Review Detail

For me, this was one of the best companion novels I've ever read. Katie McGarry's writing is just incredible. I went into the book still clinging to a shred of hope that Isaiah had a shot. I mean, I loved Isaiah in Pushing the Limits. Beth, not so much. I wasn't sure how I felt about a book being centered around her, but one of Ms. McGarry's many fabulous gifts as a writer is an incredible hand at character development. By the time I finish one of her novels, I feel like I'm so well aquatinted with her characters that I wonder why they aren't around to hang out anymore. Even when Beth frustrated me and drove me crazy with her well-earned right to angst, I still loved her. So I tip my hat to you, Ms. McGarry. Very well done.

So in Pushing the Limits, the image we got of Beth was a girl with a messed-up home life that was best friends with Isaiah. In Dare You To, us readers get an inside look into what exactly is so messed-up, and let me tell you there was a lot there. As crazy as Beth's perspective was at times, she had been through and seen a lot more than I would ever want to imagine. This book gives a lot of background on Beth's mom and her evil boyfriend, Beth's dad, and a new character: Beth's Uncle Scott.

Scott ends up convincing Beth (well maybe with a hint of blackmail) to live with him. He left when he was 18 to play baseball, made the pros, and now he is back and wants to take care of Beth. Even though he's made some mistakes over the time, he owns up to them. And he truly wants to give Beth everything he can to help her truly live her life in a way she can be proud of and be successful. I really admired him as a character, though his wife annoyed me most of the time.

But of course, there is another part of the book. The part that all of us Team Isaiah's were fighting. Still, I had to switch teams about halfway through the book. I had to switch to Ryan. Oh Ryan. Let's talk about Ryan, shall we? Even if he did ask Beth out at first on a dare. Despite a rough start, Ryan proved himself to be amazing. There was just something about him that I don't find in other fictional boys. Both Beth and Ryan have some demons in their life that they have to face *though Beth's are a tad bigger to me* and they are magical together.

The book pulled me in so fast that I hated having to leave Beth and Ryan's world. Katie McGarry manages to create steamy stories that are also incredibly sweet and romantic. The differences between Beth and Ryan truly made the story powerful and the book pulled my emotions in with a strong force that left me flipping pages breathlessly.