Title: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
First published May 26, 2011
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Rating: 4.04
Overview
Meet Abby Abernathy – she’s a reformed bad girl who’s determined to leave behind her dark past and start anew. When she enters college with her best friend, Abby thinks she’s got everything under control until she crosses paths with Travis Maddox – the notorious bad boy of Eastern University.
Travis is the ultimate campus charmer who spends his nights fighting in illegal matches and his days charming every girl he meets. Abby knows she needs to stay away from Travis, but when he challenges her to a bet, she finds herself drawn into his world.
If Travis loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. But if Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment.
As they spend more time together, Abby realizes that Travis is not the heartless player she thought he was, and Travis discovers that Abby is not the good girl she pretends to be. In a battle of wills and desires, Abby and Travis discover that they’ve both met their match.
About the Author
Jamie McGuire, originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, attended Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she earned her degree in Radiography. She is known for her contributions to the New Adult genre, with her international bestseller Beautiful Disaster paving the way for the genre.
Walking Disaster, her follow-up novel, debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists in all four categories. Her book Beautiful Oblivion, which is the first in the Maddox Brothers series, also topped the New York Times bestseller list, debuting at #1.
In 2015, the books Beautiful Redemption and Beautiful Sacrifice, which are book two and three of the Maddox Brothers series respectively, topped the New York Times list, as well as a Beautiful series novella, Something Beautiful. In 2016, Beautiful Burn made an appearance on the New York Times and USA Today, and was also named iBooks’ Romance Book of the Year.
The same year, A Beautiful Funeral also topped the New York Times bestseller list.
Jamie has written several other novels including the apocalyptic thriller and 2014 UtopYA Best Dystopian Book of the Year, Red Hill; the Providence series, a young adult paranormal romance trilogy; Apolonia, a dark sci-fi romance; and several novellas, including A Beautiful Wedding, Among Monsters, Happenstance: A Novella Series, and Sins of the Innocent. She is the first indie author to strike a print deal with retail giant Wal-Mart, with her self-published novel Beautiful Redemption hitting Wal-Mart shelves in September 2015.
Jamie currently resides in Steamboat Springs, Colorado with her husband, Jeff, and their three children. You can find Jamie on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Instagram.
Editoral Review
Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire is a standalone novel that was first published on May 26, 2011. The book is categorized as a contemporary romance, a genre that has been widely popularized with the rise of self-publishing and e-books.
The author, Jamie McGuire, is known for her emotionally charged stories with strong, independent heroines. The plot of Beautiful Disaster centers around Abby Abernathy, a young, innocent girl who enrolls in Eastern University hoping to start a new life away from her past.
She meets Travis Maddox, a tattooed bad boy who is known to be a womanizer and a hot-headed fighter. Abby and Travis’s relationship is tumultuous, filled with passion and danger, as they struggle with the ghosts of their past and the expectations of the present.
The setting of the book takes place primarily on the university campus, giving the reader a glimpse of college life, fraternities, and the complexity of young adulthood. The conflicts of the story revolve around the themes of identity, acceptance, and self-discovery as the characters navigate their feelings and relationships.
Addressing the flaws of the book, it is clear that the plot is predictable and formulaic, relying heavily on clichd romance tropes. The character development is also lacking, as the characters are one-dimensional and do not undergo significant growth throughout the narrative.
The pacing of the story is slow, with repetitive dialogues and unnecessary scenes that drag the plot. Despite its shortcomings, Beautiful Disaster stands out with memorable passages and heartfelt moments, showcasing the author’s ability to capture raw emotional intensity.
The writing style is engaging and easy to read, and the chemistry between the two protagonists is both electric and volatile. Compared to other books in the contemporary romance genre, Beautiful Disaster has a darker, more intense tone that veers towards tragedy.
It can be compared to other books by Jamie McGuire, such as the beloved YA series, ‘Beautiful’ and ‘Maddox Brothers’ and the successful ‘Red Hill’ and ‘Apocalypse’ series. Overall, Beautiful Disaster is a compelling read that will appeal to fans of the romance genre.
It may not be for everyone, but those who enjoy emotionally charged narratives and passionate love stories will find something to enjoy in this book. It is a 3 out of 5, taking into account the strengths and limitations of the novel, and the criteria for a good read.
