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Review

ABSOLUTELY, FREAKING AMAZING!!! I cannot gush enough about how much I loved this book.

It’s so tempting to rehash the whole story but I could never do it justice, and if I let my ranting get out of hand, I’d probably never stop, so I’m restraining myself here…

I loved Echo and I freaking LOVED Noah (seriously, where can I get one?). Echo is a good girl who was once popular and is now a recluse and the school ‘freak’ with scars up and down her arms, while Noah is a dope-smoking, man-whorish bad boy. Both have dealt with serious tragedy and have massive obstacles to overcome and both are struggling to find ‘normal’.

“The worst type of crying wasn’t the kind everyone could see–the wailing on street corners, the tearing at clothes. No, the worst kind happened when your soul wept and no matter what you did, there was no way to comfort it. A section withered and became a scar on the part of your soul that survived. For people like me and Echo, our souls contained more scar tissue than life.”

They are forced together because they share the same therapist, the amazing Mrs Collins (loved her too), and a friendship forms as they start to spend time together and they realise that they may be able to help each other out.

Told in both Echo and Noah’s POVs, we get to experience everything right along with them, and I loved watching their relationship slowly and naturally develop into something incredibly special. They are both completely open and honest with each other and there is no bullshit and no games. There are some gorgeously swoony moments but I loved that the relationship didn’t dissolve into something obsessive – yes, they were both completely supportive and were always there for each other, but they were also strong enough to stand on their own and deal with their own issues. And contrary to so many other YA love stories I’ve read, there’s so much more to both of these characters than just what’s happening between the two of them.

“If you’re scared, tell me. If you need to cry and scream, then do it. And you sure as hell don’t walk away from us because you think it would be better for me. Here’s the reality, Echo: I want to be by your side … I may not always understand, but damn, baby, I’ll try.”

Isaiah and Beth were amazing characters, and I loved that they and Noah had created a family for themselves (I can’t wait for Beth’s book!). Echo’s friends – love them or hate them (and I did) – were very real, and I loved the way that McGarry portrayed the high school politics, because it was an important part of Echo’s story. The first time that Echo walked into the cafeteria with her scars on display was such a huge moment, and I was so proud of her for doing it on her own. Although of course swoony Noah immediately got to his feet wanting to stand by her side to support her (even though they were broken up at the time) and that just made me weep like a little girl! . Their families also played a big part – Noah’s brothers were gorgeous, and Echo’s Dad and (ex-babysitter) Step-Mother were both really well written, and I loved the progression of the family dynamic here. And another shout out to Mrs Collins because she was awesome, and I loved the way she was there for Echo and Noah. These relationships were all pivotal to the story, and I loved the way that they all interplayed.

The writing is absolutely superb! There is some very serious subject matter in this story, and although some of it is shocking, it’s handled very well and in no way overwhelms the story. There are some dark and depressing moments, but there are also some very sweet and tender ones too, as well as brilliant banter, and scenes that will make you cheer – I may or may not be guilty of a fist-pump or two 🙂

“Her eyes met mine again. “So what does this mean for us?”
I lowered my forehead to hers. “It means you’re mine.”

“I gazed into her beautiful green eyes and her fear melted. A shy smile tugged at her lips and at my heart. Fuck me and the rest of the world, I was in love.”

Heart wrenching in places, I shed both happy and sad tears at several points in the story, but it was all worth it to watch Echo and Noah triumph and get their HEA. I finished this book grinning like an idiot and hugging my kindle in bliss.

Absolutely incredible – 6 shining stars.