Thursday, December 5, 2013

Crash Into You by Katie McGarry (Pushing the Limits book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read the first two books in the series, Pushing the Limits and Dare You To, Stop! This book is about Isaiah and his back story is told on the previous two books. Noah and Echo have minor roles and Beth is mentioned.


Rachel Young is the youngest child in her family. She has four older brothers, including her twin Ethan. She is actually the replacement daughter for her parents since her older sister Colleen died from leukemia as a young child. She suffers from panic attacks and has kept the fact she still has them a secret from her parents. Two years ago they were so bad that she had to be hospitalized a couple of times. At their annual charity fundraiser to honor Colleen, Rachel volunteered to speak on behalf of her family. After a pep talk from her brothers that involve beating up any guy who should happen to look at her, they guide her back towards the ballroom. Only she doesn't make it. Ethan drags her into the women's room to let her get sick and cover for her with their older brothers. He promises her that if she can get through the few words she must speak publicly, he will cover for her the rest of the night. That way she can go do the one thing she truly loves, racing her Mustang GT. Heading outside of Louisville, she runs into two guys putting gas into their Corvette. They ask her if she wants to race with them and she notices that they attended the same private school that she does. She asks if they know a West Young and they ask if she parties with him. No, he's my brother. Realizing who she is, they value their lives too much to get involved with her. Besides, isn't she sickly. No but she will tell West about tonight if they don't take her racing.

Isaiah Walker has five months until he graduates from high school and the foster care system, but he is at the worse place in his life. After ten years in jail, his mother has waited over a year before contacting him and he resents her for it. He has moved into an apartment with Noah because he couldn't live with Beth's aunt after Beth rejected him. Now Noah is feeling the financial pinch and wants to accept the state's offer to pay for his college education. Isaiah fears he will have no place to go. He tells Noah that he can come up with the money they need. With the local race track closed for the holidays, Isaiah takes a chance and goes looking for some work as a drag racer. After talking with Eric, the boss man of the streets, they just about have a deal brokered when two guys in a Corvette and what can only be described as an angel in a Mustang come looking for a race. It's easy to tell that these snotty rich kids have no idea what they are getting into. Isaiah checks out her car for Eric and he is impressed that the girl knows her stuff. Eric jokes that he needs to forget Beth and hook up with this girl. Isaiah is horrified when the girl is determined to race because she has no idea what she is getting into. When Eric asks for a bet, the girl has only twenty bucks in her pocket and the boys say nothing. Before Eric can answer, Isaiah takes her up on the bet. Eric is not happy to be losing easy money, but Isaiah will race for him again and a lower commission.

Alarmed by Eric, Rachel wars with herself that she has gotten into deep. Even though Isaiah should scare her, she finds him strangely appealing. He tells her that when the race is over, she needs to head home immediately. What if she wins, Isaiah says that she won't. They line their respective Mustangs up at the starting line. What Rachel doesn't have is the reaction time to start the race and she kills the engine on the start line. Isaiah has easily won the race and waits for Rachel to make it to the finish line. What neither one is expecting is for the cops to show up. Isaiah knows it will be hard to collect his money from Wes after the fact and gets ready to leave. Rachel begins to have signs of another panic attack and begs Isaiah to help her escape. Against his better judgment, he cannot leave her behind. Racing through the tight back alleyways, it isn't long before Isaiah shreds a tire. He gives Rachel directions on how to get out and try and avoid the cops. Instead of being terrified, Isaiah gives Rachel a sense of calm. She asks him to drive her car. He tells her that he won't rat her out. She tells him that she cannot just leave him behind. Knowing that going with her is wrong; Isaiah tells Rachel that he is driving.

Before too long, Isaiah pulls her car into the garage where he works to hide it. They continue down the street until they come to the seedy strip. Isaiah sees a cop coming by them and he pushed Rachel up against the wall and acts like he is making out with her. They go unnoticed. To prevent putting her into another situation like that, he takes her into a bar to lay low. They start chatting and begin to open up to each other. Soon a fight breaks out and Isaiah protects her but Rachel still gets splashed by beer. Knowing she cannot go home smelling of alcohol, Isaiah takes her back to his apartment to let her get cleaned up. Knowing that she is from the rich part of town, he is very self-conscious over his living situation. Rachel doesn't run off screaming and gets cleaned up. Soon, the attraction heats up between the two of them even through Isaiah knows he shouldn't. He asks her if it would be alright if he kissed her and then wants to know how many boyfriends she has had. Admitting that she has never been kissed and doesn't know how, Isaiah leans in and the sparks fly until Noah comes through the window and assumes Rachel is a one night stand. Isaiah is horrified and admits that he really likes her. He walks her back to her car.

After telling Rachel goodbye and getting her phone number, Isaiah is disheartened that they were overheard by Abby. She wants to know when he got over Beth. Then she tells him that Eric is interested in finding the two college guys from earlier since they talked with the cops but he especially wants to find Rachel and Isaiah is the only one seen with her. Turns out, Eric was robbed and the guys that brought Rachel to the race did it. Isaiah will lead Eric to Rachel so to protect her, Isaiah doesn't call her. One morning on her way into school, Eric finds Rachel alone in an isolated parking lot. He is threatening her and she is about to have a massive panic attack. Eric wants his money and Rachel is going to give it to him. Isaiah stands up for her to Eric and in the end, Eric will not back down. He either gets his five thousand dollars or he gets Rachel. He will not be made a fool. Isaiah agrees to take on her debt to keep her safe. But now it is his life on the line. If Eric doesn't have his money in six weeks, he will take Rachel's car and own Isaiah.

Will Isaiah be able to keep Rachel safe from Eric? Can Isaiah and Rachel get the money Eric is demanding? Will Rachel get passed the feeling that she the replacement for her dead sister? What secrets is Rachel keeping from her family? Why won’t Isaiah see his mother? What happens when Rachel's brothers find out about Isaiah? Can the rich girl and the poor boy from the system find a way to make it all work out in the end?

The next book in the series, Take Me On, is due out on May 27, 2014. This time the story will be about Rachel’s bad boy brother, West.

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