Nowhere But Here (Thunder Road, #1)

by Katie McGarry

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

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.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.