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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
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
funny
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed Sage's writing, as always, and I did find the characters interesting. Unfortunately this one felt a bit unfinished to me - the ending felt pretty rushed and I didn't quite buy it?
I was so interested in Collins' ghosty-chatting abilities and why she stopped being able to communicate with all her ghosts.I guess it's just because she was adrift and needed her family/Brady to anchor her Hallmark-movie-style to her quaint hometown? But it felt like that didn't really get fleshed out on the page, I wanted to know more about why and how that ability went away, and how she gets it back.
The last 10% of the book is rapid-fire plotline wrap-up and it did feel pretty rushed to me.I checked how close I was to the end at one point and was shocked to see how few pages I had left when the developer plotline wasn't resolved at all
It seems like the author really wanted to marinate in the story/relationship of the two romantic leads and then expected us to be invested in Collins's familial relationships suddenly at the end. I really disliked that Collinswalked away after Clark exploded at her and then just hung out with Brady for a week to flirt instead of talking to her sister? Very weird pacing.
Also, it felt like there was a lot of build up toCollins taking over the town archivist responsibilities and maybe doing little town tours, so I was confused rhat her ending was traveling outside the town with Brady despite him having a business to run?
I was so interested in Collins' ghosty-chatting abilities and why she stopped being able to communicate with all her ghosts.
The last 10% of the book is rapid-fire plotline wrap-up and it did feel pretty rushed to me.
It seems like the author really wanted to marinate in the story/relationship of the two romantic leads and then expected us to be invested in Collins's familial relationships suddenly at the end. I really disliked that Collins
Also, it felt like there was a lot of build up to
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
This was my first Lyla Sage novel, and while I enjoyed the story, it ultimately wasn’t quite for me. I struggled to get into it at first, but the further along I read, the more invested I was. I especially enjoyed the second half of the book and the chemistry between Collins and Brady. At the start, I felt that the romance and chemistry between the two characters was underdeveloped and at times cheesy. However, the second half of the story is where the romance starts to work better. I particularly enjoyed Brady as a character and his hesitancy and awkwardness. The ghost plot line was also quite sweet.
That said, the story was ultimately a bit too simple and lacking in plot points that hooked me. I wanted more conflict, indecision, and challenges for the characters to overcome. The primary conflict arose quickly and was resolved too easily and the ending also felt a bit rushed. While Soul Searching was a sweet read, it was just not the right fit for me. I would recommend it for people looking for an easy, sweet romance and I am still interested in trying another Lyla Sage novel that might fit better with what I am looking for.
That said, the story was ultimately a bit too simple and lacking in plot points that hooked me. I wanted more conflict, indecision, and challenges for the characters to overcome. The primary conflict arose quickly and was resolved too easily and the ending also felt a bit rushed. While Soul Searching was a sweet read, it was just not the right fit for me. I would recommend it for people looking for an easy, sweet romance and I am still interested in trying another Lyla Sage novel that might fit better with what I am looking for.
Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me a proof of this in exchange for an honest review - I’ve been excited about this one for MONTHS!
This was such a lovely read to start off my holiday week! Think summerween, western romance vibes. I absolutely adored the Rebel Blue Ranch series, so imagine my excitement when I saw we were getting the first book in a new series just in time for spooky season 👀 (aka my favourite time of year).
Soul Searching was an interesting change from the cowboy romances we all know and love, with supernatural elements (the ghosts were a highlight for me!) interwoven with the small-town romance that blossoms between our two elusive main characters, Collins and Brady. There’s a slight, unexpected crossover with the Rebel Blue Ranch series which I LOVED - and somehow didn’t see coming! I only wish there had been more of a backstory for our two main characters, they’re both quite mysterious and I often found myself struggling to really connect with either of them. With that said, I went into this wanting an enjoyable, easy, palette-cleansing read, and it gave me exactly that, so I cannot complain!
emotional
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
This is my first book from Lyla Sage, and it did not disappoint! I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for fall vibes, and to anyone who loves an emotional, small-town romance. Some romances with paranormal elements can be quite silly, and while this book was fun it was much more of an emotional read than I was expecting, and I loved that about it! The main characters had lots of depth to them and the side characters were all lovable and I enjoyed reading about them all. Looking forward to reading more from Lyla Sage in the future!
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A spooky little love story about a girl who sees ghosts and a boy who sees her.
Sweetwater Peak is the main character of this book, to be honest. Lyla Sage makes this tiny, creepy little town jump off the page. All of the different spots Collins and Brady visit feel so atmospheric and like they have a life of their own, and it was easy to see why Collins and her family had such a connection to the town.
I will say that this felt a little... disjointed? Some of the conflicts were mentioned at the beginning (the developers trying to buy out Collins's family, Collins's last photography job, etc.) and then never really came into play again until the very end, which made things feel rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
Sweetwater Peak is the main character of this book, to be honest. Lyla Sage makes this tiny, creepy little town jump off the page. All of the different spots Collins and Brady visit feel so atmospheric and like they have a life of their own, and it was easy to see why Collins and her family had such a connection to the town.
I will say that this felt a little... disjointed? Some of the conflicts were mentioned at the beginning (the developers trying to buy out Collins's family, Collins's last photography job, etc.) and then never really came into play again until the very end, which made things feel rushed.
Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is my new favorite book by Lyla Sage. I loved how unique the plot was with the paranormal elements & the same heartfelt story telling that she gives us from the Rebel Blue Ranch Series. I think Brady is my new favorite book boyfriend & I cannot wait to continue this series.
This one really did not work for me! I am so bummed because I typically enjoy Lyla Sage's books, even if it wasn't my all time favorite. This felt extremely underbaked to me. I felt frustrated that so much of the character development for Collins was off page, like how she decided she wanted to stay in Sweetwater Peak, after all. Where was the doubting? Internal negotiation? It really came across like she was just staying for Brady, which I don't think was the intention but that's what's on the page and her dynamic with her sister confused me it seemed like they absolutely hated each other, which surprised me. Since they were the only two that understand each other's "ability," I never felt like I fully understood what they were, because they don't talk about them with each other until the 90% mark, at the climax . There's a sense that I am missing the first story in Sweetwater Peak- which I was hoping would feel like Meadowlark, just spooky, but it's not quite there yet. I don't think there's enough fleshing out of the atmosphere and I didn't feel situated at all. But since Collins starts the story with her abilities lost, fighting with her sister (who comes across as totally insufferable and unlikeable, from Collins' point of view. Every time Clarke is on the page she's criticizing Collins or suggesting she's exaggerating about something) and avoiding her family's store until 75% of the novel, I couldn't feel grounded in the setting and the family we are reading about. Especially since the third act turn was meant to be all about saving the antique store. Why am I supposed to care about something that Collins doesn't seem to? The way Brady's ex magically appears during this plot was corny, didn't like it. I also felt disappointed the way that Brady and Collins knew each other, they seemed to just retread a few tropes that have already been covered in Swift & Saddled and Wild & Wrangled, done to better effect in those books. It felt like there was another way they could have become involved, especially since it was such a tiny, deserted town. But I guess Collins didn't really bother to reach out to anyone outside her family while she was in town, and so maybe they wouldn't have met after all. I realize I'm sounding really harsh here, but I think LS can do better than this. I really do look forward to reading the other book in this duology, because I kept thinking to myself that I wish that I had been introduced to this entire town and its characters through Clarke's POV. There's a lot of potential here, but in my opinion, needed a few more passes to make it click.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lyla Sage’s newest book is an atmospheric departure from her Rebel Blue Ranch series, which means that this book delivers the joys of discovering a new fictional, haunted town and its inhabitants – both the normal and paranormal. Count. Me. In.
Our protagonist, Collins, finds herself struggling in her career when one of her innate abilities unexpectedly begins to fade, resulting in a last-ditch effort to ground herself by heading back to her hometown – a place she’s been fighting against since she left it.
Our other protagonist, Brady, is new to Sweetwater Peak – looking to make a new life for himself in a low-key, small town. When his friend’s twin sister (Collins) needs a short term job and place to stay, he provides both.
This spooky, steamy book felt a little bit like R.L.Stine’s Fear Street, all grown up. The haunted town, its sprawling secrets, and eerie vibes make a great backdrop for the friendship and inevitable romance between our two main characters to blossom. And, in typical Lyla Sage fashion, she also provides sweeping descriptions of the rich Wyoming landscape as we get to know family, friends who are as close as family, and the secret histories around town.
This might be my favorite Lyla Sage book yet.
A haunted fictional Wyoming town AND a spicy love story? I’ll always be in.