Nowhere but Here (Thunder Road)

McGary never disappoints me. I love her previous series. This was different and I still fell in love with the story line and the characters. I wish there was more on Oz and Emily. I'd love to hear how they work things out long distance. I was definitely hooked on this book.

“There’s a reason why people shouldn’t talk at four in the morning. Exhaustion eliminates the ability to lie. It demolishes the ability to tiptoe around the truth. Emotions are too exposed and real. Heightened to the point of explosion.”

This is a beautiful story about family, and the lengths people will go to in order to keep them safe. Emily is unaware of her mother's past, as well as her own, and soon finds herself needing to uncover the truth no matter the consequences. She not only puts herself at risk, but endangers Oz and the new family she has started to care about.

Katie McGarry has always been able to write compelling stories with amazing characters, and Nowhere but Here was everything I wanted it to be. I fell in love with the people in this book, even though their way of life was unfamiliar to me, and likely not something I will ever experience for myself. It was different, and I'm glad I was able to see the world through that perspective. I love that books allow you to view a part of the world that you might not ever see for yourself.

Lying never works. It doesn't work in life, and it doesn't work in books. Lies create problems and make existing issues worse. If Emily's family had been honest with her from the beginning, there would have been a lot less danger and heartache.

I really enjoyed alternating perspectives between Emily and Oz. They are two completely different people, but they were able to see past their differences and find what really matters.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on November 28, 2017

Nowhere But Here is an amazing story. Full of twists I didn’t see coming, to a love that I didn’t either.

Numerous people have told me that I needed to read a book by McGarry. So while at my local B&N I purchased the paperback. It had been literally a year since I’ve read a paperback. Boy did I miss the smell of a book. I didn’t know if I would love it but I jumped in.

Oz and Emily come from different parts of the world. Emily hasn’t known about her past. Since it’s all been about secrets and lies. Even if it was meant to protect her. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if I liked Oz. I’m like, why do you have to be such a douche? lol. But I realized quickly, he believed what he was told. He has only known the club. So he follows his orders. That is until Emily comes along and changes his whole world.

This was an exciting story, with twists around every corner. But I fell into this story. I grew to love these characters, as Emily grew to love her family. The family that her mother has been running from all her life. I was brought to tears through out this story. So the connection from these characters touched me. I loved the character growth, how in the beginning they were naive. To them growing and learning. Becoming who they were meant to be.

Overall, of course, its Five Boundless Stars from me.

I love Katie McGarry and her novel, but compared to her last one the romance in this new series did not have me swooning, I did not like how they interacted with each other, or how quickly they stopped hating each other and fell in love/lust.

But besides Oz and Emily's relationship, I loved the characters by themselves, and the side characters. It is pretty clear that McGarry is setting up some of her future books with the side characters, mainly: Razor, Chevy, Stone, and Violet, the children of the motorcycle gang. I'm interested in seeing Razor's story, or Violet's, because they were great characters.

I was not a huge fan of the main character as the novel went on, it was just hard to connect to her. However, her family and the other characters made up for that fact, and I can't wait for the next book in the series.

I recommend checking this out if you enjoy McGarry's writing style, it is a little hard to get into but by the end it was an okay read.

When I heard Katie McGarry was writing Nowhere But Here, I could have squealed out of excitement. I love Katie McGarry -even though I haven’t read Take Me On yet. However, this one sounded so incredible to me. I had never read anything about a motorcycle gang before! As always, Katie McGarry didn’t disappoint.

I find that in contemporary/romance novels, the characters are the most important aspect. If they aren’t well written. there’s almost no way to save your story. Not that I said well-written, not lovable. There are times in which a main character sometimes gets terribly on my nerves, but I can still appreciate them. Because in real life, there are definitely also people who get on my nerves. This was the case for Emily. I did like her, and I enjoyed reading from her point of view. But sometimes, I just wanted to shake her and scream. There were just certain parts of her that I didn't understand! Let’s just get into it.

So, Emily. Emily is the daughter of one of the most respected members of the Reign of Terror, a motorcycle club. However, she has barely ever seen her father and in fact, considers her stepfather to be her true father. Through a series of events, she ends up having to spend the summer with her biological father and his family. While I admire the love Emily has for her mother and stepdad, I feel like as a 17-year-old, she is way too dependent on them. To be honest, she felt much younger than that to me. There were just so many things she hadn’t done because she was either afraid, or it was out of her comfort zone. At times, I felt like she lived in a bubble. However, I did like her overall. She was kind, and once she got over the initial fear, even a bit snarky -which I always appreciate. And she grew so much throughout the novel, which is the best part about her. She learns to come out of her shell, ask questions –even though they might make someone uncomfortable– and take more risks.

Next up, Oz. I think he is my favorite character in Nowhere But Here. He is the son of one of the Reign of Terror members, but unlike Emily, he wants to be a part of the club himself. Why? Because he knows that the RoT is legit: they don’t do any illegal stuff. They own a security company and often provide security on the road for other companies. To him, it’s family. I love how Oz defends his family. You can truly see how much he loves them. He’s strong, brave and witty. What more could you want?

There are several other characters that deserve a mention, but I feel like I’ll unintentionally spoil something for you if I say too much. So I’ll keep it short. Emily’s mom: I don’t like her. WOMAN, WHAT’S WITH ALL THE LIES??? Emily’s stepfather: while he has been a great dad to Emily, I’m angry with him. Emily’s dad: such an incredible person. But again: DUDE, WHAT’S WITH ALL THE LIES??? Emily’s grandmother: she is absolutely epic. HA. I love her. Although she would have scared me to death. Maybe even literally.

I really love this novel. It’s not just a story about self-discovery. To me, this is a story about prejudice and stereotypes. Katie McGarry shows us that we, humans, like to draw conclusions from either a first impression, gossip or incomplete/wrong information. When we hear the words “motorcycle club”, the first thing we think about is violence. Or fear. Or even drugs and guns. And while that is true for some, it may not be for every club out there. Like the Reign of Terror. I just think that this book is an incredible reminder to not just make up your mind about something or someone when you don’t know any actual facts.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Katie never disappoints! I loved her debut series, and this new series, is just as amazing!

As usual it has two characters for us to learn about and then watch them connect in the special way that Katie knows how to get.

Emily. A lovely shy girl, who knows when to be tough and give an attitude at the perfect moments. Emily is pretty sheltered, yet very smart. She goes to school, hangs with friends, has a boyfriend, and everything is going pretty well. She has a few odd things about her, she has these fears and things running through her head, but it doesn't take away how awesome she is. But things go a little crazy when a grandma she doesn't know, is dead. So now her and her parents are going on a plane and going to a funeral. That trip is not going to go well.

Then you meet Oz. A tough guy, who just wants to be done with school and join the brotherhood. Oz is a good character. He just has some rough spots to him, but at least he has some good reasons behind them. All he's wanted tho was to just ride his bike, join the family business and see where it goes from there. Sadly, its going to be hard road for him into joining the brotherhood. His one job that can land him entry, won't be what he planned on doing. Babysit. Yup, all he has to do is watch Emily and her family. Make sure they get to the hotel, and they get back on the plane to go home safely. Well.....if he didn't doze off, then maybe things would be going a little more smoothly.

Now these two characters are going to be spending some time together. Neither really wants that, but they might as well deal with each other and just fake it. Once things are calm, they can go their own ways and things will go back to normal. But, if you've read the other books by Katie, then you know whats going to happen. These two will do more than just tolerate each other, and its just amazing. I love Katie's writing and can't wait for the next book!

For the past seventeen years as long as Emily can recall , it's always been her mum Meg, her stepdad Jeff and then the yearly visit from her biological father Eli and he has always come to see them in Florida. Now seventeen years later, they have received an obituary that her grandmother Olivia - whom she has never met has died. With reluctance, the family head to Snowflake to pay their respects, though things are about to get interesting as it turns out she's not quite dead - she's dying but not yet in the grave. Eli has Emily is about to discover is the president of the motorcycle club The Reign of Terror and it seems that they have been fighting with the rival gangs which seem to actually enjoy inflicting pain and being the baddest group around . Now that Emily is in town, it has stirred up alot of hidden truths and a past that should have remained buried , a past that included Eli, Meg and of course Emily who is at the centre of it all and it all surrounds the first two years of Emily's life - a story and truths that she cannot remember. Eli has given Oz - an upcoming prospect , the job of keeping Emily safe which at first they are at each other's throats but of course as the story goes along - we can see where it's headed. What will be the end result though, when the truth about Emily and more so her parents are revealed and the pair of them will have to make a decision of whether they choose love or the life of a motorcycle club member as once you are in the family , it's hard to leave.
I enjoyed reading Nowhere but Here and it was a nice change to read a young adult version of a Motorcycle Club etc rather than the usual New Adult MC novels that tend to contain alot of sex etc, whereas Nowhere but Here touched on some of the MC aspects but in a more PGR tone. I would have loved to have seen more of Meg and her past or at least connection with her family, but maybe Katie has that up her sleeve for a later book.

Having just finished watching the entire Sons of Anarchy series, I felt entirely prepared for the lingo and general plot of McGarry's novel. I even chuckled at the digs at TV shows like Sons for motorcycle clubs that are too violent or illegitimate. I would definitely venture to say that this book is like the CW version of SOA, in a good way.

Emily, 17, loves Florida. She loves her mother and the man she married who adopted Emily before the wedding. She carries no knowledge of her real father's way of life in Kentucky. Her mother doesn't speak of it, and she only sees Eli once a year, out of curiosity.

While her adopted father Jeff tries to encourage Emily to seek happiness beyond Florida's borders, Emily is completely content to stay near the comfort of everything she has known her entire life...for three main reasons. The biggest reason is that Emily fell into a hole when she was eight and spent an entire night with a corpse. Since then, she is incredibly afraid of anything that resembles death. So when Eli's mother dies, and Emily has to go to the wake, her childhood fears flare and anxiety settles in.

Jeff receives an e-mail from Eli stating that his mother died, and Emily's mother decides they should fly to Kentucky to pay their respects. While Emily doesn't want to go, her mother is more hesitant as Kentucky is her home state and represents a past she wants to remain hidden from Emily.

But Emily isn't the only storyteller here. Oz, a future prospect for the Reign of Terror motorcycle club, of which Eli is a main member, alternates the narrative with Emily. While Emily is prissy and a goody-two-shoes, Oz is a bad boy and can't wait to become a full member of the club. He was pretty much raised by Emily's grandmother, who died, or actually didn't.

When Emily arrives at the wake, she anxiously find her real father and pays her respects. As she's talking, she notices that her grandmother is slowly moving out of her coffin. As it turns out, she is dying from cancer and would rather enjoy her funeral. So begins a whirlwind adventure that introduces Emily to Oz and the life of being in a motorcycle club. Learning about her biological family's history is a struggle for Emily who wants the comfort of her parents' ideal life in Florida.

McGarry's novel doesn't begin slowly; before you know it, she's right in the middle of a territorial fight between two clubs. Once she meets the "hot" Oz and finds herself being "kidnapped," the action picks up so quickly that you'll soon find yourself halfway through the book in about an hour.

Emily's hidden, feisty nature gradually emerges, and the internal struggle between being "good" or "bad" carries her character through the book. Oz's internal struggle to get close to Emily is just as rivoting as Emily's sections, and watching the dichotomy is fascinating. Learning Emily's family history through both characters is what makes the book so effective. McGarry's prose is a true mixture of brutally real situations and mockingly fictitious ones.

Since this is the first in a Thunder Road series, I cannot wait to read the next book. If you're a fan of motorcycles or of just a really complex romance, you'll love this book. Don't be fooled by the length; you'll reach the end before you know it.

Being a romance centered around a motorcycle club, I was expecting something exciting and dangerous. Nowhere But Here is actually just boring and melodramatic. Emily heads off to her mother’s hometown for her grandmother’s wake, but it turns out that the old woman isn’t dead yet. She’s just preparing for the end, and she wants to get to know her only granddaughter. Then some members from the rival biker gang show up at the motel where Emily’s family is staying, and now she needs their protection for the summer until things are under control. It also gives Emily an opportunity to find out what her mother has been hiding from her.

Nowhere But Here has some great stuff going for it but it never came together for me. The whole rival gang thing was very much in the background, Emily was annoying, her grandmother was even more annoying, and I was just bored. What really held my attention was what her family is keeping from her. No one is willing to say anything, and they’re acting like it’s the worst thing in the universe. But then it comes out, and I was like oh. Then I figured out one of the following reveals, and when that was I confirmed, I was like oh. It really wasn’t as big of a deal as everyone was making it out to be.

I really did not like Emily. She was quite frustrating to me. After the rival gang appears at her motel and she gets rescued, her stepfather manages to convince her that she’s not in danger. He claims that motorcycle clubs are like a Sci-Fi convention for tough men, and all of this is just a game. She believes him, despite everyone who is actually involved telling her otherwise. Wouldn’t they know better than her stepfather who is not involved in any way, shape, or form? Then Emily gets upset that she’s been lied to when the truth comes out. She’s known since the beginning that she’s been lied to, and knows what she’s been lied to about, she just doesn’t know the real story. So why is she crying that everyone is a liar near the end?! She knew that already! Oh, and Emily “detests dogs.” She says this, and tells this adorable creature who just wants to comfort her that she hates him. Well, I hate you, Emily.

As for Emily’s grandmother, Olivia, I could not stand her. The whole club worships this woman, but she is mean! Yes, she’s dying and everyone is sad about that, but come on! She is horrible to everyone, and she essentially tries to hold Emily hostage just because she wants her there. Emily doesn’t know these people! She doesn’t have to stay with you just because you lock the doors and won’t let her stepfather take her home! Then she’s all cryptic for the entire book, leaving Emily little hints and clues about her past instead of just telling her! Not to mention that Oz (the love interest and other POV) is initially pissed at Emily for not spending time with Olivia. Emily had never met her before! And the first time she does, the woman scares the crap out of her and won’t let her leave! Why do they all love this woman so much?!

Nowhere But Here didn’t really do it for me. I have no opinion on the actual romance, because it was just kind of there, caught under the chaos of everything else I was annoyed by. Nothing happens for like 400 pages, and then when it does, it’s over in like ten pages, and then it’s back to Olivia.

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley for review. No compensation was offered or accepted.

This review was originally published on Latte Nights Reviews.

This was my first read of the year and it was a huge success!! I loved it! I have to admit that I wasn’t planning on ever reading this book because the whole concept of the motorcycle business and the forbidden love portrayed in the blurb plus the length of the book put me off completely. I haven’t ever read a book by this author so I didn’t think I was missing out. Why did no one tell me I was beyond wrong?! I was hooked from the beginning and in no time I had reached 34%, then 76%. It blew me away.

I didn’t really had expectations for this story but I did expected lots of violence since the description kind of makes it sound that way, at least to me. It was so much more than that. The motorcycle club, Reign of Terror, was more of a family than anything. Their integration in the story, blood-related and not, was such an important thing that added so much more. I loved all of the characters. Olivia, who’s Emily’s grandmother was the best. She was amazing, everyone respected her and she was such a strong woman that in my eyes, she was bad ass. In a way, she kept the club grounded. My emotions were going on a roller coaster ride since at times I would be smiling and having fun and then all of a sudden BAM, I would be a mess.

Emily and Oz’s relationship was rocky at the beginning due to trust issues coming from Emily’s part, which is understandable since her mom led her to believe something her whole life and she’s now starting to see it was all a lie. Still, she refuses to believe her mom would lie to her so she keeps her distance from the club, especially Oz and her father. But once she started to let her guard down, their romance was fun and cute and beautiful and I was so rooting for them!!

Another character I loved was Emily’s father, Eli. You could really see he was trying to prove to his daughter he hadn’t abandoned her, that all the decisions he made were for her safety. I’m glad Emily got to see that as the story progressed and ultimately see her relationship with her father grow.

The ending surprised me. I was shocked by the plot twist I did not see coming and then something happened that had me on the verge of tears and I couldn’t deal with life!

Overall, this book was brilliant, emotional and fun. As I had mentioned above, I hadn’t picked this book up because it is super long! I was very intimated by it but I flew through this book. In a blink of an eye, I was already halfway through and deeply enjoying it! It was the perfect read to kick off 2016!

Listen, motorcycle clubs are a completely foreign concept to me. I’ve never been exposed to this way of life and I don’t really know anyone who even rides motorcycles. But wouldn’t you know…one of the things I loved most about this book was the motorcycle aspect of it. I really enjoy being exposed to experiences of ways of life that are the total opposite of life as I know it, so the fact that this story is set amongst the turmoil, passion and community of a motorcycle club appealed to me. Learning about the codes and traditions of this community was so intriguing and even though I may not have agreed with everything they did, McGarry did such an amazing job of helping me to understand it.

I also really loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Oz and Emily. They come from two totally different worlds and the process they go through of getting to know each other is both frustrating and heart-warming. Granted, Oz is NOT thrilled with Emily’s presence in his life when we first meet this duo, so it’s really special to see their relationship progress. Oz is equal parts moody and swoon, and Emily’s growth in the story really struck a chord with me. She starts of as a scared and naive outsider in a community full of strangers, and by the end of the book her experiences have shaped her into someone she never expected she could be.

There really isn’t anything in this book I didn’t love. Honestly, I enjoyed it from beginning to end. The only thing I felt like I wanted more of was some back story between Emily’s parents. I mean we do get a lot of answers regarding that relationship, but I found myself wishing there was more. I wouldn’t say it was a fault in the book, just something I personally would have loved more of.

SO many moments of feels in Nowhere But Here…SO MANY! It made my heart so happy! As I mentioned before, Oz and Emily have amazing chemistry, so it’s only natural that we get some feels-filled moments. The best part was that these moments weren’t always the warm and fuzzy kind, but often times the kind of feelings that make you say “Ugh, you make me so mad but I still want to make out with you so hard!” There’s one scene in particular (around page 150) that evoked this feeling and it was perfect. I feel like it was the first moment that Emily broke out of her shell and took control of a situation to get what she wanted. Yeah, it was kind of shady of her to manipulate the situation the way she did, but it will just so perfect.

NOWHERE BUT HERE IS A WILD RIDE THAT I LOVED FROM THE VERY FIST CHAPTER. KATIE MCGARRY INTRODUCES HER READER TO A TIGHT-KNIT & FIERCELY LOYAL COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE THEY LOVE.

A riveting, gritty story about love, finding yourself, and looking past the surface appearances. Katie McGarry has once again created a story with characters whom you can't help but like, despite them getting under your skin at one time or another.

Katie McGarry is no stranger to writing gritty, realistic teen fiction. I loved her Pushing the Limits series, and I have to say, while that's still my favorite series, this is definitely a book that holds it's own. Nowhere But Here is another example of the talent McGarry has when it comes to bringing characters together whom you'd least except to see together. Oz and Emily are a couple you wouldn't except to see together, but these two are a match made in Katie McGarry YA heaven. McGarry does such a great job at setting their stories up, and weaving them together in such away that had me frustrated, laughing, pulled at my heart strings, and had me hoping that things would work out between them. Let's just say, Oz will be making a few favorite 2015 book boyfriend lists.

McGarry knows how to hook her readers with her head strong characters, sizzling character chemistry, and all the in between. There's all that and more with Oz and Emily. Trust me, with the Reign of Terror motorcycle club involved, there is a lot of in-between. When it comes to Oz, and Emily, these two were raised on opposite sides of the track so to speak, but these two have far more in common than you'd think. I loved how McGarry allowed me to see their true love for each other. This is one of those love stories I can see happening in real life. It's a once you know, you know, with these two. Trust me, there's a lot going against them, but it only makes them stronger in what they over come. I loved what they offer each other as the story goes on.

In getting to know Oz and Emily individually, as well reading about them together, McGarry allows her readers to get to know all the other characters who make up this story. Her characters are so vividly written, they just come alive on the pages, and feel like they're more than just characters I'm reading about on a printed page. Can I just say, my favorite secondary character, well really she's the heart of the story, was on my favorite character to get to know. You'll know why when you read this story. I loved that even though some of the characters are seen as a little (or a lot) rough around the edges, there's a lot more to them than their looks. There's a lot of heart, loyalty, and family ties that make up the heart of this story. The storyline is crafted so tightly, and realistically. Not that I know how the inner workings of a motorcycle club work, but I definitely felt like I got how it works, at least with the Reign of Terror club. I'm looking forward to reading more about each of the characters, and getting to know them as their own stories continue with the rest of The Thunder Road series.

True to McGarry's writing style, she once again writes a book that is about love, and all the different forms it comes in. Which is much like real life. Love isn't always so cut and dry, nor is it always easy. Sometimes you have to fight for it, and sacrifice a lot for it, which many of the characters in this story are familiar with. At the heart of this story is a love story that goes beyond just Oz and Emily. The love in Nowhere But Here isn't just about romance (trust me, you'll be swooning or fanning yourself a few times while reading this book), it's about making choices, always having each other's backs, and sometimes it involves betrayal. The family dynamic is this story is heartbreaking, and enduring. I loved all the elements that make up Oz and Emily's families. You can read more about the book's love story via my Nowhere But Here blog tour post from Katie McGarry, here.

