For some reason, I was surprised to discover that this is the first book that I've read from Allison Brennan. When I went to go check, I found that I have many, many books in my TBR library from her, so I guess I just assumed that I had already read some of them. I hadn't. This was a really nice entry for me.

This is a stand alone book that starts fairly quickly with drama and action and does not stop until the very last page. The story begins with Tony and his two "children" - Kristen and Ryan - being discovered after running and hiding in Montana for the last five years. Apparently, Tony took the kids five years ago to save them. They are the children of Boyd MacIntyre (the father) who is one of the heads of a major crime family. They are also the grandchildren of the actual head of the family. Their mother was killed during the escape and Tony is a wanted fugitive accused of murder and kidnapping.

Things are not very clear in the beginning regarding "who" is good versus who is bad. Is it Boyd, who just wants his kids back? Is it Tony, for taking the kids and hiding them away? Things unravel very slowly as we begin to get the back story.

As they run to try to escape their pursuers, things go very wrong and the kids end up in the wilderness in the middle of a blizzard trying to get to safety. What makes this book so interesting is that we are introduced to several characters who find themselves in the middle of this drama. Again, who is the bad guy? And who is trying to kill whom?

There are a couple of twists in the story- one, I figured out fairly quickly and the other was a complete surprise. I did like the fact that the story held the build up and suspense for the entirety of the book. I also liked the secondary characters of Ruby, Nick, and Jason and felt like their character development was done in a way that got the reader to definitely root for them.

I alternated between listening to this on audio and reading the eBook version and found that I enjoyed the narration of Eliza Foss. I think she was also a first time narrator for me. So, all in all I consider this a win for my first book by Ms. Brennan. I think it might be time to go and see what else I have from her in my library.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read/listen to and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

Wow what a wild ride North of Nowhere was!!! So much action, intrigue, and the definition of a fast paced thriller! Loved the setting, Montana is one of my favorite places. So beautiful and yet so primitive and dangerous up in the mountains. Although there are quite a few characters in this story, loved how you get to really know the main ones so well. It can be tricky trying to get the family dynamic right in a story and Allison Brennan did a great job, showing both the good and bad in familial relationships. I was glued to the pages! Highly recommend.

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan. It's been awhile since I read any books by this author. But having just read this book It reminded me how much I enjoyed this author's writing. North of Nowhere kept me intrigued. The perfect storyline for my mood at the time.

Thank you netgalley for giving me the chance to read this one. I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the action and mystery of all the characters. Siblings who are on the run and not sure who all is after them or why had me invested. I couldn't wait to find out all the things and what happened.

North of Nowhere is Allison Brennan's latest novel. This book started off pretty good and I found myself totally engrossed in it but then somewhere along the line, all these new characters started popping up and I found myself getting confused. It was a good thriller for the most part.

This was my first book by Allison Brennan and it was a wild ride! The story takes place in Montana, mostly in the wilderness near Big Sky. It features a man on the run with two children: a 16-year-old girl and a 10-year old boy who is deaf. Why are they on the run? Apparently, the man kidnapped them for their own good, five years before and their father has finally located their whereabouts. They’ve been living in Montana and they love Tony and call him “dad.” Their actual father and grandmother are the leaders of an organized crime family. The action basically doesn’t stop! There’s a long cat-and-mouse sequence in a snowstorm that was a page-turner. In addition to the children’s father, it seems other people are also after them, which complicates things significantly. There’s even a moose encounter along the way.

We meet some great characters, including Boyd, the father, who is not a cookie-cutter bad guy. There are lots of shades of grey in this story! We also meet their aunt, Ruby, who has disassociated herself from the crime family and also from the children, for their own safety. She’s a multi-faceted character with lots of skills from having served in the army for several years. One person without any shades of grey is the grandmother, though. She’s a piece of work!

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient. However, the audiobook’s narrator was WAY too slow, so I had to speed it up quite a bit to be able to listen. (Since this was an advance copy, maybe this problem has been taken care of, for the final version.)

Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

NORTH OF NOWHERE was a fast-paced and action-packed thriller. When he learns that Boyd McIntyre has located him, Tony takes the two kids he has been sheltering for five years and tries to escape.

