Wow! What a roller coaster ride this story took me on! Lots of twists and turns and I was on the edge of my seat (especially toward the end of the book). Just when I thought I had things figured out, one of the characters would flip and show you another side to themselves - both good and evil!

I highly recommend this book if you like fast-paced, suspenseful books that involve the intricacies of being a family (and how that family isn’t always the one you choose to be a part of). Thank you to the author, Allison Brennan, as well as Macmillan audio for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook, and give my honest review.

I’ve enjoyed some of Allison Brennan’s earlier works, but this one, “North of Nowhere” failed to excite me. It read as a bit of convoluted mob-like story. There was a fair amount of backstory that didn’t add much value to my interest. As opposed to a vivacious thriller, it seemed more like an action and survivalist movie. 3 star rating for this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy for review.

I enjoyed this Cat and Mouse game that was played in this book. This was a well written thriller that as fast paced and had you guessing what was going to happen.
I enjoyed the little twist that Allison Brennan wrote into this book.
I would recommend it.

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan
Contemporary thriller.
After five years of hiding with the children, and making a family, Tony recognizes men watching the backroad and realizes that Boyd McIntyre, the head of a Los Angeles crime family has finally tracked down his children. Tony is able to get Kristine and Ryan to a small plane but someone shoots at the plane and manages to hit one of the engines and the gas tank. After a controlled crash landing at the edge of a lake some miles away, Kristine finds that Tony has been critically shot. She and Ryan will have to find their own way through the approaching winter storm. But there are several men tracking them, with motivation to get the children back to LA and back into the hands of the ruthless crime syndicate.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Eliza Foss who also did the Max Revere series by this author. The performance was very good with different voices for Kristine, Ruby and the various man that are tracking through the storm. The tense atmosphere came through clearly as the children try to outdistance and outsmart the people right behind them. There are both new ruthless behind them as well as family and friends that only want to help. Much of the story takes place during a blinding snow storm and I felt the cold in the narrative and descriptions.

An intense, nonstop thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher Macmillan Audio.
4.25

I’m a big fan of the author and loved this one! The narrator was amazing, she had distinct voices for each character. I loved all the drama in this one and highly recommend to fans of the author!

Kristin and Ryan are on the run from their crime family with their “dad,”Tony.

Nick, Tony’s boss, and Nick’s son, Jason are trying to find out who Tony really was, and why he called to borrow Nick’s plane and then seemingly crashed it.

Ruby is Kristin and Ryan’s aunt and Tony’s emergency contact. As soon as she’s told that Tony took a plane to run off the kids, she plans to find them.

Boyd is Kristin and Ryan’s real dad. He’s the man they’re all running from. He’s part of a crime family and he wants his kids back, even if that means chasing them through the snow filled mountains of Big Sky, Montana.

As with most Allison Brennan books, there are several characters and several perspectives from which the story is told. All of the characters are strong and well developed, and the story is stronger due to the multiple angles it’s told from. Human violence and the dangers of Mother Nature intertwine in this gripping non-stop story; from a plane crash to being lost in the woods, the action doesn’t let up. Even as the characters begin to feel safe, more things happen. Allison Brennan has outdone herself.

Narrator Eliza Foss also made the story great; her distinct intonations for each character differentiated them and added to their depth. The pacing and cadence of her words added to the emotional toll this book takes.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced review copy of this audiobook.

Just as the McIntyre children, Kristen and Ryan, have settled into their lives on a ranch in Montana with their stand-in father, Tony, they are forced to run again. Tony gets word that their father, Boyd McIntyre, is on the hunt to find them. After their dramatic plane escape goes wrong and they crash in the Montana wilderness, the children must evade capture, all while the impending blizzard worsens. A classic game of cat-and-mouse with added twists and turns.

4 stars, I really enjoyed this read! It started off with a bang and the chase on the mountain was thrilling. Once they were off the mountain, the pacing was a little slow for me. However, it was vital to explain the McIntyre family legacy, so I can forgive it! I thought the family dynamic was so interesting and I would love another novel involving the McIntyre children. I adored Kristen and Ryan and their bond with each other and Tony. You will definitely want to get a copy of this once it is published on August 8.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the advanced reading copy!

