Not quite as captivating to me as Rebel Blue Ranch, but maybe it's just the start of a series and we need to settle into this new town! I'm not overly convinced on the ghost element but it does give perfect Summerween vibes, and I'm intrigued to see how this new paranormal side continues with the next book! I quite liked that this did feel very different from Rebel Blue Ranch because it's showing Lyla Sage's versatility. I think my main issue is the writing does feel a bit stilted in this one, maybe just because she's trying something so different? The romance I really liked, I thought Collins was a great main character and I enjoyed her journey of rediscovering herself and her passion, and Brady is a very sweet love interest. Not my favourite Lyla Sage, but I do love her and I'm excited for whatever's next to come!

I enjoyed the first visit to Sweetwater Peak and found the slightly supernatural element of this book really interesting. Collins and Brady were fun characters and I really enjoyed their interactions with each other - that 'meet cute' was simply hilarious. I did feel like some parts were a bit rushed or less developed then I would have liked. It unexpectedly read like the first book in a series and didn't feel as concluded as I expected. It did leave me feeling excited to return back to Sweetwater Peak.

If Lyla Sage is writing it, I'm reading it.

This was so different and I loved it! Small town romance with a paranormal twist, perfection!

I was hooked on this from the first page, which isn't surprising because I find Sage's writing so easy to read. I flew through this and found myself getting annoyed with life when it forced to me stop reading. I find her so good at introducing you to a large group of people and showing you who they are without it getting bogged down or taking away from our main characters.

I introduction of the paranormal was an element I didn't know I needed until I started to read this and I like how it just became totally normal and not this novelty. It has me really excited to see where it goes from here.

This was something new from Lyla Sage and it was exciting to read a spooky, supernatural romance!
I really loved the setting of this book- something Lyla does well is immerse you into a place and I really liked Sweetwater Peak- it was intriguing and homely. I look forward to exploring this more in the rest of the series.
I liked the gentle romance as it felt more real- while I did feel like they loved each other very quickly (maybe that’s just expected in a romance novel), they both seemed genuine and grew to like each other while learning about each other.
I liked the hints of the supernatural, this could maybe have been explored further as it did feel a little like her issues surrounding the ghosts just seemed to be fixed suddenly.
Possibly my favourite bits were the little nods to the Rebel Blue series which holds a special place in my heart! I understand some people might feel they should be left behind, but I absolutely loved their little drop ins!
Overall, I finished this book feeling good and that is exactly what you want from a romance novel. Loved it!

Given that I was already a big fan of Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue series I was excited when she announced Soul Searching, her first book in the new Sweetwater Peak series. Soul Searching moves away from the cowboys and ranchers we’ve grown to love from Sage and instead embraces the paranormal, all whilst being in the same world, and only really a town over!

Soul Searching is Collins and Brady’s story. Collins finds herself back on her hometown when her parents’ business is threatened and whilst she herself is down on her luck. Worst still the ghosts she’s always been able to talk to are alarmingly quiet. Brady meanwhile found himself settling in Meadowlark in the hope of a fresh start. Brady offers Collins a place to stay and somewhere to work whilst she’s back in town. He’s confused, at first, as to why she’s forever talking to thin air, and not a little taken aback by just how attractive he finds her. The pair grow to become friends, opening up to one another in ways they haven’t before, but as things between them develop the threat to Collins home still looms large.

I really enjoyed this one. There was so much of what made the Rebel Blue series so good and added to that a whole new dimension with the paranormal element. Also no third act break! I loved the small town setting, which this time was the perfect blend of cosy and creepy. The shadows and darkness loom large over Meadowlark but with Collins we’re able to embrace them. The paranormal elements worked brilliant but I think they’re better left for the reader to discover as I wouldn’t want to spoil them.

The duel POV worked perfectly to allow us to get closer to Collins and Brady, both of whom were great MCs. Their slow burn relationship from disastrous meet cute, to friends to lovers worked really well and I particularly liked how Brady helped and encouraged Collins to find herself again. As you’d expect there is a great cast of supporting characters, with Boone being my favourite and he just so happens to be Amos Ryder’s elder brother! The crumb trail has also been left for us to look forward to Clark’s story in book two.

