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Beautiful Chaos

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While most seventeen year-olds work part-time delivering pizzas or whipping up frappuccinos, Brady O’Connell’s job is a little less conventional. Helping his dad with the family ‘business’ is a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly, especially when thousands of dollars are being exchanged. There are rules to be followed, timetables to be kept. But when his best friend Jay gets backstage concert tickets, and business interferes with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet their favorite band, Brady decides to break the rules, just one time.

And one time is all it takes to send his life spinning out of control. When an envelope full of cash ends up in the wrong hands—specifically in the hands of a pretty red-head named Vivienne—things get messy in a hurry. Where Vivienne goes, a whole lot of chaos seems to follow.

But sometimes…chaos is a beautiful thing.

From the author of Hope for Garbage comes another fast-moving, emotionally-charged tale, full of plot twists that will keep you guessing, and true-to-life characters you will root for. Most of all, this is a story of first love—crazy, chaotic first love—love that hits us hard, and never lets go.

344 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2016

145 people are currently reading
2960 people want to read

About the author

Alex Tully

3 books221 followers
Alex Tully lives outside Cleveland with her husband, two young adults, and a three-legged pooch named Bobo. Twenty years ago, her life took a dramatic turn with a diagnosis of MS. She decided to quit her career as a finance professional and try something she truly loved ~ writing.

She is the author of three feel-good novels:
Hope for Garbage, Beautiful Chaos,
and The Lake Never Tells.

All of her stories feature ordinary characters who overcome extraordinary challenges with friendship, hope, and the incredible power of the human spirit.

Her hope is that readers will smile after turning the last page.

alextullywriter.com

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5 stars
180 (43%)
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131 (31%)
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84 (20%)
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10 (2%)
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9 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Vanessa S..
357 reviews130 followers
March 5, 2017
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway; thank you Alex Tully and Goodreads!! This was such a cute story built around a simple coincidence bringing together the two main characters. Brady and Vivienne were a great couple, and I really appreciated that Ms. Tully portrayed them as realistic and sensible for their age. Many YA characters seem cliche or annoying, but Brady and Vivienne were smart, mature, and likable. The other characters were interesting, as well, and this book held my attention all the way through.
Profile Image for Romance.
367 reviews17 followers
July 1, 2016

Let me start off by saying that I love books by newbie authors. Authors that are just starting. This was my first book by Alex Tully and I must say...OMG!!! Hi, Alex new fan over here...*waving*

This book was a breath of fresh air.

Young love, come on who doesn't like or enjoy reading about young love. The first time you felt more than butterflies in your stomach. That anxious feeling, does he/she like me? Is he/she feeling how I feel? The first date? Ahh, yeah, totally dug that part.

But, yes, there is a but. This is not your typical boy meets girl, girl crushes on boy book. Oh no no. Prepare yourselves for Brady and his dad. Yup, they are they dynamic duo when it comes to their business. Brady is seventeen and helping dad out, fyi this is a huge turn on, a boy that helps his dad. He absolutely loves his dad. Read and you will see why his dad is so special.

One night, Brady wants to be a typical teenager and go to a concert. He doesn't wait around to complete business for that day and takes it upon himself, with the help of Jay his best friend, to take business to the customer. So, he pays the customer a visit and all he needs to do is handover an envelope, he contemplates leaving it in the mailbox. But, then a beautiful redhead steps out of the house and he hands her the envelope.

Well, the contents of the envelope never make it to the customer and bam. This sets off a series of events that make the book fun, refreshing and keeps the innocence of young love alive. Brady and the redhead, Vivienne have an instant attraction. They set off to find the envelope and this in turn makes the instant attraction turn into something more. It truly is a coming of age book and one that is so sweet and innocent. Our couple has its trials and tribulations,they grow emotionally and mentally.

The book is a fast read and full of life, hope and love. Can't wait to read another book by this author.
Profile Image for bby.
32 reviews49 followers
July 18, 2024
This wasn’t a bad book it was just so boring and flat
(2.5 ⭐️)
Profile Image for LeighAnn Kopans.
Author 12 books414 followers
July 13, 2016
Adored it. Infatuation that felt so real I grinned half the book and angsted the rest of it. Real infatuation turned into real love. Pretty much perfect.
Profile Image for Robbi Leah  Freeman.
465 reviews8 followers
June 3, 2017
High school young adult only. I gave a 3 for young adult. High school girls will love this because of the sweet romance.
Adults unfortunately will find this to be a 1 or 2 star because of the plot. It's out there. Book cover and name 5 star, but that's where it ends.
Basically, two teens meet because one of the kids dad's is a bookie and money goes missing. They search for money and end up in love. Very basic and kind of silly for an adult. I did feel the part of the stalking ex-boyfriend and the "rain man" part of the new boyfriend had great potential but neither were really used to what it could have been.
Writing was good and I'm very interested in authors first book so I will try it. But I would not recommend this book to adults.
Note: Some parents may have issues with how lightly author treats gambling and may not want their kids to read it.
Profile Image for Roina Reyes.
6 reviews
October 13, 2016
An envelope full of money­­.

A pink backpack.

A crazy ex-boyfriend.

A beautiful chaos.

I simply adore this book!

The story between our two protagonists was literally a beautiful chaos. At first, I actually thought it would be the typical boy-meets-girl-and-magic-happens-and-poof! Kind of story, but boy was I wrong. Something bigger is happening in the background, which adds . Their love story started, almost ended, and started over again because of an envelope full of money inside a lost pink backpack. I cannot stress enough how I love stories that revolve on one very trivial thing. How the puzzle pieces get together all because of that one thing. How that mere thing can cause such a great impact on people’s lives. Although the story’s conflict was a bit ‘meh’ and predictable and seemed like something I could read from a WattpadPH story, it was saved by how nerve-breaking the scenes became.

Brady, our protagonist is such a nerd. And I love him for that ♥ Brady is without a doubt one of my new book crushes. He's good at math and science, he goes out of the way for a date, has just enough awkward in him, has a really adorable smile, and he's a beautiful chaos himself! PLUS How awesome is it to meet a walking calculator?

Vivienne, our lovely red-head heroine, is just precious. Let me tell you how I love her name! Vivienne. It spews class and sophistication, such a contrast to our little Vivienne who is apologetic, a ball of sunshine, and is such a cinnamon roll.

But most of all, I loved the slightly psycho antagonist. I held my breath every time his name get mentioned, because shit happens when he shows up.

I had absolutely loved Alex Tully's writing style. I loved how at the end of almost every chapter, we have a cliffhanger ending. I actually think cliffhangers are great because it makes you crave the next part/chapter. Plus, the way it's written makes you feel like you're not only reading a romance novel because it's not just all romance and sweet stuff. It's funny and suspenseful as well!

All in all, everything was amazing. The plot was awesome. The protagonists were very relatable and the antagonist was just the right amount of psycho. The novel stood up to its tittle. It was indeed a beautiful chaos.
Profile Image for Marie.
25 reviews
July 8, 2016
Wow. Hope for Garbage was one of my favorite books so I knew I had to read this as soon as it came out and I did, staying up until my eyes hurt because I couldn’t stop reading. I love contemporary YA, but romance isn’t usually my thing. This is NOT your typical romance! This story is told from Brady’s point of view and Vivienne’s so you really feel like you know both of them, and the story is so--well, chaotic-- that you never know what will happen next. At one point, near the end of the book my stomach literally dropped. This is an awesome read and I loved all of the characters. It is a wonderful story of first love too!
Profile Image for Terri Calvert.
99 reviews
October 26, 2017
Enjoyable

This was a fun read. It took me back to my late teens and the storyline was great. There were problems and I enjoyed the way they worked out. Every girl needs a great guy.
Profile Image for Cary Morton.
989 reviews42 followers
December 26, 2016
I received a copy of this book directly from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful Chaos by Alex Tully was such a sweet read about the first love between two teens leading completely different lives. The characters were interesting and realistic and lacked the usual melodrama and over-the-top flair of many YA characters. Their choices were logical and realistic—even when it lead to heart-breaking consequences. It felt like a real story with real people.

As for the technical aspects of the story, the book was well written. I ran into one typo in the entirety of the narrative, and it was easily passed over. The writing was simple, easy to follow, and flowed at a pretty steady (if at times slow) pace.My only complaint really, is that I almost wish there had been a little more melodrama, because as much as I liked the story and the characters, I didn’t feel gripped by the book—just pleased.

Overall, I liked the book. Was it thrilling or fraught with drama? No… but it was a nice story about a boy and a girl, their messy attempt at figuring out their first true romance, and their adventures in figuring out life amidst that chaos. Recommended for teens looking for a sweet, heart-warming romance.
Profile Image for Raymond Mathiesen.
281 reviews6 followers
April 26, 2024
Through a sequence of mishaps and disappointments Bardy and Vivienne, two high school students, are thrown together in a hunt for lost valuables. Along the way these strangers find that there is a spark between them. Not that there are not moments of doubt and even distrust. Will the pair stay together? Read the book and find out.



Yes, this is a romance tale, but this novel's plot has enough distinctive events to make the story different from others. I wasn't bored reading it.



Some chapters are written from Brady's point of view, and others from Vivienne's perspective. As a result you can't really say that this is a boy's book or a girl's book: both genders will really enjoy it.



The characters are convincing: they seem like real people. The plot, despite its twists and turns, is also believable.



This book gets 4 stars from me.
Profile Image for Beatrice Rivers.
161 reviews14 followers
October 20, 2017
This book has to be one of my favorites. I felt that I connected with the characters very well and the plot was a good one.

I liked both of the main characters, Brady and Vivienne. Brady was always trying to please his father and to succeed in what he was doing. Vivienne was determined not to give up helping Brady and was impatient for her freckles to fade!

One character I didn't like was Chad. He was overprotective and not a very pleasant person in general. Every time his name came up, I would get worried for Brady and Vivienne, thinking that Chad would hurt them in some way.

I Highly Recommend this book to Young Adult readers, who are looking for a little romance, suspense, and an excellent book!
Profile Image for Tilgo.
1 review1 follower
February 19, 2018
Love is just that, Beautiful Chaos

I don't know what I was expecting when I downloaded this book for free, but it honestly turned out to be one of my favorite reads of all time. It had me feeling so many emotions and is so well written that it took me there with the characters. Just beautiful.
Profile Image for Damie Brooks.
42 reviews2 followers
April 7, 2019
Oh Alex, you had me at Hope for Garbage, but Beautiful Chaos was more like a tragic disaster. Beautiful Chaos was a loosely woven together plot of random activities, portrayed by wooden formulaic/generic characters. Seriously, dorky guy meets beautiful girl and they don't expect to fall for each other. I wanted to like it but was left flat. Even the ending was lame.
39 reviews
March 27, 2022
Good read

I truly enjoyed it even though it is rated as a youth adult book. I've also read Hope for Garbage. The title intrigued me and I just had to get it. Well I wasn't disappointed. I recommend both books. I will be looking out for more and hope to find some rated adult. Thank you Alex Tully!
Profile Image for Leigh.
191 reviews
December 12, 2019
I thought this book was really well written. It was a unique storyline for a YA novel. I loved the realistic dialogue and emotions that were portrayed. This is the first book I have read by this author, but I will definitely check out their other stuff.
Profile Image for Lily.
403 reviews29 followers
May 5, 2020
I thought it was really cute, but I didn’t think there was a big enough plot. I also didn’t like how they didn’t report the abuse and instead blackmailed him. Overall, I think it could have been a more effective read to highlight domestic violence in teens.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
1,834 reviews3 followers
October 9, 2017
Loved it

Even though this is about teenage love, it will entertain teens through elderly. It is well written and mostly clean. Just a little foul language.
Profile Image for Cindy Lea.
390 reviews2 followers
February 9, 2018
An awesome quick read

I like the development of the story of two kids from opposite ends with an odd conflict in between.... very good
497 reviews2 followers
February 23, 2019
Good read

Definitely a teen book, but with a very well developed story and believable characters. This was an enjoyable book to read.
21 reviews
September 20, 2023
Excellent

This was an excellent read. I can't wait to read more from her. A profound story packed with timeless themes.
Profile Image for Molly Lolly.
834 reviews3 followers
December 23, 2016
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four stars!
This was a really interesting YA story that many teens will enjoy. The situations Vivienne and Brady deal with may not be typical teenage situations on the surface, yet it’s still showing teens that thinking and finding solutions to what lies in your path are universal truths everyone deals with. There are two heavy topics that are touched on kind of lightly, but were handled well. The first was minor but kids struggle with their parents divorcing all the time. It was in the past for Brady’s dad and mom, but he still held some residual guilt. I like how Ms. Tully handled it by looking back and then ultimately dealing with Brady’s issues surrounding the divorce. The second topic is one that was a little more involved was Vivienne’s ex’s crazy stalker psycho-ish behavior. Chad was off the deep end. Vivienne’s responses were so typical of teens in that situation. But I like how it’s presented that she talks about it with her friends and continues to find a way out for good. I may not have liked some of what she tried or ultimately how she got out since the final event seemed too easy for all of the lead up. But the fact she kept working on solving the situation and sought help were great to show teens.
I liked Brady. From his acquired savant syndrome making him a math genius to his sweet nature, it was easy to like him right from the beginning of the story. You could tell he fell for Vivienne quickly and struggled with handling the emotions throughout the story. His reactions were definitely typical of a teen falling in love for the first time. It was really quite sweet to watch
I struggled to like Vivienne. It took me until almost halfway before I really got a handle on my feelings for her. It stemmed from her lying right at the beginning and how she handled the envelope situation. She shouldn’t have taken it in the first place. Then after having it and realizing what it was, there should have been a higher priority for her to return it. Even after the events of her leaving her boyfriend’s house. When she calmed down that night she should have gone right back with the envelope. Granted, the entire book would have had to be rewritten. But her lack of regard for someone else’s high value property was off putting. By the end of the story I liked her and was rooting for her to find the things important to her and Bray and for the two of them to be together. She wound up being a sweet girl that gets into some crazy sticky situations more often than not.
I enjoyed the support characters in the story. I liked Brady’s dad the best and Jay a pretty close second. But Kendra, Andrew, and Janet really brought some wonderful emotions and humor to the story. I kind of want to see Andrew get his own book and Kendra to find someone as well. They both seem like they have a but of story to tell. The ending is a wonderful happily ever after for now and as firm as you can make a happy ending when the characters are 17. You can tell they’re both going to work to make their relationship las and be together. I would love to see an epilogue that’s 10-20 years in the future with them still together and what their life looks like. That would be all kinds of fun.
Profile Image for Jessica.
Author 3 books344 followers
September 26, 2016
Brady O’Connell helps his dad with the family business. One night he decides to cut corners and go to a concert with his friends. An envelope he was supposed to deliver ends up in the wrong hands of a girl named Vivienne. Brady tries to get the envelope back but chaos always follows Vivienne and they have to go on a hunt for the envelope. As they search Brady gets to know Vivienne and there is more to her than meets the eye.

In an Oyster Shell - This book didn't particularly catch my interest that much the concept was interesting.

Full Review: Writing Pearls
Profile Image for Poulami.
372 reviews38 followers
October 27, 2016
Originally posted on Daydreaming Books.

I received a digital copy of this book from YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.*

This book was fairly a surprise. I started this book right after completing Illuminae and I couldn't go forward with it because I was in a book slump. It was the right decision because I couldn't have enjoyed the book then as I enjoyed it later.

Vivienne wants to get away as far as possible from her over-possessive boyfriend Chad. When a mix-up happens concerning a certain amount of money, she comes face to face to Brady. This incident brings them closer and they both can't stay away from each other but when Chad threatens Vivienne  that might put Brady in danger, would she be able to solve the problem in time or would she have to say goodbye to Brady forever?

The plot was simple and sweet. I really enjoyed the story. Vivienne takes home the money by mistake that she was supposed to leave at Chad's house and when Brady learns about the incident the two are forced to work together to find the money which goes missing. I loved these two together! Although trust was an issue, in the beginning, I liked how their relationship proceeded, slow and steady. The only thing bothered me was how Vivienne went with Brady on their first date to a deserted place without fully knowing him, even though she had a bad history with Chad, she should have been a teeny-tiny bit skeptical, right?

Nonetheless, I loved the characters! Even though Vivienne and Brady acted immaturely sometimes but I liked their character growth. Brady was a really great guy, he supported his father and he was really sweet and caring, it was the reason Viv liked him instantly. I equally enjoyed Vivienne's character from the beginning. Their romance between them was so  sweet! I enjoyed how things were executed at the end.

Overall, Beautiful Chaos was an enjoyable read. The plot was sweet and I fell in love with the characters. I enjoyed the chemistry between Brady and Vivienne. The writing was smooth and easy to read and the pace was even throughout the book. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author.

Recommend it?

Yes.
327 reviews
November 9, 2016
I RECIEVED THIS BOOK FROM YA BOUND BOOK TOURS IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY VIEWS OR OPINIONS IN ANY WAY.

Beautiful Chaos by Alex Tully is a beautiful novel about love with unusual circumstances.

Summary From Goodreads:
While most seventeen year-olds work part-time delivering pizzas or whipping up frappuccinos, Brady O’Connell’s job is a little less conventional. Helping his dad with the family ‘business’ is a responsibility he doesn’t take lightly, especially when thousands of dollars are being exchanged. There are rules to be followed, timetables to be kept. But when his best friend Jay gets backstage concert tickets, and business interferes with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet their favorite band, Brady decides to break the rules, just one time.

And one time is all it takes to send his life spinning out of control. When an envelope full of cash ends up in the wrong hands—specifically in the hands of a pretty red-head named Vivienne—things get messy in a hurry. Where Vivienne goes, a whole lot of chaos seems to follow.

But sometimes…chaos is a beautiful thing.

I really enjoyed this book. There were many good things going ofr it, and also some not so great things about it.

I liked the character of Vivienne. She was sweet and a good girl. I liked her way of speech too, and her mindset about Brady was great and realistic.I loved how her best friend was so spunky and carefree. Brady was a decent character, but I didn't feel as much of a connection to him.

The way that the book switches between the two character is great. It was like seeing both sides of a love story. I liked seeing how both sides thought, especially during the rough patches of the story.

The writing style of this book was not my favorite. It was very generic. At some points in the book it worked, in others it didn't

Overall, I enjoyed this love story.
Profile Image for Sascha.
Author 5 books32 followers
October 9, 2016

REVIEW OF BEAUTIFUL CHAOS
OCTOBER 9, 2016 | SASCHA DARLINGTON | EDIT

Beautiful Chaos by Alex Tully

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Publication Date: June 26, 2016

So I may have told you about my little book “overcommitment” about a month ago. Well, I’m nearing the end of my kid in the candy shop over-indulgence and am frequently going through my list without regard to what I’m reading next, but going by date. After reading several romances (reviews upcoming for review book tours), I thought, Beautiful Chaos was another romance. So imagine my surprise when Brady turned out to be a 17-year old walking into a bar….there’s no punchline. I then glanced at the blurb to see what I was reading.

Brady helps his “dad” with the family business, which means showing up at the bar, taking and giving envelopes that frequently contain hundreds or more dollars. On one occasion he leaves early before distributing all of the envelopes because he wants to see his favorite band in a once in a lifetime experience and ends up going to the man’s house and giving the envelope to the man’s presumed daughter, a beautiful red-head named Vivienne.

read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2016/10/0...
Profile Image for Kendra - Kendra Loves Books.
264 reviews142 followers
October 16, 2016
Full Review at http://kendralovesbooks.blogspot.com/...

Brady helps his dad run a bookie business and one night him and his friend get tickets to go to a concert. So he has to hurry collecting/exchanging money the night of the concert so him and his friend are not late. One customer, Sutton does not show up before they leave for the concert so they drop it off at his house. Sutton was not home, so Brady hands the envelope of money to a girl who he thought was his daughter, Vivienne.

Brady finds out Sutton does not have a daughter, so Brady has to go hunt down Vivienne to get the money back. But Vivienne ends up losing the money and her and Brady go and try and find the money. They end up liking each other, but they go through a lot of chaos to actually be together.

First of all I am from Ohio and I love the Cleveland Browns, so to read a book that the main character is a fan of the Browns was really cool. The Browns are terrible but you definitely are a fan for life. Anyways, I thought the book was ok, interesting but not really engaging. It ended up being a cute romance, but nothing over the top.

I received a copy from YA Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Zili.
790 reviews
October 22, 2016
On the surface Beautiful Chaos is about the happiness and agony of first love, but in realty the plot runs far deeper. Brady is a huge support to his Dad and has taken on a lot of responsibility for somebody his age. Vivienne is learning that life is far more complicated than she's used to.

Brady stood by his Dad, and is often more parent than child. Their story is difficult and sad but a twist of fate introduces him to Vivienne. As Brady and Vivienne find themselves on an unexpected mission they start to trust each other.

Brady and Vivienne are both a little immature at times and are quick to jump to conclusions (often the wrong ones). I would have liked a little more balance in the pacing.

The depth of the story doesn't really come from the beginnings of their cute romance but from the deeper issues. The story touches upon teen violence, gambling, grief, guilt and greed.

I particularly loved the creative date Brady comes up with...

3 Stars in my Sky!

I received a copy from YA Bound in exchange for an honest review!
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