North of Nowhere: two teens running for their lives in a snowstorm, who do they trust?

North of Nowhere by Allison Brennan is a cat-and-mouse suspense. Kristin and Ryan McIntyre have been in hiding for the last five years and the day they were dreading has arrived. Their murderous father, Boyd McIntyre, the head of a Los Angeles crime family, has found them! Along with a man who has kept them safe, they attempt to escape in a small plane, when gunfire hits the fuel line and they crash in the middle of the Montana wilderness with a storm moving in. Kristin and Ryan have been taught survival skills and they make their way to their safe house. Ruby McIntyre, Boyd’s sister and the children’s aunt, walked away from the family business to join the army. She vowed never to return; however when the call comes that her niece and nephew need her help, she doesn't hesitate to help them. Ruby soon discovers she and Boyd aren’t the only ones looking for Kristin and Ryan and whoever finds them first will determine if they live or die. 

I hadn’t heard of Allison Brennan or her books before; however, the synopsis intrigued me. From the opening paragraph, readers are promised an edge-of-your-seat suspense. And it delivered for the first two thirds of the story. The story started to falter a bit during the last third and there seemed a rush to finish as the action piled on for a spectacular finish. The ending was satisfying and overall, I enjoyed North of Nowhere. I cheered for Kristin as she fought to protect herself and her brother and was unsure who to trust. I enjoyed Ruby’s character as a hardened veteran who fears her family. Boyd was an interesting villain but the true villain is revealed near the end and he was terrifying. I may have gasped as he was revealed. As this book was my first by Ms Brennan, I am curious about her other books and will be checking out her backlist. If you enjoy suspense with a survival aspect, you will enjoy North of Nowhere. 

North of Nowhere will be available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook on August 8, 2023