HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT is the story of a young woman, Eliot Beck, who has struggled with OCD most of her life. Her illness manifests as uncontrollable thoughts or as she calls them "worries" in her head. Convinced she's a bad person, she isolates herself from her family and her best friend Manny for over three years. When she has to return to the family's island for her brother's wedding, she struggles to come to terms with her illness and guilt as she confronts her loved ones while continuing to hide her illness.

Author Emma Noyes has intimate knowledge of OCD, and it shows in the beautiful, heartbreaking story she's written to bring awareness to this disease. HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT is a story of heartbreak, guilt, shame, forgiveness and ultimately . . . hoped and trust. Highly recommended to fans of light romance with a concentration on characters struggling with mental health.

Emma Noyes does it again with another spectacular book about hidden mental health issues. This book follows Eliot Beck, a youngest child, a copywriter, and a woman with an OCD diagnosis. After leaving her family and friend behind and moving to New York for three years, Eliot is forced to return to her family's favorite vacation spot for her older brother's wedding. Told in Past and Present POVs, the reader learns about Eliot's tenuous family dynamics, her struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and her connection with Manuel, a boy who used to be her best friend (and even something more.)
Noyes delves head-first into what one person's struggle with OCD looks like, creating immense empathy and understanding in her readers. I feel like I learned so much about OCD from this story. Eliot was such a developed and likeable character, but being inside her brain was pure torture, something I think Noyes did on purpose to demonstrate how debilitating this illness is. So, this part of the book was done masterfully.
At times, I thought the family interactions were either too intense or too lacking, and there were a lot of loose strings with the storylines of Eliot's brothers and sister. Also, I liked Manuel as a friend for Eliot, but he spent the majority of the Present chapters in the book being mad at Eliot, so it was hard to sense a romantic connection between the two of them. I definitely would not describe this book as a romance, but rather as a book about mental health with a romance subplot. (Please use care when reading this book!)
This was a touching and informative read. Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley, for this digital ARC!

I don't even know what to say about this book!!! I ugly-cried. Like a lot of people, I used to always picture an aversion to germs and obsessive organization when thinking or talking about OCD; I'm even guilty of saying "I'm so OCD when it comes to my bookshelf" or something similar. It's only in the last few years that I really tried to break the habit of using the term OCD in that way, and it was only recently that I learned about the type of OCD Eliot has in this book. Emma Noyes writes about the reality of intrusive thoughts with such honesty and doesn't shy away from what it looks like to live with them, and I think everyone should read this book, The relationship between Eliot and her family was very compelling to read, but it's the story of Eliot and Manuel that had me finishing it in one day. I sincerely hope anyone struggling with OCD has someone like Manuel to tell them that their brain is beautiful!!!

Many thanks to @berkleypub @berkleyromance and @netgalley for my #gifted (free) copy. Pub date 9/10/24.

Last year, I read Emma's previous novel, Guy's Girl, and loved it so much, so I was beyond excited to get approved for this book early. Emma knows first hand what it's like to have OCD (in your head OCD, not like Monk's type), and it shows through the pages. Her writing is amazing. The way she adds humor, sadness, and mental health into her books makes me really feel for and love all the characters. Emma has become a favorite author of mine and is definitely an auto buy for me. I am so excited to see what she writes next.

Eliot is from a large wealthy family, and she has not seen her family in three years. Her older brothers wedding reunites them all at her family's vacation house/island for a long weekend. When Eliot shows up, she is shocked to see her old childhood friend Manuel there, who she has also avoided for three years. Eliot has some issues she is trying to work through, and this weekend may make or break her.

The rawness in this book blows me away. There’s a bit of everyone in the novel. Again, Emma wows me with her deep dive into the human experience.

"How to Hide in Plain Sight" while heavy, shines a light on the battle of OCD, gifting readers a more educated look at what life looks like to those with the disorder. Eliot, our main lead in the book, has been focused on overcoming OCD, thinking she's done just that. But when going home to celebrate her brother's upcoming wedding, Eliot leans into her recovery and it's the most beautiful experience.

As someone who has struggled with being the "perfect" sibling/daughter, I saw myself in Eliot in ways I didn't expect. I think that's what I love most about Noyes' writing, she writes with a realness that is incredibly relatable.

Favorite quotes:
"Your darkness is my favorite part of you."
"Your brain is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."
"Memory of pain is often worse than the pain itself. It drives us. What we do or don't do, embrace or fear, repeat or avoid at all costs -- all of that is dictated by our memory of pain."

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for the digital eARC of this beautiful book.

Eliot comes from a large, dysfunctional, blended family. She’s the youngest of 6. As a young child, Eliot was diagnosed with OCD.. but not like you think. Eliot is in constant war of the thoughts in her mind, and eventually these thoughts lead to her becoming estranged from her family and best friend, Manuel. But her brother Taz is to be married on her family’s private island, and Eliot returns for the wedding. Eliot’s OCD had been controlled by the structure and routine of her corporate job in NYC, but without it, her mind is left to run wild.

This was incredible. Heavy, but remarkable. I loved the mental health representation. I would recommend this to anyone.

Thank you @berkleypub for this @netgalley ARC of How to Hide in Plain Sight!

(US Pub Date: Sept 10th 2024)

OOF.

Mental health rep in media is so important. The unsettling, messy, scary mental health rep: even more so.

The absolute war that Eliot fights inside her own head daily is exhausting, and her determination and desperation to do it solo is both admirable and heartbreaking - because of course she thinks she has to, but of course she doesn’t have to.

And Manny, seeing her for who she is and also for who she thinks she is and saying not “I love you in spite of” but “I love you, and”.

This was tragic and beautiful and raw, and the underlying hum of Eliot’s mind tugged us along for the ride.

When Eliot arrives to her childhood vacation home for her older brother’s wedding, it’s behind a barrier of apprehension and resistance.

In the three years since she’s seen her family or her best friend, Manuel, Eliot has made a life for herself in NYC - one that has mostly kept the OCD that looms over her at arms length - but to do so she had to become someone else. Someone who was not the youngest child of a wild and complex family. Someone who did not lose her closest sibling as a child. Someone who did not have a best friend she was falling for.

But when that very same best friend is waiting for her, still deeply interwoven into her family despite her absence and determined to continue loving her despite his obvious hurt at her disappearance, Eliot fears that she has far less control over the chaos in her mind than she has convinced everyone she has.

With less than a week before she’s safely back in New York, desperation keeping her loved ones away from her, Eliot is ready to hunker down and flee at the first opportunity. But while her dysfunctional (and loving) family is able to believe her assertions that she’s doing just fine, Manuel sees right through her as he always has. And Eliot has to decide whether a safe but hollow life is truly better than one where she lets those who love her see the pieces she has worked so hard to contain.

This book is way more than just a book - it is a love letter to anyone with OCD from Emma Noyes. See, Emma Noyes has OCD, but not the normal hands washing all the time, checking locks kind of OCD. She has an OCD in her head that makes her think odd, crazy, sometimes awful, thoughts - and those thoughts do not stop. They do not stop. And so, she wrote a book, using Eliot as an amazing young woman who has gone through quite a bit in her short life including the death of a brother, but the worse thing for Eliot is that she has these "Worries." These things that just pop into her head and make her feel like she is an awful person.

I do not have OCD but my heart goes out to not only everyone with OCD, but every sister, mother, spouse, and partner with OCD. This book was quite an eye-opener for me and I enjoyed every moment reading it.

Thank you Berkley & Netgalley and Emma Noyes for this ARC

A book that resonated with me on so many levels. The story’s exploration of family dynamics and the complexities of love is both tender and profound. Eliot Beck’s character, with her struggles and triumphs, felt incredibly real to me, as if her journey was a mirror to my own experiences with vulnerability and strength.

The reunion with her family and the rekindling of a childhood friendship turned romance with Manuel was beautifully written. It reminded me of the importance of confronting our past and the healing that comes with it. Noyes’ portrayal of Eliot’s battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder was handled with such care and authenticity, it brought a deeper understanding and empathy for those who live with mental health challenges.

This book is more than just a romance; it’s a story about breaking down the walls we build around ourselves and finding the courage to let others in. I couldn’t help but root for Eliot and Manuel, their love story felt like finding the missing piece of a puzzle. If you’re looking for a book that’s as heartwarming as it is insightful, I highly recommend "How to Hide in Plain Sight".

It’s a brilliant and tender story that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.

Thank you Berkley & Netgalley for this ARC!

I am so grateful that I had the privilege of reading this book. As someone with OCD, the representation in this book nearly brought me to tears on multiple occasions. This book handles the topic of mental illnesses with such kindness and care while also not being afraid to dive into the scarier, more taboo sides of it.

Eliot is such a wonderful protagonist and I was fully invested in her thought processes and story the entire time I was reading. I saw parts of myself in her that I’ve never seen in any other character before and it was such an affirming experience.

I also really loved the dynamic between Eliot and Manuel, their relationship was very sweet and exactly what I want in a childhood friends to lovers romance.

