Phoenix

Bellator Saga #4

by Cecilia London

One epic love. Two wounded souls. Three impossible words.

Ripped away from each other by circumstances beyond their control. Reunited in a place they never expected. Separated but never quite apart.

“You’re still the only woman I see. The only woman I need. I know you’re in there somewhere, sweet Caroline. We’re going to find you and we’re going to help you, until you come home to me where you belong. Then we’re going to finish what we started. Together.”

Her confidence shattered, Caroline finally starts to deal with what happened at The Fed. Jack is determined to convince her that she’s more than she thinks she is. That she wasn’t destroyed by her experiences. That their relationship is worth the fight. But will he give up before it’s too late?

Phoenix is the fourth installment in The Bellator Saga. It should be read after the first three novels in the series.

Genres: Romance, Suspense, Romantic Suspense, Adult, Politics, Contemporary, Epic

414 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 2, 2016

About the author

Cecilia London is the pen name of a native Illinoisan currently living in San Antonio, Texas. She's filled several roles over the course of her adult life - licensed attorney, wrangler of small children, and obsessed baseball fan, among others. An extroverted introvert with a serious social media addiction, she is the author of The Bellator Saga, an epic, genre-crossing romance series. You can catch all of her quirky updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or at her website.

Reviews

[Katy Loves Romance ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOW LIVEEEE
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5+++ Consuming BEST OF THE SERIES YET Stars


Wowee where do I start?? First of all cudos to Cecilia, she has me gripped to the seat throughout this series, I just can't take my eyes off what's happening nor stop my mind doing somersaults on what's going to happen next. I can honestly say I have NEVER read anything like this, and you know what I don't want to again if that makes sense?. I want to keep this series in a special place as one of those keep sakes, change my course of life kinds of reads.. And come back to it in years to come!!!

So what's this one about?
Phoenix picks up straight from where Sojourn left off!! Jack and Caroline are re-united but I'm afraid to say things aren't as you would want them to be. Caroline has been through so much, I just can't begin to know what she's going through or been through. So their initial interaction isn't great, Caroline has come into the compound with her men who got her back to health. And so here we are watching a closed off very much hurting Caroline. One where I suppose she just doesn't know how to deal with her circumstances, her feelings and has learnt to FIGHT the fight. At times I was gritting my teeth with her reactions. Damn Caroline pulled at my heart at the same time test my boundaries LOL. Yep she tested me many a time... But I also UNDERSTOOD HER



Jack oh Jack MY HEART... I love him HARD.
If there was any book in this series to be his I'd say this one is it. Jack is made to look at Himself really truly see under the surface and see himself the way Caroline sees him. I loved his vulnerability and raw REALNESS , how he looked at his own faults, his past and his present, their relationship and the man he is today. But what I truly loved about him was how he wanted to be there for Caroline and was willing to be a better man for her even if the feelings weren't provoked the other way.

What a patient LOVING man


Just understand this one had me on the edge of the seat THROUGHOUT!! Talk about angst fest. Remember though Caroline has been through sooo much, this is probably alongside Conscience the hardest book in the series because we are dealing with mental health.. That is the core of the story guys.. I'm going to leave it to that as you NEED to and WANT to enjoy this the way I did...



Above all this an all consuming, breathtaking and PHENOMENAL series! And this book, this book I just can't even tell you. It's layered developed complex but beautiful love story. I feel like I'm eating a piece of chocolate gateaux of the special kind bit by bit savouring the taste.

I love both Jack & Caroline, this is the kind of love I ADORE to read. This is EpicLove this is
REAL, RAW, SENSUAL, LOVING


Sidenote and thank you
Cecilia THANKYOU for writing this, it's just the reason why I love to read, to find new authors. She knows how to story tell, what a genius. Gah I love her, I will now go to her for every book she writes but in all serious don't let the 6 books deter you. Pick them up, try them, give them a chance. I am so very thankful I tried them... So worth the time I'm telling you.
Big kisses to Cecilia & Suzy for holding my hands throughout this..

That. Is. All.

And...


Phoenix needs to be read after the first half of the bellator Saga as this WHOLE series is about the same couple.
Reading order:


Read my reviews..

My Dissident Review
My Conscience Review
My Sojourn Review

ARC generously gifted via the author in exchange for an honest maybe tad emotional review

For more reviews and blog posts

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out our TRAILER for PHOENIX HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxVNh...

"My head hurts. My heart hurts. Existing hurts."

Phoenix is the 4th book in the Bellator Saga, and the series must be read in order. With each book, the stakes are higher, the action is more intense, and the raw emotions take you on a ride that you will never forget.



Phoenix doesn't waste anytime submerging the reader right back into the action. Caroline and her crew have arrived safely to the rebellion's home base. Now that she and Jack have been reunited you might think that everything will be as right and jolly as a trip to Disneyworld. And yet, you couldn't be more wrong. Caroline has been through so much trauma that her physical scars don't even begin to compare to the emotional stress she is facing every day. The struggle for Caroline is real and with each moment that passes her fortress of steel grows stronger and colder. Clinging to her friends, she does everything she can to push Jack away.

"Caroline belonged to him and no one else. And he was going to make her see that."

"Love. The knowledge that it's more important to maintain those ties with one another than to do anything to risk the precious bonds that bring us together."

Meanwhile, Jack is dying to hold his wife. He struggles to understand her distance and is forced to stand by on the sidelines while she spends each day with her friends by her side. Caroline is not alone in her emotional battle with her demons. Jack is forced to take a hard look at himself. Suddenly all of his insecurities and mistakes from his past begin to haunt him. Caroline does everything she can to hit him right where it hurts. Everytime! Jack is forced to balance the pain of not being with Caroline and the responsibility of leading the rebellion. As the Commander, the safety and protection of the entire base weigh heavily on his shoulders.

"You're still the only woman I see. The only woman I need. I know you're in there somewhere, sweet Caroline."

"Fight for me! Fight for us!"

Told in dual POV, Phoenix literally tore me apart. The complexity of the brokenness between Caroline and Jack and the constant reminder of their precious time together held me captive the entire read. The tempo of the writing is well paced as the emotional war is waged between Caroline and Caroline. Left in the path of destruction is Jack! My heart was breaking for both of them. In true London style, the addition of the flashback scenes enhanced the read tremendously by offering a constant reminder of the beauty (and steam) that is a critical element of Caroline and Jack's relationship. They have been through so much and to see them breaking apart was sheer torture. The secondary characters in Phoenix play a pivotal role in offering support to the main characters. I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamics between all of the characters. As for the action, the threat of the corrupt government is still looming as the fight for freedom continues. With action, steamy romance, and emotional trauma, Phoenix packs quite a punch! It will evoke an emotional warfare on your heart like you have never experienced before.

"Don't cry, baby. No one can hurt you. Not while I'm here."

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

Overall, Phoenix was a stunning addition to the series. The character development in this series is so precise that every emotion is felt to the core. Prepare your heart for raw, intense, and unforgettable moments that will leave you breathless. I found myself glued to the pages in one moment and then in the next needing to put my kindle down to take a break from the torment. The smart writing and endearing characters make Phoenix a must read. This series has become one of my absolute favorites, and I am DYING for the next book to be released. If you haven't had the opportunity to check this series out, you need to run to AMAZON now! You will be so glad that you did. Bravo Ms. London! Bravo!

***The Bellator Saga***


*ARC graciously provided via author in exchange for an honest review!*

For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Bibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia, Cecilia... oh Ms. London! Where forth art thou? You and I need to have words!

[Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✯LIVE! Amazon US * Amazon UK



Phoenix is the fourth book in The Bellator Saga, a series which needs to be read and enjoyed in the order it was written. I have slowly fallen in deep love with Jack and Caroline's story. The action from both the past and present is showcased in various ways. Dreams of the protagonists allow the reader to delve into their past, their fears and their truths experiencing the light and shade of their personas. This provides a fascinating dichotomy of their subconscious verses reality and many hours of discussion between me and my reading friends. The story engaged my attention, ensuring my feels were attacked in the best possible way. The Bellator Saga will be a six book series in total, PHOENIX being the fourth. This sounds like one hell of a long series if you're yet to start, but once a reader delves into The Bellator World, six books seems nothing at all, each one laced with engaging, intelligent writing and depth ridden prose left me eager for the next!



The Bellator Saga comfortably falls into a variety of genre types including contemporary romance, thriller, suspense and adventure. It’s also steeped in political context and has beautiful scenes of erotic romance. Presented in the third person narrative the themes weave through the story transporting the reader to the fascinating, amazing, corrupt and frighteningly realistic world of Caroline and Jack. The world depicts a corrupt state that’s fallen into disarray and illustrates the brutal far reaching consequences for all. The fall out of the trauma experienced by Caroline in the previous books is fully on display in Phoenix as the story unfolds. Her journey and development are deeply at the heart of every aspect of this story. I felt her pain, her anguish, her love and her hope; truly connecting with this complex feisty heroine.



The overriding aspect and the thing I absolutely adore about this story is the love and all consuming relationship between Jack and Caroline. Previous books have shown them at different stages of their relationship and life journey. In my mind this entire series is Caroline’s story. She's at the very core of everything, including the luscious hero Jack. Whether they’re together or apart I always felt the intensity of their relationship and underlying deep love. The heroine is not always capable of showing her true feelings, she's frustrating and irksome, acts in ways that are hard to fathom but because of the authors convincing depiction of her traumatic experience, the consequences from them, along with her inner thoughts, dialogue and, in particular the ending of SOJOURN the third book in the series, I completely understood all the reasons why she behaved the way she did.

Politics is not a subject I'd usually warm to in my reading matter but in THE BELLATOR SAGA it's perfectly tuned and a crucial, intrinsic part of the story, driving the action and suspenseful nature of the piece providing gravitas to the story, the grit, the adventure and the most important aspect.... LOVE. Without the political theme Jack and Caroline’s worlds would never have collided. One of the standout moments from the past is a political speech by Caroline. Quite honestly it’s brilliant, awe inspiring and remarkable. The message is poignant and on point in a completely non preaching way, whether you’re into politics or not, the ethos behind the thoughts is so positive and uplifting.



This saga has grown in depth and stature making it a MUST READ series. I simply cannot get enough of Caroline and Jack's love story; they've reeled me in to their lives and made me care exponentially about them. It's a romantic, thrilling, suspenseful and fascinating plot that pushes the boundaries with aspects that I have questioned and analysed in depth with my reading friends making it a total stand out for me. For readers who enjoy a story with grit, depth and deep passionate love then this saga is truly not to be missed.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Not started the series?
One click the first three books of the saga here-->
(Box set includes DISSIDENT, CONSCIENCE & SOJOURN - plus bonus material)
US http://amzn.to/1SOOks3
UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01BUNFQZY

My review thoughts for-->
DISSIDENT
CONSCIENCE
SOJOURN


Advance copy provided for my honest review thoughts

★ Graphics created by myself with stock image I purchased from deposit photos ★

[Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's LIVE!!!!!!!!!! #BestSeries #IntelligentGrippingWonderful
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6 Stunning Stars


I need to start by saying that Cecilia London is wicked, evil, dastardly, mean, diabolical and insanely brilliant. This story ends in a cliffhanger that goes beyond reason. I want the next book NOW NOW, NOW. Sorry for my outburst, now for my review!!

This book, this storyline is a beautifully told saga. No ifs ands or butts about it. The journey of Jack and Caroline is masterfully told in each book. Their journey of love and pain is dramatically unfolded and is not sugar coated one ounce. There are insecurities, there are painful reminders, there are gut wrenching moments, there are times of sorrow misgivings and in the end, this is a journey of two souls testing their unworthiness and love for one another.

There is really no way to review this book without spoiling. What happened at the end of book three was revelational. It was earth shattering in my opinion. As this book picks up on that ending, this journey for Jack and Caroline was emotional hell for me. It ripped my heart open and left it exposed for the entire read. I was mad, I was sad, I was irrational, and I was in turmoil in my own desires to do harm to one of the main characters. I didn't fully understand why all this angst and turmoil was happening but as I read it was painfully evident. My heart wanted a different result but my mind knew fully that this was real and raw and the story had to go this way.



Cecilia London is a phenomenal writer. She writes with excruciating emotion and dialogue that will knock your socks off. This saga is intelligent, emotional, beguiling and spectacularly thrilling. There is mystery and intrigue with each book. The journey of Jack and Caroline is EPIC.

If you want a story that will push your boundaries, will keep you guessing to why's and how's, will keep you at a heighten emotional level and happens to have hot and sexy scenes as well.......The Bellator Saga has your name all over it.

Preorder for Phoenix-
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Advanced copy given by author in exchange for an honest review.

[Dee Montoya · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STARS *****

If you've read a Cecilia London novel before, you know she kidnaps the reader into a fascinating world where you never know what to expect. Her writing style is smart, sensual and very raw. With this fourth installment of The Bellator Saga, she's out to shatter your heart in the most delicious way and I was a glutton for punishment, the more my heart hurt the more I wanted to keep reading.



Our heroine Caroline has been through such devastation and pain, that she is left with nothing but a goal to reinvent herself. She's picking up the pieces from the ashes that remain from the dark explosion that used to be her life. She's lost so much, only bitter pain remain inside her. She no longer allows herself to get attached to anything or anyone. Rage is her new religion, the only thing she believes in, even when she finds herself in the presence of Jack, again.



Jack can't contain his love and emotions the moment he realizes the miracle in front of him. His sweet Caroline is back; but when he looks into the eyes of his love he hardly recognizes her. As the days go by, he waits to make his move to reclaim his wife, but every time he tries to get close, hate is the only thing he gets from her. His heart breaks a little more each time. His devastation lays in the fact that no matter what he does, nothing seems to help Caroline find her way back to him, to her. She's lost in a dark sea of hate and resentment and he is losing his mind trying unsuccessfully to pull her back.




I'm not going to lie, this is a very hard novel to read, but inside all the pain and darkness, there was still a ray of hope, a very faint light that guides the reader through this magnificent story, where the main star is a fierce love like no other. A love that is so powerful, that can build you up and bring you down to your knees, but I personally wouldn't have it any other way.

Complex and intoxicating this story has branded me, making me a loyal fan of Jack and Caroline, for life. I'll tell you, six books will not be enough for me. I will keep these books as gems inside the jewelry box of books in my heart; The Bellator Saga is truly a treasure.

[S.M. West · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "Rise from the ashes" STARS

I feel like I say this with every book in this series…this was not an easy read.


“Life is about more than wins and losses. It’s about relationship. Love. The knowledge that it’s more important to maintain those ties with one another than to do anything to risk the precious bonds that bring us together.”

One thing I love to hate (not really hate, I say this in jest) about Cecilia London is that she doesn’t hold back any punches. She gives you raw, real and gritty.


This story, like this aptly named book, is very much like the mythical, sacred fire bird - the Phoenix. It’s about rebirth, the remaking or starting of many things: Caroline’s journey to mental health, the rebuilding of her relationship with Jack, and the resurgence or hope of things to come for these two and for the rebels and their collective cause. And the process is not always pretty or easy or even all that pleasant but so necessary.

“And I wondered where you went to
Tell me when did the light die
You will rise
You’ll return
The phoenix from the flame
You will rise
You’ll return”~ Troy by Sinead O’Connor

As a die-hard Caroline and Jack fan, there were moments where I simply wanted to jump into the pages and just hug the hell out of one or both of them and then there were times when I wanted to throttle them (one more than the other). But in either case, the process and the pain was understandable and no fault of either one of them.



For Caroline, she’s endured such emotional and physical insanity...


...the women is broken, shattered into tiny, jagged pieces and she’s at a dark and deeply troubled point where the effort to put herself back together is insurmountable.



And Jack, Jack, Jack…if you love him, seriously how could you not?, your heart will break for him.


This man is not perfect but even with his flaws, he’s my kind of perfect! Jack’s his own worst enemy and it’s torture to see this unfold.


I can’t stop recommending this saga. It’s a MUST READ! This story is about a truly EPIC LOVE…

“…the kind of love that renders you incapable of thinking rationally…There’s nothing like it in the world.”~ Jack

“Your body tells me more than your words ever will. You still want me.”

…that can stand the test of the unimaginable and the unforgettable, a tale that will peel away the layers and delve deep into the human condition and give you an intensity, anticipation and passion that will leave you breathless, anxious and also hopeful.


Bravo, Cecilia! MUAH!!


**ARC generously provided by Cecilia London in exchange for an honest review.**

For more reviews and blog posts.

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I felt while reading this book???




And yet I gave this book 5 stars. I'd give it more if I could. Because as much as I felt like I absolutely hated Caroline here, my sympathy for her was unavoidable. Because as much as her words and actions absolutely appalled and disgusted me, they were REAL. Cecilia London did a remarkable job of illustrating Caroline's PTSD and how it affected herself and others.

There were so many times I really wanted to hurt Caroline.



Ok. I mean really hurt her. That right there ^^^ was too cute to resist.



Or something like that.

She broke my freaking heart people!! But that's truly a testament to the author's skill. Because I felt E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!! Even Jack's reactions seemed real. He tried so hard to remain strong, stoic, unwavering. But sometimes it was too much and I felt it every time he came close to breaking.



This book ends on one hell of a cliffy. Caroline and Jack's relationship still hangs in the balance. She's off on a dangerous mission for the rebellion. I cannot WAIT to see what happens next in Rhapsody.

XO

[Elle aka Leftie aka Shoebelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC received from author as part of blog tour*

5 ALL-for-Jack stars!!!

I’m letting you know now, my personal take, this is the next most challenging read after Conscience. Conscience was brutal with its graphic violence, but this, this was emotionally taxing. Maybe it’s because I’m completely vested in Jack and Caroline, that’s why I feel this way, or maybe not… I’m not sure anymore. After reading Cecilia’s acknowledgment at the end, she knows what it would do to her readers, and I wasn’t sure if I should ask her to give me a hug, or if I should actually wring her neck. Really evil and really genius to put me through this reading journey…



This picks up right where Sojourn left. A new character is introduced to assist with Jack and Caroline’s healing. We also see a bit more of Caroline’s band of merry men. And while I do care for each one of them and find out what’s happening to them, I’m just too distracted with Jack’s and Caroline’s issues. This is focused mainly on Caroline and Jack facing the aftermath of that horrific time in Caroline’s life. First of all, you see firsthand the damage it’s done to Caroline’s psyche, and just like any traumatic event, it’s never just about the individual anymore. There’s the ripple effect it creates that affects the loved ones too.

Just like the first 3 books, we see what’s happening currently interspersed with flashbacks, which I appreciated. Because the present was hard to process at times, it was good to see what made their relationship perfect in the first place. This captivating connection they have, sigh, it was beautiful to see. It serves as a nice reminder for what’s worth fighting for.

It honestly feels like I overestimated Caroline’s strength and resiliency, when it came to what she went through. She challenged me at every turn. Personally, I’ve seen enough of what Caroline was going through, courtesy of RL work, but the thing is, I’m not a professional. To see her go through what she was going through, I wasn’t always equipped to handle it at the level that Cecilia put me through. Again, I know Cecilia did say in her acknowledgment that she didn’t want to gloss anything over, but some parts were just really frustrating to get through… I was angry for her and angry with her. One moment I’d be almost pulling my hair, and next, my heart would go out to her. Anger and pain, I think that sums it up…



Jack, like Cecilia said in our Twitter convo (yes, I needed her virtual hand to hold me through this, ok??), this is a shining moment for him, and I couldn’t agree more. As if I could be any more in love with this dude!!! He was imperfectly perfect, with all his insecurities, and understanding of Caroline’s situation, learning to deal with it, and the depth of his feelings for Caroline, his words, his actions… gah, just perfect!!! I can’t even write properly anymore, gah!!!



The plot almost took a backseat with this book and I thought of it more as a study in character. Having said that, you know that there are things still at play, seeing we’re just still in the middle of their mission/journey. Towards the end, I was holding my breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. And drop it did! The end.



GAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!... tut-tut, Cecilia...

[SueBee★bring me an alpha!★]

Book 4 of 6.

Books in The Bellator Saga should be read in order:
Book 1: Dissident
Book 2: Conscience
Book 3: Sojourn
Book 1-3: The Bellator Saga I-III
Book 4: Phoenix
Book 5: Rhapsody
Book 6: Triumph

ARC provided to me by author Cecilia London in exchange for an honest review.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia London is back with book four of the Bellator Saga, Phoenix. The romantic in us fervently prays that the title means the renewal of the love between Jack and Caroline in spite of all that has happened since they were separated. We want their love to soar, new, alive and reborn, but they are now damaged, especially Caroline, who has endured more than humanly possible.

Caroline has been tortured, abused and demoralized, the woman that shows up at Jack’s compound is shattered, scraped raw, and trusts no one, especially not Jack. Where was he when she needed him? Where was he when she was mentally and emotionally raped, stripped of the woman she once was, now only a bizarre facsimile of the beauty she once had inside and out? Jack wants her, soul deep, she is the only woman who could truly make a man out of the predator he was. She gave him a conscience, she accepted him, but this Caroline wants to break him, to make him pay as part of her own penance and self-flagellation. All in the name of fear, feaf of believing in love, trust and new beginnings.

When Ms. London could have given us hearts and flowers, she gives us Hellfire and Brimstone. She flays her characters to the bone, to their very essence and they need it as much as we do to do justice to a series that has never held back, never apologized for shredding our own lives to pieces with each page, helpless to intervene. THIS is masterful writing, truly creating a new world, filled with all of the warts and brittle shards of life in turmoil. This is grasping her readers by the neck and holding them captive, hanging on every word, every emotion and every torturous scene. Follow the journey that Jack and Caroline must take, it’s okay to wince, to want to cry, to want to throttle everyone, including the author. It’s even okay to re-read the worst of it, hoping to find a different outcome. Saying Ms. London is a powerful writer is like saying being slashed by a jagged knife hurts. This woman writes for her readers and she gives it her all.

I received this ARC edition from Cecilia London in exchange for my honest review.

Series: Bellator Saga - Book 4
Publisher: Principatum Publishing (May 2, 2016)
Publication Date: May 2, 2016
Genre: Political fiction \ Romance \ Action
Print Length: 398 pages
Available from:             

          
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Cecilia London]

Dissident was the innocent book, when love blossomed into beauty. Conscience was the vicious book, when we asked just how much our heroine could endure. Sojourn was the transition book, as we watched Caroline attempt to block out every bit of her life and move forward by forgetting the past.

So now we arrive at Phoenix. The beginning of the second half of the series. And still...a bit of a transition. I am the first to admit that Caroline is not always likable in this book. Sometimes she is cruel, sometimes she is awkward, sometimes she is scared. But she's real and she's raw and she's still very much herself, much as she tries to suppress it.

And then we have Jack. Lovable, gentle, unfailingly loyal Jack, who has his own demons to battle but remains deeply devoted to his sweet Caroline.

You will likely not receive all the answers you seek in this book. You may want to throttle me once you reach the end. But this part of the journey will not disappoint you, particularly if you want to see an always honest and occasionally gutwrenching portrayal of mental illness and recovery. Once again I ask you to trust the process...all will be made clear by the conclusion of the series (if not sooner!). I promise!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Dark thoughts, dark behaviours, dark desires Stars.

This is the fourth instalment in the Bellator Saga. I’ve been thinking for a while now how I’m going to write my review and to be honest. I have no efffing clue.

I don’t consider myself to be a very emotional person. It’s just not me. I can be eloquent if I want, I can be articulate but here I’m just going to be as real as I can. I’m a cost & effect kind of girl and this costed me nothing to read but it affected me in a profound way. This series always makes me think sometimes a bit too much.

If you don’t have a therapist on speed dial, like I do, thanks to this series then get on it stat before you start. Or maybe a support group. This series has taken a bit of my soul with each book that I have read.

I’m going to give some spoilers but to those of you that haven’t read the series it probably won’t make any sense at all. The ending of Sojourn was brutal, it was raw, it is gritty and it tore me to bits.

"My foolish heart is forever yours. Love, Monty."

Jack clutched the ring in his fist before tucking the chain back under his shirt. A tear rolled down his cheek as he silently cradled her head in his hands.

This book wasn’t that good for my sanity either and the ending. Just. Don’t. Ms. London. You. Are. Breaking. My. Heart. Here. But the positive is? It’s nice to know that the old chugger is still there.
Jack & Caroline are reunited after a year. Caroline made it to California, to Camp Pendleton. Jack is falling.

He was praying. For strength because his was fading. For peace for he would never find it. For hope because he had none left.

Until the unthinkable happened and that she was/is alive.

Caroline can’t make the distinction between what is reality and what is imaginary any more. She feels betrayed with how Jack interrogated her. Her coping mechanisms aren’t really working. She wants to get close to Jack but is scared shitless of what will happen if she lets someone in again. I have also never encountered that I myself have whiplash with how much I felt for Caroline but she wasn’t a cold bitch she was abso-fucking-lutely glacial bitch. Throughout the book she is an absolute brat.

Jack tries to be patient but it is hard. But not once did he give up believe me there were times but I can truly that if that isn’t love then I really don’t know what it is. Okay maybe obsession, devotion and an ingrained need to possess Caroline. But she twisted it into things that it wasn’t. Jack is my hero and every jab Caroline sent his way I felt for him every step of the way.

“You’re still the only woman I see. The only woman I need.”

“I love you,” he murmured. “Nothing will ever change that. You tuck that away and hold onto it whenever you need a reason to keep going.”

She needs help she keeps on lashing out and in a way it is her right to lash out. But there is only so much that everyone can take. She needs to grieve. We see the process of that as the book progresses and it truly is beautiful to read but equal amounts painful for all parties involved.

They were warring with themselves and with one another.

“I will never overcome who I used to be,” – Jack

“I will never live up to who he thinks I am.” – Caroline

Ms. London is an exceptional writer and she must have a right love/hate relationship with her fans. As she puts us through the wringer. I can name maybe a hand full of authors if that. That can cause me to feel devastated, heartbroken, hateful, spiteful, joy, happiness, hope and love all at the same time.

Hope as well as love is a fickle thing and I have that for both of them in the future.

“When we love, we always strive to become better than we are. When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

Do people die? Well, yes. Did you expect anything else? No? Me either.

Oh that ending? Major cliffhanger. But I knew it so it is my own fault.

What hopes am I still carrying for book five?

That Chrissy is still alive. That her kids are still alive that that one thing hasn’t been taken from her what with everything else that was taken from her. That they can find the love they had for one another and to build on that love.

Would you write a novella about Jack and what he experienced when he left Caroline behind?

Book received by author in excahange for an honest review.

Review can also be found at http://jerisbookattic-reviewblog.blog...

[TeriLyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Phoenix generously provided in exchange for an honest review.**

5 "I'm not giving up." Stars

Cecilia London completely dazzles me once again with the fourth installment in her highly regarded Bellator Saga. These two remarkable lead characters, Jack and Caroline, took me on another hauntingly beautiful journey through their lives. Their story is not easy. It's dark, psychological, and emotionally exhausting but absolutely worth every turn of the page. London exhibits incredible talent with her writing and story structure leading readers through a minefield of experiences that stick with us long past the end.

Caroline Gerard quite honestly is a character whom I find absolutely unforgettable. In Phoenix for a large portion of the book I wanted to shake her, talk some sense into her, despite knowing how she's suffered, all the while wanting to throw my arms around her and not let go. Her personality changed so significantly with her trauma she's more than physically unrecognizable. In a brilliant show of storytelling by London and after much reflection when finished, I realize now more than ever I want to be Caroline Gerard. A fierce protector of those she loves most wrapped in a self-deprecating shell of the vibrant woman she once was, Caroline's journey in this book is beyond fascinating. She makes me hopeful for the world. For the strength of women and the capacity to protect what's right. To be fierce and loyal and not straddle the line but be the line and guide others to see the good. Caroline believes in something, it's not herself that's for sure, but something greater than herself. Her journey to live with that and move forward haunts you as much as inspires you.

Jack McIntyre. I mean what can one say? A tortured hero he's become, my very favorite kind. He's a man with intense vulnerabilities masked by arrogance and clout. Phoenix for Jack is a real eye-opener as he learns how to deal with the extreme circumstances of his actions from the past and the reactions from Caroline to those choices. His reactions and subsequent actions shows this intensely raw side of this stoic, formidable man. There are gorgeous moments where he crumbles with Caroline and without. It made him more human to me, more compassionate, and more willing to understand a greater need that maybe he never fully realized before. Jack shows an absurd amount of patience, courage, and understanding all the while concealing his ultimate need to protect Caroline. He undoubtedly grows in this book and I can't wait to see where that growth takes us.

There's a very special bond between Jack and his Caroline that's somewhat hidden because of how fragile and precarious the nature of their relationship is in Phoenix. As that bond gets increasingly uncovered and re-discovered with each page it also gets increasingly more painful, like a wound that won't quite heal. The fascinating points of the story are the vivid dreams/nightmares/memories each of them hold juxtaposed against the hell their both currently living. Striking vulnerabilities coupled with a magnetic strength make them character studies for whom you want to write term papers about. Their brilliance and strength make them leaders everyone feels compelled to follow.

New characters were introduced in this installment one of whom I believe is a strategically brilliant choice - Natalie Haddard. She drove the plot further with her wit, compassion, and the compelling way she make each character reach the breaking points they need to fully understand. The continuation of the plot in terms of the rebellion and the state of the Country was a little stalled in this installment but it didn't make a difference to me. The in-depth exploration of these characters
in Phoenix provided a dark reprieve from the dark world their living-in.

I truly can't recommend this series enough. Phoenix is a little different from the first three in the saga but for very good reason. As fans of the saga, we knew life wasn't going to be all rainbows and butterflies for Jack and Caroline after book three. I'm grateful and elated Cecilia London sticks with her own storytelling not changing her story for the masses because the haunting truths and excruciating pain of the turmoil make this series so compelling. The journey is one of great triumph and great loss. It's a marathon not a sprint and the slow burn ticks all the boxes in my reading soul. Phoenix explores the very deepest, darkest insecurities of these characters while conversely reminding them of the epic love they once shared. It's a beautifully morose tale and I can't wait for the next installment. I can't recommend the series highly enough.

Excellent writing. Compelling story-telling. Unforgettable characters. What more could you want?


My 5 star reviews for the first three books of the Bellator Saga:
Book 1: Dissident
Book 2: Conscience
Book 3: Sojourn

Many thanks to my girl, DeannaPinkLady, for our reading time and hand-holding during this book.

[Carol***BeautyandtheBeastlyBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC received in exchange of an honest review***

Warning:: This review is spoiler free, but it might contain minor spoilers from the previous books, if you haven’t read them.

Review posted at: https://beautyandthebeastlybooks.word...


By now you MUST know how much I’ve praised The Bellator Saga and how it’s sitting at one of my favorite series. The story Cecilia London created is both fresh and edgy and you can’t help wanting more to know what will happen next.


In that sense Phoenix, the 4th book in the series, is not different. But from the four books released so far it is the most different from the others. The story takes a turn and the focus is changed and I was anxiously waiting for that. Not because I wasn’t enjoying how it was going, because obviously I was. But because I wanted to see what was happening to the world (and let’s not be fake, I mean what was happening to JACK <3) while Caroline underwent imprisonment, torture and a whole new life.


People in this “New America” are not the same, so we can’t expect Jack and Caroline to be. And let me tell you, they are different. So different that I dare you to like Caroline in this book, at least in the first part of it. But the book is meant to be that way. When an author makes you hate a character you love for the right reasons it’s a powerful thing to read. Jack is not the same either, but out of the two, the biggest change is in Caroline. I cut her a HUGE slack because after all she went through she was bound to, not only be a bit screwed in the head, but to have become someone darker and even bitter sometimes.


I guarantee you will want to punch her a lot of times for treating Jack like she does, but then you will also realize what is going on in her head. Or at least start to realize that. What about Jack? Jack is…well, he is perfect. There’s no other way to put it. And sexy as hell as the Commander. But he is also broken. Not as much as Caroline (again, who could be??), but enough to let us see a vulnerable side of him we haven’t seen before. And we also get to see other sides of who he was back then. Sides we didn’t imagine. The ammount of angst Cecilia brought to the story in the conflict and tension between Jack and Caroline (not only sexual tension, but tension in every way) make him the start of this book foe me. Not that Caroline is a supporting character, but in Phoenix it’s time we see a bit more of the other characters present other than Caroline. She is still very much important to the story, but I feel like Jack had a more leading part here. Not because he appears more (he doesn’t, the book is all about both of them), but because of the feelings he brought to the story.


Cecilia, very generously, let her leading lady stay in the shadows (and sometimes even be the “bad” guy) so Jack could shine. Yes, for me Jack is the star. But Caroline isn’t far behind. I love characters that aren’t one-dimensional.mand let me tell you, Caroline has so many dimensions she’ll blow your mind. When you think you know what’s going on in her head she goes and surprises you. I LOVED how Dissident was about them falling in love, how Cecilia gave us the flashbacks that showed them meeting and falling in love and how life was in the Before time. But now I also love how different they are, because it means they get to discover who thy have become. But it won’t be an easy feature. Caroline is like a feral animal, afraid to show her vulnerability so she isn’t willing to compromise. Plus she has a lot to work on. But Jack is the perfect counter part for that. He gives as good as he gets and he is not one to coddle. Jack, I feel your frustration, man! But I have to belive it will all be worth i the end.


But the book doesn’t have only Jack. We have Caroline’s band of misfit allies that fit perfectly with her. And we are introduced to a new character that soon became one of my favorites. Natalie. She is a doctor and a big friend to Jack and Caroline, even thought she doesn’t see it in the beginning. Natalie for me is the voice of conscience in this book. Almost like she is the Jiminy Cricket of the book. She is the one that grounds our favorite characters. And they need that. There are a lot of things, even from the past, that neither of them knew they had to work on and Natalie is the one to help them. I admit I was a bit jealous of her in the beginning. I even PMed Cecilia when she first appeared, but she grew a LOT on me.


The series needed this book now. And Cecilia inserted this story in a perfect timing. We needed a book about the characters and how they are coping and how they interact with each other now that everything is so different. The whole fight for America and against Santos is there, as it ought to be, but that is the real supporting characters in Phoenix for me. Not that I don’t like that side of the story. I do and I want badly to see what will happen. I can’t wait for the next book , I have a feeling it’ll be packed in action.


In some senses Phoenix is maybe one of my favorite books in the series. You might think it isn’t as powerful as the others, specially Dissident and Conscience. But I disagree. Phoenix has a silent power to it, it’s there, but it’s something a bit more hidden. Its power relay on the characters and how they are dealing with this messed up life they were dealt instead of in the actual story. And that is one of my favorite things about Phoenix. For me a good book is a mix of good writing, good plot and great characters. If you have weak characters, no matter how good the writing or story it won’t hold. And Cecilia’s characters are incredbly powerful.


But in some other senses Phoenix is my least favorite. Not enough to dislike it, because I didn’t. But enough that it is a 4 stars book and not a 5 (which for me is not a bad thing. A powerful 4 stars reading can saty with us longer than a 5 sometimes). But I wouldn’t stay true to myself if I rated it 5 with it having a few things that “bothered” me. These things aren’t enough to dislike the book, but for me something was missing. A couple of scenes I won’t tell you so I don’t spoil the story for you, scenes I think are important, were a tad too rushed for me. I understand this is Cecilia’s book and it’s her vision and the story should be as she sees it, but for me, some scenes could have been handled a bit more different or have had a bit more in them. You see, I have no problem with the story, for me it’s perfect. But for me, as a reader, some things could have been done a bit differently (and I don’t mean a change in the story, just how some things were written) to help the continuity of the story, to help some things flow better. Those are tecnical issues of mine that I could overlook (and overal I did, because I really like this book), but that I can’t overlook entirely because they made me not feel enough in scenes I would have liked to feel more.


But please don’t get me wrong, this book will make you FEEL! The feelings it will bring to you will come, not like a wrecking ball as Miley would say, but they’ll come like a train so fast that it’ll not only hit you, but will take you to places you could never imagine. The angst. The love. There’s no way to describe feelings like these. I think it’s the one that have made me feel the most in some ways.


Funny thing is I know a lot of people might be wanting to stab Cecilia for the ending, but I don’t. See how much of a big paradox I can be as a reader? LOL. I mean, we had some BAD cliffies, specially with Dissident and Conscience. Now, don’t go saying this is a spoiler. This is a series and they are not standalones, so obviously the story isn’t finished (there are two more books coming), but I sort of knew something like that would happen. I’m not dying over it, but I’m anxious in a whole different way, because I realy can’t wait to see what Caroline is up to! But I can wait. Because waiting for a new book in the Beallator Saga is ALWAYS worth it when we read it. Cecilia always deliver a gripping story, full of angst and all these feelings. So I’m here anxiously waiting for the next installment, because being surprised by Cecilia is as much part of the story as Caroline and Jack and I guarantee this seeies is a story you will never forget and that will keep you on the edge of your sit and bring you something different and fresh in every book!


Oh, and before you start having some ideas…Jack is MINE. MIIIIIIINE. I have the name to prove it!

[Becky Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cecilia London
Phoenix

Phoenix is the fourth installment in the Bellator Saga. You must read the first three books before reading Phoenix. Dissident is the first book and is currently free.

http://www.amazon.com/Dissident-Bella...

I love Jack and Caroline like crazy. Cecilia London is forging her own way in creating a new genre.
Jack has been Caroline's strength, even when she didn't want it. London pulls me in even farther in this episode of the saga that is the remarkable story of Jack and Caroline.

I am constantly impressed with London's ability to write so beautifully and skillfully that you live the story not just read it. You feel every heart break, every glimpse of joy and every loving moment.





I consumed this book, as I did the first three. This series is addictive and so brilliantly written.

Caroline is struggling emotionally with the traumas she suffered at the hands of the Feds and her personal losses as a result of the Feds actions. She is definitely suffering from PTSD and is sometimes cruel, even to the people she cares about. While I know this is a journey she has to take to reach emotional recovery, there are times I want to shake her.

The author brilliantly navigates Caroline's mental state and the processing of her demons. Caroline spews hatred, cuts with her tongue and then is a ball of sobbing self-loathing. I love her strength and her ever present wit, even though occasionally it is used as a weapon.



She and Jack's journey is not over, nor is the rebellion. I have faith that their epic love will win in the end.

Reviewed by Becky for Jo&IsaLoveBooks
http://joandisalovebooks.com/
http://joandisalovebooks.blogspot.co.uk/

[Rachael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh how to review Phoenix without giving the whole book away…This has been my dilemma since I read it two weeks ago. This book is really a transitional book I feel like for everyone involved in the story thus far and is a very emotional read.



Caroline is now “safe” at the rebellion base with her thought to be dead husband Jack and her team of guys that helped her travel cross country to get there as well. However, things are far from where they were when the two last parted ways last February in the woods.

In Phoenix, Caroline struggles with her emotions and what she wants from Jack. She is broken and suffering badly from everything she has been through over the past year. She is desperate to be away from Jack and anything that could bring her thoughts of her happy past and happy life with Jack and the girls to the surface. Caroline is tremendously broken from not only what she went through at The Fed, but the fact that Jack didn’t recognize her when she arrived at the base has really destroyed any remaining glimmer of hope she may have had hidden deep inside.

Jack is desperate to keep her close and give her back their life together, or as much as can be living on a rebel base, but Caroline resists him at every turn. And not in the fun, flirty way she did when the two first met. Jack is struggling with his own demons inside and things from the past are haunting him in ways I never saw coming. Cecilia brought not only a sensitive soft side to Jack in his desperation to win his wife back, but a dark side I never would have thought possible from Jack.

Caroline is very emotionally unstable and in Phoenix we are given glimpses of hope that the pair will find their way back together, but the whole book is their struggle and a very emotional read. We are also introduced to a new character that I absolutely loved, Natalie! You’ll have to just read the book to see the enormous role she has in Caroline’s recovery and self discovery. She is a very much needed supporting character for not only Caroline’s progression forward, but also Jack’s as well.

Phoenix wasn’t the book I was expecting it to be, and I can say I do love where the story is headed from here. I can’t wait to see the next two books and how Cecilia brings these two torn apart lovers back together (Or at least I am hoping that is where we are going in the next book….).

[Melissa Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title:Phoenix
Author:Cecilia London
Series:Bellator Saga, Book #4
Publisher:
Reviewer:Melissa
Release Date:May 2, 2016
Genre(s):Romantic Suspense
Page Count:200
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
Blurb:

One epic love. Two wounded souls. Three impossible words.

Ripped away from each other by circumstances beyond their control. Reunited in a place they never expected. Separated but never quite apart.

“You’re still the only woman I see. The only woman I need. I know you’re in there somewhere, sweet Caroline. We’re going to find you and we’re going to help you, until you come home to me where you belong. Then we’re going to finish what we started. Together.”

Her confidence shattered, Caroline finally starts to deal with what happened at The Fed. Jack is determined to convince her that she’s more than she thinks she is. That she wasn’t destroyed by her experiences. That their relationship is worth the fight. But will he give up before it’s too late?

Review:
“‘Tell me you don’t miss me and I’ll stop.’ ‘Jack-’ He loved the way she kept saying his name. So needy. So reluctant. ‘Say it. I’ll know if you’re lying.’”

5 sexy suspenseful stars!! Once again Cecilia had me on the edge of my seat!

I have been obsessed with this series since book one and let me just say that this book is my absolute favorite!!! Caroline and Jack’s relationship is gripping, emotional and sexy as hll!!! I’m a huge fan of Cecilia and this book right here, proves exactly why I am!!


ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Melissa from Alpha Book Club

[Elizabeth Clinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you even begin to write a review for a book that leaves you speechless with every turn of the page. That is what Phoenix was for me.
This is book four in The Bellator Series and the intensity of this book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. How do you try and explain the pain that Jack & Caroline have suffered without feeling it yourself.
Phoenix picks up right where Sojourn ends and we see that the once confident woman Caroline was is so far broken is there a way for her to come back to that without the love of Jack, but when you have no trust or faith in the one person who use to be your everything the struggles are real.
Jack doesn't even realize all the pain and suffering that Caroline has endured but in his heart the woman he loves is still there and hoping with patience and understanding she will come back to him, little does he know that is going to be one hard mountain to climb with so many bumps and bruises along the way.
The only person who might be able to bridge that gap from pain and suffering to love and understanding is Natalie a young doctor looking to help them come back to one another with as little heartache as possible.
I can not say enough how fantastic a read not only this book is, but how this series will have you saying how long do I have to wait for more. Their will be times that you will want to throw the kindle, when you will be reaching for that tissue but each one of those things will be so worth the incredible story that Cecilia London has written.

[Hooker Heels Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

For private reasons, this was probably not the best book for me to read at the moment, but there was no way that I could miss another second without my favorite politically autonomous couple.
Phoenix was a very intensely emotional book and probably the most unique in the series thus far.

The struggles that Jack and Caroline steadily endure are pretty in depth and really hit home in quite a few scenes. The ambivalent emotional turmoil that they have and continue to experience was so heart wrenching left me in tears one moment, and wanting to strangle them the next.

There was a large portion of the book that I wanted to literally reach through and strangle Caroline, but the more that the story developed, the more my heart just ached for her and how she was coping with such traumatic and life altering experiences. I don’t think that I could ever say anything bad about my favorite Governor, but a large portion of his dialogue was difficult to read as well. The turmoil of loving someone so much and having that love dangled just beyond your reach was tough to comprehend at times.

The more that I read this series, the more that I become so emotionally vested in these characters and their lives. There are so few books out there that impact readers in such a profound and fascinating manner, but this series is definitely one that will inevitably continually captivate you the cover until you read the words The End.

[Christine (Shh Moms Reading)]

#Exclusive Excerpt and AmazonGC and Ebook #Giveaway #Phoenix
He pulled her chin up so they were facing each other. She needed to look at him. See him. Recognize that she was safe. “Sweetheart,” he said softly. “Snap out of it. Come on, now.”

“Leave me alone,” she mumbled. “I don’t know anything.”

Jack gazed into her eyes, hoping for a response but seeing vacant nothingness in return. Those wide, red rimmed eyes. That trembling lip. All part of a goddamn desperate attempt to hold her shit together while slipping away from reality.

He could take her and run. Grab a Jeep and drive until they ran out of gas. He could provide for her. For them. He could take care of her. Then she’d see reason. She’d get better. She just needed time, and love, and privacy. Away from this damn base and this fucking ineffectual rebellion. Staying here was doing both of them more harm than good.

Look at me. See me. I know you can.

His presence wasn’t enough. His words weren’t enough. He said them anyway. “Caroline,” he whispered. “Please.”

A fat tear gathered on her eyelash and slid down her face. He brushed it away, leaning in closer and kissing her cheek. He could get through to her. He had to. He just had to keep talking. “Don’t cry, baby. No one can hurt you. Not while I’m here.”

READ THE FULL EXCERPT HERE
http://bit.ly/PhoenixCeciliaLondon

[~IreneOust~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do I think Cecilia London can write? Absolutely.

Do I think her writing can get under your skin, into your heart and hit you right in the feels? Without any doubt whatsoever.

This brilliant author and this heart-wrenching saga quickly became one of my favorite discoveries of 2015. To say Cecilia London continues to blow me away with each book in the series would be an enormous understatement.

The main reason I LOVE this series so much is the heroine. Caroline, IMO, is one of THE best female character I've had a pleasure of meeting to date. She is a wife and a mother. She is a loyal friend. She is smart. She is strong. She wants to make a difference. And with every obstacle life throws her way, she prevails and defies the odds. She is a survivor. To love this series is to love Caroline Gerard!

Then there is, of course, Jack McIntyre. To call him 'perfect' would probably not do his character any justice. He is the cherry on top of an already delicious sundae that is Caroline's journey. He is that icing on the cake that is an EPIC love story. He is Jack McIntyre, the man you absolutely HAVE to meet!

Another fantastic reason to pick up this series is the supporting cast. If need be, it would be extremely difficult to pick a favorite. Even the villains in this story ... everyone is so incredibly well written that it makes for a very vivid tale.

And then there is THE dialogue. Cecilia London's dialogue is something EVERYONE should experience for themselves. It's witty. It's smart. It's emotional. It's everything a dialogue in a well written book should be.

I know I said nothing at all about the story itself but that's not what my 'reviews' are about. I don't like to recap the story because I want readers to experience it for themselves. I rarely read blurbs/reviews before I pick up a book. I like to go in not knowing anything about the plot and be totally blindsided, if you will. This is one of those series that one MUST go in completely blind and trust the process.

I will say this about this particular installment - it was VERY difficult to read. If you are reading this series and know what happened in the first trilogy, you'll know why I say this. Caroline's journey is far from over and this installment was pivotal to the plot. At times, I got really frustrated with the heroine but then I felt enormous guilt for doing so. If you've been following the series, brace yourself for Phoenix.

This series won't be for everyone but those of you who appreciate exquisite writing and enjoy sagas, will absolutely fall in love with it.

Cheers!

P.S. I will most likely add to this review before PHOENIX goes live because I've been rereading parts of it ever since I finished. This isn't exactly the story that easily leaves you once you are finished reading it.

[Myla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Commander Jack McIntyre will do anything just to make sure Caroline is being well attended after arriving at the rebel base camp. And slowly but surely, Caroline is getting better. Jack couldn’t be happier. But his happiness was short lived, once Caroline fully gained consciousness; she wants nothing to do with Jack. She hates him, period! Ever understanding Jack accepted this kind of attitude from Caroline. Cold… Distant… Stubborn! Not in that particular order, but Caroline can be such pain in the ass here. I can’t blame her, though, for what she’d been through. But I still love our feisty heroine.

Just like any other new recruit, Caroline will undergo extensive combat training and as per her request no special treatment. Caroline proved to be a great leader of her troops and she’s well-liked by most of the people at the base camp.

Though there are still some “black-out” moments where in Caroline remembers what she went through in the hands of the FEDS. That’s one of the reasons why she was forced to seek the help of a doctor. At first Caroline was reluctant to share anything but as time goes by she felt comfortable and little by little was able to tell what’s in her mind. Her relationship with Jack is slightly improved and there are times when everything seems back to normal. No hatred… no insecurities…

“What would happen if he kissed her just once? Surely she could tolerate that. More than tolerate it. Enjoy it. Relish it. Beg for more. Fuck, she had bit off more than she could chew. She closed her eyes, waiting for him to make that final move. “

This 4th book of The Bellator Saga, Phoenix, is eloquently written. Scenes that are so compelling, that I need to take a breather before I continue reading it. Cecilia London continues to amaze me the way she writes her books. She captures my undivided attention from start to finish, that’s how good it is.

This is not a standalone you must read the first 3 books in order to appreciate the story of Jack and Caroline, but let me tell you it’s worth it. A cliffhanger, yes, but one thing I like about this kind of series is that… the plot… the scenes are getting better and better. And the way this author writes, I know I expect nothing less but pure goodness when the next book comes. Kudos Author Cecilia London for another job well done!

Note: ARC generously provided by the author for honest review. Thank you!

[J-ME · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know how to start this review. Phoenix had me in such emotional turmoil….. the angst…. the suspense… and Jack? *Sigh*

Phoenix, being the fourth book in the series I was prepared. Or so I thought…

I try to go into each of these books with some knowledge that Ms. London is going to eviscerate me in some way shape or form, because I’m attached to these characters in a way I rarely feel. They’ve become a tangible thing at this point in my mind. I’m invested, and after everything they went through in Sojourn? I knew Cecilia London wasn’t finished – she would take us through even more and she did not disappoint.

It’s impossible to pick a favorite in this series – all four books thus far are equally emotional and addictive. Typically in a series I’ll find there’s a lull somewhere in the story, but not with the Bellator Saga.

Not.At. All.



Phoenix is different – Caroline is struggling to face everything she’s been working so hard to forget and Jack? Jack is trying…. god is he trying his hardest to be by her side throughout – if she’d only let him. Everything I originally fell in love with throughout this series is in Phoenix – even if the story is a bit different, everything that made me fall in love with Jack & Caroline is here… and this ever evolving series is far from over.

Phoenix left me with so many hard-core emotions I really didn’t know what to do with myself. I read this book basically in one sitting. I cried with Caroline, I felt the desperate hopelessness of both Jack and Caroline…. I felt every single word in this book. Cecilia London is the master of suspenseful emotions… leaving you on the verge of a nervous breakdown one second and giving you snippets of hope you will cling onto for dear life.

Phoenix is an open wound – unapologetic and raw. I felt many things throughout this series, but Phoenix? This book hit me in the feels so hard it definitely left a mark.

If you haven't read The Bellator Saga yet? Dooooo it!

[Kay (❦ ᴗ ❦ ✿) BooksandMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

“But I know you better than anyone else here and that frightens the hell out of you. I know all your secrets, all your fears, all our desires. You’re terrified of letting anyone in, especially me.”

Phoenix started off at The Base. That’s all I have to say. Everything, you have to see for yourself. This installment is a continuation of the epic love story of Jack McIntyre and Caroline Gerard and their fight towards what’s right.

This book is a challenge to me. And I say that because I felt dread and trying to postpone of when I might actually start. I was afraid because I know what I was going into and I’m thankful for the support of from the group to join in the bandwagon and hopefully not to strangle the Author after finishing the book. Seriously, I needed that and after finishing the book, it helped to bear the pain.

“If she could just get closer to him, just one inch, one centimeter, one millimeter closer…”

One highlight of this book for me is that finally, finally there is Jack’s POV. But Cecilia London, EVIL AUTHOR that she is, left me with a big wound after reading Sojourn. I was hoping the reprieve between reading the next book would let me heal that wound. But what did Cecilia do? She ripped off the band aid, flayed open my wound and stab me again and pour salt in it. That’s the best way I can describe my pain.

“I never knew it could hurt so much to love another person.”

It was hard for me to hate Caroline at some point. I have a girl crush with her, of how she’s so brave and idealistic and strong that her actions towards Jack were making me feel animosity towards her. But considering the trauma she’s been through, I can’t imagine how she’d manage to maintain her sanity.

Jack and Caroline may seem so perfect, their personality and their relationship. But these characters have their own flaws and it made them so human. So real. Their fears, their internal struggles with their emotions, and their interpersonal relationships with other people.



What I love about this book is how it touched me. With my beliefs and views, and how I feel that this book just made me a better person with my ideals and opinions. I think, more than that, it just made me realize about my own actions and relationships with other people, as well as to be grateful of whatever I have or everything at the moment.

“It’s funny how life can change in an instant.”

This is a definite must read book. I hope I don’t end up shoving this book in everyone’s face so that they will be able to read something so beautiful and something so profound. As far as I can remember, this is the only book I cursed in my native tongue after finishing the read. This is how intense this book is in a good way. I feel like I wanted to fast forward the days to read the next installment, as well as slow the days so that I still have time to prepare emotionally, mentally and physically.

To Cecilia London, kudos! Thank you for creating this beautiful masterpiece!

“I want to be with you. In the same space. Breathing the same air. Feeling connected to you.”

Other teaser art I've created prior to reading the book:






Books in the series:




For more about me and my crazy ramblings and post, reviews, giveaways and other stuff:

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am currently experiencing a serious love/hate relationship with this author. I have no words right now - none... o.O

So yeah, I'm the queen of procrastination, especially when it comes to writing reviews on books I love. It gets worse when I finish a book that I not only loved, but also on books that completely break me... when that same book ends in a cliff hanger that seriously wants me to throw my kindle across the room? Let's just say I need some serious recovery time. I suppose enough time has passed, so here goes nothing...

Phoenix is the 4th book in the Bellator Saga and the 1st book in the 2nd trilogy. Confused? Put simply, the Bellator Saga is divided into 6 books. The 1st 3 books are Dissident, Conscience and Sojourn. They deal with Caroline's time with the Fed and her rescue - plus a LOT of background info. The next 3 books, Phoenix, Rhapsody and Triumph make up the 2nd part of the trilogy. Phoenix takes up where Sojourn left off. Now would probably be a good time to reiterate that if you haven't read the previous books in the Bellator Saga, don't start here... and don't read any further. The rest of this review will contain spoilers so consider yourselves warned.

Now that we've gotten that out of the way...

Just a heads up, if you read Sojourn and assume that because Caroline and Jack are finally reunited... yeah, don't even go there. Both of them are totally broken. They've lived months knowing that the other didn't survive and, well, the Caroline that Jack knew before the Fed just isn't there anymore. That doesn't stop him from trying to find her though.

I can honestly say that this is the first book in the saga that I've been truly mad at Caroline. She was borderline cruel to Jack. At first I understood, but the longer she pushed him away the more frustrated with her I became. Being in Jack's head for a good portion of Phoenix helped with that. His love never wavered and he needed her, but she continually pushed him away.

On the flip side, being in Caroline's head was painful. She knew what she was doing, she knew she was hurting him and others around her, but she found ways to justify it. The thing is that it was hard to stay mad at her. Mostly because she wavered and when she did there was a spark of hope and then... yeah... this was not an easy book to read from an emotional standpoint.

Phoenix also kept up with the back story that the rest of the books have had. I really like that aspect, even more than I thought I would. Seeing into Caroline and Jack's past helped clue readers into what they were both fighting for - both personally and on a much larger scale. Speaking of which, as political dramas go, the Bellator Saga is pretty scary. That's mainly because truth can sometimes be stranger than fiction and as crazy as things are in this series it wouldn't take much for some of it to happen and even some of it is not anything that I want to experience... ever. *shivers*

And did I mention that Phoenix ended in a cliff hanger? "Trust the Process" the #evilauthor says "You'll forgive me in the end" she assumes. I'd hazard a guess that Rhapsody won't fix everything, but I'm really hoping that Jack and Caroline get just a little bit closer to resolving some serious issues before the saga is over.

I received Phoenix in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know where to begin, I am so completely
and utterly addicted to this story.

The saga continues in book #4 and let me tell you
it is just as awesome as the first three. It starts off
right where Sojourn ended and each chapter is
just as mind-blowing as the next.

Caroline is recovering or trying to recover from
all the demons of her past and Jack is still
so utterly in love with her. He also is struggling
with what happened to her when she was held captive
and when he left her in the woods. He tries
so very hard to reach her. He is determined
with tenderness, words and tough love but Caroline
is so damn stubborn she fights him and her
feelings and smashes arrows straight through
his heart.

We are introduced to a new character a gifted
doctor named Natalie. She is determined to
fight for Caroline who she has admired before
the country was taken over. Natalie has the
perfect bed side manor to reach Caroline.
She is smart, compassionate, and through
the book uses all her resources to help
Caroline and Jack to try to come to terms
with their demons. A perfect blend with
a tough attitude and insight that she can
get these two on path to find the love they
once shared.

Caroline's boys are back and they are just
as dedicated to her as they were before.
They are determined to help her
and remind her of the fighter that
she is. Of course Ms. Landon had to
add a twist that left me devastated when
it came to these heroes in Caroline life.

Ms. Landon reaches into the very
depths of your soul with this story, you
cannot help but just absorb the words
and fight for Jack and Caroline.

"You 're still the only woman I see. The
only woman I need. I know you're in there
somewhere, sweet Caroline. We're going to
find you and we're going to help you, until
you come home to me where you belong.
Then we're going to finish what we started.
Together."

Saga #4 gives you a look into what happens
as this brilliant story continues. Chapters with
memories from the past and chapters as
Caroline and Jack navigate through the heartache
and try to come with terms on how to move forward.

This Saga is outstanding and is not to be
missed!

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

Since the dramatic and tear inducing conclusion of Sojourn, I've spent lots time imaging what would happen in Phoenix and where the story would go. I'm pleased to say the author takes the story in a direction I didn't consider. I love that.

Caroline, the woman we adore, has been changed by her time at the Fed and I found her behaviour difficult to read at times. She made me really mad. She is hurting the person she loves the most and trying to protect herself and those she loves. Phoenix is dual point of view so we also get to see Jack's struggle to try to renew his relationship with his wife while she pushes him away.

My heart breaks for Jack. The more difficult Caroline is the more it chips away at his self esteem. It is clear Jack and Caroline are in love and should be together but these two keep getting in each other's way. Phoenix has a lot of angst and heart ache which resulted in plenty of tears from me.

Once again Ms London gives us a fantastic ending leaving me dying for Rhapsody, which this the next instalment. If you haven't read The Bellator Saga you are missing out. It is amazing.

[Gill Melling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phoenix by Cecilia London

The fourth installment in the Bellator Saga, I have been waiting for this book since Sojourn left me hanging!
We start exactly where Sojourn ended, with Caroline reunited with Jack - happy days, I thought, all the heartache that Caroline and I had suffered in Sojourn was over. Ha! Not a chance! In this book we see a lot more from Jack's POV and suffer along with him this time, as Caroline constantly pushes him away. At times I felt like my heart was breaking, I wanted to get hold of the author and shout at her for making him (and me!) feel like this. Just when you think they are making progress, she turns on him again - I don't think I liked Caroline very much in this book sometimes, I wanted to shake her and make her see how Jack was feeling.
However, once again, Cecilia London's writing is amazing, to invoke those feelings in the reader is a real talent and I'm so glad we have two more books to look forward to.

[♡ Jeri's Book Attic ♡ Jeri the Romance Bibiliophile ♡]