I’m toxic. She’s pure. I can’t stay away. I saved a life by taking another. It throttled me into a vortex of endless darkness with booze and sex as my only solace. Until her. Maria Richards brought light back into my life even through my drunken haze. For weeks, I treated her like trash. Felt guilty as hell the moment I left her bed and breakfast. Life has a funny way of bringing back your past … funny way of bringing back your past sins. A second chance with Maria stumbles in my path. It’s time to right my wrongs and be the man I burn to be.
I’ve never believed in redemption, and now it’s my only hope.
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Rating: 4.5 Stars
Maria Richards wishes she were somewhere else. Alex Diamond is all about getting the job done. But that job comes with consequences. One thing they have in common is family. This story doesn’t start out with any hearts and flowers. It left me feeling sorry for Alex but it also left me glad when I finally saw his “aha” moment.
A secondary character that I came to love was Maria’s Aunt Peaches. Would love to visit her establishment and then read this book all over again. But Maria would have to be there as well. Her dad reminds me of my own father. No matter how old we may be they still think of us as their little girl and will do whatever they can to protect us.
These authors were very respectful of Maria’s lack of experience. They let our couple’s story progress at Maria’s own pace even though at times Alex seemed a little impatient. She may lack experience but she knows how to fight for what she wants and how to speak her mind. There came one point in the story where I finally got hooked and there was no way I was putting this book down until I read that last word. And for everything these two went through the authors came up with the perfect ending.
The only quandary I have is to wait for their next collaboration – and that’s never a bad thing. Or should I go back and look at what this crossover entails. Either choice will make me happy so than it becomes which do I do first. That’s a puzzle that I will eventually figure out.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Alex and Maria’s story was strong, emotional, and sexy! This crossover series is vibrant, feeling and pulls your heart strings. These two authors alone write angst, sexy and amazing stories, but together they rock and are explosive. Love them both!
“The man I used to be would cherish and love the hell out of a woman like her.”
There are some books that you enjoy so much, that you want others to read, but feel like anything you write won’t be good enough for a review – well, this is one them. This is a stand-a-lone, and I haven’t read Book 1 in the series, and I’ve one clicked it as my next read. I’ve also read the books about the previous generation by HJ Bellus, but this is my first one with Kathy Coopmans. Hers are definitely now on my TBR (I’m buried, but what is a few more books….).
Alex’s life is spiralling out of control and he’s sunk to the most basest of levels – booze and f^^king. Having done what any man would do to protect his family, he’s not handling the aftermath of emotions, lying to them and insisting that he’s ok. They know who he is on the inside, and can see the damage he is doing to himself, and this made me love every one of his extended family. They’re all bad-ar$e and strong individuals, even the women, but they care about each other in the most unconditional loving way.
Likewise for Maria, she’s been bought up in a strong and loving family unit, that is not defined by blood, but by bonds of love and loyalty and she’s looking after their B and B so that they can all have a much need vacation away together. This is where she meets Alex, the most disgusting creature she could ever come across. Even though she can see that he is gorgeous, lost and broken, there’s no way in hell that there could ever be an excuse for his total disrespect of her or her family’s B and B.
Their world is more intertwined than they could ever have imagined at the start and when they meet again, Alex has a chance to apologise to this beauty with a singing voice that heals him and makes him want to be the man he used to be. There are layers of plot that I saw laid down at the start, and like an onion, they were peeled back one at a time, exposing chemistry, romance, healing and suspense that made me stay up to the early hours to finish this book.
I was entirely consumed from the start, and even though it’s a standalone, I absolutely HAVE to go back to the respective worlds created by HJ Bellus and Kathy Coopmans and find out the back story. I just have to. Seriously this is a highly recommended read – 5 Stars.
You will find Alex and Maria slipping under your skin without even realizing it. When you are drowning in the darkness like Alex is, it will take the light that shines from someone as pure as Maria to finally make this man realize that he needs to be the man he once was. As life lays its cards on the table in front of Alex this man will need to pick his Queen of Diamonds and hold her close to his heart to finally play the winning hand. Maria sees past Alex’s atrocious behaviour to the darkness that is swallowing him and calls him out on it. It will take this strong woman to bring him to his knees and finally face the darkness head on. Alex maybe toxic but Maria is nothing short of his antidote. A captivating story that is inspirational, romantic and full of angst, drama and chaos. Toxic is a love story like no other and as the world of Royal Love and The Syndicate series intertwine, you will be shown that behind every man there is an even stronger woman to give him the love and support he needs to confront all his demons.
4.5 stars
I’ve said it before and I will say it again. These authors kill it! This dynamic duo will have you on the edge of your seat and in some ways- sanity! I am a fan of each individually. And when they get together, I can’t stop squealing.
Toxic is a story I was desperate to read. If you’ve read Full Contact, you know where I’m coming from. My favorite Diamond is a mess. As a fan from the Syndicate days, it’s hard to see a man I have loved turn into this utter mess. It’s hard to see him and not want to fix him. Unfortunately, Alex’s demons are his own. Instead of fighting them, he is letting them win.
Enter Maria. At perhaps the absolute worst time in his life, Alex meets the sassy siren. It isn’t meant to be because, let’s face it, any self respecting woman doesn’t find falling down drunk attractive.
But this story doesn’t end there (duh, it’d only be 5 pages…give or take)! No things have a way of happening when you least expect them.
With a pull that seems to be as deep as the marrow in their bones, Alex and Maria can’t seem to step away from each other. The chemistry is scorching. The dilemma is stomach twisting. The need is soul deep.
There’s no way to avoid the Toxic if you have forever in your sights.
Sigh…swoony, ridiculously giddy sigh!
I am a huge Alex supporter. I was destroyed watching him fall apart. It hurt to know how badly his actions affected him. Knowing it was needed but still hurting, sums up Alex’s entire existence…outside of the bottle. Seeing his story play out is a balm to an aching heart! Don’t be fooled though, this is no fairytale!
Reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
This is was an amazing 5 star story that had it all. Heartfelt characters, romance, suspense and family. A story that was easily read during a slow night shift. So intriguing that I didn’t think for one minute about being sleepy.
Alex had to do the unimaginable in order to save his cousins life but months later he’s still reeling from that event. Drowning in alcohol and women. Then comes along Maria, a breath of fresh air. A focus and goal oriented women who doesn’t take crap from Alex. He needs to stay away because he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her. In order to be with her he needs to get better first.
Why do I read so much? It’s a form therapy for me. As a night shift nurse I need books. This story kept me reading and entertained during a slow night. I was addicted from the very first page read. I like that the characters where flawed just like us, so it made me feel so much for them, especially Alex.
A beautifully written story that was heartbreaking at times but also had some great heartwarming ones. It was very suspenseful and intriguing. It had some twists and turns that left me speechless. I enjoyed the storyline that had a plot that just got thicker and thicker. Bottomline is this is a must read.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story to be read. You can also read Full Contact by these 2 authors. That story introduces other characters that are in this story. Rest assured that Toxic can be safely read as a standalone.