Favorite Quote:
“Stay with me, Gilene,” he whispered in her ear.
“I can’t,” she murmured, still half asleep.
“I will conquer all of the Empire to bring you back.”

This was probably my most anticipated book this year. If you were to ask me to make a list of my favorite fantasy romances of all time, Grace Draven would have four or five titles in my top ten. She weaves captivating, magical romances set in complex, detailed worlds.

And Phoenix Unbound is this author’s best work to date.

"For Gilene, spring was neither the season of rain nor of planting, but of suffering.

Gilene is a fire-witch, the only one in her small village, so every year when slavers from the Empire come to gather tithes for their Rites of Spring, she casts an illusion spell to change her appearance and marches toward the capital city. She knows what’s coming… her body offered as a plaything for the gladiators, and then fire, pain, and sacrifice. Only this time won’t be like all the rest and she won’t be going home when it’s over.

“Look at me,” he repeated in the same tone. His fingers curled around her jaw and pressed. She dragged her gaze to his, the drumming of her heartbeat making her chest hurt. He leaned closer, gripping her chin even harder to keep her still, eyes blazing in triumph.
“I know you,” he whispered.

Azarion is a slave and a gladiator. Betrayed by his family and sold into slavery, he has suffered and fought and endured pain and degradation at the hands of the empress. But he sees a chance at escape when he once again recognizes one of the women brought in as tithe for this year’s Rites of Spring. While her outward appearance is different, he sees through the illusion to the woman underneath. She is his way out, and he will do whatever he must in order to gain her cooperation.

Gilene doesn’t follow willingly, Azarion must force her to aid him in his escape. She has her own obligations to her village, knowing that if she doesn’t return, come next spring an innocent woman will be sent to the capital. Azarion wants her to stay with him to help find his clan and regain his birthright. They begin as enemies, at odds over Gilene’s fate, but it won’t be long before they see the beauty and strength in each other and fall in love.

"She was the wide grass plains of the Sky Below, the horse herds grazing under the sun, the Savatar women singing as they felted, the flap of the clan flags atop the atamans’ tents. She was freedom made flesh, and in that moment, she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever beheld.

Gilene and Azarion have a wonderful enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn romance. I think one of my favorite things about Grace Draven’s love stories is the understanding, friendship, and support her main protagonists offer each other. She builds their relationships slowly and steadily, and there is so much honesty between her heroes and heroines. Her heroines always have such remarkable strength and her heroes so much loyalty and courage. Gilene and Azarion have this chemistry that radiates between them from the moment they meet and it evolves into a tender, passionate sexual relationship. Where there was distance and doubt between them at first, by the end they are united in affection and trust. Gah, I loved them together.

I’m not going to delve too deep into the plot or accidentally give away spoilers because this book really should be read with a clean slate for maximum enjoyment, but I will say that the world-building is amazing. AMAZING. Vast, magical, brutal, yet beautiful at the same time. I loved the portrayal of the Empire as the evil overlords who must be defeated. I adored Azarion’s clan and how much reverence and respect were afforded the Fire Council, who are all women. There was this epic feel to the story as Gilene and Azarion make plans join other clans and topple the Empire. Is there such a thing as epic fantasy romance? Because I feel like now there might be.

This is such a beautifully crafted love story. It will most definitely be on my top ten list at the end of the year. I’m on the edge of my seat in anticipation for the next book in the series. Highly recommend.

Final Grade- A

I really don’t read all that many books labeled Romance, but will admit, sometimes, it is just what I want. I was offered this book right as I was in one of those moods where I was craving a bit (or maybe even a lot) of romance. So, despite having a backlog of other books to review, I couldn’t resist and accepted. And of course, I dove in right away,
Review from TenaciousReader: http://www.tenaciousreader.com/2018/09/24/review-phoenix-unbound-by-grace-draven/


The story, while quite different from The Hunger Games, does have a bit of the same feel since each town is expected to deliver one of their women each year to be be part of a mass sacrifice in the arena. This is the Empire’s way of trying to gain favor from the gods. Gilene has amazing talents, however, instead of giving her any sort of benefit, she is expected to use them only as a way for her town to circumvent the required sacrifice. For her it is more of a curse than a gift, something that puts her in a horrible position and exposes her to the pain and suffering that is a result of the Empire’s ways over and over.

The other main character is Azarion, who has been enslaved by the Empire for 10 years, fighting as a gladiator in the Pits. He is fierce and determined, and the fact he has survived so long is amazing. When Gilene and Azarion first meet, it is not romantic. Azarion uses Gilene for his own gain, mainly because he can think of no other way. After being imprisoned for so long, you can’t help but understand where he is coming from, but at the same time, you feel for Gilene. When their romance first started to shine, I couldn’t help but wonder if Gilene was starting to suffer from Stockholm syndrome just because of the way he had used her. However, as the book progressed, and I got to know Azarion, I just can’t help but root for the couple.

