Gritty and engaging crime story that kept me invested from the beginning. The author's writing style was perfect, as I felt engaged and invested throughout the book.

Gripping from page one. This book will have you hooked. Gangster life at its worst. It’s a fast pace book that will have you sitting at the edge of the seat wanting to know what happens next

ive read a lot of gangland style books over the years and feel sadly a lot of them are very much the same. whilst i enjoyed this story and love the fact that the ending has been left open for another instalment it didn’t take my breath away.

many thanks to netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK for letting me read Toxic by Jacqui Rose for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

My first time reading this author and I don't regret it!

What would you do, and how, when you want to escape your husband with your kids but he's always there watching you? You need help, you need money, you need more...

I loved that book! A good thriller with lots of characters, well written, you don't want to put it down!

Review shared online on NetGalley, Goodreads, Twitter, Amazon when published.

As this was my first time reading a Jacqui Rose novel, I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was gripped by the storyline which was both gritty and believable. I would've awarded the full five stars but I agree with another reviewer that the amount of characters was rather daunting and keeping them all straight took effort. As I like to relax whilst reading this was a slight issue for me. I read fiction to relax alongside non-fiction which is what I dive into if i'm up for using my brainpower!

Apart from the character overload I found everything else great. There were various strands of the story which seamlessly combined towards the end to produce the conclusion and the plot was one that kept me interested. I enjoyed the writing style too as it was very easy-to-follow and had me hooked pretty early on. The narrative progressed at a fair old canter enticing you to keep on reading just one more chapter before bed!

As a lot of the characters appear to be from the previous books I am guessing there will be a lot of their backstory that I am not privy to. Before the next in the series comes out in 2019, entitled Fatal, I will be catching up so that I know all I need to to benefit fully from future novels. I will be adding her previous titles to my to-be-read pile and my Goodreads profile and hope to find a new favourite author in Ms Rose.

Many thanks to Avon for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This is my first read by this author. After reading this the author has a new fan in me.

Bree hasn’t had it easy. She’s had a real tough time with her husband and her mother in law. She just wants out, to escape with her children but her husband has other ideas.

This is a really well written crime thriller. I read it in a day. With so many characters it took me a while to get into it but when I did I loved it.

Reading this brought back memories of when I went through a phase of reading similar authors.. thank you for that.
I’m looking forward to going back and reading previous books by this author.

I have been a fan of Jacqui’s since the moment I picked up her first book and I eagerly devour each and every book that she has released since. So you can imagine my excitement when I was invited to take part in the blog tour for her new book ‘Toxic’ which was released on 14th June 2018. As with all of Jacqui’s reads, this one is one seriously fantastic book. I absolutely loved it but more about that in a bit.
A lot of the characters in this book are more than a bit scary and the kind of person you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. No doubt they might have their good points but I am a big wimp so I would steer well clear. That said there were certain characters that I really felt for. One such character is Bree Dwyer. She is desperate to take her two children and escape her brute of a husband. She has made more several attempts to leave but something always happens to drag her back and it usually has something to do with her nightmare of a mother-in-law, who really is the mother-in-law from hell. Johnny Dwyer has abused Bree in every way possible – sexually, financially, emotionally, mentally and any other way that you can come up with. Bree is one heck of a strong woman because not only has she survived the abuse but she manages to protect her children and each beating she receives strengthens her determination to eventually escape. I so wanted to jump inside the pages of this book to look after Bree and to deal with those who thought it appropriate to mistreat her.
Blimey oh riley I was hooked on this book from the moment I picked up the book and opened the front cover. The author’s writing style is such that you can’t fail to be drawn into the story and before you know what is happening you are hooked on the book. For me, ‘Toxic’ really was a ‘CPID’ (can’t put it down book). The book wasn’t glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me and I begrudged having to put it down to take out my two Labradors, which didn’t go down very well. Anyway I digress so back to the review I do go. I picked up this book only intending to read a couple of chapters but that intention soon flew out of the window and before I knew what was happening I had read over twenty chapters. I hadn’t realised how quickly the pages were turning or how the time was passing until I happened to look up and at the clock and down at the book to realise that I had read almost a third of the book. Reading ‘Toxic’ was much like riding on a very scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns and moments that you don’t see coming, which when they happen feel like a punch to the gut and genuinely leave you breathless. There were also moments where I almost had to read through my fingers because I genuinely feared what was going to happen next. If this book is anything like the real life underworld then I will happily go along with my fingers in my ears and my eyes shut because the world of crime and the underworld are far too scary for this wimp.
In short I absolutely loved reading ‘Toxic’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. Jacqui Rose certainly has another winner of a book on her hands. I can’t wait to read what comes next from this fantastic author and thankfully I don’t have too long to wait because her next book ‘Fatal’ is due to be released on 10th January 2019. Hurry up January. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

I haven’t read a Jacqui Rose title for a while, I wasn’t disappointed. I absolutely loved reading this book, it moves very, very fast. I didn’t want it to end where it did, I need to know more!! Looking forward to catching up with the previous books I’ve missed

5☆ A Compulsive Page Turner

Toxic is a gritty crime thriller that had me hooked from the very start.

I haven't yet had the pleasure of reading any of Jacqui's previous books but now I can't wait.

The story packs a real punch and right from the very first few pages you are drawn into the action and danger of Johnny's world.
He isn't a man to be messed with.
He owns people and he says... 'nobody leaves Johnny' and he means every word of it.

