Crash into You (Pushing the Limits #3)

This is my favorite of Katie McGarry's books, by far. In fact, I started reading it after I was a few chapters into Dare You To (#2 in the series) and finished it seriously weeks before DYT. Crash Into You has incredible characters that you will fall in love with, a fast-paced, page-turning plot, and a sizzling romance that will quicken your heart.

Katie really delivers with this book. It is obvious that she worked so, so very hard on crafting Isaiah and Rachel's story, and all of her hard work shows on every page. The characters are interesting, a little quirky, relatable, and incredibly lovable. Isaiah is a bad boy with a good heart, and it doesn't hurt that he's sexy as sin. Rachel is a private school girl with a complicated family, an anxiety disorder, and the looks of an angel.

Characters from other books in the series make appearances when appropriate, including Noah and Echo, Beth and Ryan, Logan, and Chris. It's great getting to see them, especially Noah and Beth, from Isaiah's perspective. Secondary characters like Abby, Ethan, and West are also very strong and stand on their own enough to feature their own stories (at least for West). It's never hard keeping all the characters straight, because they're all so different and, again, you'll fall in love with them.

The plot is very well-crafted and I don't have anything bad to say about it. Not a single thing. Rachel and Isaiah first meet at a street race in the bad part of Louisville, and they run from the cops together. It's dangerous and crazy and exciting right from the start. Isaiah sort of rescues Rachel from that situation, but she rescues him as well. And he never forgets what she did for him. They get into trouble with a local baddie, Eric, who they now owe money to. At first they have to work together to get the money together and keep each other safe from Eric and his craziness. But then they start to like each other. And want each other. And sparks fly.

If you want a fast-paced romance, an urban contemporary story, and a heart-wrenching tale of self-discovery and bravery you should be reading Katie McGarry's Crash Into You!

Crash into You was another amazing read from McGarry. She sure knows how to write a story about messed up teens who get a second chance at life and find love along the way! However, while I do really love Isaiah, and the story was great, something was missing. That special “umph” that I got from the other two books. With Pushing the Limits and Dare You To, I was compelled by the story and the characters, their anguish and romance drew me in like nothing else. In Crash into You, it was still intriguing, and I may be in the minority, but it didn’t “WOW” me like the others. That may have something to do, with my feelings towards the leading lady, Rachel, and possibly her family.
After what happened in Dare You To, while I loved Beth and Ryan, I really felt bad for Isaiah. A lot of readers didn’t care for him in the other books, but I always had a soft spot for him. He’s had a pretty hard life, being in the foster system, having no one to depend on, never really feeling loved. I really enjoyed being in his head, reveling in his love of cars, and seeing him fall for Rachel. Having his life would’ve made a lot of people turn to drugs, alcohol, and all kinds of illegal things, but Isaiah stays strong through all the temptations, not completely, of course, but I liked that he has a good head on his shoulders and that he actually has goals and dreams, and that he wants to do something with his life. If anything, this book made me love him even more.
Rachel, on the other hand, took me quite awhile to warm up to. She was very innocent, naive, self-conscious, and often times weak, in my opinion. Eventually she toughened up, but it took a bit too long for me, and a lot of the time I really just wanted to knock some sense into the girl. She comes from sheltered life, so I get why she’s the way she is. Also, she has to deal with recurrent panic attacks that affect her a great deal, and I’m not faulting her on that at all. I think it was just the way she viewed herself for so long and when she finally realizes she’s had enough, it wasn’t all that climactic, especially regarding her father. One word I would use to describe Rachel would, in fact, be fragile, even though she tries so hard not to be. Towards the end, I started to like her more and you could see her confidence show just a bit, but I was hoping for more.
As for Rachel and Isaiah as a couple, I really liked that they could confide in each other about their lives, how open they became, and how they shared a love of cars. However, I didn’t really feel that connection between them like I did with McGarry’s other couples. There was a bond there, but it didn’t affect me as much. It wasn’t clear to me why they became so open with each other except that they had the urge to be, like there wasn’t a defining moment that sealed their fate as a couple, at least in my opinion. I still think they’re very cute together and that ending was very sweet and touching, but I was hoping for a bit more.
Oh, and I really disliked her family. I get that her older sister died and everyone felt bad for their mother, but the way they babied that woman, everyone hiding their true feelings and who they really were, it was just too much! Don’t get me wrong, I loved that McGarry created a family dynamic that I hated so much, it’s a testament to her skill and craft, but man did I want to slap her brothers and have a long talk with her mother.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story and am definitely happy that McGarry is continuing this series. While I would’ve loved to see an Ethan and Abby book, I’m curious to see where she takes West’s story (all are characters you’ll meet in Crash into You). If you’re already a McGarry fan, you’ll love this book, not only because you get to see how the third person in their crazy trio gets what he deserves, but you’ll also catch glimpses of characters you’ve loved from the past like Noah, Echo, Beth, and Ryan. McGarry’s writing is nothing if not fascinating and readers of all types will be hooked after just a few pages.

What I Loved:

I've been a fan of Katie McGarry since her debut novel PUSHING THE LIMITS hit the shelves. McGarry's strength lies in her ability to perfectly capture each character's unique voice, make her readers feel connected to those characters, and then play out their stories against a vivid backdrop of contemporary life that feels absolutely authentic to the reader. In CRASH INTO YOU, McGarry's strengths were once again on display. The characters of Isaiah and Rachel were well developed, expertly rendered, and sounded unique from each other. This reader felt an instant connection with each, even though the characters came from vastly different situations.

The romance is a slow-building sizzle that leaves plenty of room for character development and plot, but also keeps the reader anxiously turning pages hoping for another kiss. McGarry's characters tend to approach love reluctantly but then fall hard when they finally capitulate, and Isaiah and Rachel were no different. What was different, however, was the degree of difference in their social and economic situations, and the personal demons that both had to conquer. With her trademark insight into the human psyche and an intuitive understanding of how broken hearts find healing, McGarry takes her characters, and the reader, on a rich, fast-paced journey that delivers both heat and heart.

Finally, the world building is once again superb. Who knew Kentucky could be such a fascinating backdrop for contemporary romance? The world of street racing, private schools, social workers, drag racing, and multi-million dollar fundraisers were brought to life in authentic detail. This reader enjoyed trusting herself to an accomplished storyteller and hanging on for a wild ride.

What Left Me Wanting More:

Nothing. This book hit all the right notes for me.

Final Verdict:

In CRASH INTO YOU, Katie McGarry once again delivers a rich, intriguing story full of heat, healing, and plenty of heart. Fans of contemporary romance won't want to miss this.

So, I'm the girl who fell for Noah in 'Pushing the Limits', then I thought no one could beat my adoration for Ryan in 'Dare You To', and then came Isaiah. I liked Isaiah in the first two books, but holy cow, I LOVE him now. As I mentioned to Katie McGarry on twitter "Ryan is the kind of guy I would love...but Isaiah is the guy to make me LIVE!"

I loved the dual POV's. Katie McGarry does an outstanding job of really making the characters relateable and making you care deeply for them. It's also very easy to fall into their lives and get caught up in them. I've never dealt with foster care, or grew up rich, but I found it quite easy to understand those worlds from Isaiah and Rachel's POV. I also loved how we still get updates on our beloved characters from the first two books. Noah, Echo, Ryan, Beth, and even Logan are back! I appreciate how Ms. McGarry keeps us posted on what's going on in their lives now.

I also loved Rachel's character. She is such a strong, giving, yet extremely complicated character. My heart just hurt for her because of the pressure she was under from her family. However, I thought the situation was handled very well and I was very pleased with how Rachel's story ends. I also adored her older brothers and how protective they were of her. But yet she was still able to get out and drive fast in her mustang when she needed to. And I LOVED how driving fast/cars was her release!

Just like the other two books, this book kept me on the edge of my seat. Isaiah and Rachel's story is not all roses and lovey dovey. Their story is not easy. I appreciate the twists and turns and how their lives are not perfect.

Overall, an outstanding addition to this series. It's one of my favorite series of ALL TIME. I will read anything this author writes. Yep, I'm a total fangirl. If you have not read this series yet, read it now. It's fantastic!

WHAT I LOVED: Once again Katie McGarry has given us characters who are a blend of strength and vulnerability with heartbreaking, yet hopeful stories. I loved the dual POV and both characters had distinct voices as well as fonts which I thought was cool.

With the background that Isaiah comes from, it's no wonder he has major trust issues and doubts his self-worth. The foster care system is supposed to help and protect children but it often fails. On the flip side is Rachel. She's spent her whole life knowing that despite her picture perfect life, she is merely a replacement. And her efforts to live up to her family's expectations have taken a dangerous toll on her health.

Neither Isaiah nor Rachel truly feel like themselves unless they're behind the wheel of a car cruising at speeds that would make most people cower. When they meet, they aren't looking for anything more than a way to escape their circumstances, even if just for one night. I liked that they chose to work together even though they didn't have to. People often complain about stories that feel like insta-love and I have too when it doesn't feel genuine. But it is totally plausible and it does happen. (I met my husband on Christmas Eve, we had our first date in January and by March I knew I would marry him. That was eighteen years ago. *shrugs*)

I also liked that this wasn't a, "Cross the finish line and ride off into the sunset where they live happily-ever-after" kind of ending. Isaiah and Rachel face even greater challenges after the racing situation it behind them and in it's in that part of the story where we see growth from everyone.

WHAT LEFT ME WANTING MORE: Nothing.

FINAL VERDICT: Another great companion to the Pushing the Limit's series and I CAN NOT wait for West's story!