On the Edge: Sea, Surf and impossible Dreams

by Nicola Garrard

What if the life you were promised was taken from you? What would you do to get it back?

Rhys lives in a coastal town in South Devon, where seasonal work dries up as winter storms hit, housing is hard to come by and livelihoods are threatened by distant bureaucrats. Life is much harder for Rhys and his two younger brothers than tourists can possibly know.

It is only when surfing that Rhys finds solace in the beauty around the crashing waves, towering cliffs and sandy beaches. But when that solace is taken, his tinder-dry rage is soon ignited. Determined to defend his family from a life blighted by social neglect and poverty, Rhys is drawn to Dodo, a radical political activist inspired by the Welsh protest group, Meibion Glyndŵr. Before long, Rhys' actions spiral out of control, with dire consequences for himself and those he loves.

Set in a coastal town and drawing on the author's own rural childhood, this YA / crossover novel explores how young people's futures are built – and defended – on shifting and uneven ground, where tides of tourism, gentrification and second-home ownership erode the traditional ways of life and financial stability of locals. Beautifully drawn characters, lyrical depictions of the natural landscape, brotherly love, family loyalty – and surfing. A powerful and thought-provoking summer read.

312 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 14, 2025

Reviews

[Kirsty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really captures that sense of coastal deprivation and the life lived by some young people stuck in seaside towns where there are few job opportunities and even less opportunities to build a life when they are are priced out of the housing market by second home Airbnb owners

[Esther V · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel explores issues that are faced by young people in coastal communities both on a personal and a political level without suggesting that there are easy answers to be found. However, it is hard to say whether it was the powerful themes that made this story stay with me or the energetic, comic and tender delivery .
The writing is so engaging and the characters drawn with such affection and humour that when the writer takes us to some very dark places we are carried along and through the to other side by rooting for the family and their wider community.
For me , the heart of the novel is the lovely Dav with his bottomless capacity to doggedly push through adversity in pursuit of his goals.

[Ginny Barrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fast read - difficult to put down. An eye-opening glimpse into a seventeen year old’s difficult life and the difficult decisions he makes along the way. A kind hero who doesn’t always get things right but he has the best intentions. Funny in parts and unexpectedly tender.

[Rosa Macintosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to know where to start with what I loved about this novel - there was so much. The characters have really stayed in my head, especially little Owen, chattering away to Dav! This book is beautifully written and has some really important messages - it makes the reader see seaside towns differently (for this reader, anyway!) and made me realise how little we know (or think?) about the challenges of some young people's lives. But it's also very funny and has a clever and propulsive plot which had me on the edge of my seat. Rhys is a brilliant portrayal of a young man trying to do his very best and ending up in trouble despite this. The brothers' love was heart-warming and inspiring. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a meaningful but thoroughly enjoyable read.