I was very excited about this one and I thought the setting and set-up of the story was great. Unfortunately I was pretty disappointed the more I read. I found the pacing very off, would've like a lot more tension throughout. The sex scenes were odd to me. The ending just sort of resolved itself. I was left wanting and will likely no be picking up the future books.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I was sucked in immediately and could not stop until the book was over. The plot was interesting and kept a good pace which is something I really look for in a book. Also the characters were unique and there journey kept me enticed the entire time. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

I really like Juliette Cross’s writing and I was hooked immediately, I love the prophecy and that there is witches and dragons in the book but I didn’t like that FMC is a slave.

This was a great enemies to lovers, intricate world building and lore, doesn't stray into the realms of overwhelming, a really unique story, chemistry between the characters was palpable, I think this is both epic and romantic!

Unfortunately this one will end up being a DNF for me. I tried really hard to love it - and the cover with the edges is beautiful!! I think the hook of house of the dragon meets from blood and ash will be well received from booktok. Dragons are super popular!

I was not hooked into the story right away. We know that Julian was enamoured when he watched Malina dancing but we don’t know why he is so infatuated with her. Perhaps that would have been explained later in the book. With the author using a lot of “tell not show” it was more difficult to read through. Finally, the master/slave dynamic that we get here is not one that I find appealing and makes the MMC less likeable.

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

This is a really great paranormal romance. The characters are great!

Could not put this book down! Loved the characters, the world, and the magic. There was a perfect balance of plot and romance and I need the next book.

I've read other stuff from this author that I really enjoyed and I was excited for this book, but I found the summary to be a bit misleading and failed to mention things that I had issues with throughout this book. The idea that the Romans were dragons and were conquering Europe thanks to their strength as dragons is super creative, but obviously this is a fantasy version of the past. Why in a fantasy version is slavery still included? I was jarred and completely put off by the fact that Malina becomes Julian's slave and that there were no content warnings about this. I found it to be unsavory to say the least and was a major issue I had with this book. Towards the middle of the story I was getting into it a bit more although it still is by no means my favorite book. But then we get to the last 10% of the book and things seem to be wrapping up extremely fast as though the author forgot that the book was supposed to be ending soon. It all felt rushed and then the big bad (Caesar) isn't assassinated even though we got so much lead-up to this happening. The book ends on a cliffhanger/happy-for-now type ending obviously leading into each sister getting their own book. Overall, I found the lack of content warnings to be an oversight and the fact that slavery was a feature at all in a fantasy world was unnecessary. Additionally, there are mentions/descriptions of rape and sexual assault throughout the book. I found the story to end a bit rushed and to be highly predictable. I'm not sure if I would read the next book in this series. This one was so-so for me hence the 3 star rating as the writing wasn't bad and the story was okay, but as I mentioned above, the issues I had with it were hard to overlook.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bramble for the ARC! #IndigoEmployee

My Rating: 4 Stars.

Honestly, the first thing I need to mention is the beautiful cover that is so stunning, that without a doubt will make me purchase the book for my shelf even with the ARC.

Ancient Rome and Dragons, you had me from the very beginning. The story was well written and kept my attention throughout, and while I was able to guess certain plot points coming my way, others completely blindsided me in the best way. I felt the immediate spark between the two main characters, and absolutely adored how down bad Julian was for Malina.

As the setting is Ancient Rome, there is definitely some content warnings needed for this book. There is frequent talk, reference, and view of slaves and brutal actions towards prisoners of war, as well as a lot of references and lead-ups to sexual assault, though we never actually see it. However there is no romanticizing what is going on towards this, and nothing about it is overly graphic.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, with only a few issues about it. I feel like there are still a lot of questions left unanswered and characters thrown around just left behind in the wind. I’m hoping these will all be addressed in future books within the series, and look forward to seeing the outcomes. I also found myself struggling in some of the sex scenes, specifically because of one word used more than once that made me cringe so badly and would take me out of my enjoyment, and find some slang terms absolutely unneeded, but without them I enjoyed the whole thing.

Overall I think it was a phenomenal book, and I look forward to continuing with the series as it goes on.

This had me at the ancient roman setting. This was SO good. It was easy to read, I loved Malina and Julian.

This was a wondrous world, steeped in magic and violence. Fighting for power in a world ruled by dragons is dangerous, but fighting for love could be much more deadly.

I really loved this romantasy! The Roman history angle was so unique but not overwhelming. The world-building was detailed and easy to follow. I love the chemistry between the main characters,,,great enemies to lovers. Can't wait for the next one!

INFINITY STARS!

The chemistry is off the CHARTS in this new, spicy romantasy featuring DRAGONS! Julianus Dakkia, the nephew to the emperor or Rome and general of his uncle's army, and Malina, a witch-dancer from a conquered people, are from different worlds; indeed, they are entirely different species. Still, they can't help but be drawn together. But in a world of dangerous dragons where Caesar controls all, will these star-crossed lovers conquer all with their love? Can this slave and general even be together, or will they be destroyed? Find out in this sizzling new adult fantasy. You will indeed enjoy this ride, just like Malina... *wink* Also, he can shift into a dragon...and eats anyone who merely looks at her wrong.

Though compared to House of Dragons and From Blood and Ash, I actually think it is more like Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent, but where dragon shifters rule Rome, so maybe like Spartacus?

Regardless, with the special edition sprayed edges featured in the first printing, you will want to preorder this one today and quickly.

Simply said, I’m ready for more! The excitement and anticipation, I just couldn’t stop putting this down. And thank goodness Juliette likes to write interconnected standalones because I’m not so patient. Dragons in Roman times, while fascinating, this world is absolutely ruthless. But it gripped me the entire way, yet eager for a lot of things to unfold.

