DNF. I only got not even a chapter in before the content became too much. Didn’t seem researched and just listening to this made me feel icky.

Overall, I enjoyed Firebird by Juliette Cross. I was engaged and interested in the story enough to continue. I did feel that there needed to be more to establish the relationship between the FMC and MMC other than just that they were mates. The audio was done well by both narrators, other than sometimes the male narrator's voice was a little cringey when the MMC shifted into his dragon form. I may or may not continue with the series.

There is nothing quite as jarring as jumping into an audiobook with no trigger warnings. Unfortunately I did have to DNF this book without even being a quarter of the way through. Which is a bummer, because I have loved the author’s books in the past.

Firebird starts off just all wrong. A 17 year old girl is approached by a full grown adult man (who is also one of the ruling class of the colonizers) and is given a good luck trinket. Gross.

Fast forward four years, her family has been killed by the colonizers, and that dude has just killed her second adopted family. He then “rescues” her from one of his soldiers who is about to SA her in half dragon form to slowly torture and kill her. The reason he rescues her according to his own inner monologue.

“Damaged property sells for less at the slave market.”
So cute.

When he regonizes her his inner dragon says “mine” and he steals her away to his home. TO BE HIS BODY SLAVE. When they get there she keeps thinking about how sexy he is and thats just where I had to stop.

Listen I love dark romance, but I cannot get behind a dude who thinks of humans as property. Ever. For me this went far beyond a slave/master dynamic. There is no way I would ever want these enemies to become lovers.

The only reason she was even having positive thoughts about this man is because of the trinket he gave her WHEN SHE WAS A CHILD AND HE WAS A FULL GROWN ADULT MAN. EW. Everything ew…

Thank you Macmillan Audio for an early audiobook copy of this book, honestly I’m stoked I didn’t spend money on it. The narrators were fantastic though. Big props to them.

I was extremely excited for this book, because I will have multiple special editions of this book. While I think Firebird will be a hit for a lot of readers, this book was unfortunately not for me. I received the ALC copy of this book, and I am so thankful to Macmillan Audio and Juliette Cross for the early edition. I enjoyed the thought and research that went into the world building, it felt like an adult fantasy world that was well inspired. I loved listening to Blair Dade and Kale Williams. Both narrators did a fantastic job and I would listen to them again. I really liked the FMC's demeaner and attitude. She felt like a well and fully formed character, and I loved how she stood her ground and held her own. I love an FMC with a little attitude.

What I didn't enjoy was the darker aspects of this story. I don't mind dark romance when done well, and when I go in knowing this is a dark romance. Maybe that was on me as the reader, but I don't remember the trigger warnings mentioning so much violence against women and the master and slave dynamic. While I did not enjoy the way in which men treated women in this book, my biggest issue was the romance. The relationship and interactions felt very surface level, and I never fully understood why either character liked the other. The dynamic of the master / slave can be filled with so much tension and intense interactions.

While this book wasn't for me, I know it's going to be a big hit! I may continue with the series to see where the story goes.

I was beyond excited to get my hands (well, ears, actually 😂) on an advanced listener copy of Firebird! So just a heads-up, I didn’t eyeball read this book, I earhole read it (lol, yes, earhole – just go with it). 🎧🔥

Let me tell you, I was completely absorbed by this fantasy world. It's got that Romanesque vibe but with an epic magical twist – dragons 🐉 and witches 🧙‍♀️. I seriously loved every second of it! The story? Amazing. 😍✨

Malina is a Dacian dancer who, along with her sisters, finds herself caught in the chaos as Rome starts to conquer lands and enslaving people. On top of that, Malina has this wild ability to control emotions – not just her own, but those around her. Julian is a Roman war general who can shift into a dragon (yes, please 😏). When these two first meet, his dragon instantly knows she’s his mate. Fast forward, and after Malina’s family is killed, she’s using her powers to fight back in a rebellion. Julian saves her and, well… he takes her as his very well-treated slave. They join forces, plot a rebellion, and their chemistry? 🔥

The world-building was on point. The Roman influence made it super easy to get into, very digestible. And while it wasn’t super spicy compared to other books I’ve read, the 3 or 4 spicy scenes that are there? Wowza. 😏 (Especially on audiobook… 😜). Oh, and did I mention sometimes Julian has a forked tongue? Yeah, you heard me 🐍.

Now, I get that some readers might have issues with the whole master/slave dynamic, but honestly, I’ve read worse, so it didn’t really bother me. To me, it felt a lot like a fantasy version of an modern day billionaire romance💰. Heads up, there are mentions of some darker themes like rape and other unpleasant topics, so if that’s a trigger for you, be cautious. ⚠️

**Dear Juliette. The epilogue. Oh my god. I am hoping another dragon finds his treasure in the next book….!!!!!....**

He's a Roman general and Caesar's nephew. Oh, and he's also a dragon shifter. She's a Dacian (modern day Romania) witch who can manipulate emotions. Together, they will make Rome burn.

PSA: This is a dark romance. Dark romance readers have a higher tolerance for things mainstream romance readers find problematic. In this case, the romance is between Julian, a Roman general, and Malina, the enemy witch he captures on the battlefield and literally carries off to his dragon lair as a spoil of war (and to save her from being gang raped by other soldiers). In the context of ancient civilizations, including Rome, conquered people are enslaved. If the power imbalance makes you go ick, steer clear of this book.

That said, this is the tamest of the dark romances. I have read dark romances where consent is a little iffy. Here, when the spice starts spicing at about the 50% mark, Malina is 100% on board with it. Yes, she is technically his slave. In the context of the story, he respects her and her being his slave is the only way he can protect her from other Roman nobles hurting her. His own mother was a freed slave, but now there are laws forbidding Romans from marrying outside their station, so "why doesn't he just free her" doesn't solve anything, even if he does tell her she's free. Again. If this is a no for you, then steer clear. Honestly, to me since they are both two consenting adults, the romance here is far less problematic than the one between Dani and Drago in A Game of Thrones.

The alt-fantasy Rome aspect to the story was fascinating. I haven't read a lot of fantasy set in this time period, and the author did a good job showing how bad and perhaps insane Caesars can gain power and how everyone around goes along with it. This is the first in a maybe trilogy so it ends with a lot of questions unresolved, but did end satisfactory enough.

The dual narrations were also excellent and kept me immersed in the story the whole time.

Thank you to Netgalley for the review copy.

This book was an interesting one. At first I was not sure I would like it, but as I continued reading I found myself truly enjoying it. It’s definitely an adult book with good adult spice! I love the dragons and how the lovers are very quick to accept each other and not beat around the bush. All in all I give it 4 stars. I definitely cannot wait to read the next one!

✨𝒜𝐿𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
🎧: Firebird (The Fire That Binds Book 1)
🎙️: Blair Dade, Kale Williams

Not long ago, a centurion gifted a young Dacian dancer a secret talisman. Years later, a hardened Roman general finds and rescues the same woman, though broken by her losses. While saving her from imminent danger, Malina is still taken.

Julianus’ dragon is drawn to her fiery spirit but carefully laid plans are threatened when betrayal strikes. Did fate bring them together only to tear them apart?

Tropes:
👀Dual POV
⛔️Enemies to Lovers
⛓️‍💥Cɑׁׅ֮ptor/Cɑׁׅ֮ptive
💫Magic bonds
💪🏻Strong FMC
⚠️Possessive/Protective MMC
🐉Dragon Shifters
🚫Forbidden Love
🌶️: open door

Malina is bold and brash and her magic may be the key to defeat his enemies. As time progresses, she slowly peels back the layers and facades of her complicated captor. Both have endured challenges to survive their circumstances.

The narrators brilliantly depict the yearning, angst, and tension between them. The suspenseful moments and visceral reactions are portrayed so well.

As Malina becomes more drawn to Julianus and faces a secret rebellion, the stakes have never been higher. With the hope of freedom within reach, will the prophecy be realized or will they all burn to ash?

Firebird is a gripping new romantasy infused with captivating mythology, magic, and an intoxicating
slow burn. I cannot wait for what’s in store for them!

Huge thanks to the author, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the ALC opportunity! This is my honest and voluntary review.

