I spend my days working, my evenings with my two wonderful kids, and my nights are when the characters in my head are given free reign. The tagline for Phoenix Bar, "Beauty After the Burn", holds special meaning for me and really helped to give birth to the story. Like Phoenix, I've had to rebuild my life from the ashes. It's been a long journey with a roller coaster of emotions and stresses, but I can truly say where my life is now is more beautiful than where it was
Amazing ! first time author Annelise Reynolds has created a story about two best friends Abby aka Phoenix and Mckenzie aka Ember and their alpha men Grit and Titan . i love how protective of these girls the men are even when there trying to get to the truth of who they are as their hiding from their identity's . lots of twists lots of laughs by the club brother's and lots of hot sex between Grit & Phoenix poor titan couldn't get a leg in with Ember but the banter and chemistry between them will no doubt set fire to tgere upcoming story in book two and i for one cannot wait to read it. i loved this book and devoured it so happy for Annelise Reynolds congratulations on becoming a published author.
I loved the story but i didn't like the writing stile. While reading it something was bothering me thru the whole book. Alpha biker and a chick with a big mistery is now a cliche ,so nothing new in that department too. I'm a big fan of MC read but this one was a bit poor.
Wow I love this book. I read a lot and I was hooked in chapter 1 and it only got better. As I was reading it felt like I was being pulled into the story. I didn't want Phoenix story to end, now I can't wait until McKenzie story to come out. All the sex between Phoenix and Grit was HOT!!!!! Great Debut Book. I can't wait to read more.
Wow this is a great MC book full of suspense, mystery, sex & hot alpha bikers, as soon as i started reading this i was intrigued by what Abby/Phoenix & Mac/Ember were hiding, loved these girls & the bad-ass bikers who began to care about them... Gonna be waiting patiently & stalking the author for the next book, well done Annelise on your debut it was amazing with loveable characters
I'm only rating it 3 because of the H having sex with other women at the start of the book. I don't like reading explicit sex scenes where the H has sex other women after meeting the h. That a big NO NO for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book started off a bit slow for me but when it hit it's stride, I couldn't put it down.
I loved the idea of two BFFs opening up a business together and I loved how they were able to wrap two alpha males around their pinky fingers, without even really having to shake a tail-feather at them. Abby and McKenzie were genuinely likable, fun and sassy, all without being over-the-top or fake, which was a relief. The guys, Brice and Titan, well... they were guys. They did the "f*** her out of my mind" thing and when that didn't work, they made their plays for their women. After some minor bumps in the road, one was successful (Woot-woot!) and one... let's just say that he has a bit more work cut out for him. (Hopefully he hangs in there and sticks with it or rather, her!)
Brice and Abby had some great chemistry and treated us to a couple of deliciously HOT scenes! Be prepared to melt for the filthy-mouthed Brice!!
Even though not knowing what the big secret was drove me nuts (because it was teased over and over again), it's also what kept me flipping the pages. Well, that and wanting more Brice and Abby "interactions".
I found some of the bad guy(s) connections to Abby/the story to be a little far-fetched but I'd much rather have that than read something that comes across as too predictable. And believe me, one of the baddie b****es comes out of the blue but her demise was quite satisfying. (Is that weird to say? lol)
I'm looking forward to the next book in the series but I'm a little worried because Titan and McKenzie's sorta relationship is already driving me up the wall! But... I'm guessing all of their conflict will lead to some excellent stress-relief exercises!!
What A debut!!! This book just sucks you into this world of secrets, lies, love,lust,betrayal and of course hot as sin!! bikers!!
I really connected with Phoenix, charater she was sweet, caring loving she had secrets in her past she was hiding I enjoyed her development and how her character opened up and grew her chemistry with Grit, was undeniable she just had this pull towards him.
Grit,wow that sexy, delicious,hot,alpha, Biker that you can't help but love his character was very well written his connection and relationships with Phoenix was fiery, sweet and undeniable they just grew as A couple.
Thier is so much going on in this story it keeps you guessing the secondary characters and thier development were also very well written. The story flowed beautifully and left you wanting more and more I read this all in one setting and read it over and over again. This book will just suck you in I am in A total book hangover!!
Annelise, writing really sucks you in and keeps your attention it just draws you in it is intriguing, captivating I cannot wait for more in the seris!!! I am so hooked so bring on my man Titan!! ARC received in exchange for A honest review!
ARC for honest review! What can I say about this debut read by Annelise Reynolds? Get ready to go for a ride through a tunnel of mystery, suspense, alpha explosion and the feeling of wanting more. Annelise Reynolds gives you characters that are strong, sassy, and well developed. She has put everything you could want in this book. Phoenix is one hell of a strong woman that will do whatever she can to protect her secret and the ones she loves. Brice is an alpha among all alphas. He goes for what he wants and protects with all that he has to give. These two are hotter than the ashes of a Phoenix when they become one. Ember a woman that has a lot to give but has a past that she cannot forget! Titan a man that wants what he can't have or can he? There are moments where you laugh because of the banter between the characters and there are moments where you say to yourself "yeah that is hot". I believe Annelise Reynolds has out done herself with this debut. I look forward to reading more. Can you run from your past or will you have to stand your ground and face it to find out what your future will hold?
It was a pleasure to Phoenix Bar by the lovely upcoming author Annelise Reynolds. Annelise can tell a story that will have you guessing with each turn.
Phoenix Bar is the story of two friends, Abby and Mackenzie and the men that will stop at nothing to see them safe. Abby and Mackenzie are hiding the unspeakable hell they’ve battled. All they want is to find peace. When they meet Grit and Titan from the Steel Demons MC, they find two men willing to protect and fight for them.
Grit is a hot alpha male who won’t stop until he gets what he wants…Abby. They are explosive together. Their passion is fiery and their love is fierce. Their story is full of twist and turns. The suspense will keep you on the end of your seat.
Take this ride with Abby and Grit. It will leave you begging for more. It is one you absolutely do not want to miss.
I can’t wait for the next book. I need more Mac and my man Titan…
What a freaking awesome debut for Annelise Reynolds! The storyline was original and kept me engaged. As a reader not knowing Phoenix and Ember's backstory and secrets kept me on the edge of my seat. What are they running from? What happened in their past and can they overcome it? In the mist of all these secret walks in Grit. He is a sexy and charismatic alpha that has set his sights on Phoenix. The chemistry between them is hotter than second degree burns. But what makes the story complete is the secondary characters like Titan and Ember. The banter between them is comical and entertaining. This book has it all! Suspense, sexy scenes, and comedy that will keep you laughing. There's no point in putting this in your TBR. Just buy it and don't deny yourself this book any longer. Can't wait for book two to see where the story goes.
Phoenix and Grit are something else! Abby and Brice are sweet as can be! its not often I so thoroughly enjoy a debut author, they sometimes have to work up to their greatness, but Annelise has the skills of a seasoned pro! I adored this book! The suspense, the emotion, the chemistry, all of it was amazing! Her characters are complex, the storyline leaves on the edge of your seat and I can thoroughly say I loved everyone in this book except the crazies of course! Annelise you did fabulous, and I can't begin to tell you how much I look forward Titan and Embers book! And Ink and Roper and Speed and Legend and well just all of them! Your writing is fabulous, your talent shines and omg I need more now!
It's time to move on and start living.Where do you go where your past won't find you? Two best friends find themselves in a small town trying to find the happiness they deserve. This is Book one in a series and by the end you want book two so badly you can taste it. Great character development, great storytelling and one hell of of a steamy book. In a time where MC books are being pumped out faster than you change your underwear this one is a must read. Try this first time author and Annelise Reynolds will be on your auto buy list. 5 out of 5 stars
It has been a while since I left a review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had to leave in the middle of the book and just couldn't wait to come home and finish it. The first chapter I was hooked. I love reading MC Romance and sometimes reading a less gritty story is a nice change. I am looking forward to reading Mac's story.
This was a great start to a very promising series, it had just the right about of angst, drama and alpha biker hottie. The main characters and side characters are developed well and the plot of the story was intriguing and engaging, I cant wait to see what the next book in the series will bring.
Read it last night and early this morning - not knowing what to expect. Let me tell you - you did an amazing job Author Annelise Reynolds. I didn't know if I should read faster because I wanted to know what's happening or try to read slower just to savour it! Loved it so,so much and hoping for lots of books in the future.
What a beautiful read. This book had me on the edge of my seat from the start to the end. There was a lot of mystery, secrets and don't forget the heat and add a bit of jealousy. Oh my gosh this was one hot book.
I think I am going to go and get myself some Titan now.
Phoenix Bar is the first book in The Steel Demons MC Series and the debut book for this author. I am a newer reader to MC Romance and this book pleasantly surprised me! Abby (Phoenix) and Mackenzie (Ember) are best friends who are following their dreams of opening a restaurant/bar. They are running & hiding from a dark past and are determined to put that past behind them with new lives & new identities. They meet the Steel Demons when they hire them to help renovate the building they are going to use for their business. Enter the totally swoon worthy Grit & Titan! The connection is instant for the 2 couples of Phoenix & Grit and Ember & Titan. The alpha men pretty much stake their claim on the women from the very beginning but the women are hesitant because of fear of the past catching up to them. This book is Phoenix & Grit's story. Grit has been hurt in the past & has closed his heart to love until he meets Phoenix. Phoenix is a strong, sassy woman determined to keep Grit at arms length to protect him from her past. Will they give in to their feelings and find love? Will the MC be able to keep the girls safe from the danger that is lurking? The author hints at the events of Phoenix & Ember's past but keep us guessing and I loved every second of it! I could not put this book down because I HAD to know what happened next! This books has everything I want in a story! Mystery, suspense, laughter, friendship, steamy sex scenes and most of all love! Did I mention the steamy sex scenes? And hot Alpha males? It was a beautiful thing to read about Phoenix & Grit learning to open their hearts to each other and trust again! I am anxious to learn more about the other characters in this book and get their stories! This book has good character development and attention to detail without being too much. Ember & Titan's story is up next in the series and I am dying to read it! Will Ember be able to chase away her demons and let Titan love her? This is a great debut book for new author Annelise Reynolds and I can't wait to read more from her! Thank you Annelise for a great 5 star read!
Loved this book!! ❤️❤️ What a story!! If you love MC Clubs, alpha males, ladies in trouble, a little bit of mystery and a whole lot of sex then this book is for you!!
Phoenix Bar is a great debut novel by author Annelise Reynolds with a storyline that sucked me right into its pages. This mc read captured a good blend of sexy bad ass alpha vibes, lust, angst, jealousy, danger, friendship, love, mystery and humour.
Abby left behind a past always keeping herself one step ahead of the game to remain untraceable from those intent to cause her harm. Her best friend McKenzie is one crazy side kick who joins her and together they keep their secrets hidden as they focus on making a new start by opening a bar in the hot heat of Belle, Texas. The friendship between these two best friends who don new names of Phoenix and Ember had me in stitches with their witty banter, independence and their ability to bounce back with sass from emotional turmoil.
As Abby and Mac fall into their new identities Brice (Grit) and Titan from the Steel Demon mc enter their lives taking on the job of reconstructing their bar. As these two mc brothers catch sight of the two beautiful women they raise each other’s hackles and Grit makes his interests clear in Phoenix whilst Titan claims Ember, from then on the men become embroiled in the women’s lives making this a fun debut novel to read, as the men work to uncover the girls secrets and protect them. I'm left with that feeling of wanting this debut authors next release already of Ember's story sigh...
I really wish I could give this book more stars! The storyline was a good idea and intriguing enough to keep me reading until the end to find out what would happen and what was Abby and Mac's secret. It was well thought out, with plenty of desctiption and explanation to understand exactly what was happening, and i enjoyed the alternating points of view between chapters.
Unfortunately I was put off very near the begining with the 'Woman sharing' of the group, which I found repulsive and the men cant have any respect for the women involved to just use them for sexual gratification. A strong male character is always good but I felt Grit, wanted to own Abby more than be her partner, and with Abby being a strong, sassy individual I just cannot see that she would be so accepting to be owned.
The writing in this book was good, and kept you hooked on each page, I would advise that it needs another look through as there was a few errors, but in general they dont take you away from the story.
This is a great debut, and I look forward to reading the books that follw in the series, as I'm sure the author has a lot more to tell us, and that we will see Reynolds grow as an author.