I want to preface this paragraph with a disclosure that I did read an ARC copy. Some of my issues here may well be cleaned up by the final edit, but I am little afraid some it may be just the author’s style. I initially was slightly apprehensive, partially because I found some of the word choices slowed the flow of the book a bit. It’s not that I had a problem with any of the words, they just somehow felt slightly out of place, or the phrasing seemed some what awkward. The easiest way to explain is that this is very much a quick enjoyable popcorn read. Part of what makes a great popcorn read is that the words just flow and the pace stays strong. When you come across a larger, less common word in the middle of it, it just seems to break that spell a bit if for no other reason to wonder why the author didn’t go for a more common word choice given the overall style and pace of the book. But, either that was a problem only in the very early parts of the book, or I adjusted to the writing style, or maybe the story just overpowered any of my thoughts about nitpicking word choices, because I got over it and quit noticing individual words or sentences and just focused on the story being told.

Overall, I am very glad I gave this one a shot. It was the perfect book and tone for my mood, and was a very satisfying read. I am definitely looking forward to continuing the series.

Gilene is like a phoenix who rises from the ashes. The empire requires that a woman from every village to burn as a sacrifice to the gods each spring. Since Gilene is impervious to fire, her village sends her to be sacrificed year after year. The empire is unaware Gilene is sent every year because of her skill with illusion. One of the gladiators figured out her secret, and he wanted to use it to his advantage.

Gilene and Azarion were victims of the empire. Despite what they had been through, they persevered. Azarion’s time as a gladiator was difficult. He’d been through more than most people could imagine, but at heart he still remained a good man who wanted to do what was right. Gilene was treated poorly by the people she protected, and yet she wanted to protect them anyway.

It was a slow burn romance. They were attracted to each other but that had no bearing their relationship developing. They genuinely grew to care for each other as they spent time together. Although Gilene was Azarion’s captive, this was not a case of Stockholm syndrome. I really loved the way this story came together. My only complaint would be that it ended too quickly. Everything was wrapped up, but I wanted more.

Simply captivating and positively riveting, Grace Draven’s PHOENIX UNBOUND is the tale of two slaves, each trapped under a corrupt empire’s thumb, their daring alliance and a seemingly impossible escape to freedom. But their freedom is only the beginning of their story as Gilene, who possesses a magical power over fire and Azarion, a gladiator forced not only to kill, but to prostitute himself to a brutal queen escape into a world riddled with fear, deceit and mistrust.

Azarion has his own secrets and he needs Gilene by his side, but he never expected to fall for the fierce woman who has given up a chance for happiness for the people she protects.

Impossible odds, horrific battles, and a love that grows through it all, these characters are electrifying to watch, each scene is as spellbinding as the magic used and Grace Draven should take a well-deserved bow for this one!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Ace!

Series: Fallen Empire - Book 1
Publisher: Ace (September 25, 2018)
Publication Date: September 25, 2018
Genre: Fantasy
Print Length: 400 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews, Giveaways, Fabulous Book News, follow: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Grace Draven creates an enthralling world in Phoenix Unbound that readers will get lost in., An bargain extorted under extreme duress sets Azarion, gladiator prime, and Gilene, an enslaved woman who is not all that she seems into an uneasy partnership that will set them free and on the path to destroy a corrupt empire that thirsts for violence. While the characters might feel familiar to readers familiar with Draven's work and certain world building elements feel borrowed from other narratives, the way Draven writes and combines these elements makes everything alive and fresh.

I liked Phoenix Unbound, I'll finish the series when it comes, but I didn't love it. I liked the idea of a woman whose gift of fire wielding simultaneously makes her a victim in one setting and a goddess in another. I liked the connection between the hero and heroine. I liked some of the world building and in other places felt the world building was severely lacking. Overall a solid 3/5

Phoenix Unbound is book 1 in the Fallen Empire series. I was drawn into this book by the cover, big shocker since I'm a cover lover. I'm so glad that the story was amazing and a must read for Fantasy Romance readers out there. I wasn't quite sure what to expect but I'm so glad I gave this a try since this is a book I won't soon forget.

