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!

🔥 Firebird by Juliette Cross is a spicy, action-packed romantasy that had me hooked from the start! Ancient Rome, dragons, rebellion, and forbidden love? Yeah, I was so here for it. 🐉❤️‍🔥

Okay, first up: Malina. This girl is a rebellious whirlwind with a gift passed down from her bunica. She’s fierce, untamed, and refuses to bow down—even when she ends up as a Roman slave. Honestly, I loved her fire. She’s not one to back down, even when questioning things could get her into serious trouble. 👀💥

And then there’s Julian... whew. The man’s got that broody, morally grey, dragon-shifter vibe down to an art. 🖤🐉 From the moment he saved Malina by shifting into his dragon form (instant book boyfriend status, btw), I was invested. But it’s not all smooth sailing—being the emperor’s nephew comes with major baggage, and lusting after his slave? Yeah, not a good look in Ancient Rome. The tension? IMMACULATE. 😏🔥

One thing I really loved was the found family vibe with Enid, Stefanos, Ivo, and Kara. Their bond added so much heart to the story and gave Malina a sense of belonging, even when her life had been turned upside down. 🫂💖

Of course, we’ve got some serious villains here too. Julian’s uncle is the worst kind of tyrant—power-hungry, cruel, and doing whatever (and whoever) he pleases. 🤢 Then there’s Ciprian, the ambitious snake who’s determined to use Malina as leverage against Julian. The stakes are high, and you know it’s all going to explode at some point. 💥🔥

Plot-wise, there’s a LOT happening—rebellion, forbidden love, political scheming, and dragon battles—but it all weaves together nicely. 🗡️🐉🔥 I did see the twist coming, but honestly? It didn’t ruin the book for me. If anything, it made me more hyped to read the sequel! 😏📚

✨ Favourite quote:
“Your defiant spirit coupled with your beauty. It is dangerous. So very dangerous.”
"For me? Or is it dangerous for you?”
“Both, sweet firebird. We might both burn for what’s to come.”

🔥🔥🔥 (Tell me that didn’t make your heart skip a beat!)

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Overall: A solid 4-star read! If you’re into dark romantasy with fiery tension, found family vibes, and dragon shifters ruling Ancient Rome, Firebird needs to be on your TBR. 🐉❤️‍🔥

Omg I adore this book if I didn't have 3 boys I would have spent the full day and read it in One go so took me a day and half to read but I did not want to put it down . The romance in this book is beautiful ......or that might just be Julian lol . I didn't think I'd like a book set in ancient Rome but I was wrong everything about this book was amazing. dragons ✔️, spice ✔️, magic ✔️, romance ✔️, action ✔️ and a smart mouthed fmc ✔️ ugh now i just need a physical copy to treasure.....get it treasure ....never mind read the book you'll get it x

DNF

This was so bland. The only way I can describe this book and the cringey ‘dominance’ of the MMC is that if Tessa Bailey wrote a romantasy book, it would be Firebird.

I can see why the publishers chose to publish this book but it ultimately felt like an amalgamation of many other books cobbled together as a cash-grab.

Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this ARC!

This book starts with a glossary of the dragons bloodlines, which is helpful however I find it impossible to take in all of that information before I have immersed myself in the world. I don't mind glossaries if the information is brought up in passing again e.g. an amethyst dragon is 5th in line, to keep the information fresh in my head, but this didn't happen.

Mixing the Roman Empire and dragons was an interesting concept, and I enjoyed seeing the different power dynamics at play.

Unfortunately, I found the storyline to be slow in parts and sometimes slightly repetitive however, it picked up speed around halfway through.

I wish the romance side of things kicked in sooner as there was such an obvious pull between them, so the slow burn didn't work for me. Also, not a big fan of the word 'cunny'.

I could see myself reaching for the second book in the series to see how the story progresses, but only if reviews were higher than for this book. Overall this book is 3.5 stars.

I have tried to read this book a few times and what I have been able to read I've really enjoyed. I vibe well with Juliettes writing style and think the premise is really interesting

I love mythology and Roman is not something nice read a lot of so I'm excited for that.

Unfortunately the way this has been formatted has made it impossible for me to read properly at the moment. I enjoyed what I did read enough that I have preordered the book and will come and update this review when I've read a physical copy.

Juliette Cross delivers an engaging, fast-paced read with Firebird. The short chapters make it easy to tear through, and the story is addictive without feeling overly complicated.

The Roman-inspired setting adds a rich historical layer, grounding the fantasy elements in something familiar yet intriguing. The dragons are brutal, which fits the tone of the world well—there’s no softening of their nature, and that makes them all the more compelling. The tension, both in the action and the romance, keeps the pages turning.

