“North of Nowhere” boasts a unique and compelling premise that drew me in right out of the gate. It is a story that kept me engaged from start to finish and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. And yet, there was still something fundamentally missing—the heart pounding, nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat tension that quickly fell away after the first initial chapters. There is definitely a lot happening, but the tension never ramped up the way I had hoped it would. Perhaps this is due, in part, to the overall pacing. But more likely, it has to do with the somewhat disjointed storyline that was often times confusing. Still, I found “North of Nowhere” to be an enthralling read and one that I would recommend.

North of Nowhere started out with a bang. I inhaled the first 30% without breathing, it felt like. I had nightmares about it, imagining myself trapped in a similar situation. But then from 30% on, I felt like I was reading the same story with each alternating POV. The storm is coming, the terrain has a life of its own, the snow is falling, round and around. It started to get tedious, despite the beautiful writing and complex characters. This was a miss for me.

North of Nowhere is an action-packed thriller set in Big Sky, Montana in the hours leading up to and during a powerful blizzard. The book has a great beginning that had me hooked by the second page. Although the suspense carries the plot forward, the novel is also a coming-of-age story and one that delves into the importance of a loving family as opposed to the powerful and oppressive one that Kristen McIntyre has been on the run from for 5 years. With the help of Tony Reed, who was in love with Kristen’s murdered mother, she and her deaf younger brother Ryan fled to Big Sky, where Tony works on the Triple Pine Ranch owned by Nick Lorenzo. Kristen and her brother feel at home at the ranch. Kristen, now 16, is in the beginnings of a relationship with Nick’s son Jordan. Her life is turned upside down when Tony wakes her up one morning telling her they must leave the ranch to escape from Kristen’s father and the thugs he has brought with him to bring her and Ryan back to Los Angeles where the McIntyres rule a powerful mob business. Brennan’s novel is character driven, but the on-coming blizzard keeps the reader focused and rooting that Kristen and her brother can not only escape from their father but survive the blizzard when they find themselves lost in the middle of nowhere.

Kristin and Ryan are in Montana hiding from their father and now Boyd McIntyre, a crime boss, knows where they are. They have been on a plane and crashed in the wilderness. Boyd’s sister, Ruby, finds out about the crash and hopes to save them. The siblings have Ruby, a tracker Boyd hires, and a rancher, Nick, who is familiar with the area looking for them. An approaching storm complicates their problems. The book had a lot of action at first but when the characters discussed their thoughts and feelings the action waned. I was looking for more action. I enjoyed the Montana setting and Nick.

Thank you @netgalley @minotaur_books for the #gifted copy of this ebook.

Montana. A cold and unforgiving storm. A family with deadly secrets. A family with some who want to escape. A family who will stop at nothing to bring everyone all back under one roof.

Kristin and Ryan have been on the run and hiding from their father, Boyd for the last 5 years. Hiding out with a man they now call “Dad” doesn’t sit well with Boyd. Boyd will stop at nothing to get them back. The kids on the other hand have another idea in mind. They narrowly escape a plane crash and gunfire and run into the woods. Soon they will end up fighting a dangerous Montana winter storm…they just don’t understand the severity yet.

Up against Mother Nature and family they can’t trust they will do anything to get away. Thankfully, they do have one relative they feel they can trust, Ruby and she’s hopped a plane to try and come save them. Ruby does find them but the journey to safety is anything but easy and soon finds out maybe the storm was a better place to be!

Thoughts: I did enjoy this wintery intense action packed tale! If you’ve read any of Alice Henderson’s books (A Solitude of Wolverines, A Blizzard of Polar Bears etc) I had similar vibes. The scenery was quite atmospheric and was easily swept away into the heart of the storm. I did feel the pacing was a little slow at times during the middle of the book however the ending definitely picked back up and was loaded with heated family drama. If you like a good story about family loyalty, outdoorsy action and risky escapes grab yourself a copy of this book!

Allison Brennan does it again with North of Nowhere! I have really enjoyed reading her Lucy Kincaid series. North of Nowhere is a strong stand-alone with a taut well-executed plot. From the first page I was engaged and immersed in the story, completing it in one day. Tony Reed kidnapped two children to keep them safe from their crime family. Five years later, Kristen (16) and Ryan (10) are willingly on the run from their father in the Montana mountains during a snowstorm. There is a large cast of characters and it’s not always clear who is on which side. Who can be trusted? Kristen is a particularly well-developed character. Despite the ongoing danger and violence, this is very much a story about family, loyalty, and trust. I highly recommend it!

With thanks to Netgalley St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

Goodreads
Amazon
Instagram (@Susanh_bookreviews)

This story grabs you right away and takes you on a fast paced journey for two children caught in a dangerous chase. Really good!

