How to Hide in Plain Sight By Emma Noyes

In the tender and compelling novel The Fortress of Eliot Beck, the unbreakable bonds of family and the complexities of love are explored with nuance and heart. Eliot Beck returns to Canada after three years away to attend her older brother's wedding, a joyous occasion that she dreads more than she anticipated. While she cherishes her eccentric, loving family, her reasons for leaving remain a closely guarded secret. Her work in Manhattan has been a refuge from the obsessive-compulsive disorder that once dominated her life, and she fears that confronting her past might unravel the fragile stability she's worked so hard to build.

Eliot braces herself for the chaos of the four-day wedding celebration, but her resolve is tested when she encounters Manuel at the marina. Manuel, her childhood best friend and the person she fell in love with despite her best efforts to resist, stands as a stark reminder of the emotions she has long suppressed. His presence reignites feelings she thought she had buried deep within.

As Eliot navigates the whirlwind of wedding festivities, Manuel's mere presence threatens to dismantle the emotional barriers she has constructed. With her heart on the line and her past threatening to resurface, Eliot must confront her fears and decide whether to let go of her carefully maintained fortress or risk everything for a chance at healing and true connection.

The Fortress of Eliot Beck is a beautifully written exploration of family, love, and the courage required to confront one’s deepest fears, offering readers a poignant and emotional journey through the complexities of the human heart.