Dare to You by Katie McGarry

"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..." (Description from Goodreads.com)

Dare You To is the second book in a series with Pushing the Limits as the first. When Pushing the Limits first came out, New Adult was still in it's beginnings so branding a book NA was not really heard of. Either the book went in Fiction or Young Adult. This book series was placed in Young Adult since it dealt with teenagers and high school. However, since the NA brand has come along, this series would now fall within that. I feel this is due to the emotional journeys each of the kids take. Also, there is serious situations they deal with...drugs, family loss, drinking, and sex. Not that you get 50 Shades of descriptions. No, nothing like that but sex is referred to and talked about, in dept. 

Dare You To was such an emotional journey that I had to place the book down a couple of times to give myself a breather from the emotion is was stirring. I loved watching both Beth and Ryan grow and mature throughout the story. The story is told from both of their POVs giving you a real insight to the teenage mind. What's more important is that we learn that everything is not as it may seem from judging someone on the outside.

I will say that even at the end of the story I still had not so great feelings about Allison. I would have loved to see more resolution between Allison and Beth. Or, at least, understand Allison better. But that happens with any great story, you want more story, more background information and a sequel starring the characters you already met and fell in love with. I was happy to see Noah and Echo in the book, but again, wished for more.

Overall Dare You To is a story that feels very realistic bringing you through the characters emotional journey. I'm also happy to say that the second book in this series does not experience the second book slump that a lot of series tend to do. It's a strong book with great writing and vivid imagery. I'm looking forward to the third Crash Into You the third in the series which is out now. All of McGarry's books are available through B&N, Amazon and your local library!