A review by clairetrellahill
The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn

emotional hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

First of all, dayum.

Second of all, DAAAYYYYUUUMMMM. This book is worth TEN stars!! The THEMES!!! THE NARRATIVES!!!! After her sister contacts a podcast behind her back with info about a renowned con man who disappeared with their mother ten years ago, Jess sets off on a reluctant road-trip with the host, her sister, and Adam, a journalist, a man who in another era would be a chevalier who would do anything for the woman he loves, and in this era it’s Jess.

So much of the fantasy of romance novels is being SEEN. Being indelibly known by the other person and love because of—or even in spite of—that knowing. Clayborn takes this a step further with her explorations of how people we love can disappear and how we can disappear when we are in love. And how the best person to love us is the person who will never let us disappear for them. This book is so deft and packs such a punch as the siblings search for their mother’s trail—one desperate to find her with the hope and hurt or youth and the other entirely closed off from the possibility because of her pain from being left. I LOVED Jess. If she’s not an enneagram 9 I’ll eat my socks. There’s something so powerful about seeing a character both hold all their emotions tight to them and then realize they don’t have to—but then not know what to do with what you’ve been holding back for so long.

Both the emotional arcs AND the con man arcs were so interesting and so well done. I so enjoyed this book. Again. I would give it ten stars if I could. I don’t think anyone is doing emotional contemporary romance like Kate Clayborn. It’s truly a work of art. Ten stars.

Heat level: 2.5 (2-3 on page scenes)

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC.