Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry
Series: Thunder Road #1
Publisher: MIRA Ink
Publication Date: May 26th 2015
Source: Publisher [Netgalley]

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Katie McGarry is one of my all time favourite authors. Her 'Pushing the Limits' series is one of my favourites, so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I jumped at the chance to read it early.

Nowhere But Here follows seventeen year old Emily who has the perfect life. Parents that love her, great friends and everything is just perfect. She's curious about her biological father who's in a motorcycle gang, but she doesn't see him often. Until her attendance at a funeral leads to her spending the summer with family she never knew she had. Emily soon discovers that her family are hiding something from her and she turns to Oz - the gorgeous, soon to be member of the Reign of Terror - to help her discover the truth.

The main thing I loved about Nowhere But Here was the family aspect. To begin with, Emily is reluctant to get to know this side of her family and refuses to even speak to them. But I loved getting to see her gradually come out of her shell and grow close to her family - especially her Grandmother. It was lovely to see.

Emily is definitely a tough main character. She's feisty and determined which makes her amazing and she doesn't take shit from anyone. I loved her.

Oz is sexy and mysterious. He clearly knows about Emily's past, but he refuses to tell her out of respect for her father. He's a decent and lovely guy who really helps Emily.

I adored the romance between Emily and Oz. Oz was the only person Emily felt comfortable around and a strong bond formed between them. Oz helped bring Emily out of her shell and it was very clear they both had feelings for each other which Emily's (biological) father wasn't going to be too happy about.

I loved the portrayal of motorcycle gangs in Nowhere But Here. Generally when you think about them, you think about a group of outlaws riding motorbikes going around stealing and shooting people. But that's not Reign of Terror. They're a legit club that earns money the legal way. They offer protection to people bringing in expensive and extremely sought after products to ensure they aren't stolen. McGarry definitely did her research well!

The twist at the end of Nowhere But Here was EXTREMELY unexpected. I honestly may have gasped when I read it because it was such a shock, but it added so much to the story and I understood why Emily's past was such a secret.

Overall, Nowhere But Here was a fantastic beginning to McGarry's new series. I can't wait to read Walk the Edge to find out more about Razor! Definitely recommend!