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.
My Review:
Rating: 4/5 stars
After completing the Finding Sky series I wanted to continue with this one by starting the linked series 'The Maddox Brothers'. In this one we get Trent and Cami's story. I find it really intriguing that it is set at the same time as Beautiful Disaster so we get glimpses of Travis and Abby throughout and we were reminded of what was happening with them briefly while learning what is happening with Trent and Cami's relationship. I think it is a very clever technique from the author and one where McGuire has to remember everything about each timeline and how they fit together. This book was published in 2014 and as I said about Beautiful Disaster, the sexism and toxic masculinity is ridiculous. Starting the book I was cringing so much I don't know how I didn't throw the book across the room.
Having said this I always get so drawn into these books and it only took me two days to finish it because I couldn't put it down. It was nice to have older characters in this book (around 22) and we got to see a lot of the family dynamics with Cami's family which wasn't all too healthy. The twist at the end just blew my mind and I'm still not sure whether it was in a good or bad way. I found it really strange... but still can't say how I feel about it.
Overall, this is a good romance with a little spice with a love triangle involved!