February 5, 2024
Clayborn (Georgie, All Along) takes readers on an engrossing road trip romance that doubles as a journey of self-discovery. Ten years ago, hairstylist Jess Greene’s mother, Charlotte, ran off with a known con man never to be heard from again, and the 21-year-old took over raising her eight-year-old half-sister, Tegan. Now 18, Tegan blindsides Jess when she invites a true crime podcast to help them locate Charlotte. Upon meeting Jess, college football star turned journalist Adam Hawkins is immediately concerned about his team’s possible impact on her life, seeing how closed off she is and her resistance to the idea of confronting the past. When Jess reluctantly agrees to participate, Adam does his best to protect her and her sister from hurt and the public eye as they travel from state to state seeking clues about Charlotte’s location. Jess, who’s always been self-sufficient, slowly realizes that Adam is someone she can lean on, particularly after the road trip takes them to his family farm. Clayborn’s sensitive characterization of Jess and Tegan’s sisterly bond, as well as the intense chemistry building between Adam and Jess, will keep readers hooked. This is a treat. Agent: Taylor Haggerty, Root Literary.
September 1, 2024
After spending the last decade raising her sister, Tegan, in the wake of her mother's disappearance, hair stylist Jess is shocked when two true-crime podcasters raise questions about the past. Jess is aghast to discover that Tegan shared postcards sent by their missing mother with podcast producer Adam and host Salem, indicating a connection to Salem's wildly popular show. Now Jess must embark on a road trip with her sister and the podcast team, hoping to give her sister the answers she seeks and Adam and Salem the evidence they need to finish their show. Adam, an ex-defensive lineman, has an ulterior motive; he needs to pull off this true-crime podcast so that Salem will help him launch his own show on the dangers of contact sports. As the group travels across the Midwest, Adam and Jess are increasingly drawn to each other, though their developing relationship could put them and their hopes for their future at risk. VERDICT Narrators Wyeth Watts and Marnye Young capture the angsty and romantic tone of this lyrical contemporary romance, a knockout from author Clayborn (Georgie, All Along). Recommend for listeners who enjoy emotionally turbulent and deeply romantic stories like Emily Henry's Beach Read.--Elizabeth Gabriel
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