This story was so disappointing. I was intrigued by the premise and wanted to figure out the mystery- where did their mom go?! But I should have gone with my gut and dnfed about 15% in. The searching felt long and drawn out. Salem was totally sketchy. The “romance” felt off the entire time. The resolution to the mystery was lackluster and let me down. I had an icky feeling most of the story. I thought it would ease up as things came together but I never lost the ick and things never came together in a satisfying way.

Thank you Kensington and netgalley for my e-arc. So sorry this didn’t work for me!

I don't know what I was expecting, but wow. This was deeper and heavier than I expected, but Kate Clayborn did an excellent job. It was a touching romance nestled in some concepts of family and dealing with loss. This is one of those books that is a little tough on you but leaves you feeling like you're a different person for having read it.

This was a soft and gentle story that I don’t quite know how to categorize. Its main focus is an intriguing family drama, interwoven with a mystery, but also a tender romance. The prose is beautifully written, quietly beautiful in a way that had me pausing often to reread.

The family drama is the main event, and I loved the relationship between Jess and her sister and how it grew and changed over the course of the book. My heart broke for them both, the walls they’ve had to build and how complicated their relationship had become.

Though it’s the background story, I have to rave about the romance between Jess and Adam. Adam is such a gentle giant, so fully committed to supporting Jess however he can. Their relationship unfolded so softly, so gently, so tenderly. I just loved Adam so much!

All that being said, man this was slow. The mystery unfolded slowly, the romance developed slowly, I was ready for something, anything, to happen. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy it, because I did, but also didn’t have a strong urge to pick up the book to finish it, either.

Overall though I thought it was good, especially if you love more of a quiet, understated story.

****Publishing March 26, 2024*****

Jess, is a hairstylist, raising her younger sister, Tegan, who will be going off to college soon! Jess has always been protective of her due to her mother’s disappearance. With an unexpected knock at the door, Jess is confronted by two people from a popular crime podcast wanting to talk to her about her mother. Jess quickly realizes Tegan has been giving them info about their mother pretending to be her. It has been speculated that their mother has disappeared with a criminal and the podcasters want to be the ones to uncover the truth. Tegan is determined to find their mother and tells Jess she can either join her or she is going on her own with the podcasters. Jess agrees and so the adventure begins. What will they discover? Everyone has their own agendas in wanting to find out more. Will they be successful with finding their mother?

This book alternates between Jess and the producer of a crime podcast, Adam. These two perspectives make for an entertaining read! I loved the characters in this book, a protective big sister raising her little sister who spills the beans to crime podcasters about their mother who disappeared with a con man. This makes for a page-turning read with unexpected plot twists. A perfect book to take on vacation. A fun book to read with a book club as it will lead to interesting discussions.

Thanks to Kensington Books (Kensington), I was provided an ARC of The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. #Netgalley #TheOtherSideofDisappearing

When the world on a societal and personal level is shit and I can barely concentrate on a one-minute TikTok, it's comforting to know that I can count on Kate Clayborn to deliver a story that captures my heart and mind. I read this in just about a day and my only regret is that it's over (and that I have a book hangover of monumental proportions). Not gonna lie, the premise of this one made me nervous. A romance centered on a true crime podcast is not something I would have said I wanted. But of course, <i>The Other Side of Disappearing</i> isn't about the crime--it's about relationships, vulnerability, the stories we tell ourselves and each other, and how we allow those things to define us.

The synopsis from the publisher is pretty accurate to the overall plot, so let me summarize what's not there: Jess has invested her entire self into giving her sister the stability and support their mother ripped away when she left. Jess is now an emotional clam wrapped in a chain with a padlock and secured in a high-security vault. She has never been able to depend on anyone and she's determined for that to be different for Tegan. Adam is a literal corn-fed farm boy and former football star who is still grieving his best friend's suicide. He is warm and kind and has become a journalist so that he can tell the story of how harmful sports culture, toxic masculinity, and a broken mental healthcare system contributed to his friend's death. They both have allowed their desire to care for others to get in the way of actually listening to and seeing that person. What they give each other is a lesson in safety, trust, and commitment without losing yourself in the process.

