BOOK: North of Nowhere
AUTHOR: Allison Brennan
PUB DATE: 8/8/23 by Minotaur Books
PAGES: 368
RATING: 4 stars
GENRE: Suspense/Thriller

A BIG Thank you @NetGalley & @minotaurbooks for gifting me this Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for my honest review!

SYNOPSIS: Kristin and Ryan McIntyre, ages 16 and 11, have been in hiding for 5 years, in hopes that their father and his family don’t find them. Boyd is, after all, the head of an LA crime family and a murderer. But when it’s discovered that their father has tracked them to a small town in Montana, they are immediately on the run. After their small plane crash lands in the middle of the wilderness, and the storm begins to build, the trek for safety & survival begins, and everyone is fair game when it comes to the weather conditions & dangerous paths. A brutal, frigid snowstorm begins to brew, & natural predators aren’t on anyone’s side (not the kids’ or any of the parties trying to find them).

Will their aunt Ruby and the few townsfolk be successful in locating the kids before Boyd’s men find them? It’s anyone’s guess in this page-turning thriller!

REVIEW: This was my first book by this author, and it was unputdownable! ACTION-PACKED from the get-go and it didn’t let up until the very end! I was on the edge of my seat watching & wondering how this suspenseful story would unfold. It’s a story with incredible character-building. I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller and think you will too! Be on the lookout for it Tuesday, August 8th!

Happy Reading!

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan

Suspense-filled, action-packed, cat and mouse journey through the wilderness that could and does prove fatal for more than one. Enthralling from beginning to end ~ I could not put this book down!

What I liked:
* Kristen: sixteen, elder sister to Ryan, old soul, survivor, protective, capable, strong, resilient, fighter, does what it takes even though difficult, has seen more than anyone her age ever should, wonder what her future will be like
* Ryan: almost eleven, deaf, loves animals, aware of more than most, strong, wise for his age, loves his sister, a good person
* Tony: protective of and father figure to Kristen and Ryan for the past five years, enforcer for McIntyre family for years…till he wasn’t
* Ruby: ex-military, architect, grew up in a crime family, has lost much, wants what is best for her niece and nephew, strong, caring, capable, and needs to heal
* Nick: Tony’s employer, widow, Jason’s father, ranch owner, skilled in tracking and survival, loves his son and cares for his employees, responsible, wise, and caring
* Jason: Nick’s son, a year ahead of Kirsten in school and attracted to her, learned from his father about the area and how to survive, strong, protective, a nice guy
* The supporting characters and the parts they played
* The plot, pacing, setting, character development, flashbacks that fleshed out the characters and story, and the conclusion – though I really would like to know how they are all doing a decade into the future

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that there are evil people as ruthless and horrible as more than one in this book that exist in real life

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books

5 Stars

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press Minotaur Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this stand-alone thriller by Allison Brennan and wonderfully narrated by Eliza Foss - 4.5 stars!

Kristen and her brother, Ryan, have been in hiding with a family friend and their godparent, Tony. Tony is raising the children as his own and they are all happy in a remote Montana town. But now Boyd, their father, and head of a LA crime family, has tracked them down and plans to take them home. Tony has taught them what to do in this event, but they will be sorely tested in a snowstorm in the Montana wilderness. Boyd's sister, Ruby, cut off all ties with her family but rushes to Montana when she gets an emergency call. Who finds them first could determine if they live or die.

I'm not sure how I missed all the this author's previous works, but this was a great cat-and-mouse thriller, made more so by the atmospheric conditions of a Montana blizzard. I felt immersed in the fight for survival that many of these characters found themselves, and you will be rooting for them. There's a strong theme of family loyalty interlaced throughout, but family can mean many different things. Great read!

One in Allison Brennan’s long run of thrillers. This is a stand alone and while a good read, not one of her best. I prefer her series where the character grows and develops throughout. Nevertheless, a good read. Brennan is usually a sure bet.

This is a high-octane game of cat and mouse. That takes place in the wilds of Montana. As a winter storm is about to hit. From the first page you are literally running for your life. You can feel the intense cold. Watch as the clouds become darker and more ominous with the promise of snow. As the days of hiding end and their father begins to chase sixteen-year-old Kristin and ten-year-old Ryan. They have a plan, but the snow is making the trek to the next town difficult. It appears as though everyone is out to get them. They do not know who to trust or what to do as they head further into the wilderness.

The backbone of this book is horrifyingly dark family secrets. A crime family at its worst. Greed, trust, manipulation, murder, and this is just a single day. It is intense, the children are awe inspiring in their abilities to push through and make it to the other side. I flew through this book, it is spinetingling and action packed. Thank you to Allison Brennan and Minotaur Books for this jaw dropping read.

This book hits the ground running and really doesn’t let up! There are a lot of characters that are introduced into the story, with many of them only appearing briefly to play a peripheral role and this can get a little confusing at times. The main characters, however, are very well drawn and the storyline is riveting! The action is nonstop, keeping you on the edge of your seat. There comes a point where you think that things are slowing down a bit and you can take a breather. But, oh no, don’t get too comfortable with that feeling because it’s only a slight lull in the action and there’ll be the final race to the finish! This newest Allison Brennan book certainly provides a suspenseful, heart pounding reading experience!

