Pushing the Limits

In a novel brimming with dark memories, veiled secrets, and steamy moments, first-time author McGarry introduces two teenagers struggling to regain normalcy after their lives have been shattered by separate tragedies. When high school social worker Mrs. Collins asks Echo, a senior, to tutor Noah, she agrees, even though Noah has the reputation of being a “girl-using stoner boy.” Though the students initially clash, they discover they have something in common: both are desperate to look at their personal files, housed in Mrs. Collins’s office. Noah wants to locate his younger brothers, who were placed in a separate foster home, and Echo needs to know the truth about an incident—wiped from her memory—that left her arms badly scarred and led to a restraining order against her mother. As the teens hatch their plan, they begin to fall in love. This somewhat sensationalized “opposites attract” romance may dwell a little too long on Noah’s infatuation with Echo’s red hair and large breasts, but its suspenseful plot, dramatic conflicts, and tragic characters will keep readers engrossed. Ages 14–up. Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Aug.)