This story was so much more than an adventure - it was a journey. A spiritual, physical and emotional journey in which the reader learns as much about themselves over the course of the pages as they discover about the characters. As an avid hiker myself, I could completely relate to how the main character was using the hike to clear her head, clarify her thoughts, and let the physical pain and exertion override her mental turmoil. This story peels pack the rind, exposing the reader to the raw pulp of self exploration, probing into the tender regions of the soul, and forcing us to recognize - both in the characters and in ourselves - the driving forces behind our decisions and how each choice we make touches the lives of all involved.

Thanks to the author for an advance galley of the book - I enjoyed reading "The Middle of Somewhere" immensely and eagerly look forward to reading her next work of art! ( )

What a terrific story---of course I loved it! I could easily picture what Liz described of the trek through the mountains she and Dante took in what became a truly frightening trip. From the food they consumed, the packing and unpacking of their gear, and the mental and physical exhaustion----this book is absorbing!!! Amid all the frightening mountain episodes, Sonja Yoerg writes with a thorough knowledge of her subject matter. ( )

In The Middle of Somewhere by Sonja Yoerg, a three-week hike on the John Muir Trail turns into a complicated journey of healing for main protagonist Liz Kroft and her boyfriend Dante Espinoza. Looking forward to her solitary trek, Liz is dismayed when Dante decides to join her but when the weight of her mistakes grows too heavy to bear, she finally reveals her deepest secrets to him. Will her confessions bring the couple closer together? Or will these revelations devastate their relationship beyond repair?

Raised by her distant (and uninvolved) single mother, Claire, Liz's childhood was anything but normal. Learning from a young age to take care of herself, Liz is independent and quite self-sufficient. She finds it difficult to make friends but when she reconnects with classmate, Gabriel Pemberton, in college, she unexpectedly falls in love with him (and his family). The two eventually marry and settle down, but without firsthand experience with "normal" relationships due to her unconventional upbringing, Liz has no idea how to fix her soon floundering marriage. After Gabriel's death, she begins her life over in a new state and plans to remain single until she meets her co-worker, Dante. Despite the cautious progression of her unexpected romance with him, Liz is still unsure she made the right choice to move in with him. In the aftermath of a panicked decision she made without consulting him, she hopes the 220 mile hike will provide her with some much needed clarity about what comes next for her and their relationship.

Liz is not at all thrilled by Dante's decision to accompany her on the John Muir Trail. He is not exactly an outdoorsman and the upcoming hike will be strenuous with few creature comforts. Her irritation increases when he fails to follow her advice and he is miserable almost as soon as they begin their journey. However, Liz is most frustrated by the lack of solitude to reflect on the choices she has made.

Despite the rather inauspicious beginning to their expedition, Liz unexpectedly begins to confide in Dante about her previous marriage. However, she remains very introspective and it is soon clear that she is deeply troubled by a recent decision. In spite of her reluctance to divulge this upsetting secret, Liz is finding it increasingly difficult to keep this distressing information from Dante. Unfortunately, her suspicions about his reaction are accurate but as she tries to explain the reasons behind her decision, Liz gains unexpected insight about herself. Her explanations fall on deaf ears and Dante pulls away from her both physically and emotionally as he tries to process this unexpected revelation. Before they can repair the rift between them, Liz and Dante find themselves in sudden danger when two hikers they meet on the trial embark on a menacing game of cat and mouse with them.

The Middle of Somewhere is an incredibly well-written novel with an unusual storyline. The John Muir Trail is a fascinating backdrop for the unfolding story and Sonja Yoerg brings both the breathtaking scenery and grueling conditions vibrantly to life. Liz and Dante's journey is laden with arduous obstacles to overcome both physically and emotionally and the suspense element provides an unexpected opportunity for healing. Overall, an engaging and compelling novel that I recommend to readers who enjoy contemporary literary fiction.
( )

Liz Pemberton and her boyfriend, Dante Espinoza, are heading out to hike the John Muir Trail in its entirety. Dante doesn't have any previous backpacking experience, and is to easily and endlessly social that he's delaying their start. Liz, on the other hand, is a very experienced backpacker, and had originally intended to make this hike alone, for solitude and a chance to think.

At first, we have the impression that Dante is a lightweight and a possible mistake, that Liz drifted into the relationship after her early widowhood, and bracing herself for taking back control of her life. The reality is very different. Over the early days of the hike, we realize that Liz is carrying a burden of guilt, and is bracing herself to make a confession to Dante that she believes will certainly end their relationship--but not because she wants it over.

But as Liz and Dante deal with their relationship issues, they have another problem, which at first seems just an annoyance. Among the other hikers on the JMT with them are Payton and Rodell Root, brothers who seem superficially friendly. Liz finds them, especially Payton, not just annoying, but a bit disturbing and even creepy. At first, Dante thinks she's wrong. As their journey continues, though, strange things start to happen, always when the Root brothers are nearby.

As Liz starts confessing her dark secrets, and their relationship is under severe strain, she and Dante have to cooperate ever more closely to cope with the danger presented by the Roots, who have fixated on the young couple as their primary targets.

Yoerg does an amazing job of weaving these two threads together, the unfolding of Liz's history and its effect on her relationship with Dante, and the gradual and frightening realization that the Roots are more than just an annoyance, forcing them to work together when they would otherwise simply not speak to each other. The exploration of Liz's history, guilt, and emotional issues, her relationship with her late husband and with Dante, and fight to survive the Roots is masterful. Yoerg's first novel, House Broken, was very good; this one is excellent.

Highly recommended.

I received a free galley of this book from the author. ( )

A real page turner - a mix of love story and thriller all in one. Liz Kroft has planned an 18 day Wilderness hike to be alone, come to terms with her past and seek solace from her recent decisions. Unfortunately, her live in boyfriend Dante decides to join her the last minute. The problem is, she was trying to get time away from him and figure out how to tell him her secrets, knowing that once she did, their great love affair would be over. Begrudgingly she and Dante start the arduous John Muir Trail hike through the Sierras. An encounter with fellow hikers turns a soul searching trip for Liz into a race against time to save her life. PERFECT mix of life's reflection and edge of seat Thriller! Loved it! ( )