Review: Nowhere but Here

Title: Nowhere But Here
Author: Katie McGarry
Genre: Contemporary, romance

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Goodreads SummarySeventeen-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.

I decided to read this because I wanted to push my genre boundaries, and because I thought a contemporary romance book would be a fun summer read. I'd heard good things about Katie McGarry's books, so I picked this one up. I'm not sure if it's because I don't normally read this genre or if it was just this book, but it felt very repetitive and slow.

The whole book was about some deep dark secret in Emily's past and getting to know her estranged family. Emily's family history is complicated to say the least, and it was really funny to see Emily's shock at being thrown in with her father's biker club. I also love Olivia! She's a fighter and stubborn as hell; even when she's dying of cancer, she makes sure her granddaughter gets to know her and her family.

I liked how Emily grew up throughout her summer with her biological father, and I liked how Oz had to deal with his insecurities as well. I wasn't a huge fan of their instant "I don't like you but electricity crackling wait no I love you" relationship. Frankly, I just got bored halfway through the book because there weren't any more hints about the secret past and Emily and Oz weren't getting anywhere either.

Maybe I'm too used to reading more fast-paced books in terms of plot, because I usually read fantasy/sci-fi and mysteries. Maybe this just wasn't the right summer contemporary for me. I don't know...this was fun, but I'm not sure I'll be reading more Katie McGarry in the near future.

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