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Going Too Far

by Jennifer Echols (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99 · rating details · 20,505 ratings · 1,327 reviews

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

...more

Paperback, 245 pages

Published March 17th 2009 by Pocket Books/MTV Books

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Jun 09, 2010 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, books-i-own, favorites

This was my first time reading Jennifer Echols, I’d seen her book around, but for some reason I never had the initiative to pick on up. Then I saw the cover and synopsis for Going Too Far and I just had to have it. I think originally I’d saw the title as Boy In Blue or something along those lines, but after reading the novel I think that the title, Going Too Far, fits it perfectly.

I was expecting to like this novel, I figured it would be good, what I hadn’t expected was how much I was going to l...more

57 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2012 Lissa added it

Shelves: kick-ass-heroine, love-this-boy, 2012

Also appears on Lissa Writes

I can't for the life of me come up with any good reason for why this book is 4 stars and not 5 stars. Normally five stars for me are rated for books that have a huge emotional impact or connection, or challenge me (or are just plain and simply awesome, or I read in my childhood and I'm totally nostalgic for). I didn't really have an emotional connection but this book did have an emotional impact on me, because I cried in one particular part near the climax. Still, if...more

13 likes · like · see review

Mar 07, 2009 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This book is clearly a romance. The whole story is about these two different people with their own individual baggage who come together and fall in love. As their relationship develops, you feel like you are on rollercoaster ride -- crazy highs and lows. Their relationship is very charged and, at times, explosive. The sexual tension between them is there from the very beginning and practically on every page there after. These are two people who are very physically attracted to each other but on...more This book is clearly a romance. The whole story is about these two different people with their own individual baggage who come together and fall in love. As their relationship develops, you feel like you are on rollercoaster ride -- crazy highs and lows. Their relationship is very charged and, at times, explosive. The sexual tension between them is there from the very beginning and practically on every page there after. These are two people who are very physically attracted to each other but on such different life trajectories that leaves them both confused about what was happening between them. They were asking of themselves whether it was worth pursuing, did it make it any sense, was there any substance beyond the flirting and attraction, could they let themselves be exposed and vulnerable to the other person...

While on the surface they seem to be so different, but as we get to know them, they appear to have a lot in common. For example, they are both very determined, strong, impulsive, defiant, and passionate. I see them in their future relationship as fighting often but having lots of make-up sex.

I had different reactions toward finding out the history underling their individual issues. I found Meg's reason for behaving the way she does compelling. She was at a very critical age, developmentally, when faced with her crisis. She had difficulty processing the meaning of it all and her parents weren't all that helpful. I can see why she started having panic attacks and had difficulty coming to terms with what was ahead for her life. I had more difficulty understanding John's backstory. It was harder for me to connect his bridge obsession with the events of 8 years ago when he was so young. It sort of makes sense but I just didn't feel it was enough to justify his current behavior, especially when what he did to Meg when she pushed him to edge...

There was no false advertising in the descriptions of this book. They really do push each other to the edge. Amazingly, this is what they each needed in order to move on from the chains of their past. It could have totally backfired but somehow they pulled through and were so much better for it. (less)

37 likes · like · see review

Aug 31, 2010 Greta is Erikasbuddy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Does anyone remember when my avi looked like this

description

That is called The Storyteller. It is a fountain that is in the heart of Five Points South in Birmingham.

This story tried to KILL IT!! Ugz!! ok... so, it wasn't the main focus but they talk about the fountain alot at the end of the book and keep referring to it as the DEVIL FOUNTAIN. Dear BOB! I wanted to scream. Only ignorants call it the Devil Fountain. Bahs. It's a statue of a ram man reading stories to his friends of nature. Not reading stori...more

24 likes · like · see review

Feb 20, 2012 Eunice rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, damn-gorgeous-males, favourites, kick-ass-heroines, realistic-fiction, ya-romance, young-adult, new-adult

