I loved this Roman-inspired slow burn romantasy! This story follows Arvelle, who enters a gladiator-style deadly tournament in order to save her little brothers. One of my favorite parts of this story was Arvelle’s journey. Arvelle is an eldest daughter and the caretaker of her brothers, one of whom is very sick. We meet her after a series of heartbreaks. The loss and abandonment she experiences would break most people, but Arvelle has found a way to survive and has done everything she can to care for her brothers. Her personal development journey was hard-fought and emotional. Anyone who has experienced great loss will see themselves in her and her story resonated with me deeply. I also loved the politics! We are introduced to an ancient and cruel vampire emperor and the rebels who want to unseat him. This story is packed with political intrigue and we are introduced to a world full of magical creatures, gladiator vampires, a unique magic system, and a fascinating pantheon of gods. This is the first book in the Empire of Blood series and it really sets the stage for an epic and entertaining ride. And the romance!! I don’t want to say too much about this part, because you should go in blind and experience this journey first hand to fully enjoy it. But suffice it to say, we have ourselves a morally grey yet protective MMC and a villain that is a walking red flag who, if you’re anything like me, you’ll fall in love with immediately! 🤣 All in all, this was a 5-star read for me and I am excited to continue this series! It feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface and I can’t wait to see what happens next. ❤️‍🔥 Book featured: ✨ We Who Will Die by @Stacia Stark, Author What to expect: ✨ Slow burn romantasy ✨ Tournaments & Trials ✨ Enemies to lovers ✨ Political Intrigue ✨ Mythical creatures ✨ Gladiator vampires ✨ Forced proximity ✨ Eldest daughter FMC This book will be released on December 30, 2025 in the US. It’s out now in the UK. Thank you to the author, @Avon Books Harper Voyager US and @NetGalley for the gifted digital copy. I purchased this @allurialbooks edition on my own. All opinions are my own. #romantasybookrecs #romantasybooks #enemiestolovers #arcreviewer #homelibrary