Well, here we are again. I guess it must exist fate, etc. I was going to attempt to brand that into a Peter Cetera joke simply I couldn't ultimately brand it state. I'chiliad near 100% sure that one-half my readership wouldn't get it, anyway, because I am a thousand years old. And I am also 100% likely to take made that joke before.

Nosotros detect ourselves at the first of however another Jealous Haters Volume Club selection. At present, before we get started, I would like to remind everyone reading this that I did not choice this book. The people of Trout Nation nominated and voted for it. I am putting this disclaimer hither because someone warned me that the author has diehard fans who volition come in droves to set on me, but honestly, do any of the big proper noun pioneers of New Adult romance even accept diehard fans anymore? Not even the E.Fifty. James devotees are a mobilized regular army anymore. And aside from James, a lot of the New Adult authors who dominated the lists 4 years agone aren't even hitting #1 in their very specific Amazon categories. New Adult isn't expressionless (at least, I hope, considering that'south what I'yard writing adjacent), but information technology's not breaking down walls the mode it did once upon a time. I can't imagine these authors wield the same influence they once did.

Anyway, equally I said, I really don't like this author, her clique, or anybody having anything to exercise with her, but this wasn't my choice. Especially afterward reading one of her other books. That said, I went into this trying difficult to be objective. Virtually contrarily then. Because and so many people insisted to me over the years that this book is terrible, I was sure they were all exaggerating.

So far, it's looking like I'm super wrong.

Allow's get into the first chapter, which yeah, really is titled "Crimson Flag." So, at least the author appears to exist cognizant of what she's doing.

Does that get in worse?

Everything in the room screamed that I didn't belong. The stairs were crumbling, the rowdy patrons were shoulder to shoulder, and the air was a medely of sweat, claret, and mold. Voices blurred as they yelled numbers and names back and forth, and arms flailed almost, exchanging money and gestures to communicate over the dissonance.

So, this where nosotros join the story, with our heroine, Abby, following her friends, America and Shepley, though this environment. Someone gets on a bullhorn and says:

"Welcome to the bloodbath! If you are looking for Economics 101…you are in the wrong fucking place, my friend!

Good, because if I paid for Econ 101 and it was held in a moldy basement full of screaming people, I would bevery put out.

If you seek the Circle, this is Mecca! My name is Adam. I make the rules and I call the fight. Betting ends once the opponents are on the floor. No touching the fighters, no assistance, no bet switching, and no inroad of the ring. If you break these rules, yous will go the piss trounce of you and you will be thrown out on your donkey without your money. That includes you, ladies! And then don't utilise your hos to scam the system, boys!"

It'south not misogynist to refer to women as hoes if you've got an equal opportunity policy on concrete attack.

Shepley shook his head. "Jesus, Adam!" he yelled ot the emcee over the noise, clearly disapproving of his friend's choice of words.

Dude, why are you friends with someone who threatens to beat out up women and calls them hoes? Besides…why is the heroine of this novel friends with a guy who'due south friends with a guy who threatens to trounce up women and calls them hoes? Is this the red flag?

Abby notes that she'due south wearing a pinkish cashmere cardigan and pearl earrings, so she looks really out of place at fight guild this week.

I promised American that I could handle any we happened upon, but at ground nil I felt the urge to grip her toothpick of an arm with both easily. She wouldn't put me in whatever danger, simply being in a basement with 50 or so drunken college boys intent on bloodshed and capital, I wasn't exactly confident of our chances to leave unscathed.

What do you lot mean, she wouldn't put you in danger? A basement full of drunk college boysis danger. Let'south note the toothpick-arm hither. I have this wild feeling that at that place will be a lot of subtle criticism about the bodies of women who are not the heroine throughout the volume.

After America met Shepley at freshman orientation, she oft accompanied him to the underground fights held in different basements of Eastern University.

To keep the fights then super secret, y'all guys, the location is only ever announced an hr before the fight starts. But it can't work likewise well…

Considering I ran in somewhat tamer circles, I was surprised to learn of an underground globe at Eastern; only Shepley knew about it before he had always enrolled.

Like, how secret is this lodge, really? I'yard non trying to be nitpicky on the second page of the book, but come up on. It'southward super, intensely secret, but people know about it before they even set foot on campus?

While we spent all ofApolonia wondering if the heroine was immortal or non, I'one thousand going to spend this unabridged book wondering what year of higher all these people are in. I tried to do the math, but…

Travis, Shepley's roommate and cousin, entered his starting time fight seven months before. Equally a freshman, he was rumored to be the most lethal competitor Adam had seen in the iii years since creating the Circumvolve. Beginning his sophomore yr, Travis was unbeatable.

Okay, setting aside for the moment that "lethal" means students takedied at these underground fights that are super secret and oasis't been found out nonetheless, I wanna try to put all this stuff together. In the commencement chapter, the ages of these characters are never fabricated remotely clear.

We know that:

  • America met Shepley at freshman orientation.
  • Travis either started fighting seven months before he came to college or 7 months before this scene is taking place.
  • Adam created the circle 3 years ago.
  • Travis isat to the lowest degree a sophomore.

We don't know:

  • If America is still a freshman or if Shepley was a freshman when they met at orientation.
  • Whether Travis just started fighting seven months agone and therefore was a freshman vii months ago merely is now a sophomore.
  • What yr Adam is on.
  • No, seriously, how old is anyone here?

And in instance you're wondering, information technology doesn't become cleared upward in this chapter.

The first fight is between a "star varsity wrestler" who for some reason is willing to risk injury in a skeezy cloak-and-dagger fight, and Travis 'Mad Dog' Maddox, who is introduced with an instruction manual:

"[…]Shake in your boots, boys, and drop your panties, ladies!"

Ahem, I believe you lot mean, "hos".

The book exploded when Travis appeared in a doorway across the room. He made his archway, shirtless, relaxed, and unaffected. He strolled into the centre of the circle every bit if he were showing up to another solar day at piece of work. Lean muscles stretched under his tattooed skin every bit he popped his fists against Marek'southward knuckles. Travis leaned in and whispered something in Marek's ear, and the wrestler struggled to continue his stern expression.

Then they just started fucking right there on the moldy basement floor.

No, but wouldn't that be more than interesting?

Marek stood toe-to-toe with Travis, and they looked directly into each other's optics.

"DIRECTLY INTO EACH OTHER'S EYES?" I Thought We LEFT THAT INHANDBOOK FOR MORTALS!

Pool water filling with blood, the words "IT FOLLOWS" appearing in the blood.

Honestly, though, whatsoever book I read now, if information technology says anything most looking right at or direct into someone'due south optics, I just lose information technology.

The guys start fighting and the crowd gets wild, merely Abby can't see anything, so she starts pushing right to the forepart. Or, encroaching upon the ring, as the charming Adam might phone call it. She finally gets shut enough to watch all the activity, and Travis, who has until this indicate been raining blows on the other guy, throws an elbow into the dude'due south nose.

Blood sprayed my confront, and splattered down the front of my cardigan.

Well, there's a run across-cute I've never seen before.

Marek cruel to the physical floor with a thud, and for a brief moment the room was completely silent. Adam threw a crimson square of fabric onto Marek's limp torso, and the mob detonated.

Is…is he expressionless?

My optics traveled upward; jeans, spattered with blood, a set of finely chiseled abs, a bare, tattooed chest drenched in sweat, and finally a pair of warm, brown optics. I was shoved from behind, and Travis caught me by the arm before I fell forward.

"Hey! Support off her!" Travis frowned, shoving anyone who came nigh me. His stern expression melted into a grinning at the sight of my shirt, and then he dabbed my face with a towel. "Sorry nearly that, Dove."

There it is. The first occurrence of the nickname that got mentioned about xx-half dozen thousand times in the nominations. Considering and so many of you absolutely hate information technology, I can't wait to find outwhy he chooses that name for her.

As long equally we're on the bailiwick of "red flags," can we talk near the tearing protectiveness coupled with instant familiarity here? Information technology would be one thing if Travis had shoved the person who bumped into her. Hell, if a guy threw a punch in a bar fight to protect a woman being harassed, I'm all over that. Expert task, guy. Simply Travis is continuing here giving her a pet proper noun and getting physically aggressive with anyone who comesnear her in what has been described as an intensely crowded space.

Remind you of whatever other grapheme I spent 4 years of my life complaining about?

Travis tells Abby that her sweater looks good on her so it's also bad information technology got ruined, and America shows upwardly to call her friend an idiot. Shepley tells Abby that she shouldn't take been there but like…bro. You brought her in that location.

America takes Abby straight to the ER for prophylactic vaccinations due to all the blood that splashed in her confront. Nah, they but get straight back to Abby's dorm room.

America followed me to my dorm room and then sneered at my roommate, Kara.

At present, there's zilch here that establisheswhy someone would sneer at Kara. All she does is see her blood-spattered roommate and say, "Gross." And she wears glasses and doesn't seem overly invested in Abby'due south life. Only none of that happens until afterward the sneer, which goes unremarked upon in both dialogue and narrative. Are we supposed to just assume Kara sucks?

The next twenty-four hour period, Abby and Shepley and America are at dejeuner with a bunch of Shepley'southward fraternity brothers and some football players.

Some of them had been at the fight, but no 1 mentioned my ringside experience.

Uh, the showtime rule of Fight Club is yous do not talk most Fight Club, Abby. That'south pretty common knowledge.

So, then Travis comes in:

He was followed by 2 voluptuous bottle blondes wearing Sigma Kappa Ts. 1 of them saturday on Travis'due south lap; the other saturday beside him, pawing at his shirt.

Even if I had never readApolonia, this would be, y'all guessed it, a red flag. Similar, ane they would put up on the beach to warn yous that the water has been contaminated with medical waste material and internalized authorial misogyny.

"I think I only threw up a little fleck in my oral cavity," America muttered.

I think I actually used the gif of that line fromDodgeball in myApolonia recaps.

The blonde on Travis'south lap turned to America. "I heard that, skank."

America grabbed her roll and threw it downward the table, narrowly missing the girl's face up.Before the girl could say another word, Travis let his knees requite way, sending her tumbling to the floor.

"Ouch!" she squealed, looking upward at Travis.

"America's a friend of mine. You demand to find another lap, Lex."

The line forms here, ladies. No shoving.

I seriously can never understand what authors are trying to prove by showing the male love interest treating women like total crap. This isn't a Jamie McGuire thing. This is a genre-wide issue in which some romance authors are obviously so threatened and insecure on their heroine'due south behalf, they have to make information technology a indicate tocreate fictional women to corruption through the hero. And this is supposed to make the hero more attractive to the heroineand the reader. These blondes don't even accept names until 1 of them gets dumped on the floor past the hero (to prove usa his good taste? I guess?). That's how disposable they are. They're only a tool for the author and reader to act out their own insecurities well-nigh other women.

And it works, because later on a few paragraphs:

Travis smiled at me win what I assumed was his most charming expression. He oozed sexual practice and rebeliousness with his buzzed dark-brown pilus and tattooed forearms, and I rolled my optics at his endeavor to lure me in.

Even though Abby is seeing through his tough guy deed, she's nevertheless considering him sexy and viewing his bad beliefs as a mating dance.

America mentions that Abby is her best friend, and Travis is like, since when do you accept a all-time friend, and America says:

"Since junior year," she answered, pressing her lips together every bit she smiled in my management.

And then…does she mean junior year in loftier schoolhouse? Or are they in their fourth year of college? We still have no thought what age any of these people are. They're between xviii and xx-two, I approximate? Honestly, I'yard not usually this hung up on the ages of characters in books. Sometimes, information technology just doesn't matter. But freshman, sophomore, and inferior take at present all been used as time markers without any context. It troubles me.

Travis sits downward past Abby and calls her "Dove" over again and she doesn't like it, and so obviously he'll keep doing it through the residuum of the book because men doing things you ask them not to issuch adorable beliefs. He introduces himself and she reminds him that she knows his name already.

"Don't flatter yourself. Information technology'south hard not to notice when fifty drunks are chanting your name."

And when people all over campus seem to fawn over him. I honestly couldn't tell yous the name of i person I went to college with that I didn't know earlier I went to college. I think there was a girl who wore actually thick eyeliner in i of my classes? And her pilus was ever pulled back way too tight? That'southward it. That's all I've got from college. In that location was a sign linguistic communication interpreter named Sue, I recollect her. But yeah. If you're a big enough deal that you're known all over campus for how amazing you are, I'd say you're pretty amazing.