However, gunfire which wounds Tony and causes the plane to crash in the wilderness leaves sixteen-year-old Kristen and her deaf ten-year-old brother Ryan to survive a coming blizzard and get away from the father who wants to take them back to California to be part of a crime family.

Boyd and his henchmen aren't the only ones one the kids' trail, Ruby McIntyre is also looking for her niece and nephew. She managed to escape the clutches of her family by joining the Army but her fiancé was murdered when he tried to bring evidence against the family. She cut all ties with her niece and nephew to keep them safe. Now she has to find them.

Nick Lorenzo is also looking for the kids. Tony had worked for him the five years they were in Montana and Nick has grown close to the kids. He's an experienced outdoorsman and a native to the area. His son is good friends with Kristen and Ryan.

Finally, there is a third person searching. Lance Jackson is a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. He's been searching for Tony and has a warrant for his arrest. Tony, supposedly, murdered the kids' mother and kidnapped the kids.

The story had lots of twists and turns and very realistic characters. Fans of fast-paced thrillers with intriguing characters will enjoy this one.

[arc review]
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
North of Nowhere releases August 8, 2023

2.5/5

- multi-pov
- remote outdoor setting
- quick timeline (24-48 hours)
- snow storm
- survival
- criminal enterprise
- fugitive + kidnapper

Tony, adopted into the McIntyre family, has been in hiding for five years after he kidnapped his best friend’s two children. But what happened to lead up to that? And did he have a hand in the death of the kid’s mother, whom he also had an affair with?

It’s always interesting for me reading the acknowledgments, particularly in this instance, where it’s mentioned that the first version of this story did not work and had many issues with pacing, which is something I found I struggled with while reading this, even though it was apparently entirely reworked.
Yes, it’s fast paced and action packed, but I also think that you need to build some backstory in the beginning, regardless if everything is revealed in the end. There were way too many characters introduced in such a short amount of time — some I don’t think were all that necessary, like the background residents of the town or secondary/third members to the criminal enterprise outside of the immediate players like Boyd and the cousin Theo etc.
Just as you would get comfortable with one character’s pov, it would switch again, and one of the most reliable sources was completely eliminated from the story just 20% in!
Despite the quick timeline, where most of the story takes place in one day, it somehow felt like it was dragging for more than a week.
There were also a few typos and discrepancies still with things like Nick telling Kristen to sleep because it was after midnight, and then a scene later where she abruptly wakes up and states that it’s quarter past midnight, but that she slept for 30 minutes…

Somewhere along the way, the plot starts to lose all sense. Every single character is aware that there’s a blizzard on the way, and that there’s likely no chance that they’d be able to reach their original cabin destination either by foot, or by ATV, yet so much time is spent wasted going in circles in this forest where everyone eventually is lead back to the lake. It just doesn’t allow for much progression at all.

The “plot twist” of the extra house guest was so painfully obvious to me, and I figured it out the second I read the name, given how similar it was to the real identity, which took away the suspense for me.
I found that Kristen’s motivations and feelings towards Boyd shifted too easily at the end, and maybe the forgiveness was just for a better conscious, but still came out of left field.

Not a standout read for me, but I’d still recommend it if you want something atmospheric with complex family dynamics, and where the teenager is the star of the show.

cw: mentions past animal death, past child abuse, drugging, death, gun violence
rep: deaf character + inclusion of sign language

First book I have read by Alison Brennan.

Kristen and Ryan have been hiding out in Montana for 5 years, with Tony, a friend of their mother's. Tony helped the two children escape from their violent father and the rest of his mafia-style crime family, after their mother was killed. Now, in a snowstorm, their father Boyd has finally discovered where they are and has arrived with armed help to forcibly bring them back to his family.

Tony 'borrows' local rancher Nick's plane and tries to fly the kids out of danger, but the plane is shot down, and the kids are left deep in the forest trying to make their way out in treacherous conditions.

Within a short period of time, lots of people are trying to find the kids, from Nick and his son, the local sheriff, Boyd and his henchmen, Boyd's sister Ruby, and an unknown pursuer too. I struggled a little with the large cast of people and it was a little difficult to keep them and their motives straight - there were plenty of 'goodies' and 'baddies' to keep track of!

I enjoyed the relationship between Tony and the kids, and also the connection they had with Nick. The location was good and very atmospheric.

