I have now read every one of Lyla Sage’s books and they just keep getting better. I loved the small town of Sweetwater Peak and the slow burn of Collins and Brady. This was such a cozy and hopeful read. I hope we get Clarke’s love story next!

Perfect book for the start of fall! Soul Searching has everything: girl returning to her hometown, she has the ability to talk to ghosts, and she needs to save her parents' antique business from being bought by evil developers. Enter our city boy: he moved to the small town for a fresh start after ending his engagement, he opens an upholstery business, he helps girl get her groove back and save her parent's antique store. A fun read, don't take it too seriously. A little spicy! 3.5/5 chili peppers.

5⭐️ (I can’t stop thinking about this book so I’m bumping it up from 4.5 to 5)

I received this as an eARC on NetGalley from Random House Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review (posted on Goodreads and StoryGraph), thank you!

This was my first dip into Lyla Sage’s works and hoo-boy it was amazing! I love Soul Searching. Its cast of characters had me getting attached to each and everyone, even the dead.

Collins and Brady’s romance was so sweet. I loved their flirty banter and thank Jesus but they actually talked with one another!! There wasn’t a 3rd act breakup or run away, instead they ran together and I loooove that!

My biggest nitpick is the ending: I wish we had a conclusion on what was happening with Toades. I’m giving Sage the benefit of the doubt though since with the epilogue I’m assuming she hinted at book 2 cast (I see you Clarke) and I can see us picking up right where it ended with Collins and having Clarke’s arc be continuing to save Toades. I hope anyway lol.

If you love a spicy romance with a hint of spooky I definitely suggest you pick this up when it publishes September 30, 2025!

Soul Searching combines Sage's small town setting with just a hint of paranormal to keep the readers on their toes. A fun read with great pacing and characters who are easily lovable. Even when she feels lost and doesn't know her next move, Collins is a character who I wanted to believe in. A story that involves mace, a minor Lord of the Rings obsession and ghosts? Sign me up. Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC.

In true Lyla Sage fashion, this book is full of heart, love, and growth (but make it spooky!).

This was such a fun story of reflection and self-worth, finding (and falling) back in love with yourself and your roots—it also doesn’t hurt to fall in love with Brady Cooper along the way.

I loved Brady as a character; he is so soft-hearted and full of love. I loved Collins and her strength. I especially enjoyed how the two were able to be vulnerable together and bring out the best in each other.

The ghost system in this world is so fun and ghoulishly fun! I liked how Collins' abilities worked and how the ghosts were in this world.

These two characters complement one another, and their growth together was wonderfully written.

I really liked this one! I did find the beginning a bit slow but I binged the second half in no time at all and it really made the book for me!

I’m not a paranormal girlie at all but I LOVED the aspects of this one!! It was so fun.

This is the true definition of a slow burn, MAKE NO MISTAKE!!! But truly makes their story all that more promising!!

Tropes:
Paranormal
Small town
Forced proximity

Loved this book. I have read all the books in Sage's Rebel Blue Ranch series. I enjoyed how this new book is it's own book but is connected to the Rebel Blue series. I enjoyed the dynamics between the characters. Collins was the perfect black cat persona to Brady's golden retriever vibes. I enjoyed the mystery of Collin's powers and why they were missing. I also liked the spooky aspect of things with the creepy setting and the apperance of the ghosts. I liked how the small town of Sweetwater Peak banded together to try to stop the corporation trying to come in and buy up the town. Overall it was a really great book and I cannot wait for the next one in the series

Soul Searching was my first Lyla Sage book, and it did not disappoint. This paranormal small-town romance has a little bit of everything: ghosts, haunted forests, family drama, and a rekindled old flame.
The story follows Collins Cartwright, a down-on-her-luck photographer who reluctantly returns to her hometown of Sweetwater Peak, Wyoming. She's broke, jobless, and—for the first time in her life—the ghosts who used to follow her around have gone silent. When she ends up renting a room above the local upholsterer's shop, she meets Brady Cooper, a man with his own mysterious past and reasons for escaping to Sweetwater. The only problem? The apartment is haunted, and the ghosts are anything but welcoming.
I loved how this book kept me guessing; I truly never knew where the plot was headed next, and that unpredictability made it a total page-turner. The chemistry between Collins and Brady was electric, and the spicy scenes? Absolutely top tier. If you're in the mood for a romance with heart, heat, and a dash of the supernatural, Soul Searching is a must-read.

