I read Pushing the Limits in 2015 and became an instant fan of McGarry's writing. It's no surprise, I was excited when she announced a new standalone. After reading the synopsis, I was literally counting the days to release date. I was lucky enough to land an early review copy and it was everything I had anticipated. Say You'll Remember Me is an emotional coming of age story, filled with forbidden romance, redemption, and learning to believe in yourself.

"Who am I if I'm not who I used to be?"

Told in dual points of view, Hendrix and Elle come from very different worlds but have an instant connection. Drix has just completed a tough rehabilitation and is adjusting to his new life as the poster child for the governor's new second chance program. The struggles Drix face are gut wrenching, and I admired how he continues to grow throughout the story. He has an intense connection with Elle, the governor's daughter, who is completely off limits. Elle is amazingly resilient and faces her owns battles. I appreciated her strength and willingness to fight for what she believes in. She and Drix have amazing chemistry, and I couldn't get enough of their slow burning connection.

She's a risk, and I can't afford to take risks anymore.

The unconditional love of family is one of the key elements of this story and it is excellently delivered. Drex's moments with his siblings, especially Axle melted my heart. Having worked eight years (and still volunteering) in the the juvenile justice field, this book is closer to my soul than most. McGarry does an outstanding job conveying Drix's plight. I wish there had been even more discussion about his program and the issues that lead him accept his fate so easily. Sadly, it is too prevalent in the juvenile court system. Kudos to McGarry for spotlighting this issue.

"The system doesn't work for people who are poor."

If you are a fan of contemporary YA, I recommend this one. It's authentic to the genre and represents everything YA should be. Say You'll Remember Me is filled with emotion, redemption, and the beauty of first love. I cannot wait for what is next from McGarry.

I don’t read many YA Romances anymore…partially because it’s difficult to connect with the characters and the teenage angst that overwhelms them and partly because I teach high school freshman and have a freshman son of my own, so separating my reality from my reading world can be trying and let’s just say, it frightens me to think about my son experiencing some of the things that YA characters do:/

BUT, if there is one author who I would gladly delve into the hearts and minds of teenage characters, it’s Katie McGarry. She’s an amazing storyteller because she allows her characters’ stories to play out at their own speed, making most of them slow burn kind of reads, which is actually what I would expect from this age group.

What I also love about McGarry’s stories is that she constructs characters who are anything but stereotypical. Her heroes and heroines are unique in their struggles, their life experiences, and the way they look at their lives and learn to traverse through the ups and downs that make up their journey. Her characters are also relatable and realistically portrayed…even readers who are so beyond removed from this particular age group can acknowledge the truth behind the characters’ representations and all that they must confront at an age where it’s impossible to truly understand the magnitude of their experiences.

Elle and Drix appear to come from two completely different worlds - Elle seems to have a ‘golden’ life, living in luxury and reaping the benefits of her father’s government position while Drix struggles in life, not only because of his conviction for a crime he didn’t commit but also due to how he is viewed as a blight on society. But appearances can be deceiving, so even though everyone around them believes that Elle and Drix have no business being together, the bond that they form and that continually grows is one that refuses to remain idle simply because of people’s biases and misjudgments, and while building a relationship is difficult for them due to outside circumstances and interferences, it’s clear that they’ll fight for what they have, especially because it provides them with a calming presence in the maelstrom of their lives.

Drix epitomizes the tortured hero, and rightly so, because he has had to endure much more than the ordinary teenage boy and now that he’s finished paying, albeit somewhat, for a crime he didn’t commit, he now must assimilate back into society, knowing how people judge the young man that he is and struggling to find his footing in a world that has already let him down. McGarry does a fantastic job of allowing readers to clearly see the demons and darkness he struggles with…there is so much self-doubt and fear that affects Drix’s psyche, but when he’s with a certain girl, the negative thoughts quiet and he feels a sense of peace, even if his connection with her would not be well received by society, especially her father.