This feels like one of those books that came to me right when I needed it and I’m so glad that was the case. I think anyone who has the chance should read this book cover to cover. You won’t regret it.

Definitely another one to add to the favorites pile.

I discovered Emma Noyes last year with her previous book, Guy’s Girl, which I LOVED. So as soon as I saw her latest book I knew I had to read it immediately. Luckily Berkely didn’t let me down. How To Hide In Plain Sight is another masterpiece by Emma. I loved the family dynamics between the siblings in the book, as well as their parents. The setting of the story was also amazing and very descriptive, which I enjoyed. This book managed to pull on so many different elements: love, loss, mental health, family and more. I absolutely loved this book and would recommend it to everyone in a heartbeat. It held my interest and I breezed through it once I started. All the stars!!

Thank you so much to Berkeley and to NetGalley for the ARC.

How to Hide in Plain Sight is an intriguing look at how OCD can affect not only one's own mind and personal relationships, but a family's dynamic, as well. Throughout the book you get a glimpse of life and its challenges for Eliot through flashbacks growing up and in the present as she deals with a 3 year absence from her family and best friend, Manuel. I found this book entertaining, heartbreaking, profound, and bittersweet. And I loved it. 5 Stars!

An absolutely stunning read. The story kept me captivated the entire time, and I very much appreciated the timeline split. The author does an incredible job of depicting OCD. This novel was simultaneously heart wrenching, disturbing, and poignant. I was blown away by the writing style. I cannot recommend this enough and am so excited for it to release so I can make my friends read it.

The writing is lovely, the characters are interesting, the setup is interesting, but I found myself unable to focus and gave up at the 16% mark. I think readers looking for a slow-paced introspective will be pleased. I don't see it doing as well in our libraries, but I could definitely see this working for book clubs, etc. For the right readers, this is an easy 5 stars. I'd guess a solid 3-4 stars for the target demographic.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

How To Hide in Plain Sight was....interesting. Eventually it felt like a big pity party and I got tired of it. Being someone who deals with OCD thoughts, I understood her trauma but really just wanted her to buck up and live a happy life! I thought it was well written and definitely thought provoking.

I'm not sure I can describe how much I loved this book. I wish it didn't have to end and I want to read it again for the first time! I would definitely recommend this to my patrons at the library.

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley & Emma Noyes for a digital galley of How to Hide in Plain Sight in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved & devoured Guy's Girl & am thrilled to have had to the opportunity to read & review How to Hide in Plain Sight so far ahead of publication. It was just as good, if not better. I cannot wait to share my review on IG closer to publication!

This is a beautiful romance centering around Eliot Beck who suffers from OCD. She travels back home to Canada for her brother's wedding. She hasn't seen her family in three years & needs to keep her reasoning for not coming home to visit a secret to protect her mental health. Then she runs into her best friend Manuel, who was also the guy she was/is madly in love with. But allowing herself to have a good time with her family and explore a romance with Manuel are terrifying for her because she's closed herself off to protect herself due to her mental health issues & opening herself up to family & love could cause her protective barriers to come crashing down.

First, I love the new trend by many others to normalize mental health. People were considered "crazy" for so long because they had mental issues & that's just not the case. Kudos to Noyes for continuing to help normalize mental health issues & how important it is to seek help. Further, Noyes does such a fantastic job in describing OCD and showing how it can be different for each person who has it. Just because a person has the same mental illness as another, doesn't mean that it shows up the same for both people.

This book was heavy, raw, real, necessary, relevant, beautiful & so heartwarming. Following Eliot's OCD journey from where it began to where she ends up at the end of this story is a journey that I feel honored to have been on through Noyes' outstanding writing.

I already know that this will be in at least my Top 10 books for 2024.

Full 5-Stars!

This is a interesting book especially if you are the youngest child of a large family. There is much family interaction in the story, but was not the kind of book that I enjoy the most. Mini Family secrets Were gradually revealed which led to mystery and intrigue

‘How to Hide in Plain Sight’ is a poignant romance that will uplift your heart and dig deep onto the soul. Its a story of self growth, learning to fight for your happiness and embracing love when it comes your way. An artistry gem of a romance that strikes deep!

I absolutely loved Guys Girl so I knew I would adore this one equally as well and I do!
I loved Eliot and her family and of course swoons Manuel who she has been in love with forever.
I loved that it covered topics such as dysfunctional family, OCD, and childhood love that crosses many years.
it was written absolutely gorgeously as I felt I was right there with the characters. Readers will love getting to know Eliot and Manuel and will be rooting them In throughout reading the whole story to see if they get their happy ending or not! I know I did. I’m so looking forward to more upcoming books from Emma Noyes.