Book #130 - Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1)

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1), Jamie McGuire
contemporary romance, new adult
437 pages
Started 11/25/12
Finished 11/26/12
4 STARS

Talk about a roller coaster. Beautiful Disaster was a lot to take on. It was, at times, romantic and sweet, and at other times, scary and bitter. Like I said - roller coaster.

Abby Abernathy escapes to college to get away from her troubled family and past. It's there that she meets Travis Maddox, a tatted up student who likes to fight and has a bad attitude. And, it turns out that Abby and Travis bring out the best - and the worst - in each other. Whether that's a good enough basis for a loving, stable relationship is anyone's guess.

I liked a lot of this book. I was also disturbed by a lot of this book. I was delighted and upset. It was funny and sad. I can't make up my mind exactly what I think. I do know I'm mostly in the positive column on this one. Travis is so complex and interesting. I enjoyed trying to figure him out. What were his motives? Does he really care about Abby or is she just another conquest for him?

And, what was Abby's secretive past about? Could she really stick it out with Travis and see through all the layers of bullcrap?

There were many times when I questioned Travis' sanity. He really seemed mentally unstable and, given his penchant for violence, I was concerned that it was going to go in that direction in his relationship with Abby. Even when things were "good," Travis was seriously co-dependent and controlling. And, Abby seemed largely ok with that, which was equally disturbing.

But, on the other hand, when it was good, it was G-O-O-D.

I am really, really looking forward to Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2). It's the same story from Travis' POV. I'm really looking forward to getting inside this dude's head.