New Release Review and Giveaways! THE EDGE OF YOU by Theresa DaLayne

He left home to escape. She made a new life out of guilt. Neither one expected to find love—but not even the Arctic can cool this steamy romance.

Maya knows she’s doing the right thing by moving to Alaska with her parents, but that doesn’t mean she has to be happy about it. Forced to give up a scholarship to a prestigious art school, she relocates to a Podunk town with one college the size of her high school cafeteria, all to help hold her family together after the death of her little sister. But a fresh start can only do so much.

Jake doesn’t like handouts and he certainly doesn’t need any distractions. Working on a salmon boat in Kodiak, Alaska is the only way to pay for his mother’s surgery back in the lower forty-eight. Juggling college courses and constant worry about his mother’s health, Jake couldn’t imagine anything else fitting into his life. That is, until he meets Maya, the sexy Californian artist who tints his world in technicolor.

But when Maya’s family starts to crumble and Jake’s mom takes a turn for the worse, will they drag each other down, or can they find what they were missing all along?

In this new adult romance, Theresa DaLayne paints a swoon-worthy story about life under the midnight sun, following your heart, and learning to live on the edge.

I loved the setting of The Edge of You–Kodiak Island, Alaska. (I’m not saying I’d love to relocate there permanently, mind you, but an extended visit wouldn’t be out of the question.) Maya? Not so much. Still reeling from a family tragedy which she blames herself for, she’s given up her art scholarship in the hopes that by relocating with her family she’ll be able to keep them together. Her plan is off to a rocky start, though, and that’s before she sees the tiny college that’s her only choice for achieving a higher education…Jake’s in Alaska for one reason only–to earn enough money to help his mother out. He knows she’d love to have him back in Washington, but there’s no way he could earn enough money there to help pay for her medical bills, so Alaska it is. He’s barely got time for his university classes on top of work; a relationship is definitely a distraction he doesn’t need.

But it’s a New Adult romance, so you know that these two are destined to be in a relationship, regardless of what they think they want. 😉

Theresa DaLayne definitely got the what is the worst possible thing that could happen to your characters? Do it! memo. Things go from bad to worse for both Maya and Jake, giving these two even more to deal with than they already were. Toward the end I actually began to get genuinely concerned–maybe this was the first in a trilogy and I just hadn’t realized it?–but (phew!) this was not the case. Things manage to come together nicely at the end, and an HEA is achieved.

The Edge of You was a sweet romance about two young people who are dealing with a lot more drama than they should have to at that age. An interesting setting and likable characters (loved Jake’s aunt and uncle, as well as Maya’s BFF Beth–though I could have cheerfully drop-kicked both of Maya’s parents into next week for much of the book) made this book a pleasure to read.

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.