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!

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!

Enter Rome in a way you have never before!
This is a breathtaking story about a bloodthirsty and powerful Empire…..ruled by pure blooded Romans who share ancestry with ancient titans - dragon- and the gods themselves.
The Romans use the Power they have to burn, concur and enslave The Dacian and Celtic tribes.
The story is based on love, hope, loss and heartbreak.
Can one act of rebellion…. Based on hope? Love? A dream for more cause a big enough spark to change the whole structure of the Roman Empire or will they all burn in the embers created.

I absolutely love this book and cannot wait to read the next one.
I love how easy this story is to get lost in and how much Malina touched my heart.
In a world where you can be anything. Be kind and be brave.
I wish this book had been longer if I am honest with you and I am sad I have to wait so long for the next book.
I have never pre-ordered a book so fast as this one!
Brilliantly enchanting story! One I cannot wait to read read again and again.

I lost sleep over this book! I didn’t answer my phone over this book! I cancelled plans to finish this book!

It’s 👏🏾 So 👏🏾 Good!! 👏🏾

Dragons 🐉
Ancient Rome 🏛️
Magic ✨
MMC 🫦🫦🫦

The author created a vivid, well-paced book set in Rome that features a FMC with powers that are waiting to be developed and a MMC I would love to have in my corner. Or house 👀

She brought Ancient Rome to life in all of its brutal glory and I wil’ emphasise that this is a dark romantasy that doesn’t shy away from the realities of ancient warfare and brutality. Absolutely worth the read and now I must suffer waiting for the next one 😭 Thank you to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

The romantasy loving and dragon enthusiast booktok girlies are going to love this one. It’s me, I am girlies.

dragon shifters
touch her and die
fated mates
he falls first
forced proximity

This was SO good. Absolutely exquisite world-building in the setting of Ancient Rome, it was fast paced and had some really great elements of political intrigue.

I already have the special edition of this book on pre-order so I was elated to get to read this early. An endless thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

This book is excellent! The romance, the world, the dragons! I was completely hooked from the first page and could not put it down. JC has woven a brilliant romantasy set in an adapted ancient world that is both illustrious and barbaric at times, with two MCs that you can't help but fall in love with. And that ending! Bring on book two

I read this book so fast as it was so addictive! The FMC is so strong and powerful! I loved her and the MMC. I can't wait to read book 2. I need to know what happens next! I need revenge!!!!!

The author is amazing at world building and I could imagine scenes on my head because of it. The book has an easy flow and I good pace. I highly recommend this if you love Romantasty.

Oh wow I absolutely loved this first instalment in what is sure to be one of the next big Romantasy series!

The Roman inspired setting really made this stand out from other books I’ve read in the genre lately. The bloody and violent nature of the empire with the dragon shifter twist was a combination I never knew I needed. The author built the world so well, I could picture every scene and I really appreciated all the small details she added throughout.

Often fantasy books can be a little info dumpy at the start and you have to get your head around a new world but I didn’t have that issue here. From page one I was completely immersed and felt like I could immediately enjoy the story without needing to work too hard for it. The pacing was excellent and I flew through it in a few hours.

The romance is of course the main focus and I thought it was really well done with a lot of the tropes you’d expect to find in this genre. I absolutely loved the side characters and I was just as invested in their stories as I was the main romance so I really hope we get to see more of them in book two.

Thanks so much for letting me read this early copy! Off to order the stunning sprayed edge edition now 😍

romantasy is hit or miss for me, and this is one of the very few that hiiiittttt.

the romance felt a little too insta love for me. it’s also a slave x master dynamic, which i know might put a lot of people off (i thought i was going to hate i too, but i found the mmc to be such a ray of sunshine and loveable person). a few nicknames rubbed me the wrong way, but they weren’t frequent enough to put me off. besides all that, the romance was really enjoyable. i loved both malina and julianus. their scenes were heavy in chemistry and sexual tension.

juliette cross has written such a lush and descriptive world. the setting is so vivid, i could easily picture it in my head. i really loved the rich world building. the magic was also really fun — firebird features a mmc (among other characters) who have the ability to turn into dragons. i don’t read shifter romances so i’m unsure if this is a unique thing, but it felt it to me.

the pacing was absolutely perfect. not once was i bored of felt a lull in the storytelling. i was hooked from beginning to end (so much so, that i sat and finished this in one sitting).