This was a great read and a really enjoyable shift in direction from Sage. I can’t wait for the next one.

Having loved Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch series, with its warm small-town charm and lingering emotional arcs, I came into Soul Searching (Book 1 of the new Sweetwater Peak series) with both excitement and high expectations. The biggest shift here is the genre: Sage trades cowboys and ranches for contemporary paranormal romance, complete with ghosts. It’s an ambitious pivot, and a fascinating chance to see her strengths — banter, chemistry, and humour — play out in a supernatural setting.

For the most part, Sage manages to retain her signatures: the zingy banter and an ensemble of endearing characters; the set-up is inviting, the voice is warm and wry, and the world-building explains the ghosts as cozy-spooky rather than horror, which is a relief. I’d much rather have Casper than Annabelle.

The opening chapter sets us up nicely with an introduction into our major characters: Collins Cartwright as a carefree bolter, Clarke Cartwright as the responsible twin, and Brady as the dependable male lead. Each of them are coming into the story with deep histories, the repression of some emotions and an escape from the painful parts of their lives. All of them, however, finding some respite in Sweetwater Peak.

“That’s a long time to hold a grudge.”
“This town is held together by grudges—grudges and chewed-up gum, Brady. It’s part of our weird little ecosystem.”

It has all the charms of a small, ghost-town down. The first time Collins meets Brady, she greets him with a generous macing of pepper spray right in his eyes. Talk about a meet-cute with plenty of opportunities for callbacks. We also get a good glimpse into the sisterly dynamic between the twins, and soon enough, the entire Cartwright family, and much else of Sweetwater Peak.

Collins is returning to her hometown under the pretext of saving her family’s business and properties from a sordid developer. But really, Collins has hit a plateau in her career. She’s scared that she might have peaked, and that everything is downhill from here. While she’s unclear if she’s back to recalibrate or recuperate, her lack of future plans leaves a wide-open window of decisions.

Meanwhile, she is lodging with Brady in exchange for working for his relatively new upholstery business, and she takes to the work like a natural. The Cartwrights are a typical small-town family, with quirks, traditions, and an extension of goodwill to honorary members of their family, like Boone Ryder.

The dialogue and humour are where the book really shines — it’s punchy, sharp, and genuinely funny. That’s always been a strong part of Sage’s writing, so it’s not much of a surprise. But since the balance of banter and supernatural metaphors is a big part of the plot tension, let’s look at the new territory Sage has ventured into.

Sage clearly thought through believability in the supernatural reveal. Instead of info-dumping that the heroine can communicate with ghosts, she frames the revelation in a fun, realistic way: when Collins tells Brady about her powers, they are high, which lowers the stakes and makes the confession feel organic, both hilarious and oddly plausible.

If you look back at the Rebel Blue Ranch series, characters like Cam, Dusty, Wes, Ada, naturally shine on their own. But when it comes to their interpersonal dynamics, it sometimes feels like the legwork wasn’t fully done. Instead, their chemistry leans on an air of inevitability, as though we’re meant to accept that of course they’ll end up together, without watching the pieces truly click into place.

In Soul Searching, we see a bit more promise. The characters arrive likeable and legible, with hints of deeper knots you want to tug at. You can feel the scaffolding of a series being raised: a place you’ll want to revisit, not just a plot to be solved once. But even here, the interpersonal dynamics can still feel more obvious than earned.

It’s a fun romp, a true “popcorn read.” What BookTok and Bookstagram would happily call a palate cleanser. You don’t pick it up for literary succinctness — though sure, a little trimming of fluff words and filler spaces could have made it crisper. At times, the narration labels beats and underlining tropes that would land better as subtext. The best romances let the reveal sneak up on you; here, a few moments point and tell (“this is X, that is Y”), which can flatten the magic.

Still, when Sage eases off the signposting, the chemistry hums and the pages fly. This is the kind of story that works best when you don’t overanalyze it under a harsh literary lens. It’s a light, playful read. Making it a great pick for all the reasons that readers gravitate toward these books.

Worth mentioning is also the author helping crossover characters from other books in the same universe, so seeing an old familiar name (a couple of beloved Rebel Blue Ranch characters) was a delight. A great book to pick up if you’re in the mood for something multi-genre — part romance, part supernatural, part small-town drama.

“I liked the way he looked at me like I was a puzzle he was dying to solve instead of one he wished he could put back in the box.”

If you enjoyed the whole shtick of an accomplished photographer going jaded on her career, you should also check out One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune, another hot favourite book from 2025. These books feel like the summer and autumn counterparts of similar stories, each made unique by a parallel tangent.

With Soul Searching, Sage tried on a new silhouette, and she looks different. And it’s a good kind of different.

I adored the Rebel Blue Ranch series, and in my heart I’m a horror girlie so when this was announced I was so excited for my 2 worlds to collide. A heartfelt Lyla Sage Romance with a Paranormal spooky edge to it, say no more.

Collins and Brady are both feeling a bit adrift from who they are, and this close proximity relationship manages to bring them together and back to themselves. I really enjoyed the meadowlark crossover and getting to know the grumpy brother of Amos Ryder. I cannot wait for the second book in this series as it leaves on a bit of a cliffhanger which means we are in uncharted territories with Lyla.

The Ghosts really stole the show for me, I wanted a little bit more from Collins as she is the badass that she is but I really loved this first instalment. A perfect spooky season read for sure.

I adored the Rebel Blue Ranch series, and in my heart I’m a horror girlie so when this was announced I was so excited for my 2 worlds to collide. A heartfelt Lyla Sage Romance with a Paranormal spooky edge to it, say no more.

Collins and Brady are both feeling a bit adrift from who they are, and this close proximity relationship manages to bring them together and back to themselves. I really enjoyed the meadowlark crossover and getting to know the grumpy brother of Amos Ryder. I cannot wait for the second book in this series as it leaves on a bit of a cliffhanger which means we are in uncharted territories with Lyla.

The Ghosts really stole the show for me, I wanted a little bit more from Collins as she is the badass that she is but I really loved this first instalment. A perfect spooky season read for sure.

Lyla Sage has captured the essence of a small-town romance with mystery elements seamlessly in Soul Searching. The slow-burn Sweetwater Peak tale is full of yearning. Collins slowly gains her photography confidence back throughout, while Brady learns Sweetwater Peak folklore from her. There were moments where the sister story-line of the twins felt slightly lacking, but overall it was great. Dog-lovers and ghost-lovers alike will enjoy Sage's Sweetwater Peak town. Soul Searching is the perfect read for a crisp autumn's day.

Soul Searching is a perfect blend of romance and the supernatural. Lyla Sage has once again written a book filled with the romance and amazing characters that we have all come to expect from her, but this new ghostly twist added a really fun and unique element to the story. Not only was it a really fun read, but it was also very meaningful and explored the complicated relationship we have with where we grew up and how that fits into our adult lives. Would definitely recommend !

I'm rating this at 4 stars - that's quite high I think - but I will note that my rating is almost entirely on *vibes* rather than plot or characterisation.

On vibes - excellent! I LOVED Sweetwater Peak. I love that it's a small town, practically dying, little tourism, kinda spooky, people leaving but not too many people moving in. It's perfect for an autumnal read, when the nights are drawing in and the wind is howling. My favourite parts of the book were wondering round Sweetwater - abandoned buildings, spooky forests.

The romance was ok, but not stand-out. Collins and Brady were a little two dimensional. I liked their back-stories, and the way they were both looking for a fresh start, but I felt a lot like I didn't really know the characters. For a romance book, there wasn't a lot of feeling or emotion for the reader - the characters might have been crying, or confused, but I never felt particularly invested in them.

I enjoyed the ghostly aspects of the book - the little snippets of their stories we got, and I particularly loved the way they were a part of Collins' photography subjects. This was a premise I loved, that her art had lost a bit of meaning because she could no longer hear the spirits she wanted to capture on film. I thought that was great, and there was more emotion around this than there was in the romance.

