Author: J.A. Redmerski
Genre: Romance, New Adult
Published on: November 13, 2012, self-published
Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.
Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.
With a purse, a cell phone and a small bag with a few necessities, Camryn, with absolutely no direction or purpose boards a Greyhound bus alone and sets out to find herself. What she finds is a guy named Andrew Parrish, someone not so very different from her and who harbors his own dark secrets. But Camryn swore never to let down her walls again. And she vowed never to fall in love.
But with Andrew, Camryn finds herself doing a lot of things she never thought she’d do. He shows her what it’s really like to live out-of-the-box and to give in to her deepest, darkest desires. On their sporadic road-trip he becomes the center of her exciting and daring new life, pulling love and lust and emotion out of her in ways she never imagined possible. But will Andrew’s dark secret push them inseparably together, or tear them completely apart?
Who hasn't honestly thought (at least once in their life) of going on an aimless road trip? That is exactly the decision that the protagonist of The Edge of Never, Camryn Bennett, makes. Though I'm a guy, I identify with her, especially as I despise the town where I live. I don't feel that I belong here. Camryn doesn't believe she's where she belongs, either. She’s never been satisfied with her life and is itching to break from the mold. In other words, Camryn doesn't want the same “boring” life everyone else has—wake up, brush your teeth, have breakfast, go to a 9-to-5 job and then return home. She wishes for something different.
Adding to Camryn’s anxiety is a recent tragedy. Camryn’s boyfriend died some time ago, and he was going to be her partner on a journey around the world. After a disastrous night at a club, Camryn jumps on a bus headed for the first state that pops into her mind. That's quite imprudent, but courageous on her part. Fate leads Camryn to cross paths with Andrew Parrish, a young man who catches her interest. After saving her from a perverted bastard, Andrew decides to go on a road trip with Camryn. They soon develop a strong bond, although Andrew has a secret that could break them apart.
I liked Camryn as a character. She might seem a bit of a hypocrite to some people (I've read reviews), but Camryn's a nice person. She's a far better role model for girls than Bella Swan. Note that I'm not inciting girls to pack and go away. I'm talking about Camryn's courage to go after her desires. She’s not afraid to be different, to want and to pursue more. I strongly admire her fervor. When she grows up, Camryn won’t have regrets about wasting her life. We only have one, after all.
“What compels any of us to do the things we do when deep down a part of us just wants to break free from it all?”
Andrew Parrish is a character I also identified with. It would be awesome if I could take an aimless trip like he and Camryn did. Going sightseeing to places like New York would be great. Andrew also has musical talents, which I don't have and wouldn't like to have. I'd much rather listen to music than create it. Also, Andrew sets a great example of how to treat a lady. We may mentally undress girls, but we aren't all sick enough to attempt doing what the lame guy tried to do to Camryn. Kudos to Andrew for saving her and being a gentleman.
Jumping on a bus on a whim turns out to be the best decision of Camryn's life. It could have royally backfired, yet it didn't. Camryn makes great new friends, gets to see new places, and even meets her true love. The experience also allows Camryn to find herself and to discover what she wants to do with her life. When she started out, Camryn knew she wanted something different, but she didn't know exactly what. Now Camryn knows, and she's all the happier for it.
Jumping on a bus on a whim turns out to be the best decision of Camryn's life. It could have royally backfired, yet it didn't. Camryn makes great new friends, gets to see new places, and even meets her true love. The experience also allows Camryn to find herself and to discover what she wants to do with her life. When she started out, Camryn knew she wanted something different, but she didn't know exactly what. Now Camryn knows, and she's all the happier for it.
The Edge of Never is told from the first-person POVs of Camryn and Andrew. This means you get to know them well, and learn why they are the way they are. These characters grow on you, though they’re hard not to like anyway. Five stars doesn’t seem like enough for this awesome novel. I’ve read hundreds of books as of March 2020 and The Edge of Never remains among my top favorites. I have a few other books I like as much, but in the romance genre this is my number one. I highly recommend it. And the ending? The first paragraph will throw you for a loop. It was great.
My rating: ★★★★★
5 stars - Absolutely must-read. It's outstanding!!!
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