Beautiful Disaster: A Novel

“You know why I want you? I didn’t know I was lost until you found me. I didn’t know what alone was until the first night I spent without you in my bed. You’re the one thing I’ve got right. You’re what I’ve been waiting for, Pigeon.” -Travis What can I say about this book? I loved it so much, from the very first moment Travis and Abby interacted I was totally in and I loved it through all of the ups and downs all the way to the awesome ending! I had heard so much about this book from the blogs that I follow, many declaring it their all-time favorite book, so I’d been meaning to check it out so when I saw that it was on sale recently I jumped on it and I am so glad that I did! Aside from the characters, who I will get to in a minute, the thing I really loved about this book was the fact that they became best friends first and as time went the lines began to blur a bit and they finally realized what everyone else could see, that they had fallen in love with each other. I loved how their friends wanted them to take everyone out of their misery and just get together, their relationship was a bit volatile but there was no questioning that things were definitely better when they were together. Travis was awesome, I can see why many declared him their #1 book boyfriend ever. He was perfect, because of his many imperfections. When we first meet Travis is he the quintessential bad boy, he’s an underground fighter, muscled, tattooed with a skull trim. He smokes and rides a Harley and has girls throwing themselves at him constantly. He’s known around campus as a playboy, never having a girlfriend and never seeing a girl again after he’s slept with her. But that doesn’t deter the hordes of girls from wanted to spend the night with him. It’s because of this that when he meets Abby and realizes she isn’t falling all over herself to get into his bed, he sees something different in her and needs to be friends with her. I love how their relationship developed and how he “tricks” her into staying with him based on the bet they make, it was clear to the reader long before they actually got together that he was totally in love with her. As the book goes on you realize just how insecure Travis is when it comes to Abby and how fragile his heart is, now that he’s finally given his heart to someone he is terrified of losing her. At times this causes him to completely overreact or do something stupid but it fit so perfectly with his character and I loved that he messed up from time to time. It made the whole situation so realistic and just made me love him more. There were plenty of times when my heart hurt for Travis (like when they went to his family’s house for Thanksgiving, that was rough!) or I did a face palm because of something he just did but I absolutely loved when things were going well with them, nothing compared to seeing Travis happy. He was like an exuberant child and it was so adorable! Oh and how can I forget his nickname for her! I LOVED that he called her Pigeon or Pidge, that was the cutest thing ever and he did it right from the start and never stopped. I could go on and on about things I loved about Travis, but it won’t do him justice, you really ought to experience it for yourself! “I know we’re f’ed up, all right? I’m impulsive and hot-tempered, and you get under my skin like no one else. You act like you hate me one minute, and then you need me the next. I never get anything right, and I don’t deserve you… but I f’ing love you, Abby. I love you more than I’ve loved anyone or anything, ever.” -Travis Abby was pretty great too, for being so young she was remarkably mature which I think helped her deal with Travis a lot of the time. You’ll find out why as you go, but her upbringing and the life she left behind when she went off to college really caused her to have to grow up fast. I didn’t always agree with her decisions, because they often caused her and Travis more pain than was necessary but she was only 19 so despite her seeming so grown up she really was just a teen so you’ve got to expect some poor decisions. I think they both learned from them though so in terms of character development I think they were necessary. I loved the supporting characters too, America and Shepley were great and played a big part in the book and I really enjoyed Finch and Travis’ brothers were awesome. This author sure has a penchant for unique names for her characters! This book was full of amazing, lovable characters that had you rooting for them throughout and living right along with them through their ups and downs. It also had an exciting plot and a few times had me at the edge of my seat with the situations they found themselves in. I loved the writing and was so glad that I finally got to read this book! I can’t wait to read Travis’ POV in Walking Disaster and then continue on with the novella and then the Maddox brother books! I am looking forward to spending more time with this group!! “I knew the second I met you that there was something about you I needed. Turns out it wasn’t something about you at all. It was just you.” -Travis

