Out of Anywhere

It's the story of a young woman, Shay Lane, who lives the life she's always known, driving her car, Trusty Rusty, across the United States. However, the car eventually dies on the side of a road near the town of Wishing, Missouri. Shay, with less than $200 in her pocket, has no choice but to settle in this town while she earns enough money to decide what to do next. When gifts that meet her wishes start to appear, Shay can't believe that they are only due to the name of the town. She decides to investigate to find out who her mysterious benefactor is. Could it be her mother, whom she hasn't heard from in six years but regularly leaves voice mails to? What if the town of Wishing has more to hide than the identity of an anonymous benefactor?

This book, which I was lucky enough to read thanks to NetGalley, was a very pleasant surprise for me. The description had already made me want to discover it, but I didn't expect to be so invested in reading it. I couldn't put my reader down until the book was finished.
Through Andrea Nourse's writing, you quickly become attached to most of the characters in this book, you can easily relate to them, they could be any person living in a small town: your neighbours, your friends… Unlike some of the characters in other books, they feel ‘real’ and I really appreciated that.

Thanks to NetGalley and to Andrea Nourse for allowing me to discover this little gem.

As for me, I got very attached to Shay. Her emotions are very well translated in the book and you experience them along with her, whether they are negative or positive. You just want to be with her at every new step she goes through.

For me, he only negative point of this book is its end which seemed a little too rushed and which left me doubtful on certain points. However, this is just a matter of personal taste and doesn't put in doubt the author's talent.

I highly recommend reading this book.

This book follows Shay, a 25-year-old woman who has lived her life on the road.
Motels and cheap sheets, gas station food and counting pennies. That was the life she knew with her mother, until one night she and her mother are separated, and Shay must learn to navigate life and the road on her own.

I really enjoyed this book! Growing up in a town with less than 1500 people, I appreciated the small town feel and sense of community that the author created. It felt homey and welcoming.

There is also the idea of generational trauma, and the ways we hold on to the past as a buffer for the present. Throughout the book, Shay unravels her story, along with her mother's, to find a place where she belongs. A place she can heal and grow, even if she must make that place herself.

There are a lot of inner monologues, which was a little much at points, but I prefer books with more dialogue, which is probably why that was my only 'issue'.

Overall, I truly enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a story of finding yourself and your place in the world, I recommend this book for you.

TW for mentions of r*pe and sexual assault.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!
My review will be posted on my Goodreads, along with my Instagram (@samwisereads). I will post my review on Instagram on August 3, 2021, to promote for publication!

Wowowow! This book is a must read! It was so real and heartbreaking and heartwarming (yes both at the same time!) The story kept me guessing the whole time! It is so well written and relatable. I loved how the characters were developed and their relationships to one another. Amazing read!