Series Review: Beautiful by Jamie McGuire

Series: Beautiful

There is a spin-off series called the Maddox Brothers

Author: Jamie McGuire
# of Books: 2 (Beautiful Disaster, Walking Disaster)

There are 2 novellas: Mrs. Maddox (#1.5) & A Beautiful Wedding (#2.5)

Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: really warm

Thoughts:

NOTE: As of July 19th, I have not read Walking Disaster. Once I have, I will update this posting.

I read Beautiful Disaster immediately after finishing Taking Chances by Molly McAdams and I think that affected my review of this series. The books are very similar in some initial plot points–especially with a hero in the underground fight world and a heroine with a poor relationship with her father (but I mean “Daddy-issues” are nothing new in these types of books)–and in how the “sequel” is a retelling from the hero’s POV of the first book’s events. And because I didn’t overly enjoy Taking Chances and because they were similar, I think I enjoyed this book more than I would usually because I wasn’t as annoyed with the characters as I was in the similar Taking Chances story.

Where Beautiful Disaster differs is that the characters are a little stronger and less annoying. There also isn’t a love triangle where a girl is torn between two boys that she loves–though there is a bit of a “love triangle” in this book but I feel it is mostly one-sided. I liked Abby as a character though sometimes I didn’t get her thoughts/actions. She is very stubborn and I found that to be frustrating. But if she wasn’t so stubborn, we probably wouldn’t have a novel at all so c’est la vie 😛 I was also expecting a bigger and darker “secret past” based on the synopsis but it didn’t really meet those expectations. Travis was a little over the top for me, but I don’t have to date him so that’s A-ok with me 😛 but his alpha male ways could really put off a reader if they don’t like the possessive alpha hero.

I liked the relationship between Abby and Travis. What I really respected were the times when Abby could recognize when the relationship wasn’t going in a healthy direction and she wanted to take it slower because everything does happen so fast at the start. But for the most part, I could see why they liked each other and I appreciate the fact that they got to know each other on a personal level before they jumped into bed together (though Travis moved really fast!).

Overall, I really liked this book. There were a few times a chuckled to myself from the wit and there were some extremely adorable moments between Abby and Travis.

I read on the author’s site that they are planning on making this into a movie. I’m not sure how I feel about it, but I will probably end up watching it anyway for curiosity’s sake. I think it will be hard to do based on the possessiveness of the relationship (because it isn’t that healthy) but if they can make Fifty Shades a movie, then you can definitely do this one!

I’m looking forward to reading Walking Disaster. I’m starting to notice the trend of having the follow-up novel as the alternate POV for the main characters but as I haven’t really read any, I can’t comment any further on it. I think it is a great idea because I do like having alternate POVs in my New Adult reads–it just helps getting the perspective of the character and better understand their actions/reactions.

I will update this post once I get my hands on Walking Disaster!

Conclusion:

A really cute and fast read. I had a hard time putting this book down! I could definitely see why some people might not like it because Travis is very alpha male and Abby can be extremely stubborn. The writing is nothing fabulous but the story is very addicting for some reason. I’m looking forward to Walking Disaster and whatever spin-off novels come our way.

Rating: 4/5

Similar Reads: Taking Chances by Molly McAdams (Taking Chances, #1), Broken at Love by Lyla Payne (Whitman University, #1) and If You Stay by Courtney Cole (Beautifully Broken, #1)

Synopsis for Beautiful Disaster (from Goodreads):
INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE.

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 wants—and needs—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