This book is going to forever be my favorite book of 2011! It was recommended to me by my best friends from goodreads Melissa, Rachael, and Maria. I am so GLAD they read this and decided to share the love! When I looked at the cover before buying it on Amazon I was captured right from the start because it is of a butterfly in a glass jar fluttering around. The colors capture your attention and the name Beautiful Disaster is like an oxymoron. Beautiful means generally pleasing and Disaster means a sudden calamitous event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction. So without further ado here is my review. I will try not to spoil it for those who have not read this book but it is going to be real hard to do. Once you start reading this book you are captivated right from the first page. You can not put this book down to save your life. I read it in one day because I could not put it down. Abby and America are freshman in college and are looking to have some fun and get far away from home as fast as they can. Abby is looking to start a new life and re-invent herself by becoming a straight A student and staying away from trouble. America wants to party with her new boyfriend freshman sorority brother Shepley. America and Shep are going to watch Sheps cousin Travis fight in an underground fighting ring and invite Abby along to watch. As Abby is watching the fight she can't see it clearly and so she moves to front where she can see better but when she gets there she is sprayed with blood from the losing fighter as Travis punches him in the face. The crowd erupts in cheers and yelling and pushing when Travis starts yelling at everyone to let her through to his cousin Shep who is trying to get to Abby. After the fight Travis invites Abby over to their apartment for a celebratory diner and drink when she declines his offer. Abby is all set with Travis because he is known around campus as the campus bad boy who sleeps with girls and tosses them away like yesterday's newspaper. Thus begins the cat and mouse game Travis starts to play with Abby. He even goes so far as to make a bet with her and she loses. As they start to talk more and more Abby is sure there is something more to Travis than meets the eyes. She sees things in him that no one else sees because he never lets anyone see that side of him. As time goes on and they spend more and more time with each other Abby starts to feel things she knows she should not but she can not help herself. Then Travis starts to think things and act weird around Abby and he can't seem to get her out of his mind. Could there be something brewing between them? Is there love in sight for them or will the bad boy wreck everything and end up hating Abby or Abby hating him? This story is true to how a real relationship goes. In relationships there are ups and downs and fights and making up is the best. This story shows what happens when you open your heart to someone. This story will have you laughing, crying, and screaming all at once. Abby is lost and confused and Travis is just as lost and confused. Will they overcome adversity and become a couple or will they hate each other and continue to go on different paths. This is such and EPIC read and it spoke to me because I did have a relationship like this. There was a lot of love but there was a lot of hate at the same time and it is hard to open up to people once you have been burned. This is an accurate depiction of a true relationship. Come along for the ride and read this great read! My favorite part of the book, well one of them anyways:I was pushed around with the movement of those coming and going. America called my name from somewhere in the back, but I was mesmerized by the trail of red from my chest to my waist. A pair of heavy black boots stepped in front of me, diverting my attention to the floor. My eyes traveled upward; jeans spattered with blood, a set of finely-chiseled abs, a bare, tattooed chest drenched in sweat, and finally a pair of warm, brown eyes. I was shoved from behind, and Travis caught me by the arm before I fell forward. "Hey! Back up off her!" Travis frowned, shoving anyone who came near me. His stern expression melted into a smile at the sight my shirt, and then he dabbed my face with a towel. "Sorry about that, Pigeon." Adam patted the back of Travis' head. "C'mon, Mad Dog! You have some dough waitin' on ya!" His eyes didn't stray from mine. "It's a damn shame about the sweater. It looks good on you." In the next moment he was engulfed by fans, disappearing the way he came. McGuire, Jamie (2011-05-26). Beautiful Disaster (Kindle Locations 84-93). Jamie McGuire, LLC. Kindle Edition. (less)