What a fun little ride this newest book by Cross was! Rome is ruled by the cruel hand, or maybe, say, the claw of a dragon, Cesar! Julianus the Conqueror is his nephew, a legendary Roman General…and whoops, he's gone and fallen in love with a slave. But it’s more than just the smut! I enjoyed the conspiring coup and war tactics aspect and was more invested in that story than the romance. Malina and Julian’s romance spins pretty quickly despite the fact she's his slave, and he’s responsible for killing everyone she's ever loved…it’s written very well, and I enjoyed the audio immensely, although when the narrator, Kale Williams, did the female voices, it reminded me a bit of when your husband does your nagging wife voice! The characters had enough depth to make you want to know what was going to happen to them, and I enjoyed the banter between Malina and Julian. There was world-building, but to be honest, it didn’t really stand out for me. I am excited to get my deluxe edition and to read the next book in The Fire That Binds series. Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for this advanced audio copy. ((&)) a little PR: don’t listen to the spice when you're walking through Hobby Lobby, LOL!

Ok, wow I was VERY surprised by how much I enjoyed this?? I was definitely hooked from the beginning and enjoyed how the story built from there.

* dragon shifters
* fated mates
* take on Ancient Rome
* Enemies (kinda) to lovers
* Touch her and die vibes
* Dual POV
* open door

Was it A LITTLE insta-lovey? Kinda but not in a way that overly bothered me (the fated mates also makes that hard to not have SOME sort of instant attraction). Simple world building made this enjoyable and not daunting - I was easily able to follow everything that was going on. Malina was a badass FMC with really cool empath powers and Julianus was a great MMC who was so much more than what his surface showed.

This audiobook was great - I really enjoyed my listen!

This is a romantasy I can see becoming very popular following in the footsteps of The Serpent and the Wings of Night and The Stars are Dying.

The magical elements of the story are very fascinating and will draw in many lovers of ancient Rome and other ancient history.

The romance was not one that I would reach for and the elements of the characters' proximity left me with a poor taste in my mouth.

Thank you Bramble and Macmillan Audio for the ALC, I am so grateful.

I listened to the audiobook of this, so my review is in two parts:

Story: It didn't rock my world, but I liked it and stayed engaged the whole time. I appreciate that the world-building didn’t require large exposition dumps – it felt like the author was trusting that we had a general understanding of the Roman Empire and could build her dragon lore on top of it. I really enjoyed the relationship between Julian and Malina – I’m a sucker for fated mates, and was well aware of the master-slave dynamics going in, so it didn’t weird me out like it seems it did a lot of other reviewers. It felt like more of a societal issue than a relationship one - if he hadn't named her his slave upon their return to Rome, they both likely would have been executed for his actions on the battlefield.

Audio: Dual narration. I generally liked both of the narrators, and felt they did a good job with clearly different voices to distinguish between the characters, as well as not feeling the need to make casual conversation or description unnecessarily dramatic. Her Man Voice and his Lady Voice are a bit strained and distracting, but that's something that plagues pretty much every audiobook so no points off.

Rating: 4.25/5
Spice: 2.5/5

Tropes:
- Fated mates
- Dragon shifters
- Ancient Rome
- Enemies to lovers
- Prophecies
- Touch her and die
- Dual POV

Thank you to NetGalley and Bramble for the chance to listen to an advance copy.

Thank you, NetGalley for this advanced copy of the audiobook. It is my first book to read by this author, but I absolutely loved it. Sometimes I don’t like the fact that the characters are instantly in love however, I didn’t feel like this book was overly done with that theme. I loved the characters, the plot, and the spice. I felt like it was all really well done and it kept me very engaged. At first, I thought that this was a standalone book however, the way that it left off, I feel like it will be there will be a second book. And I am super excited to read the second in the series.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Malina and her sisters are the best of the best when it comes to dancing, and when a Roman centurion gives her a gift, she's not only surprised, but she is determined to keep it close to her. Now, years later, they meet at the end of a battle that has her on the losing side, her life in danger. Which his when Julianus shifts into his dragon form to save her, and claim her, because deep down he knows she is his. He's known for his brutality, but he shows her nothing but kindness. And deep down, her own soul seems to reach towards him. But there are secrets he's keeping, secrets that can change the entire empire. Will they survive long enough to be together? Or were they doomed to end before they even began?

UGH WHY. WHY DO I HAVE TO WAIT FOR BOOK 2?!

