Novel Of The Week: Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire

I think I’m one of the few people in the whole world who has not read the “Beautiful Disaster” series. Quickly and inexorably it became a best seller and (here in Italy at least) everyone was talking about it…

So today I want to talk about Beautiful Oblivion by Jamie McGuire. It’s the first novel I read by this author and here’s my review. 

Enjoy!

  

Camille "Cami" Camlin is a tough girl: she's only 21 and she already lives by herself (better saying, with her long-time friend Raegan), studying at college and working in a bar near the campus, trying to be as independent as possible. She had to grow up fast, living in a troubled family, with a very rageful dad and three brothers who constantly give her hard times.

She also has a boyfriend, T.J,  who lives in California and can’t reveal what his job is about: it is precisely because of this job that he has to cancel the weekend plans he had with Cami and so, Raegan tries to cheer Cami up by taking her out for a drink.

At the bar, the girls meet Trenton “Trent” Maddox, who doesn’t waste time and starts flirting with Cami... and doesn’t stop even after she turned him down. She knows perfectly that the Maddox brothers are beyond gorgeous and full of women, Trent is also a tattoo artist, so she doesn’t understand why he would want to have her.

Even with these questions in mind, the two of them soon become friends, indeed Trent helps Cami get a second job as a receptionist at Skin Deep, the tattoo shop he works in, because one of Cami’s brothers needs some money...

In the meantime, Cami’s relationship with T.J. begins to falter and nothing serves the weekend spent with him in California. Even knowing how she feels about Trent, Cami doesn’t want to start a relationship with him because of a secret she thinks would ruin everything, should Trent find out.

After highs and lows, the two of them become a couple, but if things had not been easy so far, don’t even let me start talking about the future…

What I liked

Since I didn’t know what to expect, I have to say that I liked this novel. It’s well written, it’s not full of long and tedious descriptions, the characters are interesting and the dialogues are quick and funny, especially Trent, he is hilarious!

Another aspect that I liked are the secondary characters, to be specific Raegan and Olive, both memorable.

What I did not like

Primarily Cami’s vulgarity; is understandable given the violent family context she grew up in, but not entirely acceptable.

Probably I should have read the “Beautiful Disaster” series because some facts/characters are presented taking for granted that the reader already knows who they are or what’s going on…Plus I was disappointed with Trent’s dismissive approach to Cami at the very beginning of the book. And I’m still a bit confused by the end, I didn’t understand it completely.

Still, it is a very pleasant and nice novel, I suggest you read it if you want a romantic (but not mushy) love story

My Vote:  7¾ /10