Beautiful Disaster by Jamie Mcguire

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie Mcguire



I purchased Beautiful Disaster based on two things. The story’s description and the amount of positive reviews on Amazon, that’s not to say I base my reading on what others think—because I don’t.

The cover was eye catching, and reading the synopsis really pulled me in.
Before I get into my opinion (everyone has their own) I want to say obviously this story has something that kept me reading. I don’t finish a book unless it forces me to. But that doesn’t mean I enjoyed it as much as I anticipated.
I am going to challenge myself today to explain the story in one very small paragraph—which I think can be done.

So here goes…

Beautiful Disaster is a story that is just that, a beautiful Disaster. It’s a story about a dysfunctional relationship between Abby aka “pigeon” and Travis Maddox. (I don’t even need a paragraph that wraps it up for me in a nutshell)

How did I feel while reading this book? I felt astonished, shocked, happy and then sickened. It was like watching a horrible scenario play out before your eyes (a man snatches an old ladies purse and beats her with it, but you merely sit there and take it in instead of doing something) that was sort of the way I felt about this book.

I sit here wondering about the author. Did she see this book as an actual relationship that made her swoon? Was she trying to shock and awe? Because the dynamics between the characters was so twisted I couldn’t enjoy their relationship about a quarter of the way through the book. It was grimy. The kind of relationship that to me would have me filing for a restraining order.

I get dysfunction. I love it, I write it. But there was a point where the intrigue I felt for Travis flew out the window. He became everything you don’t want out of a man. He was clingy, possessive and “stalkerish”. Not to mention violent. Even knowing what he had been through in his life it didn’t resolve his ways for me. I simply read to see if one of them killed the other one, or if somehow they would see how toxic they were for each other and act like normal human beings and walk away.

A lot of the story was so much that I just couldn’t get into it. Abby goes from this mysterious college girl to a former gambler intertwined with the mob. Really? Or how about the scene where the macho Travis bust into an episode of Mobbed in the cafeteria (google it if you don’t know what show I’m talking about, it’s great.) Some parts were just too hard to believe to enjoy for me.

Aside from this it didn’t take away from the great characters. I loved America and Shepley. They were funny and helped the story along, although if America was such a good friend I wonder why she rooted her friend’s horrible choice in men along for as long as she did—actually she basically supported the horrible relationship from beginning to end. It took her to the end to finally say enough is enough. And every time, like an emotionally battered being she was pulled back in.

I would say there were three times in the story that I felt the book should have ended. And then it went on and on and on. I kept reading, sure, but really it was so long and to me I think it could have been half the amount that it was and still have the same moral—yeah I think there is a moral to this story. Don’t be so completely dependent on someone that you can’t function normally without them. And don’t get stupid tattoos. *shrugs*

I want to say I think the author is a great story teller; she made one hell of a chaotic relationship. If you’re looking for a chaotic tumultuous romance then this is for you.

I’ve even read over some reviews and giggled. It’s a story, the point of a book is to entertain and I was totally entertained. I would even read another book by the author.

Even though the relationship had me cringing a little part of me enjoyed the disaster. And if a story can keep you reading and in awe, well, to me that’s a good thing.

I give it three stars for the simple fact I like to fall head over heels for my characters and although there were aspects I liked about them all, I just felt that it was a little cheesy for me.

So with that I say enjoy Beautiful Disaster as what it is: a form of entertainment. I don’t think the author was trying to teach anyone a lesson in life. She just wanted readers to come along for the ride.

And lastly, there is a lot of foul language (which I love) and sex. *gasp* (which is fine by me) so if you’re young and living with the rents, I say stay away.