I loved Lyla Sages other books. But this one is not doing it for me. DNF after 50%. Just can’t get into it. I think she needs more time going through the story again. Very 2 dimensional characters. It just all seems forced. I love the concept of the book, but the execution is not there.

Collins Cartwright does not want to move home to Sweetwater Peak. But she’s out of choices. Her photography career is in the toilet and she has lost an integral part of herself.

Her twin sister, Clarke, arranges for her to work and stay with Brady, the handsome newcomer who runs the upholstery shop. And it doesn’t take long for a Collin’s and Brady realize there’s something between them. And that maybe Brady is the secret to finding herself again.

Going to post a longer review on social media closer to publication but overall a very good book! Definitely different from Sage's normal lighthearted cowboy romance. I would say this is more Western Gothic. Not really scary but definitely spooky. I read at night for the most part and did have to turn the lights back on after reading the 'Lady in White' scene! My biggest takeaways after freshly reading Soul Searching: 1. This is a book about resiliency, finding yourself and being okay with the not great parts (soul searching, if you will). Although most people will probably pick this up because they're expecting a ghosty romance (& because of the cool cover design), this book really wasn't focused around a romantic relationship for me. It centered more on Collins reconnecting with herself more honestly than she ever had and Brady helping her do that. Theirs is the kind of love that creeps up on you and it was beautiful. 2. This is DEFINITELY Lyla's spiciest book. Holy moly 🥵 There was some slow burn but when it was time for the spice to kick in it really did. 3. I loved the little pieces of Meadowlark that peeked through so far in this new series. Warmed my little Rebel Blue heart.
Bottom line: This was great. I will read anything Lyla Sage writes.

I wish this book was 100 pages longer. The slow burn was fantastic and the paranormal activity was just right. Sweetwater Peak sounds like the best place in the world. I enjoyed every page of this book and can’t wait for the second one!

Inject this book into my veins. Lyla, my queen, can do literally no wrong. She only gets better with each book she writes. This book makes me feel things I haven't felt since the year 2012. The nostalgia, this slow burn, the vibes all IMMACULATE. I wish I had words. But I don't. Collins feelings of never being enough when no one told her otherwise, cut me to my core and she must be protected at all costs. I loved their slow burn and mutual healing set to the background of a town full of secrets. Small towns with a twist, might just be my new favorite sub genre.

LYLA SAGE WHEN I SEE YOU. Soul Searching is paranormal romance and the first in Sage's newest series. As usual the cover eats, but the plot and execution fall flat.

Soul Searching is Lyla Sage's best book yet. It's a beautiful blend of self-discovery and romance.
Brady is so many green flags. I love love love how he was there for Collins but didn't push her to open up before she was ready. I love that Collins slowly grew into a change of heart and was gentle with Brady's trauma. I also appreciated that his ex wasn't the villain. Collins wasn't particularly relatable to me in a lot of ways, but Lyla wrote her so well. I was able to understand and support Collins even though it wasn't my experience. I was rooting for her the whole tie. Their first intimate encounter might be in my top 3. It had elements you rarely see in romance and I adored it! The reversal of so many tropes was perfection.
Can I say thank you to Lyla for not including a third act breakup?! Whenever an author manages to come up with a tense plot that doesn't require a third act breakup, they deserve all the applause and kudos. It's so wonderful and it helps show the growth the couple have gone through. While this book is definitely a romance, the personal growth they both go through pushes the boundaries of the genre. It felt so natural and I was invested in both characters individual journeys, along with the romance.
There were also some adorable easter eggs from the Rebel Blue Ranch series, which was super cute.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Random House Dial/Press Trade Paperback for the ARC. All opinions above are my own.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 Stars!

Lyla Sage did it once again! Last night, I sat down and read this entire book in one sitting. (Other than the first chapter that I read the day I received the arc)

It is safe to say, that i just might have found my new number one book boyfriend! Brady was one of the most loveable MMC's I've read in a long time. Lyla also writes such loveable FMC's who are so loveable, and human.

This was such a beautiful, unique, heartbreaking, and meaningful story. It was so beautiful to see tiny easter eggs from Meadowlark, and all of the characters were so loveable.

Boone will forever have a special place in my heart <3

Since we are still so far from release, I don't want to leave any spoilers, but THANK YOU LYLA SAGE!! <3 Thank you for once again letting us see into your beautiful mind.

And thank you Net Galley for the incredible opportunity to read this MASTERPIECE early.

2.5 stars Lyla’s second series is a book about a twin sister trying to find her way back to her true self by going back to the town she despises.

Ok, while this isn't as big and deep as other Lyla Sage novels, I DEVOURED THIS BOOK in less than 24 hours. The romance was STEAMY, the build-up was filled with tension and the characters were just adorable. I'm not really a fan of the supernatural stories, but I thought this was precious. Truly precious and I enjoyed the ghost characters as well. The fact that Rebel Blue Ranch was tied in made my eyes tear up. This was a seriously HOT, sweet and short read. I loved it.

Lyla has done it again, and this time with a new twist. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. I loved every character, living and dead. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers, forced proximity, and fated romance, this one is for you.

