Joint Review: Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

by:  Jamie McGuire
published by:  ebook
publish date:  May 26, 2011

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, 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 needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, 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’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

This book captured my attention because it was one of the nominees in the Goodreads Awards this year.  I had never heard of it and when I started reading the comments people were gushing over it like crazy.  It's inexpensively priced on Amazon ($2.99 when I bought it) so I decided to give it a read. 

Beautiful Disaster is somewhat out of my reading comfort zone.  I don't do romance, I leave that to Kari.  However I was completely sucked into this book.  I was up late reading it because I didn't want to put it down. 

On Goodreads, a lot of the commenters refer to this book being like a drug, it's bad for you but you don't want to stop.  I agree with that assessment.  There are typos galore and Abby and Travis are both so stupid most of the time, but you can't help but cheer them on.

When I found out that Autumn was reading a romance, I had to see what all of the fuss was about.  Like her, I was sucked right in.

Beautiful Disaster is an emotional roller coaster ride.  I have read comments that the relationship is dysfunctional and at times stalker like.  In a way, I have to agree.  They are definitely dysfunctional. But, what I really saw in Abby and Travis were 2 young people with trust and security issues.  In real life, I probably would have suggested the 2 seek therapy before committing, but since it wasn't reality, I went with the flow.  Like Autumn, I did find myself rooting for them in the end.

This has been designated at YA.  Due to some content, I would probably recommend it for over 16, but that is just my opinion.