Review: A must new read by new author Jill Patten~breakout novel
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 10, 2013
Toxic SecretsAt first, I thought is the name misleading, where are the secrets?  But boy am I proven wrong.  There are many secrets and they are toxic.  So many the reader wonders will they ever be able to be together?  Furthermore, I think there are even more to come.  With secrets, love, and chemistry comes angst and wow does this story have the angst.  From the moment Courtney sees Jax for the first time before words have even transpired between the two the angst is dripping off the page.  This story also comes with frustration; it's not a spoiler to tell you that you will literally want to throw your e- reader at times especially when the story surrounds Phillip. This is a story that could be finished in one sitting, you will not want to put it down.Courtney is hurt, lost, and beat down trying to move on from a toxic relationship she had with her first love Phillip, who is one of the biggest book douche bags ever!  She is surrounded by the supportive best friend Kendra who is a spunky, strong, and mouthy...I love her and her boyfriend Reed who is the all American perfect boyfriend.  Even with their support Courtney still questions if she made the right decision, and let's face it girls we have all been there before.  There is only one way out and it's if we get to that decision on our own.  If forced we always end back with the douche!  I feel for her and the indecisiveness she thinks she feels but I also wanted to slap her silly a couple of times.Enters hotty Jax, gahhhh is he hot and those piercings, with his own secret or maybe two in tow.  His secrets are all sorts of effed up and you don't even know how many there may be.  He is written exceptionally well and I felt what he felt.  But damn, what he's doing is so screwed up but you'll root for him anyway.  Talk about toxic!  I love Jax even if I think I know what he is doing but am not sure.  I want to know more, I want him to not hurt, I want him to throw her down and take her.  Oh and when he kind of does damn if its not hot.  It is entirely too soon to tell if he will be able to make a future with Courtney or at all.The ultimate compliment to an author/book is if the reader can see the story play out in their head like a movie and I saw every page in my head.  She has a way of capturing a moment perfectly.  Her ability to transcend strong, powerful emotions into words on a page is an untapped talent not often found.  Great, awesome, fantastic debut novel by Jill Patten.  If her first book is this good, her future books will only get better.