REVIEW - Dare You To by Katie McGarry

Title: Dare You To
Author: Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits #2
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: May 28th 2013
Genre: YA Contemporary
Link: Goodreads / Amazon
Source: NetGalley

Summary:
Ryan lowers his lips to my ear. "Dance with me, Beth."

"No." I whisper the reply. I hate him and I hate myself for wanting him to touch me again....

"I dare you..."

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....

5/5

McGarry has done it again. And this time she has come back better than ever. Dare You To was so much better than Pushing the Limits. Absolutely loved it!

In this book we get Beth's story, who we met in PtL. Beth's home life is one of drugs, abuse, with a mother who never thinks about Beth in the decisions she makes. Even though Beth is constantly put in danger by her mothers abusive boyfriends, she still takes care of her mother because if she doesn't no one else will. One night though after Beth takes the blame for something her mother did, her uncle steps in and takes Beth away from this life and away from her mother and her friends.  Beth resents her uncle for this. She can't bare to be away from her best friend Isaiah and she constantly worries about her mother. Beth keeps everyone out and feels like she isn't lovable. She is used to people leaving her. She sacrifices her own happiness for her mother. But then she meets Ryan who is able to see the scared and vulnerable girl underneath and who pushes Beth to fight for what she really wants.

Beth I loved. Her wit and snarky comments were really entertaining to read but it is all just a front to keep people from seeing the real her. I felt so bad for her. She has gone through so much in her life. Her stubbornness and constant running away from her feelings did get a bit annoying but I understood why she was doing it. 

Ryan I adored! Not the typical jock that is portrayed in most books - he was sweet, caring and a real gentleman. He has his own family problems that he is trying to deal with. I hated that he didn't stand up to his parents more but that didn't make me love him any less. He is the complete opposite of Beth and I felt they complemented each other perfectly. Bad girl meets nice boy was a refreshing change form the usual bad boy/good girl scenarios in most books. I also really liked Ryan's friends. They weren't the stereotypical jocks either which I was really happy about. I'm glad that McGarry didn't go down that route.

The dares I thought were a really interesting part of the story. Some of them were hilarious. I only wish there was a bit more emphasis on them. I was really worried too that there was gonna be a love triangle in this book. I had read the synopsis of this before I actually read PtL so I was really surprised that it wasn't gonna be about Beth and Isaiah. I really liked Isaiah in PtL and so I was upset at first that this wasn't gonna be his story. But I actually think it worked out for the best in the end. Ryan was perfect for Beth and even though my heart broke for Isaiah I know his happily ever after is still to come. The next book is gonna be his story so I cannot wait to read it!   

Packed full of love, loss, betrayal, and a romance that will melt your heart, this book will take you on one hell of an emotional roller-coaster. A must read!

Now patiently (but not that patiently) waiting for book #3, Crash Into You. Need me some more Isaiah!

*I received an ecopy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*