In this second and final installment, Jaxon and Courtney are forced into a world of more secrets. Some have been harbored from within, some are unknown, and some or just forming. When the truth finally does come out, will their fragile love for one another be strong enough to hold, or will the weight of deceit break the string that tethers them together?
Toxic Secrets blurb (Secrets, 1)
Secrets are meant to be kept, but sometimes those unspoken words can become toxic - destroying you and the ones you love.
Seventeen year old Courtney Peterson always thought her future would consist of marrying her high-school sweetheart, becoming a stay-at-home mom, and living a happily ever after. All that changes when she finds out the boy who stole her heart three years ago resorts to cheating. Ending that relationship will be harder than she could imagine, but she is determined to move on, agreeing to go on a blind date with the older and cryptic Jaxon.
Seventeen year old Courtney Peterson always thought her future would consist of marrying her high-school sweetheart, becoming a stay-at-home mom, and living a happily ever after. All that changes when she finds out the boy who stole her heart three years ago resorts to cheating. Ending that relationship will be harder than she could imagine, but she is determined to move on, agreeing to go on a blind date with the older and cryptic Jaxon.
Jaxon Vaughn blazes into town for a short visit, taking steps down a new path in life. After facing unexpected tragedies at a young age and turning to self-destruction, he aches to redeem himself by opening a bar in his grandmother’s hometown. It is there he meets the pure and soulful Courtney, whom awakens the guilt that dejectedly haunts him.
Distance and circumstances may separate them, but they are unable to ignore the chemistry that draws them together. Can their relationship survive, or will it be shattered by clingy exes, mysterious phantoms from the past and unforeseen misfortunes?
Review for Toxic Secrets:
“You disintegrate my heart…my soul…my mind…my body…
and I’m tired of feeling like I’m a piece of shit.”
and I’m tired of feeling like I’m a piece of shit.”
Toxic Secrets has a heavy plotline that’s full of abuse, deceit, and broken hearts. Life for Courtney hasn’t been easy for the past four years. She’s just broken up with her boyfriend, Phillip, and wants to find herself again. Phillip is verbally, mentally, and
physically abusive. All she wants is just to be left alone, but Phillip has other plans.
physically abusive. All she wants is just to be left alone, but Phillip has other plans.
Her best friend, Kendra, and Kendra’s boyfriend, Reed, want to set her up on a blind date with Reed’s cousin, Jaxon. Courtney finally relents much to her chagrin to go and meet this mysterious cousin.
It’s all fireworks and explosions the moment that Jaxon and Courtney meet. I immediately liked him because hello, who doesn’t like a sexy man?! Jaxon is charismatic and Courtney takes an immediate liking to him, but lets him know up front that she isn’t looking for a boyfriend. Just a friend. Riiiiiiight…
“Greek God, aka Jaxon. No lie… I swear I heard a church choir sing in the background with a ray of sun casting down over his impeccable, powerfully built body.” –Courtney
Holy shizzzz, I want to meet this Jaxon asap. Sounds like my favorite type of man.
“I’m the only sexy, funny, charming and adorable Californian
motherfucker you will ever meet.”–Jaxon
motherfucker you will ever meet.”–Jaxon
The chemistry between the two is out of the world. I couldn’t help but have a funny little grin on my face the whole time I was reading the book. The banter and sexual tension keep you wanting to turn the pages.
“I want to touch you. I want to kiss you. I want to let every fucking person I come in contact with know that we are together, and not just as friends.”
Um…is it just me, or was that line hot as hell?
As much as you want to fall in love with our two main characters, the title is still going by the name Toxic Secrets. And boy is there secrets… Jaxon has a HUGE secret that I obviously can’t tell you because you need to read to find out what it is. His secret though, I can’t even tell you if I am pissed or not.
I’ll just go ahead and say it, this ended on a cliffhanger. In my opinion, a very big one! Now I am one of those readers who likes cliffhangers…it keeps things interesting. Plus I really like
Jaxon, so I don’t mind that the author is continuing the story.
