Firebird by Juliette Cross

Firstly, a huge thank you to Pan Macmillan | Tor Bramble for providing me with the ARC of this book. I’m thrilled to be able to read and share my experience!

If you’re a fan of historical settings, morally grey characters, and dragon shifters, then this book is definitely for you. The world-building is fascinating and works in such a way that it gradually pulls you into the story. Rather than overwhelming the reader with too much information upfront, the setting is revealed piece by piece, allowing you to settle into the story without feeling lost or confused.

This book does delve into darker themes, so be sure to check the trigger warnings for subject matter. I wasn't aware that I needed a fantasy take on Rome, but once I started reading, it felt like a breath of fresh air—especially given how much of the genre can sometimes feel repetitive. This book stands out with its unique takes and world building.

That said, I do have one small complaint: the repeated use of the word cunny. At first, I thought it was a term used by a particularly unpleasant character, but it’s actually repeated. Personal preference, I suppose, but it did slightly take me out of the immersion. That being said, it didn’t detract from the undeniable heat and tension between the characters. 🥵

Touch her and die
Fated mates
Morally grey MMC
Headstrong FMC

All in all, this book is a fantastic read if you’re looking for a fresh twist on familiar tropes. The romance is sizzling, 🌶️🌶️🌶️ the characters are rich, and the setting is something truly unique.

I've got the Waterstones special edition on preorder and I can’t wait to add this to my collection!

I was excited by the premise of this it did not hit, I feel the blurb is missing some very key information required for this story. I also hope in the main copy there is a list of trigger warnings as my arc copy did not have any and I feel there are certain scenes which some readers will not be prepared for. I had high hopes to begin with and there is certain parts of the story I did like. The ending being part of it, I know this is not a standalone, so I expected twists one realisation felt very obvious. The MMC questioning how he had not thought of it had me screaming at the book. I think for me I struggled with the romance as although Julien was good at heart the imbalance of power between them was not sexy in this it felt wrong for me. I did nearly DNF but I really wanted to give this one a chance.

It seems like Ancient Rome inspired books are becoming more common in fantasy romance. Firebird is the second I've read over the last two weeks and because I enjoy roman settings in TV/ films, I was excited to read Firebird.

Julianus first meets Malina when he sees her and her sisters dance. Years later, they meet again when Julianus defeats her adopted clan in battle. Recognising her, he is outraged when one of his soldiers tries to assault and kill her. He promptly kills the soldier and spirits Malina away to Rome to be his body slave. I generally find romance with such large power imbalances to be distasteful but I have read a few historical romances set in Ancient Rome where it's been done well so I was willing to go with it instead of DNFing. The author tries make the relationship seem more balanced by never having Malina act like a slave and of course, the brutish general actually has a heart of gold and treats his slaves well but I did feel that it was a bit of a cop out. It could of added a layer of complexity to the romance but instead it was a non-issue especially when combined with the dragon aspect of the novel.

My main issue with Firebird was the poor characterisation. Malina and Julianus are like pretty much like every other main characters in popular fantasy romance novels. Malina is spirited, stubborn and fiery and Julianus is the fierce warrior with a good heart. At least Malina wasn't stabby as well. I lost what little respect I had for Malina as the novel went on, her fear/ hatred or Romans disappeared pretty quickly and she was soon worshipping roman gods. At one point, she unnecessarily hints at a secret rebellion to two women she barely knows. Granted, Julianus wasn't much better given one of the "twists" towards the end were so obvious, it's absurd that he didn't even suspect a little.

The romance was poorly done. There's a couple of paragraphs about how Julianus tells Malina about his childhood and then apparently they are in love. All tell, no show. It lacked tension and yearning. The attraction seemed superficial

The dragon aspect of the novel was very underwhelming. In fact, if the dragons were removed from plot, it would make very little difference. Julianus's own dragon only pops up a few times to growl possessively and declare Malina his (which given she is literally his slave is somewhat distateful), which is something Julianus the man declares many times over the novel, anyway. I felt the mate aspect cheapened the romance, it would have been more compelling if Julianus agonises and chooses to risk everything to be with a slave but because they're mates, it's a given.