We start off meeting our leading lady, Gilene as she's being picked for the annual tithe, the Rites of Spring. A girl in each town is rounded up and taken to the Krael Empire each spring. People gather in the Empire to watch the gladiator fights and then to see the girls be sacrificed in a fire. Gilene has a secret though, she wields her fire magic and casts an illusion each year to escape only to come back the following year to do it all again. No one has caught onto this until Azarion, the deadliest gladiator, who somehow sees through her illusion. He wants his freedom from the slavers so they make a plan to escape and wind up on the run from the guards. Our duo winds up on a dangerous journey in attempt to get Azarion back in his rightful place as the leader of his clan. I was questioning if Gilene would be able to part from him when the time came though.

Phoenix Unbound is a captivating read. I had a hard time putting the novel down and though parts were dark it was balanced out with the romance and the adventure. This world building was done really well, and the characters were attention grabbing. The pace was on point and I just had a really good time reading it, I didn't notice a lag at any point and I just kept wanting more. If you're a fan of Fantasy Romance you NEED to grab this book.

“Witch-fire the villagers named it. An ancient magic woven into the flesh and fabric of a single girl child born each generation in Beroe. No one knew from whence it originated or why only one woman from every generation in a small village inherited it, but the village elders had kept its secret close and had deceived the Empire for decades.”

When Berkley offered me this, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew the author wrote a book that many of my friends love, Radiance, but that’s honestly all I really knew. But friends, I was completely enthralled and captivated by this from page one. I never wanted to put this down, I fell so in love with the romance in this book, and this is one of my new favorite fantasy romances of all time. And I immediately added , Radiance to my TBR!

I will say that the world in this book is very dark, so please use caution while reading. Content and trigger warnings for rape (brief, but at the very start of the book), attempted rape, threats of rape, assault, slavery, captivity, death, murder, torture, gore, violence, sacrificial ritual, blood depiction, self-harm, misogynistic comments, sexual content and war themes.

“Be still. Be silent. Some lust for beauty, others for fear. Don’t show them yours.”

But in this world, every year the surrounding villages are forced to give the empire girls to be given to the gladiators for the night, to only be burned at a pyre come morning. And if a village refuses to give up a girl, they will be made an example of. The empire is the farthest thing from forgiving, and both our main characters witness this first hand.

➽ Gilene - Fire witch who has been the sacrificial girl for her village for the last four years, using her magic to disguises herself as a new girl. Even though she has to endure the torture of the night, she is able to walk free from the fire every year, without anyone noticing. Well, she didn’t think anyone could notice.

“Surely, he couldn’t recognize her. She’d returned to the capital time and again with a different face. Her skills with illusion were as refined as they were with fire. The slavers never knew they brought the same woman from Beroe to Kraelag year after year.”

➽ Azarion - The prime gladiator of the empire for the last ten years. He is a slave, and forced to fight in the arena, yet it also constantly gains him the attention of the Empress who does terrible things to him, in and out of her bed. Yet, when the girls to be sacrificed come in, and he has first pick, he sees a girl that he knows has been there before. And she might be his only chance at freedom.

And the two of their paths come together, and they are both harboring secrets that will change the outcome of the other’s world. Friends, I fell so hard and so fast for this romance. Let me for sure preface the rest of the review with that I am aware there is a very big power imbalance between Gilene and Azarion, since he does force her to help him more than what she agreed to. She is forced to be his captive for about half of this book, but it never feels like a stockholm syndrome type of storyline, at least not to me. And even though this is a dark book with a bit of a power imbalance, the author puts a huge emphasis on consent. And even when Azarion is using his privilege over Gilene, it is always and constantly challenged.

“I will conquer all of the Empire to bring you back.”

I think this book always has a really thought-provoking message about living your life for you, and not living your life for the expectations that your family places upon you. Duty is a huge theme in this book, and Gilene and Azarion both become aware that they are so much more than what they are expected to do, and that they both deserve happiness. And I loved watching them both come together, both willing to sacrifice it all for their homes, to both realize that they are worthy of love; not just glory.

And even though this is the start of a series, I really appreciated that the author really made this feel like a complete book. There is no terrible cliffhanger (even though the twists and turns are abundant), there is no unnecessary angst, there are no scenes that feel like filler. Yet, you are left wanting to read a hundred more books set in this world. Seriously, I’m here and ready for a book about a certain healer, a certain witch who can speak to the dead, and a certain f/f side romance that had me swooning. Like, all three (or four) books now, please! I’m begging!

Overall, I really loved this. The worldbuilding is fantastic, the writing is lush and beautiful, and the characters are phenomenal. I feel like it is so hard to find a good fantasy romance these days. Yes, there are a ton of good fantasy with swoon-worthy romances, and my heart will always love the PNR genre more than words, but I always have found it difficult to find a lot of actual fantasy romances. Honestly, the only other one that I love that comes to mind is The Bird and the Sword. Like, I hope 2019 is the year that we just get a ton of books that beautiful blend romance and fantasy the way that Phoenix Unbound has done, because I need more. I can’t wait to see what Grace Draven does next in this world.

Phoenix Unbound is the first book in Grace Draven's Fallen Empire series. It's a lovely romance set in a fascinating world, and I'm so glad I picked it up.

Gilene is a fire witch who is honor-bound to put the safety of her village above that of her own. Each year, every village in the empire is required to send a young woman to the capital city to be burned alive on a huge pyre for the entertainment of the masses and the glory of the gods. For the past five years, Gilene has journeyed to the capital and harnessed the fire to her will, making it possible for her to escape the blaze and return home only to make the journey again the following year. She's not at all fond of this, but she firmly believes she must continue to do it in order to save her fellow villagers from the fire. She hopes another fire witch will eventually take her place, but until then, she has resigned herself to making numerous trips to the empire's largest city.

Azarion is a gladiator who is enslaved and made to fight countless competitors in order to stay alive. He dreams of one day managing to escape and return home to the tribe he was destined to lead. He'd also like to get even with the cousin who sold him into slavery and stole his birthright. Up until recently, he hasn't been able to come up with a successful plan to escape, but when Gilene appears for the fifth time, he begins to think his dream might finally be within his reach.

One night, Azarion corners Gilene and blackmails her into helping him escape. If she refuses, he tells her he will alert the emperor to her ability to survive the pyre. She is understandably reluctant to get caught up in this scheme, but she's fully aware of the fact that he holds all the power, and so she grudgingly agrees to help him, on the understanding that he'll allow her to return home once they've fled the capital. Unfortunately for Gilene, Azarion has no plans to let her go. At least, not right away. He fervently believes that her fire magic will help him reclaim his position as chief of his tribe, and he is unwilling to release her from their bargain until his leadership has been confirmed.

Since I'm not normally a fan of romances that center around abduction, I fully expected to have trouble with Azarion's treatment of Gilene, but Ms. Draven does a fabulous job making him into a fully relatable hero. I definitely did not agree with his actions, but I was able to understand why he went to such extreme lengths to get what he wanted, and I ended up liking him quite a bit by the time I was halfway through the novel. He's been through a lot of tough things, and it would be completely understandable for him to have become an extremely bitter man; but he is able to retain quite a bit of his humanity despite the horror he has lived through.

Gilene is exactly the kind of smart, spunky heroine I adore reading about, especially in fantasy novels. She struggles to figure out where she fits in the world, and how much she really owes her fellow villagers. Watching her become her own person was a true delight, and I wish more authors would write heroines who deal so competently with deep internal struggles.

There is an obvious power imbalance in the first part of the book, so I had some initial concerns about the romance between Azarion and Gilene. I wasn't sure it would be believable, but Ms. Draven quickly allayed my fears. It's clear from the start that these two are attracted to one another, but they do not act on these feelings right away. Azarion never uses his position of power to take advantage of Gilene in a sexual way, and when the two of them eventually do come together, it feels totally right. They view each other as true equals, and I appreciated that more than I can adequately express.

The world Gilene and Azarion inhabit is very rich and complex, but Ms. Draven was able to make me feel completely at home there, and to explain how the world works without resorting to massive info-dumps. Since this is the first book in the series, there is a lot of room for both the characters and the world to expand, but nothing about this story felt incomplete or stilted. It really was the perfect way for a series to start.

Phoenix Unbound is the first book I've read by Grace Draven, but it certainly won't be my last. I look forward to future installments in this series, and I have purchased a couple of her backlist titles as well. I love fantasy romances, so I'm thrilled to have found another author who writes them with such skill.

Buy it at: Amazon/Barnes & Noble/iBooks/Kobo

Finding a fantasy novel with unique characters and setting can be difficult. The background of this novel calls back to a much crueler time in history while adding the unique element of magic. This novel also deals with difficult concepts that adults sometimes face. For every action, there is a consequence. This story challenges current societal concepts in an ancient setting.

This first novel in the Fallen Empire trilogy sets up the story and world of Gilene, Azarion, and their respective peoples who live bound by some truly malevolent rulers. Each year the exceedingly evil Krael Empire demands young women as sacrifices from outlying villages sent to the capital to die in a horrible manner. All this happens for the entertainment of the rulers and citizens as well as ostensibly appeasing the gods. After gladiators fight to the death, the next level of atrocity comes when the women are burned as tributes to the appreciative crowd’s roar. Gilene has selflessly gone to fill that role for the last five years. Using hidden powers as a fire witch that make her immune to the burning, Gilene saves other women from her village the horrible fate of brutality by the guards and gladiators, and then immolation. Azarion, the Prime Gladiator, has the magical ability to see through Gilene’s illusions. With Gilene’s reluctant help, Azarion foments an escape from the brutal fighting and the cruel, capricious whims of the Empress he has survived for the last ten years. Azarion forces Gilene to follow him back home to the Savatar people where he must face an enemy to reclaim a stolen birthright.

Gilene is a less than willing accomplice spending much of their perilous trek back to Azarion’s homeland resisting her growing attraction to this man whom she feels should be despised. They have a difficult and dangerous road to follow with Empire soldiers after them to capture the Empresses’ favorite fighter to use and torture. Azarion’s attraction to Gilene is much more than her usefulness in helping him and his people. He sees not only her physical beauty despite scars from her gift as a fire witch, but an inner loveliness coupled with a generous and compassionate heart. Gilene suffers much on behalf of her village to save other women though she receives poor treatment in return.

This well-crafted story is quite a heart pounder in places with characters the reader will come to care about very quickly. The action, adventure, and slow burn love story are very well paced and will take you on an intense and satisfying journey. Both Gilene and Azarion are people who refused to let their untenable situations destroy their souls or give in to the degradation over which they had no control. The great pleasures in Ms. Draven’s writing include an excellent tale, memorable characters, and fine storytelling with an emotional voyage taking readers on quite an intense ride. Ms. Draven’s fine attention to detail makes for a lush story of fantasy powered by real emotions to take the reader on a most wonderful journey.

This is exactly the kind of fantasy I love to read, but is so difficult to find. The storyline instantly engaged me, first of all. Which is not very common in the genre, as a general rule. The first in a fantasy series tends to take more time to get into because of the world building detail. In this case, Grace Draven has done a flawless job setting the scene in bite sized increments that allow you to sink your teeth into the real flesh of the story. I didn't waste a moment of this book. I painstakingly consumed it, savoring the atmospheric world one word at a time. You will take a trip out of the dank cells at the coliseum with captive blood soaked gladiators, through haunted towns, barrows with demonic guardians, past the imposing fire veil to the beautiful Sky Below. Where revenge will be satisfied, and two reluctant hearts will twine together that are destined to be torn apart.

Azarion and Gilene's personal plights are front and center from page one in gritty, raw, detail. Enslaved to the foul Empire, they no longer have the privilege of living a normal life. Their whole existence is narrowed down to one simple goal: survival. Honor, perseverance, and courage are traits they both share, and they were both equally heroic characters in their own right. Be prepared for them to cast their spell upon you and leave you utterly enchanted.

Gilene has the unfortunate duty of being the sacrificial lamb for Beroe year after year. Every generation, one person is born with her gift of fire manipulation. They're expected to become a "Flower of Spring" to be burned on the pyre as an offering to the gods. She faces her responsibility with grim obedience, because the alternative would weigh too heavily on her conscience. How could she refuse, when other lives would be lost unnecessarily? Possibly even those in her own family? While I admired her for her incredible strength, those she protected were selfish and weak in comparison.

I loathed them all for hiding behind her, and forcing her into a lifetime of hell. Physically and emotionally, she's a force to be reckoned with. Spiritually she is broken. The bitterness she feels towards the gods is something that holds her back from grasping who she truly is. She is a woman of immense power, even holding the ability of illusion, which is unheard of for other fire witches. Her latest illusion is about to fail her in the most spectacular of ways, and it will change her life forever.

Azarion is the Gladius Prime at the Coliseum. After ten years of enslavement to the Empire, he has become the fiercest fighter to play in their deadly games. He lives with one goal in mind, and that is to return to the Stara Dragana and reclaim what was stolen from him so long ago. All of the torture he's suffered only fueled the fire inside him to find justice. Gilene is his key to achieving that, and he doesn't hesitate to coerce, threaten, and kidnap in order to set his plan in motion.

There wasn't a moment of boredom with these two as they made their way to his clan on their long journey. Their path certainly wasn't for the faint of heart, but luckily they were both well used to tests of character and strength. Together, they were a force to be reckoned with. Grudgingly, on her part. While he grew closer to everything he ever wanted with each step they took, hers took her away from where she was honor bound to be. The tension between them was well done, ratcheting up my excitement to see them come together and help find some measure of healing.

This book. This incredible book. I loved every single minute in between the pages, and my mind refused to leave long after I closed it. It holds nothing back and goes right for the jugular. It was brutal fights, lovers finding tender solace, awe-inspiring backdrops, and some kick ass, powerful magic. Most importantly, as you can expect from Grace Draven, she has created characters you have no choice but to become invented in, and root for good to conquer evil.

It's invigorating to find a fantasy that isn't something you've read a million times before. It was different even from what I was expecting based on what she delivered in Radiance. It had a noticeably darker tone, but she didn't skimp on the emotional development of the romance in between the suspense. It was a slow burn in the background that was magnificent when it finally sparked. The ending was breathtaking!! My heart was in my throat the entire time, and I was white-knuckling my kindle through the action. And the good news? There is NO cliffy at the end, it leaves you with more story to tell, but not in a place of suspense. So really, what are you waiting for? Go one-click this stunning introduction to the Fallen Empire series, where a thrilling adventure awaits you.

Phoenix Unbound lived up to all my very high expectations. First, there is a dark situation that the hero and heroine must rise above, with so many obstacles thrown in their way. The greatest obstacle is the Krael Empire itself, with it’s iron fisted grip on the people, its decadent ways and total disregard for the people that they rule. Slave gladiator fighting and horrible burning sacrifices, which they delicately dub the ‘Rites of Spring’, make the Empire so easy to hate.

I enjoyed all the little things that were thrown in to describe the people and culture of both Azarion’s and Gilene’s people. The dyes that Gilene’s people make. Their clothing and food. The talented horse riders among Azarion’s people, the Savatar. The Savatar berry gathering excursion. The barrows, with the supernatural experiences that go with them.

Another thing I liked is that there is no love lost between Gilene and Azarion from the beginning. Azarion’s use of Gilene to reclaim his birthright means Gilene is forced to go to his homeland instead of hers. She is not happy. Not happy at all. It will take a long time for them to appreciate each other. In the meantime, as the reader, I liked both of these character even if they did not like each other. Both had a sense of responsibility to their people. I wanted them to overcome their differences and figure out a way to get together, even if it seemed pretty impossible. It is those impossible situations that make for such a good story.

Speaking of impossible, the Krael Empire seems quite impossible to defeat. They have all the power at the beginning. But the series title is Fallen Empire, so it is not a spoiler to say that our hero and heroine will go up against the Empire, each in a way that reflects their own strengths. The ending, was very satisfying. Even though this is the first book of a series, you don’t get that feeling at all. Phoenix Unbound is a complete story with no loose ends. Which also makes me happy!

I think it is fair to say that Grace Draven has much talent. Including Phoenix Unbound, I have read 8 books by Ms. Draven and everyone of them is a winner. If you enjoy fantasy with a generous dose of romance, you cannot go wrong with this author.

Through NetGalley, the publisher provided a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Detailed world building and well-thought-out characters and plot including gladiators, tribal communities, and magic. Just happens to not be my cup of tea, with the slavery and rape. Could not finish.

SO many trigger warnings for this one. Pretty much every TW for abuse, sexual assault, and grossness.

Do you like a bit of smut with your kidnapping fetish? This may be the fantasy for you! It is worth noting that this book got better as it went along, but that will never be enough to offset its truly rough start in the form of a rape scene, plenty of verbal sexual abuse of our main character by every man in this book, non-consensual touching, grabbing, pickings-up, and shovings-around.

That the rapist is a woman is interesting, but her body and sexuality is exploited by the book for titillation just as much as it is used to illustrate the fact that men can be victims too. Which is a thing, definitely, but I'd be way more okay with it if the explicit rape scene wasn't written like porn, all bobbing breasts and hardening shafts. Actually, scratch that, there's no way I'm okay with the first 80 pages of this book, at all. And I'm frankly disappointed that it leans so lazily on Stockholm Syndrome for the basis of the later, consensual, scenes. I get that the "unexpectedly noble kidnapper" trope sells, but it's 100% gross and I would just knee every man in this book in the balls, repeatedly, constantly, if I were ever forced to occupy the same slice of the space-time continuum.

Nah, I'm far more interested in the later political machinations and the overthrow of empire, frankly. Oh, and the token lesbians are cool, even though the author neglects to give their relationship nuance in the shadow of such a rigidly patriarchal society.

Look, I grew up in a subculture that thinks a woman's strength only has merit the moment it melts under the overwhelming sexual glare of the righteous masculine sun, and that the moment of submission is basically Instant Orgasm Powder™. That our main character just has to meet the RIGHT man, the man who can see past her scars and recognize her inner beauty, before she gets to ride off on a blissful wave of healing magical sex to marriage, babies, and presumably a position behind and slightly below the ruler of some grand empire—that's bullshit. Yeah, no thanks. I know plenty of women who buy into that myth, and plenty of those women are my family and friends. The myth eats them alive from the inside. Every time.

A lavishly painted fantasy world, a gritty plot, and compelling characters are only the the beginning of why this book pulled me in at page one, had my heart and guts clenching, and played on all my emotions. I’ve been meaning to pick up one of this author’s books so a new series release was the perfect opportunity.
Review

Phoenix Unbound introduces a world that centers around an old vast empire. It resembles the decadence and decay of the waning years of the Roman Empire enslaving and suppressing all before it. Lavish pageantry beside brutal entertainments in the coliseum-style pit. In the center is a gladiator slave who sees his opportunity to get free, return to his home, and get his revenge against the one who betrayed him. To gain his freedom, he threatens a fire witch from a small village to help him gaining her reluctant assistance. Gilene has used her magical abilities to be able to present herself each year as the village’s tribute for the human sacrifice to the gods. She is bitter and has no hope, but faces her fate with courage. This hostile, wary pair have an adventure that rocks an empire.

The world is a dark place for anyone not in the elite aristocratic class and I ached with hurt for those caught up as slaves or the poor class in the system. Rape, pillage, human sacrifice, brutality was all the norm (no, rape is not detailed out, but this is not a light and easy story). Even though, Azarion’s early actions might seem brutish, the author wrote it all in such a way that I was cheering for both him and Gilene even while they were opposed to each other. Both their situations were desperate.

The road trip style adventure of the first half lent to a nice slow build to the character and relationship development. There were some intense action moments and I loved how the magical element played a role. The second half of the book took on a whole different style adventure when a new people group were introduced that had a Mongolian nomadic culture that was a brilliant contrast to the Empire.

There was a great build to the final big climax and an emotional and slowly ebbing denouement that was perfect. I sobbed twice in the last quarter of this book and sat clutching it with a teary-eyed smile in the end.

In summary, I was left sated, but also hungry for me. I want more of this series and will be hitting Draven’s backlist hard. Those who love gritty adventurous fantasy romance should definitely snag this one.

I rec’d this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

PHOENIX UNBOUND is an exciting start to a promising series.

The book started out a little slow for me but that’s only because as the first book in a new series, I knew the author needed time to lay the groundwork. The buildup, however, does not disappoint! I was completely enthralled in the story and was chewing my fingernails to the very last page! Ms. Draven sure can keep a reader in suspense!

I really enjoyed reading the story. You can’t go wrong with a strong heroine and Gilene is all that and more! All the women in the book are strong, hardworking and resourceful and I really appreciated that. Azarion is an amazing character. Granted, he does do a few questionable things, but he is an honorable and noble hero.

The worldbuilding is interesting and dynamic. The characters are purposeful and vibrant. The action and adventure are thrilling and engaging. And the romance is tempered with a slow-burning passion, beautifully executed. I hope we don’t have to wait long for the next book. My mind is brimming with so many unanswered questions!

If you love a slow burn, enemies-to-lovers road romance, with mayyyybe a couple who will bring down an empire to be together, this is the fantasy romance you've been waiting for.

To be perfectly honest, I tried an earlier Draven title and wasn't into it. *Radiance* involved an interspecies political marriage and I just can't. However, this author combined forces with a few of my favorites last December for a holiday anthology and I loved Draven's novella a lot. Combined with some buzz on this title, I was keen to get my hands on it.

And I'm so glad I did! All the sweep and grandeur of your favorite epic fantasy, and none of the misogyny, although I'll add a trigger warning for rape. (It happens, but it is not a key part of the plot and is not described graphically.)

This hero surprised me a little. Tortured and abused for ten years in an arena strongly resembling gladiatorial Rome, he escapes with a mission, with ruthlessness, and yet also with empathy and tenderness, while Gilene is locked down under a tougher shell. Arguably, she has had an easier time, surviving an annual ritual that leaves her scarred, sick, and battered. But in between, she has a family, a home, a community, and work creating dyes (is it wrong that I want to hear more about this? I'm kind of a low-key textiles nerd). The difference is, she has no future that she can imagine, other than continuing this annual hell until she is too scarred and worn out to continue. She never expects to marry, or to bear children, and her role makes her othered in the community, with few friends. She has no hope.

What pulled me in was the gradual way that Azarion showed her a possible future. With a community that would respect and honor her gift, rather than one that would literally use her up with it. But she is the only one who can survive the annual tithe... so if she leaves her village behind for love, she is condemning her neighbors and family to death. Some reviewers have found the pacing slow, with the love between Azarion and Gilene taking a good part of the book to develop. To me, that gave some credibility to the enemies-to-lovers arc, and I enjoyed the worldbuilding so much that I didn't find pacing a problem.

There are a couple of really pivotal scenes that the author did an outstanding job on. One was a battle to the death involving feats of horsemanship, swords, and an eventual beheading. The other was a scene of intense magical power, and I won't say more to avoid spoilering, but my reaction to it was WOW!! Not every author can pull off those sorts of climaxes. I was never thrown out of the story and never lost my suspension of disbelief for a second.

Gilene and Azarion's happily ever after was hard-fought and well-earned. This book appears to be the first in a new series, but I have no insights on whether future books will feature the same couple or different ones. I have some hopes: I hope to read Halani's story, and perhaps Tamura's. Halani, a woman of uncanny healing skills, travels with a merchant's caravan reminiscent of the Romany, led by an uncle of dubious morality and including her mother, who has some sort of mental or neurological delays. Tamura is the hard-riding, hard-fighting sister of Azarion, in love with the headman's wife. None of the male secondary characters jumped out at me, but I am really, really crossing my fingers for Halani. There's also a super-creepy haunted village, a wounded but surviving super-villain, and some mysterious hints about dragon blood. There's DEFINITELY a setup for future books here, and I can't wait.

This review is also published at https://www.alphaheroes.net/2018/09/giveaway-and-review-for-phoenix-unbound.html

4.5 stars

Wonderful slow burn fantasy romance.

Grace Draven is a master at creating fantasy stories with couples whose journey to each other is highly satisfying. Gilene is what her people refer to as a fire witch, and her village compels her to use her magic with fire and illusion each year to fool the Empire into thinking they have contributed a woman to their barbaric burning sacrifice. Her suffering matters little to them. Azarion has been enslaved for ten years, forced to kill others in the gladiator ring to save his own life. Gilene and Azarion start out as enemies when Azarion coerces her to free him from captivity and forces her to accompany him back to his homeland to reclaim his birthright as chief of his clan.

The initial antipathy gradually changes into respect, admiration, and then much more as they face dangers and challenges both individually and together. The development of their relationship never feels forced or false, unlike so many stories with unrealistic instalove. There are a couple of interesting women who appear in this story whose tales may well be covered in future books in this new series. I’m not sure if those upcoming books will focus on Gilene and Azarion or on them, but either way they will jump to the top of my TBR list.

Grace Draven's Phoenix Unbound is the first installment in the authors Fallen Empire series. The story alternates between Gilene of Beroe, and Azarion, a Savatar warrior who has spent 10 years as a slave and Gladiator. One could say that this is a story of enemies who become lovers, not unlike Amanda Bouche's A Promise of Fire. Every year, each village is required to send a woman to the Empire's capital to be used as prostitutes for the slave-gladiators fighting and to be burned alive as a sacrifice to the Gods in the Rites of Spring.

For the past five years, Gilene, a fire witch with the ability to manipulate her appearance has been participating in this callous event to protect the women in her village. But this year is different. Things are different because Azarion, a famous gladiator who can see through her illusion, blackmails her to escape the clutches of slavery. For 10 years, Azarion he has been a slave and one of the Empire's top gladiators. He has been biding his time until the right moment to escape his tormentors, especially the Empress who uses him as entertainment and her personal sex toy.

It is fair to say that I had a Déjà Vu moment while reading the beginning of the story. It was eerily familiar to A Promise of Fire. Here you have a female protagonist who is kidnapped and used by the male protagonist. She is dragged far from her home and her brothers who are stunned when Azarion takes her and quickly disappears. Azarion really wants only one thing from Gilene. He needs a so called agacin (Fire Witch) to reclaim his birthright, and what's more impressive than someone who can use illusion and fire to survive?

I'm impressed by the author's world building. I am even OK with how dark and wicked this story was in the first part of the story. This is the first story that I have read by the author, but have heard that she is at the top of her game when it comes to fantasy/romance novels. They weren't wrong. I have so much respect for Gilene. Here is someone who has spent years protecting other young women of her village, sacrificing herself over and over again, and then expecting to continue until someone else can take her place.

Over the course of the story, she grows leaps and bounds and makes herself undeniably the strongest character in this story. I also respected Azarion, even though I didn't think what he did was the right thing to do. But, he does understand something that Gilene doesn't. Her village and family doesn't really care about her, or her feelings, or her future. They only care that she makes sure that she is the tithe every year without failure. And, if she suddenly disappears without a trace thanks to being kidnapped, well, pox be upon her for allowing it to happen in the first place!

Recommendation: Yes, absolutely. I can honestly say that I would be perfectly fine were this to be a standalone. After all, you have a beginning, a middle, and a pretty clear ending. What else do you need?