Rowena’s review of Crossing the Line (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry.
Katie McGarry captivated readers with her “riveting, emotional”* Young Adult debut, Pushing the Limits. In this gripping novella, she tells the story of Lila and Lincoln, who discover that sometimes it’s worth crossing the line for love…
Lila McCormick, Echo’s best friend from Pushing the Limits, first met Lincoln Turner when tragedy struck both their lives. But she never expected their surprise encounter would lead to two years of exchanging letters—or that she’d fall for the boy she’s only seen once. Their relationship is a secret, but Lila feels closer to Lincoln than anyone else. Until she finds out that he lied to her about the one thing she depended on him for the most.
Hurting Lila is the last thing Lincoln wanted. For two years, her letters have been the only thing getting him through the day. Admitting his feelings would cross a line he’s never dared breach before. But Lincoln will do whatever it takes to fix his mistakes, earn Lila’s forgiveness—and finally win a chance to be with the girl he loves.
What a cute short story this turned out to be. If you’ve read Pushing the Limits, then you’ll remember Echo’s best friend Lila. She was the one that stood by her side when Echo needed her and she gets her story told in this book.
Lila and Lincoln have been writing letters to each other back and forth for the last two years. There isn’t a person who knows Lila, the way that Lincoln does and they fall in love with each other through their shared words and letters to each other. They make plans and when Lila finds out that Lincoln lied to her about something, everything she was preparing for comes crashing down on her and it pisses her off. She feels betrayed and she feels all alone again. Echo’s got Noah and Lila is happy for her but she misses her best friend. When Lincoln shows up at her place, wanting to explain and fix what’s broken between them…Lila doesn’t stand a chance.
I thought that McGarry did a fabulous job of bringing Lila and Lincoln’s relationship to life. Their shared letters, the talks they had when Lincoln gets to Lila’s house, getting Stephen and his friends back, all made for a wonderful story. The story may have been short but it didn’t feel rushed at all. I enjoyed seeing Lila again and getting to know her. I felt the same way for Lincoln. I thought he was a great hero and I also thought he was pretty much the perfect guy for Lila. They understood each other and they had chemistry.
I’ve enjoyed every book that I’ve read by McGarry and I’m looking forward to reading more. This book was another winner for me and I definitely recommend it.
Grade: 4.5 out of 5
This book is available from Harlequin Teen. You can purchase it here and here in e-format.
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