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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 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.
Meliss657
Posted January 5, 2012
I absolutely loved this book. It's one of those books that you can't put down and when you're done reading you just keep thinking about it.
I was a little hesitant at first because the synopsis makes it sound kind of cheesy, but turns out it's not.
The characters of the book were great and each had their own personality.
The relationship between Abby and Travis is definitely volatile at times, you can really feel what they're feeling.
All in all this book made me laugh, cry, and made me very happy I purchased it and took a chance. I really hope Jamie McGuire comes out with more books like this or even companion books for it. I'd be interested in reading about the other characters she had too.
150 out of 167 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 18, 2012
This. Book. Is. Amazing! I read it in one sitting and just couldn't put it down! By the time I was done, I qualified for zombie status, but oh it was so worth it. I LOVED Travis. He was tough, rambunctious, headstrong, unreasonable, confusing and immature. Not to mention a total manwhore! He was also caring, loving, protective, devoted and single minded in getting the girl! Oh and did I mention he was totally HOT! Complicated doesn't even start to describe him, but all these reasons only made me love him more! I also really liked Abby. She was a great love interest and very well written. The two together burned up the pages and left me hungry for more! I loved Shep and America together and best friends to Travis and Abby. This was an amazing story of two polar opposites who find out they aren't really that opposite, push-pull till they find they are in love and then conflict ensues! Im am enamored with this book! It was such a terrific read!!!! The only downside to this book was it didn't keep going..and going and going!
72 out of 82 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 27, 2012
The characters in this book were very young & immature. This book is geared for a younger crowd 18-22 NOT 30+
52 out of 96 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 1, 2012
Did you ever have a couple in your life that was so annoying with their constant ups and downs that you couldn't stand being around them one more minute? This book captures that exact annoyingness! Travis (the bad boy) and Pigeon (the UGLIEST nickname EVER! The good girl with a past) are so horrendously predictable with their love games and jealousies that I am embarrassed to even admit that I spent several hours reading this crap! If you have a lick of intelligence, do not read this book...
47 out of 92 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.ReadergirlReviews
Posted October 28, 2011
I found this book by just trolling the online shelves. I wasn't sure what to expect at all, but the blurb sounded interesting, the price was good, so I went ahead and took a chance. I am so glad that I did. I hadn't heard of this author, or any other books by her, and I see that it appears it was self-published electronically. Doesn't matter. This book was a pleasant surprise and was so much more than I expected.
Yes, the blurb is cute, but there's actually a lot more to the story than is covered in the blurb. It is a very character-driven story and there are, for most of the book, only about four or five characters really. The story follows Abby, her friend America and her boyfriend, and of course, Travis. Of course the real story was Abby and Travis.
I've read romances before where you have a protesting heroine who meets a sexy guy who charms everyone else and wow, wonder of wonders, she wants nothing to do with him. It's not usually believeable, but Abby was serious about it. And the author did a great job making her protests realistic. Travis is sexy, interesting, and you just can't help but love him to pieces even though he's a male slut at first. Abby is his friend. And things go from there. The tension between these two was absolutely perfect.
I can't really remember when I've read a more sizzling romance between two characters. This author did a fantastic job on this story. It was simple, sexy, and had some really good serious pieces that mixed things up just right. I loved it. I hope the author puts out more!!
36 out of 41 people found this review helpful.
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Posted March 12, 2012
One of the best books, totally addicting! Read it 3 times already
29 out of 38 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 18, 2012
Read in one sitting...because it was an easy read or because I wantes to finish it quickly? Sloppy editing, a plot full of circles, surface level characters, and a headache. I read it hoping to cure my 50 Shades hangover--nothing alike. People complain the relationship was unhealthy and abusive...I didnt think so. A little dramatic for college students though as they acted like high schoolers. It hooked me curing the first 50 pages. After that I just wanted it to be over. SO many obvious mistakes!!! Spelling and missing words....
28 out of 59 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.i read a bio on this book at good reads and decided to give it a go. A whole sleepless night later I was beyond obsessed with mad dogg and pigeon. You will be hooked from the first chapter and you will be consumed by the chemistry of these characters. Jamie McGuire has made me a new fan for good, I cant reveal more to this book other then its a must read and i would definitely pay to have this is a hard cover its just so good. You haven't read romance and drama like this before.
27 out of 35 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 21, 2012
I felt like i had to start skipping chapters at the end. Way too many story lines mixed in. The whole vegas story line and ex boyfriend was ridiculous. Im still trying to figure out why there are in college and eat in the cafeteria every day. Just BAD!
25 out of 48 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 15, 2012
Why is it that everything that should make you want to run in the opposite direction is suddenly sexy as hell and you can't stop reading?
Travis is "that" guy. Handsome, tattoo'd, cut, needy and a fighter in all senses of the word however Travis is also 'that' guy. Smart, strong, protective, funny, loving and absolutely not what Abby wants or needs. Here is a young couple with more baggage than a 747 heading to the tropics and watching them work though their different issues is like trying not to watch a car wreck as you drive by. Impossible. Abby is trying to change and separate herself from who she was and be who she wants to be...Travis is just sleeping and fighting his way through life...and is the type of guy Abby is trying to get away from ..and out of this they are perfect for each other.
This is no hearts and flowers, fluffy romance novel. This is a raw, emotional, romance where you will hate the hero and curse the heroine as much as you love them. Jamie McGuire is an extremely talented author. Her crafting of characters is what I think is getting her compared to E.L.James. The books though are entirely different but the emotions the characters create in the reader come from the same places..the heart and the stomach.
I have read several reviews that totally bust on Travis and his exploits especially the "bimbo duo" scene but I feel this scene is there to show us just how far Travis has grown and how goal oriented he can be. It also shows us how strong Abby is, most women would have run outta there screaming. Watching Travis fight his attraction and attachment to Abby was in my opinion heartwarming. Ok at the time you read of his unsavory exploits you want to smack him...but really Abby was no different when she used Parker, seeing him because he was the type of guy she thought she needed.
As we read though the book we see a change of roles between the two characters. Travis becomes steady and reliable, sure of his feelings and what he wants. Abby runs! as fast as she can in the opposite direction yet leading Travis on because she knows in her heart of hearts he is the 'one' for her.
In some ways this novel is a blueprint of a dysfunctional relationship and yet understanding both characters backgrounds and needs lets us know this "Beautiful Disaster" is exactly what both characters need to make it though life. It is one time where unhealthy is actually the illusion for a healthy relationship.
I enjoyed this book...I know it has been classed Y/A but really I feel it is a contemporary romance for teens and adults. It was a fantastic read and I highly recommend that you all read it and fall in love with Travis and Abby the way I did. 5+++ stars to this novel and a secure place on my "favorites" shelf right next to the Fifty Trilogy and Reluctant Dom. Thanks Jamie McGuire! ....now shoo...go....buy it...you know you want to.. *LOL*
25 out of 30 people found this review helpful.
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Posted May 17, 2012
This story was not believable. So contrived. Immature characters, thin plot. If you have ever seen a movie that kept throwing out roadblocks just to keep the story going...well, that's this book. I only finished just to see if it EVER got better. It didn't.
21 out of 46 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 27, 2011
I loved this book so much that after I read it once I went back to the front cover and started reading it again. I loved that the characters were flawed yet it only made the story more rich and full. I loved this book and would gladly read it again and any thing else Jamie McGuire will write :D She has a fan for life!
19 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
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Posted August 11, 2011
Talented writer...horrible story
17 out of 70 people found this review helpful.
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Posted February 29, 2012
Dont pass up this book! Once you start reading it you wont be able to stop. I was in tears moe than once while reading it. The good kind, though. Its filled with love, lust, friendship, heartbreak, and surprises in every chapter. A total must read.
15 out of 17 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 22, 2011
I fell in love with this disfunctional couple! They are incredibly complex and intriguing.
15 out of 22 people found this review helpful.
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Posted July 4, 2012
Very immature story Not good for an adult with a brain Do not waste your time
14 out of 30 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 11, 2012
Didn't really like it, but at the same time I read it in one day. There is just too much happening. First there is this love rollercoaster going on between Abby, the daughter of some messed-up poker player and Travis, the youngest son of an abusive family that he hates. After losing a bet, Abby moves in with Travis for a month, even though she doesn't know him at all and he could be a psycopath.( really dumb...who would ever agree to that?) While living together, the two claim to just be friends and are determined to not let things get complicated between them, but all the while they are making out with each other. Then, somewhere in the middle of the story, they admit their fellings for each other and then they continually date, breakup, date, breakup etc. Only, it's not some love rollercoaster it's just proof that they shouldn't be together. Travis is abusive, psycotic, and everything that should send a red flag up to a girl, yet, in the end, at the age of 19 they deide to get married after being together for like 3 months. The story was very random, and inoppropriate for the age group that it was written for. The story did not have a plot and it never ended. The charactors and events were unrealistic and random. It had no beggining and no end. I would not let my pre-teen or young teenage child read it due to the focus on sex, drinking, and violence. There are so many good books to choose from, and this is not one of them.
13 out of 32 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Loved this story! Have never offered a rating before on books but this story describes how oddly disfunctional some relationships can be and still work out...was on the edge of my seat waiting to see it all play out. I will definitely read more of her writing!
12 out of 16 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 27, 2011
Read most of it one sitting until my nook died.
12 out of 21 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 18, 2012
Didn't like it. There are missing pages and some things just didn't make sense.
11 out of 39 people found this review helpful.
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Overview
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 wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning ...