The Edge of Never

The Edge of Never #1

by J.A. Redmerski

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?

Due to sexual content and language, this book is recommended for 17+ – Adult Contemporary Women’s – New Adult Fiction

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, Fiction, Chick Lit

426 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2012

About the author

J.A. (Jessica) Redmerski is a New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and #1 Amazon best-selling author. She is also an international bestseller and award winner. Jessica is a hybrid author who began self-publishing in 2012 and later signed several titles with a traditional publisher. Her works have been translated into over twenty languages and have been optioned for film and television.

In addition to writing books, she works with various programs to create her own cover art, interior art, design, formatting, and fantasy maps. Jessica loves The Golden Girls, Xena: Warrior Princess, nature, the universe, anime, manga, bookstores, and fantasizing about the apocalypse. She is from the United States but currently lives in Mexico with her husband.

Reviews

[Emily May · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am conducting what I'm shelving as a "New Adult (NA) Experiment". I'm going to work my way through some of the popular New Adult books and see if I can weed out the crap and hopefully find some surprising gems. Here's hoping!

Just a quick warning: this book has a fair bit of sex in it and so I will be talking about sex in this review. Maybe don't read this if sex talk makes you clutch your crucifix in horror or, you know, combust.

I've been reading quite a few indie novels lately; some were good and some not so good. But I've remained safe from anything outrageously bad until now. The Edge of Never is one of those books which has a crazily high average rating, it is a "New York Times, USA Today, and Wallstreet Journal bestselling blockbuster" and it managed to offend me at least once in every single chapter. I found it to be a mere step away from Beautiful Disaster in the misogyny department and what it lacked in that area was made up for in the extremely bad writing. Honestly, it was so bad it was kind of hilarious.

I finally feel that I have read enough to safely make the claim that this "new adult" genre thing we've got going on now basically, well, sucks. It seems to be a combination of all the annoying, cliche elements of the young adult genre and a bunch of sex scenes and/or coarse language. In terms of the writing, this book is pretty awful. The author seems to favour certain words for a short period of time to the extent that they appear in every other sentence and then switch to a new favourite and the pattern repeats. Some writers have that annoying habit of telling rather than showing but Redmerski does something that I found much worse - she shows, then tells. She uses body language to express certain emotions but insults the reader's intelligence by adding the tells afterwards. I opened the book again just now to find an example and came across one on the second page; this is by no means the worst but hopefully it will help express what I mean: "Cam," she says, cocking her head to one side to appear thoughtful.

But there's no need for me to get nitpicky about language. This book provides much more glaring problems.

Like the fact that every girl/young woman in this book is called a slut except the protagonist. If you wanted to play a drinking game with this book, you would only need the word "slut" to get completely trashed. "Slut" is even used twice in chapter one. In fact, I wish I'd counted how many chapters didn't use the word slut; I can certainly guarantee it would be fewer than how many did. Camryn (MC) talks about her ex as "the jerk who cheated on me with some red-haired slut" and her best friend (lol jk) is constantly called "slutty" and is only there so Camryn can compare the two of them. Natalie is promiscuous where Camryn is a good girl, Natalie wears revealing clothing where Camryn likes her pastel cardigans, Natalie thinks about sex where Camryn muses about life, the universe and everything.

And what a lot of it comes down to: I hated Camryn. Absolutely hated her. I put this quote in my status update but here it is again so we can all marvel at the stupidity:

Instead of sitting around dreaming up new sex positions, as Natalie often does about Damon, I dream about things that really matter. What the air in other countries feels like on my skin, how the ocean smells, why the sound of rain makes me gasp.

When I read that, I did some weird combination of eye-rolling, cackling laughter and general despairing that so many people are happy to buy into Camryn's philosophical bullshit. Camryn, you're not deep, you're a fucking moron. A misogynistic, holier-than-thou moron.

And then, of course, we have the real reason this book is a bestseller. Andrew. I get it, actually, I really do. He's gorgeous, he's sexy, he likes to talk all naughty, he loves to go down on you and doesn't ask for anything in return, in fact, his mission in life is nothing more or less than to make you come. I know why you ladies all love this and at least he's not Travis screw-loose Maddox. But he comes with his own set of problems too and, even if he didn't, he still wouldn't be anywhere near hot enough to make up for the rest of this mess. One thing that I suppose comes down to my personal taste in guys and how they speak to me is lines like this:

"if you were to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you."

I mean, is this hot to you? For me, it's somewhere halfway between gross and hilarious. But each to their own, I guess. To be honest, a lot of the sex scenes that I assume are supposed to be knicker-twistingly hot just made me laugh. Camryn faces deep moral struggles with the P-word, which she later hilariously overcomes "lick my pussy, Andrew; goddammit, lick my fucking pussy!" This is apparently a word that she associates with porn stars, something which leads into an interesting conversation where women are split into two groups - the slutty kind that are only good enough to give a guy head, and the unslutty kind that are worth more. Here's the quote:

"Well, when... Dominique Starla," he picks the name from the air, "does it, it's just to some random guy lookin' to get off behind a keyboard." His green eyes fall on me. "that guy's not dreaming about anything with her except her face in his lap." Then he looks back at the road. "But when someone... I dunno... like a sweet, sexy, completely un-slutty girl does it, the guy is thinking about a lot more than her face in his lap."

Ugh. No more words on that. I just... can't.

I think I've had enough of talking about this book. But one more thing I will say is that part of the reason I kept reading was because so many reviews promised a big heart-breaking twist towards the end. Well, maybe I've been watching Sherlock too much, but I saw it coming a mile off. Just sayin'.

Blog | Leafmarks | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! What an unexpected journey and an amazing read!!

After receiving about a million messages telling me that that I absolutely HAD to read this next, I started reading it late last night and ended up staying up reading ALL night and finishing it around 5am! Kept me totally riveted!

This book is a beautiful story about friendship and love, of living in the moment, living life to the fullest, being true to yourself and not being afraid to reach for your dreams.

“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?”

Cam is tired of the monotony of her life. She wants more but just isn’t sure exactly what is missing and is open to possibilities. When her old life falls apart, she decides to get a change of pace and hops on a Greyhound bus with nothing but essential necessities ready to see where life will take her.

This is where she meets Andrew. He’s so similar to her and yet so completely different. Intriguing. And they decide to join up and go on a road trip together. But he’s got a secret and as they bond over the course of their journey, and fall in love, it has the potential to either tear them apart or cement them together.

“I think when you fall in love, like true love, its love for life. All the rest is just experiences and delusions.”

I know a some people have said that the beginning of this book was a little slow, and I’ll admit that it wasn’t a fast-paced thrill ride or anything, but personally, I really liked that part. Maybe it was because I knew something ‘exciting’ was coming, but I liked how the story took its time to familiarize you with the characters. It was a quiet build up and honestly, I enjoyed its pacing.

The book wrapped me up in Cam’s adventure. I found her journey liberating even just as a reader.

And when Andrew came onto the scene, I fell in love. Guys, he has a crooked smile, dimples, tattoos and is pretty badass in a fight. Oh, and he calls her ‘babe’. Be still my heart!! <3

I enjoyed watching Cam and Andrew slowly building their friendship, establishing trust, getting comfortable with each other and bonding despite being complete strangers.

“The heart always wins out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets in the way.”

The book is told in alternate POVs but it starts out primarily from Cam’s POV. And it isn’t until 16% that we get Andrew’s. I really liked this because by that time, I felt very connected to Cam and was totally ready to get in Andrew’s head. And as the book went on, the POVs got progressively more entwined and the switch happened progressively more frequently mirroring their growing bond.

I was originally planning on only reading half of it last night and saving the rest for the morning, but when I got to the 49% mark, HOLY HELL!!!!! The book just took this AMAZING turn. I mean, I was enjoying it before but then it was just WOW WOW WOWWWW!!! It didn’t matter that it was 2:30AM, suddenly I was WIDE awake and RIVETED to the page!!

The questions came flooding in. I started forming dozens of theories. I needed to know more. To get answers. To figure Andrew out!

“I don’t know how I got myself into this, but I do know that as much as my conscience is ripping into my fucking ears, telling me to leave her alone, I can’t. I don’t want to.
We’ve already gone too far.” ~Andrew

I was squirming, fanning myself, blushing, flipping pages like crazy!!

There was this intensity to them. It was quiet at first but it just didn’t stop building.

It was like this perfect puzzle with a key piece missing. Something just wasn’t quite right but you didn’t know quite what it was.

And the confession scene just phenomenally written. I was right there in the moment with them. Totally wrapped up in their story.

I did have my suspicions about the big secret but when everything finally clued in for me at 90%, my heart. just. DROPPED.

By 92%, all my suspicions had all been confirmed and I was FREAKING out!

The ending was just amazing, incredible, perfect. WOW. Totally beautiful!

I don’t want to give it away, but just take heart, there IS an epilogue!

“…dwelling and planning is bullshit,” he says. “You dwell on the past, you can’t move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you say stagnant in the same place all your life.” His eyes lock on mine. “Live in the moment.”

This book really drives home the message of how important it is to live in the moment, to follow your heart and not waste a precious second of your life.

“I wanted to say thank you.”
“For what?” …
”… for making me feel alive.”…
“Well, everybody needs help feeling alive again every once in a while.”
“No,” she says seriously… “I didn’t say again , Andrew; for making me feel alive for the first time.”

And can I just say that I absolutely LOVE the “New Adult” genre. It truly rides the line between a bit of the YA emotional ‘feelings’ and just enough Adult heat to keep things spicy.

I totally loved this and would highly recommend adding it to your TBRs!

CASTING (See above and below. Except for the two images of Nicholas Lemons here as Andrew that are my own casting, the rest of the pictures were taken from the author's Pinterest Page for The Edge of Never)







For more of my reviews, visit Aestas Book Blog

And come join the Aestas Book Blog Facebook Page

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ Unforgettable stars!



Oct 2014- It's been almost a year since my last re-read and about 2 years since my first read... I'm missing Andrew <3 Audio book re-read

Nov.2013- I just re-read this book in preparation for the sequel, for the third time... yep. After reading hundreds of books since my first read through around a year ago, I have to say it is still one of my favorite books of all time! Amazing!

Original Review (with some added images)
5 epic stars!!! I do believe that this book is tied with TSOT for my favorite book I've read this year... I loved it that much!

The heart always wins over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on it's own always gets its way.

Rarely can a book make me grin like an idiot, swoon, laugh my ass off and go from sobbing to tears of joy in a matter of pages. This book was a beautiful and emotional journey. Not just for Cam and Andrew, but for the reader as well. I am pretty sure any review I write will not give this book justice (You just have to read it for your self!) But I'll try.

There was no logic or any sense of purpose except that I knew I had to so something other than what I was doing, or I might not make it through this.

Camryn had a lot going on in her life. Her high school boyfriend was killed in a car accident two years ago and she has never truly moved on. Since then, her parents have divorced, her brother had been sent to prison, and she just got in a huge fight with her best friend Natalie. She has to get away. Go anywhere except where she is. She goes to the counter of the bus station with just her minimal belongings and the clerk is eating a potato... which makes her decide to go to Idaho. The bus makes many stops along the way, one just happens to be Kansas where Andrew Parrish boards her bus.

Its a blatant fact: Andrew Parrish and I were meant to meet on that bus in Kansas. Coincidence is just a safe conformist for fate.

Andrew Parrish has a father who is dying of cancer in Wyoming. He also has a lot going on in his life. When he first sees Cam he feels something for her instantly. She notices his piercing green eyes and sexy tattoo's (love the story of his tattoo on his ribs) and they develop a friendship. Once in Wyoming, it’s time to part ways. But they don't. Andrew is very protective of Cam and after an incident in the bus stop they decide to travel together to wherever they feel like going in his dad's chevelle. They end up in New Orleans and stay for a while, then eventually to Texas.

Some of my favorite scenes/quotes:

"TELL ME HOW YOU FEEL! Be honest with me, with yourself!"
"I want you dammit! The thought of you leaving and never seeing you again tears-me-up-inside! I can't fucking breathe without you!"
"SAY IT! JUST SAY IT!"
"I want you to own me. I belong to you Andrew Parrish. I want you to own me"

And some funny ones... There were too many of these to list!

So basically you won't be asking me to suck your dick for five hundred dollars or anything like that?"

And in the pharmacy at a local Walmart...
"Babe, did you find that yeast infection stuff? I mean are you even sure thats whats causing the itch?"
"Yeah baby I found it. What about you? Did you see if they have any extra small sized condoms?"

Camryn and Andrew's story is unforgettable! There wasn't anything about this book I didn't love. Camryn was super likable and Andrew was fantastic. You really pulled for them and on top of the drama and laughter there were a few pretty hot scenes. The last 10% or so was really intense. Not gonna lie- It had me ugly crying... in the break room at work, yeah. Andrew's letter... be prepared to sob One more thing: don't feel bad for not telling me that you loved me. You didn't need to say it. I knew all along that you did. A truly beautiful story about living every moment in your life to the fullest and finding the person you are meant to be with! I know I will have to read this book again! If you haven't read this yet... do yourself a favor and put it #1 on your TBR list!!!

[Jenny Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY FREAKIN' GOODNESS!!!
WOW WOW WOW...ENDLESS WOWS!

THIS IS, *HANDS DOWN*, ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS I'VE EVER READ!!!



Okay, here we go...

THE EDGE OF NEVER? How about THE EDGE OF GLORY because I'm on that state when I finished reading this.

Seriously, there are NO WORDS to describe how UH-MAY-ZING this book is.

Unputdownable. Fun. Witty. Poignant...BEAUTIFUL.

This is a story of friendship...
This is a story of LOVE...
This is a story of serendipity...
and a story of moving on, letting go, and living life...Living life in the NOW .

This is the story of Camryn and Andrew

[image error]

“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to backpack across the world?”
“Just you and a backpack with a few necessities. No bills. No getting up at the same time every morning to go to a job you hate. Just you and the world out ahead of you. You never know what the next day is going to bring, who you’ll meet, what you’ll have for lunch or where you might sleep.”

Camryn , once the outgoing girl that she was, has become an uptight girl because of her parents' divorce, her older brother, Cole, going to jail, and the death of her boyfriend. She doesn't feel free.

After an unexpected incident that happened when she and her best friend Nat went clubbing, she decided to leave North Carolina and go on to God-knows-where.

Enter Andrew Parrish , gorgeous green-eyed hottie who she meets at the bus, and carries the same emotional baggage as Cam's. From then on, a friendship (or more?) has developed, they have been inseparable on embarking the journey of life...and LOVE.

What I love about this book is that the characters are likeable. They have been fighting their own demons but I admire how strong and laid back Andrew is. I've been reading so many books with asshole heroes and I'm so glad that Andrew isn't one of them. He's F-U-N, outgoing, a gentleman, sweet and all! It's safe to say he's PERFECT. He made Camryn open up and relax and just enjoy life. He lets her do things she hasn't done before. He makes her feel alive.

This book also has alternating POVs but I love Andrew's POV better.

Also, I think the author is a FANGIRL, which explains all the celebrity references:

i.e.

Damon is far from looking like white trash—he could be Alex Pettyfer’s younger brother.

"...the guy looked like the lovechild of…Adam Levine
and…, she twirls her fingers around above her head to let another famous example materialize on her tongue...Jensen Ackles..."

"I don’t listen to Justin Bieber or that crazy meat-wearin’ bitch..."

"She and I went to school with Shay Mitchell and Hayden Panettiere, Megan Fox was prom queen, Chris Hemsworth was prom king."

"And then there was Natalie’s worst enemy, a cheerleader who tried to steal Damon away from her in tenth grade; Natalie said she was the slutty version of Nina Dobrev..."

Hihi. LOVE these lines.

Anyway, I don't think I can continue writing this without giving away too much so, I'll leave you with scenes to look out for:

*Cam and Andrew's first meeting
*Andrew to the rescue
*Their witty banters and crazy convos. My fave --> We head over to the medicines and there’s a middle-aged couple standing in front of the cough syrup, reading the labels. Andrew says casually, without lowering his voice, “Babe, did you find that yeast infection stuff?”
My eyes spring open and I freeze in front of the Tylenol.
He removes a small box of Advil from the shelf.
The couple pretends not to have heard what he said, but I know they heard him.
“I mean are you even sure that’s what’s causing the itch?” he goes on and I’m literally melting from the heat in my face.
The couple does glance over this time, covertly.
Andrew is grinning his ass off at me from the side, pretending to be reading labels.
I want to smack him, but instead, I play him at his own game.
“Yeah, baby I found it,” I say as casually as he had. “What about you? Did you see if they have extra-small sized condoms?”
* CAMRYN'S ADMISSION/CONFESSION
* THE LETTER!!! AND THE EPIC ENDING.

I have a lot of fave lines, but I'll leave you with this one from Andrew:

"Just that dwelling and planning is bullshit," he says. "You dwell on the past, you can’t move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you stay stagnant in the same place all your life." His eyes lock on mine. “Live in the moment,” he says as if making a serious point, “where everything is just right, take your time and limit your bad memories and you’ll get wherever it is you’re going a lot faster and with less bumps in the road along the way."

Some of you might ask, "Does this book have HEA?" Tell you what, GO READ IT AND FIND OUT FOR YOURSELVES . I promise you, it's worth it ;)

Overall, this book made me laugh, CRY (ugly crying), and fall in love.


This is the type of book that will leave a mark to your heart.
What the hell are you waiting for? READ.IT.NOW! OKAY?

Also, check out the author's pinterest: J.A. Redmerski: The Edge of Never

[image error]

P.S. GET YOUR TISSUES READY WHEN YOU START READING THIS.

5++++ FLAWLESS STARS!!!

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

OMG, YAWN FEST!!!

Meet the heroine: Camryn

My hair is the kind of blonde some girls pay a salon a lot of money to have, and it stops just to the middle of my back. I admit I was lucky in the perfect hair department.

Cam is the kind of perfect girl men start fights for and best friends get jealous of because their boyfriends have wanted her from 7th grade.

I could NOT understand what guys saw in this waste of human cells. I'll refrain from saying more about her, because she's just not worth the effort.


Then we have the hero: Andrew whatshisface

If you were to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you.

"And you loved her?" Camryn looks over at me, letting her head fall to the side. I keep looking at the stars.

"Yeah, I loved her, but it wasn’t meant to be."

I’m wondering why she wants to know this; most girls I know snap into that jealousy-fueled mood-swing stuff that makes me want to cover my nuts when it comes to talking about exes. "Two years," I answer. "The break-up was mutual; we started checking out other people and I guess realized we didn’t love each other as much as we thought we did."

"Or, you just fell out of love."

"No, we were never in love to begin with."

Were you or were you not in love with her?? GOD!!!!!!!!



The writing! Please, someone get this author a thesaurus!

"Oh, come on!" she urges, practically begging. Then an aggravated line deepens around her snarling nose and she thrusts my hand into hers and pulls me towards her. "Stop being a baby! If anybody knocks you over, I’ll personally kick their ass, alright?" Damon is grinning at me from the side. "Fine!" I say and head out with them, Natalie practically pulling my fingers out of the sockets.

He practically died when I said that I’d listen to Pink over The Rolling Stones, any day. I mean, I literally think I wounded him. He put his big hand over his heart and threw back his head in devastation and everything. It was very dramatic. And funny. I tried not to laugh, but it was hard not to when his hardened, over exaggerated face was practically smiling, too.

This book was ridiculously boring! There are like 5 pages about how they were playing pool and another 4 pages about them discussing the differences between shower gel and liquid soap!



1 star! *goes to remove all books by this author from to-read list*

[Dd · Rating 4 out of 5]

What lies beyond the EDGE OF NEVER ?


------------------FOREVER----------------------


Readers,this is NOT just a book.....

This is a JOURNEY....

The journey of Cam....

The journey of Andrew....


It’s their journey to find themselves.

So tell me Readers,have you ever felt the thrill of the journey which is known as.........


Camryn is a 20 year old girl living in North Carolina.She used to be fun and outgoing.She used to run naked into a freezing lake every winter.But then she started losing everything.She started losing everyone she loves.

She lost the love of her life,her boyfriend Ian who was her partner in crime to a car accident.
Then she lost her big brother when he got arrested for killing a man during drunk-driving accident.
Then her parents got divorced because her father was cheating on her mother.

So all she is left with now is...PAIN!


"Depression is pain in its purest form and I would do anything to be able to feel an emotin again.Any emotion at all.Pain hurts,but pain that's so powerful that you can't feel anything anymore,that's when you start to feel like you're going crazy."

Yes,she has been silently going crazy.She is losing herself.She has to find herself......

Would it be crazy? Would it be wild? Would it be insane?

Let's find out---

The Beginning--


Cam sets out with a backpack in a bus to Idaho....

Nothing analysed,nothing pre-planned,nothing pre-meditated.

She just goes.

Sitting in the bus,occupying two of the back seats,she first meets him.
Andrew.

Andrew sees this beautiful girl sitting in the back seat.The first interaction he has with her is when she asks him turn down the music blasting from his earbuds.

And thus their journey begins....

"You have to live in the now," he says and I am quietly stunned.
"The dwelling and planning is bullshit.You dwell on the past,you can't move forward....Live in the moment."

So,after a lot of bump and grinds in their beginning,Andrew decides to accompany Cam in her quest to find herself.He decides to teach her to live in the moment.But then will he too find himself??

The Middle--


They start their road trip.No maps,no planned destinations,...just where the road takes them.The only thing planned is the end,Texas.

They start with their bags,a guitar and a black vintage car.


And together they learn to LAUGH,LIVE and LOVE!!

He shows her the beauty of falling rain....>

She shows him the beauty of lying under a starry night....

He makes them sing together...

She shows him that sometimes it's not bad giving in to your grief and letting the tears flow....

And together they find themselves!!

The Ending--


They have finished their journey to Texas.But now,the greater journey lies in front of them.The journey of a life together.

But can they? Or will fate once again slap them in their faces?



Readers,this is where I stop....

Because it's time for you to start!!

-------------------------------------------------------


Please enjoy the trip!!


Ta-Ta!

[Annie Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ummmm, holy crap this book sounds so damn AMAZING! I want it now! And look at that cover! Damn gorgeous! Eeeep!




Best. Fucking. Book. Ever.!

~Full review to come~



Okay, before I get into this review because I am still a bit mind and emotional fucked right now, I have to say....when I first saw the blurb and the cover for this book, I knew...I KNEW I would love this book. The cover spoke to me and I was instantly drawn to want to read this book. I thought it wasn't coming out til next year but oh my fucking god, when I found out it was out, I was ALL OVER this baby...like a baby on it's mommy's nipple. I was like "GIVE ME THIS NOW!" So I bought it, of course I was finishing another book at the time so that I could give this book ALL of my attention. When my gals recommend a book and hound and hound and hound and demand and demand some more (hint hint Sylvia) I KNOW it's a must-read book! The cover, being such a cover whore that I am I was instantly in love with this book. I mean, look at it. Gorgeous...beautiful...PERFECT. Then to add the blurb...oh yes, gimme gimme gimme gimme! Put a perfect cover with a perfect blurb together and what do you get? A FUCKING MASTERPIECE. Yep, that's what I got. I was never disappointed. OH. MY. GOD.

Okay, okay I know, I am babbling too much...like a psycho and y'all are thinking "shut the fuck up and get on with the review dumbass" and so I will before my resolve slips and I break down and fall apart all over again.

So we have Camryn Bennett(I wonder if she's related to Josh Bennett?? haha), a 20 year old who is fed up with her monotonous regular going-nowhere life where she works at a department store. Her boyfriend Ian died from a tragice car accident while they were in high school, her parents divorced, her brother Cole went to prison for killing a man during a drunk accident, and her best friend since second grade accuses her of being a lying bitch(in which I wanted to slap across the face...hard). So basically her life is shit. She decides it's time to quit living for everyone else...and start living for herself. And so she does. She sets out to leave North Carolina on a road trip to Idaho(because they are known for their potatoes, which was freakin hilarious how that happened and now when I buy Idaho potatoes, I'll forever think of Cam). When she gets on a bus and starts her new found self-discovery...everything changes.


Andrew Parrish is 25 and on a road trip from Texas to see his dying father in Wyoming. He is reluctant to go because he knows that saying goodbye would make this real and it hurts him in the worst way. So, reluctantly he heads out on a bus to face reality...and pain.



Little do they know, Camryn and Andrew meet on the same bus...for the same reasons-not sure what they want from life but knowing they want something more than what they're getting now. And so their journey together begins when they meet on the infamous bus and the infamous road trip to Never....





"Finally, an under-populated bus I might actually get some deep sleep on. It's all I really want to do. The longer I stay awake, the more I think about all of the things I don't want to think about. I don't know what I'm doing, or where I'm going, but I do know that I want to do whatever it is and get there soon.
I doze off after staring out the window next to me for an hour.
Muffled headphone music blaring right behind me wakes me up sometime after dark.
At first, I just sit here, hoping maybe he'll notice the top of my now fully awake head bobbing over the seat and decide to turn the music down.
But he doesn't.
I lean up, reaching back to rub a crooked muscle in my neck from sleeping on my arm and then I turn around to look at him. Is he asleep? How can anyone actually sleep with music blasting in their ears like that? The bus is pitch dark except for a couple of dim lights shining down onto books and magazines from above the passenger's seats and the little green and blue lights at the front of the bus in the driver's dashboard. The guy sitting behind me is covered by darkness but I can see one side of his face lit up by the moonlight.
I contemplate it for a second and then push myself up with my knees on the seat and I lean over the back of it, reaching out and tapping him on the leg.
He doesn't move. I tap him harder. He stirs and slowly opens his eyes, looking at me with my stomach hanging over the top of the seat.
He reaches up and pulls the earbuds from his ears, letting the music funnel from the tiny speakers.
"Mind turning it down a little?"
"You could hear that?" he says.
I raise a brow and say, "Uhhh, yeah, it's pretty loud."
He shrugs and thumbs the MP3 player for the volume button and the music fades.
"Thanks." I say and slide back down in my seat.


Okay, that was long and for some reason I was compelled to type all of that. But that was Cam and Andrew's first encounter. And I think it was absolutely amazing and meaningful. Haha, yeah I'm nuts. But seriously this book had me up and down and on turns after turns and more turns with them that I was not sure where up or down was anymore. I was not sure where I was anymore. I absolutely LOVED EVERY MINUTE of this fabulous joyride. I for one love roadtrips. This book made me want to get in my car, drive to a bus station and ride until I was beyond lost. I can't describe my feelings for this book. I just, I am so lost right now. This book made me FEEL every emotion-good or bad that the characters felt and then some. Right now, I am bawling again, just thinking about this experience I shared with my friends. I loved it.


Camryn. She was fantastic. The kind of girl that everyone would want to be friends with. She's smart, witty, funny, sarcastic(which probably goes with witty), sweet, caring and just plain amazing. I loved her character-especially when she starts to come into her own and become herself around Andrew. I love her sassy side and the side that she initally shows us eventhough she is trusting, she puts up a barrier-to protect herself, which I can completely understand her reasoning. Then once she realizes Andrew's intentions, she puts them down and lets him in. I loved her romantic side too. Once she feels comfortable, she really laid it on thick....my God, she shocked me but in the best way. I was happy to share this journey with her. She's very likeable and relatable. Ahhhhh, she's just.....amazing!




Andrew. Oh my sweet sweet sexy Andrew Parrish. I can't even think of the right words to describe him. He is just the most amazing guy I've ever gotten to know. He reminds me of my Joshy Bennett and that's why I've taken to him so fast and hard. Seriously, his sweet and caring side was truly incredible. I loved his fierce protectiveness of Cam. Though some may refer to it as a crazy jealous side, but I see why-and once the readers read into it more, the more they'll understand as well. There is NOTHING and I mean NOTHING.....I didn't like about him. He's so irresistable from the start-from his sarcastic dirty mouth(which I happen to love by the way) to his sweet soulful understanding side. I loved every minute I spent with him and like Cam, it was hard NOT to fall head over heels in love with this boy. He rocked my world....in EVERY way, and yes....the naughty way too.




I loved how we got both POV's. Honestly, we NEEDED both pov's to relate better to both characters. Jessica did a remarkable job of developing the story from the beginning to the very last page. I noticed alot of people felt the story was dragging in the beginning. I didn't feel that way one bit. I loved every second of every page of every minute I spent with these two. I love road trips so I never got bored...but always wondering where their next stop would be or where they were headed next. Once they got off the bus and both went on the road trip to Never-together by car, I was so giddy with excitement. I felt like I was in the back seat and experiencing this whole trip with them. It was AMAZING! Just to get on the open road and go....who the fuck does that? Boy this book sure made me want to do it now. Damn, why didn't I think of that when I had the chance? LOL

The relationship. First, I was glad it wasn't insta-love...or at least in the sense of "Oh you're hot, I love you let's get married and have babies and run away together". It was never like that. I felt this friendship turned romance really developed slowly and just right. I was glad Cam had kept her wall up for awhile....long enough to make us squirm and say "Okay, now let's move on, we know you love each other-QUIT STALLING....YOU'VE WAITED LONG ENOUGH" because at least it wasn't a quick one two three thing. It would have lost the appeal then and wouldn't have been as exciting or intense. As it was, I started to get frustrated with both of them for ignoring their attraction. But once things started to take a turn....OH MY GOD. I was so excited and giddy and squealing like a teenager. Perfect.

"OK, defenses are back up. Bring it on.
I snarl over at him, crossing my arms.
"First off, I don't listen to Justin Beiber. And second, Gaga isn't so bad. Playing the shock-value card a little too long, I admit but I like some of her stuff."
"That's shit music and you know it." he replies and shakes his head."

"Classic rock is where it's at," he says matter-of-factly and then gazes out ahead. "Zeppelin, the Stones, Journey, Foreigner." He lets his head fall to the side to look over at me again. "Any of that ringing any bells?"

Ahhhhh, a man after my own heart. He likes the shit I love. Yes, Journey, Foreigner and the Stones...some of my faves. I'm an 80's music freak! I love you Andrew.

"What's your name?" he asks, setting his drink on the grass.
I wonder if I should give him my real name. "Cam." I say, settling on the short version.
"Short for what?"
I didn't expect that. I hesitate, my eyes trailing, "Camryn." I admit. I figure with all the lies I'm going to have to keep track of, I might as well be truthful about my first name at least. It's one less-significant piece of information I don't have to remember to keep under wraps.
"I'm Andrew. Andrew Parrish."

"So how old are you?"
"Twenty-five," he says. "What about you?"
"Twenty."
"Well, it's good to meet you twenty-year-old Cam short for Camryn heading to Idaho to see her sister who just had a baby."

Sigh. I love you Andrew, God damn he is perfect. And he's from TEXAS....which is where I live. Ahhhh, I want to go stalk him. Wait, what? He's not real? HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT. *hands cover mouth in bafflement*


Andrew moments:

"She wasn't shy to tell me to turn my music down, with a snippy-ass attitude at that. She got pissed when i accused her of havinf Beiber Fever (it pisses me off that I even know what the fuck that means-I blame that on society) and I get the feeling that she would have no problem kicking me in the nuts if I touched her in an inappropriate way. Not that I would. Hell no. But it's good to know that she's the type.
Hell yeah, I like this girl."

"If you were going to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you."

"A woman who knows what she wants sexually and isn't afraid to express it is so fucking hot, Camryn-Tell. Me. What. You. Want. Or, I won't give it to you." OH. DEAR GOD. *fans self*

"I absolutely fucking melt when she looks up at me like that. How would I ever say no to her? Whether is was about sleeping next to a pile of cow shit or under a bridge overpass next to a homeless drunk-I would sleep anywhere with her."

"I kissed you because I wanted to," I say. "I want to do everything with you, Camryn. Trust me! In just a few days I've managed more positions with you than there are in the Kama Sutra. I've wanted to-." I notice I'm white-knuckling the steering wheel."

"Don't lie to me, baby, did you get hurt anywhere? I swear to fucking God if you did I'm going after them."

"Just pretend you're my girlfriend, at least that way no one will fuck with you, or they're less likely to try, anyway."





Okay, I could go on and on. And more likely the best quotes from Andrew are toward the end but I my nook is dying and going through it right now is not a good idea I should have highlighted them. Moral of this review is.....READ THIS BOOK. Seriously. It will make you laugh, cry, swoon, gasp, FEEL and most of all.....LOVE. This is one story that will stay with me forever-and beyond. I love Cam and Andrew and never will forget their beautiful magical story for as long as I live.

The end. Oh my God, the ending will have you hyperventilating and grabbing your stomach from the painful bomb that drops from under you. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE ARE YOU TO STOP READING......KEEEP READING. I PROMISE IT WILL BE WORTH THE PAIN AND DEVASTATION AND ANGER AND ANGUISH. Please.....PLEASE KEEP READING UNTIL THE LAST PAGE.

There aren't enough stars in this world to give this book....I would give it infinite and beyond amount of stars. BRILLIANT. FABULOUS. PERFECT. UNFORGETTABLE. MUST-READ! Now I need a print copy for my bookshelf. GREAT JOB JESSICA. GREAT FUCKING JOB!

[Stacia (the 2010 club) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I won't have a one-night stand with you, but I will make you come, if you let me."

2.5 stars. HOLD UP A SEC. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABOUT A ROAD TRIP.



(in my best small child voice) "Let's gather 'round the sharing circle, everyone. It's time to talk about The Edge of Never."

Ms. Stacia : Well, class. Who's read the assignment?

Several students raise their hands.

Ms. Stacia : And who enjoyed the book?

Several students raise their hands.

Ms. Stacia : And who did not enjoy the book?

A few shy students raise their hands.

(the sound of shoes clicking resonates through the room as Ms. Stacia walks over to one of the students in the back)

Ms. Stacia : You, there. Yes, you. The one with the colorful avatar. Why did you like about The Edge of Never?

Just as one student begins to answer, everyone else jumps in and begins to exclaim their feelings of enthusiasm over the book.


For those of you who haven't read Edge of Never, let me think about what I could say to help you decide whether or not you want to read this book.

There were :

Girl smirks. A long road trip, both on a bus and in a car. Incessant gesturing. Some awkward sentence structures. Dual PoV's which are often hard to distinguish as individual. A respectable slow-build relationship which switches into unexpectedly hot territory without warning. A genuinely moving look at personal loss and the comfort that people can find in one another. Some downright sexy and eye-raising cunninninnninningulus (FFS, I can't spell that word, but I did laugh at Urban Dictionary's definition). An ending which did make me sniffle a little.

I didn't hate this book like I thought I might. Honestly. I did not love it, but I liked it okay. This might not be the first time where I've mentioned that a story has split personalities, but this might be the most accurate description for The Edge of Never.

The first half is a slow build. Did this slow build serve a purpose? I will hesitantly say yes. Most relationships aren't as believable if you don't give characters time to bond. Unfortunately, bonding while discussing today's pop vs. yesterday's classic rock isn't really a big grabber, story-wise. I also hated the pre-bus part of the story. The friend was an idiot who only served as a vehicle to get Camryn the heck outta dodge. I think the friend story line is going to turn some people off from continuing on with the book, and they might end up missing out on something that they would enjoy because of it.

The second half is one part WOO HOO SEXY TIME, one part HOLY CRAP, THAT CAN'T BE GOOD, one part HERE'S WHERE WE COMPROMISE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, and one part HERE COMES THE ANXIETY.

I admit to being a little confused over the entire "own me, I like it rough" conversations. I'm all for people admitting their desires and fetishes, but there was no real completion to this angle. We saw genuine desperation that bordered on obsession (which didn't bother me for once because I felt the pain and desire in what was implied), but other than talking about "needing to be owned," we never saw this couple explore that part of their inner workings to the degree which I was expecting after the conversation came up. I went from thinking that this book would be a "sweet" romance to thinking that it was getting downright kinky after a scene which came out of NOWHERE. By the time we got to the end of the book, I was half-hoping that Cam and Andrew were going to break out into hardcore BDSM territory. Okay, so it wasn't actually going to go there, but what was UP with some of those teasing conversations?

This book had a better second half. If you struggled like me with the first half, I'd say to keep going, because we get to something eventually. The ending could have gone either way and I would have been fine, but given Cam's earlier experiences, the ending that was chosen seemed fitting. I thought the baby thing was not needed though. That tipped the scales over into "too much" territory.

Love Story - Okay
Construction/Timeline of Events - Very Poor
Emotional Pull - Great
Likability of Main Characters - Okay
Steam - Very Good (on the explicit end for NA)
Cheese Factor - Average to Poor (some phrasing made me cringe)
Clinginess - High (tread carefully if you aren't a fan, but I felt it fine/appropriate for this particular story)

Fans of emotional love stories will want to add Edge of Never to their list. If you can handle a slow-starting book, the end will reward you with a fine payout.

[MischaS_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Baby? Why was that necessary for the story? Because I certainly think that it was not.

Are you kidding me! OMG. This is just some sort of fairytale? Don´t get me wrong; I liked this book; in some ways, I almost loved it BUT... Okay, cause there is going to be more BUTs, let´s start with the beginning.
Damon and Ian in the same story? Sorry, that made me think about Ian Somerhalder aka Damon Salvatore. Not a big deal.
Then I really like the part with Blaike (Or Blaire? maybe Blake) the barman at the beginning. He was sort of cool. He´s like the second-best character after Asher.
Then, Natalie was so annoying! I was happy when Cam ignored her!
The part on the bus was one of the best ones. So much fun. Then it was getting slower and a bit boring. Maybe it was because I read so much of this book in one day. But it just felt that the plot got stuck and it was not really going anywhere.
And then after the meeting with Andrew´s mum, it again picked up, and I managed to find my interest in the book. Besides the end, which was sort of too HAPPY, only unicorns were missing.



And since the beginning, I felt like the author loves the Sad-Ending. I expected her to rip our hearts away, I was ready to be shattered.
So after reading the last chapter (or was it the prologue?) I was like this:
Really shocking!
Well, it was pretty good but anyway I think it´s a better 2,5/5* Soo... My problem was that I expected really a lot/almost too much from this book. Or maybe something completely different?

[Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ASTOUNDING STARS

GOOD GRACIOUS!!! This book has rendered me completely and utterly amazed. I'm speechless! I have NO WORDS !!! Not one. Seriously. I want to review it so bad. The problem I'm having is, I'm so emotional I can’t come up with anything eloquent and thought provoking to say. That happens to me every once in awhile. Usually it’s when a book has come out of left field and bowled me over. This book did that and more. It's the kind of book that I search for. The kind that I crave. The kind of book that brings out emotions in me that I love to and need to feel. I'm an angsty book fiend. I get complete joy out of reading books that move my heart and soul. It ROCKED MY WORLD!!!! Honestly this is one of the best books I've read this year...hands down!!!! It started out slow but ended with a HUGE, MASSIVE bang! Every freaking second was electrifying.

If I had to sum this book up I think it would be THIS

[image error]

Life is so short! Live it, love it and enjoy it. You never know when it's going to be your last and tomorrow is not guaranteed. We're not always in control of our circumstances but we have some control over our destinies. We have the power to live a full life no matter how long or short that life happens to be.

Cameryn is unhappy with her life. She's had nothing but one bad thing after another come at her. Her boyfriend and love of her life died in a car wreck, she has a brother that’s in prison for a drunk driving accident that killed a person. Her mother and father have gotten a divorce and she has had a massive argument with her best-friend. She’s depressed and needs to get away; to escape her problems and her life.

Depression is pain in it's purest form and I would do anything to be able to feel an emotion again. Any emotion at all. Pain hurts, but pain so powerful that you can't feel anything anymore, that's when you start to feel like you're going crazy." ~~ Cameryn

She hops on a Greyhound bus that’s headed to Idaho. It’s a spur of the moment decision. Andrew is boarding that same bus but is headed to see his father in Wyoming who is dying of a brain tumor. After noticing a weird pervy old guy on the bus checking Cameryn out Andrew feels his protective instinct take over and starts to watch out for her. That leads to some small talk between the two of them and they slowly build a budding friendship. They’re both on separate journeys but their road trips land up merging together and the story that follows is absolutely beautiful.

"I was taking the long road and Camryn was taking the road to nowhere and it just so happens that they led to the same place." ~~ Andrew

Cameryn and Andrew are incredible together. Its so cliche to say but they really do complete each other. I loved the dynamics between the two of them. Andrew pushes Cameryn to be fearless and to own her sexuality and thoughts. He encourages her to be herself. To never deny how she feels. He helps her work through the things that are troubling her at home. They fall in love magically. It’s romantic and sweet. They’re fun together and I love the way they look at life and embrace it. They’re both like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly.

"For the first time in my life, I've felt whole, alive, free. You were the missing piece of my soul, the breath in my lungs, the blood in my veins." ~~ Andrew

There is so much more to this story that I just can't go into with out giving it away. I hate spoiler reviews. I think you need to experiences this book with no expectations. It's remarkable how gratifying it is to read.

"THE HEART ALWAYS WINS out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets it's way. The mind may be what's best, but I don't give a shit what my mind is telling me anymore. Right now, I just want to live in the moment." ~~ Andrew

The end of the book...WORDS CANNOT DESCRIBE!!!!
It was.....

WOW
WOW
WOW
WOW

Prepare to cry, bawl, and sob. Not just little sniffles here and there, I’m talking about full blown body rocking sobbing. The kind of sobbing that leaves you feeling brain dead when you’re done. This book was emotionally one of the most intense books I have read. You fall so in love with the characters that you feel it all, EVERY.LAST.EMOTION!! I can’t say it enough. I loved this. I loved, loved, loved, loved, loved this. This book was incredible. Please read it. Give it a try. I know there are a lot of books out there but I can tell you that I think this book is a soul satisfying book. It will leave you feeling incredible :)

This is a picture of Andrew and Cameryn that Drita Kinic found. I thought it was perfect.

[image error]

Another one that I thought was perfection <3

[image error]

Andrew <3



Cameryn <3

[image error]

This made me think of them on their road trip

[image error]

And last but not least a life motto <3

[image error]

~~Images from The Edge of Never Pinterest page~~
Link ~ http://pinterest.com/jredmerski/camry...

[chan ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

reread, dnf at 20%

edging would be more fun than this book

#yesiwentthere

[Tough Critic Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay...so let's see if I can form coherent thoughts!

I was not instantly swept away by The Edge of Never. In fact, I kept thinking, "Where is this amazing book everyone keeps raving about?" Maybe everyone's on drugs and I didn't getting any? Maybe I bought the wrong book? Maybe I'm just a cold hearted bitch that's too tough of a critic? I was bored and totally disconnected from the story. I was just trying to get through it, struggling to get through it. I had my two-stars all polished up and ready to go.

WHERE THE HELL IS ALL THE AWESOME!

About halfway through (48% to be exact), the book jumped up and yelled, "Here I am!", doing such a 180 that it made my head spin! Did he really say...did he just...did she..what...huh...what the hell?! Am I reading the same book?

This is where I started to feel like a thirteen year old girl in sex ed who can't bring herself to say the word S-E-X. I giggled, I blushed, I slapped my hand over my mouth so hard I got whip-lash! What they did! What they said! This is when my highlighter came out and I started typing like a maniac! Everything from this point on shocked the hell out of me. It was the shock factor that finally won me over. It came out of nowhere in every sense of the word.

I spent the whole second half waiting for the bottom to drop out. I finished the last page not being able to think about anything, but Andrew and Camryn. I tried to watch TV...Andrew and Camryn. I tried to read another book...Andrew and Camryn. I finally had to go to sleep thinking about nothing, but Andrew and Camryn.

This book baffled me. I absolutely did not like the first half, but somehow, someway I was infected and the story completely got under my skin; taking on a new direction that shocked me into submission. The beginning...the end. They were two halves of a completely different coin. I definitely feel like I had to pay a price to get to the end. However, at the end of the day...I'd pay that price again. READ ON!

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I think when you fall in love, like true love, it's love for life. All the rest is just experience and delusions."

What an AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL story!!!

I have to say, when I started reading The Edge of Never my expectations were high, VERY HIGH...So when the first part started out a bit slow I was beginning to question if I would really find it as good as everyone else... But in the end it completely met up to my expectations and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED it...

When we first meet the twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett, she's just been through a very rough period. Not sure what to do with her life, she decides to run away from home and to breek free from the everyday life she's leading..

"So often I sit around and think about life and wonder about every possible aspect of it. I wonder what the hell I'm doing here. Yesterday I thought about why I felt the need to get up at exactly the same time as the day before. Why? 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?"

So Camryn decides to take a bus to anywhere, just to get away from it all. And on that bus is where she meets Andrew Parrish. A tall guy with stylish, short brown hair, green eyes, TATTOOS and most importantly an incredible sense of humor (his inner monologues really made me laugh-out-loud sometimes!) Oh and he also plays the guitar! (What's not to like, right?). Together they decide to take a journey on the road to nowhere. But really, what they do, is take a journey on the road to everywhere... Along that journey they teach eachother about life, love, friendship and about so much more.

"I was taking the long road and Camryn was taking the road to nowhere and it just so happens that they led to the same place."

While reading this book I laughed, I cried and I sighed over how wonderful a guy Andrew really is. I went through all the emotions Camryn and Andrew went through and I enjoyed every second of it. It was a remarkable journey, one that I would advice anyone to go through. So to everyone who hasn't read it yet, I would say:

TAKE A SEAT, BUCKLE UP AND JOIN CAMRYN AND ANDREW ON THEIR JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE !!!

(and grab a box of tissues while you're ahead because you're going to need them...)

What this book thaught me is to not dwell on the past and to live life to the fullest because you never know what the next day might bring.
"Dwelling and planning is bullshit. You dwell on the past, you can't move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you stay stagnant in the same place all your life. Live in the moment where everything is just right, take your time and limit the bad memories and you'll get wherever it is you're going a lot faster and with less bumps in the road along the way."
I definitely loved reading this book and I hope everyone else enjoys it as well!!!


Some more pictures that remind me of Camryn and Andrew and their amazing journey:

Camryn and Andrew



Andrew



His guitar



Their love



Favorite quotes:

"The heart always wins out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets its way."

"If you were to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you."

"A woman who knows what she wants sexually, and isn't afraid to express it is so fucking hot, Camryn- Tell. Me. What. You. Want. Or, I won't give it to you."

"Just because one person's problem is less traumatic than another's doesn't mean they're required to hurt less."

"Two people unable to cry finally cry together and if the world ended today, we would be fulfilled."

5 BRILLIANT STARS!!!!

[Richa · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first time in my life, I’ve felt whole, alive, free. You were the missing piece of my soul, the breath in my lungs, the blood in my veins. I think that if past lives are real then we have been lovers in every single one of them. I’ve known you for a short time, but I feel like I’ve known you forever.





Hmmmmm..............what?!!....Oh right! Sorry! I was dreaming, I mean thinking! thinking about this really cute, weird guy I had met in a bus.....Hmmmm................Oh! Alright! At first he came off as really strange, eccentric.....but then who would have thought that that hot, sexy, cute exterior was hiding a deep ocean.......,dark secrets and a zest for life and freedom which resonated something deep inside me......



Ladies and gentlemen!! Meet Andrew Parrish!!! He's a cool, charming, free guy with green eyes, an unconventional way of thinking, a guitar, a gorgeous body, the moves, the one who'll make you groove......the one whom I met and fell in love with....the one with whom I plan to spend the rest of my--



Oh wait! that's not me...that's Camryn!!! (though I wouldn't mind taking her place, no problem....keep that in mind, Andrew <3)

So, meet Camryn, a girl who "used to be fun and outgoing and used to run naked into a freezing lake every winter", who has suffered the kind of tragedies in her short life that most of us probably don't go through in our entire lives. Depressed, numb, and fed up with the monotonous rut of life, she feels compelled by an urge to just pack her bags and take off to anywhere as long as it's away from the life she's living..........

THE DAY WHEN EVERYTHING changed.



And this is their love story.



This is the story of their journey into the wild, free LIFE! The story of discovery of life in the 'NOW'!





"Dwelling and planning is bullshit,” he says. “You dwell on the past, you can’t move forward. Spend too much time planning for the future and you just push yourself backwards, or you stay stagnant in the same place all your life.” His eyes lock on mine. “Live in the moment,” he says as if making a serious point, “where everything is just right, take your time and limit your bad memories and you’ll get wherever it is you’re going a lot faster and with less bumps in the road along the way.”

And that's how their journey begins.........





-- “The Notebook,” he says so low that I didn’t quite catch it.
“Did you say The Notebook?”
“Yes! I cried watching The Notebook, alright?” (I can't resist him!! How can anyone?!!!)



Eurydice & Orpheus.....meant to be together....but torn apart by cruel fate.... I loved what he (Andrew, of course ;)) did with this mythology....could this guy be more romantic?!! When you finally read the book, get ready to swoon, ladies!!!



“What you wear really doesn’t matter much,” he says, walking back to the closet. “All that matters is where you’re going and what you’re doing while you’re wearing it.” Completely agree with you on that, Andrew! :)

[image error]

You'll come to know about...... the mystery of the single shoes that lie on the side of the freeways all across the United States. Any theories of your own, people? :)



There were hilarious, laugh-out-loud moments like:
-- We head over to the medicines and there’s a middle-aged couple standing in front of the cough syrup, reading the labels.
Andrew says casually, without lowering his voice, “Babe, did you find that yeast infection stuff?”
My eyes spring open and I freeze in front of the Tylenol.
He removes a small box of Advil from the shelf.
The couple pretends not to have heard what he said, but I know they heard him.
“I mean are you even sure that’s what’s causing the itch?” he goes on and I’m literally melting from the heat in my face.
The couple does glance over this time, covertly.
Andrew is grinning his ass off at me from the side, pretending to be reading labels.
I want to smack him, but instead, I play him at his own game.
“Yeah, baby I found it,” I say as casually as he had. “What about you? Did you see if they have extra-small sized condoms?”



“Pain is pain, babe. Just because one person’s problem is less traumatic than another’s doesn’t mean they’re required to hurt less.”



Both of them were terrified but helpless to fall.... THE HEART ALWAYS WINS out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets its way.




They both teach each other to love and let go and to....LIVE!!! They get schooled by each other and LIFE.





Two people unable to cry finally cry together and if the world ended today, we would be fulfilled. Letting go has never been so beautiful before....Tissues anyone?



Together they learn the beauty of the rain.....



And the magic of lying under the stars.......





Together they learn to sing along in this journey called LIFE.....



It was the kind of Love that keeps you going no matter what kind of war is raging around you.....



It had beautiful moments. It had funny moments. It had painful moments. It had moments where I could deeply identify with the beliefs presented. It had crazy moments. And in the end it was ALL WORTH IT!!



“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to backpack across the world? Just you and a backpack with a few necessities. No bills. No getting up at the same time every morning to go to a job you hate. Just you and the world out ahead of you. You never know what the next day is going to bring, who you’ll meet, what you’ll have for lunch or where you might sleep.” (I have! Several times!!! And will definitely do it someday! Anyone care to join me? :D )





As Hunter S. Thompson rightly said: The Edge... there is no honest way to explain it because the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over. So, read the book to know the edge of love, the edge of pain, the edge of life and the edge of never.......





In the end......

“I don’t think you ever really fall out of love with someone. I think when you fall in love, like true love, it’s love for life. All the rest is just experience and delusions.”

Diving off the edge of never....into forever....together.....



So, readers, just take a deep breath and dive in!!! :))

[Alexis *Reality Bites* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoiler Free Review -A MUST READ
5 BIG BOLD SHINING STARS!!!
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance
WARNING: This book is
Heart pounding, Toe curling, Panty melting, Tear shedding, Fist flying, Glass table shattering, Thought provoking GREAT! Yeah, it's that good!

And if you don't believe me... Read it yourself;)

"For the first time in my life, I’ve felt whole, alive, free. You were the missing piece of my soul, the breath in my lungs, the blood in my veins. I think that if past lives are real then we have been lovers in every single one of them. I’ve known you for a short time, but I feel like I’ve known you forever." ~Andrew

Some books rise above others. PERIOD. They take you on intense heartfelt journey's that will stick with you for forever. This book accomplished that and then some. The Edge of Never will cause readers to look at their lives knowing that all things are possible. And that you should never conform to the standards set by people/the world. Life is more than your customary daily routine. You just need to step outside of the box. Break your regular rituals and do something different. Live in the moment!

'This is your life.' ~Inner monologue of Camryn

When 20yr old Camryn Bennet feels her life is becoming a repeat of the same old things everyday of the week. She makes a spontaneous decision by packing a bag, buying a bus ticket and allowing her gut intuition to choose her destination. Following pure instinct to control her destiny she crosses the path of Andrew Parrish. Andrew shares a similar outlook on life as Camryn. They become friends; both internally fighting the feelings they develop for one another. But we all know in the end...the heart wants...what the heart wants.

'THE HEART ALWAYS WINS out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets its way. The mind may be what’s best, but I don’t give a shit what my mind is telling me anymore. Right now, I just want to live in the moment.' ~Inner monologue of Andrew

Their friendship soon becomes a passionate love affair. Andrew teaches Cam to live in the moment, say what's on her mind, to let down her guard and to try new exciting things. And she does. And in doing so she finds the love of her life. Andrew. Problem is he has a secret.

Thoughts
The book definitely has a slow build and at one point I remember thinking "okay, where is this story going?" All of those doubts I had suddenly took a back seat when the story shot off like a rocket. It left me sobbing hysterically at 3am. I don't want to say more... In fear of giving to much away. So I'll say I LOVED THIS BOOK!!! READ IT!

Fave lines said and unsaid

'Never thought I’d intentionally sleep on a bathroom floor next to a toilet while sober, but I meant it when I said I would sleep anywhere with her.'
~Inner monologue of Andrew

'I could die in this bed with him right now, wrapped in his arms and I would never know that I had died.' ~Cam

“If you were to let me fuck you, you would have to let me own you.” ~Andrew

“I belong to you, Andrew Parrish… I want you to own me….” ~Cam


My Ratings
Characters- Lovable and Witty
Writing Style- Excellent, very Solid, sometimes Intense
Storyline/Plot- Highly Emotional, Honest and Thought provoking
Steam Factor- High/Very Steamy
Overall- I LOVED IT! IT'S A MUST READ!!!!

Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on Goodreads!

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it through this book, though I didn't want to. I'm too exasperated to write a nice, well thought-out review. I think I'm just going to throw together some thoughts and see where it goes.

For all the hype with this book, I honestly expected greatness. The majority of my GR friends like this one so I thought it might be a good read. It wasn't. If we get past the terrible first person present tense writing, the book is still a boring, amateurish effort.

Let's start at the very beginning. After I encountered this quote near the start of this book, I knew it would be a tough read for me.

Instead of sitting around dreaming up new sex positions, as Natalie often does about Damon, I dream about things that really matter. What the air in other countries feels like on my skin, how the ocean smells, why the sound of rain makes me gasp.

Oh shut your face you self-rightous, arrogant ninny. "Why the sound of rain makes me gasp..." WTF! You must be fun to hang out with in a storm. "Gasp, gasp, gasp"... And I'll have you know, plenty of my most important thoughts involve new sexual positions. Far more important than what the air feels like in Germany or Chile. (I'll give you a hint... it feels like AIR).

Okay, I'm taking a breather. I had a ranty little moment there.

On top of a main character that bothered the ever-living crap out of me, I decided to continue on the hopes that this book became great. It didn't. The first 1/2 was impossibly dull. I actually yawned while reading it. And the writing... just super repetitive, simple, anti-engaging stuff. However, as I read on, I kind of found myself being drawn into the story a bit. I started to enjoy myself a fraction and I caught glimpses of what all the hype was about.

Then the ending.

Melodrama, melodrama, melodrama with a big helping of emotional manipulation.

Sigh.


**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance

4 1/2 stars

"THE HEART ALWAYS WINS out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets its way."

I love this quote from the Edge of Never because it's SO true!

The Edge of Never turned out to be every bit as good as I hoped it would be. I'm still trying to process all my thoughts and feelings about this book but one thing's for sure, I've NEVER enjoyed getting to know two characters more than I did Andrew and Camryn. They owned me from the first page to the last. They're beautifully flawed, real, and immensely lovable. The author captured their essence brilliantly.

I did have a few problems with the story though. Not only did the pacing drag a bit here and there, but I felt somewhat manipulated by the book's climax. That said, I've NEVER enjoy the journey of two characters more. The ending was perfect and just what I needed; and though I finished this book feeling exhausted, I also felt elated. I definitely enjoyed this read.

November 29th edit: Over the past few days I have revisited some of my favorite passages in this book. I really do love so much about this story that even with those reservations I discussed in my review, I own this book at least another half star.

[Janina · Rating 1 out of 5]

I seem to be pretty alone with my opinion concerning this book. More than 2500 ratings and still an average of over 4.7?

What annoyed me most: The heroine's holier-than-thou-nobody-understands-me attitude and the hero's unabashed worship of her and everything she says and does.

Here are some quotes that made me want to chuck my Kindle against the next-best wall:

'… and then Christian Deering, my Ian rebound guy, and the jerk who cheated on me with some red-haired slut.'

Of course the girl he cheated on you with has to be a slut. What else?

'She [a receptionist at a motel] pulls it [Andrew’s credit card] from between his fingers and all the while watches every little move his hand makes until it falls away from her eyes down behind the counter. Slut.'

Well. So it is completely okay that you are eyeing Andrew like a piece of meat all the time but as soon as another girl does it she is automatically a slut? Nice.

"'Have you ever had a one night-stand?' […] 'Well, I was just wondering…because I've never done something like that.' 'Why not?' he says so casually. […] 'Well, it's kind of slutty, I guess.' […] 'If a girl did that a-lot,' he draws out that word with a squeamish smile, 'then it would be slutty, sure. Once or twice, […] there’s nothing wrong with that.'"

Hach. How I love this. As long as you have one or two one-night stands, that's okay. But hey, three times, and you're on your way to slutty-town. Newsflash: If a girl is comfortable with having one-night stands and exploring her sexuality, she is completely fine to do whatever she wants to do. It’s nobody's business. Oh, and let me guess: You probably don't feel like the same applies to guys, huh?

"'No, I would never think you were a slut unless you went around screwing a bunch of guys, for which I then would be in jail because I would have to beat the fuck out of all of them […].'"

Yes! Violence!! And again talk about what makes girls sluts. (You might have noticed it is a recurring theme.)

And that ending? I call cop-out! Also: *gag*. Sorry, this book just wasn't for me and pushed all the wrong buttons.

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 2.5 stars... the more I think about it two is probably right though

I have to say I went into this book with very high expectations considering the reviews it was getting. To say I was disappointed wold be an understatement.

Typically I try to write spoiler free reviews, but I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to do that with this one, so consider this your warning!


First of all, let me start with what I did like. I liked the characters that Redmerski has created here. Both Cam and Andrew were wonderfully written and I really didn't have any issues at all with them on a character level. I actually sort of liked Cam's strength and Andrew's sweetness. And I really liked them together.

Unfortunately that might be where it ends for me. I get that this book is about strength and loss and how we move on with our lives and become who we were meant to be, but I don't know what about this just rubbed me the wrong way.

Cam decides to up and leave her hometown for Idaho (because she sees someone eating a potato). So she boards a bus hoping to find herself. She's lost her boyfriend in a car accident, her parents divorced, her next boyfriend cheated on her, and then her best friends boyfriend hits on her and her BFF doesn't believe her and basically tells her to f*#k off.

What had me puzzled from the get go, was the weird 'the worst is going to happen' attitude the characters seemed to have. While at a club with her friend, Cam has a few drinks and goes to talk with a guy she met and her immediate reaction was OMG what if he rapes me. Then, her BFF's boyfriend comes to her psuedo rescue (that she didn't need) and beats the crap out of the guy telling her he could have raped her.... then proceeds to attack her while telling her he has been in love with her for years. O_o has she been so unobservant ... has he hid it that well?


ANYWAY.... This all culminates in Cam's fleeing by bus. She meets the one and only Andrew Parrish on his way to visit his dying father in a hospital in Wyoming


They slowly bond over the trip and eventually are set to part ways, but this happens right around the time she loses her confidence in being able to do this on her own. And low and behold some scumbag comes and tries to attack her... but our swarthy hero Andrew happens to save the day. From there she spills about the fact that she wasn't visiting Idaho for the reason she said and so begins than epic roadtrip of sorts. They fight their attraction for each other, Cam, because she isn't sure what she wants and Andrew... well, we don't really know his hangups yet. He refuses to spill. ok... so at some point Cam, who is 20, divulges that she is sexually submissive...and Andrew... well, of course he's sexually dominant.



I don't even know why that is in this story to be honest. I get exploring sexuality and trying to find who you are, but that just seemed to be thrown in there as a plot point that made no sense what-so-ever to me. Also, Andrew seems to have some rage and anger management issues. She, Cam, seems to find this sexy and this also confused me. All of this isn't what really bugged me... what did it, was the fact that over what I think was like 3-4 weeks of this road trip, Redmerski finally divulges Andrew Parrish's big secret. And it's that he has what he thinks is a terminal brain tumor.



Please tell me how it's possible that he had absolutely no symptoms of this tumor that he's known about for 8 months over the last few weeks and then suddenly he's dying... I'm not buying it and I couldn't seem to get past all the predictable plot devices used in this story to truly just enjoy it.

Even what was supposed to be a heart wrenching end, was unfortunately, predictable to me, and really just reiterated that there really wasn't anything that stood out in this story for me. I'm struggling to understand if it's just me in regards to this book, because I see all the raving reviews, but I don't know if it's because people just really love Andrew and that makes everything that bugged me about the plot and such okay or what... but to be honest, that wasn't enough for me.

Andrew is absolutely sweet and swoony and really helps Cam find herself along the way, but I couldn't overlook all the other things in this story that were predictable and really bothered me to give this a higher rating.

If you're looking for a coming of age story and don't mind a somewhat predictable plot with a big bow at the end ... this might be for you.




This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare:

[KAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 OH, ANDREW!!! Stars

I ALWAYS TRUST MY DAUGHTER! My 31 year old daughter turns me on to the most fascinating NA books, and this one is no exception. Never asking what the book is about, trusting she knows what I enjoy, I went in blind. Within the first few pages, I knew she was right ...... I was going to love it!

I know I am really late to the party reading this one, as it has been out for a number of years. But, it is one I will never forget!

What begins as a friendship between two 'lost souls' who meet on a bus while traveling the countryside in search of answers, turns into the most compelling and engaging read. I reveled in the journey they were on and simply loved the dialogue between the two as they get to know one another. I love a sweet and sexy romance!

Ms. Redmerski blew me away with her writing skills and style, and dual POV's are always right up my alley.

Camryn Bennett, twenty years old, is a dispirited soul, still trying to figure out who she is without Ian, the love of her life, who died way too young in a car accident. The cheating rebound guy, her brother in prison, and her parent's divorce just adds fuel to the already depressing fire. She is in limbo land and not in a happy place. To top it all off, she and her best OTT friend, Natalie, have a huge fight involving a boyfriend, and she refuses to see or talk to Camryn.

Disillusioned, disappointed and determined to take control of her life and the need to feel alive again, Camryn buys a bus ticket and starts traveling across the country with no real destination in mind. She just knows she has to get away for awhile. Along the way, an incredibly attractive male boards the bus and sits directly behind her. He annoys the hell out of Camryn, but eventually he wears her down, and they become "traveling friends." His name is Andrew, he is twenty-five and is headed to Wyoming to say goodbye to his dying father. He is also trying to figure out the ways and whys of life.

Andrew ...... wow ...... how to describe Andrew? Adorably funny, matter of fact and honest to a fault (well mostly, except for one big secret). Sexy would be a total understatement, and he is beautiful, inside and out, with a killer smile and gorgeous green eyes. He is also a bit of a mystery, which just adds more dimension to the storyline. Simply put, Andrew is unforgettable!

And because Andrew is absolutely irresistible, fun times are ahead once Camryn finally gives up the fight to keep him at arms length!

Thanks for another great recommendation, Morgan, aka Shuggie Bear!

[Maria Espadinha · Rating 4 out of 5]

SLAM


Cam atravessa uma fase amargurada que começou com a morte repentina do namorado. O seu único consolo é o relacionamento que mantém com Natalie, a sua melhor amiga. Mas até esse doce a vida lhe rouba, quando o namorado de Natalie, num ato de catarse surpresa, lhe confessa a paixão que sente por ela!

Incomodada e desorientada parte subitamente sem rumo.

E foi quanto bastou!
Ao fechar a porta ao passado com um brusco e repentino SLAM, regressou ao Presente reencontrando-se com a Vida...

Entre o Agora e o Nunca é mais uma história de Verdades apregoadas, batidas e badaladas, daquelas que rezam mais ou menos assim:
Atira com o Cadáver do Passado e o Fantasma do Futuro 'prá' Fogueira, Vive o Presente e Ama!
Deixa que o Poder do Amor te guie os passos que chegas Lá, seja esse Lá onde fôr...

Porém, acima de tudo, Entre o Agora e o Nunca é uma empolgante história sobre o Poder do Amor — aquele sentimento que nos toca a todos, pois!…

“Sem um amor não vive ninguém. Pode ser um amor sem razão, sem morada, sem nome sequer. Mas tem de ser um amor. Não tem de ser lindo, impossível, inaugural. Apenas tem de ser verdadeiro.”
Miguel Esteves Cardoso

De tudo isto resulta que as histórias de Amor (empolgantes), por muitas que sejam, nunca são demasiadas. Venham mais! 😉👍

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disclaimer: Hey, you. Yes, you. If you want to read this book without having it spoilt for you, this is not the review you should be reading. Just wanted to point that out.

Ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you about The Edge of Never The Survival Skills You Didn't Know You Were Missing that will turn you into a Special Snowflake like our main character, Cam.

Survival Skill #1: Slut-Shame-Yo-Self-Through-Life.
Look, everyone else is a slut but you. That's just how life is if you want to be a special snowflake. If every other girl is open about their sexuality, they're a slut. If they are dressing too revealing, they're a slut. If they are 40 and just looking at the guy-who-isn't-even-your-boyfriend-but-who-you're-kind-of-attracted-to, they're so a slut. If they have sex too often, they're a slut. But you? Of course you're not a slut. You can dress as revealing as you want to and you're not a slut, you can be open about your sexuality and you're not a slut. You can have sex and you're not a slut because you obviously have not-slutty sex! You can do all the things you want to do and you are—have you guessed it yet?—not a slut! Because you're a special snowflake. Isn't that just awesome!?

Survival Skill #2: You are the one to decide what really matters.
If you want to be a special snowflake, you must know that everything that matters to you is the only thing that matters. Do you get that? Forget about everyone else's problems, your problems are the ones that matter the most. Of course you must pretend to know that there are other problems, way worse than yours, out there but just when you know that someone is listening to you talking about your much more awful problems. Just never forget that the only thing that matters is stuff like finding out why the sound of rain makes you gasp. Things like that are very important, so don't forget about it. People in third world countries living in poverty and dying because of it? Well, just pretend you know about it but obviously, your problems are way worse than that. Also, finding out why exactly the sound of rain makes you gasp is of utmost importance anyway. Even if you never find out because you're a fucking liar who doesn't even gasp when you hear the sound of rain. :-)

Survival Skill #3: Depression is overrated but you are really depressed and not just "playing the depression card".
Look, since you have the world's biggest problems, you are depressed. That's pretty obvious, so I hope you already know that. Otherwise you don't even have to try to become a Special Snowflake. Anyway, you know that you are depressed and depression to you, Special Snowflake, means: sadness, sadness, sadness. (Princess Special Snowflake's words.) You pretend to feel bad for other people, you pretend that you never liked seeing other people hurting but when you just hear someone "play the depression card", you roll your eyes and go about your business. (Princess Special Snowflake's words, who is our main character in The Survival Skills You Didn't Know You Were Missing, which is really obvious. Duh.) OK? Don't forget that. No one knows what it's like to be depressed but you. Depression means not feeling any emotion at all and, if you want to be a Princess Special Snowflake, you aren't able to cry because you're depressed. That's just what depression does to people, kill all their tear ducts.

Survival Skill #4: You want to be pitied but don't know how to achieve that.
You have the world's biggest problems and you know it but you also want everyone else to know it and pity you. Of course, if you want that to happen, you have to use the pretend-strategy as much as possible. Play your problems cool, like you don't want to talk about them because if you do, you're a whiner and people like that suck. If a person then asks you often enough about your problems, you give in and tell them but pretend to know exactly that your problems are nothing compared to other people's problems (you don't really think that, though, alright?). You now have reached your goal: people feel bad for you, pity you and think you're such a strong person for just being able to still breathe and keep yourself alive. Good work, Special Snowflakes-To-Be!

Survival Skill #5: You made love with your first boyfriend and nothing will ever compare to it.
As you all know, no one ever has sex. Oh wait, sorry, let me correct that. The Special Snowflakes never have sex. So you better get used to calling it making love, you with me so far? Anyway, you know your first time making love will never compare to any other experience in your life. But only until you meet the tame version of Christian Grey (we will get to him later), which proceeds to change your whole life.

Survival Skill #6: The One.
A lesson in love, Special Snowflakes-To-Be. You will meet the one in a bus, going to nowhere exactly. It will be a bus seat. You will have a hard time finding the one bus seat at first because you know, it's the one and it must be perfect. But when you find it, you will be one happy Special Snowflake, I tell you. So then this guy gets on the bus and you must worry instantly if he will find the one as well. If he sits behind you on the one for him, you are relieved and can take a nap now.

Survival Skill #7: Everyone loves you.
This one's easy. You're one hot blonde white girl. If you're not blonde or white, forget about becoming a Special Snowflake. (Wait, that means that I, Rose, can't become a Special Snowflake either. Sob. Do you hear the tears dropping from my face, and does it make you gasp? OK, that was too much.) You are not a slut but sexy and that's what counts and makes everyone love you. The guy at the bar will start flirting with you, your best friend's boyfriend of five years will punch bar guy's face because that's the intro to him telling you that he had feelings for you, like, since forever and he then will start trying to kiss you without you wanting it, then comes the weird dude in the bus who keeps looking at you and you don't know about but Andrew does. And that brings me to the next Survival Skill: Andrew. The hero of the story.

Survival Skill #8: Y'all need an Andrew aka tame Christian Grey.
This is where your Special Snowflake life starts to get interesting. This is where your life as Special Snowflake begins. Because this dude is who makes you a Special Snowflake because, well, obviously you won't be Daddy's Girl anymore after meeting him, but you'll be—can you guess it?—Andrew's girl. And that's one of the things that will make you a Special Snowflake in the first place. He is the stranger you meet in the bus and you don't trust him immediately but he wins your trust after a day or so, when he lets you meet his dying father. Girls, don't believe your parents when they tell you not to trust a stranger, there are exception like this one. So if you meet a boy on a bus and he lets you meet his dying dad in the hospital, of course you trust him to not be a "bad stranger". Oh, and also, he saves you from being raped from the weird bus dude who kept staring at you, which proves it even more that he's trustworthy. (Of course it wasn't necessary to tell you about the weird bus dude who kept staring at you.) Anyway, you meet him, and your life starts to get interesting.

Survival Skill #9: How to live your life like Fifty Shades of Grey is your Bible but you ain't slutty because of living like that.
Your Andrew changes your life. He makes you want to have sex with him in ways that you think are slutty but you ain't slutty and he tells you so, so calm down, it's all fine. You'll be giving him a blowjob while he's driving (but in a not-slutty way), you'll be having some tame S&M shit happening in the bedroom motel rooms you spend pretty much most of your road trip in. (Oh, sorry, forgot to mention that, of course you'll stop using the bus for the road trip to nowhere but will trust Andrew when he makes this plan that you go on a road trip with him. Just you, him and his car. Of course, how stupid of me to forget something so important.) Anyway, this will change your life (especially because he has erections that can cut diamonds—his words) and impact your future forever, Special Snowflake. Your Andrew will love you like no one else, especially because a person who truly loves you will punch every guy in the face who just looks at you and well, isn't Your Andrew. Now onto the most important Survival Skills.

Survival Skill #10: Sex Ed with Cam.
Girls, what do you have to use if you don't really plan on getting preggers?

A.) Condoms
B.) Birth control pills
C.) Other protection (vaginal rings, injections etc.)
D.) Some of the things mentioned combined (like condom + birth control pills)
E.) Nothing

If you choose E.), Princess Special Snowflake is proud that you know how not to get preggers if you don't want to (and also know how to have safe sex!)

Which brings me to...

Survival Skill #11: You are preggers with the child of the luuuurve of your life!

Congrats! You are now a Special Snowflake.

**************************************************

On a little more serious note: If you can't tell if I'm serious or not with this (which is OK), I'm here to tell you that I'm not. I didn't like this book. At all. It was quite insulting (especially if you're a victim of sexual assault and/or are struggling with depression, are open with your sexuality etc.) and I hated every minute of it. While I get that you don't have to agree with characters/think their actions are right to like a book, I'm putting all the joking and fun aside and really do hope that no one who read this book (and liked it) approves of any of the messages it is sending out.

**************************************************

Can't get enough of The Survival Skills You Didn't Know You Were Missing?
1. Go read Ellis's review.
2. Enjoy this. You're welcome (but you better appreciate it because it took me 2 hours to create). Also, I stole that idea from Renae. Hi, Renae!

The very optimistic start of this all...
Buddy read with Ellis, starting the last week of July. Anyone interested in suffering with us joining?

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t have words to describe how much I loved this book - it is incredibly beautiful, touching and heart wrenching story about true love. I sobbed my eyes out, I smiled until my jaw hurt and I fell in love with the characters – this book is just THAT good. This was a road trip straight to my heart.

[image error]

Note: This review contains some spoilers about how the relationship between Cam & Andrew unfolds.. but nothing that even remotely gives the end away.

Cam has had so much heartbreak and disappointment in her life. She is tired of trying to live up to everybody else’s expectations and just decides to pack up her stuff and take a bus to somewhere, anywhere.

Andrew’s dad is busy dying and he needs to go visit him. He wants time to clear his head so he ends up on the same bus as Cam.

“I was taking the long road and Camryn was taking the road to nowhere and it just so happens that they led to the same place”

This isn't one of those love stories where the guy and girl are in each other’s arm in the first chapter. In fact the first half of the book is quite slow. Cam & Andrew meet on the bus, but are both quite guarded. They both promised themselves that they won’t fall in love.

After chatting on the bus together, Cam starts trusting Andrew. He saves her from a near incident and she agrees that it is safer to travel with him than on the bus, and so the road trip continues in his car.

[image error]

“It’s a blatant fact: Andrew Parrish and I were meant to meet on that bus in Kansas. Coincidence is just a safe conformist for fate.”

Andrew forces Camryn to live a little and gets her to try new stuff, talk about her past, wishes for the future and sexual desires. They share these experiences together and Camryn feels alive, really alive, for the first time in her life - they sleep under the stars, perform together in a bar, lie in the rain ...

[image error]

She even gets enough courage to ask Andrew about a one night stand, but he refuses…

“I say that I’m not into you like that, Camryn, because… because you’re not the girl I could only sleep with once.” “If you were to let me f*ck you, you would have to let me own you.”

[image error]

Slowly, they start falling for each other, but they are both still trying to fight it for their own reasons.

“How can two people who are undeniable more than just attracted to one another not give in?”

When an event that takes place that affects Andrew deeply, he evaluates the relationship between them and forces Camryn to do the same:

“Be honest with me. Be honest with yourself!” His hands wave outward toward me in gesture. “CAMR-”

“I want you, goddammit!” I scream at him. “The thought of you leaving and never seeing you again tears-me-up-inside!” My throat burns like fire. “I can’t fucking breathe without you!”

“SAY IT! Son-of-a-bitch,” he says, exasperated, “just say it!”

“I want you to own me!” I can hardly stand on my own anymore. Sobs rock my entire body. My eyes sting and my heart hurts like it never has before.”

Camryn has revealed everything to Andrew.. her past and her true feelings for him, but it appears like the honestly is not mutual. She gets the feeling that Andrew is keeping something from her. What will happen when she finds out what it is? Will she be there for him? Will they overcome it together?

The end is extremely emotional … I cried like I have NEVER cried for a book before in my entire life. There were sad tears and happy tears. The letter just pushed me over the edge.. I was crying so loud my husband came to check up on me. I’m not going to give the ending away, but this book is totally worth it. Don’t be afraid of the tears – I can guarantee you, that you will love this book as much as I have. It’s impossible not to!

Fav Quote:
“I think when you fall in love, like true love, its love for life. All the rest is just experience and delusions.”

Soundtrack:
[image error]
Bad Company – Feel like Makin’ Love: Andrew listens to it on the bus
Bad Company – Ready for Love: Camryn names the song after Andrew asks her what Bad Company songs she knows and she doesn’t want to say Feel like Makin’ Love… his reply: “Are you?” :)
Rolling Stones – Laugh, I Nearly Died: The song that Andrew plays in the bar and the first time that Cam hears him sing
Kansas – Carry on Wayward Son: plays on the radio and Camryn correctly (mostly) guesses the name of the song and impresses the socks of Andrew
Kansas - Dust in the Wind: they discuss this one in the car as the perfect piece of music for death. He asks her to sing it and she refuses.
The Civil Wars – Barton Hallows: the song that they play together in bars – check the music video
The Civil Wars – Poison & Wine: the song that they sang together while lying in each arms on the last night in New Orleans. Cam also sings this song to Andrew close to the end of the book. check the music video

All the pictures are from the author's Pinterest wall: http://pinterest.com/jredmerski/camry...

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

""Live in the moment,where everything is just right,take your time and limit your bad memories and you'llget wherever it is you're going a lot faster and with less bumps in the road along the way"


What a beautiful book!!!!I think I´m still in shoch from that ending...I didn´t see that coming.I really didn´t...
This book just completely took my breath away.I think I need a paper bag.My heart is hammering against my chest..

Camryn Bennett is twenty years old.She lives in a small town with her mother. Her life is pretty much a mess.Her boyfriend was killed in a car crash,her father cheated on her mun and they are now divorced.And her brother is in prison for having killed someone in drunk driving and she just got stabbed in the back by her best friend.
Camryn is terrified of ending up like her parents and doing the same thing for forty years.





One day she just have had it.She goes to the bus station and buys a ticket. She doesn´t know where she is going or what she is gonna do when sha gets there, she just have to go. After endless hours on several buses she meets Andrew Parrish, 25 he is on his own journey of self discovery and has his own pain. Together the both of them, form a beautiful and unique friendship.




Andrew what can I say about him???I absolutely fell in love with Andrew. Even during the first half of the book his POVs were like a breath of fresh air. I was thanking Andrew for the words that start to come out of his mouth!!!And the things he did with that mouth... *sigh*





Andrew truly was just a beautiful character.I loved everything he did for Camryn, everything he was for Camryn.I love the people these two characters became when they were together. They not only complemented each other but fed each other’s desires and zest for life. The whole really did add up to so much more than the sum of each individual part.




The final chapters of this book were honestly what managed to blow it out of the water. I don��t think I even have the words to describe the impact they had or the emotions they managed to elicit. I actually had to stop reading a few times due to the violent sobbing that ensued. And even now I still feel their effect.

Fave lines:

"Pain is pain,babe."..."Just because one person's problem is less traumatic than another's doesnt mean they're required to hurt less."

"I don't think you ever really fall out of love with someone"..."I think when you fall in love,like true love,it's love for life.Alle the rest is just experience and delusions."

“What you wear really doesn’t matter much...All that matters is where you’re going and what you’re doing while you’re wearing it.”


"I could die in this bed with him right now,wrapped in his arms and I would never know that I had died"

Amazing book!!!!




For more reviews you can check mine and Kristinas's blog. :D

my link text

[Elizabeth (Liz) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think I can talk about this! I'm TRAUMATIZED and in RAPTUROUS ECSTASY...at the same effing time!! I LOATHE this author!!! I ADORE this author!!!! WHAT THE F***ING F**K WAS THAT I JUST READ?!?!

Review to come? Huh. I have no d@mn idea. It's a 5-star book. Hell, it may be a 10-star book. It's on my favorites shelf. Do you SEE all the 4 and 5 star reviews?? There's not another freaking thing I could add to what's already been said.

Emotionally exhausted. Must sleep. The end.

[~ Becs ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SUCH a special book. It’s a totally character-driven, masterfully understated roadtrip story full of intelligence, wit and depth.

It’s the story of Camryn, a 20 year old girl with a past full of emotional trauma, and Andrew, a 25 year old man whose father is dying of a brain tumour. Both wrung out by tragedy, both impending and past, they wake up one day and just know that they have to get on a bus to travel. It’s a fatalistic decision that brings them together almost as if it was meant to be as they are both lost in their own lives and misery and they form a blossoming friendship on the bus while they are both trying to escape the events that have mired their lives. The two of them are lost and drifting and they develop a growing connection with one another that neither of them will name nor even admit to themselves, all the time not confronting their issues.

It’s at once sweet and sad at the same time as it is sardonic and funny. It’s a surprisingly grown-up romance based, at least for the first half of the novel, on the deliberate repression of sexual attraction and gratification that enables it to exude an emotional intensity so often missing in these types of novel. Real life constantly intrudes on their trip with texts and phone calls from their families and friends and despite all this and their own discernible loneliness, the pair forge a mutual dependence during their roadtrip and reignite feelings they had both long attempted to bury.

This is a meaningful and moving romance told with unhurried restraint – there’s a pleasing shapelessness to it which allows the story to drift and meander slowly, to give time to the slow development of the romance. Their relationship has a tenderness and authenticity to it as it moves on influenced more by what is left unsaid rather than what is actually said. Their understanding, of course, becomes infused by sexual tension and their attachment is sharp and potent and they both try to resist it for the longest time. Both have reasons not to enter into a relationship with the other but everything in their hearts and desires tell them to.

When they finally do, their passion burns white hot and their feelings for one another intensify but there is still one further secret to be revealed and, I confess, I cried like a baby. The whole novel is a bittersweet reference to the transience of life and, by the end; I just wanted to hold on to everything and everyone that is precious to me.

So, this is a stunning journey of two lost and lonely souls finding each other like Eurydice and Orpheus – soul mates. It’s a slow, emotional story that allows the central relationship to build believably before the climactic conclusion

4 stars New Adult contemporary romance

For more reviews, please visit Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Collage I created inspired by The Edge of Never...


This book just completely took my breath away. Literally. I think I need a paper bag. My heart is hammering against my chest and I'm struggling to form coherent thoughts...

Just... WOW. I actually really struggled to rate this book. The second half was a 5+ star read for me, however, the first half I honestly struggled through. I was finding it too slow and I wasn’t connecting with the story but I am just so grateful that a friend told me to stick with it until the 48% mark because after that point, something incredible happened. It was honestly like reading two different books. And even hours after finishing it, these characters and this story is all I can think about.

“THE HEART ALWAYS WINS out over the mind. The heart, although reckless and suicidal and a masochist all on its own, always gets its way.”

Andrew Parrish [insert dramatic, dreamy sigh]. I absolutely fell in love with Andrew. Even during the first half of the book his POVs were like a breath of fresh air. And then I hit the halfway mark and I was thanking all things holy for Andrew Parrish and the words that started to come out of his mouth. And the things he did with that mouth. Andrew truly was just a beautiful character. I loved everything he did for Camryn, everything he WAS for Camryn. I love the people these two characters became when they were together. They not only complemented each other but fed each other’s desires and zest for life. The whole really did add up to so much more than the sum of each individual part.

The final chapters of this book were honestly what managed to blow it out of the water. I don’t think I even have the words to describe the impact they had or the emotions they managed to elicit. I actually had to stop reading a few times due to the violent sobbing that ensued. And even now I still feel their effect.

The last thing I wanted to say is this; if you happen to have picked up this book and are struggling through it in any way, just stick with it. Keep reading. I promise you, it will be more than worth it!

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 LOVE STORY STARS...Clearing A Spot on my Favorite's Shelf!

"I was taking the long road and Camryn was taking the road to nowhere and it just so happens that they led to the same place."

I fell in love with a love story! I laughed, I cried and I loved every page of this book. What made me fall in love? It was J.A. Redmerksi's amazing writing which led me to connect, form bonds and fall in love right along with Camryn and Andrew.



”I think when you fall in love, like true love, it’s love for life. All the rest is just experiences and delusions.”

Camryn wants more out of life. She has experienced so many losses in her twenty years. When her bestfriend turns her back on her Camryn packs a bag and heads to the bus station for a ticket to anywhere.

On her bus trip to nowhere Camryn meets Andrew. Andrew is just INCREDIBLE! He is written to perfection and a reader can't help but to fall in love with him! Andrew has his own reasons for being on this bus.

The two develop a true friendship. When Andrew reaches his destination travel plans change. The couple trade forms of transportation and hit the road once again.

Camryn & Andrew heal each other, they bring out the best in each other and they fall in love, the FOREVER kind. Will they be strong enough to hold on to it? Will life be so cruel to tear them apart?

I went through so many emotions during this journey and I loved every second of it. I miss Camryn and Andrew already!

[V. A Court of Wings and Ruin is NEW ADULT/EROTICA but Goodreads editors won't tell you to include it in the choice awards · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm changing my rating from a 5 star to 2. This was my first ever NA read when I was still too young to understand why slut-shamming is wrong, but I remember the emotions! This book makes you feel that's why I still can't rate it lower, but I know that h would piss me off now. I tried to re-read and couldn't.

[Fathima · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH.MY.WORD .... Speechless , absolutely speechless !!!!

My emotions are all over the place with this one !!!



I just ... just ... Damn those last few moments .... Uggggghhhh I cant talk .... I mean I cried like a baby ! Fuck !

I need to cool off ...



Soo soooo freakin good ! Just awesome !!!

Review when I can think of what to write .