Woody Barker just got released from prison, and he learns that he’s a father to his ex Melinda’s daughter Caroline - as well as that he also needs a heart transplant. Caroline’s mother Melinda dies fairly early in the novel, and she finds a flash drive that she suspects some bad guys are looking for. Caroline is also young and pregnant by a not-too-bright Tater.

Woody and Caroline connect and try to elude the bad guys along with Woody’s father Amos, who gives off grumpy/funny vibes.

➕ If you like a road trip and action, this has that in spades.
➕ The characters were really interesting - Amos, Caroline, Woody, Elizabeth, and even Tater had his moments.

➖ The author felt unnecessarily coy with the reader. There were some things that were never revealed (What caused Melinda to spiral into drug addiction? The mystery about the gold?) and some took forever to be revealed (like why Woody was sent to prison was revealed at 90% and I’m not sure that should have gotten him 10 years in prison).
➖ The timeline of Woody’s life is a head scratcher. If you charted it out, I’m not sure it would all line up.

I had a good time reading this story, but there’s some of it that I’m not sure would stand up to scrutiny.

OVER YONDER publishes October 7, 2025. Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of the authors previous books and his musical storytelling as well, so I was excited to start this one. I quickly fell for our main character ex Episcopalian priest Woody, who is released from prison at the start of the novel. We quickly get introduced to both his ex-wives as well as his father who is in his 80's who is another endearing character. This book is part family drama, part mystery and part crime caper but I don't want to give any details as they would be spoilers.
my pros- I really liked Woody, Amos, ex wife Elizabeth as well as the rest of the characters
- There is some of "Sean of the Souths" country humor here, and I had quite a few little
chuckles
- Its ultimately a story about love
my cons- The initial set up of both the characters and the mystery seemed to be unnecessarily
complicated
- I felt like there was one story line where we were left hanging.

Even though there were a few elements that frustrated me I enjoyed the novel overall and do recommend it if you enjoy family stories. Thank you to net galley and Harper Muse for the e galley of this book.

Ex-priest Woody Barker has been released from prison when he is contacted by his ex Melinda,
informing him that he has a teenage daughter. She asks him to look after their daughter Caroline as
she is dying. Accompanied by his father Amos, he arranges to meet Caroline, a pregnant teenager,
who ends up moving in with . Unfortunately, she now has a flash drive her mother stole from her
boyfriend who will do whatever needs to be done to get it back. As Woody, Amos and Caroline form a
bond, Woody will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. His life is complicated by the presence of his
ex Elizabeth, the mother of their nine-year old daughter. Story of family and the support provided in
life’s toughest times.
#OverYonder #HarperMuse #NetGalley

Sean Dietrich did it again! This is an amazing story of finding family in the most unlikely ways.

Woody Barker is an ex-priest just leaving prison who has a bad heart. Caroline is a pregnant teen who grew up in foster care. Throw in Caroline's irresponsible boyfriend Tater, Woody's ex-wife, a treasure of gold to find, and you have a fast paced wonderful adventure.

I absolutely loved this novel and want to thank NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley #OverYonder @ThomasNelson

Sean Dietrich’s Over Yonder showcases his gift for creating quirky, funny, and unforgettable characters. At its heart is the unlikely pairing of an ex-priest—now a convicted felon—and a 17-year-old pregnant girl, whose recent meeting launches them into an unexpected adventure. The supporting colorful cast includes a salty old man, two ex-wives, a jerk baby daddy, a fringe cult leader on the FBI’s radar, and a kidnapped Uber driver. Beneath the humor and eccentricity, the story explores what truly makes a family and how to find hope and goodness in life’s toughest moments.

Sean Dietrich is one of the most prolific writers I've had the pleasure of reading. All of his books make you sit back and think, always delivers a message and pulls you into the story as if you were one of the characters. I absolutely enjoy reading all of his books!!! Thank you so much for the ARC - can't wait for his next book!

Sean Dietrich is one of my favorite authors and this one had me hooked from the first page. This story is about former priest, Woody who is recently released from prison and finds out he has a daughter with his former wife Melinda that has recently died. Caroline has no family. She is seventeen and pregnant and been in the foster care system all of her life because of her drug addicted mother. She is in a bad relationship with her boyfriend Tater and finding out she has a father gives her just the reason to leave. The adventures of Woody, Caroline, her grandfather, and her support goldfish, Gary make for one of the best books I have read all year. The love and humor in this book had me laughing out loud and tearing up. This was an easy five stars for me.
"I don't care what you call me, just don't call me Shirley."