For readers looking for a straightforward but immersive fantasy romance with a strong setting and unrelenting dragons, Firebird is worth picking up

I really wanted to love Firebird, but unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. The female main character was fantastic—well-developed, with a fiery attitude that I admired. She brought a lot of energy and complexity to the story. The male main character was morally grey, adding an interesting dimension that kept me intrigued about his actions and motivations.

The story is set in an alternative Rome, which initially piqued my interest. However, I found that without a solid understanding of the original Rome, it was easy to get lost in the details. The unique setting had potential, but it often felt confusing and required more background knowledge than I possessed.

While the romance had all the typical elements one would expect, including tension and chemistry, the connection between the characters just didn't resonate with me. Despite the author's efforts, I couldn't fully invest in their relationship. It felt like the emotional depth and genuine connection were missing, which left me feeling detached.

On the positive side, I did appreciate the unique concept of the storyline. It was refreshing to see something different in this genre. However, there were some clichéd elements that felt overdone, which dampened my overall enthusiasm. The predictability of certain plot points made it difficult to stay fully engaged.

Additionally, despite the abundance of action throughout the book, I found the plot developed incredibly slowly. It felt like I was constantly waiting for the story to pick up pace and move forward, but it never quite reached the level of momentum I hoped for.

I had such high hopes for Firebird, and I was really looking forward to an immersive and thrilling read. Unfortunately, my expectations weren't met. While there were aspects of the book that I enjoyed, they weren't enough to outweigh the elements that didn't work for me.

A draconic romantasy spin on ancient Roman history, Firebird tells a forbidden love story on the background of an alternative history.

As a darker tale than those I’ve read from Juliette Cross before, I was intrigued to see what would come of this. It hits a lot of elements that we know and love in romantasy, building tension through political problems and forbidden desires that seem destined by fate. It was easy to get into with these familiar territories.

With so many stories relying on political tensions to fuel a story, this book had such potential to be a complex story fuelled by an internal war of logic vs heart - but it sadly missed that push for me a tad. It was very straightforward in its structure, and I had hoped with elements of Ancient Rome and DRAGONS to play with, it might’ve hit a bit harder with certain elements.

That being said, for anyone wanting a darker-tones dragon based romantasy that’s easy to get into and ticks all the tropes related to forbidden desires, this could very well be a love for you!

*NOTE: this book includes a master x slave dynamic. I know some can’t abide the power imbalance there, so heads up!

This was alright. I think I may just not be the target audience for this book, but I'm sure others would love it! It definitely feels like it could be a Booktok Hit!

If you like:
-Fated mates
-Dragon shifters
-Ancient Rome setting
-Steamy Romance🔥

Thank you Tor Bramble for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review


Prophecies
Romantsy
Dragon Shifters
Touch her and die
Fated mates


First of all, make sure you pay attention to the first few pages for information on the dragons. I looked forward to reading this book after hearing it being compared to House of the Dragon x From Blood and Ash.
I don’t agree with this overview at all. However I did love this book.
It started out a bit dubious and I do wish there had been more of a build up with the attraction, in the end though I did enjoy the story and I ended up reading it in one sittings Please make sure to check the trigger warning, specifically as this is a master/ slave romance. If you don’t mind that and you’re a fan of easy to read Romantsy books I think this will definitely be an amazing pick for you.

I will definitely be continuing with this series and will recommend to others.

Having prior knowledge of what to expect when it came to this book really helped with the kind of enjoyment I had while reading, it is set within Ancient Rome times and I can really see where the Game of Thrones likeness came from for the way it portrays the violence shown towards women, there are some rather tough moments to read so please be aware of this.

I loved the vividness of the world building and descriptions was clear and easy to understand and the writing was just so easy to get lost in that I found myself reading it rather quickly. The slow build behind a romance is one of my favourite things to read as I love the tension and the angst that develops slowly between the characters and while at some moments this might of felt a little insta lust/love I loved that the MMC protected the FMC no matter the cost. While this is technically a standalone the storyline isn't resolved as the ending kind of sets up for what is to come in the next book which I am looking forward to.

I haven't read very many shifter romances so this made a nice change for me personally to read about dragon Shifters, the pacing was also done really well. I really loved how the author infused the fantasy setting around Ancient Rome and though at times it was a little hard to read I did really enjoy it.

*Please do check the trigger warnings as this book does hold some very heavy and dark themes and graphic scenes that can be triggering.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this before publication.

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!