I was thrilled to get a copy of Lyla Sage's book in her new Sweetwater Peak series. I was a huge fan of her Rebel Blue series and like that there is a slight tie in with that series.

Collins Cartwright is returning home to her very small Wyoming hometown of Sweetwater Peak. She hasn’t told her parents or her twin sister Clarke that she is broke and hasn’t worked in her dream photography career for almost a year. She is hoping coming home will be healing for her. One of the reasons her sister wants her to return is that a developer is trying to purchase the family antique store which Clarke helps run. Clarke arranges for her to stay in Brady Cooper’s spare room. He moved to town a year ago and runs an upholsterer business and does a lot of work for the antique store.

He at first finds Collins beautiful but aloof, always talking to herself. She finds him handsome and nerdy. I wouldn’t share it if it wasn’t already in the blurb, but Collin and her sister can talk to ghosts. They have always been a part of her life. But she hasn’t been able to hear them in the last year and she is hoping by returning to the familiar ghosts of her hometown her abilities may return. Brady is great as the understanding guy who took a break from the corporate world to simplify his life. He doesn’t believe in ghosts but he believes in Collins.

I love the cover that depicts the characters perfectly. The story isn’t complex but is heartfelt. I like Collin’s explanation of her gifts and how it works for her. Beyond the romance and ghosts I like the push and pull relationship between sisters. I liked everything about the story except maybe the spitting. LOL. I have become a fan of Sage’s writing. She happens to be a local to my area author that has book launch events at a local independent book store. My adult daughter has gone to several of those featuring Sage and I think next time I will purchase a ticket and invite myself along. Thank you to Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback and NetGalley for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

I’m a huge fan of Lyla’s work, I’ve read all of the rebel blue ranch series. So I was definitely excited for this one!! Small town? GHOSTS? Romance? Sign me up!!

I loved Collins right away. She’s sassy, witty, and relatable. (Spray first, ask question later right?). She wasn’t sure where she fit in in life (or afterlife for that matter). Brady was also relatable, especially when it came to his social anxiety. I think that is something we’ve all experienced at some point.

Experiencing their love story (and some ghost stories along the way) was incredible and I can’t wait to read more in this series!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was so good! I was thrilled when I learned this series is connected to the Rebel Blue Ranch series and similar but toss in some ghosts and evil, greedy developers.

I had a fun time with this, paranormal western is new to me. It was a funny set up with them meeting because she maced him. I enjoyed how he kept making nerdy references and generally was a competent man. Sometimes it was a bit over-descriptive with gestures and action beats, but the romance was a great time. Good tension kept me wanting to read and the pacing paid off at the end.

This was my first Lyla Sage book, and I’ll admit the gorgeous cover and premise hooked me right away. A small town in Wyoming, a heroine who can see ghosts, a new-to-town love interest, and a hint of the supernatural—I thought this would be right up my alley.

What I loved most was the setting. Sweetwater Peak feels alive on the page—quirky, eerie, and full of personality. Honestly, the town (along with the side characters and ghosts) felt like the main character to me. The imagery was fantastic, and I really enjoyed Collins’ complicated relationships—with her sister, with her parents, and with the spirits who’ve always been part of her life.

Where it didn’t fully click for me was the romance. I liked Collins and Brady as individuals, but I wasn’t particularly invested in them together. Their slow-burn connection didn’t quite land, and when things did finally happen, it felt abrupt. I also noticed a few inconsistencies with Brady’s character once their relationship shifted, which pulled me out of the story.

The paranormal thread and Collins’ photography were the most intriguing aspects, and while those pieces get resolution, it felt like everything wrapped up too quickly. I wanted more exploration of her inner turmoil, her ability with the ghosts, and the external conflicts swirling around the town and her family’s business. Those threads don’t really come together until late in the book, which left me a little underwhelmed.

That said, I didn’t dislike this—there’s a lot of potential here, especially with the setup for future books. The teaser at the end definitely caught my attention, and I’d be open to returning to Sweetwater Peak.

Thank you to Dial Press for an early review copy.

Lyla Sage is fresh off the success of the "Rebel Blue Ranch" series and tackling a new small town, but with a paranormal twist. Ever since she was little, Collins and her twin sister have had the ability to see ghosts. When Collins starts to lose the ability on her latest photography job, she returns to Sweetwater Peak hoping to feel less burned out and regain her connections to ghost and her art. In an effort to avoid telling her parents of her latest struggles, she stays with Brady, who has also recently come to Sweetwater for a fresh start.

This book has Sage's typical small town charm and romance, however the paranormal elements could've been fleshed out more. Readers will also delight in the cameos of "Rebel Blue Ranch" characters.

This one… was not for me lol and maybe LS just isn’t for me 🫣 this could’ve been good but it was just… idk dumb. The characters did nothing for me (Brady was an ick to me SORRY) and I usually can get down with a little ghost action but this? No.

Also she says “Sweetwater Peak” almost 150 times. We get it. We know where you live. Stop saying it every two seconds. (That’s just me nitpicking sorry lol)

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

This book was extremely cute and cozy and absolutely perfect for fall! I was super excited to see Lyla Sage start a new series because I absolutely loved the Rebel Blue Ranch series and when I saw that it was paranormal I was even more excited! The romance was so sweet and I loved the characters together. This book for me was really different from her other series and so my recommendation going into this book would be to not try and compare the two because I think me doing that while reading took away from this story! Overall I loved it and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the advanced readers copy!

I was surprised (in a great way) by how much I loved the Rebel Blue Ranch series, so I was looking forward to this new release by Lyla Sage. Unfortunately, this didn't have as much character connection for me, and I really would have liked to get more scenes where Collins interacted with her sister. The supernatural element in this book didn't really add much in my opinion, and some of the contextualization made it so that the connection between the romantic leads felt rushed or often disrupted. A bit dissapointed in this one, but would still pick up more by this author.

So my problem is that this was a little too much magic-pixie-dream girl for me and the male love interest was just… there.

They had chemistry and definitely wanted to be romantically involved, but their development was extremely one sided. Collins struggle to find herself—on a personal and professional level—is entirely too relatable. However, the way it is carried out focuses Collins as the sole main character, and the story forgets Brady exists too.

I would recommend if you are trying to get into the Halloween spirit, but it did not blow my socks off.

ARC, these are my own thoughts & opinions. Thank you Dial Press for the advanced copy!

Hi my names Jess & I’m now in a reading slump 😭 This book was literal fall girl perfection. I’m not a spooky book person, but still want a little spooky in my life in spooky season, and this book checks all the boxes for me! Paranormal, cutesy romance, small town charm, and forced proximity. It’s the perfect first book in a Lyla Sage series and I *cannot* wait for book 2!

Review will be on socials closer to release

I'd ended up really loving Sage's Rebel Blue Ranch series and was excited to see what she did next, but unfortunately this really wasn't working for me. The characters just felt really all over the place and I couldn't get a sense of place or vibe like I did in her other books. I get that the whole point is that the main character needs to reconnect to her hometown, but I lost track of the amount of times she said over and over that she didn't want to be there and that she was sad to lose her ghost abilities. It just didn't feel like it was going anywhere.

I know it'll probably sell pretty well at our store because her other books have done well but I personally was just not feeling it.