Firebird

Stars:DNF @36%Start Date:04\14\25Ending Date: 04\15\25Genre: Adult FantasyForm: AudiobookPage Count: 400 pg.Publishing Date: 04\08\25Point of View: Dual 3rd PersonSetting: Fantasy RomeContent Warning: Master/Salve, Sexual ViolenceSpoilers Ahead My Blog https://tanyasreading.wordpress.com/2025/04/22/firebird-by-juliette-cross/Story Graph: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/d16240f3-ce63-46f3-a096-6dec045cf895Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.Been hearing a lot about this book and how it misleads some people so I decided to listen to it. I honestly forgot I was granted the audiobook of this. Actually I forgot the e-arc of this thanks to Edelweiss way before I got the audiobook.Of course what got me and everyone else is that damn cover. Also the fact Dragons in the Roman Empire sounds good enough for me which also got everyone wanting to read this.I'm about to be short and sweet with this.Who thought it was a good idea to have a Colonizer/Master and Slave romance after the whole "To Glaze Upon Wicked Gods" drama last year?Dealing with Romans yet again as well.Like who?Say this with meMASTER/ SLAVE IS NOT A TROPE!!Of all the tropes you have at your disposal you decide to go for one that certainly shouldn't be one into one. Why is the Master/Slave potential romance plot even needed?You could do forced promixed with a touch of fake courting if you need a reason for your FMC and MMC to be together. And the thing is with this book she didn't have to go that route and almost made it to a cop out by her being his slave that she is protected from everyone else.Yes I understand historical context since it's Rome but Rome didn't have fucking dragons in it so it's already not historically correct. Like you can still have slaves in it but not have the Master/Slave romance.Because if this book was set in the 1700's- 1860's United States......But just Master/Slave in general regardless of what country or time period it is.What makes me so mad is the fact of the potential this book had. The female protagonist has empathic powers where she can feel people's emotions and could change them and the male protagonist who can change into a dragon due to his roman heritage is trying to overthrow the Emperor who is his uncle.Like come on!The main reason why I decide to stop because it started to get boring with the lack of world building, character development and the unnecessary sexual violence going on.Instead of having Master\Slave you could be building the dragon lore and the magical system.Because having dragons and them having empathic powers sounds cool.But I just don't understand for the life of me why this book does not have content warnings at all on the bulb or inside the book.I have to get one thing straight though that I have been seeing a lot reviews kind of skipping overYes the FMC was 17 almost 18 when MMC met her while she was a minor doing the prologue. So yes people are getting that right.When they meet again in the first chapter, it is four years after their first meeting which makes her 21 almost 22. That's when he makes her his " body" slave in his household which in his defense is to " save" her from everyone else.I'm just seeing a lot of people making it seem like he took her as a slave at 17 which is not correct.Still not right at all but I just don't like misinformation like that.So yeah stay clear of this one.