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Take Me On
Take Me On
Take Me On
Audiobook12 hours

Take Me On

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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About this audiobook

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But that all changes when the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. West Young is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from: handsome, sexy, and full of attitude.


West is keeping a big secret from Haley. He hasn't told her who he really is, and helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption, especially since his family is falling apart and it's all his fault. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 23, 2014
ISBN9781494575571
Author

Katie McGarry

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

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Reviews for Take Me On

Rating: 4.211538473076923 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I wanted to read Take Me On because I have adored everything Katie has written and figured this would be no exception. I got this one from netgalley but not compensated besides free book, and doesn't effect how I review this book. In West and Haley's story, we hit the ground running, just as Haley almost does when West nearly hits her with his car. This fated meeting shapes the next parts of their lives, sometimes bringing up bad memories, and getting into pasts that they are trying to escape from. We get a peek at how Rachel is doing, get to see Isaiah by her side, we meet again with Abby too, and it makes me so happy. She is one of my favorite side characters and I am still rooting for her to get her own book so we get to know more of her life instead of the front she puts on. We got to see inside a bit with Rachel, but still I wanted more. Anywho. I love this world within our world that Katie McGarry has written. Her characters have such depth, and they are flawed. They have very real problems that has shaped how they view others, and how they go about life. I remember in Crash Into You, I had a lot of issues with Rachel's brothers, and surprise, West is a main character in this one, and I come to terms with what was going on in that handsome little head of his. He carries so much guilt for how he handled the money and even coming to a new view with her panic attacks, and the pressure they all put on her to keep their mom happy. With her so hurt and injured, he won't go and see her because he is convinced that she hates and blames him as well. West is a fighter, but the heart that is under there really got to me. The relationship with his dad broke my heart and I can see how that sort of shaping will also change how you would relate with your sister. But I adored the way he was with Haley from the beginning. How he respects women even if he shows it in strange ways, and he really did try to help, even when Haley was convinced that he was doing anything but helping when he kept interfering. They had so much chemistry that it lit up the pages and made me sigh. Their very touches effected the other so much. Which was kind of a miracle with how Haley shut herself down after her failure of a last relationship. She is wary of them too because of the naive choices she made that hurt her relationship with her family. Her brother Kaden and her cousin Jax are closest to her, and they lost some respect for her because she lied to protect them with how some things went down. And when West keeps getting thrown into her path, it is hard to admit that she is attracted to him. But they have a deeper connection to and more in common than either could have ever guessed, and some of that in common is things they wouldn't wish on their worst enemy. The ending was perfect for both of them. Not only do we get progression and updates from Isaiah, Rachel and Abby, but we get some closure for West and Haley. They both had a lot to learn about themselves, life and work to do in order to really make sure they are going after their dreams. It took a lot of life's beatings for them to finally see the light and really understand some of the things that others have been trying to pound into their head whether about their actions, their images, their pasts, or about love in general. We get to see that although they had to make hard choices, choices that aren't going to end any time soon, that they have such a hope, love and support from their friends and family. Family in this one was not pretty, but it was a continual theme. Adults screw up big time too, but unfortunately their mistakes also will extend to their families, and sometimes life just sucks and bad things happen. But our responses are what define us. That we still fight, that we are still living and not giving up can give more hope to others that we think. Haley is living in a messed up situation with her family, and they have to learn to stand up to the person putting a roof over their heads, because no matter what good is done, some things just can't be forgiven. West's family always had the money, but their mom was in such a tunnel vision depression from losing a daughter that too often she just didn't see the children still in front of her. But luckily both her and West's father have a lot of growth, and while there is still a long way to go with them, at least they try. These books are so addicting and readable. They deal with real life tough issues, and then throws heart stopping first kisses, chemistry and a huge dash of hope for the characters you come to love, they are irresistaI fly through them and don't want to stop or real life to interfere while I am getting caught up in their lives, their romances, and the story they have to tell. And by the way I am with Tanya and Glass we need more in this series. 6 and #7 need to be about Abby and Ethan! Feel free to tweet with us/me #morepushingthelimts Bottom Line: Another great one in the Push the Limits series getting a look at two new characters whose fates ran into each other.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Just like all of McGarry’s books, Take Me On, is a realistic story that tears at your heart strings. With adorable romance, engaging characters, and emotion, it was a quick read that all young adult contemporary fans will love!Opening Sentence: A DOOR SQUEAKS OPEN at the far end of the barren hallway and the clicking of high heels echoes off the row of metal post-office boxes.The Review:Haley is unlike most girls her age, for most of her life she spent all her extra time in a gym training to be a champion kickboxer. She loved everything about kickboxing and she was good at it, but then something devastating happens and Haley hasn’t stepped foot in a gym since. In the last year her life has turned upside down. First her father lost his job and eventually they lost their home, then things with her longtime boyfriend take a turn for the worst and Haley doesn’t know how to get things back on track. Then one night when she is walking home a group of guys jump her and the most unexpected boy comes to her rescue.Haley doesn’t know what to think of West Young, but when he accepts a mixed martial arts fight to help her out she knows she is going to get to know him a lot better. He has no idea what he has gotten himself into and if he is going to survive the fight Haley is going to have to once again return to the ring. She decides to train West, but they agree to keep things completely platonic between them. Soon they are spending all their extra time together and it doesn’t take long for things between them to heat up. They can only fight their attraction so long, but both of them have dark secrets that could tear them apart forever. Will they be able to overcome their fears and learn that love really is worth fighting for, or will their insecurities keep them apart?Haley was a very easy character to like even though she had a few frustrating moments. I loved that she was a female fighter, it instantly made me respect her for being willing to step out of the norm and be different. She is also a very passionate person that loves her family dearly. The last year has been rough for her but she has stayed strong for everyone even though the people she cares about most have really let her down. I really admire Haley’s inner strength, but at times it frustrated me when she kept everything in. Instead of accepting help from her family and friends she takes on everything by herself and I personally thought this aspect of her personality was overdone. She was a little too over protective and I would have liked to see her open up sooner. But with that being said, I still loved Haley and I am so happy I got to read her story.West was an adorable guy and I loved him. He comes from a very privileged family but he has always been the black sheep. He likes to do his own thing and he hasn’t always made the best decisions in life. His relationship with his father has always been rocky but recently it has gone from bad to worse. I can actually really relate to West because I had a similar relationship with my father growing up. I was very vocal about my opinion and suffice to say my mouth got me in a lot of trouble just like West. But underneath all that attitude he really does want his father’s approval, he just doesn’t know how to earn it. He is a passionate person that really cares about his family he just doesn’t go about showing it very well. I see a lot of myself in West’s character so that obviously helped me to build an instant connection with him, but he was also just an interesting character to read about.The relationship between West and Haley was done perfectly. It developed slowly and was full of great sexual tension. I loved the witty banter that they exchanged and they both always had a great comeback for everything. If you looked at the outward appearance these two, they were as opposite as you can get but they were actually very similar in many ways. They brought the best out in each other and they forced the other one to be their best. They had the type of relationship everyone should strive for and I loved them together.Take Me On was a beautiful story filled with emotion, romance, and drama! Like all of McGarry’s books, it was wonderfully written and covers tough issues that average people deal with in real life. I think that is one of my favorite things about this series, everything that happens to the characters is always realistic. I will admit that for me this story was less memorable then the previous books in the series but that has nothing to do with McGarry’s delivery, it was more that I didn’t connect as much with the issues that were presented. I honestly don’t know why, but I just didn’t find it as interesting as the problems she covered in the previous books. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy this story because I absolutely did, it was a quick read that was very enjoyable. I loved the characters and was excited to see some of my old favorite characters make appearances. I also really enjoyed meeting all the new people presented to the world and I am intrigued to see if any of them will get their own story in the future. As always, McGarry’s writing was phenomenal and to be honest I would gladly read anything she writes. I am a huge fan of this series and I am really looking forward to the next book in the series. While all of these books can easily be read as a stand-alone, I do suggest that to get the full effect you start from the beginning of the series, but if you don’t want to you can easily start with this one. I would highly recommend this series to anyone that loves emotional young adult contemporary stories.Notable Scene:I don’t give a shit if they play poker with the devil. They took me down. That doesn’t happen, and I won’t let that be the final say—especially since I’ll be spending the next four months in this hellhole.Haley clutches my arm as if I were about to waltz into a minefield. “No!”I lean into her—our heads less than an inch apart. The crazy ass bastard’s words echo in my head: I know where to find Haley. “Have they threatened you?”Her fingernails attempt to dig canyons into my arm.“There are things in my life you can’t understand, okay? I know you meant well on Friday, but to be honest, you screwed everything up, so I’m begging you to listen to me now. Stay away from them, stay away from me and, for the love of God, don’t mention Friday to anyone.”The warning bell rings. Haley releases me and runs up the stairs. What the hell?FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Take Me On. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    My Verdict: 4 ½ Stars

    Take Me On is the fourth book in the Pushing the Limits series by Katie McGarry.

    Take Me On starts roughly couple of months before the end of Crash Into You. Rachel’s brother, West Young, feels responsible for what happened to Rachel. His guilt makes him act out, and after one too many fights he is expelled from school. His father, tired of his antics, kicks him out of the house.
    West needs to prove himself and his father that he is not the screw up kid everybody thinks he is.
    He meets Haley after almost running her over with his car, a girl that intrigues him and to his luck goes to his new school in the bad side of town.
    Since the first encounter he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Haley, but she doesn’t want anything to do with him.
    Haley used to be a successful fighter, but after her last relationship ended badly she lost her passion for the sport and has sworn off of dating another fighter. Even though West is not professional, that’s exactly what he is, a no-no in Haley’s new book of rules.
    West knows Haley’s ex-boyfriend, Matt, is bad news and to protect her he accepts a challenge to a fight. The only problem is Matt is a professional fighter and West isn’t.
    Haley knows West accepted the challenge to protect her and even though she left the sport behind she knows West needs her help to survive the fight. Leaving her promises to herself behind, she starts to train West.
    West is falling hard for Haley and she for him, but to be together they need to be honest about their pasts. The only problem is the secrets they have been keeping can unite them or tear them apart.

    Thanks to Crash Into You (book 3), when I started this book I had a not too favorable image of West, but as always, one thing is what you see from the outside, another very different when you are in the head of the character and you see the reasoning behind his actions, and that’s exactly what happened with West in this book.
    Despite being rich and have everything in life, West has always feel as a failure and an undesired. Hearing since early ages that he was conceive to save his older sister whom was dying of cancer and knowing he wasn’t a match and she died hasn’t been easy. Having a grieving mother and an absent father hasn’t helped to reassure him, and now, after what happened to Rachel, his guilt and feeling of unworthiness has reached its limits.
    West knows he needs to do something for himself and being homeless is just the push he needed.
    I really liked that West saw his situation as an opportunity to be better instead of feeling sorry for himself and wallowing in despair. I liked that he knew what he wanted and work hard to achieve it, whether it be being with Haley or becoming a responsible adult.

    My heart broke for Haley. She has had a terrible last year. After his father lost his job, they lost their house; circumstances took them to live with her uncle, an abusive bastard that used every opportunity to break her and her family’s spirit. The hardest part was they couldn’t do anything but take everything he threw at them because they were living under his roof and didn’t have another place to go.
    If that wasn’t enough, Haley ex-boyfriend is dangerous and has her living in fear, not only for her safety, but that of her family.

    Teen’s years are hard enough, I can’t imagine going through that with all those other conflicts that Haley had in her life. That is one of the things about Mrs. McGarry’s books. She gives us crude realities that makes us being grateful for what we have and open our eyes to the realities of life. I can’t imagine how many people are going through circumstances similar to Haley’s life. Fighting day after day to stay afloat and hoping for an opportunity in their conflicted lives for a chance to a better future.

    West and Haley’s relationship develops slowly. West is constant in what he wants, but Haley is afraid. They need time to grow together and to realize they are stronger together than apart. Haley makes West a better man and West gives Haley the security and tenderness she so much needs.

    In this installment we also see Rachel and Isaiah, but this time we see them through West’s eyes. We also see West warming up towards Isaiah and some part of Rachel’s recovery.

    One character that plays an important role is Isaiah’s friend, Abby. Abby is a very interesting character to say the least. I really hope next book is her book. If somebody deserves some love is that girl.

    Take Me On also delves into the fighting world and it was pretty obvious Mrs. McGarry did her job. Her knowledge of the sport is clearly seen when she brings it to live with her words.

    Take Me On has everything I expect a McGarry book to have. Conflicted, tortured and compelling characters, top notch writing, engaging story and many heart-wrenching moments.

    Take Me On is a book I recommend you all to read, and even though is catalogued as YA, I wouldn’t recommend it to very young readers due to its mild sexual content.

    I’m looking forward to next book in this series, and I as I say before I’m hoping it’ll be Abby’s story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    You ever finish a book and realize that, on one hand, you really need to get your thoughts down on paper right away before you explode, but at the same time you feel like you need to collect your thoughts because you are so emotional? That is kind of how I feel right now.

    I have read every book in this series thanks to Netgalley and the publisher. I have loved every book in this series. But this one was, by far, the biggest roller coaster right yet.

    I really do not know how she does it. The author of this series continuously seems to capture the hardest realities that could exist for a teenager and finds ways to make them beautiful. I am absolutely in awe.

    West and Haley meet under the worst possible circumstances and their story is one of strife and turmoil and struggle, and yet they endure and they survive.

    Throughout this series, I have seen circumstances and situations that are so unbelievably real. The realization that there are teens that really live through things like that is heartbreaking and emotional and it shredded me to my core. And I loved every minute of it.

    In this and the other books, the characters are real and human. They are the types of characters that people can connect to. For some, reading through this book will make them face their own demons. For others, it will remind them that no matter how bad you think it is, there is always someone else who has a worse situation. For still others, it will seem unreal, unimaginable, and nothing more than the work of a gifted story teller. For me, it is all of the above. I feel like for having read this book, I am more in touch with the harsh realities of the world in which we live. I am a better person for it.

    Thank you, Katie McGarry, for writing books that make me think, make me face reality, and make me strive to create a better world for my children. I will be forever changed.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Katie McGarry has written another intense coming of age story in TAKE ME ON. Haley Williams's life has imploded. Her father lost his job, their house was foreclosed on, and, after spending a short time in a homeless shelter, her family is now living with her father's brother and his family. Haley's uncle is one of those verbally abusive types who also delights in setting arbitrary and inconsistent rules. Haley is constantly fighting herself to keep from defying him which could lead to her family being homeless again. In addition, Haley is dealing with an abusive ex-boyfriend who is a MMA fighter and who is threatening her brother and cousin. Haley used to be a nationally ranked kickboxer but her boyfriend's abuse has ruined her confidence in herself and her love for the sport of kickboxing. West Young isn't having a very good year either. His feels massive guilt for the car accident that injured his sister Rachel. He is also constantly at odds with his father. West is the impulsive act first, think later type of guy. He is also the pot smoking, party boy kind of guy. His good looks and wealthy background make him a chick magnet and he doesn't turn them away. He is also a fighter who is quick to defend any insult with his fists. He has currently been expelled from his private school for fighting. Haley and West meet when Haley is being attacked by her boyfriend's drug using younger brother. West fights but it is Haley who saves them both. Of course, that makes both West and Haley a target for the ex-boyfriend. Haley agrees to train West so that he can fight with the ex despite her fear of having anything to do with the fighting world again.Despite Haley's determination not to get involved with another fighter, West works his way into her heart. And, for West, Haley's courage makes him fall for her too. A common theme is McGarry's books is that love heals, love strengthens, and love empowers. Life situations may still be awful but love gives the strength to get through them. I enjoyed this story very much. I liked the chance to revisit some favorite characters from earlier stories especially Abby who really needs a book of her own.