/content warning/
firebird does include a couple scenes with sexual violence, as well as death and gore. firebird uses wartime 🍇 was a part of the story, so please be mindful when you go into this book!

Firebird is set in a fictionalised version of Ancient Rome, where the Roman gods were actually dragons, and their Roman descendants are dragon shifters belonging to noble houses of varying rank.
The story follows Julianus Dakkia and Malina. Julian is a powerful dragon-shifting general in the Roman army and the nephew of the emperor. Malina, on the other hand, is a Dacian dancer with powers of her own—ones that have helped her Celtic tribe evade Roman rule. But when their paths cross again in the aftermath of battle, it sets off a chain of events neither can escape.

Firebird was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025, and thankfully, it lived up to my own hype. This book has essentially become my Roman Empire.

From the prologue alone, I was hooked. It’s fast-paced, gripping, and kept me completely engaged from start to finish.

I absolutely adored the setting (which should surprise no one), and I was captivated by the blend of history and fantasy. The world-building was excellent—despite the presence of dragons and magic, it still felt like Ancient Rome.
That said, true to history, this Rome isn’t kind to its women. The book doesn’t shy away from darker elements, so it’s worth keeping that in mind before reading.

As for the characters, both the MMC and FMC were fantastic, but Malina in particular stood out. She was strong-willed, compelling, and (thankfully) not helpless. She had her own power, and she used it. Even the side characters were well developed, adding real depth and meaning to the story.

I basically need book two immediately. Please. I have to know where this story goes next!

Massive thank you to Pan Macmillan, Tor Bramble and NetGalley for the eARC!

Absolutely amazing. A fantasy book with a touch of Roman history. Dragon shifters, god-touched women and a plot to overthrow what's not to love

Right from the start, one thing stood out to me as a Romanian reader — the use of Romanian words, which I found amusing. The author does explain that the heroine, Malina, is Dacian, so it makes sense culturally, but the usage felt inconsistent. There was a lot of Romanian woven in at the very beginning, and then… almost nothing later on. Given Malina’s heritage and inner struggles, I think sprinkling some of those Romanian words into her internal monologues would have made her voice feel more authentic throughout.

That said, the world itself? Stunning. It’s inspired by Ancient Rome, but with magic and dragon shifters added in. I don’t usually read shifter books, but this part was actually really cool and felt fresh. The world felt dark and dangerous, and the politics and violence kept me hooked.

The romance, however, was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Malina and Julian definitely have chemistry — the tension is there, the heat simmers from the moment they’re reunited — but it all happened a little too fast for my taste. With the power imbalance between them (legatus and slave), I would have preferred a slower, more deliberate development. I wanted to feel their connection deepen, not just be told it was there. The insta-love made it harder to fully invest in their relationship, though I did find Julian surprisingly lovable for a character in his position — he’s softer than I expected, which was a pleasant twist.

The pacing overall was great — I was never bored and finished the book in almost one sitting. The plot, the world, and the action kept me interested the whole time, even when the romance didn’t totally hit for me. Plus, the magic system and the whole dragon shifter element felt fresh and exciting.

Overall, Firebird is an addictive, atmospheric romantasy that balances brutal worldbuilding with intense romance. While I didn’t fully connect to the love story itself, the setting, tension, and sheer entertainment factor made up for it. If you love your fantasy served with a side of heat, some fascinating mythology, and a morally complicated world, this one’s worth picking up.

Rating: 5 🐉 Stars

Firebird is my first book by Juliette Cross. It’s a pulse-pounding novel set during the Roman Empire. Except, the Romans are dragon-shifters who rule Rome and beyond. 🔥

Firebird consisted of strong worldbuilding and themes of conquering and dragons… lots of dragons. With major themes of dark romance and forbidden romance in this book.

The protagonists, Malina, a Dacian dancer turned slave, and Julian, a Roman general and dragon were exceptional. I liked that their POVs were in first-person which enables the reader to fully immerse in their world.

Despite my initial dismay with the power imbalance between Malina and Julian, their relationship was anything but. Malina is a strong-willed character and is fully aware of the power imbalance. She even questions Julian and he always treats her well. Julian is her main protector and their relationship really blossomed from the beginning. I liked that there were tropes that were used such as the 'touch her and die' parts and mention of 'she's my mate'. Both Julian and Malina accepted his feeling from the very beginning and hid very little from her.

