Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire

Titel: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
Series: Beautiful #1
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 437
Publication Date: August 14, 2012
Source: Bought for Kindle





The new 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 needs—and wants—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.

***

Warning: This is not a review as much as me ranting on about stuff!

Never in my time as a reader have I had so much trouble rating a book. I thought this was a cute love story, but it turned out to be something entirely different.

Abby is supposed to be this good girl, but aside from a pink cardigan in the beginning of the story I just don't see it. She obviously knows how to drink already! I really liked her in the beginning; she talks back, believes in herself, shows strength and seems so smart. But the more she got involved with Travis, the less I liked her. She puts up with too much and all of a sudden she doesn't know how to say no (although she did say it a lot in the beginning). Some of the things he asks of her are seriously weird and not okay! Half the time Abby tries to convince herself, and everybody else, that she is not in love with Travis and that they don't belong together (I agree on that last part!). The other half she spends trying to be with him and making him jealous. She makes excuses for him, puts up with his insane behavior and is certain that she is the problem - this just screams abusive and unhealthy relationship! How did this book ever get a reputation as romantic and how is Travis anybody’s dream guy?!?

Yeah, let's talk about Travis. He is a jerk at first, but he gets better on some notes throughout the book. Unfortunately, he has some issues I can't stand! He is so violent, jealous and possessive which is a very bad mix. He beats up every guy who tries to get close to or touch Abby (and at one point she actually tells Travis to teach a guy some manners - so he beats the crap out of him). He even tells her to change her cloth when they go out because she's wearing something that shows off a little skin. This is sick! I can't stand the way he treats her (and other people). He's such a douchebag! Every once in a blue moon he shows some good quality and then I really like him, but most of the time he is waaaaay to much of an asshole. Still, by the end of the book, I like him better than Abby which tells a lot about Abby.

I liked America and Shep at the beginning, but America turns out to be the worst friend EVER:

"Travis is a fucking wreck! He won't talk to us, he's trashed the apartment, threw the stereo across the room (...) He took a swing at Shep when he found out we helped you leave (...) He's gone fucking nuts! I heard him call your name, and then he stomped all over the apartment looking for you. (...) He ripped his sheets off the bed, and threw them away, threw his pillows away, shattered his mirror with his fist, kicked his door ... broke it from the hinges! It was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life! (...) You have to call him."

Seriously?! Did she just tell her friend to call a guy who acts like that? What the hell is wrong with her? This is NOT acceptable behavior. Kara, Abby's roommate, is the only one who sees how wrong their relationship is, but frankly she is portrayed as somewhat of a bitch and her opinion doesn't count.

I LOATHE the ending! Really, loathe it! Obviously, I can't tell you why, but it's idiotic and stupid and urgh!!! I hate it!

I do love the writing though! It captivated me from the very first page and I had a hard time putting the book aside. It made me so frustrated and it annoyed me, but it also made me smile and I loved it a couple of times. I have never had such a hard time rating a book and my rating primarily shows my issues with Travis' extreme behavior and the amount of violence in the book

"I know we're fucked 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 fucking love you, Abby. I love you more than I've loved anyone or anything, ever. When you're around, I don't need booze or money or the fighting or the one-night stands ... all I need is you. You're all I think about. You're all I dream about. You're all I want."

Mini spoiler

Oh yeah, and by the way: You do not buy someone a dog as a present unless it's a wish and you do not get your girlfriend's/boyfriend's name tattooed on you! IDIOTIC!