Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire Review

INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.

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.

I have read this book twice. Twice.

Because it is just that good, and strangely addictive. I saw strangely because I don't normally read this genre of book. I like YA. I like the supernatural. I like that..."jazz" that a good book has. That certain something that gradually pulls you in, nurtures you, gets you to start reading, going with the flow and then before you know it BOOM! Your in hook, line and sinker and you don't even know exactly when or where it happened. It just did. It's that "Jazz" that McGuire pulls of flawlessly here.

So this story follows the story of Abby Abernathy, who at first glance appears to be a a good girl, prim and proper, a modern day Downton Abbey Lady. Told from Abby's perspective, we see Abby meet Bad boy, fighter Travis Maddox, notorious ladies man (and his not afraid to show it! ) and how there subsequent relationship grows and changes. Now, The bio does say "Suffering from Fifty Shades withdrawal symptoms? " and this is me telling you to ignore that tag line....completely! Because this is a million times better. Period.

Don't get me wrong, there are similarities. There's sex in it for one. And yes, Travis Maddox is a passionate, but his not Christian Grey obsessive. But the major difference is the fact that McGuire's style of writing is superior just like her characterisation. As a reader i genuinely cared for these characters. Both Abby and Travis have their flaws, they know and understand these flaws and they try to overcome them. And for me thats at the crux of this novel. Yes, it's a romance, but the central element of this story is the characters themselves, and how they grow and develop, so that they're both in the right place to finally and hopefully get the romance on! I say this, because i have read reviews that want to slate this book because of the seemingly "possessive and obsessive love," And yes, I don't like how women are being portrayed an image of the ideal man being a bossy and domineering biggot, but this isn't that sort of story.

Both Travis and Abby have trust issues. Abby can't trust Travis because of her past experiences. Travis can't trust himself. He constantly says he doesnt deserve Abby, which just highlights his self loathing, but that doesn't make him the next Christian Grey. Both Abby and Travis grow in this novel, and although you see and understand the changes more significantly with Abby, (thats ok, because the sequel is told from Travis' point of view) both characters learn something about themselves, each other and the nature of love and relationships. And as the characters develop, if your like me, you'll be shouting at the book egging it on, willing the characters to get together already. But the point is, they can't, not until their both of the same page, and its McGuire's ability to depict this, that makes so compelling. I literally couldn't put this book down, because i knew how i wanted it to end, McGuire knew how her readers wanted it to end, but despite this, and the pressure to please an audience, McGuire still kept the narrative natural and realistic and frustratingly good.

Even the best friends are just amazing, as Shepley and America are in a way, the reader included in the story. They see what we see, they want what we went, and yet, they're in the same awkward position we're in, where they can butt in and knock their heads together.

This book, is just a must read! Don't be put off by the 50 Shades tag, this book is so much better than that. Likewise, if you've read 50 shades, that doesn't mean you won't like this book. This book is amazing, and I'm sure you'll enjoy this so much more. So go, get this book and read it now! Stop reading this, and just buy it! Buy it!!!!!!!!!

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