Elle is a strong heroine who looks beyond people’s appearances in order to judge them on their actual worth, and while she takes a few missteps when it comes to her asserting herself and her beliefs to her parents, she refuses to be told how to live her life and her connection with Drix is a lifeline to being the girl…the person she wants to be despite her meddling mother and father.

I always get so caught up in the world and characters that Katie McGarry creates, and Say You’ll Remember Be followed that same pattern. I adored Elle and Drix’s story…it was heartwarming, heartbreaking, angsty, at times, emotionally overwhelming in all of the best ways. The secondary characters were a great fit for the story line and the chemistry between the hero and heroine resonated off of the pages of the story. I truly didn’t want the story to end because I was completely immersed into the lives of the characters and the development of not only their love story but of the people they aspired to be despite what they had to battle against to do so.

4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

I adore Katie McGarry’s books, so I was ecstatic when I got an e-arc of Say You’ll Remember Me. Once again, McGarry sets up her storytelling in my favorite setting, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and unleashes a romantic contemporary where two characters from different sides of the track have their lives intertwine.

I found Say You’ll Remember Me to be one of the more serious and darker books of McGarry’s. Told in two different points of view, Elle’s and Drix’s, we are introduced to the lives of a girl who is the daughter of a well-known politician and a boy with a struggling background with the law. Both characters are vibrantly written and their internal and external dialogue will suck you in. I love that these two main characters have a instant connection with each other and their friendship grows before a relationship blooms.

One of my favorite things about this book is that McGarry’s portrays the importance of family (traditional and non-traditional). While Drix’s parents are out of the picture, he relies highly on his older brother and younger sister. Although they don’t live in the best part of town, their love for each other shines brighter than money. Elle also comes from a family of love, but her parents are happily married, and their expectations are high for Elle’s future and her living a “pristine” life. Through these two main characters and their familial backgrounds, Say You’ll Remember Me stresses the importance of love, trust, and communication.

If you are fan of drama and romance, Say You’ll Remember Me is for you. I did find this story to be a bit too dark and angsty for me, mainly with the realistic portrayal of gun violence. A particular part of the ending broke my heart and was a major trigger for me, mainly because I am a dog owner/lover. But overall this story realistically portrays the eyeopening boundaries of social backgrounds and integrates a new dialogue into social status, poverty, traditional and non-traditional families, and teenage violence and incarceration.

*4 Stars*

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

This one took me a bit longer than normal for a Katie McGarry book to get into. It really ramped up for me towards the end, and I felt myself more invested at that point.

That being said though, this was a good book with a lot of hidden lessons. Drix and Elle were great characters, and the secondary characters, particularly Holiday, Axle and Marcus, were really cool too.

I found there were a lot of hidden lessons as we learned more about Drix and Elle and their lives. There is a lot of behind the scenes political nonsense for Elle, leaving her wondering who she really is, and if she can stand up to her parents and stand up for herself.

Drix is probably the more complicated one, and his life and lifestyle definitely highlight the unfortunate lives that some people are born into and how they find trouble being able to excel and the unfortunate situations they end up in. Obviously their own life choices play a part, and this determines who they are, but what they were born into certainly doesn't help matters.

This book is about saving lives, and being given chances, and making your own way. I liked they way that Drix and Elle worked as a couple and how, even from totally different worlds, they were so well fit for each other and understood each other in their own ways.

Would recommend.

With it’s enchanting forbidden romance and perfectly imperfect cast of teenage characters, Say You’ll Remember Me finds incredible balance between self discovery and wants of the heart. McGarry has always had the ability to flesh out and make vivid the painful miring of injustice with redeemable characters, and again manages to add another layer with this particular tale of two opposites attracting, the convict and the governor’s daughter.

