⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ Dazzling Romantic Stars

Calling all Contemporary Romance Readers , add this one to your list ASAP!

The Other Side of Disappearing was a raw, emotional, well orchestrated romance with a little bit of spice and a bit of mystery!

" I don't know if I've ever seen a face like hers- It's like looking through a window at a storm. There's rain, lighting, wind; there's trees bending and shaking with the force of it. Part of you is glad to be separate from it. But part of you wants to press against the glass and get as close as you can."

The Other Side of Disappearing is well paced beautifully flowing and charming read with wonderful character building . Loveable characters with threads of lyrical lines spun through out the story , you will cry and cheer for Jess & Adam !!

Told between two points of view , we start off meeting Jess with a knock on her door while she is frantically looking for her younger sister Tegan, as she opens the door she is greeted by the most handsomest man she's ever laid eyes on and another woman who is rambling like Jess should know why they're there.

In comes running her sister Tegan yelling " I can explain".

Jess has been raising her sister for the past 10 years since there mother left when Tegan was 8 years old and Jess 21 . Through the years Jess has lost herself doing everything to protect her little sister and ultimately taking on the role as mom.

Tegan now 18 is curious to learn about the disappearance of her mother and has learned from a podcaster that did a series on a boyfriend the mom had dated years ago and reached out to Salem to see if they can solve the mystery together and find their mother .

With out giving too much away , but what transpires next is a lot of vulnerability between two people who have done a great job of " disappearing " the current world to mask their pain and destiny has led them to one another and they had no idea how much they needed each other .

I really think fans of Christina Lauren , Emily Henry and John Green will love this story with their whole heart!

Thank you Netgalley, Kensington Books and Kate Clayborn for this digital ARC you have just gained a new fan !

The Other SIde of Disappearing took me on a literary road trip that included romance, family trauma and a mystery that I was totally invested in until the end.

Kate Clayborn has such a way with writing about the messy parts of life without it feeling heavy or oppressing. In fact, she tells the story with an underlining current of hope and healing. She ties everything together by the end of it, with a happy ending, but it’s realistic.

I was on the edge of my seat at the beginning, while the story unfolded quickly. Kate did not miss a beat when it came to the sister/caregiver relationship, the romantic one between Jess and Adam, and the side characters they met along the way. Salem was so interesting!! I really did not like her at first, but in the end she was so relatable.

I already loved Kate Clayborn as an author before this book, but now she has solidified herself as my favourite author. Her prose makes me pause and reread because it’s just so beautifully written once is not enough.

I love, love, love this book.

I love Kate Clayborn, but this is my least favorite of her books. I definitely think it's a me problem—I really wasn't vibing with Jess, the protagonist, for the first 20%. I felt bored and not eager to pick it up. Normally, I wouldn't give a book 20% to hook me, but I love Kate so I was holding out for her to turn a corner. And she did! She is a master of craft and especially of crafting characters. It's objectively a good book, and I loved the ending epiphany with her sister, very heartfelt and a beautiful resolution.

I found this book so refreshing. It’s a really unique premise for a romance and there’s a lot to sink your teeth into. There are some complex emotional beats and it was a thoughtful exploration of finding love and trust alongside trauma. This did feel a little longer than it needs to be (some of the aforementioned emotional beats were repeated a time too many). The podcast excerpts also didn’t totally work for me — they felt scattered and I think they could have been used more successfully to give additional context. Adam and Jess both made me insane, but the way they cared for each other was very tender and sweet.

3.5 stars
I found this book to be inspiring in such a sweet way. I loved the romance and the sisterly love depicted. I also enjoyed the addition of the true crime podcast and the foray into mystery. An entertaining read.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn has a sub-header of "A Touching Modern Love Story" and it is this and so very, very much more. This is the first book I have red from this author and I was entranced. The writing is full of empathy, engaging and immersive and this is a book you will read right through and then read it through again

Clayborn takes her time in the narrative, drawing the reader in and blending the ingradients of the storyline gently but with a strong foundation. Like the best cakes, it needs that slow bake to keep it light but oh so very delicious. (and cake is awesome on all levels, just like this book) I digress however; The point to this analogy is that the reader travels alongside the characters in their journey throughout the storyline and the writing quietly creates a feeling of empathy within the reader and you find yourself supporting the characters throughout, sharing their journey and relating every step of the way

