Warner Bros. has won a bidding war for “Beautiful Disaster,” Jamie McGuire’s Fifty Shades of Grey-like series aimed at the young adult demographic. Donald De Line, producer of Michael Bay’s Pain and Gain, is attached to the project.
The book began as a self-published online novel, became a hit and was picked up by a publishing house, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
It tells the story of squeaky-clean college student Abby Abernathy, who doesn’t drink or swear. She meets Travis Maddox, who is “lean, cut and covered in tattoos,” according to the book’s description. Maddox makes a bet with Abernathy, and if she wins, he must abstain from sex for one month. If she loses, she must live with him for one month.
Beautiful Disaster, according to THR, is being seen by studio executives as a safer and less risky adaptation than E.L. James’ increasingly popular Fifty Shades of Grey, which is full of sexual content that could cause issues at the box office.
McGuire’s book has sold more than 200,000 copies, first as an ebook, and later as a trade paperback through Amazon’s Createspace. It topped Amazon’s self-published sales chart, and appeared on The New York Times bestseller list.
Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, signed McGuire and will release an official paperback version on Aug. 14.
Read Beautiful Disaster’s official description below:
“The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate percentage of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance between her and the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend America, 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 needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the charming college co-ed. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his charms, 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’ apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.”
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