Release Tour: Nowhere But Here by Renee Carlino

Nowhere But Here
    by: Renée Carlino

Publication Date: May 5, 2014
Publisher: Atria Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 320 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N | BAM | iTunes | Blio | Google
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars

A jaded Chicago reporter in her twenties unexpectedly finds love in Napa Valley when she’s assigned to spend a week with a famously reclusive genius in this rich and deeply satisfying contemporary romance by the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing.

Kate Corbin has lost her spark. A year ago, she had a handsome boyfriend and a budding career as a reporter at a popular Chicago newspaper. But after the woman who raised her passed away, leaving her lost and alone, she fell into a rut—and never got out. Now she’s stuck writing fluff pieces about lipstick and wine, and feeling trapped in a relationship that’s going nowhere.

Trusting that the hungry, ace reporter is buried somewhere deep inside, Kate’s boss and mentor gives her the opportunity to jump-start her career. The assignment: spend a week interviewing R. J. Lawson, a famously reclusive tech genius who disappeared years ago but recently reemerged as the owner of a well-respected Napa Valley winery.

Kate jumps at the chance, but the trip begins in disaster, both personally and professionally. After alienating R.J., her only saving grace is Jamie, a charming vineyard hand who shows her the beauty of wine country—and stirs her aching heart. It doesn’t take long for Kate and Jamie to fall hard, and for Kate to rethink her life in the city. But the week ends with a heartbreaking journey back to Chicago that sends Kate reeling, wondering what went wrong in those four perfect days.

 

 

 

Nowhere But Here is so much more than a love story. It is about finding yourself and what you truly want out of life- what you can live with and what you can't live without. It is filled with hope, even amidst despair and loneliness, and will leave you believing in second chances and that sometimes things happen the way they do for a reason.

 

Pacing: I felt the story moved at a good pace overall, but the relationship between Jamie and Kate was way too fast. I would have preferred a slower build up between the two and more tension before they gave in to their desires.

 

Storyline: I really enjoyed the premise of this one. Kate has felt alone for so long- she has no passion, no zeal for life. She does not connect with her 'boyfriend', she doesn't perform at her job in the way she should. She's just.... lost. The chance to interview R.J. Lawson, a tech genius turned vineyard owner, who stays out of the public eye is too good of an opportunity to pass up. She never expected to go to Napa Valley and find everything she realized she'd been missing for so long. Meeting Jamie changed everything for Kate. In the short amount of time they spend together, he manages to make Kate feel beautiful, cherished, and taken care of. She falls fast and she falls hard for the sweet, sexy guy who goes out of his way to make her feel special. However, their whirlwind romance is too good to be true and leaves Kate heartbroken and devastated. Returning back to Chicago holds no joy for her, but she does so anyway to try and get over the man who stole her heart in such a short amount of time.

 

Characters: Kate's character really broke my heart. Her lack of passion and her acceptance of mediocrity really hurt me, as she deserves so much more than a boyfriend who doesn't care about her and take her needs into account. Meeting Jamie changes everything for her- finally someone who is willing to put her needs first, someone who believes in her and what she can do. Their chemistry is off the charts hot and I really liked seeing them fall for one another, despite the speed in which they do so.

 

Jamie is a bit of a mystery. He is quite quiet about his personal life and doesn't share a whole lot of information about himself to Kate, which made me curious. He's a good guy who works hard and gets along with everyone. He refuses to see himself as weak, despite a medical condition he has. Where Kate has lost her lust for life, Jamie has it in spades. He is full of passion and adventure and wants to share that with Kate. I love his persistence and unwillingness to give up. He could have avoided a lot of heartbreak had he been forthcoming from the beginning, but I can understand his reluctance to do so.

 

Jamie and Kate's relationship isn't all sunshine and rainbows, however. They are pulled apart by a misunderstanding and Kate is left picking up the pieces of her heart. She is hurt, angry, and feels betrayed. She was ready to make some life changing choices where their relationship is concerned and it broke my heart to see her so broken again after Jamie integrated himself into her life and built her back up. I like that this goes to show you that life and love aren't easy. They take hard work and sacrifice. Life will always be filled with obstacles to overcome- but how you choose to handle them is completely up to you.

 

Final Thoughts: Nowhere But Here is a sweet book that will make you weak in the knees from the beautiful romance that Carlino has developed and it shows you that love isn't always logical- it's spontaneous and free and always worth the risk.

 

 

 

Renée Carlino lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their sweet dog, June. When she's not at the beach with her boys or working on her next book, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate. To learn more, visit ReneeCarlino.com.

 

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