Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits

Author: Katie McGarry
Publisher: Harlequinn Teen (July 31, 2012)
Source: Own

From Goodreads:

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.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry was just the thing to getting me out of a reading funk. I had been aimlessly picking up books and putting them down, unsatisfied, for weeks. (Crazy, I know!). When I saw the blurb for Pushing the Limits, I just knew I had to read it.

And I did.

With great pleasure. :D

Pushing the Limits is a raw, emotional, and realistic portrayal of two teens struggling to deal with life. They each have skeletons in their closet, whether they remember them or not. I was instantly pulled into the mental health aspect (as I'm prone to do). I was relieved that it wasn't overly played up or played down. Obviously, mental health issues differ from person to person, and disorders present themselves in different ways. Often, I am disappointed when a disorder or issue is presented as *always* coming across a certain way. I didn't get that feel from this book. 

But that's not really the focus...it's the romance.

Oh my Tod, the romance! The passionate, yet real relationship between Noah and Echo completely drew me in. The development of the relationship progressed at a steady and realistic pace, in line with the character development. And I loved reading from Noah's perspective. In a way, I thought that the chapters from his POV were even more authentic than Echo's, though I enjoyed her voice as well.

Pushing the Limits is a great read, all around. Particularly, it's good for fans of contemporary romance with some darkness (Simone Elkeles' books come to mind).

Final thoughts: Buy it.