While Firebird will probably become moderately successful given it has all the ingredients to make a popular fantasy romance novel, even though I didn't hate it, the novel was not for me.

I really feel like this had so much promise, but for me it fell a little bit short. I really enjoyed the overall story, but the romance just missed a bit. I much prefer a slow burn and this was too fast for me. But if you lose a fast paced romance this is definitely the one for you.

3* read.
I had such high hopes going into this book so really gutted that it did fall a bit flat for me. The story did interest me, but felt it just needed a little more in parts.

The story was about a witch who has empathic powers, she is captured and made slave by a famous roman General (who is a skin changing dragon, similarly to a significant number of other Roman warriors) after meeting him 4 years earlier. The Emperor is corrupt and the general is keeping secrets.

The romance for me, felt very rushed and an instant love, the mix of slave x slave master was a bit much for me, I had hoped when the relationship was blossoming that she'd be free by then, but there we go!

I felt like the world building and politics had so much potential and could have been delved into so much deeper. There could have been so much more detail about the leadership. There were moments and words in the book that just had me cringing 😬

Dragon shifters? Fated Mates? Enemies to lovers? Combine this with the historical setting of which just so Halle s to be. Part of history I am obsessed with? SOLD. This was impeccable!! I just know that this is going to be such a success when it is released, and if it’s not the next big novel, I’ll eat my words. I loved this so much!!!!!

Okay, now to get into the review. This book was one of my most anticipated release of the year after spying the gorgeous special edition at Waterstones and I am so glad it did not disappoint!! Typically, with books that occur or take inspiration from period of history which I have studied extensively, I become apprehensive as to wether they are going to do those historical cultures justice, and find myself picking the narrative apart. This one took me by shrouded! I adored this book, I found it the perfect blend of a historical setting with clear influences to the characters, and fantasy!!! I cannot articulate how obsessed I am that this did not simplify or underplay the violence of the culture and realisties of war - and then combine it with dragons!! Are you kidding? It was stunning.

The plot was multilayered and I loved the duplicity that was occurring within the subplot of Julian against Ceasur. I felt Julian was a fleshed out, developed character, and I appreciated ships internal monologue and struggle given his political situation so much. I adored how he cared for Malina, even whilst she was resisting their connection.

Although, the only reason this was not a five star read for me is because personally, I would’ve liked a bit more detail in the development of Malina and character in the first half of the novel. I did not fully believe her dislike for Julian, and I think this is a personal preference that it felt a bit too insta-lovey for my liking. I also would’ve loved more from her life with the Celts prior to being taken by Julian - especially given her romance as a witch and her magical ability. However, there were brief reference to this part, and again, I think it’s a personal thing that given that I love this period of history, I think that’s why I wanted to see more of this. Given that the focus of the narrative is on the coup, I can appreciate that this wasn’t needed.

I could honestly keep rambling about this book, as I find books set during the Roman Empire so intriguing, and this one would be a great place to start for those wanting to get into historical romantasy! I will say, the world building is mainly through characters and dialogue, and is very typical of the romantasy genre, so I would say to be aware of this prior to reading.

BRB, preordering the special edition for sure now!!

Thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for the ears. This is an honest review left willingly, and thought and opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Pan MacMillan for the chance to read this early.

The Booktok masses are going to go crazy for this romantasy. If you like:

Fated mates
Touch her and die
Dragons/shifters
Forbidden magic
Alternate history

Then you'll love Firebird.

Unfortunately for me, I found this to be a cookie-cutter romantasy with all the tickbox tropes. The most interesting part for me was the prologue. It was set up to be a feminist dark romantasy but the story fell flat. This book also confirmed for me that I'm not a fan of the slave x master trope due to the power imbalance.

If the author had delved further into the dragon lore and Malina's magic combined with the romance, Firebird could have been a refreshing read.

That being said, it was extremely easy to read and entertaining enough for a quick binge read. It was also refreshing to have open and honest communication between the MMC and the FMC from the beginning.

Thank you for the e-arc, I was so excited to read this after being recommended by one of my local booksellers.
This book isn't groundbreaking, but I didn't expect it to be. It was enjoyable, steamy & an easy read.

Juliette Cross has written one of my favorite paranormal romance series and when I saw that she was writing a romantasy series, I was all for it! This is a fast paced book set in Ancient Rome with lots of spice and intrigue! 

Malina has lost her family, her home and now she is a captive of the Romans, when the Roman general saves her. She is now a slave into his home but she soon realizes that the great warrior has many secrets that will endanger both. 

Julian is the nephew of the depraved emperor, he leads an army killing all that stays in his way but the fierce girl calls to his dragon inside him. His dragon immediately considers Malina his and he will do anything to keep her. 

I really liked Malina' s character. She is a witch with the ability to control others' emotion and although, she is strong, she is not cruel.I would have preferred for her talent to be more explored.  Julian is a dragon shifter and  brutal and you cannot justify all the murders of the innocent people but his goal is to kill the emperor, so it is common for Ancient times. I loved his kindness towards his slaves and how different was into his home. 

I am not a fan of insta-lust/ love even though these two are mates, so I would have liked to see more tension and build up into their relationship. I love good banter and animosity and these two were all in instantly despite the fact that they are sworn enemies. 

I loved that this book was set in an alternate Ancient Rome which was unique and I am curious about the secondary characters that seem to get their own story. 

Firebird is a nice start to this series and hopefully, the next book will get us more action, political twists and turns and undeniable love!

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.

House of the Dragon meets From Blood and Ash! Absolutely fantastic. I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this when it releases

Really enjoyed this romantasy in the beautiful setting of Rome.
The romance was written well and I enjoyed that the plot wasn't solely focused on the romance.
Can't wait for the next one!

Sadly this one wasn’t for me! While the premises sounded really interesting, I could not get behind the whole slave owner x slave pairing.

I think this will be a hit or miss for most, but will be really big in the romantasy genre!

I really enjoyed this fantasy romance that takes place in an alternate Ancient Rome! Malina was a great MC who was willing to do whatever it takes to survive this cruel world. I loved the chemistry between her and Julian. I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Actual rating: 3.5

He showed me the unparalleled beauty of the world as the gods saw it, as he saw it.

It’s no secret that romantasy seems to be taking the book world by storm lately and ’Firebird’ is sure to delight many of the fans of the genre. Elements of its setting made me think of ’An Ember In The Ashes’ whilst its characters and the bonds between them is sure to intoxicate fans of Sarah J Maas’ books, particularly her ’A Court Of Thorns And Roses’ series. Plus with the inclusion of dragon shifters I can certainly see this book being a draw for fans of the ’Empyrean’ series too (although I haven’t yet managed to read that one, so I’m making a judgment based upon what I’ve heard alone). So if a Roman inspired romantasy book filled with dragon shifters and heavy on the heat sounds like your kind of read then ’Firebird’ is sure to be a sultry dream come true.

The world that ’Firebird’ is set within fascinated me with its mix of Roman history and dragon based fantasy features. Dragons are something that fascinate many a fantasy reader and linking them in to the deities of the Roman world was an intriguing route for the author to go down. Likewise the world itself is inspired by the Romans and paints a pretty bleak picture at times with slaves, suffering and macabre ceremonies taking place. It’s an often brutal and bloody world and with its two points of view being that of a legatus and a slave it did give me those aforementioned ’An Ember In The Ashes’ vibes on occasion. Although that is for the military inclusion, brutality of the world and inclusion of slaves. In terms of tone this book is definitely focused most fully on the romance.

