This book was fairly interesting but unfortunately it did not live up to the description or meet my expectations. The story was a bit hard to follow at times or was sort of choppy and missing some details. It was not my favourite book but thanks to netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review it.

This memoir feels like it has been told as if one is sitting down with Tom LeBrun, perhaps in a club somewhere, and he is telling you the story of his life from his early beginnings of physical training, weightlifting, boxing, martial arts training and of how all culminated into his Executive Protection Specialist (EPS) vocation where he pro-actively protected celebrities and corporate persons of some means and importance. As he speaks, different ones of is friends and trusted colleagues would come sit down, tell their side of the story as it related to Tom and the 'current' scene of his life he was narrating. That person would get up and a little while later, another chap would come along and tell his piece and so on. The reader is the silent witness who just nods the head and smiles in encouragement for Tom to continue.

Tom tells us he has protected such well-known figures as Whitney Houstan, the Back Street Boys and others. Of particular interest to me was his time of protecting Whitney Houstan as he mentions his trip with her to Brunei. I really perked up when he mentioned that because my family was living there at the time so it was pretty cool to read about it from Tom's perspective.

Something I learned is that a bodyguard and an Exective Protection Specialist are two different roles although there could be some overlapping moves. Learning about this was of great interest to me and very likely to folks who are an EPS or know or have known someone in this line of work.

Guys are most likely the ones to dig this book with all the talk of bodybuilding, wrestling, boxing, weightlifting and martials of various thought and practice. These dudes and others, will no doubt find they can relate with Tom who used his brawn, along with his brain, to great and good effect.

Tom emphasises that EPS work is best orchestrated in low profile manner, thus the book's title Hiding In Plain Sight. Tom pulled this off with excellent aplomb and it made his day to hear or overhear others wondering where a client's protective operative was at any given moment. Tom's Nighthawk Security businss thrived because of all these skills and more.

It's not often a child keeps, and grows into, his childhood dream into adulthood. Tom was one who did, becoming 'Superman' of exceptional quality and character. He helped to train many others in various strengths and roles and it was not always about muscle, it was the positive input of discipling himself into good personal temperate character and an on-going input into his mind of learning new things to improve himself. All were qualities that made him that Superman Executive Protection Speecialist that his clients could count on with solid trust.

Although at times I got bogged down in details about how many bench presses, and with how many fingers, Tom could do, I enjoyed this book and believe others will too.

~Eunice C. Reviewer/Blogger~

March 2022

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

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The blurb of Hiding in Plain Sight really grabbed me, unfortunately the book did not. It just wasn’t engaging enough to keep my attention and I couldn’t force myself to finish it.

It is interesting to see the insight of what security specialist did. Especially someone who worked for anyone from numerous celebrities to company executives. I think I could enjoy this more as an audible book as it seems to read more as a conversationalist style writing.

I had such high hopes with the topic of this book, but I struggled to get through a quarter of this book before giving up. The author tells a story in such a circuitous and self-congratulatory manner that it’s difficult to bear.

The autobiography of an executive security specialist. The book is interesting as he has served as the security specialist for several celebrities like Whitney Houston, Elton John and the Back Street Boys. He also worked for corporate executives who want to remain anonymous. The interesting part of the book is to see the behind the scenes planning to insure that nothing goes wrong. The less interesting aspect of the book is that he had no major incidents in a 30 year career. The book almost reads like a resume for continuing employment in the security industry.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was definitely an interesting behind-the-scenes look at what life is like amongst the rich, famous, and powerful. Some good stories but still felt choppy.

Tom has a superb conversational style of writing. He takes you back to the moment. You feel as if you are in the moment with him. He is very accomplished, which he deservedly points out on many of the pages. Perhaps it was the focus on his accomplishments and how impressed others are by him that created a bit of a disconnect for me with this book. I expected more emphasis on experiences rather than on the self (Tom). Having said that, this book is well worth picking up. It’s like having a real-life conversation with that interesting person you cross paths with whose life is full of insight, motivation. and accomplishments that most people only daydream about.

Although Mr. LeBrun has had an extremely interesting career, I don't feel like he really shared much here.
The book is more like a resume than it is a story of his life. We learn he is married, but know very little about his family or how he interacts with them. We know he has mastered a number of weight lifting and martial art techniques but we know next to nothing about his training, We know he has worked for famous people, but no more detail than you could learn looking up the travel dates he gives.
He has a great number of achievements, sadly we only get to read accolades of former students, teachers, and employers .
Mr. Le Brun should be very happy with his accomplishments...I just wish we could have seen a more personal glimpse than this, which is somewhere between a resume and a "tips and suggestions for personal security".

This was a quick and easy read for me, and an interesting look inside the executive protection profession - not always for the faint-hearted, for sure!
It's fascinating to learn more about bodyguards and their challenges as opposed to only seeing them in fictional fantasy accounts.
I did receive an ARC in exchange for an honest ( and gladly provided) review.