Now, there were a few of the things I did have some issues with. However, they were things that had they been left out of the story or written any differently, most likely wouldn't have made the story's setting feel as realistic as it did. You can't have a gritty, realistic story, and leave specific characteristics to the setting, and the life style of the characters out, and make readers feel it's believable. I get that, but I still wasn't a fan of those certain things. Having said that, I also have to say, that one of the things I loved about this book was something that was absent from this book, and for a reason. I'm remaining vague on this, so it doesn't spoil anything. When you read this book you'll know what I'm talking about. I loved Emily for being that girl, and I loved Oz for respecting her for it.

I think Oz may be my favorite Katie McGarry guy to date! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series, which is Razor's story.

*There is a lot of swearing (a lot of the f-word), sensual scenes, and some violence.

4 stars - I Enjoyed It

Being a lover of motorcycle club romance books (MC Romance), I took note of the buzz when Nowhere but Here was first released in e-book format earlier this year. Fortunately, for us audiobook lovers, Blackstone has now released the audio version too! What makes Nowhere but Here a little different from the more traditional MC Romances is that it is also geared towards the young adult/teenage (YA) audience. Now, I’m sure you’re saying, why would an adult want to read a YA book? Well, as it turns out, just because the story involves teenagers, and is written in a way to attract teenage readers/listeners, does not necessarily mean it would not also appeal to adults. In fact, some of the most popular and best known paranormal and dystopian romances of our time, including some of my personal favorites, are actually classified as YA. That list includes: Twilight, The Hunger Games and the Divergent series. But an MC Romance – which is typically characterized by dark romance themes – that is geared towards teenagers, now that I had to experience for myself to see if it could actually work.

Well, I’m glad I did listen to Nowhere but Here, as it presents an interesting, generally lighter, in terms of erotic and violent content, but nonetheless enjoyable spin to the typical MC Romance. Additionally, Ms. McGarry keeps the listener engaged with the complex, character development and self-identity defining YA appropriate spin to her MC Romance. Add in a good amount of suspense, concerning a tragic, family secret, plus a good narration by the Marguerite Gavin and Sean Pratt narrator team, and you have the recipe for a generally fulfilling, entertaining and romantic listen. The one area, where I will note that I had hoped for a little more is in the resolution of the conflict. It seemed like at the end, everything was resolved just a little too neatly and perfectly for a convincing result. Nonetheless, the journey to that result is worth a listen.

For the full review, please see AudioGals (less)

My Opinion: I first discovered Katie McGarry when I read her Pushing the Limit series, and I can honestly say that I loved every book in that series. When I learned that she was starting a new series, I was right there requesting it from NetGalley because I had to learn for myself whether she could top her first series, and boy did she! I can see why she called this series Thunder Road, but it is also about each and every character in Nowhere But Here pushing the limits of their own lives, but in a much deeper way, which will make sense when you read the book, and I highly recommend that you do.

The story is told from two points of view: Emily's and Oz's. Eli is Emily's biological father who, as she's heard all her life, hooked up with Meg (Emily's mother) and when she found out she was pregnant he took off, wanting nothing to do with Meg or their baby. Meg remarried when Emily was 5 and Eli signed away his parental rights so Jeff could adopt her. They've had a good life, and Emily loves Jeff as much as if he were her biological father, and he loves her back just as much. Emily is 17 now, and for the last 7 years she has seen Eli once a year when he comes to visit her where she lives in Florida, but she doesn't feel a bond with him at all.

Emily's life changes when Eli sends a message to Jeff containing a copy of his mother Olivia's obituary, saying she has died of cancer. Emily has always heard that Olivia and Meg hate each other and have ever since she turned Meg away when she became pregnant while still in high school. So it strikes Emily as very strange when Meg and Jeff decide to take Emily to Olivia's funeral in Snowflake, Kentucky, especially since Emily never even met the woman when she was alive. Meg has always refused to talk about her life in Snowflake except to say that Eli, who belonged in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, and his whole family are crazy and violent and how lucky she was to escape that life. Now at this point in the book I remember thinking that this story was a bit edgier than the books in Katie McGarry's Pushing the Limits series, but I was loving it because it was written so well you can't help but feel invested in the new characters. You can feel Emily's confusion over all of this and her wish that they could just stay in Florida since she doesn't want to have anything to do with Eli or his family, but she goes along with what her mother and Jeff want because it seems important to them that she go.

While there, many, many unexpected things happen, and Emily finds out that she been lied to her entire life when it comes to Eli, Olivia, and the rest of her family in Snowflake. She finds out that she and her mother actually lived with Olivia and her husband (Emily's grandfather) Cyrus until Emily was 2 years old. Olivia tells her that they were very happy there until Meg stole Emily in the middle of the night and took off for Florida with no warning at all. Olivia learns that Meg told Emily that Eli's family is crazy and that "the people in Snowflake are the worst kind of evil," which breaks Olivia's heart. Unfortunately, Emily finds out that Olivia is not dead yet when she is saying hello to Eli, who is standing next to the casket Olivia is laid out in, and Olivia, in her excitement to see Emily, sits up and starts talking to her! Apparently Eli accidentally sent a copy of Olivia's obituary (which she had written herself to make sure it was done right) instead of an invitation to the party Olivia was throwing to celebrate her life while she was still alive to enjoy it! To add to the horror Emily experiences, she already has a major fear of dead people because when she was 8 years old she fell in a hole already occupied by a dead person in the middle of the woods and after screaming and screaming for help, she ended up spending 12 hours alone with the body until she was finally rescued. Needless to say, Emily agrees with her mother that this whole family is nuts and she doesn't want to have anything more to do with therm. You can imagine her surprise when her dad, Jeff, and her mother decide she should spend a month or so with them so she can learn about that side of her family! Everybody in Snowflake says she's in danger if a rival motorcycle club, The Riot, learn that she is Eli's daughter, and they feel, since she just showed up there with no warning, word might get out and the best people to protect her are the Reign of Terror. Emily is really not down with this at all but is out voted by her mom and dad.

This is when we really get to know Oz, who is 18 years old and has only wanted one thing his entire life: to become a full member of the Reign of Terror. Eli gives him the job of babysitting Emily while she's in Snowflake and making sure no danger touches her. This doesn't go over well with either Oz or Emily, since it's not exactly love at first site! But as they spend time together, Oz discovers that Emily's not a pushover, that she has a spark in her that he comes to appreciate and love, and Emily discovers that Oz isn't just a dangerous motorcycle driving Reign of Terror follower and future member, that he has a soft side and a very tender one that she falls in love with.

I can't say any more about the story, although I could honestly write page after page about this amazing love story. I loved every character in this book, and can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series to come so I can find out about some of my favorites: Razor, Chevy and Violet are at the top of that list!

Emily and Oz grow so much as characters during this story, but Eli also does his fair share of changing too. Emily's life changes so drastically during the book, and in her own words: "Without what has happened, there's no doubt I would have stayed in the same bubble I was raised in and I'm not just talking about remaining in Florida. I never would have experienced anything new in life." I couldn't have said it better myself!

There is so much to love about this book - the characters who are amazing, the plot which contains secret piled upon secret, and the ending, which was so heartwarming that I can't even begin to describe it. I recommend this book to anybody who read Katie McGarry's first series, Pushing the Limits, and to anyone who hasn't read any of Katie's books yet - What are you waiting for, people?! You're missing out on some amazing and heartfelt stories here!

I give this book a very, very enthusiastic 5 stars and I'll be holding my breath to read the next story in line, which stars Razor, and is called Walk the Edge. Nowhere but Here is definitely a must read book of 2015 :D

I received a copy of this book free of charge through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Brilliantly written story that has sexy romance, amazing characters, and a meaningful message. I loved every minute of this book and would highly recommend it to everyone!

Opening Sentence: Top three awful moments of my life:

Meeting my biological father at ten

Breaking my arm in the three spots at nine

Falling into a hole and being trapped there overnight with a dead body at eight.

The Review:

Emily is a happy seventeen year old girl that has a wonderful life. She has amazing parents, a beautiful home, and great friends. She would be perfectly content with her life never changing much, but soon her oh so perfect life is about to get an interruption. Her biological father Eli hasn’t ever really been a part of her life. He didn’t want to be a father when Emily’s mom found out she was pregnant and until just a few years ago Emily had never even met him. But Eli’s mother just passed away and to show their respects Emily travels with her family to the funeral. The visit turns into an extended stay and Emily finds herself spending her summer vacation in Snowflake Kentucky. She is surrounded by family she never knew existed and an extremely attractive boy that drives her nuts. As she learns about her family and her parents past she comes to realize that maybe her perfect life wasn’t as perfect as she thought.

Oz has wanted to be a member in the Reign of Terror motorcycle club ever since he can remember. The club has been his family and joining them is the next natural step. Oz plans to become a prospect as soon as he graduates from high school, but just before he has a chance to join he is given the task of watching out for Emily, the gorgeous sheltered daughter of one of the most respected members of the club. This could be his one chance at his dream or maybe getting to know Emily will make him realize that he has others dreams. He knows that falling for Emily is a bad idea, but sometimes bad ideas turn out to be something amazing!

Emily was a really interesting character that I grew to love. I will admit at first I found her to be a tad bit frustrating because of how naïve she was, but as the story progressed it made perfect since why she written the way she was. She grows tremendously throughout the story and as things unfold you learn to understand her so much better. She is a really sweet girl that has been thrown into an impossible situation, and I couldn’t help but feel sympathetic towards her. She has a hard time trusting people and she tends to shy away from change. So when she is forced to move to a new town with all new people I can see why it would be hard to open up to anyone, especially when everything is so different from what she is comfortable with. In time I learned to appreciate her courage and witty personality. She doesn’t take crap from others and I admired that she wasn’t afraid to express her opinion. Somewhere along the way I developed a strong connection with Emily, and by the end of the story I ended up really loving her character.

Oz is one of those dangerous boys that you can’t help but be attracted to. Not only is he gorgeous to look at he is also kind, charming, confidant, loyal, tough, and committed. He has spent his entire life wanting to be a part of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club and I loved that he was such a consistent character. His character does grow throughout the story but his core ideals never waver. He is really rough around the edges, but deep down he is a really good person. He is extremely loyal and will do anything for the people he cares about. I loved that the story was told from a dual POV, being inside Oz’s head really helped me to understand his character better. His relationship with Emily is so perfect. They have undeniable chemistry and tons of sexual tension between them. They don’t really like each other at first, which lead to a great slow burning romance! Oz always treats Emily with respect and the way he flirts with her was so much fun to watch. I loved all the dynamics of their relationship and Oz has easily become a favorite book boyfriend.