Boy this one started off quick and really did not let up until it was done, which I very much enjoyed. Siblings Kristin and Ryan McIntyre have been in hiding for 5 years from their murderous father, Boyd, who is the head of a Los Angeles crime family. He learns where they are and so they are now on the run, knowing but dreading this day that has finally come. He tracked them to a small Montana town, and the man helping them gets them away in a small plane, which is hit by gunfire. They crash land in the middle of the Montana wilderness, a storm is approaching, and they are now deep in the woods where so many things are after them and affecting their survival. I mean really, like I said, this just started and did not stop, it was crazy, I was hooked, and it was really good. The audiobook only enhanced this experience, and I really enjoyed this one all the way through.

Thank you to Minotaur Books, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the copies to review. Pub date is 8/8, make sure this one is on your radar for sure.

A thrilling cat and mouse story set in the mountains of Montana in a blizzard. Sixteen year old Kristen and her younger, deaf brother, Ryan were taken by Tony to escape the deadly grip of the McIntyre family. They've been in hiding for five years but the time has come for them to run. They've been found and the kids family will do everything including murder to get them back.

I loved this atmospheric and thrilling story about family, revenge and survival. It's an edge of your seat nail biter that I couldn't put down. I loved the characters as they're all really well drawn and compelling. The setting is both claustrophobic and dangerous and I got the chills reading this.
This one is not to be missed, I can't recommend it highly enough.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me an ARC to read, review and enjoy.

North of Nowhere sucks you in right from the start and is action packed throughout.

Tony Reed rescued Siblings Kristen and Ryan from their criminal father five years ago. They have been in hiding ever since. The day have have dreaded has come. Their father, Boyd has found them. They must escape and now! The only way out is by small plane. They are on their way when the gunfire starts.

Great setting! Mountains, snowstorm and freezing temperatures make for a tricky escape and survival. I like the main characters and the turmoil they faced.

There are a LOT of characters to keep track of. Some of them are only seen briefly, and that got a bit confusing at times.

The constant action and the backstory being revealed slowly will keep you engaged until the end.

Thanks to netgalley and Minotaur Books for the arc.

If you like action packed, fast paced crime dramas - this one is for you! It will keep you on your toes trying to guess what will happen next.

The beginning sucked me in, but I found it hard to keep up with how quickly we were introduced to so many characters past and present.

Many times I found my heart racing wondering if the kids would make it. Somewhere towards the middle of the story things started to feel a bit scattered with so many different perspectives and I found myself wanting to skim to certain ones. It was difficult to really connect with any one character because we didn’t have a long time to spend with them. We were provided some flashbacks to help with this but I almost felt like they were more distracting than helpful.

With so much going on it was hard to keep my focus in one direction, but overall I did enjoy the story and thought the premise was good. I personally think it would make an excellent movie! I would totally watch.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read an advanced copy.

This one wasn't for me, but I think it will appeal to readers who like fast-paced, action-filled thrillers. The characters and writing style were a bit too generic for me to get sucked in. I liked the setting (I love a wilderness survival aspect to a thriller) but I wasn't very interested in the characters, so I DNFed at 25%.

3.5⭐

This is my first read by Allison Brennan. Classified as a thriller, I would say it's more a novel of suspense.

I did enjoy the characters, setting and plot. It was a quick read for me and it kept me turning pages in order to find out how it ended.

Thriller | Adult
<cover image>
Siblings Kristen and Ryan McIntyre have been in hiding from their crime mob family for five years, living in the remote mountains of Montana with Tony Reed, their murdered mother's lover and the only man they trust. But when Tony spots a tail, he knows they've been found and moves fast to get them out. He borrows a small plane from his boss Nick but a gunfight disables the plane just as it takes off. He gets away but soon crashes in the wilderness, severely injuring himself, though 16-year-old Kristen and 11-year-old Ryan are unscathed. Ryan is deaf and Kristen is fiercely protective of him, determined to keep him safe and away from the father and grandmother she hates with every atom of her being. Nick quickly realizes the plane is down and pulls together a search party. He's shocked to learn there's a warrant out for Tony's arrest, but decides to prioritize the children's safety and heads out, despite an impending snowstorm. This is an action-packed edge-of-your-seat novel of survival, but it's also a mystery, since we don't know who shot at the plane with Tony and the kids on board. There is a lot going on here, with several characters to keep track of, including two sheriff's departments and jurisdictions. It's a violent novel, but it's also a riveting exploration of family, loyalty, betrayal and trust. The violence can be brutal, and there are a lot of characters, which can prove challenging - I'm grateful I was reading this digitally and could use my search function! But the main characters are fascinating, the level of evil is astonishing, and author Brennan has done an excellent job of portraying the Montana setting, especially since she admits in an afterword to never having been there. (You should go, girl!) My thanks to publisher Minotaur Books for the advance reading copy provided digitally through NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review. Grand Forks & District Public Library has already ordered a copy for its adult fiction collection.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61884913

