Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

""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.
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."

Title: Pushing the Limits

Author: Katie McGarry

Release Date: July 31, 2012

Publisher: Harlequin TEEN

Pages: 384, Hardcover

"'Because growing up means making tough choices, and doing the right thing doesn't necessarily mean doing the thing that feels good.'"-Pushing the Limits (quoted from eARC, not final)

All 384 pages of this lovely book was worth it.

Not only did PUSHING THE LIMITS contain a steamy romance, it was able to capture the depth of two problematic teens who are just trying to find normal. I felt everything in this book: anger, love, loss, hope, and so much more. The plot, humorous writing, and the characters DEFINITELY will grab hold of the reader's attention until all 384 pages are consumed.

The plot was strong and intricate. I don't think there is a thing that I didn't enjoy about the plot. The way Noah & Echo met, worked together, and later, their relationship. Although the pacing wasn't incredibly fast, it still kept me flipping pages (er, tapping on my Kindle). The conflicts that interfered were perfect and purposeful; it was easy to follow along.

THE WRITING! I LOVED Katie McGarry's writing style! It was really comical and amusing, and I definitely highlighted a lot of lines in the story, because they are just KEEPERS.

" 'Are you ready to take the ACT on Saturday?' my father asked. Did chickens enjoy being put on trucks labeled KFC? 'Sure'." -Pushing the Limits (quoted from eARC, not final).

And, best for last, the characters. Oh lord, the characters. Can I just say that I adored just about every single character? They were all extremely different but I loved them all the same! Echo and Noah were so emotionally damaged, but their process of healing was so beautiful to watch. And their freaking relationship. TORE ME TO PIECES I LOVED IT SO MUCH. One of *the* steamiest relationships I have ever read (McGarry is the queen of steamy)! Beth and Isaiah were hilarious. Well, Isaiah was. Jacob & Tyler, I JUST WANT TO KIDNAP YOU GUYS they are so adorable. The characters really kept me going in this book.

Ultimately, PUSHING THE LIMITS is one flawless contemporary novel that has deserved a spot on my favorite books of 2012. This is one EVERYONE should pick up, for the intriguing characters,  endearing romance, witty writing, and fantastic plot.

Grade: A+

Source: Publisher via Netgalley--Thanks so much Harlequin TEEN!