Nowhere But Here is an inspirational story filled with emotion, romance, and suspense. From the moment I picked this up I instantly fell in love with everything about it. The characters are developed perfectly and so easy to connect with. The pacing was spot on and there was never a dull moment even though this was almost a 500 page book. I loved the setting of the story and the way McGarry featured motorcycle clubs was unique and interesting. I know that there are plenty of adult books that feature motorcycle clubs, but I don’t know of many YA books that do. The love story was done perfectly, it was a slow burning romance that was very believable. As always McGarry’s writing was amazing, and she really knows how to deliver a meaningful message in an entertaining way. I loved how she addressed friendship, love, loyalty, and family in the story — it made it feel so realistic. I have read most of McGarry’s other works and while I really enjoyed them this is by far my favorite book of hers. Suffice to say, I loved everything about this book and would highly recommend it to all young adult contemporary fans!

Notable Scene:

The girl’s my kind of gorgeous, no question: sexy, beautiful dark hair and eyes like a doe’s. Gotta admit, her curves turned me on and that dress she wore sealed the deal. It clung to her in all the right ways, but what was smoking was the way she wore it. Mysterious. Classy. Never seen anyone from Emily’s world walk up to the Reign of Terror as if they didn’t have a single fear.

But Emily is bad news. She’s been a thorn in this family’s side and has continually caused the people I love to bleed. Her being here will rupture already vulnerable arteries.

FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Nowhere But Here. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

MY THOUGHTS: This one has been compared to the TV Show Sons of Anarchy, but having never seen the show, I cannot offer my opinion on that.
What I can do however; is tell you that if you loved McGarry’s Pushing the Limits series as much as I did (Which is a whole freaking lot!) then you will love this first entry in the Thunder Road series. It has all the bad boy yumminess, flawed characters, and a whole lot of anxiety-inducing action to keep with Julie Kagawa (double-freaking-awesomeness!) and while I knew I’d read Nowhere But Here, it wasn’t until after I heard Katie speak that I got super pumped for this book, and decided that I was going to buy it instead of waiting for a copy from the library. These books are ones that I can see myself rereading in the future.
What I love about Katie’s books is that she isn’t afraid to take her characters anywhere she wants them to go – whether that puts them in danger or a dangerous downward spiral – she will have you laughing, crying, and screaming page after page at characters so real that they feel like they’re your friends in real life.
For me, I had a little trouble getting into Emily’s character at the start of NBH. She was so innocent and naive, so trusting and believing in her parents that she was completely ignorant to an entire other part of her life… that included her bio-dad. I came to care for Emily as the chapters flew by, and by the end of the book I was definitely happy to see the person she became over the course of the book.
The whole premise of the book, being based around a motorcycle club, was a refreshingly new idea that I fully embraced and was very curious about. While seeing Katie speak, she explained how she had actually spent time with a real motorcycle club – to remove the stigma that is associated with them. Not all clubs are bad, illegal, or gangs – and that is what she proved with this book.
I was not expecting the big secret of the book to end up being what it was. It was an awesome curve ball that she threw, and I think it was awesome the way the whole story was centered around this big secret, and the whole time I was thinking how this secret is being so over-hyped and it probably won’t even be that big of a secret, but yes, it is quite a doozy – and the consequences are dire.
Overall, I fell in love with a little town called Snowflake, Kentucky and the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club, and all of the characters that I got to meet and spend time with. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves contemporary stories, romance done well, and some seriously sexy bad boys you can’t help but fall for too.

I really like Ms McGarry Pushing the Limits series and I think they are some of the best realistic YA/NA stories out there. She creates truly memorable young people fighting for their place in life, figuring out who they are and what they want to be which I greatly enjoy.

This book is similar, yet different. It's book 1 in her new YA/NA series, Thunder Road, and the blurb describes it as a mixture of Sons of Anarchy and Westside Story. Now, I have to admit that SOA is one of my favourite TV series of all times though or may be because of that, most biker romances I've read don;t really work well for me.

I was curious to see a biker's club from a teenager's perspective (OZ's family is part of the club) and I have to say that this book didn't live up to my expectations, maybe they were too high, but still.

The story is told from dual POV, Emily and Oz, it's fast paced with some elements of suspense, but tame overall as far as Motorcycle clubs go. The storyline itself is quite complex and initially it was difficult to keep track of who is who and why things were happening the way they were.

The focus was on the bikers' world, the club business. It was all well developed and detailed but got repetitive and boring since it was all everybody was talking/doing. It read like cliche after cliche, just witht he insistence of their club and its business being legal. Things were rather tame, this being a YA/NA story the focus definitely was not on sex and violence (they were implied but not graphically presented).

Most of the characters really confused me and I didn't understand their actions or motivation. The heroine, Emily was not very likable. I understand the difficult situation she found herself in, but she came off naive and immature, further more everybody treated her like a small child all the time. The main conflict was based on this big secret everybody knew (or at least parts of it) kept from her. I really struggled to understand why everybody was so insistent on not telling her anything and I couldn't the logic behind their decisions. Why not just tell her? It's not something that can stay hidden forever. And Emily is 17 years old, your daughter, granddaughter, friend, lover, someone you care about. After all honesty is the basic element in any relationship, at least I think so.

I liked the hero, Oz, better than Emily, but still he didn't completely win me over. He was too focused on the becoming member of Reign of Terror, at least initially he was ready to do anything to get this, including hurt Emily. I liked his character development and felt there was real depth and growth. Emily was supposed to overcome her fear but she remained detached and somewhat bland for me till the end.

I was frustrated with the way the parents acted in this story - both Emily's biological family and her adoptive father, even Oz's parents seemed rather dysfunctional.

The romance was sweet, teenage, first-time of everything love and I liked it. I enjoyed the other teenagers (Oz's friends), Rachel was a particular favourite of mine, together with Razor and Chevy and I'm curious about their stories.

Overall, not a bad NA biker story, though I expected more.

You can read more of my reviews on my blog - Ellie Reads Fiction

"Nowhere But Here" the first book in the Thunder Road series is a stirring contemporary romance that begins with a funeral. Seventeen year old Emily, a girl living a spoon-fed lifestyle in Florida returns to Snowflake Kentucky to a strange memorial service being held for her estranged grandmother. Horrified to find the funeral home being guarded by black -vested, tattooed, beer-drinking members of her biological father's motorcycle club, she faints with terror when her grandmother rises from her coffin, alive. Although curious about Eli and his motorcycle family -"the Reign of Terror" - she refuses to stay in Snowflake and get to know the McKinleys until a series of unforeseen events have her seeking the truth behind the lies and secrets that have kept her separated from them for years. On an emotional journey to unravel the mystery of her past, Emily will not only confront old fears, but will take risks and open her heart especially to her protector, the enigmatic bad boy Oz .

With her meticulous background research Katie McGarry brings to life a motorcycle club - "the Reign of Terror"- a brotherhood bound by trust, integrity and honesty who care for, defend and support each other and their families even after death. Lead by Eli and Cyrus McKinley, the men in this boys' club live a tough and dangerous lifestyle, working in a legitimate security business that protects trucking shipments across the State and afterwards expending some of their pent-up energy in wild partying. Into this setting the author casts Emily a sheltered teenager who's curious but resentful of her biological father and her McKinley relatives.

The plot heats up when unexpected events thrust a reluctant Emily into spending vacation time with Eli and the McKinleys, and she's forced to examine a truth about her past that has her life spiraling into confusion and heartbreak. In this story Emily is not only caught in a land mine of danger and emotional turmoil but eighteen year old Oz 's dream of joining the brotherhood may be the collateral damage. In a story that twists and turns and culminates in a surprising ending, Katie McGarry continually builds suspense and tension with every snapshot of the Riot's illegal activities that bring attacks, beatings, danger and the fear of a kidnapping to the Reign of Terror and especially to Emily.

The love story is heartwarming and moving when a clash of wills between Emily and Oz erupts in romantic fireworks that have both reeling from its surprising intensity. As in so many of her novels Katie McGarry cleverly weaves together the lives of two young people who struggle not only with the outcome of secrets,lies, bad choices and mistakes of well-meaning adults, but with feelings of being unloved and unwanted by their parents. In an atmosphere of sexual banter and innocent seduction Emily and Oz's attraction smolders until it bursts into flame as they find trust and solace in each other's arms.

Like the plot the characters are well-developed, realistic and complex especially Emily whose comfortable and simple bubble is shattered when she's forced to take risks and learn the truth about her past. Naive and innocent she's thrust into an environment that's rough and uncivilized like the bar in the barn with its wall of bras. Yet with the love of Olivia her outspoken and loving grandmother, her larger-than-life grandfather Cyrus and the devoted, persistence of her biological father Eli who'd willingly sacrifice his life for her, Emily finds her heart opening. Yet it's Oz's trustworthiness, generosity of spirit and intense love for his family, her dying grandmother and for handicapped children that Emily recognizes under his good-looks, cocky smugness and sarcastic humor. These traits not only draw the virginal Emily to this bad boy but make her more brave and bold in his company. Every character in this novel adds power, energy and excitement to an enthralling drama that you can't put down.

As a fan of Katie McGarry's contemporary teen romances I believe she continues to write with a flair that captivates her audience. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and character development in "Nowhere But Here" and look forward to reading more in the Thunder Road series. Perhaps in further stories we'll even find out if Emily and Oz's romance survives the long distance between Florida and Kentucky.

Wow……just WOW!!! I wasn’t sure what to expect when I found out Katie McGarry was going to write a ‘biker romance’. All I can say is she didn’t disappoint. What a refreshing look into the rugged world of the MC. Nowhere But Here is a journey that takes you into the lives of the Reign of Terror motorcycle Club and the connection it holds to a young lady miles and miles away.

Life seems to be all planned out for Emily. Plans with her best friend include staying around her hometown in Florida near her mother and step-father. She is content with her day to day routine. What she does think about from time to time is her father…..Eli. As a member of the Reign of Terror MC located in Kentucky, Eli is somewhat of a stranger to his daughter.

What should have been a visit for the summer for Emily has turned into something unexpected. Learning about the Reign of Terror takes a turn that the teenager never saw coming. A rival club has set their sights on Emily and her father has asked Oz to keep her safe.