Besides, I'd say that your fight club isn't as secret every bit you lot think it is.

My biggest issue here is with the fact that Abby is meeting Travis, the cousin, BFF, and roommate of her friend, Shepley, for the first fourth dimension. Yous'd think they would have run into each other socially since they travel in the same circle and he's the big homo on campus. How is this the starting time fourth dimension they've e'er spoken? When did Abby go friends with Shepley? Was it through America? They all seem to be in the same general grouping of acquaintences.

He laughed again when I glared at him. "Those are some amazing eyes, though," he said, leaning just inches from my face. "What color is that, anyhow? Greyness?"

Do nosotros have a hard fourth dimension with our colors, Travis? How are yous with shapes?

I didn't like the way it fabricated me feel when he was and so close. I didn't want to be like the scores of other girls at Eastern that blushed in his presence.

In that location nosotros become. Not Like Other Girls™.

America tells Travis not to fifty-fifty think about trying annihilation with Abby, to which Shepley says:

"Infant," Shepley said, "you only told him no. He's never gonna terminate, now."

Wow, the title of this chapter was not fucking effectually, huh?

Travis calls Abby "Pidge," so that'south three times in the scene that he calls her a name she doesn't want to be called and of course we're meant to interpret this as sexual tension. And then, he whispers something in America'southward ear before he leaves.

A few more girls followed behind him, giggling and running their fingers through their hair to go his attention. He opened the door for them, and they nearly squealed in delight.

Look, more silly girls for us to judge! I don't want to spoil annihilation for you, but it's important for y'all to know that this isn't going to stop like, at all. For the entire volume.

Later this scene, I'm actually not understanding the vibe. Nobody actually seems tosimilar Travis. His best friend whom he is also related to basically described him as a sexual predator. Abby thinks he's sexy merely he refuses to use her proper noun. Are nosotros supposed to find him sexy here? Or am I just bold nosotros are because this is a romance? She honestly doesn't seem to like him, and so at least nosotros're a step up fromFifty Shades of Greyness here?

I also don't understand how these characters are in higher. Everyone seems to take lunch at the same time, they're all throwing food (America throws her roll, Shepley throws a french fry), and once more, it's weird that the unabridged campus knows and is obsessed with this ane specific guy.

Only anyway, America says:

"Oh, no. Yous're in trouble, Abby."

Why is Abby in trouble? Because Travis told her to bring Abby to his apartment. And it's apparently but a given that she'southward going, as she has been summoned. Simply Shepley warns her not to fall for Travis (besides apparently a given) considering information technology could crusade bug between him and America.

"This isn't my first rodeo, Mare. Do you know how many times he'due south screwed things up for me because he one-nights the best friend? All of a sudden information technology'south a conflict of interest to appointment me because it'due south fraternizing with the enemy. I'm tellin' ya, Abby," he looked at me, "don't tell Mare she tin can't come up over or engagement me because you fall for Travis's line of BS. Consider yourself warned."

So, Travis is violent, treats women like shit, and carelessly sabotages his friend/cousin's relationships out of pure selfishness. What exercise they get out of associating with him? Why does anyone adore and want to be effectually him?

Cecily Strong as the Drunk Girl You Wish You Hadn't Started A Conversation With on Saturday Night Live saying, "And like, why? And like, don't?

Hither'southward another weird thing where I don't empathize:

I tried to reassure Shepley with a smile, only his pessimism was driven by years of being burned by Travis's endeavors.

Abby knows Shepley well enough to know that Travis has been a jerk to him for years, but once more…she's never met Travis? Travis is somehow news to her? I don't get this.

Abby parts means with Shepley and America and heads to form.

Eastern was exactly what I hoped it would be, from the smaller classrooms to the unfamiliar faces. It was a new start for me; I could finally walk somewhere without the whispers of those who knew–or thought they knew–anything about my past. I was every bit indistinguishable as any other wide-eyed, overachieving freshman on her style to class; no staring, no rumors, no pity or judgement. Only the illusion of what I wanted them to see: cashmered, no-nonsense Abby Abernathy.

Is her dark secret that she's rich as hell? Because cashmere is coming upwardsa lot.