One of the things I love about this book is its slightly unexpected but deft handling of some of the classic romance tropes and beats. I believe Clayborn is easily one of the top five most talented romance writers right now and I think that's clear in the way she includes familiar romancey things without making them feel cookie-cutter. For example, consider the (not) low moment: (spoiler) Adam's boss urges him to get close to Jess and use that to convince her to talk about her mom for the podcast. He's uncomfortable with the idea but things sort of happen that way anyway. I would expect most authors to save that little deception and reveal it to trigger the climactic split later in the book. Instead, this is revealed before the halfway point and creates a shift that actually brings the MCs closer. Jess has to decide to trust despite the hurt and Adam has to learn he can't strong-arm his way into protecting her. The actual low moment does eventually come, but it's another character smashing all of Jess's trauma buttons...and in their time apart, Jess and her sister go to therapy. *cheers*

The secondary and minor characters are an interesting element here. Clayborn is usually all about friendships, especially women's friendships. In this book, Jess doesn't have that because she's cut herself off so completely. So our main supporting cast are Jess's 18 year old sister Tegan and Adam's podcaster/journalist boss Salem. Tegan was exactly what I would expect her to be as a barely adult person navigating a shit ton of emotional baggage but with the benefit of optimism. Salem is the character I had the hardest time with. She's driven to do this story for reasons we learn aren't entirely healthy and though she's given layers, I struggled to sympathize with her when her agenda was causing so much stress to Jess, Adam, and Tegan. We do see some progress with her, but I would have liked to see a bit more exploration of her depths in order to make her crusading storyteller vibe more palatable.

The good news is that if you're concerned about the ethics of true crime podcasting, this story is extremely aware of that. I admit I was worried but ultimately this is not a story about a con man and his victims. It's a legit romance novel about two hurting people finding comfort and support in each other. It explores hard things and doesn't go easy on the characters, but provides a sense of safety that makes it okay to go through all those feelings with them. It's all I want from my romance novels. If you agree, read this book as soon as you can.

Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

Kate Clayborn is back with a book unlike anything she has written before. It has romance, family drama, podcasts, true crime, and a road trip! The story follows Jess Greene, who has spent the last decade raising her sister after their mother ran off with her boyfriend. Jess has hidden that her mother’s boyfriend was an infamous con man and the subject of a popular podcast. When the podcast host, Salem, and her assistant, Adam Hawkins, become interest in doing another installment of the series, their paths cross with the Greene sisters and none of their lives will ever be the same.

I enjoyed how this book was a departure from Clayborn’s previous books. I did want a little bit more romance, but I loved the podcast element and was really interested in how she managed to weave all of these elements together. Not my favorite book by her, but definitely a solid read!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set against a backdrop of true crime podcasts, Jesse and Tegan’s story becomes the true crime subject for a popular podcaster, Salem. Ten years ago, their mother abandoned 21 year old Jesse and 8 year old Tegan to take off with a con artist. Since then Jesse has been struggling to maintain a safe home for her half sister. When Tegan discovers years old postcards from their mother, she decides to reach out to the podcaster for help finding her mother and brings the drama right to their doorstep. What ensues is a cross country journey and a search to reconnect with mother.

Jesse’s character evolves throughout the story from private, closed-off and careful to more open and trusting as her romance develops with Adam, the assistant journalist producing the podcast. The sisters’ relationship grows into one of mutual respect and understanding as the plot unwinds. The story covers themes of confronting your fears, self awareness, patience and understanding. Clayborn’s writing draws the reader in with the portrayal of the sisters’ close bond and the evolving trust and romance between Jesse and Adam. A moving and romantic story that will appeal to fans of stories with an emotional core as well as romance readers. A story of self-discovery, family and love propelled by a road trip and true crime elements. The Other Side of Disappearing checks all the boxes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my second book by this author and I’ll be seeking out her backlist after loving both books! I really loved the quiet way the story unfolded. This book felt like a warm cozy comfort read. I enjoyed the true crime podcast aspect that drove the story but I was definitely there for the romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.

Jesse lives with her half-sister Tegan; their mother abandoned them 10 years ago for a con man and didn’t communicate with them; all she sent them were postcards. Tegan found the postcard and decided to contact Salem Durat, a famous crime podcaster who is also investigating the same con man. Jesse and Tegan found themselves on a road trip with Salem and her assistant Adam, who is a journalist also.

Jesse is private, guarded, and emotionally closed off. Tegan is an 18-year-old girl who wants to meet her mother before leaving for college. Jesse and Tegan have a complicated relationship, but they still love each other. Adam is an ex-football player turned journalist who is accompanying Salem so that she can produce Adam’s podcast about his dead best friend and mental health.

Jesse’s character development was good to read; she started coming out of her shell, slowly breaking the wall for Adam, and opening up and trusting him with her feelings. Adam is a caring and patient character, and he is also a family-oriented person. Adam gave Jesse time to open up and tried to understand her. Adam is very supportive of Jesse.