It was definitely gripping and I read it really quickly! However the writing could be better - like I get it, you want your kids back! You hate your dad! Your grandma is scary! And I felt like it was too light and fluffy of an ending. Basically if Hallmark made a thriller movie - this would be it.

I thank the author, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Ms. Brennan delivers a solid product, and this one is in her wheelhouse, with all those positive metrics. The story is set in a difficult mountainous winter environment. The lead characters, particularly the teen female and her younger brother are relatable, especially as they work to manage communication due to his hearing disability. There’s a spark of romance with the adults who are working to find the youngsters, as well as the teen girl and her age-appropriate high school friend.

There were some problems, however, that kept me from enjoying this fully. The backstory is a key issue—why they are all on the run, not a spoiler since it’s on the cover—is laid out in dribs and drabs. I kept thinking I was missing a prequel book, and had to look a few times to confirm this was a “stand-alone” novel. But it was annoying.

The characters tended to be very much stock good and evil types. The nasty ones are really nasty. They deserved to get everything thrown at them!

The resolution was satisfactory, with hope for a new beginning and healing for these troubled kids. They need really good therapists and caring adults.

In summary, 3 stars for a story that is entertaining for a few hours and fades away. I will keep trying Ms. Brennan’s books.

Fast-paced and thrilling, this novel features two great kids, Kristen and Ryan who've been living with Tony Reed in Big Sky, Montana. But circumstances dictate they must leave suddenly as they are all in danger. But when the small plane they are flying is shot down, of course there is even more at stake--and most of it is embedded in secrets and lies of which Kristen and Ryan are unaware. And so begins a perilous journey in the wilderness and beyond to family dynamics and choices made that have dire consequences. Shouldn't you be able to trust your family? Hmmm. Read it and see!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I see this already has mixed reviews. I thought it was a good, fast paced, thriller. I like a suspense book that hooks you with action straight from the start. This is the first I’ve read of this author but won’t be the last.

What an excellent story about two children of a crime family kidnapped and in hiding. Kristen is such a strong character, and you quickly realize that the kidnapping is more about her escape from the family. Ryan is not your average younger brother as he is deaf - a real handicap when you are on the run. I love Tony - you keep reading that he is not a good person, but he is a hero. He gives his everything to keep these kids safe and happy. When their hiding location is found, they run once again. They are forced to escape into the mountains with a snowstorm on the way. They are running for their lives, to escape the family, to survive the wilds. There is non-stop action, and danger that ramps up with each page. There are a lot of characters in action, but you get a real feel for each of them. This is one story that grabbed me from the start; I could barely put it down. Loved it!

North Of Nowhere is a stand alone suspense. This story was a non stop thrill ride from start to finish.

Two children are on the run in the wilderness with a huge snowstorm coming.

“Plan B, baby,” he said. She stared at him, fully awake, fists clenched. What kid woke up alert and ready to fight? She didn’t ask questions, she didn’t argue. Five years in hiding, and she still knew that hesitation could mean death. Or worse.

Kristen and her brother are in danger from evil they’ve been hiding from for years.

Nick Lorenzo a rancher and his son are trying to help them. There is danger around every corner.

An all new cast of characters. No romance whatsoever. Just a spectacular adventure you just can’t put down. Read is all in one sitting.

Tony Reed is a cautious man. So cautious that he spends the wee hours of the morning driving around Big Sky, Montana surveilling the place, looking for anything or anyone that doesn’t quite fit. Unfortunately for him and his two children, one morning he finds what he’s looking for - two men, not locals, who definitely do not belong in the quiet Montana town. Tony returns to the cabin he calls home and wakes 16-year-old Kristen with two words, “Plan B.” Thus begins a harrowing adventure through the mountains of Montana and a race to survive, not only the elements, but also Kristen and Ryan’s biological father who will stop at nothing to bring them back into the family fold.

North of Nowhere is a relentless page-turner that this reader found really hard to put down! The plot is fast-paced and draws the reader in from page one and keeps her there until the final “The End.” I particularly liked the characters of Tony (wish there had been more of him) and Boyd, the kids’ biological father. Neither of these men were all good or all bad, but they were tied together by one thing – their love for the kids, Kristen and Ryan. I can see possible prequels in the future relating the backstories of each of these two men in more detail.

I thoroughly enjoyed North of Nowhere and would like to thank the publisher, Minotaur Books, and Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of the novel.

North of Nowhere is a fast paced, adventure thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat most of the time. Lots of good characters kept the story moving, and even though things were pretty unbelievable at times, it didn't really deter from the story. Would definitely recommend and would love to see a sequel!

