For some unknown reason, I didn’t read this as soon as I got it from NetGalley. Now reading it I am in awe of Katie McGarry. She is amazing in her writing style and her story. I am a changed person for reading her first novel, the intricate details of Echo and Noah in their mentality was so intimate and addictive, that I couldn’t put it down.Echo Emerson is not just a typical teenager, she has terrible baggage and only her closest friend and family knows her secret. The only problem is Echo herself doesn’t know what happened on that fateful night. Echo’s father knows and refuses to tell her, her therapist knows and refuses to tell her. They believe Echo is not ready to burden the truth and that her mind might CRACK, again. All she knows is that her arms are covered with horrible scars. Every day she has to cover them in order to not freak everybody out, they are that horrific. Each week Echo has to visit with a therapist to sort through her issues and help her remember gently. Noah Hutchins is a bad boy! Not the popular jock, not the intellectual nerd, just the bad boy everybody leaves alone. Noah was not always like this of course, he was that popular boy, but after a tragic loss, he is placed into foster care and has an altercation. So now he is the pot smoking, girl using bad boy.While Echo is coming out of her therapist, she sees Noah waiting to go in. This is the beginning of their connection. Both Noah and Echo try to help each other with their issues, in their own ways. Noah understands Echo, more than she understands herself. He knows her real story about the scars and has a deep need to help protect her from the horrible whispers and school mate’s snickers. Echo tries to become normal again in the school society and has been asked to help tutor Noah. Will this drive them crazy with attraction or turn them against each other?Can Echo and Noah overcome school society to be together? Can Echo remember what caused the awful scars? Will Noah become the boy he once was and graduate from school?This book is fantastic, complete with love, family, betrayal, and school society issues and deep down sorrow. I was crying along with Echo and gasping in horror; my heart was aching for Noah. I cannot find all the words I want to express on how much I loved this book. It is such an emotional roller coaster, but one that is a must read. Of course I cannot wait for Dare You To to be released next May.