Okay. Malina was badass. Literally facing a legendary Roman dragon shifter who is known to be cruel and she's like alright what now. Like GIRL YOU ARE GOING TO DIEEEE. And then when she starts falling for him I was like GIRL GET HIMMMM JUMP ON IT. And yeah, that definitely happens, and the spice is very well written, but also I was so happy because Julianus. SWOON. Julianus is the nephew to the emperor and also crazy scary, but inside the dude is a cinnamon roll and a half. He is so gentle with her and patient and he would literally burn the world for her. No, like, seriously, he'd burn the world. DUDE IS A DRAGON AND HE BREATHES FIRE LIKE WHAT. I loved the historical fantasy aspect of the Roman Empire and I thought the author did a great job really grounding up in this world. And I'm like 99% sure the next book will be a new couple? Which is kind of hinted at at the end? But totally could be wrong. Either way, DON'T SLEEP ON THIS. GO AND READ THIS. There's so much that had me swooning, so much that had me sad, and the writing is just utterly gorgeous.

In a world full of dragons, there isn’t another I would rather burn it down with than Julianus Dakkia

A conqueror captivated…
A witch prophesied to save them all…
A world where dragons rule Rome.

❤️‍🔥New Release ALC Review of Firebird by Juliette Cross. LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! 🔥
A powerful young witch coming of age has a chance meeting with a gorgeous, formidable and known to be cruel Dragon Shifter from a military who has taken over the realm for a cruel King. When she was working at local event, and their paths meet, their lives were tethered forever.

This book bewitched me and I am beside myself knowing how long it will be before the next book comes out 😭

This is a slow burn romance of fated mates, dragons, corrupt sadistic evil tyrants, and a man (and his inner dragon) who would burn the world for the ones he loves. Specifically for her.

❤️‍🔥 Enemies to Lovers
⛓️‍💥 Captor/Captive
💕 Fated Mates
✨ Strong FMC w/ empath Powers
💪🏻 Possessive/Protective MMC
🐲 Dragon Shifters
🥰 Forbidden Love
🏰 Rising Rebellion
👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 Dual POV

I am obsessed 😍 and ordered two hard cover copies, (because hello, the sprayed edges are different) and I have a pretty book collection issue when it comes to ones I enjoy.

I was thrilled to receive an ALC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 14%

Well this book was certainly a choice. No where in the synopsis does this book mention that this is a romance book about a slave owner and one of his slaves. I was gifted an ALC and that version of the audiobook didn't have any TW/CWs whatsoever so I had no idea that's what this book is and I think the publisher failed this book in it's marketing. This is a book that is set in a very real place in a very real time period (with a fantasy twist) that includes elements of horrible things that happened to real people trying to sell it as a 'well it's just a fun fantasy story.'

I went and looked at the authors social media and she now has some content warnings up that I personally don't think are accurate. It says "elements of master/slave relationship." This feels misleading to me. The use of the word 'elements' to me implies that this is BD$M related when the book is about a literal slave owner and one of his slaves. It isn't "elements of a master/slave relationship," it is 100% a slave owner and one of his slaves.

I am someone who loves dark romances, I feel like this book has been incorrectly marketed and promoted. This book crosses a line for me and if I would have known before picking this up I would have never attempted reading it. A book about a slave owner (even if we find out later in the book that he is secretly a 'good guy' being forced to do horrible things) in the year 2025 is a choice and sends a very strong message. Glorifying slave owners and framing them as 'misunderstood' is so gross to me and I can't in good faith recommend this book, or even finish it.

Firebird had a lot of potential, especially with its intriguing premise and the inclusion of dragons—something I always love in a fantasy book. However, despite the promise of an exciting story, there wasn’t much actually happening in the plot. It felt like it lacked the depth and momentum to keep me fully engaged.

The romance leaned heavily into insta-love, which made it difficult to fully invest in the relationship. While I enjoy strong, protective characters, the male main character’s possessiveness didn’t sit well with me. Instead of coming across as fiercely devoted, he often felt irrational—like his intelligence dropped every time he entered a “mate rage.” This took away from his appeal and made the dynamic feel more frustrating than compelling.

Overall, Firebird had elements that could have made for a great read, but it didn’t quite deliver on its potential for me.