As the author states in the afterword, at its core, "North of Nowhere" is about family -- the good, the (very) bad, and the ugly, and what we will do to protect our family. Tony Reed is a former enforcer for the McIntyre crime family, which is nominally led by Tony's former best friend Boyd McIntyre. However, five years ago, following the murder of Maggie McIntyre, the woman he loved (and Boyd's wife), he fled with Maggie's children, Kristen and Ryan (who is deaf and who is Tony's godson). Kristen had already seen and experienced things no eleven-year-old should ever have to see or experience. Boyd is a violent and vindictive man, and he wants revenge on Tony for his multiple betrayals of the family. However, he also deeply loves his children and is desperate to get them back, whatever it takes. His sister Ruby managed to escape the family by joining the Army, but the evil that is her mother caught up to her, and it came a high cost (the death of her fiancé). Ruby also has issues with Tony. However, when she receives a call that Tony and her niece and nephew had fled in a small plane that crashed, she dropped everything and used her connections to get to Montana to find them. Boyd has finally located Tony and his children and has come for them, which is why they fled. Nick Lorenzo has found Tony to be a hard worker and enjoys the company of his children; his son Jason and Tony's son Ryan have become good friends, and Jason has also become friendly with Kristen. Nick is puzzled and concerned about what he is being told about Tony -- that he is a fugitive, suspected of killing Kristen and Ryan's mother and then kidnapping them. However, he believes Tony deserves a chance to explain himself, and he is not willing to abandon the children, especially with a blizzard on the way. Frankie McIntyre, the matriarch of the McIntyre family, and the leader of the crime family is evil incarnate, with no qualms about punishing anyone who crosses her, including family, and eliminating anyone who threatens or betrays the family. However, family is also of paramount importance to her, and she will stop at nothing to get her grandchildren back, especially, Kristen, whom she wants to groom to take over the family business.

These competing forces are paired up with the beautiful but potentially dangerous terrain of Big Sky, Montana, made more treacherous by the oncoming blizzard, to create a masterful thriller. Will Kristen and Ryan make it to safety? Who will find them first? What secrets have Tony and Kristen been hiding? To what lengths will Boyd and Frankie go to get back their children/grandchildren? Who is the mysterious person who seems to have interjected himself into the situation and is his target Tony, the children, Boyd or someone/something else? Which locals and which members of the McIntyre family can be trusted? How will the weather impact decisions? The story has plenty of suspense and surprises.

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan
Fast and easy read, kept my interest from start to finish. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this and leave my opinion.

I have just finished reading North of Nowhere by author Allison Brennan.

Thank You to NetGalley, the Author, and Minotaur Books for my advanced copy to read and review.

This was the first book that I have read by Allison Brennan. I was immediately engaged with the story and found it to be quite fast paced and an easy book to get into.

It had great suspense as the story unfolded along the way, and the characters were quite interesting, all set in Montana so quite atmospheric.

I however started losing interest about halfway through the book and found reluctant to want to keep picking it up to continue reading. It took me quite a bit longer than usual to finish this book.

However, a good story, which will appeal to many readers.

I would like to read more books by this author.

3.5 Stars

#Netgalley
#minotour_books

Kristin and Ryan are 16 and 10 respectively and are siblings. Ryan is also deaf, rarely attempts to speak but is fluent with ASL. Five years earlier, Tony, a cohort of their father’s, helped them to run from the family home shortly after their mother’s murder. The three of them are now living on a Montana ranch when they learn that their father has located them. All three set off but their small plane is shot as it becomes airborne causing it to crash in a nearby mountain lake. This is the story of their survival in a snowstorm and the interactions of the youngsters, their pursuers and those trying to locate and rescue them. It is written with many narrators yet so cohesively that the action, seen from almost every viewpoint, is gripping. Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an ARC for an honest review.

What makes a great thriller? Action, suspense, engaging characters, a convoluted plot, and a compelling setting like the Montana mountains with an approaching blizzard. NORTH OF NOWHERE has all that and more. Kristen McIntyre and her deaf younger brother Ryan, survive a small plane crash as they run from their organized crime father Boyd. After five years of living safely under the protection of the man sworn to keep them their father, Boyd has tracked them down and sent his henchmen to kidnap his children and dispatch their protector. Their escape plane crashes after suffering damage in a runway shootout. The children’s aunt, Ruby, learns of the crash and heads to Montana. Long estranged from her criminal family, Ruby is ex-military tough and committed to protecting Kristen and Ryan. Rancher Nick Lorenzo, who knows the mountains better than anyone, also learns of the crash and jumps in to help find the children. But why are the children running from their father? Who are the good guys and who wishes harm? What follows is the stuff of thrillers. A great story, well told.

DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series