Review: Pushing The Limits by Katie McGarry

 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.

When going into Pushing The Limits, I wasn’t expecting to love or be obsessed with this book despite the raving reviews on it. Within the first couple chapters I liked it; within fifty pages, I started to love it. The alternating POVs and heartbreaking themes in this novel sold me.

Echo was a very strong independent female character that went through something traumatic. I could relate somewhat to Echo and her mother because my friend’s sister is bipolar and she had an episode while I was at her house and it scared me. I loved how real hers and Noah’s stories were. Noah’s POV was my favorite because he sounded like an actual guy who was willing to change his ways. He was funny, kind, and wanted to do anything for Echo because he loved her that much.

The situation with Echo’s scars and some of her friends not wanting to be seen with her because it might make them social outcasts as well was told well. It had a good lesson to it too: don’t judge someone until you know the whole story. Her one friend Lila was loyal and didn’t care what others thought about Echo because she knew that her mom had hurt her.

Noah’s story was about losing his parents and trying to get back his brothers. His relationship with his brothers was sad and yet wonderful to read about. Since I have two younger sisters I could understand why he wanted to keep them safe with his parents gone.

Overall, Pushing The Limits was an excellent novel and I can’t wait to read Beth’s story. 4 ½ Stars!

Quote:  "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.