Nowhere But Here
Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Published: May 26, 2015
Pages: 496
My Rating: ★★

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible. 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. 
Emily goes to spend the summer with her birth father and changes forever.
This is my very first book by the author Katie McGarry and I wanted to like this book so bad. I was looking for a good summer romance novel to read and happened upon this one. Unfortunately, this book was just not me. There were many times when I almost DNF it because it was just way too long or the main characters Emily and Oz annoyed the heck out of me. Emily was whiny and the romance was just blah. She also doesn't like dogs!!! What kind of person doesn't like dogs?! Not good ones. I haven't disliked a character this much in a long time. If I had to hear one more time about Emily's virginity, I was about to scream. We get it she's a virgin... Please move on. On the other hand, Oz constantly was talking about how perfect Emily is. Gag much...?! The only reason this one didn't get a one star from me is that Emily's Grandmother Olivia was precious to me. Olivia was the only part of the book that I did like.

Parts were drawn out way too long and overly dramatic. The whole insta love thing just wasn't my taste. The characters literally loved each other right away and it was all just so fake. The book did not by any means need to be almost five hundred pages! It could have been written in way less. The whole story fell completely flat for me. Even her parents were just as bad. Her mother was just as whiny as Emily and she treated Emily's real dad like absolute crap. I have no idea why this book has as high a rating as it does. I have not been this disappointed in a story in this long.

There is even slut-shaming in this book which really got to me as well. There's nothing wrong with a girl liking sex. I believe a girl should be free to explore her own sexuality and there is nothing wrong with that. Girls shouldn't be looked down upon for wanting to explore sex and this novel did that. Yet, Oz was praised for getting girls? UMMM NO?! 

The author's writing was good but the ideas were just blah. Talk about a drawn-out book! I will not be continuing with this series. I think a two-star rating is extra gracious in this case. It had possibilities but failed miserably. I am honestly surprised that I even finished the book with how many things I detested while reading it. I was intrigued to see how it all would wrap up though. There was nothing special about the ending and super predictable just like the rest of the novel.
Barnes & Noble / Book Depository / Walmart



KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.