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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You’ll not want to put this book down!! HJ and Kathy burn up the pages with this Toxic tale that will keep you riveted and hot until the end!!
This was a great read and I loved every single moment of reading this 🙂 There are many emotional and suspenseful scenes as well as sizzling hot scenes between the main characters, Alex and his Maria too 😉
At first, I’ll be completely honest, when I was reading this, I thought that Alex was a GRADE A JERK but as the story progressed, we see and read a different side to him, how he feels and thinks and we also get to find out what happened that made him the way he is and act the way he has and I felt sorrow for this man. Luckily, he gets his head out of his butt and FINALLY decides to get the help he needs in order to feel worthy and be the man Maria needs and claim her as his own. Alex is now determined to make her his and always keep the danger and the darkness from this world from touching/hurting his Maria <3
Maria may be young but she knows her own mind and heart and when she meets Alex, she knows that he has demons and wants to help but he acts like a jerk, trying to push her away... and almost succeeds too but luckily Alex opens his eyes to the future he'll lose with Maria and wised up 😉
Here, we have an emotionally scarred hero, thinking that he's unworthy of the heroine and they are both are going head to head, heart to heart against a young determined woman that feels they could be forever. There are some ow drama (Alex slept with ow) as well as a little bit of om drama (non sexual for Maria, she only wanted friendship), some action, some tears, death and angst in this story. There's also a story about two people falling in love; the hero finding the redemption he thinks he needs to be worthy but what he didn't realize was that he was worthy and he did find the redemption he needed, in Maria's arms. She's healed him throughout their journey together and is his light within the darkness just like he is for her when everything comes head to head at the near end... can't give out spoilers so go check out this book, you won't regret it 😉
This is also a story of true love with some hot intimate scenes and after some more action and angst, Alex and his Maria beat the obstacles in their way and reach their happily ever after <3 <3
5 STARS FOR TOXIC!! This book was simply delicious, I read it in one sitting. OMG…..these two authors are the perfect mixture for creating a 5 star story, with sexy as sin heroes and strong beautiful heroines. I loved Alex and Maria, their story is unforgettable with all the sexiness, drama, suspense and love. Do yourself a favor and 1-click this book.
Alex and Maria’s story is a must read. There is so many elements in this story, to this story and yet it all works. Maria, the country girl with a beautiful voice and Alex, son of a mafia man. You wouldn’t think that they would go together at all yet they do and their chemistry is intense and steamy. Maria Richards is a 20 year old college student who works for the family at their B&B. Everything is going good in her life except a rude guest named Alex Diamond. Alex is part of a mafia family. He is suffering from PTSD which is now ruling his life. He is heavily into alcohol. He drinks to drown the pain in his past that rear up yet it doesn’t work. He treats people like dirt and is nasty and rude. Yet Maria sees to the real person inside of him. She doesn’t give up on him and she keeps trying to reach that good person inside. WOW, the story has many twists and turns to it. Their world is more intertwined than they could ever have thought at the start and when they meet again. There are layers apon layers and when you start reading and get to how those layers are exposed, the more you will fall in love with the main characters. I love Alex and Maria together. Will Alex finally let Maria in? How much pain and abuse will Maria put up with she walks? You have to read TOXIC to read this fantastic pairing. This story has steam, drama, angst, pain, healing, suspense, and romance. This is a standalone read but you can go back to the stories written by the authors in their respective world to get the back stories. This is a must read!!!
My Rating: 4.8 stars *****
Alex sure met his match in Maria. She calls him out on his crap. BUT can he keep her? How much crap will she put up with? Read Toxic to find out!
While it was an amazing spin off of The Traveller and The Syndicate Series Books 1-3, it is not necessary to read them first.
H J Bellus isn’t a new author to me but Kathy Coopmans is and as a duo they are a force to be reckoned with. I loved this book you get two close families, violence, anger, revenge, guilt, regret, addiction, sorrow, lust, love and hot sex.
From the offset Alex & Maria are destined to be together, and they journey to get what they both deserve is a hard and rocky road of self discovery, with a lots of curve balls thrown at them.
Always be careful who you trust.
Can their love survive all the threats shoved in their faces?
Or are Alex & Maria going to be torn apart in the cruellest of endings?
Toxic may be my favorite so far from this amazing duo. I am absolutely loving the crossover from 2 storries written by these two authors separately that are being brought together in an amazing series. Hoping to see more great things from HJ Bellus & Kathy Coopmans in the future.
Man this story!!! What a beautiful story of someone getting his second chance at life, but finding love. Alex maybe a Diamond, but he is not like his family that is part of the mob. He is a business man, but he does know when he needs to protect what is his. Maria is strong and isn’t afraid to let you know how she feels.
Alex is going down the wrong path and is using the wrong things in life to escape the pain. Maria is one that can really see the pain and offers the love and support he needs. Throughout the story my heart broke for Alex and was amazed at how Maria handled everything. This is a power couple for sure.
See more of my review on A Day With Ethel
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This book was exhilarating! I knew Alex’s book would be amazing but I had no idea about the cross over. It was everything I was hoping for. There so many twists I never saw it coming.
