<i>How to Hide in Plain Sight wasn’t what I thought it would be, and I can’t decide fully if that’s a good or bad thing yet…

This book has some heavier subject matter that is handled well, so that was definitely a plus for me. The real issue I had with this are two things. First I felt it dragged on a bit too long. It kind of made me stop feeling for Eliot. Which leads me to my second point. It took a long time and there was too much spiraling for us to get the ending we get. This book is drawn out just to have the ending rushed. Felt like I didn’t get to enjoy any of her joy.

This book is much more about the internal struggles of having a mental health challenge that is misunderstood than it is a romance novel, and there are times that the first person limited narrative is frustrating because I wanted Eliot to actually talk about the things she's keeping to herself when she won't. But it's very well written and a very well done look into the life of a non-typical romance novel protagonist, which I very much enjoyed.

I received a free ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

How to Hide in Plain Sight is a candid, poignant, and at times, heart-wrenching examination of how the barriers we construct to shield ourselves can inadvertently shut out the love necessary for our growth. Noyes's writing is imbued with emotion and a palpable, relatable desire. Readers will delight in the victory of this wonderfully affirming tale of self-acceptance, as they eagerly journey towards a hopeful and fulfilling conclusion.

If you would like to be educated on the type of OCD where one's thoughts are so intrusive that they rarely leave you alone and lead you to devalue yourself, How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes is a good choice. Eliot started having those thoughts at age 10 after the death of the brother who was closest to her in age and companionship. She was convinced she had to be a bad person because she didn't cry at his funeral, even though his loss was devastating to her. Later on, her thoughts led her to believe she was a disgusting person for various reasons and resulted in her leaving her large family and Manuel, her closest male childhood friend, for several years with little to no communication. Her job as a copywriter in New York is a good fit, distracting her and making her feel better about herself, but unwelcome thoughts plague her once again when she attends her brother's wedding at her wealthy's family's private island in Canada.

From there, the story goes back and forth in time--sometimes confusingly-- to cover her childhood, her high school years, her life in New York, and the present. Because the author shares this type of OCD with the protagonist, it is an authentic portrayal of what it means to have this form of mental illness. And although I admire her courage and her accomplishment in writing this book, I have to say I was personally exhausted at the end of the story. It's somewhat repetitive as she describes in detail Eliot's relentless "troubles" and inability to allow even her family and Manuel to convince her she is someone worth knowing and loving. Several of her family members are or have been plagued with depression, drug addiction, and other problems. I appreciate learning what I did about this type of OCD, but I wish there had been more time devoted to something else--anything else--to relieve the intensity and bleakness.

My thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the free E-arc in exchange for an honest review

Actual rating: 4.5 (rounded up)

The youngest of six siblings, with her oldest brother nearly 30 years her senior, Eliot Beck returns to her family for the first time in three years for the wedding of one her brothers. Except she’s been gone for a reason, and as she returns she has to confront not only the family she abandoned, but the boy she left behind.

This book is about as raw as it gets. On top of beautiful and compelling writing on a technical side, Eliot’s arc as a narrative feels so real. Her battle with OCD comes across as genuine and honest, with the author pulling no punches regarding what it really means to suffer with OCD. It is not an obsession with organization or hand-washing, it’s so much more. I must say that while this book was difficult to read at times due to my own personal experience, it was still a wonderful story. The complex dynamics in this family were a huge part of this story, and it has some very interesting things to say on what it really means to be a family.

My only criticisms come in the fact that I did notice some inconsistencies with details (although this is an ARC so benefit of the doubt) and I wanted a bit more depth from the family dynamic. One of the brothers was a bit under explored, despite having a large part in the driving plot, and a few of the other siblings had their dynamic described a bit repetitively, although still well done. Additionally, some things were just hinted at or briefly explained, and I wanted to see a tad more so that the emotional climax for Eliot would hit me as a reader harder.

Regardless, this is definitely worth the read.

This book contains sensitive topics including but not limited to: child death, grief, anxiety, OCD, panic attacks, and intrusive thoughts. It does not pull punches, so please take care of yourself.

Thank you again to Netgalley and Berkley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't too usure about this book at first but ended up liking it. I was iffy bout the cover and the description at first but I liked the books.

When does the movie come out? I feel like this book what I've wanted from all of the current romance authors. I know the premise is not one we haven't seen before, with the entire girl meets boy at a wedding premise, butttttttt, what this book does differently is actually give everyone breathing room. Emma Noyes, you will always get my money, the fact that you were able to make me full on bawl my eyes out so many times and swoon in my chair, was everything.

This was a great summer read but it lacked depths and layer it just felt very simple and that's also how the writing felt as well.

Emma Noyes' How to Hide in Plain Sight is a captivating thriller that takes readers on a roller-coaster ride of suspense, emotion, and unexpected twists. The story revolves around our protagonist, a woman with a complex past, who has perfected the art of blending into her surroundings to escape a dark and dangerous secret.

The plot is engaging from the very first page. Noyes masterfully weaves a tale of intrigue and danger, creating a story that is both gripping and thought-provoking. The pacing is well-maintained, with the right amount of tension to keep readers on the edge of their seats without feeling overwhelmed. Each chapter unravels new layers of mystery, making it difficult to put the book down.

Noyes excels in crafting multi-dimensional characters. The protagonist is both relatable and intriguing, with a backstory that slowly unfolds throughout the novel. Her journey of self-discovery and survival is compelling and emotionally resonant. Supporting characters are equally well-developed, each adding depth and complexity to the story.

Noyes' writing is clear and descriptive, painting vivid pictures of the settings and emotions. Her ability to create an atmosphere of suspense is commendable. The dialogue is natural and flows smoothly, contributing to the overall realism of the narrative.

How to Hide in Plain Sight explores themes of identity, trust, and the lengths one will go to protect themselves and their loved ones. The novel delves into the psychological aspects of fear and the survival instinct, making it not just an enjoyable read, but also a thoughtful examination of human nature.

Overall, How to Hide in Plain Sight is a riveting read that will satisfy fans of the fiction genre. Emma Noyes has delivered a story that is both entertaining and emotionally engaging. Despite a few predictable moments, the novel's strong character development, compelling plot, and atmospheric writing make it a must-read. This book earns a solid four stars and comes highly recommended for those seeking a thrilling escape into a world of mystery and suspense.

I thought this one was interesting. I didn't know a ton about OCD, so I was really intrigued by how it was portrayed. This one deals with some heavy topics via Eliots intrusive thoughts. If you want a book that dives head first intothe struggles of mental illness, this one could be for you.

thank you emma noyes for the most accurate representation of the thoughts that plague my mind. filled to the brim with a massive cast of characters, regular and intense family drama, as well as childhood best friends to lovers, i loved every aspect of this book. while there are a lot of complex and difficult topics in this story, it is worth it if you can handle it. despite our characters going through the unthinkable, hope is still a prevailing theme

How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes is a great contemporary fiction that kept me int from beginning to end.

This book is a novel about family, dysfunctional relationships, personal struggles, and overcoming your internal and external struggles to find your path in life and to realize that everyone deserves a life worth living.

I enjoyed the balance of a few light moments with banter, and excellent dialogue between characters and family members and the more serious threads within the novel. Mental health awareness and highlighting some of the struggles that people with OCD experience was a great addition within this story.

I am glad I read this one.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Berkley Publishing for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 9/10/24.

Eliot has OCD - but the version that stays in her head, takes up space that she refers to as “The Worries.” Once she hit eighteen, she took off for NYC and, although she has spoken to and FaceTimed them, she hasn’t seen her family in three years. She is now back for her brother’s wedding. During the three days she spends with her family and childhood friend, past experiences and tramas are revealed.
To stay sane, does Eliot return to NY or can she tell her secrets and begin healing?

I rarely read the author’s notes at the end of books, but after reading the notes at the end of How to Hide In Plain Sight, I wonder what clarity and insight I am missing. Author Emma Noyes definitely put it all out there in both the notes and the story, through the main female lead, Eliot. Noyes hit many misconceptions of obsessive-compulsive disorder head on and offered new understanding of the disorder. The story itself felt a little lacking in depth, as far as the family dynamics were concerned. I didn’t understand why the older brother didn’t bring his wife and daughter around the family. I felt sorry for Eliot - her family seemed very much wrapped up in themselves and made it easy for her to “hide in plain sight.” Also, I didn’t understand why her parents or siblings allowed Eliot to disappear for three years. While a lot of the story focused on Eliot and her love interest/best childhood friend Manuel, it was so much more than a love story. Definitely recommend to those who are in learning more about OCD and how it affects the person directly and have ripple effects throughout relationships.

How to Hide in Plain Sight was an interesting read to say the least. I was thoroughly invested in Eliot's story for a majority of the book. I don't struggle with OCD myself, and I know it looks different for everyone, but I really was invested in reading how Eliot thinks and seeing her life experiences that made her into her current headspace we get at the present day timeline. I did feel like towards the end of the book, it started to get repetitive (which I am sure was part of the whole concept of this novel with someone living with OCD). I wish we would have gotten a little epilogue of SOME kind as a check-in on Eliot to see how she is doing. The book ended, and I thought it was a great ending, but only if we were able to receive a little check-in on Eliot down the line :). How to Hide in Plain Sight for sure kept me captivated (I read in a day, I just had to know what happened with the story), there were just those few things that brought my overall rating down.

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅. 𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒎𝒆?" 𝑰 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒎. 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅. " 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 - 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉? 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒃𝒊𝒕. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕.. 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. " 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒇𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓. " 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒐𝒕. 𝑳𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖. "

3.5 ✨
🌶️: 2.0

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝑵𝒆𝒕𝒈𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑨𝑹𝑪 ✨🌷

𝘞𝘰𝘸. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘖𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘯𝘵. 𝘖𝘊𝘋 𝘳𝘦𝘱? 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯. 𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥? 𝘉𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭. 𝘔𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 - 𝘮𝘦𝘩, 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵? 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺:

THIS WAS SO FUCKING LONG FOR WHAT?

𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘵 somewhat 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘺𝘮𝘱𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨.

𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘹 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘊𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘖𝘊𝘋 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭. 𝘏𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯.

𝘋𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱.

Like, who has time for all that ✌🏽

𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘵, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵.

𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘮. 𝘈𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘐 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳.

𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘊𝘋, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦'𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘐 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 - 𝘰𝘰𝘱.

𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯? 𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭.

𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦. 𝘋𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘐 𝘧ound 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱.


𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘵, 𝘯𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘰𝘶𝘵. 𝘐𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦.

𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘊𝘋, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦'𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.

𝘐 𝘬𝘦𝘱𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 - 𝘰𝘰𝘱.

How to Hide in Plain Sight
by Emma Noyes
Pub Date: September 10, 2024
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The unbreakable bonds of family and love are explored in this brilliant and tender story from the author of Guy's Girl.
This is my first book by Noyes.
This book is HEAVY, because it’s REAL. This is one of the most accurate depictions of OCD I’ve ever seen in popular media, and I have to give mad props to the author for being vulnerable and real. And for giving a voice to those who have a difficult time explaining the realities that they live in.

Bring out your napkins and heavy weapons (hard drink, comfort food, cuddles, wishful thinking to relax) before starting Emma Noyes’ latest book, and get ready to be shaken to the core!

It’s absolutely tear-jerking, angsty, and heart-wrenching, but some parts are interestingly hilarious, especially the natural, witty dialogues between dysfunctional family members: three noisy, one stoic brainy sibling, two overly dramatic parents, and one heroine who is the observer, outcast, and youngest member of the family, feeling alone in the crowd!

This book boldly approaches many sensitive subjects that make your heart bleed, such as the death of a family member, grief, psychosomatic illness, disability, mental health issues, OCD, and depression.

Eliot Beck is the heroine of this story. At only 21, she leaves her crowded family behind, cutting her connection with everyone except her best friend Manuel for three years to start fresh after her diagnosis of OCD. She cannot silence the voices in her head, which keep repeating that she’s a bad person and doesn’t deserve happiness. By skipping college and risking homelessness, she moves to a city of crowded loners, the best place for someone who always felt like an abandoned outsider in her big family. She lived like a wallflower, silent, calm, and mature, barely restraining the thunders erupting inside her head.

She buries herself in her job and is promoted from assistant to copywriter, following her family’s stories from text messages without joining the conversation. When she gets invited to Canada for her brother Taz's wedding festivities, she tells herself it will only take four days. As soon as her job is done, she can go back to her cave and continue her intense work life, hiding under a cloak of invisibility and limiting her connections with people.

But when she realizes her family also invited Manuel, her best friend she cut off, she feels trapped and must confront years of boiled-over feelings. She longs for her lost brother Henry, the only sibling who truly saw and understood her. She must rip off the band-aid and start learning to communicate because she cannot run anymore, at least not for four days!

She discovers her father in a wheelchair, her overly expressive mother, her straightforward sister, her step-but-not-so-mature brothers who always argue, and her analytical, newly marrying brother and his in-laws, each dealing with their own problems, reminding her she’s not alone in dealing with the hand life dealt her.

But the hardest part might be being brave and coming clean about her feelings for Manuel, which she’s been hiding for years. Can she manage to leave her safe place and take her first brave step to confess that the voices in her head never stopped and she’s barely holding on? Isn’t she exhausted from fighting them alone?

Overall, this is one of the most profound, well-developed stories about a dysfunctional family and mental health awareness that I’ve ever read, and I highly recommend it!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this profound book’s digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

4.25⭐️ Thank you so much Berkeley Romance for the e-ARC!
This was such a great read! This book has great mental health representation in the form of our main character struggling with OCD, and the representation was done so well and beautifully. The author did such a great job of describing what it’s like to live with OCD and how it’s not just about cleanliness.
The family dynamic of her having a big family and them celebrating her brother’s wedding together was so fun!
This author’s writing actually reminded me a lot of Carley Fortune’s for some reason, so if you like her, maybe read this one!
All in all, this was a great read and I recommend!

My first by author Emma Noyes but certainly not my last. I love how authentically she depicts the struggles of Eliot, a young woman who suffers from OCD, and shows how the illness impacts every aspect of her life. Brava!