Including his poor wife Bree and their two children. Every time she tries to escape his abuse he finds out. He owns her and isn't about to let them go. I felt so sorry for Bree you can really feel her desperation and fear.
All she wants to do is be free and protect her children.

But is Johnny's rein as top dog about to be blown apart!!

Jacqui has created multi layered and believable characters.
The writing is fantastic and gritty that instantly drew me in, she ramps up the tension page by page.
Creating an action packed, taut engrossing storyline with an enticing mix of suspense and danger that kept me turning pages.

I highly recommend this compulsive and addictive crime thriller.
I am so looking forward to discovering more of Jacqui Rose's books!

Thank you to Avon Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Toxic – Another Rose Classic

Jacqui Rose is one of the best thriller writers around today, she really knows how to grab the readers attention and keep them hooked throughout. I have read many of her books and have never been disappointed, she really knows how to write exciting thrillers. Taking us into the underworld where nothing is given, and plenty is taken, and where life is not as glamourous as it seems.

Bree Dwyer is stuck in an abusive marriage and an overbearing mother-in-law who has an iron grip on her, her husband and her children. She knows what will happen to her if she tries to escape, all her life is stuck in a traveller’s caravan where she can be observed and punished at will. Her husband is a well-known traveller, drug importer and all-round psycho, best avoided at all costs.

Alfie Jennings and Vaugn were once well-known faces round Soho and the underworld in the South East, but they retired to Spain. They are back in Essex, skint and looking to take over another former face’s patch, and all his legitimate and illegitimate businesses. They need to raise the cash, and quickly, and do somethings they thought they had left behind years ago.

They do a job, expecting cocaine and find diamonds, and the world and his wife want those diamonds and the do not care who gets hurt in the process. The ‘owner’ of the diamonds will want them back, and sides with the Dwyer crew to get them back. Whatever happens the big beasts are going to clash. Who ever walks away from this clash will be king of the underworld and those left behind quite simply will be dead.

While there is a large cast of characters, there are all the things that have made Jacqui Rose’s books so addictive. People who do not care who gets hurt, innocent family members getting hurt, wanton abuse and bodies dropping like flies in a trap.

Classic Rose material that will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

I would like to thank Avon and Netgalley .
Alfie Jennings and Vaughn Sadler lived in a 2 million quid house.
They are wanted to buy a container of drugs but actually it’s diamonds .

I would like to thank Avon Books UK and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘Toxic’ written by Jacqui Rose in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
Alfie Jennings and Vaughan Sadler are small-time criminals living in Essex. Alfie’s girlfriend has disappeared with their two million pounds and as they’re desperate for money they jump at the chance to hijack a lorry containing a consignment of drugs, only to find that the drugs are in fact diamonds.
I must admit there were so many characters in this thriller I found it difficult to remember who each one was, and I had to make a list that I could refer to. The plot was interesting and there was a fair bit of violence, but the characters were lightweight compared to comparable books I’ve read. I couldn’t get into the story and wasn’t sorry when I’d finished it. I’m sorry Jacqui, it just wasn’t my sort of book, but I’m sure I’ll be in the minority and other readers will enjoy it.

This was an ok read. It has its highs and lows and kept me going until the end although at times I couldn’t wait for the book to finish.

I have read quite a few Jacqui Rose books and loved them so was looking forward to reading this. I wasn’t disappointed. Another excellent fast paced gritty storyline that had you hooked from the start hence I read it in just over a day. Jacqui’s books just seem to get better. I would recommend her books to anyone

Another great book by Jacqui. If you haven’t read Jacqui’s books before I suggest you start at the beginning as characters follow on. Alfie and Vaughn have come back from sunning themselves in the Costas to take over Essex from an old villain they know. Sounds easy just give him the agreed sum and they are the next Kingpins of Essex. Unfortunately things never go easy for Alfie and it’s not long before trouble with a capital T is following him around. If this is your genre I highly recommend this book.

Once again Jacqi Rose did not disappoint! A brilliant book with a fast pace and credible characters, some you love and some you hate! I hope there is a sequel to this book as I would love to know where the story goes from the cliff hanger ending!

When we last saw gangsters Alfie and Vaughn, they had decided to retire to Spain but when an opportunity to buy back into a business in the UK becomes available they decide to go for it, the only problem is their money has gone missing. They need one big job to recoup their losses and get back on top.

Bree lives with Johnny and Ma, she’s virtually a prisoner and is desperate to escape but Johnny and Ma watch everything she does, her life is a living nightmare and she needs to escape for her own sanity.

This book has the right title, Johnny and Ma were absolutely toxic, they are awful characters but their antics keep you enthralled. The story is fast paced and full of tension with plenty of twists which has an open ending ready for the next instalment.

Jacqui Rose definitely knows how to write! I have read most of earlier books and loved them all so I was delighted to read an early copy of her new book Toxic.
As soon as I opened the book I was quickly drawn into the story and hooked to what was happening.
I loved the characters, they were very realistic, believable and I enjoyed the tense storyline. Some of the characters are from earlier books which made the story even more enjoyable for me.
Toxic is fast-paced and thrilling with the right amount of tension and suspense, so I was kept turning the pages keen to find out how things would finish. Well done to Jacqui, I can't wait to read more!
Highly recommended.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I found the book quite confusing as there are quite a lot of characters to get to know, and I wasn't always sure who belonged with who. However I found the story itself quite good but the ending has just been left open - which is a good thing as it means there more to come

Welcome back Jacqui rose, you've been missed! Really loved this book full of all the usual tension and so good to reunite with old characters, don't leave the next one so long!!