Novel Review: Take Me On (Pushing the Limits, #4) by Katie McGarry

Rating (Out of 5): ~4

Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: May 27, 2014

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells.

Teaser Tuesday. Wishlist Thursday.

Goodreads Synopsis:

 

Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

The Cover:

I don't mind this cover; it fits the book, and it's not too bad to look at. I like that the inside cover on the binding is different, and I actually think that one is prettier. I also appreciate that the picture is not on the back of the cover, so it doesn't feel so much like I can't get away from the image.
I will say, though, that there's an image of a ghost (or drawn) girl on the cover (you can see it above), and that bothers me, since it has no relevance to the book. I don't understand why it's there.

Quotes:

• ·         "Everyone has a tale to sob over. Rich or poor.” (Hardback, pg. 46)
• ·         “Is this all we are? Continual actions and reactions? No control over our futures?” (Pg. 110)
• ·         “He pulls me into him, creating a shelter—one like I haven’t experienced in months. I feel small against him, fragile. Like he’s realized the secret I’ve hidden: that I’m breakable, if not already broken.” (Pg. 197)
• ·         “‘There is no fault. There’s how life works.’” (Pg. 307)
• ·         “‘You say you don’t know who you are,’ adds Rachel. ‘But the question should be—who do you want to be?’” (Pg. 387)
• ·         “The one thing my relationship with Lincoln has taught me is that distance doesn’t mean a friendship ends. It just means you have to make more of an effort.” (Crossing the Line, pg. 539)

Review:

This was another good book in this series. I enjoyed it quite a lot. Plus, I like that McGarry’s books tend to go by rather quickly, whether good or not.

There were some clichéd decisions made on both parts, but I still really liked the story. I liked Haley and West, a lot. They were good together, and I enjoyed them just as much on their own as together. I liked the ending, for them as a couple, as well as for West and Haley on their own (mostly).

I liked that we got to see more of West’s family. In Crash Into You we saw a lot of them, got to know some of what was going on with them, but it still felt like there was more to be told. Their family is just so messed up. A lot more was made clear in this book, but there still seems like there’s more to be said. Which leads me to why I also think that there needs to be a next book, and it needs to be about Abby and Ethan. I think Ethan has something going on that he needs to work through, even if it’s just dealing with everything that’s happened so far in his family. And Abby definitely has a story to tell. I loved her presence in this book, and I think the two of them need an entire book to themselves.

I also really liked that the novella Crossing the Line was included in this book. I don’t like reading stories online (on the computer or my phone), so I like when the short stories are put into a physical book. And it was a cute short story, I enjoyed it quite a lot. I’d give it a 3.5, maybe 4, stars.

I think Crash Into You is my favorite in this series, but this one is definitely good. I look forward to reading McGarry’s next book.