"Beautiful Redemption" (Maddox brothers - Thomas)
Written by Jamie McGuire
The Series
"Beautiful Disaster" was the book that started it all for me. All it took was a couple of pages of Travis Maddox, and I found myself absolutely addicted. I couldn't get enough. I still can't.
The Wait...
Since I first was introduced to Thomas, I wondered about him. He was the Maddox boy who intrigued me the most... And I waited for his book for what seemed like forever. And you know what, it was SO worth it.
The Story
This is the story of Liis Lindy, an FBI agent who just moved to San Diego from Chicago. She's just gotten out of a relationship, and has plunged herself headlong into a new one -- with her job.
Special Agent In Charge Thomas Maddox's reputation as a "huge, gigantic, enormous asshole" precedes him. He also happens to be sinfully gorgeous, and unknowingly has a one-night stand with his new transfer on her first night in San Diego.
Liis' first assignment under Maddox (well, technically her second, I guess?) is to pose as his girlfriend at Travis & Abby's renewal of vows. A precursor to what may be the hardest thing Thomas has ever had to do -- recruit his baby brother to the FBI.
On the trip, things heat up, and lines are blurred. We've heard before that when a Maddox boy falls in love, he lives forever... but is that still a good thing if you're not the first woman he fell in love with?
My Thoughts
OH. MY. GOD!!! Is "unputdownable" a word yet? It should be. This book was IMPOSSIBLE to put down.
Thomas piqued my curiosity when I first met him in the Beautiful Disaster series, and now I understand why. And feel completely justified in saying long ago that he was my favorite Maddox boy. Thomas is smart and responsible and still manages to have that Maddox edge to him. He's essentially perfect. He totally still is my favorite. Totally.
Liis is awesome, too. And major plus points for her being Asian. I love it. My favorite Maddox brother falls in love with a hot Asian chick who is smart, sassy and driven ... aka everything I see myself as being. Including attached to Thomas Maddox... In a perfect world *sigh*
I don't know how else to explain this... Jamie McGuire is an absolute master at making characters absolutely come to life. It's like you're not even reading a book -- you're IN the book with those characters. That's how real they are. That's how amazing Jamie McGuire is. You're invested in them from page one, and when the book ends, you tear up a little bit, because you know you've got to let them go for a while. Until the next book, at least. It's so sad!
I was fascinated by the interplay of the characters in this book. It felt good to be introduced to Thomas' world, on the other side of the country... away from all the familiar faces from past books, you can just lose yourself in San Diego, the way you first did in Beautiful Disaster.
Don't worry, all our old friends make their appearances, too... But I've got to say that I quite enjoyed how this story comes chronologically after the other books, and is almost completely removed from them, setting-wise. I was really able to focus on Thomas and his world, without any distractions from old favorite characters popping in and out of the scene.
I like that Thomas' world and life are so different from his brothers'. I can relate to his move to California and sort of insulating himself from his past life -- I did that when I moved to SoCal for college, too.
I LOVE Liis. Maybe because I feel like I can really relate to her. More than I could to Abby or Camille, that's for sure. And not just because she's Asian, too... Don't give me that. Just the kind of person that she is... Ambitious, driven, focused... Prioritized career over men... Avoids commitment and emotional attachment... Until Thomas comes along, that is.
Overall Rating
TEN GIGANTIC stars! Out of five. YES!
MUST READ!!!
I LOVE THOMAS!
I LOVE LIIS!
I LOVELOVELOVE this book!
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