Jaxon, so I don’t mind that the author is continuing the story.
Some parts were a little too cheesy for my tastes but for some reason it worked for the storyline. I was able to keep reading because the story is just that good.
I am not joking! I loved this so much. The characters, the plot, and all the secrets will keep you wanting more. I know I want more.
Thank you to After Dark Divas for setting up this amazing blog tour and another thank you to Jill Patten, for allowing me to receive a copy of the book. I feel honored to read and review such a seductive book that took me in from the first page to the very last. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I definitely have a book hangover<3
Review for Secrets Unveiled:
My only disappointment is that this has ended. I absolutely loved Secrets Unveiled. I'll tell you a little story. A couple of months ago when Toxic Secrets came out, I had a reviewer on my blog that had taken the job of reading and reviewing the book for the
blog tour.
Well...the day before the blog tour I still wasn't able to get a hold of her so I took it upon myself to read and review the book for my designated day. Best decision ever and I didn't even blink an eye that I only had a day to finish it. I was in love.
I finally got my greedy hands on Secrets Unveiled and dropped everything to read.
Let me tell you when I started this book...I could NOT put it down. The angst...oh my Lord, it made my heart race. I found myself holding my breath at times and then I found myself wanting to choke a ho. No joke.
If you remember in Toxic Secrets all the secrets that got left unanswered as well as Courtney being preggers...well you haven't seen anything yet until you read this one.
I can't really go into too much detail because I don't want to be giving any plot devices away. But Jaxon and Courtney have had one hell of a rude.
You like drama? Good, there's tons in SU.
You like sizzling hot sexual chemistry? Well hell yeah you came to the right book.
Hot boy? Check check check
Did I want to throw my iPad out the window at times? Ummm YES!!!
Good plot? Yup
Characters? Fun and endearing
Jaxon and Courtney's story is heartbreaking. Don't go into the story thinking that it's all going to be easy, it's not. My heart felt for them. It's up to you to find out his their story ends.
Jill Patten was born a Yankee, but raised a southerner. She lives in the small town of Mayberry, North Carolina which was made famous by a popular TV show back in the sixties. (Maybe there will one day be a statue of her at the end of Main Street. Ha! A girl can dream, right?)
Jill has always loved to read, even during reading labs in middle school for reading comprehension. Judy Blume was her first author she hero-worshipped, maturing to revere the works of Stephen King. With all the fantastic authors today, she simply cannot choose a favorite. Her taste is very eclectic and she loves almost all genres. When she's not captivated by her fictional characters, she spends time with her sweet husband and two beautiful children.
Music is her muse. Jill also loves elephants, sarcasm, and anything made with sugar, especially sweet tea. She enjoys all things rude and crude and laughs at stuff she probably shouldn't. She has been accused of being bossy a time or two, but doesn't really see it herself.
All in all, Jill is just a small town girl in this great big world trying to enable your book addiction.
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~~Excerpt~~
My nerve endings buzzed with agitation. I needed a release. I needed an out. I needed to swim, but I was too fucked up to get in the pool. The fucking cocaine had me on edge, and I needed a downer. My eyes jumped back over to the glove box again.
Making a spontaneous decision, I turned the key in the ignition, bringing my truck to life. She hummed loudly, which only intensified my edginess even more. Troy was going to be pissed I was bailing on him, but I was pretty sure Val had already filled him in on the state she found me in the parking lot. I couldn’t take a chance on going in there feeling wired up like a live electrical current. One little remark would be all it would take to set me off. Fighting with Troy wasn’t something I wanted to add to my plate right now.
Somehow I made it home without killing myself or someone else. Leaning across the bench seat, I opened my glove box and made the irrational decision to take the ludicrous contents with me.
Fuck, I needed a dog or some kind of pet who would greet me with unconditional love when I returned home. My loneliness was swallowing me into the depths of perdition. Hell fed on all the black and grey that crept throughout my being.
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