Review by Alex- Going Too Far

Going Too Far by Jennifer Echols

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won''t soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

I guess Going Too Far is considered a romantic comedy. I honestly didn't find it all that funny... but whatever. I tend to have a weird sense of humor. I much prefer the odd quirky humor compared to laugh out loud funny stuff. Oh well. It was a great romance, even though the humor wasn't very laughable to me.

I actually really enjoyed Going Too Far. It sounded really good, I heard good things about it from other reviewers, I was excited to read it. Instead of studying for exams... :P Oh well. Side note: SCHOOL'S DONE. thank god. I have officially gotten through half of my high school career.

Back to the book. I thought it would simply be a nice, lighthearted read. A read to distract me (a synonym for procrastinating) from school. But it was more than that. At first, it's a great light read, but towards the middle bit, it gets deeper. It's not just silly and trivial- but has quite a depth. The characters, both Meg and John, have pasts. Although the learning of their pasts was a bit abrupt. It's just kind of blurted out. But there is hinting and foreshadowing towards it, or backwards to it. Backshadowing? Whatever.

Meg and John really are cute together. Meg is caught by John trying to trespass on a bridge, and as punishment, she has to ride with him in the police car during spring break. Which means she misses her special school trip she's looking forwards to. Which means that Meg is not a happy camper at first with John. It's that love-hate relationship kind of- hate that turns into love. :) My favourite kind. There's a lot of teasing in their relationship, a lot of seeing how far each of them can push until the other cracks. It's really very entertaining and sweet.

I had a few problems with the book, but nothing really big. I thought at first that it was weird that Meg kept referring to herself as a girl with blue hair. How John, a policeman, would never date her, a girl with blue hair. She never thought of herself as a delinquent or a child, but a blue haired girl. She was somehow obsessed with it. I just blamed the writing at first, but it made sense after. Also, although now it's really preferences- John wasn't my kind of character. He wasn't dull per say, but he didn't have that outstanding personality( just as a character. He was written and incredibly wholesome) that I enjoy.

The book ends sweetly- maybe a little cheesy. But very adorable. The book changes to more lighthearted at the very end. It's very engaging, and I got completely pulled into Going Too Far. I couldn't put it down all morning until I finished it. It even made me shed some tears. Overall, it's a great book. It would make an awesome summer read- light but not super fluffy. It's substantial enough to feel like your summer reading is worthwhile. :)