I loved the infusion of romance with the True Crime podcast. Confronting fear and self-discovery were important aspects of character growth in this.

The pacing of this was slow, but it was worth reading. I loved reading this book.

Clayborn has done it again, written a beautiful romance framed by a complex story that proves that true love can flourish, even under the most trying conditions.

In The Other Side of Disappearing, Jess has parented her younger sister Tegan for ten years after their mother Charlotte left them to travel with a con man, Lynton Bainbridge. During that time, Jess has dedicated her entire life to ensuring that Tegan is safe and loved, sacrificing her own wants and needs, including pursuing any romantic relationships or friendships. When their life is suddenly upended by the arrival of podcaster Salem Durant and Adam Hawkins, who Tegan (pretending to be Jess) contacted about her mother’s involvement with Lynton (the subject of Salem’s groundbreaking show before he disappeared with their mother), Jess has no choice but to reluctantly accompany them on a road trip that follows the clues from five postcards her mother sent before she completely disappeared.

From Tennessee to Florida to a stop at Adam’s family farm in Missouri and then onto Oklahoma, New Mexico and finally Washington, Jess and Adam grow close despite her trust issues, worry about Tegan, and anger at both Salem for digging into her painful past and her mother for prioritizing men over her daughters. On the other side of Charlotte’s disappearance is the complex trauma which Jess tried desperately to suppress. Confronted with the past and the choices Charlotte made, the feelings of betrayal, abandonment, and Jess’s fear that she failed to make the right choices in trying to protect Tegan force their way to the surface. When the mystery is solved, will the fallout be more than Jess can handle?

Clayborn wisely chose a dual point of view to delve deeply into what both Jess and Adam are thinking and feeling. Although Adam is falling for Jess, his emotions and motivations are influenced by the death of his best friend and football teammate Cole and his need to set the record straight about the NFL’s and others’ handling of his mental illness and complicity in his death. How he balances his needs with his awareness of Jess’s issues is neither trite nor sensationalized. They’re just two traumatized human beings who are figuring themselves out and acknowledging their flaws and insecurities. This emotional and slightly steamy love story wrapped in a mystery is heartwarming and unforgettable. Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Kensington through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Yeeees! This was so so so good! I loved this version of a contemporary romance!. I loved the relationship between Tegan and Jess, and Adam is just a cuddly bear. I'm a sucker for the black cat/ golden retriever trope and I loved the sprinkling of that in here. I also loved that it was a romance but with the podcast/missing person mystery included, which is a new take for me. I even grew to like Salem in the end. I laughed, cried and stayed up way too late to finish this book.

Something I felt could have been explored more is the very important side story about Adam and his friend Cope, and the fight to talk more about mental heath in the sporting world, and I would have liked to see more about that.

The only thing stopping me from giving it 5 stars was the constant mentioning of how "massive" Adam was and how "tiny" Jess was, I feel like that is pretty standard romance-novel-trope and it didn't add anything to the story. I could have done with one mention of the size of Adam and then been done with that.

this is such a beautiful story. I loved every single moment: all the abundant love, acceptance, safety, trust, and hope riddled throughout the whole story, in multiple ways makes this a unique, captivating, and emotional read.

I really loved Jess’s character development throughout the story. she deserves such safety & love, she’s addicted to control & privacy; yet she’s taken through a ringer of emotional turmoil, giving over the reins of her & her sisters peace to strangers…all for the love & devotion she has for her sister. it is so special to see her find the love, trust, safety, & acceptance she deserves in Adam.

Adam is a whole character himself, dealing with conflicting outlets for grief & ambition, as well as loyalty & sacrifice. I love how he follows his heart & morality to make the most important decisions throughout this story, always making Jess & her needs a priority when it isn’t always the most convenient option for him. and the way Jess gives him the chance to build a real relationship secures his decisions being pointed toward her.

the overwhelming family dynamics drive this story & its themes. I love the non-traditional routes of familial & maternal love & devotion that are presented throughout the story. the way family can be the foundational strength or most significant burden are explored. I absolutely adored the ending & its simple elegance that a found family can have for those who need it most. it is the most beautiful thing to experience.

I could never fully express all the intricate, detailed, & evolving themes of this story, but I hope you can read this story & be moved by the overwhelming love, acceptance, safety, & hope this story drives ❤️

thank you for the arc :)

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn is a lovely romance road trip novel.

I really enjoyed watching Jess learn to let go of the control and be vunerable after she has been hurt so badly before. Her relationship with her half-sister Tegan was able to evolve into something much healthier, even though it was frustrating at times to see how Tegan treated Jess after all Jess had done for her.

Adam took a while to grow on me, but once we learned his backstory I really loved him and was rooting for him.

This is a mystery, a romance, a look at family relationships, and a study of different ways people can disappear, physically and emotionally. The mystery is what happened to Jess's and Tegan's mom after she ran off with a con man ten years ago. The romance buds from the instant attraction between Adam and Jess. Family relationships? Everybody in this story. Disappearing? Ditto. This is a wonderful road trip story!

This is the second book I have read by Kate Clayborn, and I think I liked this one even more than her last. I think this book will appeal to romance readers, but there is a lot more going on here! I could easily recommend this title to people who enjoy mysteries and family dramas and feel confident they will enjoy this read.
Clayborn creates realistic, complex characters dealing with serious issues. Romance readers will be pleased that there are still some steamy and swoonworthy scenes here as well.

'I think I've probably figured out some truths about myself...a good story can do that for you'.

When someone unexpectedly disappears, are they really erased from your life? Jess's mom disappeared years ago with a known con artist and left her to raise her half-sister, Teagan. She put her dreams on hold to ensure Teagan never experienced the hurt of being abandoned again. But Teagan has grown up now, she's about to leave for college, and she's just found a clue that their mother might be able to be found. Teagan knows just the people to help: true-crime podcaster Salem Durant and her assistant Adam. Following a trail of possible clues, finding their mother may mean they actually find themselves.

'The Otherside of Disappearing' is a contemporary mystery and insta-love romance. I enjoyed trying to unravel the mystery and personally would have enjoyed even more focus on this. The romance, however, is sweet and is sure to give readers an aching heart. Overall, a good, easy read.

I love everything that Kate Clayborn has written and The Other Side of Disappearing is no different. Kate Clayborn can truly write a heart wrenching story with characters that feel so real. I was curious how this story was going to end up with a happy ending and I have to give it to Clayborn for accomplishing it. The characters are complex with rich personalities and you can't help but want everything to turn out well for them. I know this book will be enjoyed by a variety of people and I can't wait for them to read it.

The Other Side of Disappearing is a dual POV romance and family drama focused on Jess, who has been the overprotective and closed off character of her little sister Tegan since their mom disappeared a decade ago. When Tegan puts the pieces together that their mom ran off with a con man, Adam and his boss Salem come into their lives. Adam is a fledgling journalist who wants to get his career off the ground but he falls hard and fast for the reticent Jess.

I *loved* this book! If I could give more than 5 stars I would. I loved the sibling/parent dynamic between Jess and Tegan. How completely Adam falls for Jess and how he sees her so thoroughly. The positive mental health representation throughout. And the romance… just perfect.

Thank you to @netgalley , @kensingtonbooks and Kate Clayborn for a chance to read this poignant and beautiful romance.

Read dates: 02/19/2024- 02/21/2024
Goodreads review: 02/21/2024
Instagram review: 02/22/2024
Blog review: 03/26/2024

How does Clayborn create such heart and feeling in every book? She has the best contemporary M/F romance I’ve read and is firmly on my auto-buy author list. The way she weaves together real life situations, lovable characters, palpable chemistry and a bit of angst and steam is so good. This is also dual POV which most of her books are so you can read what the MCs are thinking, a device I’ve always loved.

This takes place around a true crime podcast investigating a famous grifter who tricks women into falling for him in order to do con jobs and steal money. Jess & Teegan’s mom was one of these women. Adam & Salem, the journalists investigating the crime, show up at their doorstep looking for interviews and the four of them end up on a road trip to find their Mom who abandoned them 10 years before. Part romance, part mystery, it’s really an interesting premise and a lot about loss and finding love. I really enjoyed this one.

••Thanks so much to NetGalley & Kensington Books for the ARC••

Never doubt Kate Clayborn! I really wondered how Kate was going to pull off an HEA in a story built around a true crime podcast and an absentee mother who took off with a con man.. And left her 21 year old daughter to raise her half-sister. But damn, she.did it.

I mean, at the beginning everything about a podcast producer/ journalist getting involved with an interview subject just screams bad idea. But it's the specificity of these characters, who's been alone, who's had a giant family, who knows about loss, that just makes it all work.

The Other Side of Disappearing almost defies tropes, but if i had to label it, I guess I'd say it's forced proximity. But it's not that simple. This one is gonna sneak up on you..