This was an ode to the resilience of rural communities. To many readers, small towns are just something you read about, something to romanticize. This novel speaks to the toughness of small-town living, but also the beauty of community. Soul Searching was a five-star that crept up on me. The ghost aspect is somehow subtle. It was not all bells and whistles on the subject; it’s written naturally, and it’s completely believable that the twins have been seeing them their whole lives. It’s not sensationalized, but it’s a different take on paranormal in the genre. I think the romance was a little insta-love adjacent, though. Even though we see them becoming friends and opening up to each other. They are both decently into each other pretty quickly & deny it in the same way. Which makes sense with their emotional baggage, so ill allow it. However, the relationship and emotional beats still feel real, even if they happen quite quickly. We all know what it feels like to be soul-searching. I think Lyla has captured this in a sometimes literal way. Not to mention her hottest MMC yet, Brady. He is Seth cohen coded, talk about a hot guy, with needy hobbies & a sleeper build??? & he begs too damn good. Lastly there was a mystery subplot that I did not guess the ending to! This is her best one yet, and the ending has me wondering how different this series might end up being.

Some of my thoughts during the novel:
- i wish the relationship between the twins was more built up before we saw the confrontation.
- Brady mentions a few times he does the “manly” version of things. I don’t know if it’s satirical or playing into a realistic man persona. But it’s not super negative or anything just something I noticed.
- Collins is most comparable to Ada in the previous series.
- AND THE RYDER BROTHERS MENTIONS?? THE LORE DROPS???
- I wish the novel were longer, and we got more of a romantic slow burn at some points.

I was glad to receive an ARC of Lyla Sage’s Soul Searching. This heartwarming town romance with a spooky paranormal twist follows Collins, burdened by her past, as she returns to Sweetwater Peak, a town haunted by ghosts. The slow-burning romance between her and Brady, coupled with the hilarious, moody, and sometimes pushy ghosts, made it a unique and enjoyable read.

This was adorable, and continues on Lyla Sage’s track record of writing really great personable characters.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc! im so disappointed to dnf this (52%) but i just could not make myself finish it. the characters fell SO flat to me and i didnt feel any chemistry between collins and brady like, at all. obviously i didnt finish the book but im at a point where they are expressing interest in each other but i cant figure out why they even like each other. i dont wanna go on too much but this really did not work for me and it is a huge contrast to rebel blue ranch (which i loved)

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. RTC. Collins Cartwright returns home after losing her special abilities, to both see and talk to ghosts, and her passion for photography. Collins' hometown of Sweetwater Peak is fully realized on the page, but at the sake of the character development. I wasn't as charmed or invested in the citizens of Sweetwater Peak as I was those of Meadowlark & Rebel Blue. Some of my favorite scenes were at Boone's farm and a visit from some Meadowlark residents. The romance is slow burn and sweet. The character names are a little campy. I'm looking forward to more in the series, but hoping that readers will get to connect with the ghosts and characters a little more in future installments. Recommended for fans of Do Your Worst or Haunted Ever After.

Thanks to Netgalley for another ARC. Soul Seatching is a new series by the author and it’s a paranormal themed story. As expected fate leads the main characters together into a small Wild West mountain town. This was a cute small town romance and with some spice. Maybe overdone a bit. This story was the right length. I look forward to the next book in the series.

First things first, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Man, I was so excited to read this... I went into this book with high hopes, especially as a fan of the author’s previous series.
But unfortunately it wasn't IT for me. While the premise was intriguing, the story took a direction that I really didn't feel connected and invested in.

Not so positive points for me:
The story focuses almost entirely on Collins and Brady, but both characters felt underdeveloped. Despite getting their POV, I still didn’t feel like I truly understood each of them. It was disappointing, especially given how strong the character work was in the author’s previous books. Also I didn't really feel a particularly strong chemistry between them until like 70% of the book...

The lack of presence from other characters, for example, Collins’s family was something that also bothered me. She returns home for them, yet they’re barely in the story—just a few scenes with her sister and parents, with little depth or emotional connection. It made the world feel flat and the relationships unconvincing.
If I'm being honest the whole ghost thing aspect didn’t work for me—it felt a bit far-fetched and hard to connect with, even by the end.
And what's with all the stammering? Just why?

Positive points:
Despite the issues I had with the plot and characters, I really enjoyed the writing. The prose was beautiful, and there were so many thoughtful, meaningful lines that stood out. As someone from a small town, I found the reflections on small-town life especially relatable!

I also appreciated the ending. Things tied together nicely, and I finally felt the sense of community the book had been hinting at all along. While I still didn’t love the ghost concept, I liked how it connected to Collins’s personal growth.

3.5 ⭐️

Every book Lyla writes gets better and better. This was the first book I was able to read in 15 days and I finished it in two. I can’t wait for the next one.

I really enjoyed Lyla Sage's first series, so when I saw she was writing another one, I was very excited!

This book was cute, but I felt like it was missing something compared to the last series. I struggled to want to keep reading and to care about the characters in the beginning. I do feel like things picked up as it went along and I really did enjoy the character overlap from the last series.

Overall, a cute book and a fun change from the first series' contemporary romance to paranormal contemporary romance.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.