Compelling YA series

Dare you to
by Katie McGarry
Harlequin, May 2013

I would have said that I don't "do" YA fiction that develops through flawed characters and dysfunctional families. Yes, I like my fiction entertaining and peaceful.

But McGarry's new series (book 1, Pushing the limits, this book 2, and coming soon, book 3, Crash into you) is changing all that. Abiding love, strong and faithful relationships and support -- I'll try dysfunctional, and love it!

What's different about this book
Beth is a flawed heroine, the victim of believing herself to be responsible for the adult in her family. She learns to love herself; she also comes to believe that others can love her as well. The development of Beth's character from the first book through this one is compelling and heart-warming. Somebody loves her and she comes to believe "happy" is possible.

Cover art to the contrary, the books in this series treat teen sexual relationships with respect, and promiscuity is not idealized. Strong values and high ethical standards prevail. Gotta love that. (I will quickly admit that the cover designs for the first two books in the series both hooked me in -- and made me cautious. But we do judge a book by its cover, and the writing inside justified the high expectations of the cover.)

What I'll do now that I've read it
I began by immediately putting this book on my pre-order list for my school libraries. I have also book-talked it three times in the last 20 hours (since I finished it). My only regret is that I don't have 5 print copies to immediately hand to my avid YA romance / real life readers.

 I will also fight those fellow readers to be the first to read the new releases:  I love the way one books completes the story of the previous title in the series by having those same characters show up again, in their resolved situations, to inform the following story. Great stuff.

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