4.5 stars

Would you believe me if I say I'd put off this book for quite a long time because I thought that a cop guy as the hero in a book is not cool? Well, now that I've read it I realized I was Totally. Freaking. Wrong! Because the whole time, I was swooning and crushing and gushing over John After. He absolutely took a place on my top book boyfriends! And yeah, so much for putting this off because, seriously, from all the books I've read of Jennifer Echols this is the one I so enjoyed the mos...more 4.5 stars

Would you believe me if I say I'd put off this book for quite a long time because I thought that a cop guy as the hero in a book is not cool? Well, now that I've read it I realized I was Totally. Freaking. Wrong! Because the whole time, I was swooning and crushing and gushing over John After. He absolutely took a place on my top book boyfriends! And yeah, so much for putting this off because, seriously, from all the books I've read of Jennifer Echols this is the one I so enjoyed the most!

It was my first time to encounter a really rebellious heroine and at first I didn't think I would be able to love her but again, I was wrong because I really did love Meg! Meg was a funny, smart, and witty character. I loved her sense of humor, her rebelliousness and being dangerous made her more an interesting character. Her story that caused her to have that kind of attitude was very compelling. It was a bit heart wrenching and through that I was able to understand her completely. John After on the other hand was her opposite. He was this one hot cop who was so disciplined and pretty strict in following rules. He had this weird obsession about the 'bridge' and staying in town. Turns out he had a really bad memory about it and thought that by doing what he's doing it will changed what had happened from the past.

I enjoyed those dialogue between the two of them which was really funny, cute and steamy! And whenever John blushes at something he said about Meg, awww, it was just like the cutest thing ever! Haha! But what I loved the most was how this two people met and was able to cure and change each other. It was great to see Meg and John growing and learning, caring and loving each other and eventually letting go of their past. The ending was very heart warming. It was touching and emotional and those few words Meg said was just so beautiful.

I would definitely recommend this. This is a touching, wonderful and fun read. Not overly emotional but will still tug strings from your heart. A very good realistic read. :))

This review is also posted at Book Overdose (less)

16 likes · like · see review

Jun 15, 2012 Jude rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, in-my-shelf

I’m going to say a few things before I start my review:

A long while a go I stopped reading. Not completely but, I was reading a book a week instead of a book a day, there were also books that were taking me three weeks to read!. I was blaming it all on school and thought that my blog and club where the ones consuming my time. I just realized that I was just missing the right book. I started the firsts chapters of this book and then I went to do other stuff and I simply couldn’t keep my mind off...more
I’m going to say a few things before I start my review:

A long while a go I stopped reading. Not completely but, I was reading a book a week instead of a book a day, there were also books that were taking me three weeks to read!. I was blaming it all on school and thought that my blog and club where the ones consuming my time. I just realized that I was just missing the right book. I started the firsts chapters of this book and then I went to do other stuff and I simply couldn’t keep my mind off from the story, it was all I could think of; but I really was busy that day so I had to leave it at that. Yesterday I went back to the book and yesterday I finished it. It had been so long since I felt that hunger for a book. So long since I had connected so deeply with a character even though we shared nothing in common ^^. So a Big Thank to everyone who insisted that I needed to read Going Too Far and for marking it as their favorites, If it weren’t for all those high ratings and reviews I would have never discovered Going Too Far, and would have never re-discovered my huge Love for Reading. Thank You :)

Now I’ll start my review:

Going Too Far is a story that circles around the relationship between Meg and John. John is a cop that follows the law strictly and never goes out of line, he takes care of everything and watched closely a haunted bridge, a bridge that holds all of his inner demons, to a point where he becomes one himself. And Meg, whom is determined to cross all the lines and break every boundary, if only to prove that she’s living and that she has lived; and also someone who runs and runs. She just wants to get away from everything.

At the beginning of the book Meg breaks some big rules and so Officer John takes control of the situation, punishing Meg by taking away her spring break and forcing her to spend it with him while he’s on duty. Naturally, she hates him. But through the course of her punishment Meg and John start to develop something. Something maybe close to Friendship? Or is it something more…?

And so with this thing going on, they start to push each other, further, further. John wanting Meg inside the lines and Meg wanting to push John outside them. Who wins…?

Going Too Far is one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. What I most Love about it is that it’s not just the girl that has issues. That the guys isn’t 100% fine and it’s going to help her with everything. No, they both help each other out and I just think this is a wonderful book and a must read.

DON’T borrow it! BUY IT! Just BUY IT! I’m already re-reading it :)

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11 likes · like · see review

Jan 06, 2013 Nichole rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Idiots

Oh, ho, ho. Brace yourselves, I'm about to write the meanest, most drawn out negative review I've written to date. Be warned though, this review will have cursing. Lots of it, I suspect.

When I read the blurb for Going Too Far I knew I had to read it. Young girl keeps getting in trouble and the cop who's determined to show her the consequences of her actions ends up falling for her? Hell yeah, that sounds hot. And I'm not even the type of person who likes to read books that sound hot. But fuck it...more

22 likes · like · see review

Mar 15, 2009 Alea rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-for-review

This book was HOT! The chemistry and banter between Meg and John (Officer After) could keep me reading for probably a 1,000 pages. It was an absolute pleasure to read I couldn't get enough of it.

Echols writing style is just perfect to me, it's humorous and detailed and random, everything I love. She created a very likable character in Meg, someone who intentionally creates a somewhat shocking appearance (blue hair) and attitude to protect herself but little by little we learn more about Meg and...more

34 likes · like · see review

Nov 09, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews

Reviewed by Jennifer Rummel for TeensReadToo.com

Meg pushes limits.

Right before Spring Break, she and her friends are found trespassing on a dangerous railroad bridge, under the influence. They almost lose their lives.

As punishment, they must forgo their trip to Miami Beach and instead each spend a week riding with a trauma unit in an effort to teach them a lesson.

Meg must spend the week riding in a police car with the officer who brought her in. She's unnerved to find that not only is he a fe...more

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 20, 2009 Tammara added it

Very different for Echols than any of her other books to date - darker and more edgy. She tackles the difficult Bad Girl falling (oh-so-against-her-will) for the Good Boy. We romance readers like our bad boys, and let's face it, we often sit in unfairly harsh judgment of our bad girls.

But Meg... she's got her reasons. And John - he's got his, too. They're more alike than anyone knows. More alike than they could ever guess. Watching them slide together like two little puzzle-shaped magnets was so...more

13 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2009 Shannon (Giraffe Days) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, 2009, fiction, romance

Meg's a wild, rebellious girl who has panic attacks at being confined by as much as a seat belt. Her mother still cries over her and her father has washed his hands of her and her (currently) blue hair. She has just a few months left of high school to go and then she can escape the small town and move to the city to go to uni. And the one thing she's looking forward to before that can happen is the March Break trip to Mexico.

Which is ruined by one night's stupid decision. Along with her pot-addl...more Meg's a wild, rebellious girl who has panic attacks at being confined by as much as a seat belt. Her mother still cries over her and her father has washed his hands of her and her (currently) blue hair. She has just a few months left of high school to go and then she can escape the small town and move to the city to go to uni. And the one thing she's looking forward to before that can happen is the March Break trip to Mexico.

Which is ruined by one night's stupid decision. Along with her pot-addled "boyfriend" Eric and two friends from school, Tiffany and Brian, Meg is arrested for trespassing on a train bridge - which killed two kids several years ago. While Eric's hot-shot lawyer father gets him off, the other three are made to spend the March Break week with the ambulance, fire brigade and police - and guess which one Meg gets.

Not only does she have to spend five nights on the graveyard shift riding around in a cop car, but she has to spend them with the very same cop who arrested them: John After. John with the "Matt Damon" body, who turns out to be nowhere near as old as Meg had assumed. He chose to stay in the town, to serve and protect and save teenagers from stupid choices, but Meg pushes him to question the things he abides by - and he pushes back. As they both confront each other the chemistry coalesces and thickens, and something new is forged.

"Chemistry" is the Big Word for this novel. It has shovel-fuls of it. Meg is a spunky, smart, inherently vulnerable girl with a sharp, hard exterior. John is more complicated than he seems, and the character development is beautifully explored as layers are revealed and they both become very real in your mind.

The plot is a simple premise to get these two together, and it has that small-town ring of truth to it; it's the people who are complicated. Narrated by Meg, her voice has that same hard, spiky exterior behind which she hides her compassion and interest in others - you get to know her and yet she keeps you at a distance at the same time. It's John who breaks through that exterior, and him we follow as Meg learns to accept herself. Nothing's easy, of course, and the revelation (one of two; the last one) at the end - while hinted at, or something you could guess - had a similar impact on me as it did on Meg.

I have to draw your attention back to the romance and chemistry again. If you, like me, loved Twilight and similar books for the chemistry between the two main characters, and you'd like more of that intense thrill, then you absolutely have to read this. It's not the same, but it has that same quality that breathes off the page. Somewhere out there, John and Meg are living their lives. Sweet and charming, heart-warming and sexy, Going Too Far is a book to read in one sitting: not just because it's a fast read, but because you won't want to put it down.(less)

11 likes · like · see review

Nov 28, 2011 JoJo - JJJ (Jo Anna) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, rec, awwww-romance-is-bliss, books-everyone-should-read, buddy-read, read-in-2011

Awesome book! I really enjoyed the character line up. A quick read full of surprises. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a contemporary romance.

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 25, 2011 ♡Meme♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult-reads, cop

So here is what I thought of this book.. Short and Sweet

This was a sweet romantic read. It had a mixture of romance. mystery, teen angst, and some suspense. I enjoyed all the characters. The chemistry between Meg and John was so sweet. I love the the banter between them and how he was the shy one and she the one who said and did any and everything. There was one particular part int the book I loved that was so Meg.

"I leaned forward until my boobs sat on the table like a set of oversize salt and...more

7 likes · like · see review

Nov 05, 2009 Katie(babs) rated it 4 of 5 stars

This coming of age novel really hits on a great deal of issues and after you finish reading Meg’s journey and why she acts the way she does, you will have a big smile on your face. Meg may act like a rebel, but she is still very much a little girl scared and alone, not sure where she’s going or what her plans are. She has dreams and thinks she knows what they are, but all it takes is one person to show her that sometimes a person’s future can be found right in their backyard and with those they...more This coming of age novel really hits on a great deal of issues and after you finish reading Meg’s journey and why she acts the way she does, you will have a big smile on your face. Meg may act like a rebel, but she is still very much a little girl scared and alone, not sure where she’s going or what her plans are. She has dreams and thinks she knows what they are, but all it takes is one person to show her that sometimes a person’s future can be found right in their backyard and with those they call their friends.

We are given quite an introduction to Meg who is the only teenager in Shelby County, Alabama with blue hair. Meg hates her backwater hometown. She just can’t wait for June to arrive to she can move to Birmingham for college. Meg acts out and gets into trouble. It should come as a surprise that she was able to get into college at all because she drinks, smokes pot and hangs out with older boys in college; especially certain bad boys. Her latest bad boy, or rather booty call, Eric, takes Meg and a few friends up on a bridge where a few years ago some teens who were just as stupid were killed by a train. Meg and Eric are about to engage in a little fun on the bridge when they are caught by the cops.

The cop who catches them reminds Meg of a forty something guy probably with a wife and a few kids. Meg gives him major attitude and thinks she will get out of this with no problems and go off to Miami for Spring Break. Meg is mistaken and the punishment for her crime is that she must ride in a police car on the overnight shift during the week of her Spring Break. Meg is not too happy about this, even more so, because the cop she will be with is the one who almost arrested her, Officer John After.

The officer with the funny last name is not anywhere near forty, but nineteen, only two years older than Meg and even went to her high school and was in her Spanish class at one point. John decided not to go to college even though he could have gotten a track scholarship. Meg really doesn’t understand why John would want to be a cop in this town where nothing exciting happens.

John has a few choice opinions about Meg, just as she does about him. She thinks he is goody goody. A muscular and cute one, but all the same she thinks he is lame. John thinks Meg is on a path to destruction. For the next few days, as they ride side by side, they learn about one another and from that their opinions about each other change. Meg wouldn’t mind getting into John After’s pants, because she suddenly finds herself attracted to him and the way he treats her is unlike the other boys she hangs around with. Meg wants John to loosen up so he can confront his own issues. She wants to break down the walls he has placed around himself. John, in turn, picks away at Meg where he questions her reasoning for things. Why does she want to run away from everything she knows? What is her real reason for lashing out?

Both have deep seated issues and when John and Meg talk about what they’re hiding and what they’re afraid of, it’s explosive and will open their eyes to things they didn’t see before, where they will come to depend on one another and from that love will form between them.

Going Too Far is a great story about opposites attracting. John and Meg will have you in stitches because they are so funny and cute together. Meg has some major issues and acts out because of something horrible that has happened. When you find out what it is, you will be more understanding to her way of thinking. The reason she lives life on her own terms and acts as if each day is her last is because of a trauma she went through. At first I thought that this trauma wasn’t really needed to move the story along, but then it all made sense. John is Meg’s counterpart, the complete opposite of her in the way she thinks and looks at life. John is everything a young girl rebels against. He holds up a mirror to her, where he shows Meg in simple terms that bigger and better is not always the case.

I adored John. He is a wonderfully written young man who deals with life in a very mature way. I loved how he took Meg in hand and together they became a great unit. These two may seem so wrong for one another but Jennifer Echols' skill as a writer makes the reader believe in these two.

Going Too Far has an innocent feel but the subject matter is very much what teens must deal with from sex, drinking and even death. I really loved how John handles his attraction to Meg. He respects her and doesn’t want to rush into things. It was also a nice change for Meg to be more the aggressor in their relationship.

This was the first book I ever read by Jennifer Echols and it certainly won’t be my last, Going Too Far is a much recommended read. And if Jennifer decides to write a sequel showing us how John and Meg are doing together, I wouldn’t mind that at all. (less)

5 likes · like · see review

Mar 08, 2009 Adele rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was overjoyed to get this in the mail yesterday, OVAH-JOYED. Thank you so much to Jenn for organising it's journey across the ocean to this uber-grateful Aussie. Now Jenn's act of kindness has nothing to do with the review I am about to give because as I stated in my review of The Boys Next Door, I consider Jenn to be the drug of choice in YA-verse. I was already biased.

And she didn't disappoint. I wasn't sure upon reading the first chapter, I was wary of Meg. I wasn't sure that I could relate...more I was overjoyed to get this in the mail yesterday, OVAH-JOYED. Thank you so much to Jenn for organising it's journey across the ocean to this uber-grateful Aussie. Now Jenn's act of kindness has nothing to do with the review I am about to give because as I stated in my review of The Boys Next Door, I consider Jenn to be the drug of choice in YA-verse. I was already biased.

And she didn't disappoint. I wasn't sure upon reading the first chapter, I was wary of Meg. I wasn't sure that I could relate or see the world through her eyes but I was oh so very wrong. Meg is a complex, strong, contradictory protagonist with boatloads of humour, snark and moxie. She's tortured, yet exuberant. All her characteristics, her dialogue, her motivations and her decisions are all clear to understand and as such you are just plain sucked into her interplay with John After.

Why do I love Jenn Echols' narrative?

"My knee radiated heat. As I watched him pull himself from the car and walk casually across the brightly lit parking lot, I thought dumb things: I will never wash my knee again. I will never wash those jeans again. I will cut the knees out of those jeans and sew a pillow to sleep on every night, just to have a molecule of him in bed with me."
Echols writes a delightful mix of randomness, absurdity and truth. She doesn't sugarcoat teen world but instead adds the right amount of sweet and sour. Meg and John are in a constant battle for the upper hand and their discussions ranged from barbed, snarky, humorous to doe- eyed. Their relationship is a like a mood swing, you never know when things are going to change up and how it might affect you. I loved the package though. John's seeming calm is at direct contrast to the fire that is Meg. What we soon realise is John's burning up too, for a multitude of reasons. I did at times want to know more about John but the quick pace swept away any reservations I may have possessed.

Echols has attempted a different kind of narrative with this novel. The world is more fully realised and the characters are greatly detailed. I devoured each page with a fervour I wasn't sure I possessed and was fully immersed in each event of Meg and John's lives. I am more hungry than ever to get my hands on future Jenn Echols works and want to congratulate her on a truly wonderful read that made me travel a gamut of emotions and invest in her tremendously real characters.
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7 likes · like · see review

Nov 26, 2010 Nomes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, i-own, guilty-pleasure, riding-the-older-ya-vibe

Snark, sexual tension, brilliant dialogue...
Cop John After and the blue-haired-girl-felon.
Definitely a guilty pleasure :)

5 likes · like · see review

Dec 23, 2012 Kelly rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: disappointing, this-is-crap

Okay so, I've made a vow to myself to write reviews for every book I finish (since making this vow), and the short warning to stay away from this book that served as my review before kept coming back to haunt me, screaming CHEAT!!!

I've cooled off since then, so I can probably give a review without dissolving into a puddle of gooey rage and expletives.

First off, let me address the rating; 4.02 average, as of the time I'm writing this review. I'll be honest, it's what reeled me in. And caught me l...more

9 likes · like · see review

Sep 19, 2011 Kayla Gough rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, realistic, tame-or-young-adult-romance, young-adult

What a wonderful book.
Going too Far was so much fun to read for me. The setting is in a rural community in Shelby County, Alabama, which also happens to be practically home for me. But it is still an amazing book or those who dont live in Alabama...it is just nifty to me is all. :) The main problem and highlighted issue in this book is the danger of railroads...Horrible accidents do happen on them, and often times, they are completely unnecessary not to mention gory. (they also r located in the...more What a wonderful book.
Going too Far was so much fun to read for me. The setting is in a rural community in Shelby County, Alabama, which also happens to be practically home for me. But it is still an amazing book or those who dont live in Alabama...it is just nifty to me is all. :) The main problem and highlighted issue in this book is the danger of railroads...Horrible accidents do happen on them, and often times, they are completely unnecessary not to mention gory. (they also r located in the most stupid places...one in my city runs right next to the intermediate school!!!)I love how this author has used the characters in her novel to deeply explore this overlooked danger and the consequences for the train track victims, the potential victims, and the loved ones the deceased leave behind. Every major character in this book has a major fault--everyone has their own set of problems, just like in real life. The characters are all well developed and so much fun to read about. The romance was COMPLETELY illegal...kinda funny and ironic considering the dude is a cop XD but it is so sweet, and completely unforgettable. Meg is one of those characters that acts first, then thinks things through later...frustrating yes, but it makes the story unpredictable and different. You find things out as the people in the story do...OMG!!!!! I was SO surprised. both Meg and Officer John have the most unexpected secrets ever in the world. and yet they somehow fit. Gosh. idk why no one has thought of pairing a police officer with a rebellious member of society sooner!! it is freaking hilarious and unbelievably likable. Their love is so desperate it is almost painful. I LOVED this book(not because i am from here). It is so unique. Definitely a favorite. I seriously hope the author will do a sequel.

**just for the future possible reader: University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is not that big a deal here. Its a wonderful school with a spectacular medical field, but people get more excited over University of Alabama or Auburn.
The fountain it keeps mentioning is actually not the demented...it is quite lovely and is not the Devil incarnate
The illiteracy rate here is not more prevalent than in other parts of the US...just in case you get that impression :)
Happy Reading!!!!!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Oct 20, 2011 Nina rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: american-setting, favorite, non-fantasy, romance-at-high-dose, young-adult, hot-heroes, beautiful-love-story, kickass-heroines, a-4-stars, best-covers, contemporary, gut-and-heart-wrenching, ordinary-world, stand-alone, sweet-and-enchanting

Suatu perpaduan yang unik antara masalah khas cewek kota kecil yang kepengen meninggalkan kotanya, dan berubah pikiran ketika dia ketemu sama cowok.

Meg dibesarkan di sebuah kota kecil di Alabama. Dia bisa dikategorikan sebagai cewek berandalan sejati, dan Meg tidak mau diatur. Bahkan orang tuanya sudah menyerah dengannya.

John memutuskan tetap tinggal dan menjadi polisi. Suatu kejadian di masa lalu membuatnya terobsesi dan memilih tetap terkurung di Birmingham--sesuatu yang tidak akan dilakukan M...more

1 like · like · see review

Sep 22, 2011 Stephanie (Stepping out of the Page) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: cover-appeal, young-adult, realistic-fiction, read-in-2011, better-than-expected, medical-conditions, favourites, contemporary, books-i-own

Going Too Far really took me by surprise. I expected it to be one of the usual YA teen romances, a bit poorly written and cliché, but it certainly wasn't. There is so much more to this book than I'd expected and it really blew me away.
I really enjoyed Echols writing - It was enjoyable and more complex than I thought it'd be. The characters were really well developed and had great, vivid personalities - Echols really made all of them come to life. The characters were definitely individual, but no...more

3 likes · like · see review

Jul 09, 2010 Hannah rated it 3 of 5 stars

I already knew before beginning this that Going Too Fare was going to be good. I was so right, too!
Going Too Far immediately piqued my interest and had everything I typically look for in a good read: likable characters (they could be on the "good" side or the "bad", but they have to be relatable), an interesting plot, great writing, and humor (which is super important for me!). I was already a fan of Jennifer Echol's, I adored her The Boys Next Door series, but this was just... wow. Definitely...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 04, 2009 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ya, contemp, la-la-loved

Let's start with the classic bad girl meets good boy story and then turn it on its head with characters who totally rock and are so much more than they seem.

Aaaannndddd BEGIN!

On June 7th (graduation night), Meg is getting out of the small Alabama town she was born and raised in with plans to never, ever come back. She only has a couple of months before graduation in which she plans to get into as much trouble as possible without getting caught. That is until she gets caught by Mr. By The Book Of...more Let's start with the classic bad girl meets good boy story and then turn it on its head with characters who totally rock and are so much more than they seem.

Aaaannndddd BEGIN!

On June 7th (graduation night), Meg is getting out of the small Alabama town she was born and raised in with plans to never, ever come back. She only has a couple of months before graduation in which she plans to get into as much trouble as possible without getting caught. That is until she gets caught by Mr. By The Book Officer John After. Her punishment is to ride patrol with Officer After for one week in hopes of seeing the error of her ways and going on to lead a productive life.

What she doesn't count on is the fact that Officer After is young, incredibly handsome and more than a little funny (usually unintentional). While he initially seems pretty one-dimensional in his mission to 'save' Meg, John reveals himself to posses immensely deep waters leaving me wanting more, more, more. And Meg! Blue hair and full of bravado - I love her.

Both have a past chock-full of skeletons and more than a few hangups when it comes to relationships. Meg has been living life fast and hard (for very good reasons), just waiting for the other shoe to drop. All Meg wants is to get out of Dodge and John is content to stay where he is - definite damper for any relationship. Both are feeling the pull to get closer but each is on the defensive and know exactly what buttons to push.

Much as I love Meg's narrative, as a girl, I felt like some key descriptions of Meg's motorcycle riding status were missing. Even if I had dyed my hair blue and firmly established herself in bad girl-landia, I'd still want to wax poetic about my biker chick status at 17. Maybe that's just me wishing I was more edgy than actually I am, but that would be a selling point in my book and she hardly mentioned it at all. (!)

Even though the ending felt rushed, Going too Far caught me from the first and held on tight. Meg's monologue stunned me with it's subtly and humor of all things. I totally dig this chick in her road to self discovery and maturity. And Johnafter. *sigh* He cares! He really cares!! Sometimes I felt like I was watching MTV with all the teeny lingo, but since I enjoyed this book so much, I really didn't care. Not one bit.(less)

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Aug 11, 2011 Violet Crush rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own, fav-s

Rating: 4.5 rounded to 5

Going too far is such a sweet book. On the surface it’s a love story but that’s not all it is.

Meg is a 17 year old girl with blue hair and an attitude that has put her in trouble many times. John is a cop. Because of an incident at the unsafe town bridge, Meg and her friends are arrested and she has to spend a week patrolling with John as a substitute to being put in jail.

The week they spend together is an eye-opener for both John and Meg. As they struggle to cope with th...more

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Jul 18, 2012 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I really enjoyed this book... I mean really enjoyed it. I absolutely loved Meg and her blue hair and John was just... sigh... I felt for both Meg and John with their pasts and the whole "forbidden" love thing going on but I also saw how perfect these two really were for each other. I love reading Jennifer's books... she is an amazing writer and her stories always suck me in.

Full Review...
http://lorisbookblog.blogspot.com/201...

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Jun 07, 2011 Debra Driza added it

By the description on the cover, I wasn't really expecting to like this book much. A cop and a teenager? Really?

Then I started reading, and quickly figured out that the cop was only 19, and grew to really like the MC Meg, and hello, MAJOR chemistry between Meg and cop LI, and before you know it--BAM! I'd finished the book.

If you love romances then you will probably like this book. Despite touching on some deeper subjects, at heart this book is fluffy, and requires some suspension of disbelief in...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, have-on-kindle

Meg and Johnafter from Going Too Far are now one of my top 10 favorite literary couples. The chemistry between these two outwardly different people was so evident in the pages written by Echols. She navigated their relationship from the beginning of the book as John being the authority and Meg the criminal to them finding friendship through common ground and eventually love so well. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the crazy things that came out of Meg's mouth and the reaction it woul...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Veronica rated it 1 of 5 stars

After reading all the great reviews for this book, I am sad to say that it really disappointed me. I couldn't get into the book and I also found Meg to be so dramatic and annoying. Plus, I could not get over her blue hair! The whole time I imagined her as a clown. AHHHHHHH. No matter how much I tried to like her, it was all in vain. I didn't feel any connection between John and Meg. I also couldn't believe that they made an appointment to have sex! I am just so flabbergasted and disappointed in...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Julia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, romance, young-adult, favorites, dropbox

While my credulity snagged a bit on the device of "not noticing" how young and cute our hero is for most of the book, the characters were so sweet and wonderfully portrayed I let it go. The flaws were interesting, the resolution uplifting, and I know I will come back to read this book again when I need some passion and a smile.

Re-read #1: Love, love, love (swoon). I cried, I didn't skim a word, still love Meg and John.

Re-read #2: Not two days at the beach and back to Meg and John, love the catha...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, romance

Meg is drunk and playing around on a train bridge with her friends, when the cops catch them. They are arrested and sentenced to ride along for a week with either the fire department, the ambulance squad or the arresting cop. Meg hopes to get the ambulance squad because she is friends with several of the EMT's, but instead she has to ride along with the cop. What she doesn't realize is that the cop is not much older than she is and he has some really good reasons for keeping teens off of the bri...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 27, 2009 Lauren rated it 5 of 5 stars

All Meg has ever wanted to do was get away. Get away from everything that makes her life the insane thing it is: her high school, her overprotective parents, and her annoying in the middle of nowhere town. To show her feeling for this she does everything a teen in her town isn’t expected to do: die her hair blue, ride a motorcycle, do drugs, and hook up with random guys. Though, one day she just goes way too far. She is caught hooking up with her boyfriend on a train track where two teenagers we...more

2 likes · like · see review

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About Jennifer Echols

Jennifer Echols was born in Atlanta and grew up in a small town on a beautiful lake in Alabama—a setting that has inspired many of her books. She has written nine romantic novels for young adults, including the comedy MAJOR CRUSH, which won the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the drama GOING TOO FAR, which was a finalist in the RITA, the National Readers’ Choice Award, and the Book Buyer’s Bes...more

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Endless Summer (The Boys Next Door, #1-2)

The Boys Next Door (The Boys Next Door, #1)

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“Your lot in life? A lot is something you draw, like straws. It's chance. You didn't get this life by chance. You chose it on purpose. If you're dissatisfied from it, you can change it.” — 148 people liked it

“And the rest is happily ever After.” — 116 people liked it

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