I’ve always been a huge fan of fated mates and this ticks all the boxes for Romantasy fans. In a world filled with uncertainty, I was glad that these two found each other.

The sneak peek of Book 2, Bloodsinger made me so excited for the new characters and what they are to bring.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC of FIREBIRD for review!

Malina & Julian
Dragon shifters
Forbidden Magic
Touch her and ☠️
Fated Mates

Our MCs meet in the prologue 4 years prior and we see an instant connection between them! Malina is a Dacian Dancer and Julian is a Roman General, the nephew of the emperor.

I love that this one is based on Roman Empire and I love the world building in this!

I really enjoyed this one. I love the dual POVs and cannot wait for the next book!

A tense and romantic story. This is another book about dragons and I can never have too many. It was full of interesting nods to ancient history and I was gripped right from the beginning. I loved the dynamic between Julian and Malina and the politics behind the dragons in Rome. I thought it was a very clever way to combine the two. I am definitely excited to read the next book especially after the sneak peak chapter at the end!!

Juliette Cross is a relatively new author to me. I read her Wolf Gone Wild back in 2024, and really enjoyed it. As soon as I heard about Firebird, I couldn’t wait. The premise of this book has practically everything I could possibly want in a book. Epic setting? Check! Dragons? Check! Romance? Check! I was so excited to pick this book up, and I was very excited when I got an early copy to review. I couldn’t wait to dive in and I went in with very high expectations… and boy were they met. I honestly loved this book so much.

Firebird is set to the backdrop of an alternate Roman Empire. The Roman’s are vicious and cruel… and they also happen to be dragon shifters. Our main character is a Dakkian dancer, Malina, who has a chance meeting with a roman dragon shifter. 4 years after this chance encounter, the dragon shifter Julian, sees her across the battlefield and saves her from enslavement by taking her away. Now she is seen as his ‘bodyslave’ and he is doing everything he can to protect her from the brutal goings on in Rome. But can their love survive this dark and dangerous environment?

I honestly loved this book! As I said previously, I have read a Juliette Cross book before and enjoyed it, but honest it has nothing on Firebird. I cannot believe just how different and superior this book is. I couldn’t put it down right from the very start. I will say I struggled a little with the whole slave / slave master elements at the beginning. You never worry for Malina’s safety or anything like that, but personally, I’m just not a bit lover of the power imbalance that comes with this kind of trope. So while I was a little bit like ‘ummm’ about it, I did persevere and I am so glad that I did. It was honestly fantastic and I ended up absolutely loving the dynamic and the relationship that develops between the two characters.

Firebird was honestly such a fantastic book. I loved the whole idea of the Roman Empire being imbued with magic and it made their danger and callousness all the more intense. I really adored this and think Juliette did a fantastic job of building up all of the magic and intrigue set in a familiar historical concept. I really enjoyed the incorporation of the gods and the story with Medusa and such. If you know, you know. It had so many fantastic elements and Juliette expertly weaved them all together. The characters were multi-dimensional and so much fun to read about, the world was dark and dangerous with just a touch of hope to keep you hanging on. I really enjoyed everything about this book. I really mean it when I say that this book is so much better than the previous ones I’ve read from her. If you’ve read the Wolf Gone Wild series and just thought it was okay, I really urge you to give this one a go as it is just superb.

Another thing I adored about this book is while it is first and foremost a Romantasy book, there is also such a strong plot. As a plot driven reader, I personally loved this aspect. I was honestly on the edge of my seat all the way through, dying to know what was going to happen next. I honestly would recommend it to any fantasy fan, as this plot really does stand on its own, away from the romance. It was such a fantastic read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the second book. It was such a fun read and it has definitely turned me into a Juliette Cross fan for life. I can’t stop thinking about this fantastic story and the characters. It’s been almost a week since I finished reading this one, and I can’t get into anything else. This has definitely left me in a book slump… but for the best reasons.

Firebird was truly fantastic. I did have some minor issues with it, such as the slave / slave master dynamic at the start, and I felt like the ending was a little bit rushed. I get the impression that the next book may follow different characters as the protagonists (as she has done in previous works as well) and that made me feel like there was a lot of rushing to get these points of view done so for that reason I have knocked half a star off the rating. But overall, this book was fantastic. I absolutely loved it and I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2. I’m so excited to see everyone else’s thoughts, when this book comes out in April. This is definitely one that everyone needs to pick up. You won’t be disappointed.