Beautiful Disaster

By: Jamie McGuire

Narrated by: Emma Galvin

Length: 10 hrs and 30 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©2011 Jamie McGuire (P)2012 Simon & Schuster

Critic reviews

" Beautiful Disaster is insanely addictive. Beautifully sexy, beautifully intense, and beautifully perfect. Jamie McGuire has written a damn good book." (Jessica Park, author of the New York Times best seller Flat-Out Love)

I AM IN LOVE WITH TRAVIS MADDOX!! NEW FAVOURITE!!

Where does Beautiful Disaster rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Right up there! This is my new absolute favourite of all the romances I've read so far.It offers a much fresher feel to the normal romance novel.

What did you like best about this story?

TRAVIS MADDOX!!! *SIGH* I'm completely head over heels in love with him now. He's a bad boy, hot, fit, wild, crazy, unstable and completely messed up but you cant help but fall for him because of the palpable desperation you can't feel within his soul for this girl.Their relationship is completely unhealthy and unstable but you can help but hope it works out because you want him to be happy.Love the way the story has been written, it feels young and appropriate for the age of its characters.

Which scene was your favorite?

ANYTHING WITH TRAVIS IN IT! Mostly the ones where you get a glimpse at the war going on inside his head, where you know his heart wants one thing and his head is fighting it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I listened to it all the way through the first time and started straight back at the beginning the next day, have since listened to it about 4 times all the way through and now just go back to my favourite parts :)

Any additional comments?

I wish the book hadnt ended. I dont really see any way a sequal would work which is dissappointing but looking forward to reading more from the author. It was a refreshing read much different to your average romance novels.

Beautiful Story

If you could sum up Beautiful Disaster in three words, what would they be?

Very Beautiful Story

Who was your favorite character and why?

Travis because of his sincere love for Abbey and how sweet his character actually was.

Which character – as performed by Emma Galvin – was your favorite?

She performed all of them very well. Especially Travis. I loved the emotion that she put into him and how realistic he was. She made his character come to life.

If you could rename Beautiful Disaster, what would you call it?

I think that the name is perfect for the book.

Any additional comments?

When I first started to listening to the book, I did not know if I could relate to the characters but after the first chapter I could not stop listening. I spent the past two days listening to the story because I couldn't wait to hear what was going to happen next. The characters were so realistic and Emma Galvin performed the voices and the feelings that each of the characters felt so well. I felt as if I was watching a very sweet, sad, happy love story unfold and that I was right there. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys love stories that have more than just sex in them. This story had excitement and true to life feelings from the characters. You couldn't ask for anything more from this very wonderful book.

Absolutely amazing!!!!!!

I loved this book it kept me interested which is often hard to do as many audiobooks as I have listened to I am looking forward to the next one :)

Love/Hate Relationship with this book... Love won.

I listened to this book in one sitting, starting it on a 5 hour drive, then staying up late into the night to finish it. I found myself loving it and hating it at different parts, but I honestly think it meant that I was really invested in the book. When the characters were having problems, I was upset, and when they were good, so was I. I also give credit to the performance for that too. And I loved Travis, he had problems... But the author does well with character development so it worked out.

A lot of reviewers have mentioned the "abusive" nature of their relationship, and I personally feel that this is a little bit of an exaggeration. He throws temper tantrums (trashes his bedroom when she leaves him at one point), but he never did anything that would actually harm Abby. He's pretty much the same "over-protective bad boy who falls fast for the plain girl, brings her into his scary world, is super broody and dangerous, and eventually becomes a softie because of some magical taming quality that only she has the power to use." ...with way more complexity and no paranormal element.

Overall, I think this book is pretty unrealistic, but if you just remember that it's fiction, it's a "black tar heroin addiction" of a read and I thought about the characters and love story for days afterwards. In fact, writing this review makes me want to listen again...

I've already recommended it to a few friends. Try it!

*sidenote* The author is currently working on the publication of the book from Travis' perspective. I'm ridiculously excited to read this, because there are a few parts where I wanted to grab Travis and shake him, yelling, "what are you thinking?!" Now, I will know, and I think I'll love Travis and Abby even more!

Worth the credit!!

Where does Beautiful Disaster rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Well, I have had this in my library for a week now and have listened to it and Walking Disaster 3 times each already! I loved this book, but when I listened to Walking Disaster it made the story even better!! You need to listen to this one first, but the next one adds even more.

Which scene was your favorite?

At the apartment after the fire!!!

If you could take any character from Beautiful Disaster out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Travis for sure!! Men act so tuff and to see his story play out, it makes you believe in love!

Good Story but a little bit Juvenile for me.

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would recommend this book since it has a cute story line but warn the friend that while the characters are suppose to be (intelligent) college students, there are parts of the story that are plain old high school or even middle school-ish.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I liked the ending. Again, a little childish for my taste but good nonetheless.

What does Emma Galvin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Mmm... I didn't really care for the male voices too much.

beautiful disaster

I loved this book when I read it in paperback I loved it just as much listening to it in audio the narrator was fantastic but the character of Travis is big strong tough guy the nerator made him into a wimpy little man excellent otherwise

Easy read

I mostly enjoyed the story of this book. The characters were great and easy to relate too, it took me back to a young adult age when your learning the ropes of being a young adult and overcoming the relationships and conflicts that arise around that age.

Very enjoyable

This was such a cute captivating story. Characters are lovable and fun to travel with them.
Loved it

Strange but I LOVED it!

Where does Beautiful Disaster rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of my all time favorites!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Beautiful Disaster?

I was never one to like the bad boy, until this book.

Which scene was your favorite?

I loved the whole book. I just wish it was a series! I think I'll read more Jamie Mcguire on kindle (since her other books are not on audible).

Who was the most memorable character of Beautiful Disaster and why?

Pige. and Trav.