If you’re a Juliette fan, here’s yet another one to fall in love with. Malina and Julian definitely make my list of characters to love. There’s definitely so much at stake when it comes to their relationship and I don’t think death would even keep them apart.

Saddle up for this one!

Please take note of the content warnings.

4.25/5

4.5 ⭐️

Firebird was an addictive, fast paced read with chemistry off the charts! Malina is the last living Celtic of her clan and she possesses a special magic that allows her to control others emotions. That’s how she has survived so long. Julian is a pure blooded Roman and therefore, a powerful dragon shifter. He leads his uncle, the Cesar’s, army but is harboring a secret. Our two leads first meet in the prologue 4 years prior to the main plot and there is an immediate connection between them.

This alt historical Roman inspired fantasy is best gone into blind! Just be sure to read the short glossary to understand the types of dragons.

Touch her and die
Fated mates
Insta love
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you so much Bramble for an eARC, I enjoyed this immensely!

This book is a gripping romance filled with rich historical layers, fantasy elements, and high-stakes danger. The Roman rule and shifter dragons create a fascinating landscape and a brutal society. If you love forbidden romance and fierce characters mixed with political intrigue, this is your book.

The book is told from a dual point of view between Julianus and Malina. Julianus is a powerful Roman noble with a long history and linkage to the great dragons of Rome. His role as a fierce Roman general and nephew to the Emporer is legendary. Yet he exposes his protective side for Malina. His inner conflict between duty and Rome and his bond with Malina adds to his character development.

Meanwhile, Malina is fiercely independent as a Dacian dancer with no home. She is captured as an enslaved person to be sold in the Rome market. Julianus saves her from a soldier and purchases her to help in his household. Their chemistry is incendiary, shaped by fate and ancient bonds. The dragon lineage adds a thrilling, supernatural touch that raises the stakes, especially as their union defies the constraints of Roman rule and the ever-looming danger of imperial punishment.

The book is not just romance but also a strong backdrop of political intrigue and savage rule that heightens the tension. Expect a read filled with love, betrayal, and unforgettable battle scenes against the historical and supernatural world.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Tor, Bramble.

Thank you Tor Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book has magic, dragons, Roman Gods, and some serious chemistry between the FMC and MMC. The story has a quicker pace, since it’s just over 300 pages. It hooked me fairly quickly and kept me wanting to come back for more. I really enjoyed Malina and Julian’s story and I’m excited to see where the rest of the books go. Oh, and there’s a nice little plot twist at the end!

Some of the writing was a little cringy and if we could not make “Cunny” a thing, that’d be great 🫣 But overall very much enjoyed this story!

Such a clever and interesting setting and premise. I really enjoyed this. I felt perhaps the romance happened too quickly for the initial premise? But I’m hoping that further books in the series might focus on other characters in which case the fast relationship would make more sense. Either way, I’m overall happy with the book and highly suggest to anyone looking for an excellent fantasy romance.

While there are many aspects of Firebird that I enjoyed, one thing stood out from the beginning that put me off. Set in a world adjacent to Ancient Rome (but with dragons), our male lead Julian is a Roman general and our female lead Malina is a Dacian dancer toward rebel. As was typical at the time, when she's captured after battle, Malina is enslaved. Yes, Roman slavery was different than our more modern understanding and yes there are compounding factors that are revealed partway through the book, but at it's heart, I did not like the master/slave dynamics. This is a conversation that has been had a lot in romance (no nazis, no master/slave romance), it hasn't been really touched in the growing realm of romantasy. I think there are ways the book could have been handled where there were still complex power dynamics at play without having Malina enslaved to the love interest.

I feel like in its desire to hit the romantasy beats Firebird rushed everything else. A romance plot that might have been stretched over 2-3 books is crammed into one book's plot. I have a feeling the series will be structured like a romance series (different main couple each book) and I think given what I've read I would rather more POVs from the beginning and everything stretched out.

This is not to say the book was bad. There are many aspects I enjoyed. Beyond the insta-love with her oppressor, Malina was a fascinating character. I liked her interactions with the other enslaved individuals. Given her status, I think it would have been interesting if the book leaned in a Spartacus/slave uprising direction instead of a more basic "kill the emperor" direction. The level of rebellion that characters engage in would mainly benefit the noble and free Romans, neither of which includes Malina.

On a completely unrelated note, Julian is mentioned as being seven feet tall and I could not get that out of my head the entire book. Malina's height is never mentioned but context clues make her seem to be of average height. Despite likely being freakishly taller than her and everyone around him, Julian's height is never touched on again. I almost wonder if it was a typo and it was supposed to say six feet tall? Yes, being seven feet tall is totally possible, but would create a serious height difference that maybe should have been remarked upon more. Also, their sexy times would have required more contortions that there were.

I will likely check out book two in the series and am curious how the rest of the series is handled, but I do think this could have been handled better.

Firebird surprised me in the best way possible. This dark romantasy masterfully blends dragons, Roman generals, and magic into a captivating tale. I initially had some skepticism, but I’m so glad I pushed past it. Julianus is a magnificent character—holy hell, I have a new favorite ML. More, please. The chemistry between him and Malina is electric, and their relationship is one of the most compelling parts of the story. Despite not usually enjoying darker romantasy themes, Firebird made me fall in love. It’s tender, raw, and surprisingly realistic (character development, depth, and so on). Malina's character and her journey also deeply resonated with me.

I devoured this book and couldn’t put it down. I'll definitely be reading it again and again. The world, with its dragon mythology and imperial politics, is richly imagined, though I hope future books will delve deeper into the worldbuilding. Overall, Firebird is a fantastic start to what promises to be an exciting series—perfect for fans of high-stakes romance and fantasy. I'm eager to see what comes next, and I am rushing to see what other stories this author has to offer.