When Abby sits down in course, Travis sits adjacent to her.

"Good. You can have notes for me," he said.

Abby accuses him of not actually being in the course, but he insists that he is. He just ordinarily sits somewhere else.

A modest group of girls was staring at me, and I noticed an empty chair in the center.

Considering Travis is known by the entire student trunk and has some type of all-female entourage with him in this class, how did Abby not notice that he was there all this time? But whatsoever. Annihilation for some other opportunity to show how desired the hero is and how jealous all the girls will exist of the heroine at present that he's got his sights set on her.

Remember, ladies: your personal happiness hinges on whether or non other women are jealous of yous. You lot're not winning the game unless all those bitches hate y'all.

Abby tells him she's not going to take notes for him.

Travis leaned so close that I could feel his jiff on my cheek. "I'thousand sorry…did I offend you in some mode?"

Literally, everything this man has done on the page then far has been offensive, from beating a guy unconscious (to death?), surrounding himself with women simply to physically, verbally, and emotionally abuse them, selfishly destroy his friend's relationships, assume every female character is there to fuck him, refuse to call the heroine by her proper noun while obnoxiously pursuing her despite clear signals and explicit verbal statements indicating she doesn't desire anything to do with him, request her to do classwork for him, and then getting in her confront to enquire this question.

Abby tells him to surrender, she's not going to slumber with him. He points out that he hasn't asked her.

"I'm non a Barbie twin or one of your little groupies up there, I said, glancing at the girls behind us. "I'thou not impressed with your tattoos or your boyish charm or your forced indifference, so you can stop the antics, okay?"

If you removed the internalized misogyny and description of Travis as having "boyish charm," this would really make me like Abby. Unfortunately, she has to pull the Not Similar Other Girls™ card and again describe this dude as charming. This is similar the third time and he'south yet to do anything that's the bare minimum of human decency, let solitary annihilation that could be remotely construed as "charm".

The entire time I read this affiliate, I couldn't help simply compare it to50 Shades of Grey. While this doesn't strike me asTwilight fanfic, it definitely feels like it's taken a lot of cues fromFifty Shades. Both the books were published at roughly the same time, simplyChief of The Universe, the fanfic that, through the miracle of find-and-replace, becameFifty Shades of Grey, had been online since 2009, a year McGuire cites in the dedication of this book equally being somehow important in starting her writing career. I want badly to believe that Abby, Travis, and their "chemistry" so far was "borrowed" from Snowqueens Icedragon; the idea that two people independently thought, "Yous know what would be hot? An abusive guy who treats women as disposable relentlessly pursuing a misogynistic, judgmental priss who has no involvement in him," is so horrifying that I can't even retrieve up a funny illustration for the horror.

Travis assures Abby, whose name he notwithstanding refuses to use (again, like Christian Grey, who wouldn't call Ana anything merely Anastasia, even later on she asked him several times), that he simply wants to hang out, not have sex with her.

Okay. Why?

And then far, all Travis knows about Abby is that she doesn't like him and has no interest in getting to know him. Why would that be highly-seasoned, if not as a claiming to overcome?

But of course, Abby says she'll think almost it because she is a pioneer in the "female principal characters who go on with whatever the hero wants," oeuvre.

A residual smile lingered on his face, making the dimple in his cheek sink in. The more he smiled, the more I wanted to hate him, and all the same information technology was the very thing that made hating him incommunicable.

…do you want some reasons to hate him? Because I've been listing them off for a while now and nosotros're only on page twelve. I assure you, hating him is not impossible. Like, make a pros and cons table, Abby. Pros so far are like, "nice smiling." Cons are "everything else about him."

In instance the main characters aren't misogynistic enough, the professors are, too:

"Who can tell me which president had a cross-eyed wife with a bad case of the uglies?" Chaney asked.

Why is this a question in a college-level course?

Travis grinned and relaxed into his chair. As the hour progressed, he alternated between yawning and leaning against my arm to await at my monitor. I made a full-bodied attempt to ignore him, but his proximity and the muscles bulging from his arm fabricated it difficult. He picked at the black leather ring around his wrist until Chaney dismissed us.

So, I judge the pros column is at present, "nice smile, bulging muscle, is nearby."

