My summary: Jess has spent the last ten years raising her sister, Tegan, and keeping a low profile after their mother ran away with an infamous con man, Lynton Baltimore. Freshly turned 18, Tegan has brought Jess’s worst nightmare to their doorstep—Salem Durant, a popular true crime podcaster, and her colleague, Adam Hawkins. Salem first made a name for herself after covering Lynton Baltimore’s story before he disappeared, apparently with Jess’s mother in tow, and now Salem is determined to finish the story. The connection between Jess and Adam sparks in the first moment they lay eyes on each other on Jess’s doorstep. But beyond needing to find Jess’s mother, Jess and Adam’s relationship is further complicated by Jess’s desire to do anything to keep her story to herself—but Salem has made Adam a deal he can’t refuse if he can manage to get Jess to talk about her mom.
My thoughts: Sometimes you don’t realize how average the books you’ve been reading are until one comes along to remind you of just how fantastic a book can truly be. This is one of those fantastic books. A contemporary romance with a sizable side of mystery and intrigue, it pulls you immediately into the mystery of Lynton Baltimore and Jess’s runaway mom. The style of writing is just so enjoyable. The metaphors are everything—both delightful and insightful. And—holy heartstrings. The tragicness of Jess and Tegan’s lives up until now, plus Adam’s loss of his friend and the guilt he carries over his death.
The way Kate Clayborn weaves everything together in this book is just so satisfying.
Also, I was today years old when I found out con man is short for confidence man. I also thought it was, idk, convict or something. This is my second book by this author and both have been five star reads for me.

I love you, Kate Clayborn, and I'll forever kiss the ground you walk in!!!!

In "The Other Side of Disappearing," Kate Clayborn skillfully explores important themes without being preachy. The story begins with ideas about being seen or unseen, but it goes deeper into how people deal with the roles society expects from them. The characters, especially Jess and Adam, show how personal identity can clash with what's expected of us. Adam, who's a typical "manly" hero (and my boyfriend, tbh), stands out for being supportive emotionally and practically to Jess.

Even though Adam's role is mostly supportive, the heartfelt connection between Jess and Tegan is a highlight. It shows how they find themselves while navigating family duties and still supporting each other. Overall, this book blends deep themes with engaging characters. It's a great read for anyone interested in identity, relationships, and resilience!

Thank you Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review!

Thanks to Kensington for an advanced copy of The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn.

This will be an unpopular opinion but I was not a fan of The Other Side of Disappearing. This was way too insta-love and I felt like it wasn't a romance at the same time. It felt too much like a detective story. I wasn't invested in the story and didn't really care about the characters.

This was really different from previous Kate Clayborn books I've read with the whole true crime podcast/con-man angle. I think it took me longer to get pulled into the story because of that, but I did love the romance. Adam is the absolute best, and their time together on the farm was *chef's kiss*. I also liked the sister relationship and their complicated history with their mom and everyone's character arcs. Overall, it was a good read.

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Kate Clayborn is a beautiful writer. This book was both beautiful and heartbreaking, written in a style that almost felt lyrical or poetic at times but never felt bogged down by prose or pretention. It was soft and aching and hopeful. I just loved it. An absolutely stunning book.

So, this was... hm. I really wish I felt differently about it, to be honest, because the premise sounded promising. What I will say before I get into the finer details of what I didn't like is that I feel like the central theme of grief and healing was done quite well. For the most part, I liked the journey Jess and Teagan went on. Unfortunately, everything else was either very "meh" or just outright something I didn't like at all.

Let's start with the thing I didn't like the most: the romance. I think it could've worked, if things had been done differently, but unfortunately it relied on one of the tropes I really don't like. This book is just insta-love central and Adam (the main love interest/secondary POV) is the criminal offender. Bro takes one look at Jess and sees "the storms behind her eyes" or whatever and becomes a meteorologist, able to discern the things she's kept hidden from everyone else in her life, supposedly, from day 1. Which, I'm sorry, I can't get behind. It just came off as, well, "off" to me. Especially when, from any outsider's perspective, Jess was NOT going to have anything to do with Adam OR Salem's podcast. I get that romance relies on an aspect of fantasy and wish-fulfillment, but this seemed too far-fetched. Which made later romantic moments and like, the "break-up" feel artificial to me.

Which leads into my secondary issue with this book and that was the fact that there are a LOT of moments where things are told rather than shown. This includes moments where I would've wanted to see things actually develop on-page instead of being condensed down into a paragraph that read more like a throwaway at times than an actual emotional thing. This rang doubly true when it was applied to the romance. I'd rather actually see them on-page getting to know each other (especially since the two of them know each other for 2 WEEKS before they start throwing around the "I love you"s; that just seems like... a mite too soon???). Side note: there is on-page sex, but it's just... whatever. It's not offensive (unless you count neither Jess nor Adam being able to say the word "clit" at all; which, honestly? I might just find it offensive. Neither of them had any difficulty saying the word "cock". Surely, you can say "clit" or "vagina" just fine, but I digress), but I also didn't really care all that much.

All of this to say that while I can see the vision, ultimately I was left a weird combination of disappointed and kind of bored. I feel like this could've hit me in the face emotionally and really tore up my feelings. It just didn't, unfortunately.

This is one of those books that is so beautiful, so powerful, so meaningful that I am having a really hard time writing any kind of review for it. A slow, quiet story that pulled me in and still hasn't let go. I felt so immersed in Jess and Tegan's story, and Jess and Adam's love story, that it was hard for me to put the book down at 2am when I finally finished the last page. My heart felt heavy, then emptied, and then filled back up as I went on this journey with Jess and Tegan to find out the mystery of their mother's disappearance. My heart bloomed and grew as I watched Jess and Adam trust and lust and finally open themselves up to love. I was so proud of everyone's growth by the end that I was rabid for their happy endings- and, of course, Clayborn gave them to us. This is, at first glance, a story of abandonment, of loss, of loneliness- but at its core, it is a story of healing, of joy, and of love. 5 stars isn't nearly enough, but it's all I've got for now.

Kate Clayborn does NOT disappoint. I absolutely love this author, and everything she has written. This plot was so unique that I was unsure whether this would be up my alley or not. But I never should have doubted! Jess is a vault. She has been raising her sister, Teegan for the past 10 years as privately as possible after her mother ran off with her boyfriend. When Teegan finds out that Jess knows more than she has let on, Teegan contacts a popular podcaster and plans a trip to find mom. This is the story of the trip, of Jess' connection with Adam, the podcast producer, and of a sister's love. Highly recommend!

I enjoyed this one. The story drew me in immediately with the true crime podcast storyline. Jess and Tegan’s relationship was so important to the story. The romance aspect was well written and I loved Adam. While this was about romance, it was mostly about sisterhood and self discovery.

I can’t decide about Salem. Was she supposed to have some sort of redemption moment? I didn’t really see it. I wish we had gotten her episode of the podcast to help clear a few things up. I was left wondering.

I was so glad to see Jess grow throughout the book.

Thanks to the publisher, author and NetGalley for an ARC!

I was really excited for the true crime podcast angle to this book, but it was a little more quiet and melancholy than I would have liked. I'm still always going to be interested in what Kate Clayborn is up to, she writes really great characters who are realistically messy and interesting, and this book was no exception.

2.5 Stars

I was so excited to read this book after really enjoying a few of Kate Clayborn’s books in the past. I had also heard such great reviews on The Other Side of Disappearing from a few people who I follow. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t do it for me and I’m still kind of wondering why exactly. The synopsis and general storyline are so intriguing and things I would normally love…I’m not sure if it was my mood or just a “it’s not you it’s me” problem because it really does have lovely reviews!

I found myself mostly feeling boredom throughout and I just had an impossible time connecting to any of the characters. I started to feel a little more invested around the 50-60% mark but it was short-lived.

I would say if you like this author or the synopsis sounds interesting to you give it a shot! I think a lot of people would love it and have seen a few of my own trusted reviewers give it rave reviews! I think I’m in the minority here.

Thank you to Net Galley and Kensington Books for the ARC of The Other Side of Disappearing in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever read a book that was so good, you didn't have the words to review it? That was me this whole week.

There is something about the way @kateclayborn.author writes that does things to my brain. Every time I read one of her books, I find myself within the pages. I imagine that she must write pieces of herself into her characters because the way she captures emotions and thoughts and experiences feels too intimate, too authentic not to be. And don't get me started on her descriptions. Her writing often stops me in my tracks. Struck dumb by the brilliance. Her descriptions are somehow simultaneously elaborate and succinct. Exact. Perfect.

In The Other Side of Disappearing, Clayborn tells about a true crime podcast and the behind the scenes reality for the sisters who were left behind when their mother ran off with the con man subject of the serial podcast. Amidst the transcripts of the original podcast, we meet and get to know the sisters and the two journalists following up on the story. Clayborn weaves in a stunning and delicate love story, explores family, marriage, & parenting, and puts mental health and trauma at the forefront of the main characters' experience.

Adam and Jess and Tegan and Salem. Postcards and seashells and tattoos and paintings. A trampoline, a field, hotels, and rental cars. Go now and read this book. Thank me later.

Thank you to @netgalley and @kensingtonbooks for the egalley. I devoured it and then found a copy on pub day @gallerybookshop while on vacation. I cannot wait to annotate this book within an inch of its life. I have a million Kindle highlights and notes to transfer.

Jess’ priority is to keep her sister safe, but when she finds out her sister is on the hunt for their mother who chose to disappear years ago, she fears she can’t keep her sister safe anymore. Along come podcasters who are interested in their mother, and who their mother disappeared and they are in for the road trip of a life time, including, Adam, who may just see Jess for who she really it’s, and that’s terrifying.

Jess and Adam’s story is so sweet and real. I love how they weren’t perfect in their story, but still had that instant connection. I loved Jess’ relationship with each of the characters, and how genuine the interactions feel, especially since she’s an introvert who is scared.

I struggled with Salem’s redemption; I feel like we are just supposed to accept her because Charlotte is worse. But I do love that Charlotte’s story didn’t have a resolution, and that felt okay.

I love this author, and will continue to read her beautiful stories.

Format - E ARC

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶

Series- N/A

Troupes- Forced Proximity, protective hero, strong independent heroine, Mutual pinning, 3rd act breakup

Representation- PTSD

CW- Child abandonment

Every time I read Kate Clayborn I’m am left changed. This book was no different, I’m not gonna sum it up, rad the synopsis, just know that this one is special.

I loved everything about this story, even that characters I hated, and the 3rd act brake up that was totally necessary, I loved the angst and the pinning and that fact that this was not just a love story. It’s about letting go and moving on from trauma. It’s also not just about out MCs there are 4 characters that keep our focus and leave us feeling like you will carry them around in her head for the rest of your life.

If you liked Georgie All Along you are gonna love this book. If you have ever felt like you were the side character in your own life, if you’ve lost your self to the hardships in your life this book is for you.

Thank you Kate, Kensington books and Netgalley for the early copy, all opinions are my own.

Kate Clayborn always delivers and The Other Side of Disappearing is no exception, even if it seems a bit different from her previous books. The characters, especially Jess, were complex and flawed. Both Jess and Tegan were clearly damaged from their mother leaving them and I loved how they found a new of being sisters. Adam was damaged in his own way, but he was such a lovely guy. I loved how he fell for Jess from the moment he saw her, and especially how he prioritised her over everything. The road trip setting worked really well.

I’m look forward to finding out where Kate Clayborn is going to take us next.

Kate Clayborn knows how to write a dreamy love story better than most.

I loved the complexity in this novel. It was intense in the story about the daughters and mother. But the love story was so sweet and beautiful. It had such a nice balance to it.

The ending felt a little too quick for me, and I would have liked a bit more information about the conclusion of the podcast. But overall, I really enjoyed this book.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley and Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.

A contemporary m/f romance with a really fun set up. Our FMC, reluctantly, works with a popular podcast host to follow the trail of her long disappeared mom and find out whether and how her disappearance is related to a famous grifter and subject of the host's breakout story. The bulk of the time is spent on a road trip with our FMC, her sister, the podcast host, and one other journalist, following clues across the US.
What I see is a story about the slow and often excruciating process of healing and opening back up after trauma. Jess is thrown into parenthood when her mother leaves and lives for years in a head down and get through it mode as she figures out how to care for her younger sister. Her entire adult life has been defined by her mother's choice to leave. It's going to take a lot for her to come back to life. Would a certain kind of very tall and broad support system help maybe?
I really enjoyed this overall, and specifically the process and progress of the book. I'm not quite sure it fully came through for me at the end though. Maybe it was too neat of a wrap up for my very messy sensibilities? Maybe it was too little too late from one of the prominent side characters? Maybe I was simply hoping, just like Jess, for a more satisfying understanding of her mother's disappearance. The heart of the book is Jess's relationship to her sister, to Adam, and to herself, but dang it if I wasn't left still with questions about the mom.
That said, Kate Clayborn is a master at the dual POV romance. She is able to give us the satisfaction of both MCs internal monologues while still maintaining a flow through the chapter breaks so that the momentum we've built as readers never falters.

I will buy any book Kate Clayborn puts out.

This was such an emotional ride and I was here for EVERY second of it!! Very likely my new favorite from Kate Clayborn, this is a road trip, forced proximity, dual POV, insta love kind of romance but it's also SO much more than that too!

Half-sister's Jess and Teagan were abandoned by their mother when she ran off with an infamous con man and hasn't contacted them in the ten years since other than sending five post cards that Jess hid from her sister.

When her sister finds them and contacts the true crime podcaster who initially interviewed the conman, it leads to a road trip where they try to follow the bread crumbs and track their mother down.

Emotionally charged and full of family trauma, great mental health rep and a beautiful, heartfelt romance that will leave you breathless!! Highly recommended, especially if you like messy, complex stories told with heart and grace or love a good true crime mystery!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I expect this will be especially great on audio because of the podcast transcript snippets but I was too eager to wait for the audiobook release and devoured my eARC copy in days!

CW: parental abandonment, sports-related injuries, depression and grief over the loss of a loved one

Kate Clayborn has a style of writing that holds a readers attention. From the opening page, I knew that it would be a hard story to turn away from. Our heroine Jess was so strong and yet also very delicate. Adam saw that from the very start and the way that he quietly admired and protected her was very compelling. The dynamic between Jess and Tegan was also very complicated. Jess had hidden things from her sister, in part because of Tegan’s age, but also because she herself was so young when she took charge of raising Tegan. She was embarrassed by her mother, as well as insecure over why their mother would leave her children. This story made me feel so many different emotions, not all of them happy and good. Yet they felt true and believable, which kept me turning the pages.

The dynamic between Jess and Adam was truly spellbinding. Adam felt so much, right from the moment he met Jess. I found that really interesting because in this situation, Jess was not at her best. On the surface she was holding it together, but she was boiling with tension and feelings underneath. Despite all of that tension and turmoil, they were drawn to each other and gave strength to each other. The romance portion of this book was very well done and did not disappoint. So, why did I only give it a four rating? I’m not exactly sure, but maybe because Jess and Tegan’s story was so sad and frail? I’m still mulling over my response but I do know that I liked this book quite a bit.

📣 a contemporary with Kate Clayborn’s signature emotional depth plus some suspense vibes

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC and the publisher for the hardcopy. All opinions provided are my own.

📖 what’s one of your Monday numbers? Mine are: 11:30 bedtime last night, about 7 hours of sleep, 6 hours of work later today, 1 baseball game, 5 ARCs that come out in April.

The Other Side of Disappearing is an intriguing change for a Kate Clayborn book: there’s still the warm, lovely feeling of watching two people call in love, plus a bit of mystery that comes with podcast transcripts, postcards, & some revelations along the leads’ journey.

Let’s talk about the leads for a minute. Adam is a gentle, brawny, sensitive, protective giant who has immediate feelings for Jess.

Jess is protective, comes across as an icy figure, has hair from a shampoo commercial, & slowly, wonderfully, very bravely, opens her heart to let Adam in after two big parental betrayals.

One of my favorite things KC does is include the smallest of physical gestures that actually feels like a heart earthquake: in this one, it’s the leads putting their hands over each others’ under the table.

TOSOD cements my belief that if KC writes it, not only will I read it, but I’ll think it’s wonderful too.

Rounding up to 5 ⭐️. Out 03/26.

CWs: Mother left. Death of best friend. References to con artist & conning. Reference to death of person from cancer.

[ID: Jess’s white hand holds the book in front of some blue flowers.]