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this exceptional book

man oh man the pace right from the beginning of the book right till the end never let up...

a snow storm
mountains
a moose
crime family

whats not to like about this

Kristin and Ryan have been in hiding for 5 years away from their murderous father boyd,,,, but they have been tracked down to their montana home and are now on the run

the only way out is flying in a plane over the mountains but they are shot at and the plane goes down in the mountains and to make it even more dramatic there is a snow storm coming in

its a tense time for all as kristin and ryan who is deaf try to make their escape on the mountains with people after them..

couldnt put this book down and stayed up quite late into the night to finish to find out what happened

"North of Nowhere" by Allison Brennan is a gripping thriller that keeps listeners on the edge of their seats. The story follows a determined protagonist as she unravels a web of secrets in a small town. Brennan's writing is filled with suspenseful twists and turns, expertly building tension throughout the narrative. With its engaging plot and skilled narration, this audiobook is a must-listen for fans of psychological thrillers.

This fast-paced thriller is action packed from beginning to end. The McIntyres are powerful crime family led by the matriarch, Frankie. The action begins with her son, Boyd traveling to Montana to retrieve his children following their five year absence from the family when they were removed and sheltered in secret by his best friend, Tony. The cast of characters is numerous and includes local law enforcement, a rancher and his crew, Boyd and Frankie’s hit men and Boyd’s estranged sister, Ruby.
The constant action in this book kept it interesting and engaging. Not being a fan of action thrillers, I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. With so many characters, it would be impossible to develop them all well and keep the book a reasonable length. While the pacing of the book is fast, I did find it somewhat repetitive as certain incidents were “retold” from different characters’ POV. I would have liked less characters and more background on the main participants in this otherwise very engaging drama.
#NetGalley #St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur Books

I received a complimentary ARC copy of North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.

…nail-biting cat and mouse game, where lines between good and evil forces become drastically blurred and it is a race against time and the elements. I thoroughly enjoyed North of Nowhere …

My first foray into the world of Allison Brennan, North of Nowhere did not disappoint and I must wonder why in the world I have never read her books before.

This fast-paced, atmospheric thriller opens with former McIntyre family enforcer, Tony Reed, getting ready to flee with teenager Kristin McIntyre and her deaf ten-year-old brother Ryan. Kristin always knew this day would come but this time around she knew it would break her heart to leave the ranch belonging to Nick Lorenzo and his son Jason. Although she has trained for this moment and fears it, she knows how dire the consequences will be if they do not leave. Although not her father Kristin and Ryan call Tony “Dad” as he has loved them more than their crime boss birth father Boyd McIntyre has.

“Borrowing” Nicks’s small plane, they hope to slip away but as they are lifting off, shots are fired by Boyd and an unseen shooter, hitting Tony, and severely damaging the plane. Although difficult Tony is able to fly the plane but can only manage to keep it air bound for a short distance before crashing into a lake, mere miles from their destination. Well-trained, Kristin manages to get Ryan and Tony to shore but Tony knows that it is probable he will not survive. He begs Kristin to go and take Ryan through the mountains to their secret remote cabin before the storm, then on to Canada as planned. On the precipice of a massive snowstorm and being hunted by their father Boyd and his armed men, Kristin must step up and save them both to honor Tony’s sacrifices.

The McIntyre family led by the matriarch Frankie, have many on their payroll and all are ruthless when it comes to a member leaving the family. Frankie’s only daughter Ruby managed to escape but the cost to her was steep, she had lost the love of her life and been forced to go into hiding herself. Ruby only leaves her safety to help find her niece and nephew and save them from the family that tried to break her years earlier.

The stormy wilderness becomes a character in itself, adding to the nail-biting cat and mouse game where lines between good and evil forces become drastically blurred and it is a race against time and the elements. I thoroughly enjoyed North of Nowhere with its large but dynamic cast of characters and engaging plot that twists and turns putting the reader through the ringer of emotions and ending with a satisfying conclusion. For those who enjoy a page-turning, engrossing read I highly recommend it.

Thriller about a 16 and 10 year old on the run from their crime boss father in the middle of a mountain blizzard tracked by multiple groups of friends and foes. This hooked me at the beginning but started wandering a bit in the middle. All in all, an entertaining read. Thanks too NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book!

This one sounded so promising, but I just couldn’t get into it. It starts off in the middle of the action, but I found it hard to follow without having a solid foundation of the characters and what was going on. Plenty of people have enjoyed this one, so it’s probably just me. I gave it 15% before bailing. It was either DNF or start the book over and see if I could understand it better the second time around and tbh, my TBR is way too long for the latter.

I was excited for this new one from Allison Brennan and was lucky enough to win a giveaway from Minotaur Books for a finished copy! This was an action packed thriller and started quickly. It took me a bit to figure out who all the characters were. The setting was fantastic and Brennan really captures the snow storm. I bounced between reading & listening and really enjoyed the narrator, although I had to speed it up more than normal.