Alex is exactly how I thought he’d be but Maria was a surprise. Her take charge personality and attitude thrilled me. I Also loved getting pieces of everyone from both sides. Especially Aunt Peaches!
I cannot tell you how excited I was to find out that these two amazing authors have written another crossover novel!! Like legit girly squeals! And then I found out it featured Alex Diamond?! Dead!
Since reading the ending of Full Contact he grabbed my attention and my heart and didn’t let go.
Maria is such a sweet, sassy, strong young woman who doesn’t deserve the way he treats her when they first meet, I mean he is a full on melt!
But she sees the pain in his eyes that he tries to hide from his family and those around him, she is inexplicably drawn to him and when they are near each other sparks fly.
To Alex, Maria is the light to his dark. The sunshine chasing away his demons, but is that enough? This man breaks my heart, truly. By nature he is a fixer, a protector but he feels like he is drowning and he can’t see a way out of it……….until Maria.
This book!!!!! Honest to goodness, you need to read it! ALL. THE. FEELS. And then some!!
5 Empire Strong Stars!!!
HJ Bellus and Kathy Coopmans are one of my top fav go-to co-authors. They don’t disappoint and I mean never!! Toxic was no different.
After everything that went down with Full Contact with Alex saving Justice and her unborn child Alex wasn’t the same. Him and Justice never wanted to be in that part of the Diamond empire. It’s why their family bought an NFL team and have them running it. They’re still in the empire. They don’t do the mafia side, but the business side.
But, image and image keep running thru Alex’s head. Hearing his voice over and over. Alex goes away checks into a B&B and spends his nights in bottle and women after women. Maria works there and she seems keep getting the brunt of everything he’s doing. Alex finally goes home back to reality.
Maria was glad when Alex left. She was tired of cleaning up his puke everyday. But, she felt for him bc she saw in his eyes they were void of life. He was sad and unhappy and she just wanted to save him.
Maria decides to move to Boise, Idaho and go to college. She ends up working at her Aunts bar as a bartender and gets on stage sings. One night she sees Alex sitting in a booth at the bar still wasting away in a bottle. Maria cant believe Alex is here in Idaho. But, her plan is to stay far away from him.
Alex is shocked to see Maria. He’d heard her singing at the B&B, but seeing her onstage and he is speechless. He knows he owes her an apology for how he treated her. He does so the only way he knows how and with money. But, Maria lets him know she’s not that girl and puts him in his place. Alex knew then Maria was made for him, even though he’s toxic and she’s perfect.
These two cant help but be drawn to each other. Maria can see the good in Alex even though Alex feels he’s lost a part of himself. But when he’s with Maria he feels it. He continues fighting the demons that are battling inside his head. His conscience is always mixing up his feelings.
Thanks to Alex’s cousin Justice, his dad Roman, whose the head of the Diamond empire, his brother and uncles, Alex goes away to get his drinking under control and plans to comeback to his job and making Maria his. Maria knows no matter what anybody says she wants Alex. And, not for his money or his empire. But, she wants Alex for Alex.
Once I opened this book I didn’t put it down. Maria was a strong woman and she didn’t let anybody push her around. She was quiet and let loose when she needed too. And, Alex oh man. I knew from Full Contact that I wanted him. But, wow! He was more then I’d dreamed about.
I loved how the previous Diamond clan was back and still as bad ass as before. Roan was back in a big way. He’s still the head of the Diamond empire. But, we got another side or role from him. We got the daddy Roan and he loved his son and would do anything for Alex. The whole Diamond empire had me laughing and smiling and I’m hoping this series isn’t over.
This one will be sneaky with how they will innocently start you out with Alex and Maria. Alex sure has a issue and she witnesses the spiral but they have a chemistry that can not be denied. As their story unfolds you become like wallpaper soaking it all in with the emotional waves that will carry you along. The depth that this will go is well worth the travel but watch the burns along the way. Be careful also of impact of the surprise inside that this includes that will be like a wrecking ball to the gut when it happens. The continuation of this families story with these characters that reveal themselves more intimately to us with along with the talent of the authors this is one that will consume you.
I have been dying to know what happened to Alex. After Full Contact, I wanted, no NEEDED more Alex. I just never figured he’d become so lost.
After living this life from the bottom of the bottle, Alex became a shell of a man. He met Maria during this time, while he stayed her family’s bed & breakfast…she couldn’t stand the man!
When Alex heads back to Idaho to return to his job, he’s surprised to see Maria in town at the local bar. Still living his life thru a tumbler, he can’t seem to shake the weird feelings he has for her. While Maria has seen him at his worst, there is still something about him that keeps drawing her to him.
She is too sweet and innocent, he is too toxic for her. With his past and his problems with alcohol, he knows she’s a woman who deserves a better man; the man he used to be!
But can he overcome all his demons to be that man? Will his past come back to haunt him? Is Maria too innocent to be involved in the life of a Diamond?
And just when you think they finally have all their skeletons out in the open and life can finally work in their favor, the unexpected twist we’ve come to know with this family happens.
A perfect follow up to Full Contact that makes me love Alex more than I did before!
Maria Richards and Alex Diamond cross paths at her families’ bed and breakfast where Alex is trying to forget “the never ending nightmare of killing a man.” He’s doing that with booze and women.
“I can’t seem to stop the guilt from crawling around on my insides.”
Alex can’t stop the nightmares, the drinking, the feeling like he could have done something different, and the anxiety that comes. He works in the front office of the Idaho Diamonds, NFL franchise that his family owns. Maria has recently moved to Idaho to finish her degree and work at her aunt’s bar. She doesn’t believe it when Alex waltzes into the bar. He has wanted her since Montana, “a tiny, perfectly wicked fairly with a body of an enchantress.”
Alex has to hit rock bottom for him to realize he can’t let Maria see him like this anymore and that he really needs help. “I’m going to break through this because of you Maria. Because of you.”
Great story with some great characters that you met in previous stories but it’s great that HJ Bellus and Kathy Coopmans have brought them together. These ladies know what they are doing and I continued to be amazed by their writing.
Love these crossover books from each author’s worlds! Alex and Maria’s story was amazing and so entertaining. I can’t even tell which author wrote which parts! Read this if you like both of the authors and Cocky assholes lol
Alex is officially my favorite all time book boyfriend. I loved his personality, his struggles with his demons, his trying to find his way away from the family business. Maria and her strong and determined personality was perfect to offset him and keep him on his toes. The twists were perfect and definitely left me wondering who to trust.
Could not put this book down once it was started and I am empty without it.
When HJ Bellus and Kathy Coopmans decide to co-write a crossover book called Full Contact I was elated! They elevated their series to new heights with this next generation and the two series were blended together so well! I couldn’t wait for Alex’s story and the fact that the ladies now blended another series of HJ Bellus’, well my heart just about left my chest!
Toxic is a crossover that continues from Full Contact and is Alex and Maria’s story. I don’t know how Kathy and HJ do it every time but once again, they have outdone themselves. These characters mesh so well and it was amazing seeing old favorites make appearances. Alex and Maria don’t have things easy. Their story isn’t all cupcakes and rainbows. They are real and experience real problems while trying to start something new with each other. Their story is the ultimate, “lean on me”, story. Maria proves to Alex countless times that she will always be there for him and Alex shows Maria that love can surpass anything if it is strong enough.
I can’t say that Toxic met my expectations because it went way above what I thought. When you think you have it figured out, the ladies made sure to flip you outside down and inside out. You won’t ever see it coming.
I wish all crossover stories could be at this level of amazing!
I fell absolutely in love with this book!!! This book is full of romance, sex, a sexy as hell alpha and a female that is not afraid to say what she wants. Wrap all that together and you have one amazing book!!!
Alex is trying to overcome his demons and uses woman as the way to do it. He sees Maria at her parents B&B and of course he is being a manwhore and it truly disgusts her. When they cross paths again in a totally different place, Alex knows that he wants more out of life than what he has now. He wants Maria. He knows that he has to rid himself of his past demons before he can have her. Will it be too late?
I am eating up these crossovers from these two. Both HJ Bellus and Kathy Coopman’s are outstanding on their own, but together these two are phenomenal. Add in the blending of worlds from each of their own series makes these books not just something totally unique but also flat out incredible. I thought I was blown away with the first one, but Toxic seriously knocked me on my rear.
Something both of these ladies know how to do well is hit you with a solid blow right in the feels. The amount of emotion that was pulled from me while reading Alex and Maria’s story is insane. From pure joy to full on ugly cry, my heart was lost to the beauty of their story right from the start. Alex is a man who despite his current state you know is good. The heartbreaking trauma he endured with the sacrifice he made haunts him in a way that made me hurt for him.
With his life in a downward spiral Maria was like a beacon of light in the darkness. Even at his worst she saw through to the man he truly is. I loved that even seeing that she still gave him no slack. The sass and strength were mighty within the little dynamo that is Maria. Even with all the emotional heavy the romance that builds between these two is still full of heat and a good bit a swoon too. Mixing together that angst and sweet in a way that keeps you absolutely hooked the entire time.
OMG! Did these authors nail this story and it blew my mind! Having these crossover stories by Bellus and Coopmans have been nothing short of brilliant and epic. I am a HUGE fan of the Syndicate series and seeing Alex in play was amazing. Seeing how tortured Alex is and how he is trying to cope. You honestly just want to hold him and tell him it will be okay regardless of how much pain he is going through plus the alcohol. Then you have Maria. Oh how I adored her character. She is witty and sassy and gives as good as she gets. Both of their emotional pain is very evident as this story plays out. You cannot help who you love and who you give your heart too regardless of the situation. I love how Alex reaches out when he hits rock bottom, and I adore how Maria stands by him. There are some amazing little twists that are thrown in there that makes your jaw drop and leaves you speechless.
Overall, I am in love with this book as well as the crossovers that these authors are giving us. They give you a great feel and gives you a one of a kind story to keep you completely engaged throughout. Seeing how things played out in this one was stunning. I adored every word and I could not get enough. I honestly did not want it to end. I am excited to see what these two will bring us next!