Growing up in the life of the MC has left Oz certain of his future. Nothing would mean more to him than being patched as a member of the Reign of Terror. Nothing could have prepared Oz for the turmoil that would follow Emily to town. Tasked with keeping her safe, Oz soon finds that his connection to Emily is deeper than just his role as protector.

Nowhere But Here is an AMAZING start to the newest series Katie McGarry has embarked upon. I loved every single roll of the wheels that this book contained. Each character played such a crucial role in the plot of this book. Nothing is as it seems on the surface, and when you dig deep the journey will lead you on a ride you will never forget. I cannot wait to see what is in store for Emily & Oz…as well as the rest of the series!!

Well, …………. I’m at a loss! When I finished reading this, I couldn’t think of enough adjectives to describe how much I loved this book. I haven’t read a young adult for a while and was a fan of Katie McGarry’s Pushing the Limits series, but gee, I NEED more of Thunder Road. The characters were strong and variable, the intrigue surrounding Emily’s story was compelling and I was kept speculating throughout. I thought it may be predictable, but the further I read the more my assumptions changed.

Emily is a seventeen year old that will have her world turned upside down and all because her biological dad sent a message. Her top three awful moments of her life so far are:
1. Meeting her biological father at ten;
2. Breaking her arm in three places at nine; and
3. Falling into a hole and being trapped there overnight with a dead body at eight.

Emily believes her stepdad is superman, her own superhero and she thinks the world of him. Eli, her biological father, didn’t want anything to do with her or her mother when she became pregnant as a teenager. They fled Kentucky and haven’t been back, that is until the message from Eli. Now they are all torn.

Emily, Jeff and her mum are travelling to Kentucky and have to face Eli and his biker family. She is curious and has only seen him once a year for the past seven years. Does she have a whole other family there? What and/or how do they live? What do they do for a living?

OZ is seventeen and just graduated high school. He’s has dreamed his whole life of joining the family business since he could walk. Reign of Terror. This motorcycle club is a legit legal club that has a security business attached to it. It’s a dangerous lifestyle though and Oz is champing at the bit to get on the road and protect his dad.

Emily feels so out of place walking into the wake and looking for Eli. With bikers everywhere, her fear escalates and being in a funeral home to begin with has her anxiety at the max. Emily surprises Eli with her presence and then chaos ensues. The Reign of Terror princess has returned.

Emily’s now in danger. Oz is given the task of keeping Emily safe and their attraction is immediate. Even though they hate each other, the connection cannot be denied.

Who is after Emily and why? Why does everybody know the family secret except for Emily? Will Oz accept that Emily is part of the family? Why is her mother so against bikers?

Discover the secrets that surround Emily and if she will finally uncover the truth. Young love, intense loyalty and protective alpha males, strong female protagonists and action are all contained within. Nowhere But Here is absolutely a must read for all young adult readers. It was a lot of fun and the tension between Oz and Emily was amazing, the forbidden love component added to the intenseness and I am desperate to read more from this series. Who will be next?

Emily and Oz are two teenagers from proverbial opposite sides of the “tracks.” The heroine was raised in a rather guarded environment, while the hero was raised amongst the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club. Our protagonist live two major contrasting lifestyles, making them as contradictory as contradictory can get. Emily comes across as the typical good girl, the golden child per se, and Oz is pretty much the definition of a typical bad boy except with a slight twist.

Oz has lived his entire life amongst the Reign of Terror. Life with the club tends to be rowdy, wild, and sometimes dangerous. It’s always been his dream to be patched in, following in his family’s footsteps. Family and loyalty mean the world to Oz; they are what keep him grounded, and he’ll do anything to protect what’s his, even babysit a chick he can barely tolerate.

Emily, on the other hand, has always lived a quiet and sheltered life with her mother and stepfather. She was brought up to believe that Eli, her father who is an important member of the Reign of Terror, didn’t want a thing to do with her. Animosity festered with this belief, that is until her pretty, little bow wrapped world was rocked off its axis and the lies she always believed as the truth started to quickly unravel.

Both characters were definitely set in their ways and beliefs. Stubborn is definitely a word I would use to describe them. Frustrating would be a close second. Due to this, there were times I was convinced I would end up throwing my tablet against the wall. Oz and Emily felt as if they would never mature properly into their relationship. I just kept thinking sooner or later, something besides their bad blood and witty dialogue has to come about. I needed a bit more romance from them. Something that would sustain me through the long road traveled. Unfortunately, it took some time for them to even consider finding common ground. And while I enjoyed them, these issues made the book drag on a bit. By the halfway mark I felt as though we should be close to wrapping up.

However, even with all that, Oz and Emily were extremely likable. Looking back, their personalities complimented each other in the best ways. Their diversity allowed them to grow and to learn from each other on all levels. Eventually they let go of the surface and started digging deeper. Emily and Oz reminded me a lot of my younger years, which is why I found it engaging to observe their dynamics as they flourished from butting heads over their preconceived impressions to building a strong foundation of friendship and love. In my opinion, their characters experienced the right amount of character growth, leaving them room to grow into becoming a couple with the rest of the series. One thing I do know without a doubt is that as Emily and Oz transformed, I found myself falling more in love with them by the minute.

While I thoroughly enjoyed our protagonists, the secondary characters were just as amazing. They definitely held their ground, sometimes outshining our main characters. Razor and Olivia were my favorites. I seriously cannot wait to get my greedy little hands on his book. The mystery and intensity surrounding him immediately captivated me. I was seriously hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to find out his past. It killed me when all the author did was elude to it. Damn it, I WANTED to know everything about Razor right then and there.

Nowhere But Here isn’t the classic type of Motorcycle Club book. There wasn’t the overabundance of hard core angst, grit, or violence (well there was a tad bit of violence at the end) seen within this genre. I really liked that though. I was nervous and excited going into this book as I really love MC books, and I wasn’t sure how the author was going to pull this off YA style. Let’s face it, no one thinks young adult when they think of motorcycle clubs. I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed the fact that this book focused more on the value of family, allegiance, and dependability, and less on the grittiness of the MC world.

In my opinion, Ms. McGarry delivered an addictive new spin on a widely known reading obsession. She provided us insight into a world we all wish we could experience while still allowing us the relatability factor to her characters.

While Noah and Echo will always be my favorite Katie McGarry couple, Oz and Emily definitely come as a fun recommendation from me, especially if you are a huge fan of this author's books.

Thank you, Harlequin Teen, for the complimentary copy of Nowhere But Here.

When Emily’s mom and dad convince her to attend the funeral of her biological father’s mother, she expects to get in and get out as quickly as possible. But life is never that easy. Somehow Emily’s existence and presence in Snowflake is leaked to a rival biker gang that would love nothing more than to cause deadly trouble for Eli’s (Emily’s biological dad) motorcycle club. Her three parents (mom, dad and Eli) decide it is in her best interest to stay hidden at Eli’s home in Kentucky while her mom and dad fly back to Florida. No one will have expected her to stay which should keep her safe until everything blows over. A two week stay turns in to more than a month. A long visit that allows Emily to acquaint herself with a family she’s never known or trusted. A visit that also makes her question everything her three parents have told her since she was a little girl.

When other kids were dreaming of becoming police officers, teachers or doctors, Oz was dreaming of joining the Reign of Terror and working in the family security business. When Eli asks Oz to prove himself worthy of making prospect by babysitting his daughter, Oz isn’t going to say no.

At first, Emily and Oz circle each other warily. Both have preconceived ideas about the other and their way of life and they most certainly do not like each other. But as they spend more time with each other the more they understand and respect one another. An understanding and respect that is turning into something more.
I found the two main characters fascinating. Emily holds back a lot but finds this inner strength and boldness in certain situations that made her an absolute joy. The only way to describe Oz is intense. He’s very experienced and lives in and whole-heartedly embraces a world where the social rules are so different. At the same time he has this vulnerability about him that belies his age and emotional inexperience. It’s no wonder that these two characters set my tablet on fire when they interacted on the page.

I also found the different family members and friends more than a bit interesting. Oz’s parents and friend, Razor. Emily’s grandparents, cousins, newly gained family friends and even Eli. There wasn’t a single one that didn’t spark my interest and made me wish for a side story just about them. I do know that I will at least get my wish with Razor which will be super exciting.

But my favorite part of this story, by far, was the relationship between Emily and her three parents. I just need to put it out there how much I LOVE the way Katie McGarry writes parent/child relationships. They are amazingly complex and she never holds back from making them unbelievably messy. They are not the stereotypical horrific or absent parents (obviously there are exceptions…hello, Echo’s mom). But they are also rarely perfect parents that get everything right. She writes them as imperfect beings that love their children. People that sometimes get the parenting thing right but very often don’t. So many times they are what I like to call the “ambiguous villain.” They are parents that love their children and try to protect them but in their efforts majorly mess up along the way. And that is exactly how I saw Emily’s three parents.

From the beginning you see the love that all three parents have for Emily. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to see the amazingly close and trusting relationship that Emily has with her dad and then see how badly Eli wants to have the same relationship with her. But all that love can’t hide the feeling (for both the reader and Emily) that something is off about their history. We only know what her parents (all three of them) have told her. A history that doesn’t put Eli in a very nice light. But it’s obvious from early on that they are lying. A lie that you can only assume they concocted for her safety. But that lie has negatively impacted her in ways she is just beginning to understand.

Like I said. Heartbreaking, complicated and all together messy. And I absolutely loved it. Needless to say, Nowhere But Here furthers my love affair with all things written by Katie McGarry…

Nat

When visiting her biological father's family in Kentucky, Emily is introduced to a different world centered around the Reign of Terror MC Club. Her arrival comes at a time where there is some instability and she finds herself in the center of a storm. Situations occur and soon her father, Eli puts her under the protection of Oz, a young man just wanting to be a prospect in the club.

Emily is naive, sheltered, and likes her safe world and set plans. The idea of even leaving her stable home was anxiety producing. And the intense situations she encounters in Kentucky only make it worse. She is the typical good-girl and is a bit closed off, judgmental, and does not like change at all.

Oz is determined, loyal and focused on his goals. But he is also hurting due to some issues going on in their family. He has grown up in the club life, and feels strongly about the importance of family and club loyalty. Emily is the assignment that will either make him or break him with his dream of joining the club and their security company, so keeping her safe has to be his top priority.

