3⭐️ 2🌶️

- Slave x Master
- Forced Proximity
- Dragon Shifters
- Roman Mythology
- Fated Mates
- Magic / Witches
- Political Intrigue

When fate brings the heir to the Roman Empire and a witch prophesied to save the Roman people together, they plot to end the Emperor’s tyrannical reign. But navigating political intrigue within Ancient Rome in a world of dragon shifters and magic is fraught with danger. As Malina and Julianus navigate the consequences of their love, they are forced to consider what matters most, each other, or the future of the entire Empire…

Firebird is a unique, intriguing dark romantasy and the first book in the Fire that Binds series. Admittedly on reading it I was not immediately convinced by the premise of a historical romantasy set in Ancient Rome, there is quite a blend of low and high fantasy elements which meant the world building didn’t quite gel for me.

Malina is a likeable FMC, she is independent and feisty and gives strong Esmerelda vibes. But she equally doesn’t leave much of a lasting impression. That being said I really liked Julianus as a MMC, and for him alone the story had me gripped.

It’s a solid dark romance read, I think Firebird would definitely appeal more to those who are keener on the romance side of romantasy than the fantasy element.

With thanks to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for the ARC.

Genre & Tropes : Romantasy x Historical x Roman empire x Dragon x Mythology x Slave / Master x Mate-at-first-sight

A first book of a series that promises a lot and that I read with pleasure

When I learned that Juliette Cross (an author that I love, especially for her series Stay a Spell and Vampire Blood) was going to write a series with Roman empire AND dragon vibes, I was over the moon ! I'm not always a big fan of dragons but I LOVE the Roman Empire !! So having an ARC ... <3

After finishing this book, I'm a little torn :

- I devoured this book, vibrated with the characters (AND STRESSED SO MUCH especially because of Cyprian !! Some moments were super tense but I liked that we didn't fall into the gloomy and really awful !) and I had a HUGE crush on the universe which was as great as what I imagined (all this revisiting of the Roman empire but mixed with the folklore of dragons ... BRILLIANT !)

BUT

- I missed a little something for it to be a favorite ... I would have liked to spend more time getting to know the characters and discovering the whole universe (I wanted to explore Rome and all the folklore related to dragons !) !
I would have liked a more twisted and advanced plot and a slow burn for the characters (especially given the slave position of a person who were oppressed by the Romans / Roman master and general known for his cruelty !)

So I'm impatiently waiting for the second book to make a final decision for this series, even if I don't know if I would like Trajan and Lela as much as Milena and Julian (BUT I am very curious about the dragon barbarians !)

In short, a first book of romantasy that I read with pleasure and which promises a series full of twists and turns !

So the pros of this book are that I really liked the Ancient Rome setting and magic system.

Cons being it was waaayy too insta lovey for me and I wasn’t a fan of the whole master x slave dynamic.. like he could have a least freed her before the spice hit!

I have mixed feelings about the ending too as the author is obviously setting up for a book about each of the sisters.

Juliette Cross has done it again. Firebird is a masterpiece. And, what makes this story so extraordinary isn’t just the sizzling romance (though that’s definitely a highlight); it’s the lush, darkly magical world Cross weaves. It’s a symphony of emotions, raw and unrelenting, with moments of tenderness that took my breath away. Malina’s strength and Julianus’s quiet vulnerability made me root for them with everything I had. Cross’s writing doesn’t just pull you in; it consumes you. If you’re ready to lose yourself in a love story that’s as dangerous as it is beautiful, Firebird is your next obsession. I can’t wait to see where this series takes us next because, honestly? I’m hooked, and there’s no escape, and I don’t want one.

Firebird by Juliette Cross is a captivating blend of romance, action, and fantasy. The characters are deeply relatable, with fiery chemistry and emotional depth that kept me invested in their journey. The world-building is rich, and the story moves at a perfect pace, with plenty of twists to keep things exciting. If you’re a fan of steamy romance wrapped in an imaginative, magical setting, Firebird is a must-read!this was a first book for me by this author and it definitely won't be my last!

Firebird is a sweeping romantasy about dragons in an alternative Roman Empire. Malina was a dancer until her family were slaughtered, whilst Julian is the nephew of the Emperor who leads the Roman Army to conquer other lands. But there is more to both of them, and they come together in a fiery way.

The world building in this book was really good, and I really enjoyed the dragons. There is obviously a fair bit of set up for the next book but the pacing still felt just right, and I loved the main and side characters. I'm excited to read more in this series!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I could put this book down – absolutely loved it.

A fast-paced romantasy inspired by the Roman Empire. Malina is a Dacian dancer, Julianus a Roman Centurion when he sees her dancing and is enthralled. Years later, when he's a general, they meet again on a Celtic battlefield - his dragon is not willing to let her go again.

I love Juliette Cross's writing, especially the Stay a Spell series, so I was excited to get my hands on Firebird. This is a fast-paced dragon shifter romantasy, heavy on the plot and romance, and a bit lighter on the world building (though, being inspired on the Roman Empire, this bothered me less than it might have in a fully unknown setting). It's a lighter read than I expected: while the world it's set in and it's events are certainly dark, the worst things don't really take place on page or to our main characters, with Malina's witchy powers and Julianus dragon shifter/Patrician status protecting her and those they care about.

The reason I don't rate it higher because this book has some tropes I'm just not the biggest fan of (insta-love/lust; master-slave), and that I never fully got past. They were fairly well done though, and I was engaged from beginning to end. A matter of taste, not quality. Assuming the sequel has even slightly different tropes, I'll absolutely be picking it up!

Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for providing me with an arc through netgalley. All opinions are my own

This book was such an unexpected pleasure!

I often find romantasy books are slow to start with all the world building usually needed to set up a story. However, this book dove straight into a pretty fast paced plot trusting us, as the reader, to know enough about the Romans to assist in understanding the basics of the world the author was creating.

I absolutely loved the Julian was completely obsessed with Malins from the minute he saw her, in books with this trope, I always feel that a dual POV really helps us feel the longing and tension from the MMC, and Juliette Cross did this really well. I adored Julian's perspective.

The market these days seems to be quite over-saturated with Greek inspired fantasy stories, so it was completely refreshing to read one influenced by the Romans. I absolutely cannot wait to see where this series is heading!