Take Me On by Katie McGarry

July 28th, 2014 Kimberly Review 87 Comments

28th Jul
Take Me On by Katie McGarry
Take Me On
by Katie McGarry
Series: Pushing the Limits #4
Purchase*: Amazon *affiliate
Goodreads
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne StarHalf a Star

Bonus novella included: Crossing the Line.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.

I positively adore the Pushing the Limits series. Katie McGarry brings her characters to life and makes you feel. I was excited to get West’s story in Take Me On and once again McGarry delivered and I found myself wrapped up in West and Haley’s story.

Five reasons to grab a coffee to go and read Take Me On:

1. Take Me On  at its heart is a romance but it offers so much more. We see character growth, friendship, trust and forgiveness.

2. West. I have wanted West’s story from the beginning and I loved getting to know this troubled young man. He has traits to admire and his personal suffering is brought to the surface and exposed. I loved his integrity and the growth we see in him.

3. Haley. Haley had been at the top and crashed to the bottom. Her relentless love for her family and need to protect them and putting them first was so noble, but her sacrifices were great. I loved seeing her bloom, accept, let go and grow.

4. A sizzling attraction with all the feels as  McGarry slowly allows this romance to develop. Sure, we felt some insta-attraction and feelings but she gave the romance depth allowing the reader to believe.

5. Mixed Martial Arts, a conflict, a villain and little side stories about the families, and other characters made for a well-rounded story that kept me fully engaged and invested.

Take Me On was all that I hoped for with fleshed out characters and depth. If you have not tried the Pushing the Limit series, all I can say is go, go forth and grab them, read them, hug them and let them into your heart.

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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram

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87 Responses to “Take Me On by Katie McGarry”

  1. Laura Plus Books

    Wow! This sounds so amazing! I bought this one awhile ago and I still can’t believe I haven’t picked it up. It’s one of my favourite series ever so I need to get on it. So glad you liked it! Lovely review as always. 😀

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Enjoy Laura, I look forward to hearing your thoughts. It is hard keeping up with all the different series we love 🙂

  3. Ellen

    Great review! I’ve got this one to read also, but haven’t had time yet. I am excited to start it now.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I have a list of books/series like that Ellen. Enjoy it when you can

  4. Whitney

    I’ve enjoyed all your reviews for the Pushing the Limits series and really need to read them myself. I think the word romance has been has been holding me back as it is not a genre I usually read.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I go through phasing like that. The romance is central to these stories but we get more depth here.

  5. Lisa

    I really need to get caught up with this series. I was in the middle of Crash Into You and had to put it down, and for some reason I just haven’t finished it yet. I’m thinking of getting the audio for both that one and this one since the wait to read them is torture! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this one, Kim! Great review!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      The audio versions might be fun..either way you need to catch up Lisa 🙂

  6. Trish

    I loved this one just as much as you did. Such great characters and the martial arts setting was awesome.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Sweet, I am glad you enjoyed it too Trish 🙂

  7. Berls

    I just one Pushing Limits a couple weeks ago and I’m really excited to finally read this series. I’m glad to see that it’s still going strong this far in 🙂

  8. Ariel T

    I really need to read this! I haven’t read Dare You To either, but I loved Pushing the Limits and Crash Into You. Katie McGarry is awesome.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Enjoy Ariel..I look forward to hearing what you think!

  9. Maja (The Nocturnal Library)

    I can easily live with insta-attraction, it’s the instalove that drives me nuts. McGarry’s books never quite work for me, there’s always something missing, but I always hope that the next one will be different. Perhaps this one really will.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I remember you had issues. To me youth is all about insta-love and so I can handle it there…it feels like forever love but doesn’t necessarily mean that it is. I think in adult books it is more like insta-attraction and either it develops or burns out.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      It will be interesting to see what you think Anna.

  11. Paij Slater

    I have the first book on my TBR pile. I haven’t had a chance to read it 🙁 I hope I will soon….but I hope I could get to all of my books soon :). I am so glad you liked it!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Ooo I look forward to seeing your thoughts on Pushing when you finally read it Paij

  12. Tressa

    I have this ARC and have been meaning to get to it. I loved the first book in this series, but didn’t love the others. I’m hoping I’ll like this one.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      That happens, I think the first was the best of the series but I enjoyed the rest.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Anytime Angela. Do you have another book coming out soon?

      • Angela Adams

        I’m still working on the next novel…I write v-e-r-y slow. Thank you so much for asking. I’m grateful for your interest.

  15. Jenea

    I love this series and can’t wait to read more of it. Especially this one. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it so much.

  17. Melissa (Books and Things)

    You don’t have to convince me that I need to read this one. I was just bummed I couldn’t find it for review. Looks like I will have to either buy it or library book it. 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this one and so it makes me look forward to it even more.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Would you believe they sent it to me the day of release and of course I had already bought it

  19. Loupe Duffy

    You know, I’ve been so close so many times to buying the first book and this series, but always something else got on its way. Well, after this review that’s not going to happen anymore!
    Thank you Kimba 🙂

  20. Quinn

    I love Katie McGarry’s pushing the limits series, too, although Take Me On was my least favorite. I’m not sure what exactly I didn’t love, but I just wasn’t feeling this one. I guess I just wasn’t able to connect to the characters as much. But, again, I did like it. Just not as much as her others.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      My fav was Pushing the Limit, but I did enjoy this one.

  21. Gabby

    I had a lot of fun reading the first Pushing the Limits book as well as loving the second one, I am so excited to read further into this series, really glad you liked reading this one soo much, got me even more excited to read them now 🙂

  22. Heidi

    I need to set aside a weekend and binge read this series, Ive only read the first but I have copies of all the others… what is wrong with me for shelving this series?

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Oh Heidi, I feel you. I have quite a few trilogies and series I need to finish up..only I bought the books..LOL

  23. Sophia

    I’m a little hesitant on reading the series – I mean, Contemporary + Sophia = It will either go pretty well… or it’ll go COMPLETELY down the toilet.

    I do like the synopsis for Take Me On though… think I can skip around in the series, lol? :p (I only do that if the series has different main characters in each book. I guess that’s a stand alone series)

    • kimbacaffeinate

      All I can tell you Sophia, is that I do not like contemporary YA, the characters make me nuts and I cannot identify with them…I won book one and read it just to see what the fuss was all about..and a love affair began. Aside from Sea of Tranquility, and Hoover if you classify her as YA..I think she is more NA these are the only contemps I read in this age group. .

      • Sophia

        To be honest, I’m curious about the fuss is all about as well. Hopefully Pushing the Limits will land on my good side. 🙂

        I might try it out though… whenever I have time. Currently I’m all homework packed. Well, not really. I do have 2 lovely essays to edit and murder of my own accord… and Trig.

  24. Candace

    I read and enjoyed the first book but have been really bad about reading the rest. I even have a copy of this (unbound manuscript- so not fun to read). I’m glad that you loved it!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Oh I hate those type of arcs, the print is too small and holding them..forgetaboutit!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I have a few series I feel that way about, I hope you get to read them 🙂

  26. Tanja

    I totally agree with all 5 points there! McGarry really knows how to get me and I’m yet to be disappointed by her work (hopefully it’ll never happen). I’m so glad you enjoyed this one. Great review, Kim 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Sweet, looks like I scored than! Thanks Tanja 🙂

  27. Carrie

    I read the first book and loved it. I have all the others and have never read them yet. I don’t know what the hold up is but I’m obviously missing the boat. Everyone one of them are getting good ratings.

    Great review!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I have done that too Carrie, enjoy them when you can!

  28. kim { Book Swoon }

    This series sounds like one I would love, I’m not sure why I haven’t read any yet. Do you recommend starting with book one – Pushing the Limits? Thanks for the wonderful review – those five reason are hard to resist 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Yes Kim I would, although they work as standalone, we meet the characters along the way and I would say it impacts our perspective of them. I typically don’t read YA contemporaries, but I won book one and the ride has been fantastic.

  30. Lily

    Ah i’m so excited for this one (no, I haven’t read it yet I bought a copy that’s somewhere in my room) i love all of Katie’s books so i’m super excjted for this one, especially since i’m really interested in West’s story since he was introduced in the past book. Lovely review Kimba 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Lily I buy tons of books on release day and they sit for a month, year..Forever! I bought this one, and than the publisher sent me an arc, so I bumped it up.

  31. Michelle

    oh my gosh, I am legitimately embarrassed to admit that I have not read the pushing the limits series yet. What is wrong with me Kimba??! I got the first book on kindle for .31 cents! and I still haven’t read it. I am ashamed.

    But this seems like another great book by this author.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I have felt that way about other series that everyone is reading.. I will say that you will probably kick yourself by the time you finish reading Pushing the Limits!

  32. Katherine

    I’ve seen great things about this series. I like the MMA link. That’s definitely unique. I’ll have to give this series a try! Seriously I need to do nothing but read and watch TV for a solid year and then I maybe slightly caught up with everything I want to read and watch!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      :snort: We will never catch up, probably because we keep adding more!

  33. Carmel

    I hate it when an author makes you wait for a favourite character’s story, but it sounds like West was worth the delay. Can these books be read as standalones, or would I be better off starting with Pushing the Limits? Considering how much you love this series, I’m pretty sure that I already know what your answer is going to be! 😉

    • kimbacaffeinate

      They will work as a standalone..but book one was my favorite to date.

      • Tyler H Jolley

        That’s really good to know! It takes such talent to write a series that has books that could still work as a standalone.

  34. Mary

    She just writes the hell out of YA romance, doesn’t she? I have this one on my shelf and really need to read it, especially since I’ve loved the others…

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Agreed and I don’t really ever care for YA contemps, but she is one I am glad I tried!

  35. Nick

    Yay! I’m so glad you loved this one as much as I did, Kim! I think this might be my favorite by Katie McGarry. I loved Hayley and West individually, but when they were together? WOW is all! 🙂 McGarry definitely knows how to write couples with tons of chemistry.
    Lovely review, Kim! 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Yes I liked them together too, and not too much drama..thank you!

  36. Melliane

    It’s nice to see that the books are still that good! I really need to try them one day but now many books to read in the series, yes because 4 is many lol. thanks for the review!

  38. Teddyree

    Love this series, Haley & West … heart-melt-y good. Hope we get Abby’s story sometime soon.

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I adore Abby and like you cannot wait for her story!

  39. Bieke

    Katie is an awesome author and I heard this one was very hard to write for her. I have a lot of respect for her. =) Loved this book and this series!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      You wouldn’t know she struggled with it Bieke!

  40. Red Iza

    I didn’t know of this series until I saw everybody buying this book a few months ago, your review makes me want to read it, just put book #1 on my list !

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Enjoy, it is one of the few YA contemporaries I have thoroughly enjoyed!

  41. kindlemom1

    I meant to start this series this summer and of course just haven’t gotten around to it. I am so happy to see that this series is still going strong after all these books!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Prepare to kick yourself when you do. I read review after review of Pushing the Limits and thought YA contemporary so not for me, than I won it and holy cow..it has been a love affair ever since..LOL

  42. Siiri

    Me toooo!!! I love this series so hard. I need some trust and forgiveness in West’s life. I don’t know if and how I can forgive him, but we’ll see. Eeep! Haley soundsd like a winner 🙂 And McGarry always gives depth to romances. Can’t wait to tackle this 🙂

    Siiri @ Little Pieces of Imagination