Aside from the obvious angst involved with two characters from starkly different backgrounds, both Drix and Elle have a connection that transcends the physical nature of attraction and extends into their empty emotional wells. The boy of nothing and the girl of everything are intrinsically intertwined by the lack of unconditional love and support in their lives and find that safe place in one another. Most beguiling was the character of Drix; a young man with a heartbreaking upbringing and many harmful setbacks, but even with all odds stacked against him, his inner spirit was carved on these pages. I could feel the unjustness, the constant struggle to keep getting back up, and every step forward he had to fight tooth and nail for when the weight was, at most times, unbearable to push against, and my heart bled for this boy. The most evocative element of this story was him and how beautifully he was penned. But I would be remiss to not mention the quiet and hidden pain Elle suffered in her plush life, how it shaped her, and how greatly I felt for her too. I very much enjoyed delving into two very different worlds, ones so contrasting but producing the same unfortunate effect on these two teens, and watching them find solace in one another.

There are some books you read that excite and feed the butterflies in your stomach, and Say You’ll Remember Me was one of them. There aren’t words to explain how deeply I fell for their love story, how easily I became a part of it, and how beautifully it grew with every page turn. And though it was slow in some parts, it did not lessen the effect of this story and its characters. With an authentic depiction of the true angst of teenage self-discovery, it’s a story that can easily feel as if it’s yours.

I really liked the author vision of YA stories. Say You’ll Remember Me was no exception. Poignant and heartbreaking depicting the aspirations, deceptions of two young people, Hendrix and Ellison, two different lives, two different stories, two people who were not destined to meet. Two souls who wanted to break free but too tied up to do something.

When Hendrix and Ellison met, I had butterflies. Young love… le freaking sigh. Most people would think they might be too young to really knew what’s love looked like but when you read about them, you’d recognize it at first sight. Recognizing each other’s soul, attracted like a moth to a flame, by the way they could look into each other’s eyes.

This is not a happy story, mostly at the beginning. Hendrix was on the “wrong” side, when he had to struggle all his life, nonexistent parents, a life at times full of excesses until reaching rock bottom. After being convicted for a crime he didn’t commit, a chance to have a clean state might be the way to prove to himself that a new life, a better one for him and his family is coming.

The narrative was poignant with a heightened sensibility, about two broken souls trying to fight for what was right, to show that their actions matter, in spite of the weight of their family duties. In their way to make everyone happy they lost a part of themselves but together, they remained strong.

Reading about how they could heal and assembling all the pieces back together was incredibly beautiful, with that innocence corresponding to their age, bringing some lightness into his world of heavies, when they were more acting than living.

Their story captured my heart immensely. Rough, raw and scorching, just all the feels.

This book was amazing!! The romance was great, the characters were interesting, I loved the plot! Katie McGarrh just knows how to draw me in and get me invested in a story!

Unfortunately, I did not enjoy Say You'll Remember Me. I thought the story was fairly melodramatic so even though I liked most of the characters, I had a hard time enjoying the story. Also, there were some inconsistencies like Elle talking about all the hobbies she's given up including sports and "several instruments" but then she tells Drix she's never held an instrument after touching someone's baby grand as a child and being scolded for it.

I also questioning how "social media" exploded over a governor's daughter. As an active user of social media 1. I don't appreciate how this book demonized social media use, and 2. I have never seen the families of non-national level politicians trend. I just don't buy that paparazzi and gossip rags were that interested in them.

Still, I might have been okay with the book overall if it had not been for the horrible pet death at the end. I found it completely jarring and traumatic. For Drix and Elle to have gone through so much to save the dog early on in the book only to have him be shot was really emotionally manipulative, and it absolutely soured my feelings for the entire book. Absolutely not how you want a book that supposedly contains a "happily ever after" ending to end. I think once this book hits shelves, a lot of readers are going to be surprised in a bad way when they read that scene with Jeremy, Drix, and Thor.

Katie is very good at creating sympathetic and interesting characters, but I'm finding each subsequent book to be too similar to the last and again, extremely heavy with the melodrama. As much as I enjoyed her earlier works, I don't think I'll be reading any others until I see something new.

I will not be posting a review of Say You'll Remember Me on my blog.

What I love most about Katie McGarry’s books is that she is able to create characters that you may not only be able to see yourself in, but you can feel the emotions that they are feeling with the situations that they find themselves in. This story is no different with Drix and Elle. They meet by chance and neither one of them know or expect the impact that the other will have on their lives.

This is one of those ‘is the grass greener on the other side?’ kind of stories. Both Elle and Drix have had their issues growing up. Drix has had problems with the law while Elle has been forced into a world that she may not have chosen for herself, forced to give up dreams that doesn’t want to give up. With each other, they find strength and they learn that there is a fine line between what is right and wrong.

While McGarry writes about love in her stories, they aren’t always the centerpiece for them. In this story, I think that is the case. She writes about two young people finding their place in the world and how the world works. We have all had to have that day where we see that the world is not beautiful and wonderful and that the people that we love the most tend to be the ones that hurt us the most.
I love Drix in this story and how we see the transformation that he makes. We see that side of him that is going down the road to drugs and alcohol like his father and how a twist of fate can change everything. We see him start to stand up and fight for what he believes in and how his courage is able to give Elle the strength and courage to do the same thing. I love how McGarry can prove that one decision can shape and change the lives of those around them.

The ending is a hard one for me personally to get through and it’s just because I get too attached to characters. This book has a surprise in and it may make you cry (I know I sure did) but it didn’t make me like it any less.

Katie McGarry has struck again. Honestly, I have no idea how I survive her stories. Say You'll Remember Me was/is amazing. The story left me in tears and in awe.

Drix went to prison for a crime that he didn't commit. He entered into a program to help solve the school-to-prison pipeline and it saved his life. Now he's out and back with his family and he doesn't know who is anymore. I really enjoyed Drix's character. He's definitely unique and has a lot of baggage. He made a lot of mistakes and doesn't know who he is without being the person he was before prison and who he was in prison. I really felt like his story was so relatable in a way that surprised me. I felt every second of this story for Drix and what he was going through. I wanted society to be different for him and understood where he was coming from in knowing that it isn't.

Now let's talk about Elle. First off, Elle, I loved right off the bat. Elle wants her parent's approval and believes if she does everything they ask she'll stop disappointing them. Despite the fact that being out in the political limelight and having to change who she is and what she looks like she does it for her parents. I really felt for Elle and her story resonated so much with me. It was like Katie McGarry went into my childhood and plucked out those feelings of feeling like I needed to be perfect all the time for my family.

Elle and Drix's relationship was beyond adorable. I really felt like they had a realistic relationship. They went on dates and struggled with being ready for sex and hanging out with friends. It felt like a real teenage relationship. I feel that Katie McGarry always does very well in capturing those feelings and the experience of being a teenager. I love that both sides of the proverbial tracks have struggles that are no less demanding and difficult.

Say You'll Remember Me is perfect. A definite must-read for the year and every year. I re-read Katie's books at least once a year. Her story-telling is just amazing and I haven't found an author who has had such an amazing balance of everything I look for in a book as her.

As for the plot. Now I'm sure you've all read a story about a boy who falls in love with a girl who is too rich and whatever else to be with him. They end up together anyway and drama ensues, right? Well, let me just say that while I'm sure some of you have read a story or stories like this Katie McGarry really puts a fresh spin on this trope and makes it feel new and exciting. It feels like the first time I've read anything like this, and I haven't.

So if you haven't guessed I loved this book. Everything from the gorgeous cover to everything in between. The story is written to perfection. The pacing is great. Perfect amount of dialogue with description. The story feels new and fresh despite the possibly overused trope. Also, the story despite being set in a modern time still allowed me to escape. Not a lot of contemporary books do that for me so another reason for this book to get a win. Another thing, this books title totally reminds me of that Taylor Swift song and whenever I read the title I start humming it to myself. Am I alone in this? Going crazy? Possible. Anyway go pick up story. It's amazing and one of a kind.