As I said, this is so much more than a modern love story, it is an exploration of the human experience in relationships on a deeply personal level and not just roantic, but familial and friendships. Absolutely an author to add to the favourites list and if this book is not a literary bestseller this year, it would be a travesty imho

Thank you very much to Netgalley Kensington Books, Kensington and the stunning author Kate Clayborn for this incredible ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

So many books about people disappearing are told from the perspective of the person doing the disappearing, and having a very good reason for doing so. They’re often of the thriller/suspense genre. Kate Clayborn takes a very different approach with a story that’s a combination of self-discovery and romance and is focused on Jess, who was 21 when her mother disappeared for the second time in her life, but this time around she’s left Tegan, Jess’ eight year old sister in her care. This puts Jess in a position where she essentially sets her life aside to raise her sister, and it’s complicated even further by the fact that her mother left for a very notorious and bad reason exposed by a true crime podcaster. Then at Tegan’s persuasion the podcaster shows up at their doorstep with the very appealing Adam Hawkins in tow. Not willing to let Tegan go with Salem and Adam alone, a road trip ensues with a ticked off Tegan, a closed off Jess, a distracted Salem, and a well-intentioned Adam who has goals of his own for a podcast that’s had a huge impact on his life. The story between Adam and Jess is a good one, where Adam is about as good of a guy as can be. It feels like the relationship takes almost too much time to develop, despite it happening within the course of several weeks. She may or may not have intended it, but the relationship between Jess and Tegan was more interesting. Tegan drove me crazy for the better part of the book, but I think that’s because Clayborn does such a good job of writing a teenager that’s very smart and sensitive, but still struggles with some of the immaturity and naïveté that comes with being eighteen years old. Through Jess’ eyes you can see her debate whether the decisions she made raising Tegan were the right ones, but isn’t that what you do if you’re a good parent that cares, whether you’re a traditional parent or not? Their mother might be the elephant in the room, but the real thing that’s keeping Jess from living her life is being willing to let other people besides Tegan into her life. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kate Clayborn writes such incredible characters that feel so real and authentic, they make mistakes, they have to restart their lives, and it's overall such a comforting story to read about messy women that end up being okay in the end! I am so inspired by this book, and I really enjoyed it.

Jess has spent the last ten years of her life with her walls up, trying to protect her little sister Tegan from the secrets in their mother Charlotte's past. But one day popular podcaster Salem Durant shows up at their door, and Tegan is ready to go off with Salem and her assistant Adam Hawkins in search of her mother. Jess finds out that Tegan has discover the five postcards sent from Charlotte from different states over the years and realizes that the threesome plan to visit these places to track down clues to Charlotte's whereabouts. But Jess refuses to let Tegan go alone. So off the foursome go in search of Charlotte, who was last seen running away with infamous conman Lynton Baltimore.

Overall I really enjoyed the book. The multiple storylines added depth that you don't always find in contemporary romance books and I liked seeing how the story lines all intertwined. This was a slow burn romance as Jess clearly had a lot of walls that Adam had to work to break through, and I'm always a fan of a story where the guy falls first while the girl has to work through some personal stuff before she can let herself fall. There was a lot of chemistry there between Jess and Adam and it had plenty of time to build as the other story lines progressed. I was fully invested in finding out how all the pieces fit together, but without spoiling anything, I was left feeling a little unsatisfied about all the endings except for the romance storyline. They weren't bad per se but I wanted more meat to the endings. But I would definitely recommend, esp to people who like both romance and true crime.

Overall: 4.5/5
Spice: 1.75/3

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.

This was such a bold and expansive story that had me hooked from page one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and am thankful for receiving this arc! Thank you and I will be reading more of Kate Clayborn’s novels.
This was very enjoyable!

Jess is a hairdresser who is very private and unsocial. She has a half-sister, Tegan, whose custody she had to take over when she was twenty-one - when her mom, Charlotte, left her for the second time in her life, but this time, leaving an eight-year-old in her care.

Ten years later, Tegan has contacted Salem, a famous podcaster, to help find her missing mother after she discovers the postcards sent by Charlotte, which Jess had hidden.

Adam is a former footballer who now wants to be a journalist. He is assisting Salem in a case so that she would consider hosting a podcast for him in honor of his best friend who died recently. But all his plans go awry when he and Jess start to fall for each other while following the clues her mother left.

Trigger Warning~ Absentee parent, mild language, death of a loved one, description of a loved one diagnosed with bipolar, and conning characters.

This was a unique book for me because I do not remember reading a book with a plot along the lines of the story this plot had. It was refreshing, heart-touching, and memorable. It showed the connection of two people who are strangers, yet could read each other so effortlessly that it felt like they were destined to be with each other. For me, the main focus was the childhood trauma of Jess, the sisters' bond, Adam's love for his best friend, and the unspoken care Jess and Adam had for each other since the first day they met.

The cover is simply pretty. The writing was smooth and captivating. I loved how it alternated from Jess's to Adam's point of view and sometimes with snippets of Salem's podcast.

The character development, especially in Jess and Tegan, was so amazing that even I teared up near the end. It was quite an emotional journey with a few laughs and a lot of love sprinkled across the story.

If you love a good mystery with a cozy romance, this is a good book to read.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024 after inhaling Kate Clayborn’s entire back catalog last year and it did not disappoint.

I loved the character development of not just our main character Jess, but also her sister Tegan. You’re quite literally on an emotional road trip as they travel to unravel the mystery of why their mother abandoned them and why she would do so with a criminal and the subject of the true crime podcast The Last Con of Lynton Baltimore.

Salem Durant is on a mission to finish the story she started telling over a decade ago on her podcast, and her assistant Adam Hawkins is there to learn from the master of podcasts to better tell his best friends story. Each one of these characters goes through significant growth and while they’re an odd group to stick together, they play well off of one another.

This book is part mystery, part romance, and part family drama. That can be a large challenge for an author to tackle all three in a compelling story, but Clayborn does it with ease. You find yourself rooting for the characters and deeply invested in all elements of this story. There are no loose strings at the end that you’re still questioning, it ties together nicely and every characters story has a satisfying ending. I loved the snippets of podcast transcripts scattered throughout the story. It provided just enough background to set the scene and drive the plot without feeling out of place. Instead of telling information, the picture was painted so you could draw your own conclusions.

In true Kate Clayborn fashion, there were moments that brought me to tears and moments of pure delight. She has a way of crafting a story that’s compelling and every character truly has their own journey but they all connect beautifully. This will definitely stand as one of my favorite reads of the year.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A CLo rec, and a damn good one. I’m so glad I got my hands on this novel. I was skeptical about the writing at first, but that quickly diminished and then it consumed me from beginning to end. A very different type of romance that I’m used to reading, containing some deeper true crime pieces that kept me wondering and on the edge of my seat. And the most pure love between two people, that gave me all the feels. Very well written.


Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington books for the chance to read this beautiful ARC!

The Other Side of Disappearing reads as part mystery and part romance, dealing with heavy topics along the way.

Jess and Tegan’s mother left them 10 years ago, leaving Jess to raise her younger sister on her own. Now, 18 year old Tegan is ready to find their mom, and she contacts a podcast host named Salem who is chasing down a story that may be connected to their mother. Salem and co-worker Adam take off on a roadtrip with the two women, stopping by each place she sent a postcard from years ago.

The podcast/ mystery aspect unfortunately fell a bit flat for me here. I wasn’t fully invested in the story they were researching, and those parts read very dry. The transcripts of Salem talking to other interviewees sometimes didn’t feel like they even went with the story I was reading and felt jarring, taking me out of the story.

The romance is definitely one of insta love, but I enjoyed the quiet moments Jess and Adam shared and the way she slowly opened her heart to him. There is an incredibly sweet conversation where Tegan realizes that she has had Jess’ heart all these years, and that now it is time for Jess to do something for herself.

Clayborn is fantastic at writing the emotional moments and showing the beauty in them, and she does that wonderfully here. She is never afraid to dive into deep topics such as parental abandonment, and the storylines will make you ache for her fully dimensional characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC. All opinions are my own. I’d rate this one 3.5⭐️

This book was totally different from anything Kate has written before, and I found myself really enjoying this story. It's just as much about Jess finding herself as it is about her finding love, and I loved the way the book explored her past trauma with her mom, and the way the whole "mystery" was revealed. I don't think this will end up being my favorite Kate book, but it's a Kate book, so it was incredible!

Jess, Tegan, Hawk, and Salem. More than a detective story or a love story, this seemed to me a book about the bonds, more or less derived from blood, that can be created between people and who are the ones then, that can hurt us the most. I admit that I approached the book in the wrong way because I was looking for something light, but in the end I came to like the novel, although I don't think I felt the chemistry between Hawk and Jess, nor can I say that I enjoyed the Insta-love between the two of them.

Jess, Tegan, Hawk e Salem. Piú che un giallo o una storia d'amore, questo mi é sembrato un libro sui legami, piú o meno di sangue, che si possono creare tra le persone e che sono quelle poi, che possono farci piú male. Ammetto di aver approcciato il libro in modo sbagliato perché ero alla ricerca di qualcosa di leggero, peró alla fine sono arrivata ad apprezzare il romanzo, nonostante non credo di aver percepito la chimica tra Hawk e Jess, né tantomeno posso dire di aver apprezzato l'Insta-love tra i due.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I loved this book! I love Kate’s writing style (became a fan from Georgie All Along) and I loved the plot of the podcast and trip. The characters were relatable and real. Definitely recommend!

The Other Side of Disappearing - ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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Pub Date: March 26
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FEATURES:
-Mystery
-Investigative Journalism
-True-Crime Podcasters
-Sisterhood Journey
-Wrestling with Parent Abandonment
-Adult Contemporary Romance
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WHY 5/5:
This is a story with layers. Many stories within a story.
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This is a story of many people - who are all connected. People who are complex, messy, and complicated.
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This is a story of wondering “why”. Years and years of “Why?”.
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This is the story of many journeys. It is 4 people on a road trip, yes, but also 4 people on journeys uniquely their own.
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This is a story of 2 sisters. Sisters who hurt, heal, hurt, and heal some more.
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This is a story of many kinds of pain. And many kinds of love.
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This is a story with romance. But - that is not the whole story.
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Because, remember, this is a story with layers.
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Thank you @kensingtonbooks for my copy. All opinions are my own.
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Thank you to @kateclayborn.author for writing such a gorgeous, precious tale that truly speaks into the soul of those who are on the other side of disappearing. They deserve to feel seen and loved.

This is incredible. Similar to Georgie, All Along, I never come out of Kate Clayborn’s books the same person. Her writing is such a journey and the emotions had by all are so deep.

The tone of this is pretty serious for most of the book, it also covers some intense topics such as parental abandonment. Overall by the end I had teared up multiple times but just know this is still a romance with a HEA at its core.

So we have 2 sisters whose mother left them 10 years ago. They didn’t realize it at the time but later figured out the man she left with that final time ended up being a notorious con man whose story was covered on a viral podcast also years ago. Unbeknownst to Jess her younger sister freshly 18 reached out to the podcast host again to create a new take on the story, helping her track down her mom. Jess, the FMC and older sister but also quasi mother figure, can’t let her go on her own. Adam, this notorious podcast host’s producer who has his own emotional past and vested interest in doing a good and ethical job, joins in on this road trip.

Like I said this book is serious. But in the best way that this premise is taken seriously and given the respect it deserves. There’s no gratuitous plot points in here or trauma porn. These feel like real people who have really been through it. Jess has a hard time trusting and it makes total sense. Her protectiveness is palpable and there is so much tension (not just romantic) with this crew. There’s so much explored here, workplace dynamics and also the topic of true crime podcasts. Kate, the author, is really tapped in to current events and pop culture, in a way that won’t become dated it just adds to the realness.

The romance- this was freaking beautiful. The way they came together while still be so careful with each other. There’s so much I want to say but I shouldn’t because I think you should just read how it unfolds yourself. There’s a small amount of open door explicit scenes, they are short and somewhat non-descriptive.

Kate’s writing is just so purposeful. It always feels like each word was so carefully placed and each bit shared is intentional. She really always makes me slow down my reading speed to make sure I don’t miss anything.

I absolutely recommend this, it’s simply incredible and will have you in your feels but put you back together again. Thank you so much to Kensington books for the eARC!

I love going into Kate Clayborn books knowing that you're going to get people who feel totally real in her characters.

Jess has been raising her younger sister Tegan for the last ten years, ever since their mom took off with a con man. They've had no communication with her except for five postcards sent from around the country on their travels. Adam and Salem show up on Jess and Tegan's doorstep one day, ready for a cross-country road trip in pursuit of the con man for a continuation of a podcast Salem published. They all spend lots of time together trying to figure out where J & T's mom has been with this dude from these post cards.

I loved that Adam fell hard first. His complicated feelings around the podcast and not wanting to stretch Jess too far made interesting dynamics, and it was so cute to see him fall over himself for Jess. Jess and Tegan were clearly complicated people with lots of damage from their mother and a complicated relationship between them as a result. I enjoyed the journey across the country and seeing Jess let her guard down more and more. I was rooting for all of them the whole time!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my thoughts.