Abby Abernathy is conservative, tough and takes no nonsense from anyone. She's determined to escape her old life, and so keeps to herself, avoiding any attention or trouble - until Travis Maddox makes an appearance, that is. Travis is everything Abby is not. He's confident, promiscuous and constantly under the public eye. From the moment they set eyes upon one another during one of Travis' underground fights, the connection between the pair is undeniable. But Travis is everything Abby has been trying so hard to avoid, and so she's left with the resounding question: should she risk everything for something that could be either simply beautiful, or a complete disaster? I had this book on my Kindle for so long, but put off reading it over and over - until I had to procrastinate from writing my dissertation for university, that is! I was captivated from the first few pages and, by the end of the novel, sorely regretted not reading it sooner. Jamie McGuire's 'Beautiful Disaster' has everything I look for in a YA romance - and so much more. Travis and Abby are very real. At first glance, it appears to be your typical "good girl meets bad boy" story - but, as the novel unfolds, the reader realises how fleshed out each character really is. They each have their secrets and their flaws, and are very easy to connect with. Both Abby and Travis each has a past that has affected not only the way they behave in general, but their attitudes in regards to their troublesome relationship. The relationship itself is, of course, a complete rollercoaster of emotions. Travis and Abby are incredibly dysfunctional - but they know it, and that makes it rather refreshing. The emotions involved are raw and real, and completely draw you in to the relationship. I can't remember the last time I got so involved in a romance novel that I wanted to re-read it as soon as I had finished - but that's exactly how I felt with 'Beautiful Disaster.' Honestly, this book, for me, was just so absorbing. McGuire's writing style is just the write mixture of formal and informal - remaining interesting and flowing whilst still retaining an element of literary merit. As mentioned previously, her characterisation is wonderful, too. The reader really cares for the characters and whether or not they will get their happy ending. That's not to say it's the perfect novel for everyone, though. It has its faults. It can be rather clichéd it times, as well as repetitive. Some of the issues within the novel have been viewed as controversial, such as Travis' violence. However, as a whole, I thought it was a wonderful novel and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've read it twice now, and will probably read it again. I would recommend it to most fans of the genre - especially those who love a reformed bad boy and an intense love story!