I love MC novels so when I heard about Annelise Reynolds on Facebook I thought I had to read her book. And let me tell you this is unlike any MC book I have read. The MC books I usually read are all about the club being into drugs and sex etc. But this MC book is about something different. Its like this MC book is about family. And love and the MC club really cares about the people who are in the club not just as they are a member by that they are family and the care deeply for one another. They all want a family and a life outside of the club too. But, when Brice meets a woman he never thought he would meet she is hiding something from him. And he needs to break through her barriers so that he can begin to help her break away from her past and begin her future possibly with him. They both have secrets. Can they both share their secrets? Or will their secrets destroy any chance they have of being together? Well, I will let you read the book to learn all this and more. I can't wait to find out if this author has more books coming our way. As I have now found a new author to follow and read what she writes in the future.
This was a slow burner for me. One of the reasons for this was the way the story was told, we got alternating POV's which I normally love, but in the beginning I think Reynolds got hung up on showing us how both main characters were feeling in each scene which meant that we got the exact same scenes back to back. That soon changed though and the pace of the book picked up quite quickly.
This book would be improved with another sweep of the editorial pen, it doesn't need a massive amount of work doing to it, but I did find some of the phrases were repeated regularly in the beginning. Some of the scenes could have been fleshed out a little more, I was left with more questions than we got answers and feeling a little cheated with the ending... The book was building for a big finish and for me, it felt like it was rushed with the majority of the action unfolding off the page.
My overall thought when finishing this book was that I did enjoy it, and I would consider reading the second book in the series.
I really liked this book and intend to follow the series to find out what happens to the rest of the characters, who were able to get me invested in their stories. The MC is not outlaw, just a brotherhood that occasionally stretches legality. The worst of the "biker" story involves the constant public orgies with club girls in the clubhouse. SPOILER ALERT (a small one): there is an underlying secret held by our two lead female characters that ends with a history of rape and abuse...just to warn anyone who may be triggered by bad memories or experiences. Otherwise this is a potentially great new series of MC light stories.
Wow! What the blurb doesn't tell you is this is a seriously HOT read. Seriously, I started to read in the daytime whilst the kids where around but soon realised this was one for the evenings when they weren't around.
I read this book 'cover to cover' in under 24 hours which is testament to how 'un-put-downable' it is!
The author writes well, keeps you gripped and wanting more throughout. The main characters each get the right amount of time and space in the story and each have enough going on to sustain that - a really good balance which can be hard to achieve.
The only drawback about this book in my opinion - the next one isn't out yet
i was gifted a copy of this amazing book during a giveaway i loved The suspense, the emotion,and the hot chemistry im still in shock alittle bit i wouldnt put this book down i need book 2 Titan and McKenzie :) it took me awhile to like Grit again after something i dont really like to happen in a book but in a way he got paid back :p omg the billed up for the big secret drove me crazy i wanted to know . this had hot alpha bikers friendship heartache mystery and sex lets not forget the sex ;) what more could a reader ask for
Hot bikers, strong women, sizzling passion, swoon worthy romance, Phoenix Bar has it all! New comer Annelise Reynolds has made me a lifetime fan with this debut novel. Run don't walk to get your copy!
My cheeks are still red from reading the scorching hot love scenes in this book and I eager to learn more about Ember and what happened to her. Please tell me it won't be a long wait!
Wow is all I can say, I read a lot and I was hooked in chapter 1 and it only got better. As I was reading it felt like I was being pulled in to the story. The sex was HOT!!! I didn't want Phoenix story to end, now I can't wait until McKenzie story to come out. Great Debut Book.....
While I found the first chapter to be a little hesitant, when the author found her voice, Man! Did I ever enjoy this book! Phoenix and Ember, Grit and Titan, very interesting characters to the core, all have their stories, and Author Annelise Reynolds has woven them together in a net, one designed to capture the reader and take them along for the ride.
This is one of the best books that I have read this year, and I have read a lot of books. I didn't want to set it down and when I finished it I wanted it to keep going. Annelise is now one of my favorites and j can't wait for her next book!
If you love MC books then you must read this one! The characters are pretty well developed! the story line is excellent and keeps you guessing with the plot twists and slow revels. I loved the main characters and cant wait for the next in the series!