REVIEW: Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) – Jamie McGuire

Released: July 1st, 2014

The Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster phenomenon continues in the first heart-pounding new adult romance in The Maddox Brothers series.

Fiercely independent Camille "Cami" Camlin gladly moved on from her childhood before it was over. She has held down a job since before she could drive, and moved into her own apartment after her freshman year of college. Now tending bar at The Red Door, Cami doesn’t have time for much else besides work and classes, until a trip to see her boyfriend is cancelled, leaving her with a first weekend off in almost a year.

Trenton Maddox was the king of Eastern State University, dating co-eds before he even graduated high school. His friends wanted to be him, and women wanted to tame him, but after a tragic accident turned his world upside down, Trenton leaves campus to come to grips with the crushing guilt.

Eighteen months later, Trenton is living at home with his widower father, and works full-time at a local tattoo parlor to help with the bills. Just when he thinks his life is returning to normal, he notices Cami sitting alone at a table at The Red.

As the baby sister of four rowdy brothers, Cami believes she’ll have no problem keeping her new friendship with Trenton Maddox strictly platonic. But when a Maddox boy falls in love, he loves forever—even if she is the only reason their already broken family could fall apart.

In the first installment of the Maddox Brothers books, readers can experience the rush of reading Beautiful Disaster for the first time, all over again.

"That my purpose in life was to love you and keep you safe . . . but I didn't prepare for having to share you."

Beautiful Oblivion, similar to other of McGuire’s books, was heart-wrenchingly awesome. There’s no other word for it. Trent Maddox is one of a kind and so is Cami. They had such a fantastic connection.

WOOOOW. Okay, um, Trent, I love you. I just freaking love you. He was such a determined character even though it’s probably morally wrong to chase after a woman who’s already got a boyfriend. But he’s Trent Maddox. So I forgive him.

Well, Trent had a good reason to do so anyway. He’d watched Cami from afar for far too long (which I wished we had a background to) and now he’s going after her. Unfortunately, Cami is taken by T.J., her boyfriend who’s in California.

Trent is fucking adorable though when he’s chasing her.  He’s so goddamn sweet and alwkejrwlerj just so cute!

“I was just thinking now was as good a time as any to acknowledge that you’re perfect and it wouldn’t suck if you fell madly in love with me anytime soon.”

So, um, how do you not fall in love with him?

However, Trent also had a bit of a fault. I felt, like Travis, he was a bit too desperate. Some of his lines were too cheesy and it seemed as if he was just this weak character instead of the admirable hero he is.

Cami is also fucking awesome. She acknowledges her problem, how she’s in love with two people at the same time. Although she, like Abby too, came off as annoying towards the end, I liked her character.

Unfortunately, what pissed me off was – like Beautiful Disaster – it seemed as if Trent liked Cami more than she him. I mean, there’s this fantastic guy who’s so in love with you and then Cami seemed to take it for granted.

BUT, another big but, the ending totally killed it. Like it was just such a fucking WTF kind of ending that just blew my mind. And I absolutely loved it! I LOVED THE ENDING. I was just like, “Wait what? HOLD UP!” AND IT WAS THE LAST LINE. Such great emphasis.

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK. She attended the Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.

Her most recent novel, Walking Disaster debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. She has also written bestselling contemporary romance Beautiful Disaster, and the Providence series.

Jamie now lives in Enid, OK with her three children and husband Jeff, who is a real, live cowboy. They share their 30 acres with six horses, three dogs, and Rooster the cat.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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REVIEW: A Beautiful Wedding (Beautiful #2.5) – Jamie McGuire

Released: December 10th, 2013

You know that Abby Abernathy unexpectedly became Mrs. Maddox. But what do you really know?

Why did Abby pop the question?
What secrets were shared before the ceremony?
Where did they spend their wedding night?
Who else knew about it . . . and didn’t tell?

Everything about Abby and Travis’s elopement was top-secret . . . until now. Fans of Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster will get all of their questions answered in this whirlwind tale of the wedding day (and night!)—and as with all good stories, this one will definitely have been worth the wait.

"Your yesterdays were the path that led you to this chapel, and your journey to a future of togetherness becomes a little clearer with each new day."

SPOILERS OF THE BEAUTIFUL SERIES IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THEM!!!

