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How to Hide in Plain Sight
The unbreakable bonds of family and love are explored in this brilliant and tender story from the author of Guy's Girl.
On the day she arrives in Canada for her older brother's wedding, Eliot Beck hasn't seen her family in three years. Eliot adores her big, wacky, dysfunctional collection of siblings and in-laws, but there's a reason she fled to Manhattan and buried herself in her work—and she’s not ready to share it with anyone. Not when speaking it aloud could send her back into the never-ending cycle of the obsessive-compulsive disorder that consumed her for years.
Eliot thinks she's prepared to survive the four-day-long wedding extravaganza—until she sees her best friend, Manuel, waiting for her at the marina and looking as handsome as ever. He was the person who, when they met as children, felt like finding the missing half of her soul. The person she tried so hard not to fall in love with… but did anyway.
Manuel's presence at the wedding threatens to undo the walls Eliot has built around herself. The fortress that keeps her okay. If she isn't careful, by the end of this wedding, the whole castle might come crumbling down.
On the day she arrives in Canada for her older brother's wedding, Eliot Beck hasn't seen her family in three years. Eliot adores her big, wacky, dysfunctional collection of siblings and in-laws, but there's a reason she fled to Manhattan and buried herself in her work—and she’s not ready to share it with anyone. Not when speaking it aloud could send her back into the never-ending cycle of the obsessive-compulsive disorder that consumed her for years.
Eliot thinks she's prepared to survive the four-day-long wedding extravaganza—until she sees her best friend, Manuel, waiting for her at the marina and looking as handsome as ever. He was the person who, when they met as children, felt like finding the missing half of her soul. The person she tried so hard not to fall in love with… but did anyway.
Manuel's presence at the wedding threatens to undo the walls Eliot has built around herself. The fortress that keeps her okay. If she isn't careful, by the end of this wedding, the whole castle might come crumbling down.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 10, 2024
538 people are currently reading
37136 people want to read
About the author
Emma Noyes
4 books602 followersEmma Noyes is the author of HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT, GUY'S GIRL, and the Sunken City trilogy. The first book in her next YA romantasy series, SOUL OF SHADOW, comes out July 2025. She lives in Chicago with her Swedish husband and their accident-prone Pomeranian.
Author also writes under Emma V.R. Noyes
Author also writes under Emma V.R. Noyes
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,216 reviews
November 13, 2024
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: a long-lasting disorder in which a person experiences uncontrollable and recurring thoughts (obsessions), engages in repetitive behaviors (compulsions), or both.
Synopsis:
Eliot Beck has been working in NYC and avoiding her family for three years. She’s also been avoiding Manuel, her best friend since childhood. Now her brother Taz is getting married and her dysfunctional blended family is returning to their vacation home on Cradle Island for the nuptials - an event she can’t avoid.
The problem is - something snapped inside of her after her brother Henry died in an accident when they were both ten and the ‘Worries’ began. Despite an OCD diagnosis and therapy, the unwanted inappropriate thoughts have persisted and it’s been easier to hide from those she loves than risk the shame of them finding out she’s the bad person her thoughts tell her she is.
Without Henry, she’s lost the one person who could make her feel less alone as the youngest of her four much older remaining siblings. That’s why Manuel’s friendship was such a lifeline for her. He knew about her OCD and stayed. Now he’s also back on Cradle Island with Eliot’s family, who became just as much his as hers over the years.
Manuel’s feelings for Eliot haven’t changed, but will she risk letting him or her family see that she’s still struggling?
Thoughts on the Book:
My first thought after reading this is - everyone needs a Manuel in their corner! He has the patience of a saint, as Eliot’s issues threw up roadblocks whenever possible. Seeing his care and concern for her melted my heart, as he gave her a safe place to be a messy human, and don’t we all need that sometimes? I enjoyed watching the evolution of her family dynamics too, as they all wrestle with their demons.
Based on author Emma Noyes’ own experience with OCD, this is illuminating, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful. It isn’t your standard feel-good romance. It’s loaded with heavier topics including family dysfunction, addiction, accidental death, trauma, and mental health issues. Having said that, it never felt weighed down or depressing.
Eliot’s character is challenging, and your experience of the book will largely depend on how sympathetic you are towards her, especially since it’s entirely narrated from her POV. I had a personal connection to her struggles that allowed me that empathy, but I could see where some readers might be put off by the extremely self-focused behavior and decisions caused by her OCD.
If you like non-traditional romance with messy family dynamics and a satisfying journey towards healing for all involved, this is a worthy read, and the audio narrated by Emily Pike Stewart was a nice addition!
★★★★
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Emma Noyes for this digital ARC to honestly review and to my library/Libby for the audio. It’s out now.
Synopsis:
Eliot Beck has been working in NYC and avoiding her family for three years. She’s also been avoiding Manuel, her best friend since childhood. Now her brother Taz is getting married and her dysfunctional blended family is returning to their vacation home on Cradle Island for the nuptials - an event she can’t avoid.
The problem is - something snapped inside of her after her brother Henry died in an accident when they were both ten and the ‘Worries’ began. Despite an OCD diagnosis and therapy, the unwanted inappropriate thoughts have persisted and it’s been easier to hide from those she loves than risk the shame of them finding out she’s the bad person her thoughts tell her she is.
Without Henry, she’s lost the one person who could make her feel less alone as the youngest of her four much older remaining siblings. That’s why Manuel’s friendship was such a lifeline for her. He knew about her OCD and stayed. Now he’s also back on Cradle Island with Eliot’s family, who became just as much his as hers over the years.
Manuel’s feelings for Eliot haven’t changed, but will she risk letting him or her family see that she’s still struggling?
Thoughts on the Book:
My first thought after reading this is - everyone needs a Manuel in their corner! He has the patience of a saint, as Eliot’s issues threw up roadblocks whenever possible. Seeing his care and concern for her melted my heart, as he gave her a safe place to be a messy human, and don’t we all need that sometimes? I enjoyed watching the evolution of her family dynamics too, as they all wrestle with their demons.
Based on author Emma Noyes’ own experience with OCD, this is illuminating, heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful. It isn’t your standard feel-good romance. It’s loaded with heavier topics including family dysfunction, addiction, accidental death, trauma, and mental health issues. Having said that, it never felt weighed down or depressing.
Eliot’s character is challenging, and your experience of the book will largely depend on how sympathetic you are towards her, especially since it’s entirely narrated from her POV. I had a personal connection to her struggles that allowed me that empathy, but I could see where some readers might be put off by the extremely self-focused behavior and decisions caused by her OCD.
If you like non-traditional romance with messy family dynamics and a satisfying journey towards healing for all involved, this is a worthy read, and the audio narrated by Emily Pike Stewart was a nice addition!
