Buy:  Amazon   |  Paperback

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Review

“You’re worth fighting for.”

4.5 stars.

This is book 4 in the Pushing the Limits series, and OMG, I love this series! Pushing the Limits is an all-time favourite of mine, and while I’ve enjoyed the subsequent books, this is the first book in the series that came close to recreating the epic feels that I felt with that first book. It’s the story of West (brother of Rachel from Crash into You) and newcomer, Haley.

West Young is the wild child of the incredibly wealthy Young family. Set in the time just after the end of the main part and before the epilogue of Crash into You

West is angry, drowning in guilt, and is lashing out at the world. He is suspended from his exclusive private school for fighting and, appalled at his behaviour, his father enrols him in the local high school and pushes him out on his own.

Meanwhile, Haley’s life has hit rock bottom. Her father lost his job, her family lost their home, and they are struggling and living in less than ideal circumstances with her uncle. Like the rest of her family, Haley was a fighter – she was actually a champion kickboxer – but she hasn’t fought since one fateful night changed everything for her.

West and Haley literally run into each other in the middle of a dangerous situation which ends up with West agreeing to an MMA cage fight in her honour. Having no fighting experience, Haley knows that in order for West to have any chance of surviving the fight without serious injury, he needs to be trained, so with few other options, she agrees to train him. They agree to keep things strictly friendly, but they are attracted to each other, and as they get to know each other, the bond between them deepens, and they can’t help things from going further.

“Me and you – we are friends”
“We crossed beyond friends the night we spent in your room and you know that. Fuck, Haley, there isn’t a moment that we haven’t been into each other and I’m not the only one in the room aware of it.”

I loved this romance! Absolutely freaking loved it! It’s slow moving and happens so naturally. West and Haley’s circumstances bring them together, and they cling to each other in the middle of their family dramas and the hopelessness that they are both lost in. They give each other strength and something good, and every moment between them is brimming with feels.

“West.” She says my name as a question, as an answer. Damn me, it was an invitation.
My name. That was my name on her lips.
Fuck everything else. Haley knows the real me and for once in my life I’m going to know what it’s like to kiss a girl who means something.
“This doesn’t mean anything,” Haley whispers…
“Yes, it does” … “Tell me, Haley. Please tell me it does because this means something to me.”
Her forehead wrinkles and her eyes are moist as if it’s physically painful for her to nod and breathe out the words. “It does… It means something.”

West is an amazing hero. He goes through so much in this book, but his growth as a character is incredible. He really grows up, and the way that he adores Haley, is there for her and truly wants what is best for her is something very special.

Someday, she’ll trust me enough to tell me the truth. For now, I’ll be that home she lost – I’ll be that soft, secure place where she can land.

Haley and West go through a lot in this book – both individually and together – and I loved their journey. But they both have secrets, and that plus the pressure of their families has the potential to pull them apart. They need to fight to find their way and sort their lives out before they can start to fight for each other.

“Don’t think of it as falling. Think of it as jumping – with me.”
“How is jumping better?”
“Falling happens. Jumping you choose.”

Once again, Katie McGarry has given us a truly wonderful story. It’s funny, sweet, and gorgeously romantic with the perfect amount of drama. McGarry’s stories are always incredibly emotive but also realistic, so you’re drawn into the story and feel everything the characters are feeling – tears and all. I got swept away with this one, and absolutely loved it.

Fans of the series – Rachel obviously appears in this book quite a bit, as does Abby, and there are brief glimpses of Isaiah but that’s about it in terms of continuation. There are some new characters introduced in this book that I’d love to see more of though (Jax).

As always, I will be eagerly awaiting McGarry’s next offering, no matter who it features.

I loved it – 4.5 stars.

The Pushing the Limits series