The writing was a little disjointed for me in places. Initially I had to check if this was the second book in a series, as the first few pages read like the 'catch-up' of characters that we should have previously known. Their backstories were introduced in a few one-liners that interrupted the flow of the plot.

But overall this was an enjoyable fast-action thriller. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest options.

North of Nowhere, by Allison Brennan

I finished this book about a week ago and have let it linger with me for a few days. North of Nowhere was part of a Minotaur Sampler offered early in the spring. I read the short percentage and requested the ARC right away. Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for approving my request.

NON was part kids on the run from their murderous crime family and part small-town neighbors trying to keep them safe. Kristen and Ryan were hiding on a farm in remote Montana with a man, believed to be their father, when their past, hidden for five years, comes back into their lives. On the run, the kids survive a plane crash to become lost in the hills during a massive snowstorm. Law enforcement and their murderous family are on their heels.

I liked the characters; good, bad and ugly, but the pace at which this book moved was like slogging through the snowstorm in which it was set. It reminded me of a “B” movie. A couple of times, I nearly sat down in the snow and quit (figuratively), but am glad I stuck it out. Overall a good, not great, read. Three stars.

I started out on this one excited and feeling like it was quite a thriller. Unfortunately, it definitely lost steam in the middle and I had trouble getting through. Near the end, it picked up and I enjoyed the excitement, but the end was a little too perfectly wrapped up with a bow for me. Overall, it was interesting read but not one I’d pick up again.

Just Wow! Action packed suspense you can't put down. The characters are complex and interesting. This book was a total adrenaline rush that had my heart racing and my eyes reading as fast as possible.

Full Disclosure - I am addicted to Allison Brennan. I have read almost every book she has written. The ones I haven't read are in my TBR pile. I loved North of Nowhere, I became invested in this book and characters. I knew going in that it was a stand alone thriller. Then I started reading it and wanted to cry, because I needed it to have at least one more book, or two! I was that invested in Nick, Ruby, the children- okay some were teenagers. North to Nowhere picked me up and dropped be into the mountains in Montana in the middle of a snow storm. I was immersed, invested and thrilled. There are twists, turns and drama. The chapters are short, there are numerous characters, if you pay attention you will not get lost. Thank you so very much for the arc! I freely volunteer my thoughts and opinions. #NorthofNowhere #AlisonBrennan #Minotaur Books #NetGalley

Reading this book is like reading a crackship with the “crack taken seriously” tag for the first time. I started out REALLY skeptical about the premise and the action because it seemed incredibly outlandish - and it is! - but at some point I realized that I was fully invested and absolutely enjoying myself. This is a book that probably shouldn’t work but somehow it does. Thoroughly recommend this breezy and action packed read.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I’m not sure why I requested this book, other than that once in a while I feel the need to read a thriller. North of Nowhere is about a man and two children running from a Mafia-like family. They’ve been in hiding for five years, but Tony has never let down his guard when it comes to protecting Kristin (age 16) and Ryan (10 and deaf) from their father. One day he’s doing recon and he knows they’ve been discovered, so he grabs and kids and heads to his friend’s airplane. His pursuers, including the kids’ dad, Boyd, are not far behind.

The plane’s fuel tank and Tony are both hit, so the three aren’t able to fly to their getaway point and have to land on the shores of a lake. It’s clear Tony is fatally injured, and he sends Kristen and Ryan off with their backpacks, a compass, and a map. Oh, yeah, a blizzard is coming and they’re in the mountains.

The story follows many people who are searching for the kids: Boyd, an L.A. cop who wants Tony arrested for a previous murder (or so he says; he’s on Boyd’s payroll), the Sheriff, Tony’s friend Nick, and I think a few more people. As the story progresses, the threads start to unravel because the story keeps changing points-of-view and more searchers are brought into the mix. It started to get really confusing because of this.

It took a while for me to get into the story, because I tend to shy away from organized crime stories, but figured this would be more of a survival story for the kids. As the story progresses, I found myself skimming through while still getting the gist of the novel because I thought it dragged on unnecessarily and it was too melodramatic. And I hated the ending.

In the end, I’d give this book three stars. I liked it, didn’t love it. Was interesting to a point, and maybe my issue is that I normally don’t read this sort of book, but ultimately as a whole the book felt a little flat.