They could not be more different. Their backgrounds and personalities are diverse. But despite challenging each other and causing strong reactions, they also find some common ground and appreciation for each other. Their verbal sparring and rapport was engaging. There was definite push and pull between them and some mixed feelings especially initially. Theirs is a story of an unlikely friendship and young love with a bit of a forbidden aspect due to their circumstances. Not only does Oz have to worry about protecting her, staying in the good graces of the club, but also worry about fall out from her father due to the fact that he is more interested in her than she should be.

But their family's history is layered with so many secrets, lies, and mysteries. Some people know parts of them, but everyone seems to be keeping Emily in the dark (and the reader as well). She has to figure out who she can trust, what to believe and how to handle this chaotic world with interesting family members and complicated dynamics. There is also real danger and threats to be concerned with.

Both of them also had life lessons to learn about taking risks, expanding their horizons, following their own path, and living life. It focused a lot on family, respect, love and trust. And all is centered about a MC Club with a core group of young people who all seem to have their own issues. Not only Emily and Oz, but Chevy, Violet, Razor,and Stone. They are affected by the actions of their parents and mentors all associated with the club in some way and the matriarch Olivia has a profound effect on all of them as she does her best to impart wisdom and lessons to them. Their relationships with Olivia were an important aspect of this story. They all have their own fears, insecurities, issues, pain, and feelings about how their lives have been so far.

This is a young adult story told in dual point of view. Although the young couple do have an attraction and some chemistry, it is more about forging a connection than anything sexual. It focuses more about the younger generation figuring out what role they want to play in the club life while also dealing with their own issues and demons that haunt them. Emily especially was learning about family and club life that she was not exposed to growing up and it is whole new world for her. And Oz was also learning to change his own thinking as well.

I liked this book, although at times I felt like the pacing was a bit slow in places. There was a lot of build up with the relationships and opening up of characters. And the secrets and lies stayed buried much of the story. There were some twists and surprises that I did not figure out on my own. And it definitely got more exciting towards the end. I liked Oz. Emily was a bit hard to warm up too since she was stubborn and set in her ways. But her spreading her wings and opening up her mind was all part of her journey. Sometimes I did not feel an intensity with them as a couple, but they are still young and their relationship was really just in the beginning stages.

Die hard fans of Katie McGarry might be able to pick up a small connection between this series and a character from the Pushing the Limits series. I was intrigued by many of the side characters in this one. The next book Walk The Edge will be about Razor and he is an interesting, damaged character. But I expect we will see one about Chevy and Violet because they obviously have history and pain between them. And there are aspects of the club life and the MC issues going on in this one that will surely bleed into the next books both tying in their pasts and shaping their futures.

Nowhere But Here epitomizes the idea that life is never black and white and that the truth is never absolute because the reality of a situation is based more so on individual perspective, and certainty has many strands. The story’s also about the idea of family…of brotherhood…of a bond deeper than blood. It’s about self-discovery, and one’s ability to have the courage to find out who s/he might be.

Those self-discoveries begin with Emily and Oz, the young hero/heroine, who, to the naked eye, seem to be direct opposites. Emily’s life is predictable…simple – filled with routines and no surprises while Oz’s life has been anything but “normal,” but it’s the only lifestyle he knows, and he aspires to be a member of the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club because they’re his family…they’ve made him who he is.

As readers get to know Emily and Oz a bit better, we grow to understand that both of them are searching for their own place in the world around them and need to face and accept some harsh realities in order to move forward with a clearer understanding of what’s true and what’s been nothing but lies. At first, Oz doesn’t want Emily anywhere near him or the club because she’s an outsider who doesn’t understand anything about being a biker or the bond that exists between the brothers in the club. All Emily knows is a skewed reality based on her mother’s feelings and her absentee father’s appearance. But Emily and Oz soon learn that moving past the façade is worth the frustration, wrath, and angst that comes along with it.

It took me a bit to get into the storyline because Emily’s unwillingness to see past her prejudices grated on me a bit, but as the truth is revealed and the reality of the club, her father and his family, and why her father has been absent comes to light, readers can’t help but be pulled in and consumed with the emotions that come with learning the truth and seeing the love that exists in multiple ways.

Another aspect of the book that works extremely well is the group of characters that McGarry creates around Emily and Oz. The secondary characters add such depth to the storyline that it’s impossible not to want to know more about them. Olivia’s strength/love is formidable; Eli’s protective nature illustrates who he truly is at his core, and Oz’s friends/family show the bond that exists when people are willing to give everything they are to one another.

Nowhere But Here is a great start to McGarry’s Thunder Road series. It’s not your typical biker book because it’s placed in the mature young adult category, but it has all of the components that readers have come to love about McGarry’s writing and it provides a fresh perspective of what the biker brotherhood is all about.

A complimentary copy was provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

4 poison apples

Well, …………. I’m at a loss! When I finished reading this, I couldn’t think of enough adjectives to describe how much I loved this book. I haven’t read a young adult for a while and was a fan of Katie McGarry’s Pushing the Limits series, but gee, I NEED more of Thunder Road. The characters were strong and variable, the intrigue surrounding Emily’s story was compelling and I was kept speculating throughout. I thought it may be predictable, but the further I read the more my assumptions changed.

Emily is a seventeen year old that will have her world turned upside down and all because her biological dad sent a message. Her top three awful moments of her life so far are:
1. Meeting her biological father at ten;
2. Breaking her arm in three places at nine; and
3. Falling into a hole and being trapped there overnight with a dead body at eight.

Emily believes her stepdad is superman, her own superhero and she thinks the world of him. Eli, her biological father, didn’t want anything to do with her or her mother when she became pregnant as a teenager. They fled Kentucky and haven’t been back, that is until the message from Eli. Now they are all torn.

Emily, Jeff and her mum are travelling to Kentucky and have to face Eli and his biker family. She is curious and has only seen him once a year for the past seven years. Does she have a whole other family there? What and/or how do they live? What do they do for a living?

OZ is seventeen and just graduated high school. He’s has dreamed his whole life of joining the family business since he could walk. Reign of Terror. This motorcycle club is a legit legal club that has a security business attached to it. It’s a dangerous lifestyle though and Oz is champing at the bit to get on the road and protect his dad.

Emily feels so out of place walking into the wake and looking for Eli. With bikers everywhere, her fear escalates and being in a funeral home to begin with has her anxiety at the max. Emily surprises Eli with her presence and then chaos ensues. The Reign of Terror princess has returned.

Emily’s now in danger. Oz is given the task of keeping Emily safe and their attraction is immediate. Even though they hate each other, the connection cannot be denied.

Who is after Emily and why? Why does everybody know the family secret except for Emily? Will Oz accept that Emily is part of the family? Why is her mother so against bikers?

Discover the secrets that surround Emily and if she will finally uncover the truth. Young love, intense loyalty and protective alpha males, strong female protagonists and action are all contained within. Nowhere But Here is absolutely a must read for all young adult readers. It was a lot of fun and the tension between Oz and Emily was amazing, the forbidden love component added to the intenseness and I am desperate to read more from this series. Who will be next?

Emily and Oz are two teenagers from proverbial opposite sides of the “tracks.” The heroine was raised in a rather guarded environment, while the hero was raised amongst the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club. Our protagonist live two major contrasting lifestyles, making them as contradictory as contradictory can get. Emily comes across as the typical good girl, the golden child per se, and Oz is pretty much the definition of a typical bad boy except with a slight twist.

Oz has lived his entire life amongst the Reign of Terror. Life with the club tends to be rowdy, wild, and sometimes dangerous. It’s always been his dream to be patched in, following in his family’s footsteps. Family and loyalty mean the world to Oz; they are what keep him grounded, and he’ll do anything to protect what’s his, even babysit a chick he can barely tolerate.

Emily, on the other hand, has always lived a quiet and sheltered life with her mother and stepfather. She was brought up to believe that Eli, her father who is an important member of the Reign of Terror, didn’t want a thing to do with her. Animosity festered with this belief, that is until her pretty, little bow wrapped world was rocked off its axis and the lies she always believed as the truth started to quickly unravel.

Both characters were definitely set in their ways and beliefs. Stubborn is definitely a word I would use to describe them. Frustrating would be a close second. Due to this, there were times I was convinced I would end up throwing my tablet against the wall. Oz and Emily felt as if they would never mature properly into their relationship. I just kept thinking sooner or later, something besides their bad blood and witty dialogue has to come about. I needed a bit more romance from them. Something that would sustain me through the long road traveled. Unfortunately, it took some time for them to even consider finding common ground. And while I enjoyed them, these issues made the book drag on a bit. By the halfway mark I felt as though we should be close to wrapping up.

However, even with all that, Oz and Emily were extremely likable. Looking back, their personalities complimented each other in the best ways. Their diversity allowed them to grow and to learn from each other on all levels. Eventually they let go of the surface and started digging deeper. Emily and Oz reminded me a lot of my younger years, which is why I found it engaging to observe their dynamics as they flourished from butting heads over their preconceived impressions to building a strong foundation of friendship and love. In my opinion, their characters experienced the right amount of character growth, leaving them room to grow into becoming a couple with the rest of the series. One thing I do know without a doubt is that as Emily and Oz transformed, I found myself falling more in love with them by the minute.

While I thoroughly enjoyed our protagonists, the secondary characters were just as amazing. They definitely held their ground, sometimes outshining our main characters. Razor and Olivia were my favorites. I seriously cannot wait to get my greedy little hands on his book. The mystery and intensity surrounding him immediately captivated me. I was seriously hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to find out his past. It killed me when all the author did was elude to it. Damn it, I WANTED to know everything about Razor right then and there.

Nowhere But Here isn’t the classic type of Motorcycle Club book. There wasn’t the overabundance of hard core angst, grit, or violence (well there was a tad bit of violence at the end) seen within this genre. I really liked that though. I was nervous and excited going into this book as I really love MC books, and I wasn’t sure how the author was going to pull this off YA style. Let’s face it, no one thinks young adult when they think of motorcycle clubs. I was pleasantly surprised to find I enjoyed the fact that this book focused more on the value of family, allegiance, and dependability, and less on the grittiness of the MC world.

In my opinion, Ms. McGarry delivered an addictive new spin on a widely known reading obsession. She provided us insight into a world we all wish we could experience while still allowing us the relatability factor to her characters.

While Noah and Echo will always be my favorite Katie McGarry couple, Oz and Emily definitely come as a fun recommendation from me, especially if you are a huge fan of this author's books.

Thank you, Harlequin Teen, for the complimentary copy of Nowhere But Here.

When Emily’s mom and dad convince her to attend the funeral of her biological father’s mother, she expects to get in and get out as quickly as possible. But life is never that easy. Somehow Emily’s existence and presence in Snowflake is leaked to a rival biker gang that would love nothing more than to cause deadly trouble for Eli’s (Emily’s biological dad) motorcycle club. Her three parents (mom, dad and Eli) decide it is in her best interest to stay hidden at Eli’s home in Kentucky while her mom and dad fly back to Florida. No one will have expected her to stay which should keep her safe until everything blows over. A two week stay turns in to more than a month. A long visit that allows Emily to acquaint herself with a family she’s never known or trusted. A visit that also makes her question everything her three parents have told her since she was a little girl.

When other kids were dreaming of becoming police officers, teachers or doctors, Oz was dreaming of joining the Reign of Terror and working in the family security business. When Eli asks Oz to prove himself worthy of making prospect by babysitting his daughter, Oz isn’t going to say no.

At first, Emily and Oz circle each other warily. Both have preconceived ideas about the other and their way of life and they most certainly do not like each other. But as they spend more time with each other the more they understand and respect one another. An understanding and respect that is turning into something more.
I found the two main characters fascinating. Emily holds back a lot but finds this inner strength and boldness in certain situations that made her an absolute joy. The only way to describe Oz is intense. He’s very experienced and lives in and whole-heartedly embraces a world where the social rules are so different. At the same time he has this vulnerability about him that belies his age and emotional inexperience. It’s no wonder that these two characters set my tablet on fire when they interacted on the page.

I also found the different family members and friends more than a bit interesting. Oz’s parents and friend, Razor. Emily’s grandparents, cousins, newly gained family friends and even Eli. There wasn’t a single one that didn’t spark my interest and made me wish for a side story just about them. I do know that I will at least get my wish with Razor which will be super exciting.

But my favorite part of this story, by far, was the relationship between Emily and her three parents. I just need to put it out there how much I LOVE the way Katie McGarry writes parent/child relationships. They are amazingly complex and she never holds back from making them unbelievably messy. They are not the stereotypical horrific or absent parents (obviously there are exceptions…hello, Echo’s mom). But they are also rarely perfect parents that get everything right. She writes them as imperfect beings that love their children. People that sometimes get the parenting thing right but very often don’t. So many times they are what I like to call the “ambiguous villain.” They are parents that love their children and try to protect them but in their efforts majorly mess up along the way. And that is exactly how I saw Emily’s three parents.

From the beginning you see the love that all three parents have for Emily. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to see the amazingly close and trusting relationship that Emily has with her dad and then see how badly Eli wants to have the same relationship with her. But all that love can’t hide the feeling (for both the reader and Emily) that something is off about their history. We only know what her parents (all three of them) have told her. A history that doesn’t put Eli in a very nice light. But it’s obvious from early on that they are lying. A lie that you can only assume they concocted for her safety. But that lie has negatively impacted her in ways she is just beginning to understand.

Like I said. Heartbreaking, complicated and all together messy. And I absolutely loved it. Needless to say, Nowhere But Here furthers my love affair with all things written by Katie McGarry…

Nat

When visiting her biological father's family in Kentucky, Emily is introduced to a different world centered around the Reign of Terror MC Club. Her arrival comes at a time where there is some instability and she finds herself in the center of a storm. Situations occur and soon her father, Eli puts her under the protection of Oz, a young man just wanting to be a prospect in the club.

Emily is naive, sheltered, and likes her safe world and set plans. The idea of even leaving her stable home was anxiety producing. And the intense situations she encounters in Kentucky only make it worse. She is the typical good-girl and is a bit closed off, judgmental, and does not like change at all.

Oz is determined, loyal and focused on his goals. But he is also hurting due to some issues going on in their family. He has grown up in the club life, and feels strongly about the importance of family and club loyalty. Emily is the assignment that will either make him or break him with his dream of joining the club and their security company, so keeping her safe has to be his top priority.

They could not be more different. Their backgrounds and personalities are diverse. But despite challenging each other and causing strong reactions, they also find some common ground and appreciation for each other. Their verbal sparring and rapport was engaging. There was definite push and pull between them and some mixed feelings especially initially. Theirs is a story of an unlikely friendship and young love with a bit of a forbidden aspect due to their circumstances. Not only does Oz have to worry about protecting her, staying in the good graces of the club, but also worry about fall out from her father due to the fact that he is more interested in her than she should be.

But their family's history is layered with so many secrets, lies, and mysteries. Some people know parts of them, but everyone seems to be keeping Emily in the dark (and the reader as well). She has to figure out who she can trust, what to believe and how to handle this chaotic world with interesting family members and complicated dynamics. There is also real danger and threats to be concerned with.

Both of them also had life lessons to learn about taking risks, expanding their horizons, following their own path, and living life. It focused a lot on family, respect, love and trust. And all is centered about a MC Club with a core group of young people who all seem to have their own issues. Not only Emily and Oz, but Chevy, Violet, Razor,and Stone. They are affected by the actions of their parents and mentors all associated with the club in some way and the matriarch Olivia has a profound effect on all of them as she does her best to impart wisdom and lessons to them. Their relationships with Olivia were an important aspect of this story. They all have their own fears, insecurities, issues, pain, and feelings about how their lives have been so far.

This is a young adult story told in dual point of view. Although the young couple do have an attraction and some chemistry, it is more about forging a connection than anything sexual. It focuses more about the younger generation figuring out what role they want to play in the club life while also dealing with their own issues and demons that haunt them. Emily especially was learning about family and club life that she was not exposed to growing up and it is whole new world for her. And Oz was also learning to change his own thinking as well.

I liked this book, although at times I felt like the pacing was a bit slow in places. There was a lot of build up with the relationships and opening up of characters. And the secrets and lies stayed buried much of the story. There were some twists and surprises that I did not figure out on my own. And it definitely got more exciting towards the end. I liked Oz. Emily was a bit hard to warm up too since she was stubborn and set in her ways. But her spreading her wings and opening up her mind was all part of her journey. Sometimes I did not feel an intensity with them as a couple, but they are still young and their relationship was really just in the beginning stages.

Die hard fans of Katie McGarry might be able to pick up a small connection between this series and a character from the Pushing the Limits series. I was intrigued by many of the side characters in this one. The next book Walk The Edge will be about Razor and he is an interesting, damaged character. But I expect we will see one about Chevy and Violet because they obviously have history and pain between them. And there are aspects of the club life and the MC issues going on in this one that will surely bleed into the next books both tying in their pasts and shaping their futures.

Nowhere But Here epitomizes the idea that life is never black and white and that the truth is never absolute because the reality of a situation is based more so on individual perspective, and certainty has many strands. The story’s also about the idea of family…of brotherhood…of a bond deeper than blood. It’s about self-discovery, and one’s ability to have the courage to find out who s/he might be.

Those self-discoveries begin with Emily and Oz, the young hero/heroine, who, to the naked eye, seem to be direct opposites. Emily’s life is predictable…simple – filled with routines and no surprises while Oz’s life has been anything but “normal,” but it’s the only lifestyle he knows, and he aspires to be a member of the Reign of Terror Motorcycle Club because they’re his family…they’ve made him who he is.

As readers get to know Emily and Oz a bit better, we grow to understand that both of them are searching for their own place in the world around them and need to face and accept some harsh realities in order to move forward with a clearer understanding of what’s true and what’s been nothing but lies. At first, Oz doesn’t want Emily anywhere near him or the club because she’s an outsider who doesn’t understand anything about being a biker or the bond that exists between the brothers in the club. All Emily knows is a skewed reality based on her mother’s feelings and her absentee father’s appearance. But Emily and Oz soon learn that moving past the façade is worth the frustration, wrath, and angst that comes along with it.

It took me a bit to get into the storyline because Emily’s unwillingness to see past her prejudices grated on me a bit, but as the truth is revealed and the reality of the club, her father and his family, and why her father has been absent comes to light, readers can’t help but be pulled in and consumed with the emotions that come with learning the truth and seeing the love that exists in multiple ways.

Another aspect of the book that works extremely well is the group of characters that McGarry creates around Emily and Oz. The secondary characters add such depth to the storyline that it’s impossible not to want to know more about them. Olivia’s strength/love is formidable; Eli’s protective nature illustrates who he truly is at his core, and Oz’s friends/family show the bond that exists when people are willing to give everything they are to one another.

Nowhere But Here is a great start to McGarry’s Thunder Road series. It’s not your typical biker book because it’s placed in the mature young adult category, but it has all of the components that readers have come to love about McGarry’s writing and it provides a fresh perspective of what the biker brotherhood is all about.

A complimentary copy was provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.

4 poison apples

My Thoughts:

Katie McGarry's, Pushing the Limits Series, is in my top favorites, as far as young adult contemporary romance is concerned. The appeal of her stories, their authenticity, and relatability cross over to a diverse group of people. Therefore, when I heard that she was coming out with a new series, I was on board! To top it off, this series deals with a Motorcycle Club, called the Reign of Terror, and I have a thing for hot MC guys!

The first story in the series, Nowhere But Here, is about two teens, Emily and Oz. Emily has grown up in Florida, in the sheltered, privileged, and conservative home of her mother and adoptive father. She see's her biological father, Eli, once a year. Eli is a highly respected member of the Reign of Terror, and Emily's mother has lead her to believe that Eli abandoned them both when her mom found out that she was pregnant with Emily.

A variety of circumstances lead Emily to her father's small hometown of Snowflake, Kentucky. She will be staying with Eli and his side of the family for the summer. While at first, Emily, is unhappy about her forced visit dealing with people that she considers dangerous, rough around the edges, and lacking in integrity; she quickly realizes with the help of Olivia (her paternal grandmother,) and Oz (a gorgeous prospective MC member tasked with protecting her,) that everything she was told and taught to believe about Eli and his family was a lie.

Nowhere But Here was a great beginning to a new series! I loved the characters in this story. Emily and Oz were both intelligent, caring, and stubborn individuals, and they both had their own set of preconceived ideas about one another. I loved how little by little, they chipped away at each other's surface, and got to know one another on a deeper level. They helped each other expand their world views, and it was beautiful watching these characters transform. Emily became more open-minded as she learned not to see things in just black and white, embraced her father's side of the family, and with the help of Oz, learned how to start conquering her fears. Oz learned how to speak up, be his own man, and not just blindly follow orders.

The secondary characters in this story were excellent. Olivia, Emily's grandmother, was my favorite. She was tough, courageous, blunt, sassy, and had a huge heart! I enjoyed getting to know the members of the MC Club, and their families. I am looking forward to Razor, as well as Chevy and Violet, getting their own stories.

