Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry (Mini Book Review)

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: July 31, 2012
Format: eARC
Source: Netgalley
Buy It: Amazon
Add It: Goodreads

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've never read a book quite like this one before, but I'm so glad I did! I always love reading about two broken characters who put the pieces of their lives back together, together! This is the kind of story that needs to be experienced, so I am making my review short and sweet.

These characters are so amazingly real and likeable. They both have dark pasts that haunt them, and they are both a little broken and struggling with inner demons as a result. They both end up going to the same therapist, and that therapist puts them together to help one another. What surfaces is an amazing journey of transformation, self-discovery, self-confidence, and love. I adored the lessons of forgiveness and resilience that were inserted throughout the story. Two broken families, two heartbroken people, and one mission to change all of that in the hopes of a better future.

I loved seeing them transform and grow into better versions of themselves. Echo gained confidence and answers, and Noah gained a new perspective. I particularly loved watching Noah go from this hardened bad boy to an amazingly caring and responsible man. I loved the tenderness he exhibited with Echo and his brothers. I think everyone needs a Noah in their life.

The romance is so raw and believable, not to mention a long time coming. This one was a very slow burn, and I loved the tension and vulnerability. These two are put through the ringer, and at times put each other through the ringer too. Their imperfections made them perfect for each other. If one of them struggled with something, the other one was the rock that pulled them through. And vice versa.

The writing was beautiful. Katie painted such vivid pictures in my mind of what these characters, even the supporting ones, went through. I gained a lot of insight into the minds of people in general. I've never endured these hardships that are discussed in this book, but I do feel much more understanding than I was.

I would definitely recommend this book to contemporary romance and realistic fiction lovers. Many of my readers and blogger friends know me as That Artsy Reader Girl Who Does Not Read Books That Bring Tears. I'm embracing the inner crybaby, and I am so glad I gave this book the chance it deserved.

Oh, and for your listening pleasure... I heard this song the other day, and it totally reminds me of the hope these characters have. I particularly love the lyric: "Life is getting better all the time / As long as we're together everything's gonna be alright / I feel it, I see it, I know that / Life is getting better all the time." Love it!