Abby tries to milk shake Travis after class, but he catches upwards with her and asks if she's thought about coming to his flat.

A petite brunette stepped in forepart of us, wide-eyed and hopeful. "Hey, Travis," she lilted, playing with her hair.

I paused, recoiling from her sugary tone, and then walked effectually her. I'd seen her before, talking commonly in the commons expanse of the girls' dorm, Morgan Hall. Her tone sounded much more mature then, and I wondered what it was well-nigh a toddler's vocalisation she thought Travis would find appealing. She babbled in a college octave for a chip longer until he was side by side to me once more.

We. Become. Information technology. Every woman except Abby sucks and is a whore. We get it at present. We don't demand whatever more of this. We are on page twelve and this is thequaternary time we've heard most how much women honey Travis and how stupid they act. I would almost adopt the "cum burping gutter slut" insult fromApolonia than pages and pages of this.

Seriously, there's no way McGuire didn't readMaster of The Universeand go, "I can make both the hero and heroine detest women more."

Now, the only setting described at this signal since they got out of grade was the hallway. It's never indicated that they've gone exterior at all. Travis put on his sunglasses, but information technology'due south never mentioned that they get out the edifice, so when this happens:

Pulling a lighter from his pocket, he lit a cigarette and blew out a thick cloud of smoke.

I immediately imagine this whole sequence as happening in the hallway, like a scene from aGrease sequel that'southward worse thanGrease two.

Finally, Travis'south relentless pestering wears Abby downwardly. She agrees to get to his apartment that night. Are you kidding me, Abby? If we have to endure pages upon pages of anybody insisting that Abby is some smart, strong woman while she continually acts in ways that are totally reverse, I will…probably set fires.

Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn Nine Nine saying "Burn. Everything."

Only anyway, theyare outside, because when Travis finally leaves Abby lone, she's outside her dorm. She sees America and another friend, Finch, standing there. Finally,finally, we get a inkling every bit to their ages. Kind of.

The three of us ended up at the aforementioned tabular array at freshman orientation, and I knew he would be the welcome 3rd wheel to our well-oiled motorcar.

Okay, so, Abby and America were a well-oiled automobile already when they got to college. They must take met in their junior yr of high school, not higher. Which… I guess actually doesn't narrow down their ages at all, does it?

Finch has "disapproving optics" when he sees that Abby was talking to Travis, and America has some…well, I guess information technology's communication?

America pulled the gum from her mouth in a long string. "You're only making information technology worse by brushing him off. He's not used to that."

"What practice you propose I do? Sleep with him?"

America shrugged. "It'll save time."

Kristen Wiig in Bridesmaids saying "Are you FUCKING kidding me?"

Rather than exist like, "Wow, this guy is a jerk," America is telling her best friend she basically has to sleep with Travis considering she has no choice? Is the lesson here, "If a guy consistently harasses you, simply give him exactly what he wants because it's easier for you to give up your autonomy than to hold men to the incredibly depression standard of just listening and respecting a woman when she'southward non interested?"

He wasn't hard to figure out; he either saw me as a challenge, or safely unattractive enough to be a good friend. I wasn't sure which bothered me more.

Over again, this is fifty shades of Ana here. Woe is me, I'yard so obviously, this guy is clearly trying to have sex with me but I'm non certain if he's trying to have sex with me despite everyone saying he's trying to take sex with me. Cashmere.

Likewise, spoiler alert, the fact that he might non find her pretty is the thing that's bothering her. But non in the same manner equally all those other inexpensive harlots. Abby is the main character, so information technology's okay for her to want to fuck him, simply so long as she says she doesn't want to fuck him more frequently than she says she does.

After a time suspension, America comes to pick up Abby to take her to Shepley and Travis'south flat.

"Yuck, Abby! You await homeless!"

And here's why:

My hair was piled on summit of my caput in a messy bun. I had scrubbed the makeup from my face and replaced my contacts with rectangular black-rimmed glasses. Sporting a ratty t-shirt and sweatpants, I shuffled along in a pair of flip-flops.

"Homeless" or #Cozy, #LazyDay on Instagram?

The idea had come to me hours before that either way, unattractive was the best plan. Ideally, Travis would be instantly turned off and cease his ridiculous persistence. If he was looking for a buddy, I was aiming for as well homely to be seen with.