On the whole, I enjoyed it. It didn't get too heavy emotionally, and allowed me to stay pretty surface level, which was ok for a quick afternoon read. I'll keep an eye out for more Sweetwater Peak books, to find out more about the town, but I do think this will let down romance readers that are looking for an emotional connection.

Thanks to Sage, NetGalley and Quercus for the chance to read ahead of release.

This was a charming blend of small-town drama, a moody paranormal thread, and a touch of slow-burn romance. Sweetwater Peak makes for a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop, with just the right mix of cozy and eerie. There are moments where the setting really shines, pulling you straight into the foggy streets and whispered town secrets.

Collins and Brady’s romance is gentle and gradual, a pairing of two characters still finding their place in the world. Collins brings an intriguing, layered energy, while Brady’s quiet nature and love of books give him an understated appeal. I also really enjoyed Boone, a side character who felt especially grounded and memorable.

The story weaves in a ghostly mystery alongside several personal and interpersonal conflicts, giving readers a variety of threads to follow. While there’s a lot happening, it adds a sense of a full, lived-in community where every character has their own challenges and history.

The writing is clear and easy to follow, with plenty of description to keep the reader oriented in each scene. There’s a deliberate, steady pace to the plot, which suits the slow-burn nature of the romance and allows space for the small-town atmosphere to settle in.

Overall, this is an enjoyable read for those who like their paranormal stories on the softer, more intimate side, with an emphasis on character relationships and a touch of mystery. It’s an inviting escape to a place where secrets linger, connections grow, and the air always feels just a little haunted.

Oh wow! I think this might be my favourite Lyla Sage book. I really enjoyed her Rebel Blue Ranch series, I found the found family aspect comforting and her characters so loveable, I really wanted to be sat there at the table with them all but Soul Searching is something else!

I was a little hesitant when the book was announced as I was wondering how the supernatural would fit in with a small town romance but it was honestly perfect. The supernatural elements were dotted throughout the book enough not to take focus away from the romance plot but also not to take away the importance of Collins rediscovering who she is. I do want to know more about the ghosts who live in Sweetwater Peak in the next book though!

Once again Lyla Sage has written a man that will be hard to find in the real world. I do love an MMC who is confident and knows what he's doing behind closed doors but it was so nice and refreshing to see Brady get flustered and blush frequently, I think it made me fall a little more for him. I also loved the slow burn, the two of them falling for each other happened so casually until it was blatantly obvious that they loved each other.

I'm so thankful to have been chosen to have the E-ARC of this book, it's one that I'm already looking forward to revisiting in the next month or so, particularly as the leaves start to change colour and fall.

I really enjoyed the first half of this book but for some reason didn’t gel with the 2nd half. I love Lylas books and will be continuing this series when the next book comes out but for me I wished the plot had more to do with the ghosts as well !
Overall I enjoyed it but not as much as her others

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.25 stars.

I’m definitely a Lyla Sage fan and there’s not a book I wouldn’t read or recommend. This book is no different, I love that the author has written a very different story in comparison to her cowboy romance series. This book has a small town setting like her other books, but this particular romance is supernatural.

Our FMC and MMC seem to be polar opposites, but both are running away from something. They have this electricity when interacting that felt really genuine and special, although they are in town for very different reasons they seem to be drawn together in cosmic ways.

The familial and community tones throughout the plot are quite a nice touch especially because one of our characters doesn’t quite feel like they fit in, so seeing the connections and growth from multiple characters was lovely.

The mix of the supernatural, romance and small town setting was a complete win for me and I hope this becomes a series.

Thank you for my eARC of this book. I loved the premise and thought it was executed brilliantly!
The balance between major plot, personal story and side plot was brilliant and I was always engaged in the story.
The characters are brilliant and complex and loveable.
The paranormal element was done really well and tied in well with the story.
The romance felt slow burn and quick at the same time somehow and worked really well. I loved Collins’ character development and thought it ended very satisfyingly and I’m ready for the next book thank you!!!

