Author: J.A. Redmerski
Genre: Romance, New Adult
Published on: November 5, 2013 by Forever Romance
He was taking the long road. She was taking the road to nowhere. It just so happened that they led to the same place…
When everything falls apart, love remains . . .
THE EDGE OF ALWAYS
Camryn Bennett has never been happier. Five months after meeting on a Greyhound bus, she and her soul mate Andrew Parrish are engaged—and a wedding isn’t the only special event in their future. Nervous but excited, Camryn can’t wait to begin the rest of her life with Andrew – a man she knows in her heart will love her always. They have so much to look forward to—until tragedy blindsides them.
Andrew doesn’t understand how this could happen to them. He’s trying to move on, and thought Camryn was doing the same. But when Andrew discovers Camryn is secretly harboring a mountain of pain and attempting to numb it in damaging ways, there is nothing he won’t do to bring her back to life. Determined to prove that their love can survive anything, Andrew decides to take Camryn on a new journey filled with hope and passion. If only he can convince her to come along for the ride…
The Edge of Never is one of my favorite 5-star-rated books. It’s even first on my list of the best novels I read in the 2010 decade. While it may not be a literary masterpiece, TEON was still really enjoyable. It also wraps up the story well, with no major loose ends. This is why I was slightly surprised to hear about a sequel. More Camryn and Andrew, though? Sign me up right away! This second entry picks up a short time after TEON ended. Andrew and Camryn are now engaged and living in Galveston, the former’s hometown.
Right from the first page, Andrew tells the reader Camryn is expecting his child. They give the good news to their family and friends. There’s happiness all around, but a few doubts plague Camryn. If you remember, she’s someone who wants to avoid a monotonous, robotic life at all costs. Andrew is much the same way. They’re trying to decide whether to live in Galveston or Raleigh, North Carolina (where Camryn’s from). It doesn’t matter nearly as much to Andrew as it does to Camryn. Wherever she wants to go, he’ll follow.
An unexpected tragedy strikes Camryn and Andrew while they’re still figuring things out. It devastates them beyond anything they’ve ever dealt with before. Camryn is the most affected by far. And she’s already gone through so much in such a short time. Camryn has lost too many loved ones over the years. When Camryn loses her baby, it kills her…figuratively, but still. She feels like her heart stopped as well. Camryn retains enough presence of mind to act okay around others, to avoid letting on just how much pain she’s in.
Not much gets by Andrew, so he figures out Camryn’s act soon enough. By this point, she’s so far gone you’d think it would take a miracle to restore her joy for life. To bring Camryn back from the shell she’s become, Andrew comes up with a plan. Yes, a new road trip is in order. This doesn’t mean The Edge of Always will be repetitive, though. The situation now is much different, so the road trip doesn’t make you feel like “well, here we go again.” Taking Andrew’s trusty Chevelle, he and Camryn set out to heal themselves once more.
This second entry in Camryn’s and Andrew’s story was engaging. I was a little afraid the tragedy would give The Edge of Always a sad mood overall. It’s a reason why reading Out of Mind by Jen McLaughlin once is enough for me; that book is bleak enough it borders on unbearable. Fortunately that’s not the case here. The story steadily gets more optimistic as it progresses. One issue that readers might have with this book is that the author doesn’t leave anything about the protagonist’s character arcs to the imagination. You’ll see when you get to the end.
Just like The Edge of Never, this book doesn’t have a main antagonist. There’s no one opposing Camryn and Andrew’s romance, no love rival vying to win the affection of either of them. That would have been a detriment to this story. The Edge of Always is about healing, mainly for Camryn. She must learn to accept her unborn child’s death before she can continue living. Andrew was affected by the tragedy too, but it didn’t reduce him to a shell of a person. If anyone can make Camryn happy again, it’s him.
With this second entry, Camryn and Andrew’s story is wrapped up. Like I mentioned earlier, the author makes no secret of what happens to the pair for much of the rest of their lives. Readers who prefer imagining what’s next for their beloved characters might be put off by this. Personally, I wasn’t. I thought the fate of the protagonists was fitting. There was just one detail that I found controversial (and others might too). It has to do with MILD SPOILER AHEAD Andrew reusing the name he and Camryn gave to their stillborn baby. I don’t know, I guess I feel this diminishes the original baby somehow. It's almost like he didn't want to "waste" the good name or something. END OF SPOILER. Other than this, I really like The Edge of Always. While it doesn’t quite top the first book, it’s still excellent. If you wanted to read more about Camryn and Andrew, this final entry in their story absolutely delivers.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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