Oh, Abby. Don't you know how this goes? He's going to like y'all even more because yous don't know you're beautiful and that's what makes you cute. Besides, you're not like the other girls because you article of clothing makeup and slutty apparel, which you don't demand.

They make it at the apartment, which Abby notes is not as bad as she expected it to be because it doesn't stink. Travis asks her if she's started the paper that'due south due in their shared grade and says that he's already done and he can help her if she'd like.

"I have an A in that class," he said, a bit miffed at my atheism.

"He has Every bit in all his classes. He's a freakin' genius. I hate him," Shepley said every bit he led America into the living room by the hand.

Once more, is anyone feeling like this is familiar? Christian Grayness used to get in violent concrete fights when he was younger, and he dropped out of higher considering he was a genius. Now nosotros've got Travis Maddox, apprentice MMA fighter, sitting bored through classes because he's a genius. Once more, these books were published within the same year, merelyChief of The Universe predates it by at to the lowest degree two.

Abby asks why, if Travis is then smart, does he fight for a living? He says it makes him more money than working in the mall, only Abby doesn't retrieve it'due south a very good alternative.

"I don't get hit that frequently. If they swing, I move. It's not that difficult."

Well, gosh, why hasn't whatever other fighter thought of that?

Abby wants to know where Travis learned to fight.

"I had a dad with a drinking trouble and a bad atmosphere, and four older brothers that carried the asshole cistron."

So, nosotros've got our tragic, abused kid backstory. He notes that his dad quit drinking and his brothers grew out of being assholes, which is super convenient considering I'm pretty sure they get spin-off novels.

Ready for some you-don't-know-y'all're-beautiful-that's-what-makes-you-beautiful? Well, too bad, because you lot're getting it, anyhow:

"I similar the au naturel affair y'all accept going on. Girls don't come over here like that."

"I was coerced into coming here. It didn't occur to me to impress y'all," I said, irritated that my programme had failed.

The dynamic of this is so, so familiar. Heroine chooses to do something, then insists she had no choice. She did accept a choice. She could have only non shown up. Just because he won't take no for an reply doesn't mean you lot have to say yep. And while I remember every young woman has been in a position with a pushy guy and made like decisions remember that this is a romance novel; this is the sexual tension and chemical science that bring them together. This is being presented as an ideal beginning to an exciting human relationship.

I didn't know how near girls felt around him, but I'd seen how they behaved. I was experiencing more of a disoriented, nauseated feeling than giggly infatuation, and the harder he worked to make me smiling, the more unsettled I felt.

Run across the title of this affiliate, Abby.

Travis announces that he'd been just near to leave (after inviting someone over to hang out?) and wants to know if Abby would go to dinner with him. She tries to lie nigh having already eaten, but America fucks it up for her, leaving an opening for Travis to merely order Abby to go with him. She manifestly has to, because Travis says and so. Merely similar she has to ride on his motorcycle (considering of form he rides a motorcycle) with no helmet or other protective gear:

"I'm wearing flip-flops!"

Travis stared at me as if I'd spoken a strange language. "I'thousand wearing boots. Become on."

Translation: "I'm fine. It doesn't matter if you loseyour anxiety." She does get on and predictably she has to hold onto him tight considering although he's promised non to go fast, he takes off, "similar a rocket". When they arrive at the eatery, she'south furious. He says:

"I wouldn't let annihilation happen to you lot, Pidgeon."

No helmet. T-shirt, sweatpants, flip-flops. She is 100% disposable to him, to the signal of expiry.

They get into the eating house.

Grease and herbs filled the air as I followed him beyond the ruby, breadcrum-speckled rug.

The scent of grease and herbs, I hope. This would accept been a spot-on clarification if it hadn't been written as though someone dumped a vat of garlic butter over their heads while they were walking.

At that place are other students in the eating house who, of grade, watch Travis and Abby'south every motion. You know, like every fourth dimension Anabella went somewhere with Chedward. Some other similarity:

"Sure, Travis," the waitress said, writing downward our beverage orders. She looked a flake high from his presence every bit she returned to the kitchen.

Writing Tip: Not every god damn book has to have a scene where a waitress'due south panties drop tableside.