THIS IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO! A sweet, simple, short novella of our favorite book boyfriend, Travis Maddox, as he marries none other than Abby Abernathy. We find out reasons why Abby wanted to marry Travis and what happened in Vegas. In this case, what happened in Vegas, didn't actually stay in Vegas ;)

Honestly, I was a teensy bit disappointed with the ending of this book. I was expecting it to be more intense and exhilarating like the previous two books but guess not. It was simple and short though, just like how a novella was supposed to be.

Travis and Abby take of for Vegas right after the fire incident but Abby has her own reasons. All she wants to do is protect Trav. Even though I didn't approve of her reasons, I understood it. She loved Trav.

I was hoping that Abby would get confronted for that "reason" of hers and it'd cause at least some drama and they'd work out their kinks. But no, that topic wasn't brought up anymore and Travis was left in the dark, which left no conflict to the book.

However, seeing Travis again made me remember why he was the reason I really started reading in the first place. OUR FAVORITE BAD BOY'S BACK!!! And he's more delectable than ever, ugh. I love Travis Maddox way too much!

MY RATING:

3.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

  

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | My Review

♕ Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | My Review

♕ A Beautiful Wedding (Beautiful #2.5) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

EXTRA STORIES:

♕ Mrs Maddox: A Beautiful Love Story (Beautiful #1.5) // free ♕

Goodreads | Read here

Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK. She attended the Northern Oklahoma College, the University of Central Oklahoma, and Autry Technology Center where she graduated with a degree in Radiography.

Her most recent novel, Walking Disaster debuted at #1 on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. She has also written bestselling contemporary romance Beautiful Disaster, and the Providence series.

Jamie now lives in Enid, OK with her three children and husband Jeff, who is a real, live cowboy. They share their 30 acres with six horses, three dogs, and Rooster the cat.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Because Travis is my second ever book boyfriend, he shall get two quote graphics.

[Review] Walking Disaster - Jamie McGuire

Released: April 2nd, 2013

Finally, the highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Beautiful Disaster.

Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love hard. Fight harder.

In Walking Disaster, the life of Travis is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he is invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her say. Now it's time to see the story through Travis's eyes.

"One of these days you're going to fall in love, son. Don't settle for just anyone. Choose the girl that doesn't come easy; the one you have to fight for, and then never stop fighting. Never."

MY BABY IS BACK, BITCHES! Do you know how excited I was when I heard that it was released early?

Man, that's a creepy gif but that summed up how I felt. My God, I was freaking ecstatic! I read this book months back when it was released so bear with me if I miss any details. All I know is:

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!

Jamie McGuire gives us an inside look into Travis' head during his pursuit of Abby. Through Abby's eyes, we can see how much he's changed for her and how he's gone from the major player to the whipped (in a good way!) lover. Here, we go deeper into Travis' character as we see scenes that weren't in Beautiful Disaster.

So, we probably think that: "Hey, Trav loves that lifestyle! The booze, the women, the money." But then.

"Fucking vultures. They could wait you out for hours."

The first few paragraphs of the first chapter blew my mind. They were so brilliantly written with the perfect extended metaphors and symbols. Travis' mindset is just wow.

"What they don't know, what they've never anticipated, is that the prey is faking. It's the vultures that are easy. Just when they think all they have to do is be patient, to sit back and wait for you to expire, that's when you hit them. That's when you bring in the secret weapon: an utter lack of respect for the status quo; a refusal to give in to the order of things."

The last phrase. A+++! An utter lack of respect for the status quo; a refusal to give in to the other of things. Jesus, when a guy says that, you know we've got a bad boy in our hands. But damn, Travis. He's got a way with words. It's so simple yet it's such a strong phrase.

And, what I didn't get in Beautiful Disaster, was why didn't Abby ask about her nickname? So I was beyond happy when Jamie answered my unspoken question here.

"I decided a long time ago I would feed on the vultures until a dove came along. A pigeon. The kind of soul that didn't impede on anyone; just walked around worrying about its own business, trying to get through life without pulling everyone else down with its own needs and selfish habits."

HOT DAMN. And that isn't even the full paragraph. These quotes are only from the first chapter. I just fell head-over-heels in love with this book.

With this being in Travis' point of view, we learn more about his past. We learn about his mother and her last words. We also get the talks between Travis and Mr. Maddox that we didn't in BD. Their relationship is sort of, EXTREMELY ADORABLE.

Travis: "There's a girl, Dad."

Mr. Maddox: "[smiled] A girl."

Travis: "She kinda hates me, and I kinda…"

Mr. Maddox: "Love her?"

Travis: "I don't know. I don't think so. I mean… how do you know?"

Mr. Maddox: "When you're talking about her with your old dad because you don't know what else to do."

Jim is just perfect. God, I love how we get more on Travis' family in this book so we see how his past was like.

But I'm not going to go on and on about this. I just really damn love this book. You will too! Trust me. I think it's better than the first one hehe.

Plus! You've got an extended epilogue; there's more in this one than in the first one.

Minor Faults:

MY RATING:

6 TRAVIS-MADDOX-PLEASE APPLES!!!!!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

❤ READ MY REVIEW OF HER BOOKS ❤

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) ❊ 6 APPLES!!!

About The Author:

Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK, where she was raised by her mother. She had attended college where she graduated with a degree in Radiography. She now lives in Enid, OK, with her three children and husband Jeff, who is a real, live cowboy. Books published by Jamie include the Providence trilogy, and The New York Times best seller, Beautiful Disaster.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

[Review] Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire

Released: May 26th, 2011

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.

"It wasn't just me, and it wasn't just him, it was what we were together that was the exception."

This book, ladies and gents, was what got me into reading New Adult romances and basically all romance books! Ladies, prepare to drop your panties for the one, the only, TRAVIS MADDOX! I will go on a long rant about him later below. God, I absolutely loved every single character in the book. They were all just so perfect. Plus, Jamie McGuire's writing style is very easy to understand and to read. That's why I completely love it. After reading Fifty Shades, I was recommended by the dependable goodreads to try out Beautiful Disaster. And I thank God every day that I did.

Abby Abernathy is a snarky girl who's hiding her "alter ego". Let's just say she has another side to her that she hopes will stay buried underneath. But, in the book, she's the good girl who almost everyone wants in EU. Including the unattainable Travis Maddox. But really, Abby is just so feisty. Kudos to you, girl!

"Don't flatter yourself. It's hard not to notice when fifty drunks are chanting your name."

She's just one of my favorite heroines ever because she doesn't take shit from anyone. But, at times, she can piss me off when she tries to be all noble and more of a goody two-shoes. Because that's really not who she was. And the fact that she tries so hard to let go of her identity back home, she's hurting Travis along the way. Even Shep agrees:

"You're going to break his heart, Abby. You're going to break his heart! The one girl he trusts enough to fall for, and you're going to nail him to the wall!"

Now let's move on the smoking hot, Travis "Mad Dog" Maddox! God, he made me fall for so many other fictional characters so thank you very much, Travis! He is the most romantic guy ever. If you read his lines in the book, you can't help but just fall in love with him over and over again. Travis doesn't think he's worthy of anyone's love and that's why he does the things he does. It's just so heart-breaking to see this great guy thinking he's so worthless.

"I feel like any second you're going to figure out what a piece of shit I am and leave me."

There are so many sides to Travis Maddox. There's the scary jealous side.

"If you even look at her you piece of shit I'll break your fuckin' jaw!"

And then there's the oh-so-sweet, desperate side.

"I am begging you. I'm begging you, Abby. Don't do this."

FINALLY, THERE'S THE OH-GOD-TO-DIE-FOR SO FREAKING ROMANTIC AND SWEET SIDE.

"I know we're fucked up, alright? 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 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 loved anyone or anything ever. When you're around, I don't need booze, or money, or the fighting, or the one-night stands."

This is just one of my most FAVORITE BOOKS EVER. It definitely makes it to the top ten list if I even had a top ten list. But really, even the supporting characters like America, Shepley, Finch are perfection. You have to go read this book.

MY RATING:

6 GO GO GO GET IT APPLES!!!!!

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

❤ READ MY REVIEW OF HER BOOKS ❤

Walking Disaster (Beautiful #2) ❊ 6 APPLES!!!

About The Author:

Jamie McGuire was born in Tulsa, OK, where she was raised by her mother. She had attended college where she graduated with a degree in Radiography. She now lives in Enid, OK, with her three children and husband Jeff, who is a real, live cowboy. Books published by Jamie include the Providence trilogy, and The New York Times best seller, Beautiful Disaster.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook