Early Book Review: Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

Book Stats:
Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry
Source: ARC provided from publisher via Netgalley
Format: E-book, 384 pages
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Expected Publication Date: 7/31/2012
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Drama

Goodreads Summary: "I won't tell anyone, Echo. I promise." Noah tucked a curl behind my ear. It had been so long since someone touched me like he did. Why did it have to be Noah Hutchins? His dark brown eyes shifted to my covered arms. "You didn't do that-did you? It was done to you?" No one ever asked that question. They stared. They whispered. They laughed. But they never asked.  "An edgy romance that pulls you in and never lets go. I was hooked!"-Gena Showalter,  New York Times bestselling author of the Intertwined series. So wrong for each other...and yet so right. No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.  Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

I love me some Contemporary Romance so when I read the synopsis on Goodreads, I just knew I had to read this. See, this book is more than your typical teenage romance. It does play on cliche things but there is mystery beyond what is presented. The romance part itself, was just.... If I let out a dreamy sigh, will that get the point across?

First, We have Echo Emerson. A girl who was once the it-girl, had the it-boyfriend, was in the it-circle, had  a full family until a tragic night during her Sophomore year. The mystery of it is that she cannot remember what happened on her own. She was so emotionally and physically scarred by the experience that her mind shielded her away from the memories of it. She kept to herself and eventually became a loner. Until the last semester of her senior year, she almost found herself in verge of "normality".

Then we have Noah Hutchinson. The bad boy. The stoner. The walking one night stand. But there's more to the boy than the smoke that comes from his mouth or his bad grades in Physics. Once upon a time, he was once your typical "Homecoming King". He had popularity, played for the basketball team and most importantly, a loving home with a beautiful family but all was lost after the fire that took both of his parents. All he was left with was his little brothers but they we're eventually taken from him as well. As graduation nears, he's counting the days where he will get full custody and be with them again but nothing is as simple as it seems...

Through circumstances, those two we're forced to work with each other. Tutoring set up by none other than, Mrs. Collins. The new social services counselor dead set to help both of them. Echo with her memory block and Noah with his fight for himself & his little brothers.As they spend more time together, they find out that they are so much more similar than they have thought. Eventually, an intense attraction builds up between the two and even with their own denials, the fire that has been set cannot be extinguished.

They have both gone through so much and it was hard not to have an instant soft spot for them. So as for character development, my heart just melted into tiny little bubbles of happiness. This book did not disappoint. They grew as individuals and with each other. It was done without any lack of emotional turmoil but done tastefully.

With emotions being said, let me get out the easiest one, and that is ANGER. There's a few things I didn't like but I don't think they we're meant to be liked anyway. I cannot get over the whole "public" friend BS. I'm sorry, her friends we're so worried about her social status rather than her actual needs? They might have meant well but I can't even get past that one except for Lila. Lastly, Echo's parents and Ashley? Well, I'll leave that one for you to find out because I have a few choice words that won't sound too good right now.

But with Anger, there is also LOVE. Love for that everything that's happened because I officially love this book! I shed a tear or two at some emotional points, swooned over Noah and his love for Echo & his brothers, for Echo to find her backbone. I love the fact that this was written in alternating POVs. It confuses readers when they're not done right but in this case, they blended in so smoothly! I can still hear Noah's thoughts in my head right now..... *starts daydreaming. Call me cheesy or hopeless romantic but I would have never thought the word "Siren" could be such a sweet endearment but Ms. McGarry definitely made that work for Noah. Despite the weirdness of it, I loved Echo and Aires' name. So unique and pretty. I loved Isaiah and Beth's character. They're the best sub-characters you will ever get from this book! Maybe, besides Mrs. Collins. Everyone else was... difficult.

The book was simple enough for a contemporary read but the contents we're pretty potent that I'm sure I won't forget about this one anytime soon. In fact, I could use a little bit more of Echo and Noah in my life! Definitely purchasing a paperback copy of my own and I'll make sure to watch out for Ms. Katie McGarry's future work because Pushing The Limits have exceeded expectations.

★★★★

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