*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*

Katie McGarry just writes easy reads. To simply put it, I enjoyed the story immensely. I wasn’t head over heels in love with the romance, it was your typical YA, cuteness overload relationship. But in terms of individual character growth and the storyline, I was in awe.

Many teens will connect with Elle who is plagued with uncertainty, limited freedoms, and a loss of who she is. I found her relatable, and sometimes it’s really hard to figure out what defines you when you have no room to breathe, let alone move. Drix is your usual redeemed YA bad boy…but let’s be honest who doesn’t love that?! What really blew me away was the growth of both of these characters over the story. They found themselves and in doing so found each other. Elle found her confidence and sense of self and Drix owned his passions and accepted himself.

The storyline was thick with deception, politics, and lies…and I was here for it! I didn’t know who to trust, the plot twist at the end had me in shock and then it hade on the verge of tears. Damn, Katie really threw out the one-two punch on my feels. Overall it was a refreshing read and Katie McGarry never fails to make each book her own brand of unique.

I have read a few Katie's books and all I can say is that she is good at taking you on that rollercoaster of emotion while ripping your heart out every once in a while.
This book was no different and whilst it is probably not my favourite Katie's book I have to say that I enjoyed it quite thoroughly.
As usual, this book has a dual point of view allowing you to deep even more in the story, to give the characters more dimension.
Elle- in a sense, she is in prison as well. While her is metaphorical and her bars are not made of steel but of gold she is restrained, stuck in a life, on a path she doesn’t want – her future is somehow stolen from her and she lost.
Hendrix- beware he is crush worthy and you might develop a new obsession you don’t need. He has been in jailed for a crime he didn’t commit – he has now the chance to start over and even if the bars are not there anymore he is still under control – still scared and somehow walking a fine line between what is and what could be.
Together? It’s all sparkle and tension…They can be themselves, for real and they develop this relationship despite every being against them – This was just heart wrenchingly beautiful to witness.
The story is really well written and develop nicely – It will take you in a rollercoaster of emotional you will cry, laugh, love, be mad, be frustrated…all in one. And even if the plot was not overly original, it still managed to take me by surprised a few times.

What I loved also are the side characters!! Hendrix’s brother and sister, his friends…They were all so well developed that you really got attached and related to them and I hope Katie decides to write stories about them. I would love to read a book about Axel – He was so awesome!

In conclusion: It is a very strong novel that I believe will please any Katie’s fans as well as Contemporary Romance novel lovers.
Stars 4/5

Say You'll Remember Me is definitely one of my top favourite books of this year! It was a beautiful heartwarming story that will leave you wanting more of the characters. The writing as always in Katie's books felt true and deal with what is happening today in our society. My emotions were all over the place with Elle and Drix that you will be smiling from ear to ear as well as some moments of sadness. Be sure to order this book immediately because you will most likely devour it like I did.

From the moment we meet Drix I was already smitten with him because of who is character is because he is not perfect and is trying to move on after a crime he didn't commit. I found him to be self-sacrificing and loyal to the ones he loved most and true to himself. In the beginning he was broken, alone and not himself. Until he meets Elle at the Midway.

The relationship from the start was simple flirting which was adorable to them getting to know the real them as they get to know each other while her dad (the Governor) is on tour before they go to vote. While they are from opposite worlds they immediately click. They are true to themselves when they are with each other and you feel the love and hurt within the pages. At times I felt like crying for both of them. Also really enjoyed that it was a slow-burn romance!

Katie McGarry is one author who knows how to pull heart-strings when it comes to books! I loved the writing immediately and hopefully there will be more to this book because I feel like Holiday and even his brother need their own book! Feel like a beautiful love story about friendship, and feeling redeemed go get this book because you will absolutely love it like I did!

Say You’ll Remember me is an empowering romantic read about true love and finding yourself.

