Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.
Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.
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Beautiful Disaster was strange book, but in a good way. I'm still trying to come to terms with my feelings on this book. A Taylor Swift song comes to mind when reading this book:
But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain
And it's 2 AM and I'm cursing your name
You're so in love that you act insane
And that's the way I loved you
Breakin' down and coming undone
It's a roller coaster kind of rush
And I never knew I could feel that much
And that's the way I loved you
Those lyrics sum up the drama of Abby and Travis's relationship in the book. The angst, the passion, and the fights are sure to keep you up reading into the night to see how this relationship will end. Train wreck or a beautiful ending is the question.
Beautiful Disaster is the story of Abby Abernathy, a freshman college student who starts school at Eastern University to escape her "dark past." Despite this questionable background, Abby holds a good girl image as a girl who doesn't drink or swear. Her world is turned upside down the day she meets Travis Maddox. Tall, tattooed, and a player, Travis is the campus bad boy. Known for his notorious hookups, and underground fighting, Travis is everything Abby should stay away from. But they are inexplicably drawn to each other at first sight by some force of the universe. When Travis makes a bet with Abby at the cost of her living in his apartment for a month, their romance begins.
This book is definitely a unique story and Jamie McGuire has presented their crazy relationship with a finesse that forces readers to keep reading in hopes of there being a positive outcome to the Travis-Abby situation. I found their romance to be adorableat times, and frustrating at others. Sometimes you just want to yell at the characters to get themselves together, but then again, would there be a story if the characters didn't have flaws?
Abby is definitely a girl with secrets. Upon the mention of her past, you expect the worst, but it ends up being less devastating as imagination would prove. Abby is naive at times, which can be annoying, but as she's just getting a taste of the real world, her character stays true to the "great journey of finding oneself" college is. She matches Travis in her stubbornness and arguments, but also ends up being the only one who can calm him down. She definitely provides some soothing balance in their relationship.
Travis can be described as a bad boy with a nice side. A walking contradiction, in fact. His sweet gestures towards Abby can be seen as almost comical when put next to his tattooed, underground fighter image. The love story, however, is endearing. The fact that he becomes utterly enamored with one girl after so many one-night stands is testament enough of the love he feels for Abby.
To call Beautiful Disaster a bumpy ride would be an understatement. But the angst and drama is what adds to the intriguing story line. Those who enjoy an emotional roller coaster of a read would definitely love this book. After all, who can resist the allure of the classic 'good girl tames the bad boy' story?
Overall Rating: 3 stars
Cheers,
Renée
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About the Author
Goodreads / Twitter / Website
Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK. She attended the Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.
Her most recent novel, Walking Disaster debuted #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. She has also written bestselling contemporary romance Beautiful Disaster, and the Providence series.
Jamie now lives in Enid, OK with her three children and husband Jeff, who is a real, live cowboy. They share their 30 acres with six horses, three dogs, and Rooster the cat.