And how did I find that romance? On the whole I really enjoyed it. The spark is there from the start and the heat between the characters really jumps off of the page. There are some truly squirm inducing encounters early on where you can feel the tension and heat without anything truly sexual happening. And when it does those scenes definitely call to mind the work of Sarah J Maas. Needless to say the action, and Julian’s dragon nature, are sure to delight fans of her work. Yet, as I’ve admittedly also found with some of the books within her ’A Court Of Thorns And Roses’ series I did have two occasions when I found myself thinking ‘really here?’ or ‘now?’ I mention this only to be truly honest in my opinions; I know that plenty of other readers will simply be swept away by the steamy vibes.

Truthfully my only struggles with this book really stem from a similar root place. The aforementioned ‘here?’ moment led onto some complications with the more political side of things that, given the recklessness of the moment, kind of got under my skin. I also felt like big declarations and shifting feelings happened a bit swiftly for my tastes. I understand why – but can’t say due to the spoiler risk – but I’d rather there’d been a bit more of a slow burn edge at times.

The characters were interesting and kept me invested throughout. I particularly enjoyed discovering the bits of Julian and Malina’s pasts that they shared with one another. Some of the supporting characters, such as Stefanos, were well fleshed out and the main villain is certainly a chilling one with schemes to turn the hardiest of stomachs.

Ultimately I recommend ’Firebird’, particularly to fans of the romantasy genre. If you’ve enjoyed the ’A Court Of Thorns And Roses’ series then this has many a feature, and an overall feel to the romance involved, that I can certainly see appealing to you. It kept me invested throughout and certainly had a couple of moments that sent shivers down my spine. Personally I’d have appreciated a little more slow burn tension and emphasis on some of the political manoeuvring but I still enjoyed the experience enough to want to know what will happen next. And if you’re here mainly for a sultry, heated romance, with a dash of blood and dragons, then you’re in for one hell of a treat.

I've read fantasy based in many different time periods and locations, but this was my first set in ancient Rome. The world setup is very familiar to anyone who's learnt about 'the Romans'... just with dragon shifters as the ruling class.

We have Malina, a Dacian witch who has spent her whole life trying to avoid the horrors of the Roman Empire. And we have Julian, nephew of the emperor himself and known as the most cold-hearted of the Roman generals. After a chance meeting years earlier, the two are reunited when Julian saves Malina's life on the battle field and takes her back to Rome to be his slave.

I really liked the main characters - both individually and together. Each had been through their own struggles and experienced very different horrors day-to-day. Be aware that this is a fated mates book, and so a certain amount of attraction is always going to happen quickly - although there's build up it's not one for fans of slow burn.

The world these characters live in is brutal. There is no glamour put on the reality of the conquering empire's wars, and the emperor himself is truly truly horrible. This is absolutely right for the story, and the setting of ancient Rome, but is worth being aware of before going in.

It took me a little while to get into this, but once I did get into it I struggled to put the book down. Very much anticipating the release of the next book in the series - particularly after that epilogue!

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!

This was an interesting and solid portrayal of a reimagined Rome during the time of Caesar with the Roman emperor and generals recast as human/dragon shapeshifters. With the inspiration of Medusa’s back story and the use of Roman gods and goddesses as the origin of dragons (themselves being dragons) I thought the story was full of magic and political upheaval. It was a solid start to the series and I’m excited to see where it goes. I think this story, being the first in the series, was a bit rushed in places and some of the backstory wasn’t entirely explored but I can see this being added to in the upcoming books. 3.5 stars from me.

Firebird offers an interesting premise, Roman times, humans shifting into dragons and a love story. It has everything to be compelling and the book genuinely did what it needed to do. It has you intrigued and keeps you engaged through the story to go on a learn what happens next however it felt as if a little something was missing, no matter how interesting the premise was.

Nonetheless, the book truly intrigues you enough to have you wanting to come back to know what happens next for the next book and learn what will happen to our main characters and the others surrounding them. An interesting beginning to a new series with potential for future instalments to come!