Ryder's Route

by Nicki Blumenau Bloch, Jeff Lomey

Ryder’s future dreams are by now entirely obliterated. He grips the wheel of the high-tech car, destination unknown, on his journey searching for new dreams, long-lasting love and a permanent sense of happiness. Ryder’s head hurts and spins incessantly, filled with unanswered questions about life and love. His mind cruises, races, and crawls as he travels the freeways, back roads, beaches and mountains of the famous often-Googled South African East Coast Garden Route. Accompanied by his canine alter ego Jack, a surprising turn of events ensnares Ryder and his new policeman friends Koos and Klaas into the intriguing world of rhino poaching. Ryder’s incessant search drives him to meet a variety of interesting South African characters and alluring lovers who teach him valuable lessons about living in the moment, about the land of his birth, about love, and ultimately about life.

396 pages, Paperback

First published November 3, 2014

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryder is a middle-aged guy who fails at love over and over, and has poured his love into his dog, Jack (who reciprocates) and his car (which almost reciprocates). Following the break-up of yet another relationship, Ryder takes both dog and car on a road-trip around the western side of the beautiful Garden Route.

In the course of this trip, Ryder will meet unusual new friends, both male and female, and in the course of his journey, he will find out a great deal about himself. Seeking meaning for life, love, sex and contentment, Ryder will find insight in unexpected places, mainly that he had been asking the wrong questions all along….

Part novel, part exploration of middle-aged male thinking, ‘Ryder’s Route’ is a book that works on several levels but remains, first and foremost, a great read about a road trip. Ryder is both likeable and believable while his supporting cast of eccentric characters serve to prevent the novel being overwhelmed by the big questions being asked, as well as providing the wit and gentle humour that ensure ‘Ryder’s Route’ is a fulfilling experience.

‘Ryder’s Route’ is fills a gap that I wasn’t even aware was missing – ‘man lit’. If you are in a relationship with a middle-aged male, or even if you just want to understand one, this book provides a keen insight into the workings of their minds, and might even provide a chuckle along the way.

[Iain Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryder's Route is a great read, a story set in the Western Cape of South Africa ,it is full of characters and a story of intrigue, with an ending that caught me by surprise. This is a really fantastic book and I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Grab a cup of coffee, or even a glass of wine, a copy of this book and enjoy the journey, you wont be disappointed!