Title: Nowhere But Here
Author: Renée Carlino
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 5, 2014
About Nowhere But Here
A Chicago reporter in her mid-twenties unexpectedly finds love in Napa Valley when she’s assigned to spend a week with a famously reclusive genius.
Kate Corbin has lost her spark. From the outside, her life seems charmed. She has a handsome, long-term boyfriend and a budding journalism career at a popular Chicago newspaper. But in reality, her relationship is going nowhere, and she’s quickly losing motivation for what she once believed was her dream job. When her boyfriend dumps her unceremoniously, Kate loses all hope of finding love.
With no living family and few friends, Kate confides in her boss. Trusting that the hungry, ace reporter is buried somewhere deep inside, he gives Kate the opportunity to jumpstart her career. The assignment: to interview the famously reclusive R.J. Lawson, a wealthy tech genius who disappeared years ago but recently reemerged as a Napa Valley vintner. The week takes an unexpected turn, however, when Lawson refuses to divulge any information. Desperate for a lead, Kate turns to Jamie, a vineyard hand who shows her the romance of wine country—and stirs her aching heart. But his connection to Lawson is ambiguous, and when Jamie disappears before the end of the week, Kate is left to investigate another story: the truth behind the man who stole her heart.
USA TODAY bestselling author Renée Carlino explored love and heartbreak in her beautifully written debut Sweet Thing, and her newest novel does not disappoint. For fans of Colleen Hoover, K.A. Tucker, and Katja Millay, Nowhere But Here is a stirring and satisfying romance that you won’t want to put down.
Robin’s Review
4.5 Stars. Sweet Thing, the first novel published by Renee Carlino, rightfully earned a spot on my list of favorite novels for 2013. I found the main characters to be refreshing and connected with them instantly, which made Sweet Thing an extremely satisfying read. I appreciate the opportunity to review an advanced reader copy of the new contemporary romance from Renee Carlino, Nowhere but Here, which has been provided to me by her publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Kate Corbin no longer has any living relatives. She has struggled since the death of Rose, a childhood friend of her mother who ended up raising her. Her mother passed away when she was eight without telling her the name of her father. She is currently going nowhere in a relationship with Stephen, who doesn’t seem to love her or even care about what is going on in her life. Kate has turned to a homeless man who calls himself “Just Bob” for advice, whose first piece of advice to her was, “You’re all you’ve got!”
Kate has lost all motivation for her career as a journalist and has struggled with her job for several months. Her boss at the Chicago Crier newspaper, Jerry, gives her an assignment with substance, hoping to ignite her spark. She is to spend a week in Napa, California, to interview and write an article about R.J. Lawson, the reclusive owner of a vineyard. This interview has been highly sought after by journalists, yet none could obtain it until now. R.J. Lawson is a billionaire – a computer engineering prodigy who made all of his money in the technology industry.
Upon arrival at the vineyard, Kate has an automobile accident, running her rental car straight into a truck driven by a handsome work hand and maintenance man named Jamie. After her accident, Jamie sends her off to her interview with a warning that R.J. can be difficult to deal with. Kate ends up in an argument with R.J. Lawson, essentially failing at her interview, but Jamie and the other employees of the vineyard step in to help her enjoy the rest of her weeklong visit. Jamie gives her a tour around the vineyard, and this is when things start to become interesting between the two of them. The two of them have an undeniable attraction for each other. Although Jamie continues to work very hard while she is there, he makes time for Kate and is focused on her needs. When the two of them are together, their personalities just seem to spark. It doesn’t take long for Jamie and Kate to begin developing feelings for each other. As they start to open their hearts up to one another, Kate begins to realize that Jamie is holding back information about himself. And then he disappears without a word of explanation.
Nowhere but Here is more than just a contemporary romance. It is a story of self-discovery – about realizing how much you really do have as an individual, making the best of your own situation, and finding your own place in this world. In this novel, Renee Carlino focuses on gratitude and healing, the concept of discovering who your family really is, and learning to believe in the power of love. It is full of underlying lessons which made this love story even more special for me. It is obvious that Renee Carlino completed some extensive research before writing this novel – research which assisted in making this a unique, creative and interesting story. If you are looking for a beautifully written contemporary romance, I recommend Nowhere but Here!
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About Renée Carlino
Renee’s first friends were the imaginary kind and even though her characters haven’t gone away, thankfully the delusions have. She admits she’s a wildly hopeless romantic and she blames 80’s movies starring Molly Ringwald for that. She 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 the next book, she likes to spend her time reading, going to concerts, and eating dark chocolate.
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