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....
My Thoughts:
Many of you have met Beth in the first book Pushing the Limits, where she was a secondary character. She was the rough around the edges and bitchy best friend of Noah and Isaiah. I am not going to lie I did not care for her, I thought she was rude and didn't give Echo a chance. I loved Echo and Noah's story, it was gut wrenching and real. Much like Dare You To is.
Reading Beth's story has opened my eyes and I feel I may have judged her too harshly while reading Pushing the Limits. I was able to look inside a misunderstood and broken girl's mind and heart and see so much pain. There is more to Beth than what she chooses to show the world. I love that about a character, especially one as complex as Beth.
"I am not kittens and bunnies, but I am not that bad." -Beth
At the beginning of the story we meet Ryan. I know what you are thinking, who in the hell is Ryan!? Well my lovely friends, Ryan is the main man in this story and as perfect as he may seem, he is as deeply flawed as Beth is. He and his friends are known for the ultimate dares and Ryan being the ultimate competitor, never backs down from a challenge. In walks Beth, his latest challenge.
Poor guy, he never stood a chance.
"When you kiss guys, do they drop dead from the venom that spews out of your mouth?"- Ryan
Cue next scene
This is where the story starts to turn around. Beth takes the fall for her mother in order to keep her from going to jail. In return, she has to go live with her Uncle Scott. And I say has to go because she has no choice since her long lost uncle now has custody over her.
As fate would have it, that is exactly where Ryan is located and the exact place that Beth needs to be.
Wow, my mind is still reeling from all the emotions I felt while reading Dare You To. I cried (alot), I laughed out loud, I felt our two beautiful main characters pain as if it were my own, and I fell in love. Don't shoot me...but I think I liked this more than Noah and Echo's story. Totally different storyline and everything. I just felt like I could relate more to this story.
Ryan...oh man, as I mentioned before he is flawed. His whole family is flawed but you would never know it from the outside looking in. His whole life is perfect in the eyes of Beth and she doesn't feel she is worthy enough for his love. He is so beautiful inside and out. Just a full on package, brains, beauty, and he is athletic. He plays baseball! I love baseball, so I definitely love him and can relate to him as a pitcher. Since I was one also, but for softball:)
"You're falling for me like I am falling for you. That's why you are pushing me so hard."- Ryan
The romance was my favorite kind. It was definitely not love at first sight and they were able to grow into loving each other. Ryan and Beth took a chance on each other by trusting one another and letting down their walls. That is what falling in love is all about. It isn't easy, but it's worth it. Dare You To proves that.
You are probably wondering about Noah, Echo, and Isaiah. Good news is we do get to see them! Bad news is, it may not be as much as you want. Surprisingly, I was okay with this. I liked getting to know Ryan and his friends, I even liked the interactions with Scott.
Katie McGarry has done it again. I will read anything by this lady! The characters she has created have been embedded into my heart and I will not be letting them go anytime soon.
Thank you to Harlequin & NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book.
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