Something about this book grabbed me right from the beginning. I’ve enjoyed Kate Clayborn’s earlier books but I loved this one. The immediate tension and connection between the main characters. The mystery of what happened with the girls’ mom. The personal growth of all the characters throughout. Definitely a romance with depth for a reader who wants a deeper story with a HEA.

2.5/5 - This might be an author that I need to give up on. I really enjoyed some of her earlier books, but these last two just haven’t done it for me. I haven’t been feeling the chemistry between the romantic leads and in this book specifically, I felt like the romance came on really fast. They’re infatuated with each other almost immediately and that just didn’t jive to me with Jess’ personality.

One thing I did like was the development of Jess and Tegan’s relationship. I thought they had a clear arc and I appreciated how they both recognized the need to put more work in.

I thought it was a good idea to include podcast transcripts every so often, but I thought they were poorly written. Just from the perspective that I’ve never heard a podcast host talk or interview like that. It felt like it was trying too hard somehow. Both Salem and her interview subjects were too witty, too cutting, too clever, immediately had the perfect one liner. It was honestly a little cringey to read.

Overall, I thought this was an intriguing story, but might have been better served as being just the two sisters. They could still be doing a podcast and could even still be on a roadtrip. But they’d be working on it themselves and developing their relationship as sisters.

Note: I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Pub date: March 26

I’ve loved the past few I’ve read from this author and this one did not disappoint! It’s a bit different from her others because it has an added *mystery*. It’s more of a *follow the clues* to solve the mystery vs. what you might think of as a mystery.

I’d describe this one as a romance with layers. It has a love story as a strong theme and plot line but it also has an equally strong theme and plot line of self-discovery/finding yourself/healing from the hurts that broken people left you with AND a mystery.

The MMC is the epitome of a perfect man written by a woman. 💯 He reminded me of Beckett from In the Weeds by B.K. Borison or Noah from When in Rome by Sarah Adams and he was 🙌🏻👏🏻🔥.

I took off half a star just because I had to suspend disbelief a bit far for how many feels they had in such a short amount of time. But overall I didn’t care because she made me love them anyway!

This releases on Tuesday and you’re going to want to add it to your TBR!

Perfect for you if you like:
Dual POV
Mental health awareness + rep
Roadtrip romance
Investigating a con man
Thoughtful + protective MMC
Closed off/grumpy FMC
Falling hard and fast
FMC acting as a single parent (sister)

This is a book where it's difficult to pin down exactly what it is. It definitely has romance elements but that's not the focus of the story. I'd call it more women's fiction.

It's a difficult story to read, about con men and parental abandonment. It manages to tackle these heavy subjects while still having some lighter moments.

Overall, I felt there's too much going on in the book and it dragged in spots.

I love Kate Clayborn's writing so much. What she's so good is what I often think is hardest, because it's so intangible. Every single book of hers I've read dealt with the emotions her characters have to face with such expansive understanding, with wit and humour and heart. I think her books could fail or fall short if the emotional centre wasn't there but, for me, it always is.

This is different from previous books of hers I've read and, admittedly, I struggled to find my way through it for the first third or so. I think if I was brutally honest that I'm not sure how she used the premise worked for me. This isn't my favourite of her books. I thought there was something a little too discordant between the parts of this I loved and the parts I didn't like so much (a lot of the actual podcast stuff, tbh, which is surprising to me because I usually love that). I don't know why, but I found that rubbed me a bit too much. It felt inauthentic to me, which was in such stark contrast to the way the rest of this played out.

What I think I appreciate the more I read this author's books is how clearly and compassionately she sees her characters and how rich a life they're given. Jess is so different from so many of her other mains and I really felt like the text showed her with such heart. She's prickly and hard to know, overly responsible, overly practical. I thought there was a lot of time and space given to the excavating of her heart. And I loved seeing it! I also thought that the other characters here were good: I loved Tegan and her curious, forthright nature. I loved her rebellion and her opennness. I really liked Adam too and how clearly he was trying to make a life that was honest enough for what he wanted. I really enjoyed watching their interplay.

There were some things I didn't like as much. I'm lukewarm about Salem as a character, I wasn't fussed on the "mystery" aspect of this, and I didn't think it was quite as tight as I would have liked. However, when this was good it hit so well: earnest and loving, curious and warm. I really appreciated this book and I think it turned itself around so much. I was very nervous when I hit about the 30% mark and I just wasn't feeling it -- but I should know that Kate Clayborn will Get My Heart. There were some really devastating moments in this, which I absolutely adored, and there was some great humour and lightness to drag you out of it.

This is good. I think some people will find it really, truly great and I think it has a lot of heart. I wish I'd loved it more, but I still really liked it. I think maybe this is the curse of her being TOO good and my expectations being TOO high.

I just could not get myself to invest in this. The characters were interesting but left room to be desired. I’m also not sold on the premise but that is a me thing.

4.5 stars rounded up!

The Other Side of Disappearing is Kate Clayborn’s latest novel, and it’s more than a romance. It’s a heartfelt story about sisters, how families can break our hearts, and how sometimes it’s okay to be vulnerable.

Clayborn experiments a bit with this one, blending romance and mystery, and I think she has done it beautifully.

We meet Jess who has been raising her younger sister Tegan for the past ten years. Ever since their mother left town with her latest boyfriend and disappeared, only sending postcards occasionally from varying locations. Postcards that Jess has kept hidden from Tegan, along with the knowledge that said boyfriend is also a con-man made famous in a podcast that riveted the nation several years ago.

But Tegan has her own secrets from Jess—the fact that she has pieced together parts of this puzzle and plans to spend the summer before she leaves for college traveling with Salem, the host of the podcast, and Adam, Salem’s producer, as they search for the truth about their mother and this con-man using the postcards as clues. When Jess accidentally discovers Tegan’s plans, she insists on going along in an attempt to continue to shield Tegan as best as she can.

But Jess is rattled when sparks fly between her and Adam, and Clayborn gives us both of their alternating points of view, which only enhances the intensity of their growing attraction. At first I was afraid Adam’s feelings were too instant for me, but he won me over quickly with his selflessness and soft heart. He has his own demons to deal with, too. By the end of the book, Adam could do no wrong in my eyes.

On the other hand, Jess is a character who is real and flawed, which always makes a story more powerful for me. Even if I didn’t agree with some of her actions, I understood them, wanting only happiness for her. And Tegan and Adam.

I didn’t want to set this one down, riveted by the romance, the mystery, and the emotional gravity of the circumstances Jess has found herself in. And bonus! It’s a road trip book, which is one of my favorite tropes. Clayborn is a must-read author for me. Be sure and pencil The Other Side of Disappearing in for your spring or summer TBRs!

What a gorgeous story. The characters felt so real, more so than most books I’ve read in the past few years. Beautifully written and captivating.

I'm officially on the Kate Clayborn train. Anything she writes, I want to consume it as fast as possible. The Other Side of Disappearing was heartbreaking, real, sweet, something to be treasured. I honestly can't say enough nice things about it. This book made me smile from ear to ear, while simultaneously, made my heart ache for the sisters. Give me more.

Guys. I’m giving it bloody five stars. The storytelling and characters were great but the vibes I got while reading this book were indescribable. But I’ll give it a crack, seeing as that’s the whole point of writing a review.

I had this aching feeling in my chest the whole time I read this book. My mouth was watering over the angst. I fell in love with these two young women so much that all I wanted to do was take away their hurt and make sure they were ok. I loved the way Adam was so observant of Jess and could tell what she wanted, and gave her the space and protection she needed.

The mystery had me dangling along, trying to work out what happened, but it wasn’t really about that. It was about these two sisters who had been through so much and how they found a way to move forward with each other and for themselves.

Thanks to #NetGallery and publisher for a copy of this book.

Genre: Romance/general/mystery
Format: Digital
POV: Dual
Tropes: true crime podcast, con artist, where’d mum go, intensely looking at each other but pretending like we’re unfazed by anything that’s happening, older sister becomes the mum when she leaves
Spice: 🌶️ /5
Age suggestion: 18+

God this book was BEAUTIFUL. Kate Clayborn writes so well and it was such a complicated story with messy characters that really grow. I just loved it.

Kate Clayborn, I’d follow you to the other side of anywhere!

The Other Side of Disappearing is a bit of a departure from Kate Clayborne’s typical romance. Because, not only is there a romance, but there’s a mystery, a family drama, and some dealing with trauma, stuff too.

I ripped through this book in two days and kept trying to slow myself down, knowing I would miss these characters when it was over. And I do.

What happens on the other side of disappearing? It’s where we learn to let go of trauma, build our chosen family, and discover ourselves anew.

Synopsis:
Hairstylist Jess Greene has spent the last decade raising her younger half-sister, Tegan—and keeping a shocking secret. Ever since their reckless mother ran off with a boyfriend she’d known only a few months, Jess has been aware that he’s the same accomplished con man who was the subject of a wildly popular podcast, The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore.

Now thirty-one, Jess didn’t bargain on Tegan eventually piecing together the connection for herself. But Tegan plans to do exactly what Jess has always feared—leave their safe, stable home to search for their mother—and she’ll be accompanied by the prying podcast host and her watchful, handsome producer, Adam Hawkins. Unwilling to let the sister she’s spent so much of her life protecting go it alone, Jess reluctantly joins them.

Together, the four make their way across the country, unraveling the mystery of where the couple disappeared to and why. But soon Jess is discovering other things too. Like a renewed sense of vulnerability and curiosity, and a willingness to expand beyond the walls she’s so carefully built. And in Adam, she finds an unexpected connection she didn’t even know was missing, if only she can let go and let him in

Thank you to @kensingtonpress and @netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

I will read literally anything Kate Clayborn writes. Really, send me her grocery list and I’m gone. Everything she writes is so beautiful with such developed characters with such complex personalities. I adore her. I adore this.

3.3/5

This felt like a grittier/darker take for Kate. She has written (until Georgie) such light, sort of quirky girls. Georgie I loved because she was the first time a FMC felt real and I loved that book so much. This was also a real adult - Jess is in her 30s and has been raising her 17 year old sister for a decade after her mom walked out and disappeared. She has been holding it all together in a tight vice of control and with a small world she'll allow near them. Then her sister invites in a podcast crew, with former football star Adam Hawkins (who is I think Travis Kelce fanfic). The podcast story didn't really do it for me? Jess being bottled up got old after a while. The love story really just fell apart after the farm. I'm so sad about this! I was really looking forward to it. I guess I need more Georgie and Levi.

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

This book are a lot heavier than I thought it would be, which was great! But also hard. It deals with a lot of trauma and difficult topics, and the romance is really sweet. I like both, but I’m not sure I was in the headspace for something quite this heavy. Beautifully told story, though!!

This book solidified the fact that I must read more Kate Clayborn! After enjoying Georgie, All Along last year, I was excited to see another new release from Clayborn this year. This one felt different in tone. It delves into the mysterious disappearance of a mother, so it feels heavier rather than funny. But Jess and Adam were such real characters that I found easy to root for, and the storyline involving the podcast that brought them together felt really fresh to me. I really enjoyed it!

I loved this story but found it unexpectedly heavy and bleak at times. Clayborn is a favorite of mine and hope to read more in the future.

This was totally different than Kate’s other books. I really liked the premise of this one and was intrigued by the mystery they’re trying to solve - where did Jess and Tegan’s mom go and why did she abandon them with a con man.

The start was promising and I liked the instant chemistry between Adam and Jess. The story got a bit long in some parts with Jess so melancholy in her head about everything. I couldn’t wait to find out what had happened to their mother and a bit let down by the ending.

Overall a good but not great mystery romance combo.

Read for:
🫥 Missing Woman
🚘 Forced Proximity
🛜 True Crime Podcast
🧨 Insta-love
🧁 Cinnamon Roll MMC
🟰 Dual POV

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/ 5
Spice Level: 🌶️/ 5

“Tell me you don’t remember.”

This! The entire concept of this book made for a good time. An investigation + a podcast + a “very complicated but damn” kind of romance + tricky family dynamics = my joy. It’s got some You, With a View vibes with the road trip and investigation (albeit a darker one) and Indigo Ridge, with that more ominous feel and protective romance. I ate it up.

Things I loved:
- The writing - I’ve only read one other book by Kate (Georgie, All Along), and I really enjoyed the style there as well. She has a way of bringing you completely into her world.
- Jess and Tegan as individuals as well as their relationship as sisters - So realistic, relatable, and raw
- Dual POV! This was absolutely necessary and appreciated so that we could fully understand the feelings and hesitations of both main characters. They were each complex with difficult pasts, and it was really great getting to know them individually.
- Adam - He’s also in my “struggle” section but let’s be honest, this man is wonderful. The patience, the protectiveness, the pining (oh, the pining!), and his adorable pink ears. Flaw. Less.
- The romance - It took me a minute, but damn. Talk about safety and respect mixed with sweet and spicy. Give me more trampolines, flower fields, and hallways.
- The men and mental health conversations! Yes, please.
- The incorporation of podcast snippets at the beginning of chapters - As a fan of such podcasts, this added a fun and intriguing element to the story.

Things I struggled with:
- The insta-lust: This can be hit or miss with me, and in this case it wasn’t a miss, per se, it just made it more difficult for me to fully engage in the first third of the story. I don’t know that I fully believed how we went from 0 to 1,000 on one person’s behalf so quickly and so intensely.
- The perfection of Adam: Was Adam a dream book boyfriend? 1,000,000% yes. He made me “aw” and swoon, said all the right things, did all the right things, even thought all the right things. He was truly and utterly perfect. And while I can absolutely get lost in that fantasy, it was hard to believe, at times, that someone could be that perfect.

Favorite Quotes:
- “Even the little pieces you find sometimes end up being worth something.”
- “I don’t want to know you for the story. I want to know you for myself.”
- “I came out of retirement for you.” 👏🏼
- “Make me say your name a hundred times tonight, I’m thinking. I’ll introduce you to the stars.”

** Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it did not disappoint! Kate Clayborn is one of my favorite authors. Her books are full of so much emotional depth, and the love stories she writes are all the more beautiful for it.

The Other Side of Disappearing blends romance with a bit of mystery as Jess gets pulled into a podcast host's search for her missing mother, and the notorious con man she ran away with ten years ago. Jess has spent her life protecting her sister Teagan from their mother's abandonment and has lost herself in the process. Adam, the podcast producer, is the kind of leading man Clayborn writes so well, quiet, protective, and fiercely loyal. This is a romance with a heavy emotional load, but I loved every minute of it.

Thank you to the publisher for an early copy. All thoughts are my own.