At least their drink orders included beers, so now we know that they're 20-one or over.

With the waitress gone, it's Misogyny Conversation Time.

"Then what's your story, Pidge? Are you lot a man-hater in general, or do you but hate me?"

Y'all have badgered her relentlessly all day long despite having met her once before afterwards y'all shell a man unconscious in front of her. Yous accept assumed she volition want to fuck you from the word go and yous are overall an considerately repugnant homo beingness who all the same refuses to apply her name. Only sure. It's considering she hates all men irrationally.

"I can't effigy you out. You're the kickoff girl that's always been disgusted with me earlier sexual activity

Kylie Jenner saying, "That is absolutely repulsive"

Yous don't get all flustered when you talk to me, and you don't attempt to get my attention."

No, she's really discouraged your attention. You just didn't go the hint that it wasn't a seduction strategy. She tells him information technology's not a ploy but he argues that she wouldn't be there if she didn't like him.

"I didn't say you're a bad person. I just don't like being a foregone determination for the sole reason of having a vagina." I focused on the grains of salt on the table until I heard a choking noise from Travis's direction.

His eyes widened and he quivered with howling laughter. "Oh my God! You're killing me! That'southward it. We have to be friends. I won't accept no for an answer."

I'm pretty sure that if someone is going to howl with laughter, it should exist in response to something that'south genuinely funny. A lot of times, authors (myself included) will include laughs when something is mildly funny or it'south just amusing or what have y'all. But howling with laughter is pretty extreme, then something has to be…funny. For that to happen. And make sense. If they're in their twenties, just saying the discussion "vagina" shouldn't be a cause for hysterics.

"I don't mind beingness friends, but that doesn't mean y'all have to try to get into my panties every five minutes."

"You're not sleeping with me. I go it."

She doesn't even speak once more before he says:

"Yous accept my discussion. I won't even think about your panties…unless you want me to."

I rested my elbows on the table and leaned into them. "And that won't happen, then we tin can be friends."

An impish grin sharpened his features as he leaned in a flake closer. "Never say never."

He won't effort to go into your panties every 5 minutes. He'll try to get into your panties five times in one minute. He's efficient!

Abby asks him a little well-nigh himself and we learn that Adam gave him the nickname "Mad Domestic dog," which he doesn't appear psyched about.

His brusque answers were offset to bug me.

She has literally just asked him one question.

He tells her that he's a Criminal Justice major, just momentarily gets distracted by the entire Eastern soccer team, all of whom seem to exist laughing about something inappropriate. He tells Abby that despite his tattoos and the fighting, he's never gotten into whatever trouble. His mom died when he was a child (where accept we heard that before?) and that he has 4 brothers, Thomas, Taylor and Tyler (who are twins), and Trenton. They're all tattooed (except Thomas), and they all seem to have grown upwards in a Lord of The Flies-type situation where information technology was all violence, all the time.

Finally, Travis is so visibly annoyed at the soccer players that Abby demands to know what it is they're talking about.

They're laughing about me having to have you to dinner, commencement. It's non usually…my affair."

Weird, I read a book well-nigh another guy like that. But I'm glad we didn't let too many pages get by without being reminded of how much pussy Travis crushes on a daily footing.

The chat turns to Abby. She hasn't declared a major, just she's probably going to go with Bookkeeping. She's from Witchita, just like America is, then that solves the inferior year mystery. And she came to Eastern to get away from her parents.

"What'south with the third caste?" I said. The questions were drifting from small talk to personal, and I was showtime to go uncomfortable.

He'due south request you the exact same types of questions you asked him. And you were annoyed that he wasn't more than forthcoming. Again…just like another character I know.

Several chairs knocked together equally the soccer team left their seats. They traded one last joke before they meandered toward the door. Their pace quickened when Travis stood up. Those in the back of the grouping pushed those in front to escape earlier Travis fabricated his way beyond the room.

Yes, get out of here, soccer team. Just Travis "Mad Dog" Maddox gets to demean women!

Abby tells Travis that she chose Eastern as a school considering information technology "just felt correct," and he agrees, and the chapter is over.

So, this is what we're into here. AFifty Shades of Grey college AU starring Travstian and Anabby.

I'll just burn upwardly the wood chipper and climb on in.