Even though I would consider this a character driven story, there were still plenty of secrets, surprises, and twists to keep me hooked to the storyline. Emily and Oz's story was sensational. They had a rocky start based on prejudices, and assumptions that lead to a push-pull dynamic. However, Emily and Oz eventually supported one another, built a strong foundation of friendship, and had a slow-burning romance that was both believable, and so sexy with the budding chemistry, and anticipation of every kiss and intimate moment.

My Rating:

I give, Nowhere But Here, by Katie McGarry, 4.5 MC Ridin', Dangerous Rival MC, Secrets Hidden, and Romantic Anticipation Filled Stars! I'm excited to continue this series!!!

I received this book as a gift

Nowhere But Here is an unexpected glimpse into the world of the Motorcycle Club from the kids who were born into the legacy and will grow up to be members.

PROS:
Emily is torn between the girl she feels compelled to be and the one she could become. Level-headed and determined, Emily is the quintessential good girl who never gets in trouble and has serious plans for the future. Emily’s dad’s side of the family, the MC side, is a dark blemish on Emily’s perfect image, one she tries to avoid at all costs. When Emily is forced to reconcile with that side, she grows exponentially. Emily discovers that everything she thought she knew was nothing compared to what it could be. Emily is feisty and moral. She likes to get her way and isn’t above manipulation. Emily’s sassy side is bold, fierce temptation. When Emily opens herself up to new experiences it’s exhilarating and hits with the force of epiphany.

Oz is HOT. Torn between a future he thinks is inevitable and passion for something that seems out of reach, Oz is idealistic and rational, he doesn’t dare to dream and limits his potential. A total sweetheart despite his rough exterior, harsh words, and brute force, Oz will sneak into your heart and take it hostage.

Together, Oz and Emily are fire and ice, constantly at war with each other and made of sexual tension.

The lies and secrets behind Emily’s mother’s past propel the plot forward. The reasons for leaving are cloudy and full of blatant danger.

The energy picks up substantially towards the end of the book. Adrenaline-filled and action-packed, an unexpected twist will leave you slack-jawed and shocked. Did not see that coming.

Secondary characters are unique and memorable. Their subplots are interesting and complex. Nothing is what it seems on the surface.

CONS:
The MC is more tame than I was expecting and kind of dull. When there’s so many expectations of how a MC should be, when it’s not, it rings false, even if it is the more accurate picture. Insight into the reality of the MC was muted, so much of the story was meant to be covered up to protect Emily that getting a clear picture was impossible.

Scenes that should have been edge-of-your-seat, terrifying fell flat. The fear just wasn’t there.

The drama between Emily’s parents, the rival MC club, and territorial wars were built up so much that when the truth was finally revealed, it didn’t seem as bad as it was made out to be.

Guns, drugs, violence, profanity, sex. All things you will find in abundance in typical biker related books. But not when written by this author. McGarry gives a refreshing perspective and insight into the word of fictional motorcycle clubs, and takes us to the core of what MC life is really about, without all the grit and gore--a brotherhood.

The Thunder Road series has taken off to a fantastic start. If you think that you'll be missing out on anything because it lacks the aforementioned "typical biker book factors" then think again! This book not only sets itself apart from the rest, but it packs one heck of a punch while doing so.

Nowhere But Here was bursting at the seams with everything that makes a novel great. A gripping, compelling storyline. Charaters that easily (and some not so easily) work their way into your heart. Unexpected twists that have you turning the pages even faster than before. And enough emotion to fill your eyes with tears, and leave you with a heart that's heavy one moment and soaring the next.

I usually like to say something about the two main characters in a book, but this story is about so much more than just Emily and Oz. It's about family, both blood and the club. It's about respect, and loyalty, and opening yourself up to something more. It's about the ties that bind us, and the lies that can break us. It's about love. The love of a parent with the intent to protect, the love of a gandparent with a wish to save, the love of a club with a code of honour, and the love of the young with a whole life to live.

As I was getting closer to the end of the book, there were three characters whose stories I desperately wanted to read as the series progresses. Two of those character (hopefully!!!) come together, and their storyline is already set up. But the quiet, mysterious, troubled character who really piqued my interest, thankfully has the leading role in the second book in the Thunder Road series, Walk The Edge.

Simply put, Nowhere But Here is a book that should most definitely be read.

This was absolutely beautiful!!!

Oz and Emily’s story is one heck of a ride, I’ll tell you this much.

Emily’s been living a lie, but one she didn’t know to be. She was raised to believe one thing about herself and her past, when in truth, greater powers were and are at play that have direct affect on the path her mother took when Emily was just a baby.

When her mother goes back to her hometown for what she believes to be a tragic event, Emily who’s escorted her, finds herself discovering a lot about herself, about her past, about lies and about the unique truth she’s been sheltered from.

While Emily’s being torn between her protected, loving and loved life and her original identity as an MC princess, she’s also learning to get to know Oz, an MC prospect to be.

Oz is…. how shall I put it… incredibly determined. He’s so determined to be a prospect and prove himself to his childhood idol, Eli, that he’ll do anything to keep his daughter safe. So when he finds out his own truth about Emily, and how different it is from the truth he’s always known, he can’t help but fall deeply in love with her.

Emily’s struggle to find out the absolute truth about herself and in an attempt to save her father, lead her to what might just be the thing that ruins it all for her. Learning to love the life she shouldn’t have even known to be a part of is changing everything for her.

I loved the way each of the characters in this novel grew throughout, how with every turn of a page the reader gets another little piece of information. I loved how Oz and Emily’s relationship develops gradually and their emotional bond and how their dependency on each other doesn’t hinder them but somehow make them work better together.

In all aspects, this book is built beautifully, with carefully constructed arcs.

Still, there was something a bit predictable throughout some parts, even though the way the entire thing ties together took me by a WHOA type surprise.

You better pick yourself a copy of Nowhere But Here if you want to know more.

I loved it.

** Thank you Harlequin Teen via NetGalley for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Emily has very little contact with her biological father or his family, and her mom hasn’t returned to her hometown in years, so when they learn Emily’s grandmother is dead they plan a trip to return home for the funeral. What happens next is a whirlwind of danger, tension, and secrets that will turn everything Emily knows about her family on it’s head.

All Oz wants is to patch into the MC club he grew up around, and now that he has graduated high school his parents’ one request, he is counting down the days until he will be a prospect. When Eli asks Oz to keep his daughter safe, Oz knows this is his first test, and hopefully the last.

It was interesting to watch events unfold around Emily, though there were also moments I wanted to shake her or one of several other characters. She had several very severe fears that played huge parts of how she reacted under pressure. Early in the book, I was sympathetic to her fears but as the story progressed, it felt like she was using them as excuses rather than as true fears.

As far as MC stories go, this one definitely read NA. It was not overly graphic or gritty and while there was a definite threat of danger, it remained mostly unknown and in the background.

I had a hard time feeling the chemistry between Oz and Emily. Beyond being forced to guard her, I just didn’t feel a connection deeper than proximity. She has several deep seated fears that while understandable, after a while I lost sympathy for her fears and reactions to the danger around her. He was so focused on patching into the club that it didn’t feel like he would have taken that risk to get closer to her, at least until he had some reassurance that he would be patched.

This book was filled with secrets (that were not easily worked out as a reader), threats, and the demands of a dying woman. I loved the surprises that popped up, and the connections that weren’t clear until the very end. While this wasn’t exactly what I expected when I began reading, by the end I was happily entertained and liked the outcome.

Who needs cliff jumping or swimming with sharks. Nowhere But Here was an adrenaline rush from beginning to end. I absolutely love Katie McGarry's writing. It is flawless every single time. And this book was no different. A new series, a new set of incredibly crafted characters, so real, so raw, so perfect you can't help but love them. For some reason when I read a sample of this book months ago I lowered my expectations somewhat. So silly. What I didn't realise is that excerpt was taken out of context and that this book was so compulsive, so addictive, so good.

When I started this book I was a little confused about what was really going on. But that's the point. Emily is thrust into this life she didn't know existed and meets a whole lot of people she's either unsure of or downright terrified of. So, as the reader, you are right there with her. As you read on some things become a little clearer, but the book keeps you on edge the whole way through.

The romance. Sigh. The romance. No one does a love story like Katie McGarry. But while the romance is heartachingly beautiful, touching and steaming and perfect, what makes it work is the strength of the characters, not only as a group but also individually. This story has a large cast of characters but not once did I struggle to remember who was who because each and everyone of them are so defined and refined. I cannot wait to return to the little town of Snowflake and this wonderful, badass, loving group of crazy people. What I also love about this book, and all of Katie's books, is that there is no set pattern that the storyline or characters fall into. What happens depends on how the characters react. I don't think I'm explaining this very well, but I feel that what happens, whether that be the action or the romance, is so true to the characters and who they are.

So basically, I loved this. And while that shouldn't be a surprise, what did surprise me was how much I loved it. Now to wait for the next book. But I'm not too worried, because it will undoubtably be worth the wait.

My Thoughts: I wasn't really sure about reading about a motorcycle club at first. But, if anyone can pull it off, its Katie McGarry!

We are introduced to Emily who lives with her mom and her adoptive dad. Emily was adopted pretty young by the man her mom married. She’s had a pretty average life. A few friends, school, and a family. She has spent a little bit of time with her real dad over the years but not much. He has come to visit her.

We are also introduced to Oz who lives near Emily’s dad. Emily’s dad is part of a motorcycle club called “Reign of Terror.”A lot of people fear them. The Reign of Terror also run a security company.

Well, when Emily finds out her grandmother (dad’s mom) died, she goes back to his hometown for a wake. She not thrilled about it but she’s always been a bit curious about them.

Emily gets a lot more than she bargained for. She finds out there is much more to this family than she originally thought and her mom hasn't been completely honest.

And, I loved Oz. Bad boy Oz. Even though he’s classified as a bad boy he really isn’t. He’s sweet and loyal. I also really liked the rest of the members we meet of Reign of Terror. So many side characters with such distinct personalities.

I wasn't sure if I would enjoy the whole motorcycle club thing, but I did. It worked well. I liked hearing about all the backstory for these characters.

I want to say so much about this book but I think you should read it for yourself. I really liked Emily and Oz. I even liked Emily’s dad. And, I liked everything that happened (even the sucky stuff, because it still fit).

Overall: Another cute but deep story by McGarry! I just love the books I've read by her so far! Loved Oz and Emily and the rest of their crazy families. Also loved learning more about the motorcycle club. Probably more of a 4.5 cupcake rating!

Cover: Super nice. Love it! The colors even work. Like it a lot.

What I’d Give It: 5/5 Cupcakes
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Taken From Princess Bookie