*received for free from netgalley for honest review* At first i wasn't sure i would like this book and it took me a little bit to get into it but once i was a fourth of the way into it, i didn't want to put it down!

It was interesting to see Michael and Deborah’s 6-month bike journey unfold as the two tried to settle and affirm their other for each other. Throughout their time, I enjoyed hearing about the people, food, art, and interesting situations they encountered along the way. Tobin also explores race, war, religion, and identity and how it affected their relationship. Though the book is a decent length, the story felt long and a lot ot digest at times -- it also slightly reminded me of Eat Pray Love. Maybe not my favourite memoir but still and interesting read and I enjoyed the narrator.

I love travel. I love heartfelt memoirs. I love hearing about people's unexpected self-discoveries. I was the perfect audience for this book.

Michael S. Tobin has eloquently delivered a beautiful tribute to his wife, Deborah. It is also a beautiful gift to every one of its readers. Riding the Edge is so many things, ticks off boxes across multiple genres, and is a pure joy to read.

Tobin's world becomes clearly focused, perhaps unexpectedly, as many truths are revealed. An incredible journey through life and across this planet.

I will definitely be re-reading this one.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this memoir on NetGalley, I was drawn to the travel and self-discovery that it described. After itching to see the world and having a huge trip to Spain cancelled due to the pandemic, I was eager to hear about someone else’s perspective about seeing the world.

Michael shares his story about traveling with his soulmate Deborah from France to Italy to the Middle East. They encounter people that share their own personal memories and help shape their trip and experience.

I personally loved living vicariously through Michael as he bicycled through Europe on his own pilgrimage. Listening on audiobook (narrated by Luke Welland) made me feel like I was along for the journey!

Could not finish this one :(

I was looking forward to a chill, romance and sweet story. Maybe it was the audio, maybe the story was unraveling too slow for me, I am not sure, but I decided to DNF.

Riding the Edge: A Love Song to Deborah
And it is that, the amount and the kind of love Michael put in this book to Deborah is so beautiful.

Michael is an American Jew, and Deborah is an American Lebanese Christian. Both psychologists met in the mid 70s. Michael fell head over heels for her but she was still healing from a broken heart, that kept chasing her. Six years into their relationship they decided to take a trip through Europe to the middle east riding their bikes.
The adventures they had along with the deep conversations -which mostly felt pretentious- and the poetic descriptions including the food, were really good to have an ear to. (even though the narrator's impression of the different people were sometimes annoying).
The stories of the people they encounter revolved around the holocaust's survivors, witnesses or their second generation.

Deborah wanted to visit her origins in Lebanon in a time where the country were living its worst times in 1980. A sad heartbreaking period.
And because of that Michael felt the need to visit Israel. He mentioned that he had the same feeling Deborah had to connect with her roots (your roots are from German for god's sake or is it from a land that was occupied by force!!)
Michael who hated his Jewish identity, who didn't believe in Judaism, is feeling connected to the occupied Palestinian land!! Yep that conclude it all.

"The imperfect side of what I hope the good guys.
Whatever the true story is, we're here and they're not. You can't change history, you live in your time and build for your future. The Arabs live in the past and dream of a future that will never be." This is what an Israeli Iraqi Jew said to Michael Tobin, and it is what he and they believe. You stole the land of people, chase them out and you have all the right.

In this book..
>> Palestinians who defend their land are terrorists.
>> There is something called "Israel's war of independence" ... WTF!!! Independence from what?!!
>> Michael Tobin is a hypocrite..
"I'm numb, frozen in rage, demanding vengeance. I imagine in my mind how I would torture the obese trooper in the photo to the right of the ashes. He holds a Luger in his right hand and stands over a dead Jew lying at his feet. His face radiates satisfaction and pride as if he feels worthy for a medal for heroism. I wanna saw off his penis with a serrated knife and stuff it in his mouth and while he still has life in him I'd cut into his abandon flesh and gut him organ by organ.
I wanna hear him beg for mercy and scream in agony. Let him know this is the price for sadistic pleasure."

Psychologists Michael and Deborah have been together for 6 years and decide to seek “truth and love” while riding their bikes around the world. “I share this story with you in the hope that the lessons we learned will inspire each of you to love with more passion, to take more risks for the truth, and to give of yourself to others as others gave to us.” Sounds a little sappy, but let’s give it a try.

The writing feels choppy. Metaphors seem cliché or forced. “Deborah, as usual, looks lovely in her light blue cotton dress that perfectly matches the dinner plates.” The dialog doesn’t flow. Being a psychologist, Tobin overanalyzes and strays into philosophical jibber-jabber. ”The further we travel from the truth the more fractured the whole appears to be, until the only ‘truth’ that remains is the lie that life is nothing more that irreconcilable opposites and random connections.“ I’m glad the editors wisely cut it from the original 575 pages.

Their journey begins in 1980 and Tobin used his extensive notes and photos to chronicle the story 40 years later. I found it fascinating strangers would invite Deborah and Michael into their homes for food and lodging. It was a different time. They visit Brussels, Paris, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Israel and more. They are met with kindness and generosity. Others aid them in their search for God, meaning, and should they stay together and get married. I enjoyed the epilogue of what happened after the journey and a Q & A with the author. A reader’s guide is included for book groups.

Trigger warnings: some WWII concentration camp scenes, drug use

I listened to the audiobook as well as read the digital copy. The narrator read very slow. I mostly listened at 1.5 speed. The narrator’s depiction of Deborah’s southern accent was clownish. While clear, the voice had a small but harsh edge to it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group for allowing me advanced access to the audio book version of this book.

I'm having a very hard time deciding on a rating for this book so I'm going to sit in the middle. The book itself is interesting. I truly enjoyed the stories shared by the people they met along their journey. At the same time, though, the interactions with these same people seemed to drag on and on. The author's descriptions felt the same way, sometimes spectacular, sometimes unnecessarily stretched out.

I really didn't care for the narrator. While his normal voice was very pleasant, he had the difficult task of reading in various accents for both men and women. This was where he lost me. I pushed painfully through his southern American accent, and really couldn't judge his French accent, but being a speaker of Italian, I cringed at his pronunciation of the Italian words and names. He could easily have listened to pronunciations of words he didn't know by searching online.

I will say, however, that this book has lit a spark in me to learn more about the 1980s conflict between Muslims and Christians in the Middle East, and I'll be liking for more books to read on the topic.

In 1980 Michael Tobin and his girlfriend of six years, Deborah, leave their psychology practices on the US East Coast and set out on a six-month bike ride. They are happy with their comfortable lives, committed to each other but not yet married. Yet both of them feel a longing for more, a need to connect with deeper truths and parts of themselves that get lost in the day to day rhythms of life. Deborah wants to visit her familial home in Lebanon, and Michael wants to visit Israel. And so their journey begins, through Europe and into the Middle East.

Forty one years later Michael has recalled that journey and shared it with us all through this book. And he's done an absolutely amazing job. This book is very well written. Michael kept a journal of their trip, and has referred back to it to reconstruct not only the physical, but also the spiritual and psychological journey he and Deborah went through.

What starts as a simple story of their ride's progress, slowly builds layers of meaning as the journey unfolds for Michael and Deborah. Each of them, it seems, has tasks to fulfill along the way. By the end of the journey, and the end of this book, you appreciate what a remarkable "Love Song to Deborah" this truly is.

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I am not a religious person, so struggled a bit with the religious awakening aspect. But even that resonated and touched me, as it's plain it comes out of Michael's own truth. I highly recommend this book. Five Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.

NOTES: I listened to the audiobook version of this book as narrated by Luke Welland. The audiobook was released last Wednesday, August 25th. I received this book through Netgalley and Greenleaf Book Group in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed listening to this book about the travels of this couple. Was good to read about the places they visited and their experiences while trying to connect.

The title of Michael Tobin's novel, Ride the Edge, read by Luke Welland, describes it as a "Love Story to Deborah.". In this memoir, a thirty-something Jewish-American and his twenty-year-old girlfriend, a Christian Lebanese-American, describe a six-month bicycle trip through Europe and the Middle East in 1908. They are both practicing psychologists and made the journey in 1908. On their trip, they encounter many people, and it is fascinating to Meet those who have experienced war. Even today, in Europe, the war is hardly history but is fairly current, but back in 1980, it was much more present.

While a committed relationship, it had not yet been formalized. She had an ex-boyfriend in Sweden that she went to see for a week, hoping to find closure (or not) before returning to Paris and Michael. They then traveled to war-torn Lebanon, where Deborah had a family. Living in fear and hatred every day was a profound experience for both of them. While on the trip, Michael began to perceive that, if forced to choose between his Jewishness and Deborah, the choice would have to be his. It broke his heart as it became apparent that if she didn't convert, the love affair was over.

Luke Welland provides the narration in this story. He became the ideal narrator by imbuing the narrative with emotion while remaining objective and neutral. He made this audiobook important. Kudos to both Michael Tobin and Luke Welland, but most of all to Deborah.

Riding the Edge is a compelling read, particularly for those who are married and find themselves also 'sleeping walking towards marriage and family'. As a fellow cyclist, I enjoyed this journey, but also was surprised at the psychological lens from which it was written. Tobin perfectly captures the journey around the world and the re-discovery found in this journey with their partner. A great summer read!

This is probably one of the most beautiful books ever written.

I have no experience reading memoirs and didn't know what to expect, so this was a wonderful surprise.
We follow Michael and Deborah, an American Jew and American Arab, on a bike journey through Europe, Lebanon and Israel. This is a story of discovering their connection to each other, to themselves, to their roots and religion. It was so beautifully written and very emotional. I always cry where reading or listening to holocaust stories and the ending gave me chills.
As an Israeli who isn't considered a Jew by religion, this hit many spots for me that I was battling with for many years.

A must read for everyone and Jews especially.

Riding the Edge by Michael Tobin, read by Luke Welland, is described on the title as a "Love Story to Deborah," and I must say I agree. It is a memoir focused on a six-month bicycle journey through Europe and the Middle East in 1908; a journey made by thirtyish Michael, a non-practicing American Jew, and his girlfriend, Deborah, a Christian Lebanese American, both practicing psychologists. Their trip brings them into contact with many people, mostly interesting, who have come in contact with war. Even now, in Europe, WWII is not history, it is current, but in 1980 it was much more so. These conversations had deep meaning to both of the young travelers, but much more to Deborah, at least at first.

Theirs was a committed relationship, but not yet solidified by vows. Deborah had an ex-boyfriend in Sweden that she went to see for a weeks, looking for closure (or not) before returning to Paris and Michael. From there they continued on eventually ending up in war-torn Lebanon where Deborah had relatives. It became a profound experience, for both of them, experiencing life with daily fear and hatred. The trip began to take on even more serious undertones as it became obvious to Michael, that if her were forced to choose between his Jewishness and Deborah, it would have to be his Jewishness. It broke his heart as it became apparent that if she didn't convert, the love affair was over.

This touching story was narrated by Luke Welland. In the beginning, his voice was too monotone for me but as the memoir progressed, he became the perfect narrator, staying dispassionate and neutral, yet imbuing the narrative with indescribable emotion. He made this audiobook important. Kudos to both Michael Tobin and Luke Welland, but most of all to Deborah.

I was invited to listen to the audio version of Riding the Edge by Greenleaf Book Group, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #michaeltobin #lukewelland #ridingtheedge #greenleafbookgroup

A love letter to Deborah... told through the trials and tribulations of a 6-month bike trek around the world. Ups and downs of both the emotional and hill kind weave through the journey that is this true-life love story.

Leaving the security blanket of their ordered lives in search of something bigger, Michael and Deborah discover more than just their undying love for each other. Both on personal pilgrimages of self-discovery, they ride together across Europe and Asia, through rain and heat, meeting various important characters (and lessons) along the way.

I was captivated by the palpable love Michael still feels for Deborah and was engrossed in the deeply cultural travel tidbits. Written with the help of his diary, the people they encounter are real and constantly reminded me of the value of human connection. Even those less than friendly encounters led to some of the best meals, the most thought-provoking conversations, and perhaps the challenging divides that the couple needed to conquer. A gripping odyssey of love, identity, and fate.