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Phoenix: The Heartwoods

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Fate’s power can weld even the most reckless hearts together… Phoenix Heartwood has built a wall around his heart his entire life, keeping love and any risk of associated pain outside the barrier. When darkness settles over the town of Courtley in the form of a shady multi-millionaire named Zander who now controls a majority of properties including the Heartwood family home and business, Phoenix agrees to work for Zander as a means to protect his family and their interests. A light soon brightens Phoenix’s life in the form of a beautiful guy named Gabriel, now residing at Zander’s estate…and who quickly begins chiseling away the wall surrounding Phoenix’s heart. Uncontrollable desires and looming danger mix as Phoenix and Gabriel struggle to break from Zander’s grip, and Phoenix realizes there is one thing he may not be able to fight…his ultimate destiny with love. The Heartwoods is a steamy Fated Lovers M/M Romance with a guaranteed HEA and is Book 3 of He’s The One Series. Can be read as a standalone. ***This book contains darker themes than the previous two in the series, including scenes of violence.***

259 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 29, 2018

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Marissa Holt

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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Becca.
3,224 reviews47 followers
January 16, 2019
This is one hell of a book. Yes, it's considered a romance but as stated in the blurb, it's darker. If you've been ready any of these books, which I hope you have, you know anything with Phoenix is never easy. So, of course, Phoenix’s story can't be an easy one either. But the end was so worth it.
From the get go, Phoenix has said he's not falling in love. He's a wham-bam-thank-you-sir kind of guy. He doesn't believe in love, fate or any of that mumbo jumbo. Which turns out to be funny as can be, when ’fate’ gives him a big ole slap in the form of sexy man Gabriel. But Gabriel is supposed to be off limits. He's the object d’arte of Zander's. His boss.
As much as he hates working for Zander, he has no choice. It's this or his family is in serious trouble. Zander is making trouble for everyone. He's come in and taken over the town so to speak and no one likes the man. He's sleazy, crooked and more, but no one can prove anything. And when Gabriel comes along, Phoenix is horrified at first. Gabriel is gorgeous, but being Zander’s boy toy is unthinkable to Phoenix. But Gabriel ends up telling the truth to Phoenix, and little by little, things are getting worse with Zander. Phoenix may be a dick, but he still draws the line at things. And the line has been drawn. But how does he take Zander down and save Gabriel at the same time?
I laughed my butt off when Phoenix got a big ole slap as far as Gabriel. He was so determined to never fall in love or love anyone other than family. And when Gabriel got under his skin, I knew it was coming and I was laughing. Phoenix could no sooner deny Gabriel anything. It would be like saying no to air. And he still tried to deny it lol. Hardheaded booger. It did sadden me at one point, though, when he began to question himself. He knew he could be dick. And yeah, sometimes it was a front to keep people from being close. But Gabriel burrowed under his skin quick.
For Gabriel, Phoenix felt like home. He and his family. With all the crap that has happened in Gabriel’s past up until the present he's in, life has not been easy. And even though Phoenix can be a hard ass, he sees something in Phoenix most people don't. And that's home for Gabriel. But being in Zander's house, with the stuff that's going on, it makes things difficult. But then again, difficult seems to be Gabriel's middle name. He stops at nothing to get to Phoenix, even when his own life is in danger. Anything for Phoenix.
This is such a good book. It's rough and violent in places though. Zander is a sicko. It's a matter of overcoming the odds to survive. And a matter of not knocking love when it's in front of your face lol. This has been a really good series.

http://lovebytesreviews.com
Profile Image for Laura ~Passion flower.
561 reviews1 follower
January 12, 2019


Phoenix: The Heartwoods (He's The One #3) (ARC) was graciously provided to me by the author for an honest review. I have voluntarily read this book and have provided my honest opinion.

  An Intense and Heart-Felt Read..

    Having recently read such a good and satisfying new release entitled, Southern Brit, by Marissa Holt, I quickly began my next read..which coincidentally happened to be by the same author.  I had needed more of these characters, so I voraciously read Phoenix: The Heartwoods, and, wow..was I surprised for so many different kinds of reasons..

     As I had understandably jumped right in to this new read, I had quickly noticed that it was quite different, yet somehow somewhat similar, to that of the previous read.  While, it does have a heavily-infused mysterious, gripping, and darkened plot, it also has that added absolutely heart-warming, and, hopeful moments as well.  With all of these different components also comes plentiful triggers that readers need to be aware of.  As I went into this read somewhat blindly, despite this new read not quite being the norm of what is usually read by this reader, it had turned out to be a very engrossing and addicting read. 