Soul Searching by Lyla Sage had a lot to like. I thought there was a good sense of place, the town had an eerie atmostphere. I liked how rough-around-the-edges the FMC was. The paranormal element added a fun twist and made it feel a bit different from other recent contemporary romances I’ve read. I also really enjoyed the focus on family. I appreciated Lyla Sage trying something a bit new with this one after her Rebel Blue series.

Having said that, I think there were a few too many subplots for any of them to be explored in real depth. The ghost storyline, while intriguing, didn’t feel fully integrated and didn’t have much impact on the main arc. The developer conflict was underserved and wrapped up far too quickly. It felt like the book had a lot of threads but didn’t quite give any of them enough room to breathe. Also, this might be a nitpick both lead characters stammered a lot, which felt quite repetitive.

Overall, Soul Searching is an atmospheric read with a good concept, but it could have benefitted from a tighter focus and a bit more narrative depth.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch books, with each book getting better and better as the series progressed.
So, when I saw that she had a new release I was very excited, to say the least. And from reading the blurb, I thought that it might have similar vibes to one of my favourite books of all time, The Dead Romantics. However, that wasn't really the case.
Let’s start with the good.
It was a quick and easy read and I liked seeing Collins reacquaint herself with the town and her family.
Brady was a pretty solid male lead and I appreciated the nods to Meadowlark, too.
But, after hearing that we’re in Sweetwater Peak once or twice, I got it. So, to sometimes see Sweetwater Peak written four times on the same page was insane. It must have been mentioned well over 100 times and quickly got so frustrating to see again and again. I ended up skimming every SP mention from then on.
And why were two grown adults who don’t have a stammer stuttering so much?
Did Collins properly get her ability back either? The ending felt a bit rushed.
Maybe this will be similar to the Rebel Blue series and the books will get progressively better, but this wasn’t quite what I was hoping for.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A news series from Lyla Sage meant an immediate request for an ARC.
Soul Searching delivers a close proximity, small town romance with some paranormal elements thrown in. Collins has just come back to Sweetwater Peak, where she stays with Brady and works for him too in his upholstery shop. She was born and raised there, but Brady has only moved to the town recently. Collins is struggling with her relationship with her family and her career, but she finds solace in Brady - who's drawn to her from the first time he actually lays eyes on her (iykyk).

I really enjoyed the first third of this and whizzed though it, but then it just felt like everything happened so fast. Plus Collins' character completely changed? I thought she was almost unrecognisable from the protagonist in the first chapters by about 75% in. There was a definite lack of consistency in her character.

The romance got a little sickly sweet for my tastes - and that's coming from a hopeless romantic. I saw someone refer to it as a slow burn, and no hate, but this is 100% NOT a slowburn.

Often in romance books I love the side characters as well, but this didn't really offer much in the way of fleshed out side characters - not even Clarke, Collins' twin. Perhaps that's because Sage is saving it for later books though...

The paranormal elements didn't feel particularly thought out or relevant to the story, sadly it seemed they were more of an afterthought than a true focus of the book.

I feel like I'm being quite negative but I just know Lyla Sage can write better than this! Despite the above, I did enjoy reading the book, it was a fun time and I'll definitely read the next books in the series.

Soul searching was weird but also wonderful. I absolutely love Lyla Sage's writing, and this combined her incredible ability to write addictive small town romances, with paranormal magical realism. It is cozy, cute and charming.

Collins is a cool, tattoed, black cat FMC that can see/ talk to ghosts. I loved her humour and her gentleness. Brady gives golden retriever vibes, he is nerdy, a fantasy lover, and sweet as hell.

The romance between Collins and Brady is a perfect example of soft love. It developed slowly and naturally, they found themselves when they found eachother. There were so many sweet and tender moments between them.

I loved Collins and Clark's realistic sibling relationship, they fight and they sometimes 'hate' eachother, but they are always there when push comes to shove.

I love that Lyla is trying out new genres, I will honestly read anything that she writes. I loved this sweet, magical and unique take on a small town romance.

👻 Magical realism/ ghosts
🤍 Small town romance
👻 Forced proximity
🤍 Workplace romance
👻 Slow burn