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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
a slow burn with matching making ghosts? what more could you ask for! sage indulges herself in paranormal romance while sticking to her classic western roots. the romance is soft, the tension is rich, and the pacing hooks you in from the first page. this is a divine twist from the rebel blue ranch series that i loved getting lost in!
thank you so much random house and edelweiss for this arc!
thank you so much random house and edelweiss for this arc!
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Lyla Sage is forever an auto-buy author for me!
Collins and Brady felt as close to a fated pair as you could get in a contemporary(ish) romance. It almost felt like their love story just melted together slowly over the course of the book. There weren't overt in your face moments, but a lot of quiet understanding between each other. I loved how soft this felt while they both worked through their personal journeys. The thing I loved most was experiencing this new setting, Sweetwater Peak, through Collins. She is rediscovering her love for her hometown, while introducing Brady to her favorite spots. As a reader it felt so immersive and special to read about it this way. Sweetwater Peak felt like a character on it's own and I loved that!
Thank you so much to Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
Collins and Brady felt as close to a fated pair as you could get in a contemporary(ish) romance. It almost felt like their love story just melted together slowly over the course of the book. There weren't overt in your face moments, but a lot of quiet understanding between each other. I loved how soft this felt while they both worked through their personal journeys. The thing I loved most was experiencing this new setting, Sweetwater Peak, through Collins. She is rediscovering her love for her hometown, while introducing Brady to her favorite spots. As a reader it felt so immersive and special to read about it this way. Sweetwater Peak felt like a character on it's own and I loved that!
Thank you so much to Random House for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
First book this year to get me through an almost a one sitting read!
Vibes were there & join for some cute ghost stories.
A perfect easy to absorb fall read
Vibes were there & join for some cute ghost stories.
A perfect easy to absorb fall read
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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?!)
Positive points:
Despite the issues I had with the plot and characters, I enjoyed the writing. The prose was beautiful, and there were so many meaningful sentences that stood out. As someone from a small town, I found the reflections on small-town life supeeer relatable ahah
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.
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?!)
Positive points:
Despite the issues I had with the plot and characters, I enjoyed the writing. The prose was beautiful, and there were so many meaningful sentences that stood out. As someone from a small town, I found the reflections on small-town life supeeer relatable ahah
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.
Different characters and *very* different vibes from Lyla’s previous books, but reading Soul Searching still felt like coming home ❤️🩹
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you Dial Press Trade Paperback, and Dial Delights for this advance digital copy.
This is one ARC I was really excited to get my hands on. I love Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch series, and I loved that world, so I was excited to see what shed build with the town of Sweetwater Peak.
The plot of Soul Searching and the pace in which I read it, reminded me of the summers I would go to my local public library’s little teen alcove and read R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books. It reminded me of the feeling I got when I watched any supernatural or paranormal show growing up. It feels nostalgic and mysterious and otherworldly, and I love that I now feel like a resident of Sweetwater; protective and proud of my little lost ghost town. Collins and Clarke are not only twins with very unorthodox but very cool names, but I loved reading about sisters. There’s nothing like ‘em. I also of course, adore Brady. He’s another male character I have to add to my favorites roster just like Brooks (*sigh*), Wes, Gus, and Dusty. I adore men written by women. The intimate scenes are always sooo well-written and so hot.
I also can’t get enough of how Lyla writes close-knit families, with all their quirks and inside-jokes. It means a lot to me who comes from a family like that to see a positive (but not without flaws) family unit on paper.
But perhaps my favorite thing about reading Soul Searching, is how Lyla always thinks of clever ways to bridge her characters from one story to the next. The citizens of Meadowlark popped up like Easter eggs, and it felt like I was in on a huge secret by knowing who they all were.
I can’t wait for the story to continue in the series. I wish it was ready and in my hands now!! I will be reading my physical copy when it arrives, and just in time for my favorite season, too. I did get spooked a few times by the ghost stories within Soul Searching, and the thrill made it that much more exciting. Because I was reading a digital review copy, I didn’t see the playlist Lyla created until I was finished, but damn, she has incredible taste. Every song fits the vibe and they’re all songs that happened to pop up in the days before I picked up Soul Searching. I fully believe in fate, too.
This is one ARC I was really excited to get my hands on. I love Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch series, and I loved that world, so I was excited to see what shed build with the town of Sweetwater Peak.
The plot of Soul Searching and the pace in which I read it, reminded me of the summers I would go to my local public library’s little teen alcove and read R.L. Stine’s Fear Street books. It reminded me of the feeling I got when I watched any supernatural or paranormal show growing up. It feels nostalgic and mysterious and otherworldly, and I love that I now feel like a resident of Sweetwater; protective and proud of my little lost ghost town. Collins and Clarke are not only twins with very unorthodox but very cool names, but I loved reading about sisters. There’s nothing like ‘em. I also of course, adore Brady. He’s another male character I have to add to my favorites roster just like Brooks (*sigh*), Wes, Gus, and Dusty. I adore men written by women. The intimate scenes are always sooo well-written and so hot.
I also can’t get enough of how Lyla writes close-knit families, with all their quirks and inside-jokes. It means a lot to me who comes from a family like that to see a positive (but not without flaws) family unit on paper.
But perhaps my favorite thing about reading Soul Searching, is how Lyla always thinks of clever ways to bridge her characters from one story to the next. The citizens of Meadowlark popped up like Easter eggs, and it felt like I was in on a huge secret by knowing who they all were.
I can’t wait for the story to continue in the series. I wish it was ready and in my hands now!! I will be reading my physical copy when it arrives, and just in time for my favorite season, too. I did get spooked a few times by the ghost stories within Soul Searching, and the thrill made it that much more exciting. Because I was reading a digital review copy, I didn’t see the playlist Lyla created until I was finished, but damn, she has incredible taste. Every song fits the vibe and they’re all songs that happened to pop up in the days before I picked up Soul Searching. I fully believe in fate, too.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated