Family Survival in Montana Wilderness

North of Nowhere, a gripping thriller by Allison Brennan, follows the harrowing story of Kristin and Ryan McIntyre, siblings who have been hiding for five years from their murderous father, Boyd McIntyre. Boyd, the head of a Los Angeles crime family, finally tracks them down to a small town in rural Montana. As a snowstorm brews, the siblings, along with their godfather Tony, must navigate a treacherous wilderness while evading Boyd's relentless pursuit.

Overall, North of Nowhere is a compelling and intense thriller that showcases Allison Brennan's skill as a storyteller. The novel's strengths lie in its strong character development, suspenseful plot, and the evocative setting of the Montana wilderness. However, some readers may find the conclusion less satisfying compared to the gripping build-up. Despite this, the novel's fast pace and emotional depth make it a worthwhile read.

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan delivers an intriguing premise set against the rugged Montana landscape. The story revolves around Tony Reed, who fled his past life in Los Angeles and his ties to the McIntyre crime family, taking Boyd McIntyre’s children, Kristen and Ryan, with him to protect them from their family's dark legacy. Five years later, Boyd tracks them down, determined to retrieve his children and settle the score with Tony.

The novel starts strong, with well-crafted characters and a plot that immediately grabs your attention. The suspense builds as Tony, Kristen, and Ryan attempt to escape, relying on the survival skills Tony taught them to navigate both a looming blizzard and the relentless pursuit of Boyd and his men. Meanwhile, Tony’s current employer, rancher Nick Lorenzo, and his son Jason, along with the kids’ estranged aunt Ruby McIntyre, are also in the mix, trying to ensure the children's safety.

While I enjoyed the story’s darker, suspenseful elements and appreciated the depth given to the characters, the pacing slows down midway through the book. The introduction of several new characters towards the end made the resolution feel drawn out, slightly diminishing the tension built up in the earlier chapters. However, the novel's atmosphere and setting kept me engaged, and there were a few standout moments that made the read worthwhile.

This was my first experience with an Allison Brennan novel, and while the pacing issues detracted from the overall impact, I’m still curious to explore more of her work. If your looking for novel filled with action and high-stakes, I do recommend you check this one out!

Very good as are most of her books. Exciting suspense. Likable characters. Great plot. What's not to like! Definitely recommend,

Action packed thriller. Lots of good characters and characters you love to hate. I really enjoyed the setting of this story and seeing how nature can sometimes be the biggest adversary.

I think that all of Allison Brennan's books provide a great balance between romance, mystery and crime. I really enjoyed getting to know all of the characters and the plot kept me turning the pages to see what was going to happen next, I recommend this book for any mystery/romance lovers!

I expected this to be a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat thriller that I wouldn't be able to put down. Although it was somewhat fast-paced, it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat and I found myself wanting to put it down.

Tony fled years ago with his godchildren to keep them safe and away from their dangerous family and his crime family after the death of their mother. He has made a life for them in a small Montana town, but the fear that eventually Boyd, their father, would find them has always been in the back of his mind. Nevertheless, he treats the children as if they are his own kids (and those around him believe that they are) and the children treat him like a father. Kristen is your typical angsty teen with a chip on her shoulder, but a deep love for her younger brother, Ryan. Ryan, who is hearing impaired, is a sweet kid who absolutely adores Tony and his sister. But the past comes back to haunt them when Boyd finally locates them and comes to collect his children and exact his revenge on Tony. But that may not be the only danger that they all face.

I enjoyed the characters. I loved that a hearing impaired character was included and added an extra element to the plot. The plot itself was a bit much for me. It was a bit absurd and far-fetched. Crazy unrealistic plots don't automatically mean I won't enjoy a book. If it's a solid story and keeps me interested, then I don't mind if it's not realistic. This book, however, was kind of boring. I hate to say that, especially considering it felt like non-stop action, but I just couldn't get into the story. I'm not sure what it was that missing for me. I'm definitely in the minority though. The reviews for this book are very good so it just must be a miss for me.

Rating: 2.5

Missing kids, drug runners, murder, and corrupt cops. This story has it all. It has lots of twists that keep you guessing. 4 stars

First off a big thank to the publisher for letting me read the lasted book by Allison Brennan, and I enjoyed it ,come to think of it ,this might actually be my first standalone by her since I tend to pick up her series . But this one was actually good ,not once did I want to put it down ,and I loved the atmosphere of the book as will as the location she used in her story , because it made me ask myself if that had happened to me would I been able to survive.

North of Nowhere is read by Eliza Foss. It's a race through the cold thriller. Female lead mafia, child abuse, murder and a countdown to who gets the fleeing children first. Now I will admit that this wasn't for me only because thrillers are hit or miss. However, I can say it has a lot of action, family chaos and goons running amuck in freezing temps. The moose had me laughing. Thriller fans should totally grab this. I kept listening due to Foss' excellent voice and Brennan writes in a way that makes you need to know the end. I also need to shoutout St. Martins Press, Minotaur for pushing me out of my comfort zone with this one!

This was my first novel by this author, and it was a stunner! The characters were well developed and the plot was tense and suspenseful. I found myself binging this book to find out the ending!

This book was extremely slow and boring. Will not be reading from this author again. I thought this was going to be a great mystery, but it was too predictable.

As a fan of suspenseful thrillers, I found myself drawn to Allison Brennan's latest book. The fast-paced narrative and thrilling chase sequences kept me eagerly turning the pages. However, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of skepticism at the seemingly endless reign of the crime family depicted in the story. While I'm usually willing to suspend disbelief for the sake of a good read, the sheer magnitude of their criminal activities spanning decades felt slightly unrealistic to me.Nevertheless, I found myself engrossed in the story, eagerly awaiting the downfall of the nefarious characters. There's something satisfying about seeing justice served, no matter the form it takes. I eagerly anticipate Allison Brennan's next gripping tale, ready to dive into another adrenaline-fueled adventure.

I have enjoyed Allison Brennan's books in the past, but this one just didn't connect for me. I tried to pick it back up a few times after starting, and each time I felt so disconnected from the characters and plot. Just wasn't for me. I think some people will like this one.

I truly read this book at the PERFECT time. I read this at the beginning of winter. (If these reviews are dated, YES I am behind on my reviews, haha) Okay so this takes place in winter and it had me from beginning to end. I FLEW through it. Truly a page turner. This one got 4 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan in exchange for my honest review and opinions. This is one of those books that the minute you start reading you KNOW you will not be putting it down anytime soon. This has SO much action and keeps you turning the pages as fast as you possibly can. Such a great book!

Who likes novels featuring morally gray members of prominent crime families? North of Nowhere is set during a blizzard in Montana. This one reminded me a lot of a trusty Nora Roberts novel. It was action packed but too cheesy. Three stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to @netgalley for an ARC.

Full of action, NORTH OF NOWHERE by Allison Brennan grabbed me from the very first page. The action starts at the beginning and stays steady throughout the novel, tossing in unexpected twists that surprised me and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end. This was the first novel of Brennan’s I have read and I look forward to reading more.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

This thriller is a story of survival as well as a well-orchestrated game of cat and mouse. Children running from their crime boss father and a snowstorm are just part of this heart-pounding rollercoaster ride. This had me on the edge of my seat and gasping for air. To say this story is action-packed is an understatement. Entertaining, suspenseful, and intense describe this family-oriented thriller.

Tony left 5 years ago with 2 kids who are now 10 and 16. He kidnapped them from a family and grandmother who was very controlling. Their money came from illegal activities. The family finds Tony and the kids, and they are officially on the run.

This thriller wasn't the typical thriller I’d pick up. It was more of a mob or survivalist thriller if that was even a thing? Maybe it's just called an action thriller? Who knows… 🤷🏻‍♀️I read the book, and I listened to it. I don't really have a preference for the format. Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. The pacing for the first half was good, but about halfway through, I was getting bored, wondering when they would get out of the wilderness.  Also, there were a lot of characters, but none of them seemed to be main characters or secondary characters. They all seemed to be in this weird in between.

I loved that it was sent in Montana and during a snowstorm. I love books set in snowstorms!

This book would be good if you like mafia romance but want to try a mafia/mob thriller or if you like action-packed thrillers. My husband was intrigued by this book and is listening to it now. I feel like this is a better fit for him than for me.

 I enjoyed her writing, so I'd definitely read her next book!

This was a book about survival, and finding out the truth. I was sucked in immediately to this story. THere were a lot of charachters but it was easy to follow. In the middle of the book there was a little lagging, not enough for me to lower my rating. I was intrigued with the story line and the twists and turns. If you are a suspense person this book is for you.