Pretty Toxic

A Pretty Broken Standalone

By: J.R. Gray

Narrated by: Liam DiCosimo, Tor Thom

Saint Vincent

I might be the best-selling solo artist in the world, but my personal life is a disaster. For every number one album, there's a sea of my worsts, all documented in photos. Bad break-ups. Destroyed hotel rooms. Fights. Drugs. And just as many rumors.

Every headline reaffirms the walls I've built around myself. Fame destroys everything it touches, and I can't let anyone close. The only exception is my best friend—Lowe Wilder.

But I've f--ked that one up too.

It's all about him. Every song. Every lyric. Every piece of music I've ever written. I planned to carry that secret to my grave. He's straight.

Another break-up, another call to Lowe. I can't bear to have another scandal splashed across the tabloids. At my absolute worst, he's here to pick up the pieces, and I ruined it all with a kiss.

Lowe Wilder

I'm the least famous member of the most famous band in the world. I sat in the background while we toured the world and tore each other apart.

I wouldn't have made it through any of this without Saint. He came into my life like a nuclear bomb—unapologetic and with about as much destruction—but he's kept me sane from across the world.

Nothing could come between us.

Until he kissed me and shattered my world.

Pretty Toxic can be listened to on its own or enjoyed as part of the Pretty Broken Series.

©2022 J.R.Gray (P)2023 Podium Audio

More rockstar drama

The second book in the series started out pretty good, but stalled in the middle and I lost attention. The story was all over the place and I continued hearing the book, but couldn’t listen, because it stopped being coherent to me. I hope book no. 3 will be better; I give book no. 2 only 3 stars.

Lowe and St. Vincent!!

The reviews aren’t great and I almost skipped this book for the reason BUT I loved their story!! Enjoyed their different dynamics and getting a glimpse at their own struggles.

If you read this with the expectation that it picks up or includes the full characters like book 1 did you’ll be disappointed. BUT if you listen to this book understanding these are all separate character books with different lived experiences while in a band and think of it more as a standalone you won’t be disappointed.

Missing something

So the first book was all about one couple and it heavily focused on iris and his issues. It felt natural that he would be the focus of book 2. The characters in book 2 were hardly even mentioned by name in book one. The author dives into this new couple and I had no attachment to the or even an idea of who they were as characters. It was odd. I felt like we should have been given some sort of context for these character at the very least. Other than iris and river being mentioned and having a few conversations in book 2 it felt like this could have been a completely separate book. I don’t think I’ll continue the series after this. I have an hour left in the book and I still feel frustrated by the lack of development.