I really like what Allison Brennan says in her acknowledgements, and I quote… “One of the best things about writing fiction is that I get to make everything up. To make fiction believable, so that my readers can immerse themselves in the story.

This story began as a nail biting and suspenseful thriller. Tony and the two children are fleeing in a small plane while under attack. Ms. Brennan is certainly a good suspense writer.

So, here’s what’s going on…
Kristin and Ryan have been in hiding for five years from their murderous father, knowing and dreading that one day, given with all their fathers resources, he is sure to find them. Kristin knows her father is a killer, but younger Ryan only knows what he’s been told about his past. Here’s where the story starts.

You see, Boyd McIntyre is the big boss of a Los Angeles crime family, and has tracked his kids to a small Montana town. In a valiant attempt to escape, Tony “borrows” a small plane, but gunfire hits the fuel line. Tony, the man who has been raising them as his own, manages to crash land in the middle of the Montana wilderness. Tony, mortally wounded, the children must leave their “father” behind to avoid capture. The siblings hike deep into the woods, searching desperately for safety, unaware of an impending snow storm.

Boyd’s sister Ruby left for the Army years ago, cutting off contact in order to help keep her niece and nephew safe and free from the horrors of the McIntyre clan. If she knew the whereabouts of Kristin and Ryan, Boyd could get it out of her one way or the other. Ruby gets an emergency call that the plane has gone down with the kids inside; she drops everything to try and save them from her brother.

The storm is building as is the intensity of the pursuit in this harsh wilderness. Ruby is looking for the children, but Boyd has hired an expert tracker to find and bring them to his home. Then there is rancher Nick Lorenzo, who knows these mountains better than anyone and doesn’t understand why the kids are running. Nick, along with his son are on their trail too.

The threats to Kristen and Ryan are building and the blizzard is bearing down. Who finds them first could determine if they live or die and their futures.

The pursuit to get the two children back was unrelenting and to this reader a bit overdone. I really liked sixteen year old Kristen who was strong and determined to take care of Ryan, but she really needed help and didn't know who she could trust now that Tony was out of the picture.

Living in the mountains of North Carolina, I cannot imagine being stranded in the wilderness in the frigid Montana outback during a brutal blizzard with killers hunting for you.

Brennan writing incorporates much tension, survival skills, with difficult and split fast decision making. I enjoyed getting to know the characters Nick Lorenzo and his son, with their survival skills and kindness. I also liked aunt Ruby and Sheriff, Kate.

Thus is a very good tension filled book, even though I wished the pace of the story would have kept up about middle way into the pursuit

This book was unfortunately a dnf for me. Too many characters right at the beginning made it kind of overwhelming and also hard for me to get invested in the story. But I can see how some people will absolutely love this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an eARC of this book via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
Publishing: August 8, 2023
Series: N/A
Pages: 368

I have been pushing myself into reading more of this type of genre and so far, it has turned out well. Never having read anything by Allison Brennan but hearing about her books, I decided to request “North of Nowhere”. OMG! True to its form, this book had a powerful beginning, and I enjoyed every bit to the very end. It was well-written, intense, thrilling and the pace was on point.

Tony Reed has protected Kristen and Ryan to the best of his ability. It is unfortunate that the father of the two children is out to get them back at any cost. There is a race against time, children on the run, mountain storms and mobsters. This story blasts you straight into the action from the start and is a page turner until the end. There is suspense and twists in this life and death thriller. I finished this in one sitting and quite sure others would do the same. This is my first introduction to author, Allison Brennan’s work and will not be my last. Highly recommend the read.

This book started out with a bang. It dropped right in the middle of the action without much background information. A family on the run, a mafia storyline. I really enjoyed the first half of this book, but it somehow lost my interest in the end. I was not invested enough in the characters and the plot. Thank you for my advance copy of this book.

North of Nowhere was the first Allison Brennan book I've read. I was immediately intrigued by the premise of the family in hiding, and their escape attempt from a small town in Montana where they were trying to lay low.

Unfortunately, I felt like I was dropped right into the drama and action without a moment to slow down to explain what was going on. It was missing some foundation. Secondly, there were too many characters/names, and it was difficult for my mind to track what was going on, especially after putting it down for a little while. I started to lose interest around the midway mark, and struggled to keep going. The exciting premise just didn't quite deliver for me. But, there was enough there that I will still check out Brennan's future work!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.