Publisher: Originally self published, Jamie McGuire LLC
Release Date: First published May 26, 2011, Re-releases August 14th 2012 by Atria Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 437 (Paperback)
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: New Adult, Romance
Review Date: March 31, 2013
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Synopsis: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.
Release Date: First published May 26, 2011, Re-releases August 14th 2012 by Atria Books
Format: Paperback
Pages: 437 (Paperback)
Source: Library Borrow
Genre: New Adult, Romance
Review Date: March 31, 2013
Rating: 4 bookmarks
Synopsis: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.
I knew from the description this relationship would be a train wreck. You know that it's horrifying but you just can't look away. This is Abby and Travis all day. My first impression of this book is "Wow, these are two screwed up people!". Seriously. This book had me thinking back to the bad boys from my freshman year of college....BUT lucky me, I am NOT Abby and I surely never dated my own version of Travis! Even though this book is coined as a "romance", this book does not depict what a healthy relationship it. Period. So with that said, take this book with a grain of salt.
These two are really unbelievable, and not in a good way. All of the reasons they should not be together are exactly the same reasons why they belong with each other. They totally deserve each other. Abby has serious daddy issues and she was a child card shark! Growing up around hustlers and gangsters she definitely has a colorful past that has left her wanting to have the polar opposite for her future. When she went away to school, that was her chance to reinvent herself and Travis totally threw a wrench in her plans.
I liked the there wasn't any of the dreaded "instalove", you know, when two fall head over heals in love upon their first encounter then they are all over each other for the whole book? Well, it's actually there, but it's so low key that you don't notice it right away. You can tell they both like each other, but they fight it. And I wouldn't call it "love at first sight", more like "lust at first sight", which turned into love after they got to know each other.
I also appreciated that the author added a more reasonable sounding best friend for Abby. America has looked out for Abby even when it seemed like it was unwarranted and really she should stay out of the craziness. I guess old habits are hard to break, when your defending your friend for so long, it comes naturally. It was cute to see the relationship between America and Travis's cousin, Shep. They added a little bit of sanity throughout the crazy up and downs of Travis and Abby.
Overall, I sort of liked Travis, even though he is severely flawed. I kept waiting for him to cross the line of no return and he never did. thank goodness. He's a really violent guy, and that quality unnerves a lot of women, it would absolutely bother me. I do wonder if he'd ever get mad enough to get into a physical fight with Abby. There was one scene where he swore he would never hurt her, but I do wonder. He needs therapy. I almost think Travis would become that crazy stalker if Abby ever left him for good. But that wouldn't happen because Abby loves crazy and that is why they will probably be together forever. Hell, Abby needs therapy too. Maybe they should go together.
Beyond Travis's extreme talents of being insecure, feelings of being not good enough, untrusting toward Abby and others, if he could, he would control everything the girl does. But again, if Abby likes it, we all love it. Because only a certain type of person would be comfortable with that kind of behavior from their significant other.,
This was a fast and easy read. Sort of predictable, but still entertaining. I look forward to reading how this whole relationship develops from Travis's point of view in the next book, Walking Disaster. I bet he makes Abby seem like the more crazy one!
Happy Reading,
~Tamara
I liked the there wasn't any of the dreaded "instalove", you know, when two fall head over heals in love upon their first encounter then they are all over each other for the whole book? Well, it's actually there, but it's so low key that you don't notice it right away. You can tell they both like each other, but they fight it. And I wouldn't call it "love at first sight", more like "lust at first sight", which turned into love after they got to know each other.
I also appreciated that the author added a more reasonable sounding best friend for Abby. America has looked out for Abby even when it seemed like it was unwarranted and really she should stay out of the craziness. I guess old habits are hard to break, when your defending your friend for so long, it comes naturally. It was cute to see the relationship between America and Travis's cousin, Shep. They added a little bit of sanity throughout the crazy up and downs of Travis and Abby.
Overall, I sort of liked Travis, even though he is severely flawed. I kept waiting for him to cross the line of no return and he never did. thank goodness. He's a really violent guy, and that quality unnerves a lot of women, it would absolutely bother me. I do wonder if he'd ever get mad enough to get into a physical fight with Abby. There was one scene where he swore he would never hurt her, but I do wonder. He needs therapy. I almost think Travis would become that crazy stalker if Abby ever left him for good. But that wouldn't happen because Abby loves crazy and that is why they will probably be together forever. Hell, Abby needs therapy too. Maybe they should go together.
Beyond Travis's extreme talents of being insecure, feelings of being not good enough, untrusting toward Abby and others, if he could, he would control everything the girl does. But again, if Abby likes it, we all love it. Because only a certain type of person would be comfortable with that kind of behavior from their significant other.,
This was a fast and easy read. Sort of predictable, but still entertaining. I look forward to reading how this whole relationship develops from Travis's point of view in the next book, Walking Disaster. I bet he makes Abby seem like the more crazy one!
Happy Reading,
~Tamara
