📚 The Other Side of Disappearing
✍ Kate Clayborn
📖 Romantic Mystery
⭐5/5
🌶️ 🌶️
➡ Ten years ago, Jess Greene's mother disappeared with her boyfriend, leaving crumpled dreams and Jess's younger sister Tegan behind. Now, on the cusp of Tegan leaving for college, the sisters' complicated relationship comes to head when famous podcaster Salem Durant and her handsome producer Adam Hawkins show up on their doorstep to follow up on a tip from Tegan. Having pieced together remnants of their past, Tegan is convinced that the man their mother ran away with is actually famed con man (and subject of Durant's wildly popular true crime podcast) Lynton Baltimore.

Against her better judgement, Jess agrees to accompany Tegan, Adam and Salem on a cross-country trip to track down their mother's last known whereabouts. What she doesn't agree to are the intense feelings of vulnerability and safety she feels with Adam and the loss she feels as they get closer to finding her mother and Baltimore. Told in alternating perspectives that will leave you breathless, The Other Side of Disappearing explores everything that's left behind when a person leaves...and what it takes to put the pieces back together again.
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🙏 Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books and the author for an advanced copy of The Other Side of Disappearing. All opinions are my own.
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🎯 What I loved: Kate Clayborn is one of the most versatile writers I've ever had the privilege of fan-girling over. The Other Side of Disappearing felt like a total departure from her previous works (which I've also loved) and was fresh, genre-busting and so full of life. A dramatic family mystery, an epic road trip, a budding romance and a host of character self-discovery made this totally un-put-downable and I can't recommend it enough. It's propulsive and passionate and I've never felt so much love for characters who honestly 'speak' so little. The thing about this book is that you begin thinking you're reading a mystery, and then suddenly, you're deeply invested in a romance and without warning, you're left with a commentary about the complexities of motherhood and love in general and it's all just so seamless that you can't fathom you've gone from one place to another so quickly.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: No notes. Just read it!
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Read if you love:
*books that cross genres; this one's a romantic mystery
*dual POV
*sparks at first sight
*complicated family histories
*missing persons cases
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See also: Next of Kin, Change of Plans, You, With a View

There's something about Kate's writing that is so exceedingly lovely and tender. In another's hands this book would have focused more on the con-man angle and the mystery but Kate was able to balance the mystery with the sweet growing romance in a way that awed me. She was able to land the plane in a way that gave me a satisfactory conclusion in all the desperate storylines and most importantly (for me) the romance.

Jess is a very closed-off character in a way that can be read as somewhat offputting and did put me at a distance at some points. She's very stubborn in a way that had me worried for the resolution of the book but the way she grows and is challenged in this book is just so fantastic. Her love for her sister and then for Adam is the main thread of the story and there are ways that it develops that even I wasn't prepared for.

Adam is so soft and in every word he thinks and says in this book he is putting Jess and her feelings first even when it isn't serving him and his ambitious ends.

I'm so impressed by this book. Everything about it is so well done and even as someone who comes first and foremost for the ROMANCE, this really delivered a satisfactory story on so many levels.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Have you ever read a book so captivating, that it makes you start pacing around the house while you’re reading? This was that story for me.

This story features two sisters embarking, (one unwillingly), on a road trip with a true crime podcast duo to find their missing mother. At 21, Jess was left to raise her 8 year old sister. Ten years later, Tegan has questions and one way or another, she will get her answers.
The way Kate explored the relationship between these two sisters was so raw and authentic. I felt the strain, pain, and love on every page. Watching them grow was a pleasure.
Not only was their relationship beautifully crafted but the romance in this story was so warm. We all wonder what it’s like for someone to truly SEE us and that is exactly what Jess and Adam have. Adam was so kind and gentle. A lovely man recovering from his own grief. His care for the people around him was stunning.

This story felt like the phone call you make to the person you trust most, after a rough day. Like being heard, being seen, and being cherished.

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

I loved her book Georgie, All Along last year so this was a highly anticipated read. This story follows Jess, a 31 year old who has been raising her half sister for the last ten years ever since their mom left. She is shocked to find out that her sister had contacted a famous podcaster and asked to track down their mom.

I did find the beginning rather slow and it took me several days to get into the heart of the story. But by the middle of the book I was hooked on the characters. I love how this author writes characters, they are flawed but really easy to connect with. They are authentic with real life problems and challenges to overcome. I loved how reliable Adam was - have to love a male character that has his own struggles but is 100 per cent available and consistent.

I highly recommend this author if you like a romance with depth and isn’t cookie cutter.

Thanks to @kensingtonbooks and @netgalley for my early copy! This book came out yesterday.

#theothersideofdisappearing #bookish #bookreview #bookrecommendations #booksta #bookstagram #readromance #reading #ebooks #netgalley #kensingtonbooks

This was such a departure for Clayborn and I was here for it! I loved the blend of mystery and romance. Books with a podcast element are some of my favorites! Obsessed with Adam but wish it was a little less instalovey.

Holy cow! What a good book.

Ten years ago Jess’s mother disappeared. Again. This time, though, Jess was an adult and left to take care of her eight year-old sister. Their mother never returns, but does send five postcards as she travels. Jess hides them from her sister, Tegan, in order to protect her from their mother’s thoughtlessness.

Enter Salem and Adam. It turns out those postcards weren’t as well hidden as Jess thought and Tegan has contacted the podcasting duo to help track down their mother. Due to a mysterious link between a former subject of Salem’s hit podcast and their own mother’s disappearance, the two agree to a cross country trip to locate both missing persons. Kindling beneath the surface of this story is a touching romance, between Adam and Jess that I just could not get enough of.

Clayborn had A LOT going into this novel. I was almost worried it would be too much. I’m so happy I was wrong. All of the characters were beautifully flushed out. The mystery had twists and turns until the very end and the little podcast transcripts throughout were just a cherry on top. I loved Clayborn’s other books so I shouldn’t have been surprised by how well this one was done but BRAVO. Perfection.

We are huge Kate Claybourne fans and The Other Side of Disappearing is her latest, incredible work - Kate pushed out of her comfort zone for this romance, sharing a family story interwoven with a romance, con-men, and true-crime podcasts.

The story is of Jessamine (Jess), her half-sister Tegan, and their journey to find their mother who abandoned them 10 years ago, leaving Jess to raise then 8-year-old Tegan at the age of 21. Tegan reaches out to podcasters Salem Durant and Adam Hawk, to enlist their help in finding her mom, who ran-off with the con-man Salem has previously chronicled. Jess is incredibly closed-off and wary of the entire search, and closed off to others more generally, having retreated into herself since being forced to become mom to Tegan when she was barely an adult herself. Adam, a college-football player turned journalist, is attracted to Jess from the start, and the romance is of the gentleness he shows Jess, and the way he's able to bring her back into the world.

The story puts Jess and Adam in an impossible situation, filled with conflict between Jess and Tegan around the search for Jess' mom, between Adam's ambitions as a podcaster versus his desire to protect Jess, and Jess' own internal scars. We loved Adam - his physical size contrasts so much with his gentleness, earnestness, and own insecurities and struggles following the tragic death of his best friend following mental health challenges whilst playing professional football. Jess is strong, independent, willfully strong, and with walls all around her, and yet has so much yearning for Adam, almost from the start.

This was an amazingly written romance, with a slow-burn, and so much tenderness and emotional depth. We read it in a frenzy, in a day, and it was hard to put down almost form the start!

I finished this book in a day. I just couldn't put it down. I don't even know how to put all of my thoughts about this book into words because it was so many amazing things all rolled into one. The story has romance, mystery, and family drama. Jess has been the guardian for her younger half sister, Tegan, since their mother left when Jess was 21 and Tegan was 8. For ten years, Jess has devoted her life to raising her sister. Jess is surprised when two strangers show up at her door, and she finds out that Tegan has been putting the pieces together about their disappearing mother. Tegan discovers that their mother left with a con man, and the con man was the subject of a popular podcast series.

