This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend. Read the full disclosure here.
Book: “Bloodsinger” by Juliette Cross
Publishing Info: Bramble, April 2026
Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!
Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound
Book Description: Lela Bihari’s village was invaded on her wedding night, her betrothed murdered right in front of her. While her sisters were either dragged away or escaped, Lela was sold to Valerius, a consul of Rome.
When she tried to kill Valerius her first night as his slave, her bloodsinger gift manifested… and she was punished for it. Now she’s paraded in front of the other senators for their amusement.
But Trajan Tiberius, the newly elected tribune to the senate, is different. He has no love for the brutality around him. When he frees Lela from enslavement and hides her, Lela is set on a path of vengeance, and using her gift puts her in more danger than ever before.
Now trapped inside the walls of Rome while deathriders circle the skies, how can she possibly trust a Roman dragon? Especially when it is clear Trajan has ulterior schemes of his own? As her powers grow stronger, danger draws closer, and Lela realizes it isn’t just her life at stake, but also her heart.
Review: I didn’t love the first book in this series, but when I realized that this second book would follow a new couple, I was definitely excited to check it out. While I struggled some with the writing itself, one of my biggest complaints about the first book was the dynamic set up between the couple, with the power differential being decidedly skewed and giving it a bit of a questionable foundation. Here, while there is the potential for a similar thing happening, the way the romance actually plays out quickly puts a stop to recreating the same problems the first book had.
Speaking to the relationship dynamic, I think this book did a much better job tackling the difficult topic of slavery, freedom, and the power dynamics involved. Here, not only is the love interest, Trajan (like “Trojan”…cuz it’s Rome…get it??), not involved in Lela’s enslavement, instead taking part in freeing her, but Lela herself is given the opportunity to reclaim much of her own power early in the book. Much of this has to do with her own bloodsinger gift, an ability that can give her control of the men around her. Yes, this was a bit simplistic, all things considered, and there wasn’t much subtlety in the way it was used to highlight how “not like other men” Trajan was, but still, all things considered, it was an improvement on the first book.
That said, much of the rest of the book is very surface level. There were some expansions on the worldbuilding here and there, but it’s clear that much of the design is simply there to prop up the characters’ stories and their romance. And this isn’t a criticism! Romantasy is a romance novel first, with only the trappings of fantasy set around it, so it’s correct that the love story comes first. But I did find myself wishing for a little bit more from the Roman setting, even with that being the case. Perhaps because I wasn’t as enraged by the couple’s dynamic here, I found myself more interested in the world surrounding them and wishing for more.
The pacing was a lot a bit uneven, with the first half taking a while to really warm up. Once the story picks up towards the middle, the pacing settles in a bit more, and I found myself having a better time with it all. That said, the writing is fairly straightforward, often relying on either one of the dual protagonists simply telling us how they feel about everything around them. Again, I wish romantasy editors would try to push these authors a bit more in the writing department; romance readers deserve well-crafted prose just as much as readers in other genres!
Overall, I definitely enjoyed this one more than the first. I found both main characters much more enjoyable and was better able to appreciate the love story unfolding between them. That said, the writing and world-building were still nothing to write home about, and the slow start could challenge readers to remain with it before things truly pick up at the halfway mark. Fans of the first book are definitely the best-suited readers for this one. However, if you were intrigued by the first book but put off by the couple, this one might be a better fit for you as well!
Rating 7: A much more sympathetic couple improved my experience with this second book. However, the lackluster writing and world-building were still a disappointment.
Reader’s Advisory:
“Bloodsinger” can be found on these Goodreads lists: 2026 Highly Anticipated ADULT Romantasy Releases and Greco – Roman Fantasy.
The Library Ladies 