REVIEW: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Title: Pushing the Limits
Author: Katie McGarry - Website || Twitter || Facebook
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Published: July 31, 2012
Format: Netgalley* 384 pages
Rating: 5/5 (but this book deserves way more!)

"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.

My thoughts, feelings and reactions.

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry was one of my most anticipated reads and I will tell you that McGarry did not disappoint. She exceeded my expectations and she had me begging for more in the end. I can’t ever describe how much I loved this book so much. It was truly amazing and exceptional in every way!


Katie McGarry’s writing was phenomenal! There really is no other word to describe it. McGarry has the ability to create a story that was written and developed extremely well to easily capture an audience while building intense emotions from the characters and delivering that to readers. More so, her writing was simply descriptive but completely addicting in way where I couldn’t help but want to read more. While reading Pushing the Limits, there was no way to stop myself from turning page after page until I reached the end. 

One of the best parts of this book was the dual perspectives of Echo and Noah. It was such a pleasure being able to get into the minds of both these characters, giving the story much more insight to their personalities and their lives. From an outside perspective these two characters couldn’t have been more different, but not everything is always as it seems and with this split POV, I got to see both sides.


• Echo had such a presence that made her stand out while having this sassiness that I loved so much. She was smart and well educated, but she was troubled, sad and even broken. After a traumatic event, Echo becomes damaged with her past that eating away at her. I saw Echo was a good person who lost confidence in herself. Yet she was still strong to keep living life. She got help, coped with her loss and tried her best to get the answers she needed to move on and get peace. I admired Echo’s willingness to fight even when she was terrified of the outcome. 



• Noah looked like the dangerous bad boy to everyone, but he was such a sweetheart stuck in unfortunate circumstances. He, too, had his own pain and demons to deal with. Yes, he can be a complete jerk sometimes and even his confident arrogant side gets the best of him, but I really saw a side of Noah that ate away at my heart. Noah was a good guy who just loved his younger brothers deeply. He has trust issues, doesn’t care what people think and has an attitude to match his righteousness, but he’s also understanding. He had good intentions throughout the book. Most of all, he wanted to change and become a better man. 


Echo and Noah’s relationship was such an epic and thrilling experience to read. I loved how they started not even liking each other and only tolerating one another for specific reasons. Their banter and arguments were hilarious and highly entertaining. Already, I saw a serious connection between the two alongside this sexual tension that could not be ignored. As they got to know each other and as they opened up and shared secrets, emotions came pouring out. They fall in love and the way they do is passionate and intense, it burns and consumes everything. I loved that so much about them. I also liked how they were both understanding, how they were able to connect and comfort one another before and during their relationship. Their romance was a slow but sensual with a build up that was fun and lovely and so damn powerful to the core. Their romance really pulled me in and left me intoxicated. The best part about them together is seeing them be each other’s rock and how they made each other better and stronger. 


Pushing the Limits also deals with popularity, drugs, alcohol, therapy, foster homes a and other dark topics that are real life issues that anyone can relate to. The amount of drama, chaos, and problems in the story was consequential and realistic. From the struggle for Echo to gain love from her father despite his controlling tendencies with the hardship of piecing back the memories from that horrific night to Noah’s battle to getting back the family he so desperately wanted along with his trust issues became the importance and drive of this book. The revealing truths that become known were heart shattering and so emotionally draining because I really got to feel what Echo and Noah were going through. But the growth that both of them experience was immense and seeing them do the right thing was emotionally touching.



Overall, Pushing the Limits was one spectacular debut from Katie McGarry. It was edgy and deliciously dark but also heart breaking and breath-taking all at once. Many times, I was utterly moved to tears. Pushing the Limits is definitely one unforgettable book that will leave you speechless at the end.

*Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read this amazing book.

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