What happens when you put an ex-con defrocked priest, a salty ex wife (or two) and a newly found previously unknown pregnant 17 year old daughter and a father together? You get the wonderful story, Over Yonder, written by none other than Sean of the South. Sean Dietrich’s trademark humor, command of the English language and extensive knowledge of little known facts shines through in his latest novel.

True to his usual writing style, Mr. Dietrich shares complex and very human characters who invite you to come on their journey with them. By the end of the book the reader is cheering Caroline on—- hoping and praying that for once in her life she gets a break and that all the bad things are in her rear view mirror. Watching her navigate the complexities of relationships, including the one with her father, was pretty fabulous.

Dietrich’s wit and humor shine through and I often stopped to highlight a phrase or a wisdom as well as look up a few new to me words. How does he write so fully from the heart with lovely humans in all his books? I don’t know but I certainly do not want him to stop. I’ve been bitten by the Sean of the South bug and can’t wait for the next novel.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, publisher Harper Muse and the author for an e- ARC of this book for review purposes. I have already pre-ordered so you know my review is honest!

As soon as I saw a Sean Dietrich novel on NetGalley, I just HAD to read it. I am so thankful to be given the opportunity. I have loved reading Sean's posts on his FB page (he also writes under the name Sean of the South). His writings are so humorous, so touching, so honest. "Over Yonder" has so many twists and turns, action-packed pages, and flawed but endearing characters. I was somewhat prepared for the ending but yet, was hoping for that 'happily ever after'. The plot twists kept me turning pages, but the strength of characters and honest, blunt descriptions kept me enthralled. As I am from SE Alabama, he had written many FB posts and the setting of this novel from some of my fav stomping grounds. And I'm having a Slocomb tomato sandwich in his honor.

Releases Oct. 7th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This character-driven novel follows Woody, a defrocked priest, after he was released from prison. He still has two ex-wives, a young daughter, an elderly father and a houseboat waiting for him on the outside. He also has the unexpected, but happy surprise of a 17-year-old, pregnant daughter who brings more than just happiness to his doorstep.

This book is a true adventure with some witty remarks, some gritty characters and an abundance of love. Dietrich’s trademark humor gives this story the unexpected boost of levity amongst some of its darkness. This book isn’t fast-paced or twisty, but it has enough family drama, love and redemption to fill your soul. This would be an excellent book club choice.

I absolutely adored this book. It easily rates 5 stars and I am grateful to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the advanced reader copy.

Sean Dietrich is one of my favorite authors, but before reading this book, I had only read his short stories. I was surprised and delighted to find that he had written several books.

Two of the main characters are Caroline and her new found father Woody. Caroline is a young pregnant woman. She has had a hard life, with many medical issues, and has been in and out of foster care since she was 14. Caroline's mother was not a good mother to her, and that was putting it mildly. When her mother was dying, and asked her to come visit, Caroline was not pleased that what her mother wanted to tell her was a tale about buried treasure from Confederate days that she wants Caroline to find.

Woody is an Episcopalian priest who went to jail for a hit and run that killed a young woman. Woody is finally out of prison and has just discovered that he had a daughter - Caroline.

Someone is trying to get to Caroline to find out what she knows about the Confederate gold. Woody and Caroline band together to try to outrun them.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher Harper Muse via NetGalley and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Wow. Just wow. This book is one of the best I’ve read this year! It’d be such a great book club pick! It just was so deep and honest.

He is a fantastic author. I really enjoyed Over Yonder with the exception that the middle made no sense to me. Great start, great end, what happened in the middle Why was there a party? Really confused.

This will tug at your heart! The story is sad but hopeful, and the writing is superb. I was immediately drawn into the unique plot and setting on a houseboat. It's an adventurous story to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Over Yonder is an adventure to read! The author builds each character so well, I feel like I know them. There are several characters involved but each is so unique and written so well, it isn’t difficult to keep up with. I think nearly all emotions were touch on. The dry humor and wit were perfect. There is suspense, fear, love, and family relationships. I love the bond created between Woody, Caroline, and Amos. I think book clubs would enjoy discussing the different characters and themes within the book. This is my first time reading anything by Sean Dietrich and I will now be reading all of his work. 5 stars, highly recommend 📚

“And in the end, it came down to people. Life did. It wasn’t about what you had done. It wasn’t about what you had accomplished. It wasn’t about how much fun you had, how much money you made, or whether you left your family with a great life insurance policy. It was about who you loved. Love was the only thing you could take with you.”

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own