2⭐️

This review is based off my reading experience and I’m sure this book will find its intended audience but that is not me. I wish I looked up the trigger warnings prior to starting the ALC but I have never had something turn my stomach the way this book had so I thought nothing of it. I actually looked up the trigger warnings prior to writing this review and I didn’t find them on the author’s website (maybe I just didn’t see them) but there is a little blurb in the Amazon listing description. So I’ll put the blame on me.

The good:
It was evident the author did her research and I really enjoyed the Ancient Rome setting, the dragons and their lineage. I also really liked the FMC. After reading some of the early reviews I think readers have mixed feelings surrounding her but I liked her snippy back bone. She has been in survival mode her entire life and chapter one of this book just took that up a notch. I thought her empathic magic/inner witch was unique and from the beginning it sounds like it’s tied to Medusa or one of her sisters. Melina, FMC, will probably be forced to analyze risk with each action she takes given her position. I just hope she’s safe, I don’t even care about the romance at this point, free my girl.

The narration was great. This was my first time listening to Blair Dade and Kale Williams but I think they both did a fantastic job. I would definitely listen to other audiobooks by either of them.

The not so good, imo:
The violence on/toward women was extremely hard to stomach for me and there was A LOT. Now I love a good dark romance but I think I learned exactly what kind of dark romances I enjoy after reading this book. The sexual assault attempts and graphic descriptions start pretty much immediately. Julian’s uncle and cohort were cruel and I just wanted to skip every scene with them in it. Julian wasn’t like that, he despised his uncle and it made him just as sick BUT the fact that he’s been going along with this for several years didn’t sit right with me. Julian’s silence as a bystander is just as cruel.

The romance also fell a little flat for me. Melina is a prisoner of war from the beginning and Julian makes her his slave (all in the name of protection, sure thang buddy). It didn’t make me swoon not because of the Master x Slave dynamic but mostly because Melina and Julian’s interactions were surface level for most of the book and the deeper interaction happen late into the book so suddenly.

To summarize, check your trigger warnings folks. This book is dark. It has some very uncomfortable themes that are graphic in nature. Also, this will be a series so prepare for more.

Okay I have seen some mixed review on this one but when I got my advanced copy I was so excited to dive in and honestly, I loved it. There were a couple cringe parts where I think the author really towed the line with the slave falling in love with the person who was supposed to be her master but I feel like that was later cleared up so well. Julian truly was trying to save the people who worked for him, he had to use the collars for their safety but it seemed to me like he and those working in his house had mutual respect. All of that aside, I really did enjoy the romance aspect of this book. Malina and her powers was such a good character, she really made the book for me. Plus I am a sucker for “touch her and die”, dragon shifters and a strong stubborn FMC and this book BROUGHT IT. The narration for this was also so good, they were true magicians and had me in the rooms with the characters!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

The only downfall of getting this an an arc is that I have to wait that much longer for the next book 😩😭

Overall, I personally really enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and packed with lots of great political intrigue (and ofc good-good spice). Plus a dragon-shifting Rome was too interesting to not read.

I will try to responsibly begin, though, by mentioning this book had some darker themes alongside its romance and you should always check content & trigger warnings when reading to make sure a book is for you! Contextually and tracking with the story, I didn't personally have troubles suspending my imagination for the sake of the story being told when these themes came into play, but I could see how this would be a non-starter for someone else. There are things like unfair power dynamics (ie - master/slave) that I personally understood to be intentional and indicative of the time/place/culture of the book's setting. I think knowing that upfront is important to the reading experience, regardless.

Now onto the things I looooooooved about this book! Something I really appreciated about was the way the author Juliette painted us such a clear picture of the world and how the mythos crossed over into the magic abilities we see in play. Like there's still a lot to be explored but I think I have a good grasp on the world from the way she built it in her writing. I also can't speak more highly of the narration for this book! I listened to an ALC of this book and am really glad I did because Blair Dade (Malina) and Kale Williams (Julian) gave a phenomenal performance! I think their narrations made me like this even more. I also personally like insta-affection stories as a result of fated-mates so this one definitely scratched an itch for me in that regard. Also the possessive MMC that Julian (and his dragon) were was *chef's kiss* to me. I really

I'm really excited for the next book now! I want to know what's going to happen next after that ending 👀 Like what's the next move?? I guess I'll have to wait to find out. Side note: I always do this to myself with fantasy series when I choose to read an advanced copy of a Book 1 😩