Book Review

Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire

 

The Beautiful Disaster and Walking Disaster phenomenon continues with the release of Jamie McGuire's newest Maddox Brother novel Beautiful Oblivion. 

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.

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Spoiler Warning:

What is it about those Maddox brothers? I personally don't find the whole tattooed possessive bad boy thing attractive but a tough guy with a heart of god is another story. And that's what you gt when you get a Maddox brother tough on the outside and sweet and caring on the inside. Although at the start of the book I assumed the plot was headed toward a love triangle or a messy affair but I was happily surprised it didn't take that turn. Beautiful Oblivion takes place right before Beautiful Disaster and runs parallel to Travis and Abby's story. It's interesting to see Travis and Abby's story from others perspectives and realize another love story was taking place while reading Beautiful Disaster. Camille dates the mysterious T.J. in the beginning he's never really around and is portrayed to care more about his job than about Camille. Evan after Camille and T.J. split we're never really told why she can't be with Trenton, she just says it's complicated. And enough time goes by that we known she's not pregnant or married or hiding the fact T.J. is gay. The one thing I wish is that McGuire gave us a little bit more of a hint as to why they can't be together or what makes the situation more complicated. The way the book is the ending and the complication is actually pretty awesome and one I never saw coming. And it's rather hard to surprise me.


A.B.