★★★★
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Emma Noyes for this digital ARC to honestly review and to my library/Libby for the audio. It’s out now.
October 21, 2024
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.
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.
September 22, 2024
**Many thanks to Berkley and Emma Noyes for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley!**
Eliot Beck has been trapped in a constant battle...but you wouldn't know it by looking at her. Plagued by her worries for so many years, her OCD has kept her trapped in the confines of her own mind, held hostage by a constant barrage of anxious thoughts. Moving to New York City was her escape, and she gives her all to her copy writing job day in and day out, but it's hard to ignore the pangs of guilt and longing she feels for family and for friends from the past that she pushed away to keep herself feeling safe...especially in the wake of losing her brother, Henry, at an early age.
So when her older brother invites her and the whole wacky, family to his wedding in Canada, it's the reunion they all have been waiting for...but Eliot still feels a pit in her stomach that threatens to swallow her whole. After all, when she emerges from the safety of her metropolitan cocoon, she's also opening herself up to endless questions from her family and prying about all that has happened since she saw them last. Nothing could have prepared her, however, for the rush of emotion that follows when she arrives to see the one person who always really 'got' her standing there - her longtime best friend, Manuel, who she fell deeply in love with way back when. As much as Eliot wants to focus on the four days of wedding planning "fun" ahead, her emotions take hold and she can't help but want to let Manuel back in.
But when the worries take a more aggressive hold on her, Eliot starts to panic. Is Manuel able to TRULY be there for her now, after all the hurt she caused him by running away with no explanation? Will she be able to withstand the judgment, the questions, and cope with the struggles of her other family members? Or will the voices that tell her everything she does is wrong tell her once again to retreat, hide, and face her most terrible enemy - her mind - alone?
It's hard to imagine that Emma Noyes could have ANOTHER book tackling mental illness and disorders in such a frank and vulnerable way after last year's effort, Guy's Girl, up her sleeve...but here it is. Once again borne from personal experience, rather than a first hand account of living with an eating disorder, How to Hide in Plain Sight deals very specifically and very openly with another disorder - OCD. Noyes once again has lived with the disorder, and has become the norm, she writes from this very specific place of personal investment and extreme vulnerability to shed a light on a disorder that so many are familiar with to an extent, but also to debunk the severe misconceptions that go along with this general knowledge.
But while I once again applaud Noyes' bravery, honesty, and fearless writing in this effort, her heroine this time was a bit inaccessible amidst a sea of characters, a lackluster plot, and a book that clung to one or two points for dear life...and just would NOT let them go.
As much as I wanted to love Eliot Beck (aside from the distraction of her name, which had me CONSTANTLY thinking of Beck from the "YOU" series...not exactly what I wanted to be thinking about while reading this one! 😬), unlike the MC of Guy's Girl who pulled me in right away, I had such a hard time connecting to her thought patterns and just her general struggles that I didn't feel like I had stepped into anyone else's shoes. The obvious comparison to John Green's Turtles All the Way Down kept coming to mind, since the book deals with another female protagonist and the SAME disorder...and I hate to say it this way because I think Noyes is a truly talented author, but Green just did it better. Eliot's fixation revolves for SO much of the book around her 'sexual attraction' to people she 'shouldn't' be attracted to (for one reason or another) and while this might be an incredibly accurate representation of OCD, it grew tiresome to read. As much as we spend the book in Eliot's head, I still didn't feel like I KNEW her the way I truly wanted to know her by the end of the book...and it was disappointing to feel that way.
There is another barrier to entry in terms of getting to KNOW Eliot fully...and this is the plethora of characters that exist in this one. As much as most of them are 'necessary' in the sense that they are family members, we don't really get to know any of THEM fully, either. With so many to attend to and describe throughout, it was hard to not chalk up many of them to 'basic' characterizations and traits rather than experiencing them as fully fleshed out, complex characters. I think there was all sorts of potential here, but in this instance, despite the heftier page count, we just didn't get to go on a deep dive with any of these people...even Eliot's best friend, Manuel. As much as he was a supportive and incredible friend, most of what we learn about him is all through the lens of Eliot and much of it revolves around flashbacks and remembering the past. Although it may have seemed like this wouldn't work, I think some contrast via direct narration from Manuel would have helped to not only alleviate the constant, heavy thoughts of Eliot, but to have helped develop this character to 'match' the energy and intensity of our MC.
It was also hard to go on such a long and painful journey with Eliot and not get the sort of resolution I was expecting. Sure, there's an ending - the wedding happens and life continues - but I just wanted to have a clearer picture of what life was going to look like for Eliot afterwards. There isn't always room for an epilogue, but to go through this much strife, with intense conversations with family and Manuel, and to work through SO much trauma and yet feel 'stuck' in the same place was hard to reconcile as a reader. I understand this approach to an extent, because some of these battles can be life long and don't necessarily lend themselves to a happy ending, but whether the end result was going to be good or bad, I just wanted to know MORE to at least give these characters an ending in my mind, if not on the page.
But in the case that maybe it WAS just me, perhaps the answers to all of my lingering questions were simply hiding...in plain sight.
3.5 stars
Eliot Beck has been trapped in a constant battle...but you wouldn't know it by looking at her. Plagued by her worries for so many years, her OCD has kept her trapped in the confines of her own mind, held hostage by a constant barrage of anxious thoughts. Moving to New York City was her escape, and she gives her all to her copy writing job day in and day out, but it's hard to ignore the pangs of guilt and longing she feels for family and for friends from the past that she pushed away to keep herself feeling safe...especially in the wake of losing her brother, Henry, at an early age.
So when her older brother invites her and the whole wacky, family to his wedding in Canada, it's the reunion they all have been waiting for...but Eliot still feels a pit in her stomach that threatens to swallow her whole. After all, when she emerges from the safety of her metropolitan cocoon, she's also opening herself up to endless questions from her family and prying about all that has happened since she saw them last. Nothing could have prepared her, however, for the rush of emotion that follows when she arrives to see the one person who always really 'got' her standing there - her longtime best friend, Manuel, who she fell deeply in love with way back when. As much as Eliot wants to focus on the four days of wedding planning "fun" ahead, her emotions take hold and she can't help but want to let Manuel back in.
But when the worries take a more aggressive hold on her, Eliot starts to panic. Is Manuel able to TRULY be there for her now, after all the hurt she caused him by running away with no explanation? Will she be able to withstand the judgment, the questions, and cope with the struggles of her other family members? Or will the voices that tell her everything she does is wrong tell her once again to retreat, hide, and face her most terrible enemy - her mind - alone?
It's hard to imagine that Emma Noyes could have ANOTHER book tackling mental illness and disorders in such a frank and vulnerable way after last year's effort, Guy's Girl, up her sleeve...but here it is. Once again borne from personal experience, rather than a first hand account of living with an eating disorder, How to Hide in Plain Sight deals very specifically and very openly with another disorder - OCD. Noyes once again has lived with the disorder, and has become the norm, she writes from this very specific place of personal investment and extreme vulnerability to shed a light on a disorder that so many are familiar with to an extent, but also to debunk the severe misconceptions that go along with this general knowledge.
But while I once again applaud Noyes' bravery, honesty, and fearless writing in this effort, her heroine this time was a bit inaccessible amidst a sea of characters, a lackluster plot, and a book that clung to one or two points for dear life...and just would NOT let them go.
As much as I wanted to love Eliot Beck (aside from the distraction of her name, which had me CONSTANTLY thinking of Beck from the "YOU" series...not exactly what I wanted to be thinking about while reading this one! 😬), unlike the MC of Guy's Girl who pulled me in right away, I had such a hard time connecting to her thought patterns and just her general struggles that I didn't feel like I had stepped into anyone else's shoes. The obvious comparison to John Green's Turtles All the Way Down kept coming to mind, since the book deals with another female protagonist and the SAME disorder...and I hate to say it this way because I think Noyes is a truly talented author, but Green just did it better. Eliot's fixation revolves for SO much of the book around her 'sexual attraction' to people she 'shouldn't' be attracted to (for one reason or another) and while this might be an incredibly accurate representation of OCD, it grew tiresome to read. As much as we spend the book in Eliot's head, I still didn't feel like I KNEW her the way I truly wanted to know her by the end of the book...and it was disappointing to feel that way.
There is another barrier to entry in terms of getting to KNOW Eliot fully...and this is the plethora of characters that exist in this one. As much as most of them are 'necessary' in the sense that they are family members, we don't really get to know any of THEM fully, either. With so many to attend to and describe throughout, it was hard to not chalk up many of them to 'basic' characterizations and traits rather than experiencing them as fully fleshed out, complex characters. I think there was all sorts of potential here, but in this instance, despite the heftier page count, we just didn't get to go on a deep dive with any of these people...even Eliot's best friend, Manuel. As much as he was a supportive and incredible friend, most of what we learn about him is all through the lens of Eliot and much of it revolves around flashbacks and remembering the past. Although it may have seemed like this wouldn't work, I think some contrast via direct narration from Manuel would have helped to not only alleviate the constant, heavy thoughts of Eliot, but to have helped develop this character to 'match' the energy and intensity of our MC.
It was also hard to go on such a long and painful journey with Eliot and not get the sort of resolution I was expecting. Sure, there's an ending - the wedding happens and life continues - but I just wanted to have a clearer picture of what life was going to look like for Eliot afterwards. There isn't always room for an epilogue, but to go through this much strife, with intense conversations with family and Manuel, and to work through SO much trauma and yet feel 'stuck' in the same place was hard to reconcile as a reader. I understand this approach to an extent, because some of these battles can be life long and don't necessarily lend themselves to a happy ending, but whether the end result was going to be good or bad, I just wanted to know MORE to at least give these characters an ending in my mind, if not on the page.
But in the case that maybe it WAS just me, perhaps the answers to all of my lingering questions were simply hiding...in plain sight.
3.5 stars
June 21, 2024
When I received my monthly Berkley offering and saw this story about a big family reuniting for a wedding my instant reaction was . . .
I am always down for some "maybe you can go home again" family drama which is totally what I was expecting to receive here. What I got instead was a pretty comprehensive explanation of OCD that presents itself in the form of intrusive thoughts, along with the story of the Beck family who were always fairly dysfunctional, but who truly haven’t been the same in over a decade when Henry died. Told through the voice of youngest daughter Eliot, this is a story of first love, of family, of grieving, and of The Worries that plague her mind.
I don’t know that this will be for everyone. I understand “Boose’s” brain could be triggering for some and potentially exhausting for others. But I hope people give it a chance.
4 Stars
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I am always down for some "maybe you can go home again" family drama which is totally what I was expecting to receive here. What I got instead was a pretty comprehensive explanation of OCD that presents itself in the form of intrusive thoughts, along with the story of the Beck family who were always fairly dysfunctional, but who truly haven’t been the same in over a decade when Henry died. Told through the voice of youngest daughter Eliot, this is a story of first love, of family, of grieving, and of The Worries that plague her mind.
I don’t know that this will be for everyone. I understand “Boose’s” brain could be triggering for some and potentially exhausting for others. But I hope people give it a chance.
4 Stars
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
September 13, 2024
This was a very interesting book that is a very bracing view on mental illness and the impact it can have on someone. I’m not sure I would agree that this book is a romance, yes there is some romance but it’s more a bump in the road than the plot of the story. Eliot hasn’t been home since she left at 18 to move to New York on her own. She has barely talked to her family and she completely cut off her best friend. Eliot has OCD, but it isn’t the type of OCD that is all over the media she gets these thoughts or worries as she calls them that she cannot make go away no matter how many facts disprove them. She’s never shared the full extent of her struggling with anyone and coming home to her entire family for her brother’s wedding makes it hard to continue to hide her struggles. This book was raw and open and honest and it was even more powerful after reading the author’s note in the beginning about their struggles.
April 14, 2024
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.
This story was incredibly sweet, heartwarming, real, and beautiful from start to finish. I saw my family in Eliot’s family. I’ve had many of the same conversations. At times it was like looking in a mirror.
I’m so thankful books like this exist. And they need to be read.
Special thanks to Emma for sending me an ARC. It was truly a gift and a dream come true. Happy reading!
This story was incredibly sweet, heartwarming, real, and beautiful from start to finish. I saw my family in Eliot’s family. I’ve had many of the same conversations. At times it was like looking in a mirror.
I’m so thankful books like this exist. And they need to be read.
Special thanks to Emma for sending me an ARC. It was truly a gift and a dream come true. Happy reading!
August 4, 2024
3.5 STARS!!
This book did take me by surprise and I have to admit I’m glad I am a strong-minded person because this book tended to be a lot. It’s a lot of mental power to absorb and understand the complexities someone goes through who has OCD.
I have to say I certainly learned a lot and what I love the most is her best friend, Manny, and the honest, true love and support He always gave her. Sadly, she never really understood.
The story has so many complexities to it and I’m not going to try to explain any of it because you truly need to experience the story to understand it completely.
The author crafts the story with a lot of intricacy and detail that is positive and uplifting, but also very heavy at times. It’s almost exhausting to read what’s going through the main character’s mind.
But what I loved the most is her relationship with her best friend and what she had to do to work through that.
What I really missed the most in this book was the ending. We are taken on this journey of growth, healing, complex relationships, and mental warfare. Then the ending is super abrupt and we really don’t get much of a closure. We don’t get that final happiness that the two main characters deserve after they go through it all.
This book truly needs an epilogue and I wish we would’ve gotten that for a better closure for our own part as well as the characters. We need to feel her joy too.
This is a tough one to rate. Tough subject matter but definitely a unique story that is well told and well written. How to Hide in Plain Sight is one to remember!
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/how-to-hide-...
This book did take me by surprise and I have to admit I’m glad I am a strong-minded person because this book tended to be a lot. It’s a lot of mental power to absorb and understand the complexities someone goes through who has OCD.
I have to say I certainly learned a lot and what I love the most is her best friend, Manny, and the honest, true love and support He always gave her. Sadly, she never really understood.
The story has so many complexities to it and I’m not going to try to explain any of it because you truly need to experience the story to understand it completely.
The author crafts the story with a lot of intricacy and detail that is positive and uplifting, but also very heavy at times. It’s almost exhausting to read what’s going through the main character’s mind.
But what I loved the most is her relationship with her best friend and what she had to do to work through that.
What I really missed the most in this book was the ending. We are taken on this journey of growth, healing, complex relationships, and mental warfare. Then the ending is super abrupt and we really don’t get much of a closure. We don’t get that final happiness that the two main characters deserve after they go through it all.
This book truly needs an epilogue and I wish we would’ve gotten that for a better closure for our own part as well as the characters. We need to feel her joy too.
This is a tough one to rate. Tough subject matter but definitely a unique story that is well told and well written. How to Hide in Plain Sight is one to remember!
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/how-to-hide-...
September 15, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
I rounded down for GR because I’m not sure how willingly I’d recommend this one.
My review for this one is pretty middle of the road. While I do think the mental health aspect was as honest and vulnerable as it could be (author has OCD so you know it’s an accurate representation), however I do think she lost us a long the way trying to balance the main story of the wedding, her dysfunctional family, and balancing the dual timelines and romance aspect.
That was one sentence haha
This book is heavy. You are deep in Elliot’s OCD brain which is exhausting. When I face stories with the primary story being mental health issues, I love to see growth and progress. Unfortunately, Elliot is very much in the struggle and hiding stage and that was challenging for me. Not sure what would have given this book more stars for me, but I think we needed more hope at the end than what the author provided. It had glimpses of hope, but the ending wrapped up in the last few pages of the book. It was a bit unsatisfying after ending the book for 99% of heavy painful subject matter.
BUT- that may have been the authors point?? So who knows. Might look into an interview with the author to understand.
I rounded down for GR because I’m not sure how willingly I’d recommend this one.
My review for this one is pretty middle of the road. While I do think the mental health aspect was as honest and vulnerable as it could be (author has OCD so you know it’s an accurate representation), however I do think she lost us a long the way trying to balance the main story of the wedding, her dysfunctional family, and balancing the dual timelines and romance aspect.
That was one sentence haha
This book is heavy. You are deep in Elliot’s OCD brain which is exhausting. When I face stories with the primary story being mental health issues, I love to see growth and progress. Unfortunately, Elliot is very much in the struggle and hiding stage and that was challenging for me. Not sure what would have given this book more stars for me, but I think we needed more hope at the end than what the author provided. It had glimpses of hope, but the ending wrapped up in the last few pages of the book. It was a bit unsatisfying after ending the book for 99% of heavy painful subject matter.
BUT- that may have been the authors point?? So who knows. Might look into an interview with the author to understand.
Want to read
April 30, 2024I really liked this author's first book, so I'm hoping I'm going to enjoy this one as well.
September 6, 2024
4.5 rounded up💫 another absolute win from Noyes for us neurodivergents!! 🥹
This is a heartbreakingly honest portrayal of OCD and how impossible it can be to live with a brain you cannot trust! It’s such a deeply personal book for Noyes + I just know this will make so many people feel seen for the first time❤️🩹 I know I’ve never read a book that was so open + honest about this topic!!
It’s also more than that though! It’s got childhood best friends to lovers, it’s about being part of a big family and feeling left behind, it’s about grief and dealing with capital W “Worries” floating around your head, and finding ways to cope and grow and heal, about finding your person.
I love loved the writing style and the audio narration did such a good job of portraying the emotions! It had a lot of flashbacks and characters to keep track of and I do wish we had a bit more at the end but overall highly recommend!! 🥹💞
This is a heartbreakingly honest portrayal of OCD and how impossible it can be to live with a brain you cannot trust! It’s such a deeply personal book for Noyes + I just know this will make so many people feel seen for the first time❤️🩹 I know I’ve never read a book that was so open + honest about this topic!!
It’s also more than that though! It’s got childhood best friends to lovers, it’s about being part of a big family and feeling left behind, it’s about grief and dealing with capital W “Worries” floating around your head, and finding ways to cope and grow and heal, about finding your person.
I love loved the writing style and the audio narration did such a good job of portraying the emotions! It had a lot of flashbacks and characters to keep track of and I do wish we had a bit more at the end but overall highly recommend!! 🥹💞
October 29, 2024
5, even 6, stars for the mental health / OCD representation
minus stars for lack of side character depth, lack of romance/chemistry, lack of well developed ending.
But the depiction of OCD in this book is honestly so, so good - heavy, but absolutely necessary and i’m so glad it was written. OCD is the main focus of this book, which I don’t think it’s marketed as such? Which is why I feel disappointed? Everything else in this story felt underdeveloped except the exceptional mental health representation. The narration kind of felt like it dragged on.. And the ending is so frustrating sobs I wanted to like this book so much more ARGGHHH BUT THE OCD REP IS REALLY GOOD TRUST ME !!!
minus stars for lack of side character depth, lack of romance/chemistry, lack of well developed ending.
But the depiction of OCD in this book is honestly so, so good - heavy, but absolutely necessary and i’m so glad it was written. OCD is the main focus of this book, which I don’t think it’s marketed as such? Which is why I feel disappointed? Everything else in this story felt underdeveloped except the exceptional mental health representation. The narration kind of felt like it dragged on.. And the ending is so frustrating sobs I wanted to like this book so much more ARGGHHH BUT THE OCD REP IS REALLY GOOD TRUST ME !!!
August 14, 2024
This was entirely not what I was expecting.
Eliot is back on her family’s private island for her brother’s wedding after basically running away after high school. She’s pretty much broken all ties to her family, which include those with her childhood best friend. She wants to keep her distance, but obviously that’s harder than she thought it would be.
This book is heavyyyyy. Eliot has OCD (written accurately and painfully), grief, depression, family illness, and challenging family dynamics. I applaud Emma’s writing because wow was this painful to read.
The dysfunctional family and OCD play the central role in this book. Eliot had a loooot of work to do to feel safe and in control of her life.
I recommend this if you want an angsty, painful read with the back drop of a childhood friends to lovers/second chance set up.
Thank you NetGalley and berkley romance for the arc!
Eliot is back on her family’s private island for her brother’s wedding after basically running away after high school. She’s pretty much broken all ties to her family, which include those with her childhood best friend. She wants to keep her distance, but obviously that’s harder than she thought it would be.
This book is heavyyyyy. Eliot has OCD (written accurately and painfully), grief, depression, family illness, and challenging family dynamics. I applaud Emma’s writing because wow was this painful to read.
The dysfunctional family and OCD play the central role in this book. Eliot had a loooot of work to do to feel safe and in control of her life.
I recommend this if you want an angsty, painful read with the back drop of a childhood friends to lovers/second chance set up.
Thank you NetGalley and berkley romance for the arc!
September 27, 2024
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. #PRHInternationalPartner
How to Hide in Plain Sight was a very honest and raw story about a character that has OCD though not the kind you most often hear about. The book was very well-written and it was very interesting to read and learn about the illness though it might not be for everyone so definitely check for trigger warnings before reading this book. I really liked the characters in this one and it was a very quick read that I really enjoyed. I’d definitely be interested in reading more books by Emma Noyes in the future.
How to Hide in Plain Sight was a very honest and raw story about a character that has OCD though not the kind you most often hear about. The book was very well-written and it was very interesting to read and learn about the illness though it might not be for everyone so definitely check for trigger warnings before reading this book. I really liked the characters in this one and it was a very quick read that I really enjoyed. I’d definitely be interested in reading more books by Emma Noyes in the future.
October 8, 2024
This was an incredibly informative and intimate look into the life of someone living with OCD. You’re placed right inside Eliot’s head, experiencing her intrusive thoughts from childhood through adulthood. And I won’t lie—it’s very intense and dark. But that intensity is exactly what kept me hooked from start to finish.
Eliot returns to Canada after three years to attend her brother’s wedding, and with that reunion comes a flood of emotions and memories. Her large family felt authentically messy—so real, so human. There’s also a theme of grief that had me absolutely sobbing through the final chapters.
Eliot’s relationship with Manuel, the childhood friend she also left behind, was so deeply romantic. Seeing the beginning of their friendship unfold in flashbacks and then achingly shift in the present day was the emotional lightness I needed. Despite Eliot’s heartbreaking tendency to push away the people she loves, Manuel is a constant—always there for her, no matter what.
“I love you when you’re angry, I love you when you’re sad, and I love you when your head is filled with thoughts so terrifying you don’t think you can share them with me. In fact,”—he squeezed my hand—“that’s when I love you most.”
This beautiful story of empathy, love, and understanding is one that will stay with me. An absolute must-read if you’re willing to dive into something heavier!
(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details)
Eliot returns to Canada after three years to attend her brother’s wedding, and with that reunion comes a flood of emotions and memories. Her large family felt authentically messy—so real, so human. There’s also a theme of grief that had me absolutely sobbing through the final chapters.
Eliot’s relationship with Manuel, the childhood friend she also left behind, was so deeply romantic. Seeing the beginning of their friendship unfold in flashbacks and then achingly shift in the present day was the emotional lightness I needed. Despite Eliot’s heartbreaking tendency to push away the people she loves, Manuel is a constant—always there for her, no matter what.
“I love you when you’re angry, I love you when you’re sad, and I love you when your head is filled with thoughts so terrifying you don’t think you can share them with me. In fact,”—he squeezed my hand—“that’s when I love you most.”
This beautiful story of empathy, love, and understanding is one that will stay with me. An absolute must-read if you’re willing to dive into something heavier!
(heat level: one open-door scene, mild details)
November 29, 2024
Eliot Beck hasn’t seen her family for 3 years, but she returns to their summer island home for her brother’s wedding. Immediately she sees her best friend Manuel at the marina, to take her to the island. When she left her family to live and work in NY City, she also cut off contact with Manuel.
We learn that Eliot comes from a large and complicated family. Their family has had tragedies, and as the youngest, Eliot struggled to navigate the dynamics. As a young girl she was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. For her this doesn’t mean hand washing or needing routine, but being plagued by constant thoughts that make her believe she’s a terrible person, in many ways. Those thoughts affect her behavior and relationships. She has dealt with this by isolating herself.
The book spends a lot of time in Eliot’s thoughts throughout the years, and how her OCD has taken over her life. In some ways I wish there had been more about her or other characters, though there was that… but I believe the author is intentional to show that her disease controls all aspects of herself and her personality, and has pushed her away from those that love her and would want to help.
There comes a breaking point, and it’s up to Eliot and Manuel and her family to see how they move forward. I won’t say more but will that I was satisfied with the ending and think it’s realistic. I listened to the audiobook and thought it was narrated well.
We learn that Eliot comes from a large and complicated family. Their family has had tragedies, and as the youngest, Eliot struggled to navigate the dynamics. As a young girl she was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. For her this doesn’t mean hand washing or needing routine, but being plagued by constant thoughts that make her believe she’s a terrible person, in many ways. Those thoughts affect her behavior and relationships. She has dealt with this by isolating herself.
The book spends a lot of time in Eliot’s thoughts throughout the years, and how her OCD has taken over her life. In some ways I wish there had been more about her or other characters, though there was that… but I believe the author is intentional to show that her disease controls all aspects of herself and her personality, and has pushed her away from those that love her and would want to help.
There comes a breaking point, and it’s up to Eliot and Manuel and her family to see how they move forward. I won’t say more but will that I was satisfied with the ending and think it’s realistic. I listened to the audiobook and thought it was narrated well.
September 10, 2024
Thank you Berkley for the gifted copy.
THE OCD REP.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
This has got to be on the best and most raw representations I’ve ever read of someone with OCD. And as someone who has loved ones currently looking at potential diagnosis for OCD I was feeling all sorts of emotions. I was crying by the end which clearly means it gets five stars and a shout to say READ IT.
I loved the soft sub-romance too. Manuel was THERE. And he fought for Eliot. Those moments also made me cry. There were many heart wrenching moments. And the complicated family dynamics were incredibly well written. It was dramatic without feeling DRAMATIC. The variety of which that doesn’t cause me to roll my eyes but rather feel deeply engaged to the core issues that having a family + life’s knockdowns can cause. There’s grief and heartache and emotional turmoil woven throughout with quiet moments of levity and love.
I don’t tend to pick up books that don’t lean heavier to the romance plot line, so take that as you will for if you should read this book (you should though). It was profound, well balanced, with amazing mental health rep. I’m going to be thinking about this one for a long time.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: low-moderate, scattered throughout
- Romance: 1-2 brief open door
- Content Warnings: OCD representation (throughout, main theme), loss of a sibling, grief and depression depiction
THE OCD REP.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
This has got to be on the best and most raw representations I’ve ever read of someone with OCD. And as someone who has loved ones currently looking at potential diagnosis for OCD I was feeling all sorts of emotions. I was crying by the end which clearly means it gets five stars and a shout to say READ IT.
I loved the soft sub-romance too. Manuel was THERE. And he fought for Eliot. Those moments also made me cry. There were many heart wrenching moments. And the complicated family dynamics were incredibly well written. It was dramatic without feeling DRAMATIC. The variety of which that doesn’t cause me to roll my eyes but rather feel deeply engaged to the core issues that having a family + life’s knockdowns can cause. There’s grief and heartache and emotional turmoil woven throughout with quiet moments of levity and love.
I don’t tend to pick up books that don’t lean heavier to the romance plot line, so take that as you will for if you should read this book (you should though). It was profound, well balanced, with amazing mental health rep. I’m going to be thinking about this one for a long time.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: low-moderate, scattered throughout
- Romance: 1-2 brief open door
- Content Warnings: OCD representation (throughout, main theme), loss of a sibling, grief and depression depiction
September 3, 2024
I am so bummed that this book just didn’t work for me. I enjoyed this author’s first book so much.
This book has a very heavy subject matter. There is so much internal dialogue, which I understand since this is Eliot’s personal struggle with OCD. I wasn’t a fan of all of the “then” and “now” chapters, too. The story felt very drawn out with an abrupt ending.
I feel bad since this book is very personal to the author. I just wished I enjoyed it more.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book has a very heavy subject matter. There is so much internal dialogue, which I understand since this is Eliot’s personal struggle with OCD. I wasn’t a fan of all of the “then” and “now” chapters, too. The story felt very drawn out with an abrupt ending.
I feel bad since this book is very personal to the author. I just wished I enjoyed it more.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 10, 2024
I. Loved. This book. 😭🫶😭
October 19, 2024
Eliot Beck, arriving in Canada for her brother’s wedding, is greeted by the family she hasn’t seen in years after a personal trauma caused her to run away from all she knew. As she tries to reconnect with her beloved family, and her best friend Manuel, she fears that facing buried trauma will lead her back into the never-ending OCD cycle.
Emma Noyes continues to impress me with her achingly raw and very visceral novels featuring flawed and relatable characters with real world issues. Her ability to use her own struggles to shape her characters, adds tenfold to building out these incredibly multi-faceted characters, who by the conclusion of the story, you feel as though you know.
While there is a romance at the heart of this story, the focus is much more on the growth and development of our MC Eliot, her relationship with her OCD and with her family. Through past and present timelines, we experience alongside her some of the traumas that bought her to where she is at the opening of the book.
It is easy to see why Manuel is so special to Eliot - the epitome of the book boyfriend, he is her constant support system, knowing her better than she knows herself at times. One aspect I loved most is the juxtaposition of how they grew closer in the past, and how they must work again towards that same goal, now in the present. While I wish there was epilogue to see more into the future and what it held for them, I feel okay with how the author chose to conclude their story.
To be quite candid, this story is hard to read at times. Eliot suffers tremendously at the hands of her OCD and I could feel her pain literally coming off of the page. It was downright uncomfortable at times. I could not imagine the impact this type of disorder has on someone’s life, but thanks to Noyes, I come away from it with a better understanding of the incredible pain and trauma it can bring with it. As someone who is neurodivergent too (Autism) seeing this type of rep in mainstream books makes my heart incredibly happy, even while I cried for Eliot and those who suffer from the same type of OCD.
Read if you like:
▪️women’s fiction
▪️second chance
▪️wedding backdrop
▪️emotional reads
▪️neurodivergent (OCD) rep
Thank you Berkley Pub and Berkley Romance for the gifted copies.
Emma Noyes continues to impress me with her achingly raw and very visceral novels featuring flawed and relatable characters with real world issues. Her ability to use her own struggles to shape her characters, adds tenfold to building out these incredibly multi-faceted characters, who by the conclusion of the story, you feel as though you know.
While there is a romance at the heart of this story, the focus is much more on the growth and development of our MC Eliot, her relationship with her OCD and with her family. Through past and present timelines, we experience alongside her some of the traumas that bought her to where she is at the opening of the book.
It is easy to see why Manuel is so special to Eliot - the epitome of the book boyfriend, he is her constant support system, knowing her better than she knows herself at times. One aspect I loved most is the juxtaposition of how they grew closer in the past, and how they must work again towards that same goal, now in the present. While I wish there was epilogue to see more into the future and what it held for them, I feel okay with how the author chose to conclude their story.
To be quite candid, this story is hard to read at times. Eliot suffers tremendously at the hands of her OCD and I could feel her pain literally coming off of the page. It was downright uncomfortable at times. I could not imagine the impact this type of disorder has on someone’s life, but thanks to Noyes, I come away from it with a better understanding of the incredible pain and trauma it can bring with it. As someone who is neurodivergent too (Autism) seeing this type of rep in mainstream books makes my heart incredibly happy, even while I cried for Eliot and those who suffer from the same type of OCD.
Read if you like:
▪️women’s fiction
▪️second chance
▪️wedding backdrop
▪️emotional reads
▪️neurodivergent (OCD) rep
Thank you Berkley Pub and Berkley Romance for the gifted copies.
August 3, 2025
3.75!
the shining star of this is the heavy representation of OCD!!! i struggled to fully fall in love with this book as a whole, but the OCD rep was fantastically done. the first time i've read a book that truly placed me dead center in the middle of those thought processes, the compulsions & intrusive thoughts. the manifestation of them & how they grow into something bigger. how it trickles down into relationships & ones livelihood. Soo well done !!!
the shining star of this is the heavy representation of OCD!!! i struggled to fully fall in love with this book as a whole, but the OCD rep was fantastically done. the first time i've read a book that truly placed me dead center in the middle of those thought processes, the compulsions & intrusive thoughts. the manifestation of them & how they grow into something bigger. how it trickles down into relationships & ones livelihood. Soo well done !!!
September 7, 2024
The author shines a bright light on OCD and gave me a different perspective than I originally had. The constant obsessive thoughts can truly be debilitating. I appreciated the honesty and complete transparency used in the book.
That said, I didn't like this one as much as the authors first book. I wasn't able to truly relate to the MC and didn't feel as much as I should given the topic.
Elliot, the MC, has a huge family, but yet I didn't feel the supporting cast, including Manuel, were developed enough.
I do think the author is a gifted writer, I am going to assume it's a me problem with this book and will be waiting to read her next one.
Despite me not loving this book, the audio production was superb.
That said, I didn't like this one as much as the authors first book. I wasn't able to truly relate to the MC and didn't feel as much as I should given the topic.
Elliot, the MC, has a huge family, but yet I didn't feel the supporting cast, including Manuel, were developed enough.
I do think the author is a gifted writer, I am going to assume it's a me problem with this book and will be waiting to read her next one.
Despite me not loving this book, the audio production was superb.
September 9, 2024
This one won’t be for everyone, it’s different and it took me by surprise in a good way. The subject matter is deeply personal to the author as the main character, Eliot has OCD and the author does as well. So there’s no question that the reading experience is an authentic one and because it’s so realistic it’s sometimes difficult as the reader to be so deep inside Eliot’s head. Things are oftentimes heavy and dark but I was so invested in her that I stayed with it. It also has many funny and tender moments as well and I adored Eliot’s dysfunctional and well meaning family, it’s just a lot sometimes. If you like family dramas with lots of heart and an exploration of mental health try this.
September 16, 2024
dnf’d at 30%
i was so excited for this book, having ocd myself, and was so disappointed. the writing was boring and simplistic, and the plot was incredibly slow. i still question whether anything happened at all in the 130 pages i read.
i was so excited for this book, having ocd myself, and was so disappointed. the writing was boring and simplistic, and the plot was incredibly slow. i still question whether anything happened at all in the 130 pages i read.
March 15, 2024
Emma Noyes does it again. HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT is a broken and beautiful novel about Eliot Beck that captured my heart from the first paragraph. The characters are real, raw, and handled so splendidly that you can’t help but feel for them. You truly come to understand them as not only characters in a novel, but as a depiction of reality. They feel so real.
This is the story of Eliot Beck: youngest child of a big family (she’s 21) (we love the big family rep, as the oldest of 8 it’s wonderful to see big families represented, especially when it’s accurate.), living in NY going to her family’s private island (you read that right!!) for her older brother’s wedding.
Eliot has struggled with OCD for at least a decade and while she thought she had it under control, returning to her family and best friend after three years has her questioning whether or not she actually overcame her battle.
I am not going to say too much as this is an arc, but let me tell you, you will WANT to read this one when it comes out!!!
I love the atmosphere, the dual timeline, and the vibes. The world was enjoyable and interesting.
I love the story! So so so much! It’s fun while also serious. And the discussion around grief as a child was handled well. I feel like the ending also wrapped up the storyline surrounded the familial grief wonderfully and it felt funny/meaningful.
I love the family depiction. I have seven siblings and I am the oldest. So I cannot give any comments on life as the youngest (Eliot is the youngest) but the dynamics illustrated in this book felt pretty accurate.
I love Manuel. That’s it. I love him.
I love how despite this having romance in it, I would not say it focuses on romance so much so that it lacks in other areas. The romance didn’t feel like number 1 in the book and that worked really well in my opinion.
The conclusion is beautiful. What I love most about the ending is that being in a relationship or being told certain things were true did not FIX her OCD. I despise reading books where the heroine has her mental illness magically cured because she is in a relationship 🙄 that’s just not the reality.
Eliot was a bit horrible for a time to her family and Manuel, but truly when you get into the book and get a glimpse into her mind, you understand. Not as an excuse, but an explanation, and it is handled in a way where she is not a villain nor is she trying to be. Her mind has convinced her she is something she is not, and she wanted to protect the people she loved.
All and all I adored this novel and cannot wait to have a physical copy to annotate/add to my shelf.
Also, on an aside, it’s so weird that I am (almost) the age of Eliot… in my mind I should be closer in age to the 14 year old characters….
I think this might be my favorite book of Emma’s… I’m torn though, I’m partial to Lukas from TSC… Lukas and Amare… but no I think Manuel and Eliot take the cake. I love them. Manuel is so sweet and loyal and swoony haha!!
Anyways, read this book when it comes out!!
And Emma, keep writing, I love everything you write you’re amazing!! Keeping telling your story because it means something to at least one supporter/fan/friend ❤️
Love and support always
~ Ansley
This is the story of Eliot Beck: youngest child of a big family (she’s 21) (we love the big family rep, as the oldest of 8 it’s wonderful to see big families represented, especially when it’s accurate.), living in NY going to her family’s private island (you read that right!!) for her older brother’s wedding.
Eliot has struggled with OCD for at least a decade and while she thought she had it under control, returning to her family and best friend after three years has her questioning whether or not she actually overcame her battle.
I am not going to say too much as this is an arc, but let me tell you, you will WANT to read this one when it comes out!!!
I love the atmosphere, the dual timeline, and the vibes. The world was enjoyable and interesting.
I love the story! So so so much! It’s fun while also serious. And the discussion around grief as a child was handled well. I feel like the ending also wrapped up the storyline surrounded the familial grief wonderfully and it felt funny/meaningful.
I love the family depiction. I have seven siblings and I am the oldest. So I cannot give any comments on life as the youngest (Eliot is the youngest) but the dynamics illustrated in this book felt pretty accurate.
I love Manuel. That’s it. I love him.
I love how despite this having romance in it, I would not say it focuses on romance so much so that it lacks in other areas. The romance didn’t feel like number 1 in the book and that worked really well in my opinion.
The conclusion is beautiful. What I love most about the ending is that being in a relationship or being told certain things were true did not FIX her OCD. I despise reading books where the heroine has her mental illness magically cured because she is in a relationship 🙄 that’s just not the reality.
Eliot was a bit horrible for a time to her family and Manuel, but truly when you get into the book and get a glimpse into her mind, you understand. Not as an excuse, but an explanation, and it is handled in a way where she is not a villain nor is she trying to be. Her mind has convinced her she is something she is not, and she wanted to protect the people she loved.
All and all I adored this novel and cannot wait to have a physical copy to annotate/add to my shelf.
Also, on an aside, it’s so weird that I am (almost) the age of Eliot… in my mind I should be closer in age to the 14 year old characters….
I think this might be my favorite book of Emma’s… I’m torn though, I’m partial to Lukas from TSC… Lukas and Amare… but no I think Manuel and Eliot take the cake. I love them. Manuel is so sweet and loyal and swoony haha!!
Anyways, read this book when it comes out!!
And Emma, keep writing, I love everything you write you’re amazing!! Keeping telling your story because it means something to at least one supporter/fan/friend ❤️
Love and support always
~ Ansley
June 4, 2025
How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes is a book that is on the harder side to define with this being partly a contemporary romance with a darker side to the topic making it more realistic fiction with a side of drama to it too. The main character in the story suffers from OCD and deals with her mental health along with dealing with her dysfunctional family so it’s not a sunny slice of romance.
Eliot Beck left her home and her family as soon as she could after high school fleeing to Manhattan where she didn’t feel as out of place among the sea of strangers as she did growing up in Canada. Eliot buried herself in her work and learned to cope with what she found out was OCD that had the thoughts in her head all wrong when she was younger.
Now three years after her departure Eliot is heading home after getting the invite to her brother’s wedding. Eliot vows that she can handle three days with her dysfunctional family and will quickly return to her safe haven in Manhattan once the wedding is over but Eliot didn’t realize her family had invited, Manuel, Eliot’s once best friend and the one person she regretted leaving behind.
How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes is one of those books that while I wish I could rate it higher as I appreciated a lot of what the author did in the book I was left at rating this one three and half stars when it was said and done. The story is a heavy one overall but did have some more light hearted humor to it now and again as it dealt with OCD in a way I’d never read about before and I felt like I did learn a thing or two along the way. The problem though was this one felt that as long as the book was it didn’t feel finished in the end, like something was missing or needed to feel fully satisfied. While glad I’d read it I was just left wanting a bit more.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Eliot Beck left her home and her family as soon as she could after high school fleeing to Manhattan where she didn’t feel as out of place among the sea of strangers as she did growing up in Canada. Eliot buried herself in her work and learned to cope with what she found out was OCD that had the thoughts in her head all wrong when she was younger.
Now three years after her departure Eliot is heading home after getting the invite to her brother’s wedding. Eliot vows that she can handle three days with her dysfunctional family and will quickly return to her safe haven in Manhattan once the wedding is over but Eliot didn’t realize her family had invited, Manuel, Eliot’s once best friend and the one person she regretted leaving behind.
How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes is one of those books that while I wish I could rate it higher as I appreciated a lot of what the author did in the book I was left at rating this one three and half stars when it was said and done. The story is a heavy one overall but did have some more light hearted humor to it now and again as it dealt with OCD in a way I’d never read about before and I felt like I did learn a thing or two along the way. The problem though was this one felt that as long as the book was it didn’t feel finished in the end, like something was missing or needed to feel fully satisfied. While glad I’d read it I was just left wanting a bit more.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
February 4, 2025
“OCD Isn’t about washing your hands. It’s about living in constant fear of the outside world or, in many cases,of yourself.”
This book won’t be for everyone especially if you’re not familiar with OCD but it was such a beautiful depiction of what it’s like to have OCD and the battles one fights every day with themselves.
This book won’t be for everyone especially if you’re not familiar with OCD but it was such a beautiful depiction of what it’s like to have OCD and the battles one fights every day with themselves.
September 21, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
Thank you #partners @berkleypub @berkleyromance @prhaudio for my #gifted copies 🩷 #BerkleyIG #BerkleyPartner #PenguinRandomHouse
How to Hide in Plain Sight
Emma Noyse
Available now
Emma Noyse's sophomore novel follows Eliot Beck, a young woman who returns home for a wedding, seeing her large, dysfunctional family and her childhood best friend for the first time in years. The novel blends contemporary fiction and romance, and explores themes of arduous family dynamics, mental health, and a friendship with the potential for more.
Noyse's debut (Guy's Girl) didn't quite work for me, but I was willing to give her another shot and I'm so glad I did! How to Hide in Plain Sight is a tender, impactful story that's difficult and heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful. It deals with many heavy themes, like illness, death, addiction, and mental health struggles. Its greatest strength is its enlightening, ownvoices depiction of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which places the reader into the exhausting mind of someone with OCD. Though integral to the story, the romance itself seemed secondary to Eliot's personal journey. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to folks seeking romance novels with strong mental health rep and complex family dynamics.
🎧 The audiobook is narrated by Emily Pike Stewart (who also does The Nature of Disappearing) and I LOVE her! Stewart delivers a knockout performance and I hope to hear more of her in the future.
Thank you #partners @berkleypub @berkleyromance @prhaudio for my #gifted copies 🩷 #BerkleyIG #BerkleyPartner #PenguinRandomHouse
How to Hide in Plain Sight
Emma Noyse
Available now
Emma Noyse's sophomore novel follows Eliot Beck, a young woman who returns home for a wedding, seeing her large, dysfunctional family and her childhood best friend for the first time in years. The novel blends contemporary fiction and romance, and explores themes of arduous family dynamics, mental health, and a friendship with the potential for more.
Noyse's debut (Guy's Girl) didn't quite work for me, but I was willing to give her another shot and I'm so glad I did! How to Hide in Plain Sight is a tender, impactful story that's difficult and heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful. It deals with many heavy themes, like illness, death, addiction, and mental health struggles. Its greatest strength is its enlightening, ownvoices depiction of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which places the reader into the exhausting mind of someone with OCD. Though integral to the story, the romance itself seemed secondary to Eliot's personal journey. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to folks seeking romance novels with strong mental health rep and complex family dynamics.
🎧 The audiobook is narrated by Emily Pike Stewart (who also does The Nature of Disappearing) and I LOVE her! Stewart delivers a knockout performance and I hope to hear more of her in the future.
October 1, 2024
This novel strikes a delicate balance between heartbreak and hope, leaving an indelible mark on the reader. Eliot’s inner struggles—her thoughts spiraling endlessly and worries that consume her—create an emotional ache. Her raw and desperate confessions reveal a mind that isn’t always a safe haven.
Yet, amidst this darkness, there’s light. Eliot’s unconventional, meddling family—dysfunctional yet fiercely loyal—provides a counterbalance. And then there’s Manny, her best friend who knows her soul’s every nook and cranny.
How to Hide in Plain Sight not only delves into the complexities of living with a mental health condition but also celebrates unbreakable family bonds and the enduring power of true love.
Yet, amidst this darkness, there’s light. Eliot’s unconventional, meddling family—dysfunctional yet fiercely loyal—provides a counterbalance. And then there’s Manny, her best friend who knows her soul’s every nook and cranny.
How to Hide in Plain Sight not only delves into the complexities of living with a mental health condition but also celebrates unbreakable family bonds and the enduring power of true love.
September 27, 2024
Let me start by saying that I’m a therapist and I specialize in OCD. This book is such a beautiful and heartbreaking representation of the ugliest, darkest parts of OCD. Thanks to this author for being so brave and so vulnerable - this is going to make so many people feel seen.
November 24, 2024
Cried literal tears while reading this, which I NEVER do. This one hit very close to home for multiple reasons. Can’t wait to discuss this one with book club next week!
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