The podcast host, Salem, and podcast producer, Adam, embark on a road trip to find out the truth and finish the update to their podcast. Tegan and Jess use postcards as their guide on the road trip, and they discover more about themselves on the journey. Jess and Adam grow closer, and feelings start to develop.

I can't even put into words how much this book moved me. It made me cry, smile, and laugh. The romance is interwoven throughout the story, and it shows how love can come in different forms. Jess has a deep love for his sister, Tegan, but she has let herself disappear for the last decade. She has protected herself from being in relationships or friendships. All of her attention has been on Tegan, and since she met Adam, parts of herself are coming into focus and he doesn't let her disappear anymore.

There are twists and turns along the way, and the mystery and romance of it all kept me wanting to know what happened next. This is a beautiful story, and I definitely recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an ARC of this amazing book.

Download or order this book immediately. AND then you’ll need to cue up Zach Bryan + Kacey Musgraves “I Remember Everything” … got it? There’s a point after 85% in, you’ll KNOW it…it’s in italics… hit PLAY. And just read and listen and let it sweep over you and feel that sweet ache that authors rarely achieve but Kate Clayborn seems to hit every single book.
You’re welcome.

Dear Kate Clayborn,

Anyone who has ever read one of your books knows your writing is beautiful. It is also unique. Your writing voice is one I can pick out in a crowd, a combination of gorgeous turns of phrase and thoughtful motifs and word pictures. The Other Side of Disappearing is no different.

On it’s face, the “disappearing” in the title refers to Jess’s mother and her boyfriend, con man Lynton Baltimore. But there are layers of disappearing and disappeared in the book and by the end, the title has new significance. When Tegan was left in her care, Jess disappeared. She was focused solely on looking after Tegan and protecting her privacy. She has no social media, few friends and keeps everyone at a distance. This, to a certain extent, includes Tegan herself, particularly given the things she she has not shared about their mother. Jess’s is the biggest but there are other “disappearances” and reappearances, things and people being seen and unseen in the story, some small and subtle, some more obvious. These are all woven wonderfully together in a beautiful tapestry.

Adam is struck down by almost instant love when he first meets Jess. He immediately wants to protect her and make sure she is not taken advantage of by his boss, Salem Durant (the host of the first big podcast, The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore). Salem had been due to meet Lynton in person for the last episode of the iconic podcast, ten years before. But he didn’t show. (Instead he was busy running off with Jess and Tegan’s mother.) Some say Baltimore’s last con was to Salem herself. It still stings and she wants the follow up. There’s something there about relevance and reclaiming glory too as well as other things which are revealed later in the story.

Adam wants this story too. His best friend, Copeland “Cope” Frederick, a famous NFL player, died by suicide following a mental health crisis. Adam longs to tell Cope’s story in a podcast of his own but he is new to journalism and needs to earn his stripes before he can get the chance. Nonetheless, Adam finds himself immediately torn between his own goals and his desire to protect Jess. Jess may have disappeared but Adam sees her, immediately and clearly and he never loses sight of her. Not once.

Jess decides to go with Salem, Adam and Tegan on the search for the missing couple but does not intend to talk or share her story with the podcast. She is the epitome of reluctant to be involved. When Salem offers Adam the chance at his podcast if he gets Jess to talk on the record I thought I knew where the story was going. But you are too clever and, no. There were a number of times where the book could have gone a certain way but Adam and Jess are better than that and what separates them near the end is far more complicated. It all comes down to who sees you, how you see yourself.

Another recurring motif in the book is this:

“A shell souvenir,” she says quietly.

“What?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. It’s like—collecting a bunch of little shells from the beach. Individually, they’re nice, sure. But if you want to remember your trip, you do something with them, the way these shops do. Put them in a jar, or glue them to a frame. Coat them in something that’s probably toxic and make a keychain. Stock them on your shelves for selling. A souvenir.”

which occurs when the team are in Florida during their search. There are a number of callbacks to this word picture as the story progresses and each one builds until in the end, it is its very own shell souvenir.

Jess is by no means immune to Adam’s charms. He is handsome and big and tall, protective, kind, open and vulnerable.

I push myself more upright so I can see him better. He’s wearing athletic shorts and a soaked-through T-shirt. He’s sweating. Breathing harder than normal. His hair is damp and sticking up in all directions, windblown. He’s the in-real-life version of every movie star who does some cheesy magazine cover story about how they bulked up to play a superhero, except in real life, it’s not cheesy at all.

This is terrible news.

To get involved with Adam threatens her privacy, her lack of visual substance, her framework. But he is a very hard man to resist. He doesn’t push. He’s just there, being kind and constant and caring and how can you fight that?

Adam tries to keep things professional. He doesn’t want to be any kind of burden to Jess who clearly has a lot on her plate but she’s just so darn wonderful it’s a hopeless case.

I turn to look at her. She pulled her hair up a couple of hours ago, high on the top of her head in a haphazard bun, and the fact is, I’ve avoided most eye contact since. Her neck is long and smooth and she has two slim, gold hoops in the cartilage of her right ear. I thought seeing her legs was bad, but this?
This is brutal.

In some ways, the result of the search is a little bit of a McGuffin – The Other Side of Disappearing is a romance, not a mystery – though the mystery is solved at the end. At least one of the revelations felt a little underdeveloped or perhaps just a bit out of place/unnecessary. I did love the way Jess and Tegan’s relationship grew and changed over the course of the book, from the initial fracturing to something better and far stronger by the end. I enjoyed Adam’s family and his steadfastness – though I was perhaps 5% confused by his obsession with his best friend. Perhaps I needed just a tiny bit more for me to truly understand their bond.

I loved Jess and Adam’s connections and contrasts. Adam is the one who reveals things. He sees Jess. He finds the lead which started the podcast search in the first place. He revealed hypocrisy within the NFL community about his friend Cope when Cope first died and has plans to reveal more. Jess is the one who has people disappearing on her and who has disappeared. But then Adam sees her and everything changes. It’s beautiful.

I am a shell collector. I’m trying so hard to coat all these precious, fragile facts about Adam in something hard and firm and inflexible.
I’m trying to make a souvenir.

Grade: A-

Regards,
Kaetrin

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this creative and heartwarming book. I previously read and loved the author's last novel Georgie All Along, so I was excited to read this one too.
The book has a creative and original story. It centers on Jess, a 31 year-old who has been raising her half-sister Tegan alone for the last 10 years, after their mother left them to go off with her new boyfriend, who happens to be a famous con artist and premise for a podcast. In search for their mother, Jess and Tegan go on a cross-country road trip to find their mother, interviewing people who might have previously known her as they travel. One of the podcast producers Adam and Jess have romantic sparks that develop along the way.
It was a sweet and touching book about protecting those you love, opening yourself up, and letting your guard down to friendship and love. All of the characters were complex and thoughtful. I enjoyed the different locations and them uncovering the mystery of where their mother and boyfriend disappeared to. This book reminded me of The Last Thing He Told Me. It has a similar vibe of searching for someone or something in other cities and without any danger or violence.
My favorite part was Jess and Tegan's complex relationship. It was the core of the book and was the most touching I think. I wish there was a littke more romance. It felt like it was a slow burn and then all at once all-in but overall it was really sweet and charming.
I highly recommend this fun and unique book!

I knew I'd be in safe hands with Kate Clayborn's newest romance offering and I do so love to be right. I adored her previous Georgie, All Along and this book is just as good.

Jess just wants to protect her half-sister Teegan and has done so since their mother left them - high and dry - to run off with a notorious con man. The only clue to where she went can be found in 5 postcards which Jess hid and tried to forget about for years. But when Teegan finds them and reaches out to a podcast producer about the man who lured her mother away, they find themselves on an unexpected journey across America with Salem - who will do anything to chase this story - and her assistant Adam, who makes Jess feel things she hasn't allowed herself to feel or want for herself, ever.

Clayborn writes very real characters that feel deliciously fleshed-out, and as the story progresses we delve deeper into their past, helping us to understand their present. All four of the people on this road trip have to come to terms with the things they've done and with the things that have happened to them, but none of them really expects what happens on the way to finding the mother who left everything behind. Adam and Jess' love story is an absolute joy to behold, and you'll find yourself cheering for them as they find their way towards each other, and love.

I am a fan of Clayborn's book and this one explores the complex sibling relationship between Jess and her sister Teagan who she raised for the last 10 years. Teagan learns that her mom left with her boyfriend who was a famous con artist and seeks out a podcaster who did a series on him. This story is about the journey the sisters goes through in search for their mom. I love how protective Jess was of Teagan.

I wasn't a big fan of the romance in this story. It was a bit too insta for me. Adam was a giant teddy bear and I loved how he was aware of how his action with the podcast could impact Jess and Teagan.

Thank you @kensingtonbooks @netgalley for a copy of this book.

Every time I pick up a Kate Clayborn novel I am utterly dazzled by the craft of it all. Of the artful, beautifully rendered prose, and the depth of feeling that extracts as many laughs as it does tears. All of Clayborn’s books are masterful. And, in my opinion, The Other Side of Disappearing is a masterpiece.

Time and time again, Clayborn has proven that she understands the assignment when it comes to characterization and narrative voice. She deftly uses first person present dual POV to its greatest advantage; both Jess and Adam having wholly unique voices that are so well sketched you feel as if you’re reading the words and thoughts of two humans existing in the real world. There are also brilliant interview caveats that add more context and richness to the text.

In addition to that, the ways in which Clayborn explores love and human connection in this book are both a gut punch and a warm hug. Each character is handled with such care, and the relationships contained in this book are all wonderful in their own ways. The yearning in this book is just… wow. Wow. Plus, there are these wonderfully intimate moments that are utter perfection on the page.

“Ask me, I think. Ask me what I am. He doesn’t, and I suppose I only have myself to blame. Or thank. I don’t know which anymore.

“‘I’m sorry, I breathe against her neck. “I know I’m too—’ ‘You’re not too anything. You’ve never been too anything for me.’”

The premise was so unique and mined narrative threads that I couldn’t even have conceived of. Top to bottom, this book is exquisite. This story is going to stay with me a long time.

Reading this book was a gift, and I think everyone else should read it too. Sorry not sorry.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this! Kate Clayborn paints pictures with words, masterfully immersing the reader into the inner lives of her characters. It is impossible not to care deeply about Jess, Adam, and Tegan, and root for each of them to find a healthy way to deal with their trauma.

This is about trust. Letting go. Lowering your self-defenses and allowing someone to see all of you. This is a love story about two sisters just as much as it is a love story about two people -- Jess and Adam -- trying to do their best with the cards life’s dealt them.

The Other Side of Disappearing is a road trip romance with a side of mystery that will make you swoon and cry in equal measure. Pick it up if you want to FEEL while you’re reading -- and if you want another gorgeous book on your shelf! 😜

I feel like maybe this one was right book but wrong time. Not sure what it was but I had a hard time getting into this story. When reading the blurb, I thought the plot sounded really interesting. I loved the whole idea about Jess looking for her mom and the fact that a podcast is involved. The beginning really gets you sucked into the story. But then the middle, kind of lost me, I found it was kinda of boring and hard to really connect with. I did love every single chapter of Adam’s though and I wish there was more of him and his best friend. Not sure if it was Jess that I was having a hard time connecting to or if it was her trying to find her mom. There was just something that I found difficult to continue to read the book. But I do have to say that I did like this story, it was an okay read.

I was so excited to get to read this Kate Clayborn book early, as I'm such a big fan of hers. I felt that this was a little more deeper emotionally than some of her other books, and I thought it all came together well. This book explored sisterhood and the always challenging family dynamics, personal growth and exploration, and had a healing journey as part of the themes. And there's a romance in there, that is sweet with good chemistry, but isn't overt or in your face. Everything here just blends well, with a unique storyline to weave it all together.

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

Happy pub day @kateclayborn.author and thank you to @netgalley for coming in clutch late last week with this ARC that I power read over the weekend to prep for pub day.

I like having Big Feelings when I read. It’s part of the fun of being a reader, especially romance reader, to maybe have a little cry over poignant moments and the swelling crescendos of a character finding themselves. You don’t get better than Kate for this kind of thing, hands down.

This one is simultaneously fun and angsty, which yeah okay that describes almost everything I’ve read of hers, but here are a few things I personally enjoyed as a long time Serial fan (free Adnan!) and a member of the football cult in mid-Ohio:

The premise of this book is that a Serial-esque podcast that reported on a con man ten years ago wants to revisit the story with a new chapter. Jess’s little sister Tegan contacts the podcast hosts Salem and Adam, to give more info about the con man, Jess and Tegan’s mother’s boyfriend.

This opens every single wound that Jess has fought tooth and nail to keep closed — Jess’s mother ditched her for the con man, leaving her with 8 year old Tegan, alone. Jess, at 21, became Tegan’s mother and protector and does not want to open her soul to make a podcast, even if they do find her erstwhile mother.

Salem is somehow both no nonsense and full of nonsense as she hurtles toward the end of the story of this con man who ghosted her final interview with him ten years ago.

Adam, her co-host, is quiet and thoughtful, a people watcher, all totally hidden behind a former college football player’s build (O-H IYKYK) notoriety, and his own viral scandal after his pro-football playing best friend committed suic!de. He sees Jess’s strength and fragility. He falls in love.

Jess sees Adam’s strength and steadfastness and also falls in love. In many ways Jess and Adam have both disappeared under the weight of their choices. Their road is paved with potholes and missed steps and mistakes, because how does one come back from disappearing? What does it mean to be seen?

The plot is unique, the characters are soft (yes even Salem), quirky, angsty and remarkably three dimensional. Read it.

This was such an emotional story and these characters demanded my attention, even when I was not reading. This story also had many layers. The four main characters are captivating. Jess and Teagan are sisters who must come to terms with their past. Salem and Adam are podcasters chasing a story linked to the sisters. As the four go on hunt for answers they find a lot more questions and they each find some truths about themselves. There is a romance that is slow to build and so very tender. I was brought to tears a few times, experiencing all the feelings along with these characters.

A dual POV. Jess Greene. Adam Hawkins. A runaway mother. Raising a sister all alone. A father worthy of the podcast name, The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore.

This story was heartwarming, charming, and inspirational. This story dives into realistic dysfunctional families and the pain of navigating life, just surviving on your own.

Parts of this book were painful and heavy. Although heartwarming, there were times that weighed on me, reminding me not to romanticize life. One should make the best of their situation, but not look at world through rose colored glass.

Sometimes, the bad is bad and wounding. But the good. Oh, the good is healing and great and reminds why we need light in darkness; but we need the darkness in order to see and properly experience and appreciate the light.

The abandonment of her mother caused a shield, an impenetrable wall to be built between Jess and all those who try to reach her heart. This part I felt with a horrifying clarity, as my own father caused the same effect in me.

Except, our MC slowly lets in Adam. The two go on a journey of self-discovery together. The beautiful story of sisterhood is peppered in with bright poignant points of romance developing between the enigmatic characters.

Adam is gentle and warm and everything that Jess needs. The two heal in beautiful ways and I can actually tell people why this book is blowing up on bookstagram. It certainly was worth the hype. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!