I have read most of Allison Brennan's novels and when MacMillan Audio granted me access to the audiobook I was ecstatic. Unfortunately, North of Nowhere was a huge miss for me. Unlike her other novels (many of which, I listened to as audiobooks), this one felt overly dramatic. I prefer her thrillers that have a police procedural element and this really doesn't have that. This is more about saving the ones you love, confronting your demons, and forging a path forward. I think this will be well received for those who haven't read most of her books or for those looking for a fresh approach. I just was missing Brennan's suspenseful writing I crave!

This was a great read! It was my 1st book by Allison Brennan but is not going to be my last, I am adding all of her books to my TBR! I wish this was a series b/c I want to know what happens w/all of the characters. She did such a great job of making them come to life on the page that they seem like real people and I am invested in their lives!

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!

This is the first book I have read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I listened to it on audio and the narrator did a great job. I usually listen in the car and found myself sitting outside of work to try to catch a few extra minutes.

Tony Reed has hidden his two godchildren, Kristen and Ryan from their crime boss father in a small town in a remote area of Montana. Tony has prepared Kristen for the day Boyd McIntyre shows up to collect his children. He has taught her how to survice in the wilderness, how to shoot and keep herself and Ryan, who is deaf, safe. When Boyd arrives in their small town, Tony and the kids take off in to the wilderness to escape. A ferocious storm is approaching and no one should be out in the storm, much less two kids. A game of cat and mouse ensues and Boyd and his goons chase Kristen and Ryan through the mountains.

There are quite a few characters and a few times I had to stop to ty to remember who was who, but overall this was a great story. The narration was awesome and I look forward to more books from this author and narrator.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well this was non-stop from page one! I absolutely love the ending and the journey to get there was harrowing. Plane crashes, snow storms, henchmen, and wildlife are all fighting to keep Kristen and Ryan on the run. I loved Kristen, she really finds her voice by the end of the story.

Eliza Floss did a great job narrating this story and I will look for more books narrated by Eliza in the future.

"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.

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.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
This book is action packed and doesn't stop from beginning to end. Now at the beginning, there is a lot going on, but I found once I got going, it was easy for me to keep all the different characters straight. I also found that the balance between the present action and the necessary insight was handled perfectly. I don't always need extreme depth to my characters, yet there is enough here to make me care about these kids and everything that is going on around them. This book takes place during a blizzard and is very atmospheric. It was the perfect backdrop for a book filled with tension and unease.
Eliza Foss was an excellent narrator. I didn't have any issues keeping the characters straight due to her wonderful performance.

Sadly, this book was a DNF for me. I’m not sure if it was the book itself or the way the narrator read the book, but I just couldn’t do it. The dialogue felt stilted. I also think the book needed more of introduction to the characters. I wasn’t a fan of how the reader was dropped right into the action without any context.

I’m sure lots of readers will enjoy this book. It just wasn’t for me.

Allison Brennan’s latest standalone, NORTH OF NOWHERE, is an adrenaline-fueled action suspense crime thriller in a race against time during a blizzard as two siblings fight for survival to escape a murderous crime family.

Kristin (Kris-16) and Ryan (11-deaf) McIntyre have been hiding from their murderous father, Boyd, head of a LA crime family (McIntyre organization) for five years.

He has tracked the kids to Big Sky, Montana, where they have lived with Tony Reid. Tony had done everything to protect them, and they considered him their father. They always had a backup plan, knowing one day Boyd would come for them.

Plan B was a remote cabin more than three hundred miles from Big Sky with enough food and wood to last them all winter until they could disappear again. Plan B is where he would steal his boss's twin prop and fly to Ennis, land in a field, steal a car, and head to the cabin near the Canadian border, swapping out cars—same endgame, different path. Time was not on his side because he had to get them out before Boyd arrived.

Tony knew Boyd would kidnap the kids and kill him (out of their sight). Tony was his former best friend and partner. Boyd wanted to punish Tony.

Five years, two months, two days. That was how much time Tony had stolen from Boyd.

Things do not go as planned. The plane crashes, and Kristen and Ryan find themselves on the run in the Montana wilderness with a blizzard on the way. Their aunt, Ruby (Boyd's sister) has been in hiding too; however, she is alerted by Tony's employer, Nick, that something is amiss, and she and Nick Lorenzo head out to rescue them.

Boyd and his men are in pursuit and will stop at nothing to bring them in. Will they be able to reach the kids in time?

The impending blizzard, predators, and a team of killers are after them. Boyd has hired a tracker to find them. Who will find them first?

NORTH OF NOWHERE is a complex, twisty, action-packed wilderness adventure thrill ride with heart-pounding suspense. Told from multiple points of view, Kristen, Tony, Boyd, and Ruby and a cast of supporting characters —all the while not knowing who to trust.

A story of survival, adventure, and mystery. At the core of the story is family, forgiveness, and hope.

Atmospheric, the Montana setting is a character; vivid descriptions and the weather, wilderness, and snowstorm blizzard compound the suspense. I enjoyed Nick, his son, Ruby, and the Sheriff. My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more.

I read the e-book and listened to the NORTH OF NOWHERE audiobook narrated by Eliza Foss for an engaging performance read with tension and suspense.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for a gifted ARC and ALC for an honest review.

Blog Review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 8, 2023
Aug 2023 Must-Read Books

This was a fun fast paced thriller that I finished in one sitting. That being said while I really had fun with this book I can see myself easily forgetting about this one in a short time. Now this book throws you right into the action so much so I had to double check I wasn’t reading a sequel in a series. We begin by following Tony as he flees with a set of kids from the beginning we don’t know much of the why but that is revealed to us in the first half of the story. I really liked this as it kept me interested and engaged throughout. While fleeing the kids end up in the woods on their own trying to flee one group of people and try to find safety. This book was really fun and fast paced but where it was lacking was in the second half the story started to slow down and I found myself not having any real attachments for the characters. Other than that I really had a fun time reading this book and look forward to reading more from this author when I am in the mood for a fast paced easy thriller. I also listened to this audiobook and really enjoyed the narration. The narrator was easy to understand and engaging and would recommend her. I would like to thank Net-galley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Thank you to Macmillan for the audio ARC!

This was a fun listen but the believability was... not great and I'm a reader who really wants believability in a real world setting, so I'm giving this a 3.25.

There are a lot of characters in this book. At times it was overwhelming to keep track of everyone, so I was taking notes to keep everything straight! Some characters felt a little unneeded and were flat while others were much more dynamic. I kept forgetting that some characters even existed, and this made emotional moments difficult to connect to. Kristin, Ruby, and Nick were the most fleshed out characters in the book and two of them were also the characters I enjoyed the most.

The bad guys felt very... cheesy? They're a crime family so I expected some unbelievable cliches, but this took it over the top at some points. Despite the sometimes over-the-top villainy, the book tries to make you care about the villains and I just. Couldn't. Spending more time with these characters in their perspective would have helped!

Some of the "good guys" made such bad decisions I wanted to smack them omg. Nick got me heated more than once! This means that I was invested enough to care, which is always a good sign!

The beginning was a difficult adjustment because you're dropped straight into the action, but once I figured out what was happening I really liked the early chapters and the high stakes feeling. There are some rapid switches in perspective that were a little hard to adjust to in audiobook format, but this was manageable.

This book kept my attention the entire time and I did enjoy the pacing for the first ~60% - but then things slow down for a bit. I thought the end was coming but then when I checked there were still hours left! The ending was solid, but the drop in pacing toward the middle was odd.

Overall, I enjoyed this and would recommend it to anyone who wants a book full of suspense with strong female characters (and also some kind male characters).

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book was suspenseful and fact paced at the beginning but then in the middle I found that it started to drag.