ARC Review: Toxic by Rachel Van Dyken

I have been intrigued by Gabe since I read Ruin. I found him really interesting and I knew there was so much more to him. But I will honestly admit that I didn't have a clue! There was so much more to his story than I ever could have expected, and I really enjoyed reading his story. Just like with Ruin, Toxic was beautiful and heartbreaking and yet full of love and growth. These books really take your emotions and make you feel as though you have been run through the wringer. I can honestly say though that these books are some of the best that I have ever read and they are absolute must reads.

Gabe has been hiding from the world and keeping his identity a secret for the last four years. Even his best friend Wes doesn't know who he really is. He feels guilt and lives with darkness after he made a mistake that cost him the future that he dreamed of. When his past begins to close in on him, he turns to the only solace that he has known his music. Its in the practice rooms at the university that he meets Saylor. At first they get off on the wrong foot, but they are both drawn to each other and are extremely attracted to one another. Gabe knows that he is in no position to get involved with anyone, especially not someone as innocent as her. But the more that they run into each other, the more their disagreements turn into want and need. The passion and feelings between them grow, but there are many secrets that stand in their way. When the truth comes out, what will happen to the connection that they have? Do Gabe and Saylor have a future together, or was Gabe's future truly stolen from him four years ago?

I really liked Gabe. I thought that although he was hiding under a fake name and tried to make others believe that he was just a college student that he was truly himself the entire time. You could tell how passionate he was about music and you could also tell how much he cared about those that were close to him. I loved how dedicated he was to those that he cared about. Saylor was also really great. I will admit that I was not a fan of her name, but I loved her character. She was such a great person. She was feisty and supportive, kind and loving. She was truly a great person, and I cannot believe how far she went for Gabe because she loved him. Most people would never be even a fraction as selfless as she was, and it really just made me love her character even more. I thought that Saylor and Gabe had such an undeniable connection and they truly were exactly what the other needed. I loved how they were able to complete each other, and Saylor really helped Gabe to heal and move forward with his life. Gabe and Saylor had so much chemistry, and even though there weren't many steamy scenes you could really feel the intensity between them.

Overall, this story was absolutely beautiful. I thought that Rachel Van Dyken did an absolutely wonderful job of making these characters seem so real and believable. They were perfectly flawed and were so easy to relate to. I was immediately invested in this story and couldn't put it down. I loved every bit of it, even the parts that had me feeling absolutely devastated. This series is seriously amazing. There aren't enough words to describe all the feelings and emotions that these books invoke, and I really can't say enough times why everyone needs to read these books. This series is full of love and heartbreak, but also hope and growth. I highly recommend that you read these books if you haven't already. Rachel Van Dyken is quickly becoming another one of my favorite authors, and I absolutely cannot wait to read more from her in the future. I am anxiously awaiting the rest of this series, and can't wait to get more of these fabulous characters.

**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**

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