NEW ADULT
Walking Disaster - Jamie McGuire (2013)
This follow-up to Beautiful Disaster is written from Travis' point-of-view and revisits many of the events we were introduced to from Abby's side. What I really loved was that Jamie McGuire has pulled the story off amazingly well so the reader doesn't feel as if you are just re-reading a tale and it never gets boring. (It made me think how nice it would have been if Stephenie Meyer had continued her Twilight one from Edward's POV.) Walking Disaster tells the story from Travis' early life, and how the Pigeon nickname originated, to the first time he saw Abby and his emotions throughout their relationship. Any fans of Beautiful Disaster will not be able to put down Walking Disaster and once finished they will still be yearning for more. One of my favourite parts was the inclusion of an epilogue of the couple's life 11 years later. (PP)
Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire (2011)
Abby is trying to stay on the straight and narrow and meets playboy Travis Maddox at a boxing match. Their friendship blossoms into something that no one has seen before and though they try to understand it - they can't. The story follows these two on their bumpy journey of a love/hate friendship that always holds the possibility of becoming something more. Will they get together or will they find they are better off staying close friends rather than lovers? This is one book that I think everyone should read and you will either love it or hate it. If you fall into the love camp, then stay tuned for sequel Walking Disaster which tells it from Travis' point of view. (PP)
Beautiful Disaster, by Jamie McGuire, is about fresh starts and complicated relationships. The summary says: "The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn't drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, 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 charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby's resistance to his charms, 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' apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match." The 2011 novel is in development for the big screen, with Warner Bros acquiring the film rights. The sequel Walking Disaster is due for release in April 2013. The summary says: "Set in the same time-frame as Beautiful Disaster, now we hear the story from Travis' point of view. Travis lost his mother at a very young age, but before she died she taught him two important rules ... Love hard. Fight harder. Growing up in a family of men who like to gamble and fight, Travis Maddox is a tough guy. Known for his bad reputation with women, and feared for his incredible fighting skills, all the boys want to be him, while the girls simply want him...Abby Abernathy is the first girl to treat him the way he feels he should be treated, with dislike and disinterest. It is her lack of interest that sparks his determination to win her round. Will the invincible Travis 'Mad Dog' Maddox be defeated by a girl?" (JC)