     That being said, however, even though the plot had contained that dark and mysterious undertone, many of the components of this story, albeit a bit unrealistic, had been shocking and very surprising to come across.  It was at the beginning of this shock-fest, that the actual plot was a bit..disguised for this reader.  These elements had contained so many twists and turns, each one of them keeping me on the edge-of-my-seat right up until that absolutely incredible arc, that had me shedding massive tears, that despite this moment, I had so very much hoped for more of a distinguishable path that would have lead right up to that beautiful moment.  

     As this story contains a myriad of characters, both two-legged and four, all of whom are likable, some more than others, there were still a few who I just couldn't quite figure out.  Despite this, like a bolt-of-lightening, mixed in with the biggest of tidal waves, the damn had burst.  As that initial slow-burn had developed into this amazing display of electric desire and heart-felt emotions, set deep within all of the nail-biting moments, I had greatly enjoyed the main characters, Phoenix and Gabriel, one being a gruff strong family man with a big heart and the other a sweet, loving, almost desperate yet tremendously strong young man.   

     Even though the writing, as a whole, was well done and had contained so many different kinds of aspects, it was an intense, heavy, emotional read, with bits and pieces of that needed levity, that, in addition to that need of a somewhat smoother plot, there was also hope for more character background and development as well.  Other than these areas, Phoenix: The Heartwoods, by Marissa Holt was a great read..:)

*star rating: 4.00 'I really liked it' stars*
Profile Image for Kendra T.
3,085 reviews39 followers
March 21, 2021
It was nice to visit the Heartwood brothers again. Phoenix always seemed like an uptight guy, but with all he had to deal with (running the store, trying to take care of his mom) he had a lot on his plate. In this book, a new rich and nasty guy has strolled into town and strong-armed everyone into doing what he wants. He's been holding the deeds to people's homes and business hostage, including the Heartwoods. Phoenix is forced to work for him, and while there he meets Gabriel. Gabriel was brought to Zander's home as a "piece of art" because he was good looking. Gabriel was escaping a difficult situation, so he didn't really think much of it. Once he met Phoenix, he knew there was something special about him. They were adorable together, and it was great to see Phoenix find someone who showed him that he's worth everything he thought he wasn't. I liked seeing his mom get better slowly, and visiting again with Jaxon and Brooks. I'm looking forward to the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Derreck.
294 reviews12 followers
July 30, 2018
Let me start of by saying, I dove straight into the opportunity when this became available that I didn’t bother reading the blurb. Hey this is Marissa Holt! I’ve really loved the previous entries of He’s The One Series! So I had no idea how dark of a turn this took, and my heart had literally dropped. Don’t get me wrong, I am not by any means calling this an angsty book. It was far from that. It’s just that, I didn’t expect this kind of turn, but that’s my fault to start with. I still found this enjoyable, though I had to grit my teeth when bad things happen to good people.

Such as, a rich bastard came in and now owns the tiny town, Courtley. That means the houses, businesses, you name it, Zander Knight owns it. I feel a tad overprotective of these people! Particularly Phoenix, his mama, baby bro, cousin, the baby bro’s boyfriend, everyone in Courtley!

Phoenix Heartwood was someone I’ve come to like very early on. I don’t think I’ve read many books with a lead character who is as family oriented as Phoenix. He is about as selfless as they come, even if it means getting his hands dirty, which is what brought me to admire him. Of course, it also helps a lot since he’s a man no other man (or woman) could tie down, no matter how hard they might’ve tried. My heart happened to flutter a lot ever since I started reading the first chapter. I might’ve caught myself blushing once he made an appearance on page. Don’t tell anybody that… Least of all Phoenix.

I don’t see how else Marissa could’ve made him any more 3-dimensional. I’ve really enjoyed his character, though cringed over the fact of his… “employer”. Not gonna give too much away :x

Now Gabriel, in all brutal honestly I do kind of wish there was more. Perhaps more of a peek about his character. His past. Keep in mind, I’m not calling him a bad character in any way, I just like to keep it very clear of any negativity first before going into the positive. I felt that maybe, he wasn’t traumatized enough. Again, I don’t want to spoil anything, but maybe it was a good thing he wasn’t traumatized enough? That might’ve put his character in danger of becoming too angsty. Not gonna lie, I’m not a gigantic fan of overly angsty characters. I still feel like he was a good match for Phoenix. I loved how he listened to his intuition. Not a lot of characters in most books do that.

That I know of.

Even though it currently brought him out of the fire and into the freezer, it still brought him into the sights of Phoenix Heartwood. What more could you ask for? I still would’ve liked if Gabriel could’ve opened up more to Phoenix.

And where Phoenix was well rounded, I suppose when it comes to Gabriel, that is left up to our imaginations. I do have a good imagination.

To sum everything up. Yes this is another wonderful entry to the He’s The One series. Just a tad darker with a couple dashes of violence, but have no fear, the violence isn’t very graphic. Thank god. It has a touch of a slow burn romance, and as always, the sex will blow your mind. Be patient. It will be worth it. The build up to their passion might have caused me to gasp out loud a couple of times. Again… don’t tell Phoenix :p

Yes this can be read as a standalone, but I still highly recommend reading the previous entries to get the full story. You won’t regret it!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Amy Dufera - Amy's MM Romance Reviews.
2,698 reviews139 followers
January 26, 2019
I am fairly new to Marissa Holt's books, but I am hooked. Phoenix: The Heartwoods is book three in the He's The One series, and it's fantastic.

It's a romance between Gabriel and Phoenix, but it's a dark tale for sure. Originally, Phoenix never planned on falling in love. Until he meets Gabriel.

This is a tale of wanting someone who's off limits, and risking everything for some stolen moments. It captures the beauty of trying to survive despite the odds.

Both men are stuck being under the control of the crooked and powerful Zander. Gabriel was saved from the streets by Zander, and Phoenix is forced into working for the man.

But from his first glimpse, Phoenix is attracted to the gorgeous Gabriel. He's horrified that Gabriel is with Zander. Or at least, Phoenix thinks that's the case.
For Gabriel, he's struck by Phoenix and the safeness he feels around him. He looks beyond what most people see, and starts seeing the real Phoenix.

In the end, they fall for each other, while trying to escape the danger they face.


The transformation in Phoenix is amazing. As Phoenix says, love changes you, as you want to be a better person for the one you love. Marissa Holt does a fantastic job of conveying the power of love. Sometimes it hits you in face, despite not wanting it.

Phoenix: The Heartwoods is an extremely entertaining and riveting book with a great flow. The whole He's The One series is terrific.
Profile Image for P Leslie.
3,210 reviews17 followers
July 30, 2018
*I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one elses*

This is the third book in the series and although each can be read as standalone, I would recommend the entire series. This series is seriously addictive so be prepared to be hooked.

Phoenix doesn't do relationships and he doesn’t believe in fate or love. However, when Zander’s boy toy moves in, everything goes out of the window. Zander’s possessions are off limits and that includes Gabriel. Can Phoenix keep his desires in check?

Phoenix was sexy as hell and I definitely couldn’t blame Gabriel for ogling and drooling - I’d be doing the exact same thing lol.

Gabriel was sweet yet mischievous with the beauty to match - no wonder Phoenix was a gonna!

Phoenix and Gabriel had amazing chemistry and I enjoyed Gabe’s teasing and definitely loved the fireworks that followed.

Zander gave me the creeps especially, when he kept asking Gabriel to remove his t-shirt. My heart was pounding like crazy towards the end as everything unfolded. There were a few seconds where I was literally holding my breath - I was scared for Gabe’s life and wishing like crazy for someone, anyone to help him.

Phoenix’s mum made me laugh and River, his rescue dog stole my heart.

I absolutely loved this book and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
353 reviews
August 2, 2018
I was a little hesitant to try this book since it was a little darker than the rest of the series. I tend to go with light and fluffy all the way. However, I am so glad I gave this book a chance. Otherwise, I'd have missed out on something special. It had some of everything: drama, suspense, flawed "just right" characters, an adorable dog that I love, and it most definitely contained the steamy bits that Marissa Holt writes so well.

When Phoenix first popped up in Book 1, I was sure I'd never like him. I have now done a complete 180. I love Phoenix, and I just can't even, with Gabriel. I liked him instantly and it just went up from there. These two guys are amazing together.

Other characters really enhanced this story also. Of course, evil Zander, who for obvious reasons made the story. Then there was Phoenix's poor sweet mom, Sonny, and River, the already mentioned adorable puppy. Plus it was great to catch up with Jaxon and Brooks.

I can't wait to see what Marissa gives us next.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Sarita Chapdelaine.
1,251 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2018
This book is very different from the others in the He's The One series but I really enjoyed it. It is well-written, the storyline is intriguing and I love the characters. Phoenix and Gabriel are forced into an untenable situation by Zander. Gabriel needed an escape from a bad situation but by going with Zander he has lot control over his life. Phoenix has to do what Zander asks of him or his family will lose their home and business. They form a strong connection even though they both know that they are risking everything by being together. Dealing with his mom's illness is causing even more stress for Phoenix. Danger surrounds them and the fight to save the town could be more than they can handle. The secondary characters are great and I love River, the dog that Phoenix rescues. I love the ending and I look forward to reading the next book in this entertaining series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
429 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2018
Gabriel is the sweetest person but with a tough streak right down the middle. Phoenix is in a tough place right now, he has to leave his families hardware business and take on a second job of enforcer for Zander. Zander bought the bank in Courtley and now everyone in town has to answer to him because he holds the deeds and any loans over them so that they will do his bidding. Zander picked Gabriel up in New York but only wants him around to look at like an art object. Well Gabriel has an instant liking for Phoenix but Phoenix really wants nothing to do with him, then he is ordered to taxi Gabriel around and about town and pretty soon the sparks start to fly. Then things start getting really intense when Zander finds out what those two are up to. Very smooth fast read!!
Profile Image for Valerie.
Author 21 books172 followers
July 31, 2018
While Phoenix is darker and a somewhat more desperate book because of the circumstances both Phoenix and Gabriel find themselves in, I enjoyed getting to know the selfless Phoenix and the mysterious Gabriel. Phoenix is a well-rounded character, insightful, able to make quick decisions but always putting the responsibility on himself. When he's forced to work for Zander, who owns the town, he knows better than to covet anything of Zander's, including the completely off-limits Gabriel. But as Phoenix is ordered to show Gabriel around his hometown, he can't keep his attraction for the man closed off any longer.

This was a great read, another one from Marissa Holt, and I can't recommend it enough! Well developed characters, a horribly good antagonist, and a lovely HEA!!
Profile Image for Dixiecowgirl.
1,437 reviews25 followers
July 31, 2018
Emotional, intense, steamy, a bit dark, engaging read that will keep your glued to your kindle. Phoenix and Gabriel have chemistry that is off the charts! I love the slow burn to the steamy stuff.

These characters are so well developed that you will know them in your heart. I laughed and i cried and i fell in love with River a wonderful rescue dog!

This is the third book in the He's The One Series and although each can be read as standalone, I think it is a richer read when you have enjoyed each of the books as they were written.
2,009 reviews25 followers
August 1, 2018
This book was different than the rest.I enjoyed Gabriel and Phoenix as a couple and they wasn't afraid to speak their minds and show people that they didn't care what anyone have to say about them. Even though I know it exist it just hard for me to believe that someone think that I can buy someone with their money and not expect them to have a mind of their own. The book was great and I couldn't put it down. I read it in one sitting.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
871 reviews2 followers
August 5, 2018
This is the third book in The He's The One Series. What an sensational book the writing was good. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters intriguing. The characters were developed and thought out. Phoenix and Gabriel are the MC’s of this book. There was humor, a dog, bullies, swimming, doctors, family, a bottle of salt and so much more in this book. I can recommend this book as a good read. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.
Profile Image for Rebecca.
340 reviews2 followers
November 1, 2018
Great addition to the series!

I was scared off by one of the views on here but after thinking of the first two in the series and how much I enjoyed them I figured it was worth the risk. It was very good! I didn’t care too much for Phoenix in Jaxons book but I think a lot people felt that way and this book really changed my mind. He was very caring for his family almost to the point of scaring people off which is relatable. Towards the end of the story it got kind of bland but it was just winding down. Overall a very enjoying read and I hope to see Sonny’s book soon.
Profile Image for Jeanine Beaulieu St Pierre.
1,209 reviews2 followers
August 1, 2018

fight for love

by jeanine


i loved this book I just wish that the boss aka(sicko) would have been put down sooner, I think this author did a wonderful job writing this book I think that a lot of people would love this book,,,,,i am writing this review as I have read this book myself and loved it

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.i received this book because i love to read and their is no other reason
Profile Image for Tammy.
646 reviews9 followers
July 31, 2018
I thought the story was very well done. I loved it till the end. The story kept my interest, with a steady pace. I thought the characters were likable and they pulled you into their world. Hope you enjoy the story as much as I did. Can’t wait to see what the author puts out next, yeah I will be stalking their shelves for a long time.
Thank you for sharing your book with us.
Profile Image for DeAnna.
390 reviews
March 31, 2019
Ok..my favorite so far in the series. I love mystery, intrigue, a interesting back story. Plus add in a few bad guys. Yep it was good one. Plus Pheonix. He needed a HEA.
620 reviews
April 4, 2019
Loved it!

Another great book in the series. I absolutely loved Phoenix and Gabriel!! The secondary characters were awesome too. Can't wait to read the next book.
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