Review for Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry 
Publisher: Mira Ink
Release Date: 3rd August 2012
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Rating: 5/5 stars
Source: Received from the publisher for review

Amazon Summary:
"They say be a good girl, get good grades, be popular. They know nothing about me. I can't remember the night that changed my life. The night I went from popular to loner freak. And my family are determined to keep it that way. They said therapy was supposed to help. They didn't expect Noah. Noah is the dangerous boy my parents warned me about. But the only one who'll listen. The only one who'll help me find the truth. I know every kiss, every promise, every touch is forbidden. But what if finding your destiny means breaking all the rules? A brave and powerful novel about loss, change and growing up, but most of all love."

Review 
I was really looking forward to reading Pushing the Limits but for some reason despite the praise it’s received from amazing authors and bloggers I love, I wasn’t expecting to love it quite as much as I did. I went into this book expecting to enjoy it, but I wasn’t expecting it to make me cry or to capture my heart.

I think the reason I loved Pushing the Limits so much is that I could relate to both of our main characters. Off topic, but relevant to this review all the same, I have scars on my arm that I got from a partner in an abusive relationship. Although there are only two of them and are not all over my arms like Echo’s and although Echo got hers from her mother not an abusive boyfriend, I’ve still experienced some of what she goes through. From the judgmental stares of people jumping to conclusions and suspecting self-harm because of where they are, to those sweltering summers spent in long sleeved clothes to cover them up. I understood completely not only Echo’s body image issues with her scars, but the feeling of somebody who you love and trust intentionally hurting you and the changes you go through as a person when something like that happens to you.

As well as the book being narrated by Echo it’s also narrated by Noah in alternating chapters. Like Echo, Noah has a whole lot of issues that no young person should have to deal with but the most prominent to his story is being separated from his two little brothers who are in foster care. Although nothing like this has happened to me personally I have a family member who has and so I know how messy, emotional, and complicated that whole situation is for everybody involved. The scenes with Noah and his little brothers never failed to bring a tear to my eye and touch my heart.

Although my experiences are vastly different to the characters in this book the feelings behind them weren’t all that different at all and so I connected with Noah and Echo in a rare and special way. I understood them and had empathy for their situations and really wanted the best for them both. My emotions were totally invested in this book and so I really connected with it and can see it holding a special place in my heart for years to come.

The romance in Pushing the Limits is hot, hot, hot! I’m not surprised that this book is blurbed by Simone Elkeles - one of my favourite authors, because the writing style and relationship between Echo and Noah reminded me of the Perfect Chemistry series. Noah could very well be a secret fourth Fuentes brother! Don’t get me wrong though Pushing the Limits is in no way a copycat and is unique in its own right, but if you’re a fan of Simone Elkeles then you’re going to love Katie McGarry!

Pushing the Limits has a great cast of characters who I feel in love with. Noah is a bad boy with a soft side that is brought out by his love for his brothers and Echo. Echo is feisty, smart and I admired her courage, as the book goes on she gets stronger and stronger and I respected her for facing her fears head on. There are so many great secondary characters too like Mrs Collins, Noah’s foster siblings and his little brothers.

I adored everything about this book and think it’s an amazing debut. It’s definitely one of my favourite contemps of 2012 and I already can’t wait for Dare You To a companion novel to Pushing the Limits to come out! Highly recommend to fans of hard hitting, edgy, contemporary and to anyone who loves a smouldering, sexy, consuming love story to boot!