Thank you to Kensington Books for the ARC of this book. CW: parent abandoning children, football head injuries, discussion of a character's death by suicide

Kate Clayborn does it again. If you are a fan of Kennedy Ryan, Emily Henry or romances where there is another significant plot of self-discovery for the protagonists, she's an author for you. There's so much tenderness here in the relationships. There's so much hurt and necessary healing and discussion of mental health.

Jess is a hairstylist and guardian to her sister Tegan after their mother abandoned them to run off with an infamous con artist, Lynton Baltimore. Jess has disappeared into herself to take care of Tegan and tries not to make any connections. This is changed when her sister Tegan impersonates her to contact a true crime podcast journalist, Salem Durant, and her partner Adam Hawkins, because she found some postcards their mother sent and Jess kept secret.

The four embark on a road trip to find out what became of Lynton Baltimore. There are twists and turns and stops along the way where there are emotional gut-punches as you learn about how Adam Hawkins got into journalism after a football career, meet his family, and they continue to try to find traces of Baltimore and Jess and Tegan's mother, Charlotte.

It's beautiful seeing Jess and Adam open up to each other and how all of the relationships develop over the course of the story. If you love sister dynamics, family stories and want a steamy, tender romance, this is the book for you.

I adored Georgie, All Along, so I was ecstatic when I saw the author was releasing another book, and this cover is stunning. Unfortunately, it took me all I had to finish this. I struggled from the beginning. I am so sad that this book did not work for me.

Unfortunately, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the female main character's mother and the romance results in a disjointed story. I never felt like the two plotlines came together cohesively, resulting in poor pacing.

My other issue was the romance. It was so awkward. I have read several reviews stating how emotional the romance was, and I never once felt that way. I thought the speed at which the romance took place was completely out of character for the female lead.

I will note that the parts on the farm are fantastic. I was dying for a small-town, life-on-a-farm storyline instead of everything else that happened.

I will continue to read Clayborn's books. I love her writing, even when I don't love the stories.

This book was good…ish. I didn’t really find myself getting into it until about the 60% mark (this was after I put it down and read two other books in between 😂)

The writing was BEAUTIFUL. I absolutely loved how this book was written. The first half of this book was just slow moving.

Once more characters were introduced and things started happening, I found myself really enjoying it. I loved the message of self discovery and the title of the book fits so well.

I’d read this if you like:
✨roadtrips
✨podcasts
✨tension filled romance
✨ messages of self discovery

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to read The Other Side of Disappearing and over the moon when I was approved for it but sadly it didn't work for me for a few reasons. I couldn't understand why the hero, Adam was so taken with the heroine, Jess and the magnitude of his feelings for her. It just didn't make any sense nor was it believable. It really bothered me. I didn't really care for the heroine's attitude. I wasn't a fan of her sister, Tegan either. This book didn't pull me in nor did it keep my attention. I wasn't invested in any of the characters. I found it hard to connect with them and what they were going through. I wanted to love this book but just couldn't. The premise sounded amazing and like something I'd really enjoy but alas it didn't work out that way which is why I'm dnfing at 39%.

Jess and Adam had chemistry in the book but Jess‘ standoffishness was grating at times even though I understood it was a large part of the character and why she was like that. Too much of the book was reiterating why Jess didn’t get close to people for me. I understood it the first time.

I didn’t like Salem‘s character much. Even after she decided to protect Jess and Tegan by giving an interview about her own past we didn’t really learn much about who she was as a person and I couldn’t seem to her as a character.

Tegan seemed ungrateful for a lot of the book given how much Jess had done for her. A bit too much a stereotypical stroppy teenager with little other character development. I would’ve liked to learn more about her interests and what made her tick as a person. It was nice to see her push Jess to Adam at the end though and to recognise how often Jess put Tegan first and that maybe as her sister that wasn’t always healthy for her.

First romance I’ve read in a few months and such a breath of fresh air! I’ve read quite a few thrillers with podcast elements but enjoyed this being a central point of the plot for this romance. I loved the characters and found the story line to be sympathetic and believable, particularly for a genre that sometimes irks me for unlikely scenarios.

I am kind of in love with the books of Kate Clayborn. She seldom disappoints and ‘The Other Side of Disappearing’ was just as lovely. From the first page the story, the characters and the emotions had me by the throat and I even almost cried a view times. It was so emotional, so vulnerable, so tender, I felt it, deep inside.

However, during the second part of the book, sometimes those emotions became a little bit too much? Yes, the story goes deep and is sometimes heartbroken, but at some moments it just felt too much. It cost the book a star, because in the first half I was sure this was going to be another 5-star read for me this year.

But even with that, it’s one of my favorite reads this year and another sign that Kate Clayborn is another to read, whatever she writes. Must read!
Rating: ****
Thanks NetGalley and Kensington Books for this E-ARC. This has not affected my opinion whatsoever.

I have heard amazing things about Kate Clayborn’s previous books, so I was thrilled to receive an e-ARC of this. But, I’m sad to say I simply could not get into this story.

We have two elements going on: the mystery aspect with some suspense as the reader follows along as this group of four attempts to track Jess and Tegan’s mom across the US through postcards she sent Jess many years ago, and the romance aspect between Adam and Jess as they both confront some long-standing issues and allow themselves to be vulnerable with each other.

I was far more interested in the mystery aspect, despite the fact that this wild goose chase had very little in the way of substantial clues and was just so far fetched. And tbh, the conclusion felt like a huge letdown. The romance aspect, which I believe to be the part that’s been so appealing to others, was just too insta-lovey for me. We do see a lot of character growth from each individual which I liked, and I especially enjoyed Tegan.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

*3.5

This isn't a bad book I just didn't vibe with it. I liked the writing style and I will definitely read more of her books. I liked Jess' character and the journey that she went through.

If you a have of romance and true crime podcasts, this is for you. I really enjoyed the story. I don't think it was my cup of tea honestly, but I can see a vast majority of people loving this. It kept me captivated all throughout the plot.

I have been a fan of Kate Clayborn's for a while. Georgie, All Along was one of my favorite books last year, so whenever I see she's coming out with a new book, I just HAVE to read it. This was no exception.

It's definitely different from what I've read of her previously. This had a big element of mystery to it, and a familial relationship was at its front and center, but still was predominately a romance.

There's so much angst in this one, but it's mostly between the sisters and is broken up by the swooniness of the growing relationship between the two MCs. You can't not feel for what Jess and Tegan are both going through and I loved how supportive Adam was of Jess from the get go.

It had a lot of twists and turns, ups and downs, and I was there for the ride. I never really knew where it was going to go.

I really LOVED this one and will continue to devour anything Kate Clayborn writes.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

This is my first book by Kate and it won’t be my last. It was one of those stories that hooks you from the first page. There is mystery, romance, adventure, sisterly bonds. It has everything! I loved it.

The Other Side of Disappearing is a unique blend of genres. It is listed as Romance and Women's Fiction, but is also mixed with True Crime and Mystery. This about two sisters who were abandoned by their mother ten years prior, when she ran off with her latest boyfriend. Jess was only 21 when she became the mother figure for her then 8 year old sister, Tegan. Tegan and Jess take a road trip with two True Crime podcasters, Adam and Salem, to find out what really happened to their mother. On the journey, the sisters begin to heal their sibling relationship and later begin their individual healing journeys. Jess finds herself willing to let down some of her walls for Adam.

Although I liked this story, I didn’t love it. I was excited to see how Kate Clayborn was going to write this fresh genre mash-up. However, I thought the book was slow paced. It didn’t make sense to me that Jess, who was very prickly and closed off, was able to confide in and begin an intimate relationship with Adam, so quickly. I also couldn’t buy into the Instalove Adam had for Jess, risking his career for someone he’d known for a few days. The mystery part of the story wasn’t as exciting as I thought it might be. I was happy that the sisters found the answers they were searching for and did get some closure, allowing them to be open to future happiness.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for gifting me this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kate Clayborn has done it again. She has written a beautiful story that had both love and heartbreak that I couldn’t put down. I loved all the characters in this book even though they were far from perfect, and feel they were written perfectly. I also liked that I really wanted to know what happened to her mother and why she disappeared from her daughters’ lives. If you like books about finding love, dealing with family relationships with some mystery thrown in this book is for you!

What a gorgeous book! I absolutely loved it and enjoyed the read. The characters were so well written--definitely recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Kate Clayborn!

The Other Side of Disappearing combines stories of romance, mystery, and family drama in one. The main story is about siblings Jess and Tegan who were abandoned by their mom 10 years ago to run off with a con artist, Lynton Baltimore. Lynton is the subject of a true crime podcast that journalists Salem and Adam are researching on, and the four of them go on a road trip across the US to get answers for themselves.

I’ve read many of Kate Clayborn’s books, but this one felt unique even from the start. The romance between Jess and Adam is still central to the plot, but I also loved the mystery elements about Baltimore’s con and the mom’s disappearance, as well as the growth in the relationship between the sisters. It’s also refreshing to read about two introverted characters in a romance plot. We often see opposite personalities in these stories, so it was nice to have two characters who are quiet and reserved open up to each other.

This is my favorite Kate Clayborn book so far. It wasn’t as heavy or dark as I was expecting, but maybe because I enjoy true crime and mysteries in general. If you also enjoy these, then I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC!

Oh Kate Clayborn...I thought I had beat you at your game and made it through the whole book without shedding a single tear...but then with like 10% left you hit me with a swift uppercut right to the old sad box and then smuttybookreviews became sobbingbookreviews. She gets me every damn time.

Jess has been raising her little sister, Teagan, for the last decade after her fucktastic mother left them both (and the second time she’d peaced out on Jess) for a man. Not just any man, but a con artist named Lynton Baltimore who recently became the subject of a popular podcast, but also peaced out before it was concluded. Jess and Teagan get pulled into the search for their mother and Lynton by the podcast host, Salem and her assistant, Adam. The foursome make their way on a cross country adventure to search for clues to help find these two piece of shit humans so everyone can get some closure. This is a book about disappearing- literally and figuratively and then being found again. It’s about how even living out in the open, we can disappear within ourselves. Found love, found connection, found family, found peace...they even find a therapist!

I truly loved this book and while I wanted to smash it in my face like cake at a 1 year old’s birthday party, I also wanted to take it slowly and savor it so it would never end. This story was A+ complicated, textured, layered, sweet, with characters who were real and flawed and frustrating at times, but oh so wonderful. @kateclayborn.author is always an auto read for me (and also an auto cry read) and her books keep getting better.

Smut- 2.3 stars
Romance- 4.8 stars
Story- 5.0 stars: no notes, no snark
Therapy in romance books- 12.4 stars

The Other Side of Disappearing
What an understated, quiet, enjoyment this book was to read! With a mysterious plot including two podcasters looking to uncover the cold case of a con-man and two sisters who hold a very important piece to the puzzle; one who is keeping that piece quite guarded, I didn’t know how the whole story would come together but, I thoroughly enjoyed figuring it out.

Jess Greene has spent the better half of her life taking care of her younger sister Teagan and hiding the real reason she feels her mom left them so many years ago, likely with a con man. However, after finding some old postcards in Jess’s room, Teagan wants some answers and to get them she reaches out to the podcaster who, long ago, documented all things Lynton Baltimore. With a proposed road trip to uncover the truth, Jess, Teagan, Salem the podcaster, and her assistant Adam pile into a car to discover the truth. Along the way, they find answers and so much more.

This book leans more women’s fiction than contemporary romance, although the understated sweetness and support that Adam gave Jess was extra swoony. It was subtle and had a soft protectiveness that made my heart happy for a character so damaged by life. I also really liked the relationship dynamics between each of the characters and their development into something more…whether that was more independent, more mature, more trusting, more compassionate, each character journeyed throughout this story. This is my first Kate Clayborn, and I really enjoyed her writing style so, it definitely won’t be my last!


Thank you Netgalley and Kate Clayborn for this ARC. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

✨ 𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 ✨

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘆 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗻
𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝟹/𝟸𝟼/𝟸𝟺 — 𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝙽𝚘𝚠!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
🧡 road trip romance
🧡 true crime podcast
🧡 he falls first & harder
🧡 navigation of grief, loss, & trauma
🧡 pinch of open door romance
🧡 dual POV

Jess & Tegan’s mom disappeared years ago to follow a con-man & Tegan sneakily reached out to Salem Durant who is the voice & star of a true crime podcast to be able to find their mom. Adam works for Salem, as he is a retired pro-football player and went back to school to become a journalist. Adam wants to be able to tell his story about his best friend Cope who passed away. Jess has grown up playing “mom” to her little sister Tegan & Jess has given everything she had to raise & love her sister, she hasn’t found room to let romantic love into her life. Jess has built up some incredibly strong walls but Adam is determined to break them all down.

Every time I think about this book, I instantly get chills. I am not surprised at all because I read Georgie, All Along last year & I absolutely loved that book. There is just something about the way Kate Clayborn is able to bring you into the mind’s of her characters. She seamlessly & effortlessly writes complex characters but does it in a way where you feel as if you know them in real life. The romance in this one was so incredibly beautiful! It didn’t come easy as Jess has walls built up but Adam is so patient & gentle with her. There’s a spicy back of a truck scene that has been living rent free in my head as well. You also get a mystery vibe too with the hunt to find Jess & Tegan’s mother. I absolutely loved this one & cannot wait to read Kate Clayborn’s backlist.

I absolutely loved this book. It was so different from other romance books I’ve read and that was one of the main reasons why I loved it so much. The mystery aspect made it so interesting to me. I really loved Jess and how strong of a caretaker/older sister she was to Tegan. Her relationship with Adam quickly became one of my favorite book relationships of all time. I loved how Adam really saw Jess for who she was. It was almost as if he knew what she was thinking at all times. I truly love Kate Clayborn and all of the books I’ve read by her thus far. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington for this e-galley in exchange of an honest review!