listen to the next in the series!

I voluntarily listened to and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Macmillan Audio!

Let me start by saying, I did listen through the entire audiobook. I wanted to give it a fair chance and I did not feel like I could properly rate without knowing the progression of the story. The audio itself, production-wise, was fine. The narrators did the best they could with the provided material.

As many others have stated, there are a lot of concerns around how this book was marketed and I agree that is part of the problem. The audiobook does contain a brief author’s note at the beginning of the book that glosses over some of the content warnings. One of the major content issues is the slave/slave master dynamic in relation to the MCs. With this dynamic comes the question of consent.

While I have enjoyed much of this author’s work in the past, I cannot recommend this particular book.

The beginning of this book was hard to get through, largely due to the slave/master dynamic. The book very much had "he's not like other slave owners" and "she's not like other slaves" vibes. I felt obligated to finish the book because I got an ARC. I enjoyed the middle and ending, and I may or may not read the next book. I felt like the author tried to quickly resolve the slave/master dynamic, but the MMC never seemed truly repulsed by slavery like he was repulsed by some of his uncle's other actions. It very much seemed like he seemed to realize slavery was wrong because he realized his mate was a slave, not because slavery is wrong regardless of who it involves.

I really enjoyed this read. Side note: Read with caution, check triggers. A handful of scenes could be hard to read due to vulgar or brutal detail. The author’s writing flows beautifully and held my attention the entire book. The intrigue, the danger, the character dynamics are all well written. I loved the Roman aspect, the dragon shifter elements, and the good MMC vs the evil ruler. The romance of some side characters is on the dark side, and due to illustrating the brutality of the Roman conquerors, there are a handful of scenes that are heavy. The romance between the main characters is on the sweeter side of dark and is more instalovey. Although it is sort of a captive x captor relationship, the insta love vibe made it not feel dark or heavy. The brutal side of this war is described in great detail which could be upsetting for readers. It does illustrate the need for a rebellion in this world really well, and sparks all the emotions that would go along with this war and rebellion. This was an exciting read and held my interest the entire time. I feel like readers who loved the GOT or Vikings kind of world would enjoy this read.

This audio narration is perfection.

❤️‍🔥 Dragon Shifter
❤️‍🔥 Roman Conquers
❤️‍🔥 Witch FMC
❤️‍🔥 My Treasure
❤️‍🔥 My Dragon
❤️‍🔥 Conquerer x Captive
❤️‍🔥 Fated Mates
❤️‍🔥 Rebellion
❤️‍🔥 Brutal War

4.5 🌶️ (highly descriptive, open door spice, occurs enough to be a focus point in the plot)
Check triggers (brutal war, brutal ruler, vulgar SA discussed and hinted at, mistreatment of women)

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year but I sadly needed to shelf it for now. I can see why the author wrote the way she wrote but there were times that I needed to close my book. It's definitely heavily themed in the slave aspect and it'll be something I'll try to continue reading later when I'm feeling a heavier read.