This book is such a cute read. It’s not really a light one but it’s also not heavy. It tells the story of Elle and Drix, two teenagers with personal problems. Drix’s being the fact that he got sentenced for a crime he didn’t commit and Elle’s being the fact that she lives pleasing her parents and not being able to freely do what she loves. Elle and Drix fall for each other the second they meet, which I found really cute, because the book is so well written I actually enjoyed their insta-love. Their story is intense yet sweet, there were times when I got frustrates because I just wanted them to live happily ever after.

Hendrix (or Drix) stole my heart big time. He’s a reformed bad boy, he’s incredibly sweet and caring. I just wanted to hug him so tightly his broken seams glue back together, but sadly I couldn’t do that. Drix has gone through hell and back for something he didn’t commit and that just broke my heart so much because even though he was convicted, his innocence also brings consequences and even if it all turns out okay in the end, he was deprived of one whole year of his life when he was innocent and I will never get over that. (Yet he still managed to not be bitter and he still loves and cares, I love him so much).

As I said, this book is a very nice read. Perfect for someone who’s looking for an intense but sweet romance. I found the speed very nice and comfortable to read, I felt like things just flowed naturally and I really liked that. I definitely recommend this book! Drix is the sweetest and Elle was just made for him.

There is something about Katie McGarry's books that hooks you in on page one! I'm a huge fan of this author's work--I just love her writing style and her ability to share a beautiful story. And once again, Say You'll Remember Me is another fantastic read. I guarantee that you'll be invested in Elle and Drix's story. These characters maybe young, but they have been through so much and you want nothing more than a happily ever after for them.

When Drix takes the fall for a crime he did not commit, it changes his life forever. He's always had the support of his family and close friends, so when an opportunity for a new "second chance" program lands on Drix's feet, he takes it. He knows it will help him get back to his life, even though he's innocent. But he'd take the fall anytime for his family.

Elle is a young daughter of the Governor, she's lived her "perfect" life in the public eye. But the only thing she wants, is to live her life the way she wants. She's tired of being told how to look, how to dress and how to act. So when she meets Drix, she feels like she can be herself.

Drix wants nothing more than a friendship with Elle, but the more time they secretly spend together, the more they fall for each other. But Drix doesn't want his relationship with Elle effect getting his life back on track.

These to face an uphill battle--not just about their relationship, but also trying to find their own place in life. Say You'll Remember Me shows will take you through Drix and Elle's journey on growing up and standing up to what you believe in.

I liked Say You'll Remember Me and I know it's a book my students will enjoy.

When Drix is finally released from prision (doing time for a crime he did not commit) he begins a program called Second Chance which is meant to help teens turn their lives around and get back on the right path. It is there that Drix meets the governor's daughter, Elle, and an immediate connection is formed between the two unlikely pair.

Together Drix and Elle decide to find out the truth behind Drix's false conviction and find an unlikley ally in each other.

Book Review: 5 Million Stars

Say You’ll Remember Me is P E R F E C T I O N ! ! !

I really don’t have words to describe my love for this book. So I decided to share three short quotes that represents my most favorite aspects in this against-all-odds love story.

The writing is flawless

She was beautiful. She was poised. She was a cool breeze after a hot humid rain. She was that first ray of sunshine in the dark woods. She was the smell of honeysuckle in bloom. She was the first damn thing that made me forget who I am and what I’ve gotten myself into over the past year. That means she was out of my league.


The characters are realistic, lovely and amazing

“Elle is a force of nature and the smartest, most articulate and compassionate person I know. Beyond my family, she’s one of the few people who fought for my future, and she’s honestly the only person who truly fought for my innocence. Ellison Monroe saved my life.”


The romance is heartwarming

I gently kiss her lips one more time, then pull back. I don’t tell her I love her because my kiss said it all. She doesn’t say it back because the deep blue of her eyes tells me all I need to know.