Bevor ich auf den Inhalt des Buches eingehe, möchte ich erst einmal ein paar Worte zur signierten Ausgabe sagen. Bei dieser Ausgabe handelt es sich um ein wunderschönes Hardcover mit matt leuchtendem Schutzumschlag. Das Format ist ein wenig ungewöhnlich (ich hatte noch nie ein SO hohes englisches Buch im Regal stehen), sieht aber trotzdem sehr edel aus. Die Signatur befindet sich auf der rechten Seite vor der Haupttitelseite und ist ziemlich... nun ja. Mir ist bewusst, dass Frau McGuire bestimmt recht viele Bücher signieren musste, aber anhand der Unterschrift (mit Kuli unterschrieben) kann man nicht mal erahnen, dass es ihr Name ist, der darin steht. Allerdings lohnt sich die Anschaffung dieser Ausgabe wie gesagt schon auf Grund der wunderschönen Aufmachung. Nun zum Inhalt des Buches: Inhalt: Gemeinsam mit ihrer besten Freundin America versucht die 18jährige Abby Abernathy ein neues Leben zu beginnen, in dem sie Kansas verlassen und ein Studium an der Eastern University beginnen. Bei einem Wettkampf lernt Abby den seit Jahren unbesiegbaren Frauenschwarm Travis Maddox kennen, den sie jedoch mehr als abstoßend findet. Doch er ist der Cousin von Americas festem Freund Shepley und somit sind die Begegnungen unvermeidbar. Trotz Travis schmutziger Art, jedes Mädchen, was ihm in die Finger kommt, für ein One-Night-Stand abzuschleppen, gelingt es ihm, sich mit Abby anzufreunden. Letztendlich lässt sich Abby auf eine Wette mit Travis ein, die ihr beider Leben völlig auf den Kopf stellt. Fazit: „Beautiful Disaster“ stammt aus der Feder von Jamie McGuire und schildert die Sicht der Protagonistin Abby Abernathy, während sich der zweite Band „Walking Disaster“ mit der Sicht von Travis Maddox beschäftigt. Abby Abernathy hat gerade erst ihr Studium an der Eastern University begonnen und versucht, ihr Leben als Erstsemester-Studentin vollkommen auszukosten, als sie auf Travis Maddox trifft, der ihre Welt bis auf die Grundmauern erschüttert. Obwohl sie mit Hilfe des Studiums und dem Umzug ein neues Leben anfangen möchte, kommen immer wieder die schlechten Erinnerungen aus dem früheren Leben hoch, welches sie eigentlich hinter sich lassen wollte. Ihre beste Freundin America hat sie begleitet und wird von Abby liebevoll als ihr Gewissen betrachtet. Sie ist unheimlich aufgeweckt und aufgeschlossen und liebt ihren Freund Shepley über alles. Da dieser mit seinem Cousin Travis in einer Wohnung lebt, ist sie mit seinem merkwürdigen Lebensstil bereits bestens vertraut. Abby hingegen kann damit nur sehr schlecht umgehen und verurteilt Travis gerne für seine Schandtaten. Travis ist der Frauenschwarm schlechthin – und es gibt fast keine weibliche Studentin, mit der er nicht bereits geschlafen hat. Außer Abby. Und sie will er. Doch sie will ihn nicht. Regelmäßig bestreitet er Wettkämpfe, in denen er sich mit anderen prügelt, und verdient damit als ungeschlagener Champion neben seinem Studium seinen Lebensunterhalt. Doch als Abby in sein Leben tritt, ändert sich auch für ihn eine Menge und vor allem lernt er Gefühle kennen, die er eigentlich für nicht existent gehalten hat. Die Geschichte rund um Abby und Travis ist wahrlich ein Desaster. Immer wieder machen es sich die beiden so schrecklich kompliziert, obwohl sie einfach nur den Mund aufkriegen müssten. Beiden könnte man regelmäßig Ohrfeigen verpassen, so blöd und ungeschickt stellen sie sich an und trotzdem muss man sie einfach mögen. Auf fast 460 packenden Seiten erlebt man einen Wirbelsturm der Gefühle, leidet mit, freut sich und ist teilweise auch stinksauer auf die beiden Protagonisten, da sie sich einfach nur unheimlich dämlich anstellen. Es ist unheimlich schwer, die Gefühle zu beschreiben, die man beim Lesen dieses Buches empfunden hat und vor allem der Begeisterung dafür die richtigen Worte zu verleihen. Dieses Buch hat mich gefesselt – im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes, denn ich habe noch nie ein 460-Seiten starkes Buch an einem Tag verschlungen. Für dieses habe ich gerade mal knapp 10 Stunden gebraucht – und diese musste ich am Stück lesen, da ich „Beautiful Disaster“ nicht mehr aus der Hand legen konnte. Die Seiten flogen förmlich so dahin und durch den angenehmen und fließenden Schreibstil der Autorin lässt es sich sehr schnell lesen. Obwohl es wieder einmal an äußerlichen Beschreibungen der Charaktere mangelte, spielte sich in meinem Kopf ein perfektes Kopfkino ab und ich wurde vollkommen in die Welt dieses Buches eingesogen. Ohne zu übertreiben kann ich auch behaupten, dass dieses Buch eindeutig zu den besten Büchern, die ich je gelesen habe, gehört. Dieses Wechselbad der Gefühle und der ständige Schlagabtausch zwischen diesen zwei blinden jungen Erwachsenen, die sich doch eigentlich so sehr wollen, es aber einfach nicht begreifen wollen, sind sowohl energiegeladen, als auch unheimlich unterhaltsam. Für Fans von Simone Elkeles ist dieses Buch ein absolutes Must have. Was ich allerdings bemängeln muss, sind die furchtbar dämlichen Namen, die mich auf den ersten 100 Seiten sehr gestört haben. Wer bitte nennt sein Kind denn America, Shepley oder Brazil? Ich musste mir immer wieder vorstellen, wie America bei der Miss America-Wahl auftritt und gewinnt… „Und die diesjährige Siegerin der Miss America-Wahl iiiiiist… America!“ – ohje! Geballte Emotionen, eine abwechslungsreiche und spannende Handlung, sowie absolut hinreißende Charaktere machen „Beautiful Disaster“ zu einem außergewöhnlichen und wirklich sehr schönen Buch, welches ich jedem unbedingt ans Herz legen möchte.

Perfecto para los que empiezan a leer en ingles!

I haven’t actually read the book yet because I’m buying a new copy that isn’t frayed, but the book came yellowed, frayed, there was a pen mark along the side and there was already a bookmark on page 149. Returned

One of the better books I've read so far and I had such a hard time putting it away! Great story and I really liked the MC's and their stories. Something was always happening and their relationship was so entertaining to read about. If you haven't read this book, get it!