The plotting is original and the ending is everything but I won’t share quotes about them because… SPOILERS!! But let me tell you this, I read Say You’ll Remember Me in 24 hours, I barely slept, or ate, or breath during that period of time: I found myself crying at 3am with the intensity of the story in the end but I didn’t care I was going to be a zombie the next day at work, because, seriously, the ending was EVERYTHING!!!

I willing you to go and read this book. If you love YA and even if you don’t, you’ll need to read this book. I assure you’ll love it as much as I do.

I was excited about reading SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME because of the chance to meet new characters and a new environment experience the trademarks of what I love about Katie McGarry's books. Friends as family and the lengths they will go to protect and support each other and all of the love that exists.

Through the characters Elle and Drix, SAY'LL YOU REMEMBER ME addresses the complexities of identity . Finding it. Understanding it. Claiming it. Drix and Elle are on different spectrums - Drix struggles with no longer recognizing who he is, who he is becoming or who he should be. And Elle knows who she wants to become, but is stunted by her parents, her cousin, and everyone around her who tells her who she is.

There were parts of SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME that left me saddened and stunned or infuriated. Specifically, how Elle's parents spoke to her and treated her, especially her mother, and how they were selfish and condescending and didn't really seem to understand their daughter at all. Elle just wanted to make them happy, to be perfect for them, but they couldn't see it.

I loved the friendship that grew between Elle and Drix as they began to get to know each other, understand each other, and protect each other. I love how the relationship doesn't depend on attraction and shows the depths of who they are. The attraction is there, but the substance is there too.

Favorite Quotes:

"Breathe. Focus. Find empathy within the situation. If all else fails, leave." - Drix on how to deal with his anger and aggression

"Maybe I'm drawn to you because I envy you. You know who you are. I want that. I want to know who I am, too." - Drix on how he sees Elle

I loved reading SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME. Fans of Katie McGarry's books will embrace this story and the characters, and I'm sure readers will be demand to know more about the other prominent characters - Axle, Holliday, Marcus, Dominic, and Kellen. I know I want more!

Say You’ll Remember Me is one of the most intense YA books I’ve read. And I’ve read plenty, including some of Katie McGarry’s books (if you haven’t read her Pushing the Limits series, you’re definitely missing out) but Drix’s story is absolutely amazing.
Drix has a second chance but he knows he needs to change his life, actually he’s realizing that maybe that’s not that hard because he knows he’s already different. During the year he lost, away from everyone he loves, he has changed. A lot. Still, he’s terrified of falling through the rabbit hole again, so he’s taking things slow.
Elle has an easy life. At least that’s what everyone thinks when they look at her social media and perfect pictures dressed in fancy dresses, smiling with her family and joining her father’s events while raising money to his campaign. But the truth is she’s not happy, no one really knows her or cares about what she thinks or feels except her cousin, and she’s struggling with her parents pressure and expectations.
Elle and Drix have an amazing connection and an insane chemistry. Even though they’re very much attracted to each other, Drix knows they can’t get involved: they’re too different, from two very different worlds, Elle is out of his league and she’s the governor’s daughter. But even though they have a mile long list of cons they seem to be inevitably thrown together all the time…
I loved Drix and Elle’s journey, there’s family drama, angst, self discovery, healing, second chances and twists that I didn’t see coming! It was so beautifully written, so emotional with such character growth that I couldn’t put my Kindle down (and I ugly cried at some moments), I really loved how their friendship started to grow and how they slowly fell in love not only with each other but also with the person they had the potential to become. They definitely brought the best in each other and that just made their story so much more. I’m also in love with Drix’s family, their moments together are not always perfect, but their loyalty and love for each other definitely shine through. Katie McGarry is my favorite YA author, she always tugs at my heartstrings and I love every second of it! Overall, an emotional story about self discovery, second chances, loyalty, love and family that will keep you captivated until the very last second and then you’ll be wishing there was more. Highly recommended and a must read! I won’t be missing Katie’s next book.