REVIEW: Soul Searching by Lyla Sage

In Soul Searching by Lyla Sage, There are a few factors that have brought photographer Collins Cartwright back to her hometown of Sweetwater Peak, Wyoming. Finding out from her twin sister Clarke that their parents have real estate developers breathing down their necks to sell their properties is a big issue. But Collins herself has recently run up against bad luck. And the only place that felt safe enough to do some introspection is the small town she left behind. Aside from her career imploding, the fact that she can no longer communicate with any ghosts around her is honestly downright freaky. Collins and Clarke have been able to see and interact with ghosts for as long as they can remember. And now, with no way to hear them–unable to hear their stories or check in with those she grew up around–she feels…untethered. But somehow being back in Sweetwater Peak, renting a room from sexy Brady Cooper above his upholstery shop, settles Collins quickly and unexpectedly. Brady, on the other hand, makes her heart take flight. And she’s not entirely sure what to do about it.

“I would not let you get possessed,” I said.
“I don’t think you can control that.”
“Okay, maybe not, but I can be very persuasive. I’d talk the ghost out of it–tell them you’re not worth possessing.”
Brady looked like he was fighting a smile. “I don’t know if I should be offended that you don’t think I’m worth possessing.”
“Oh my god. Do you want to get possessed or not?”
“I’m going with no.”

Brady opened an upholstery shop in Sweetwater Peak after–well, after a series of events that unraveled the life he’d built for years. But something drew him to this tiny mountainside town, and he knew he had to give it a try. After about a year, he feels somewhat settled and has a few friends and acquaintances he appreciates greatly. The Cartwright family were one of the first groups to draw him into the community. So, when Clarke says her twin sister Collins needs a place to stay for a while, Brady offers the apartment (next to his) above his shop. He just didn’t realize that A) Collins would be sexy and gorgeous and B) that she would also talk to herself and stare at things that weren’t there. When he finds out that she believes she can see ghosts, Brady brushes it off. Certainly, she can’t be telling the truth. But after one weird event after another point toward the supernatural being the culprit, he knows he might be in over his head. Both with the ghosts *and* with the sassy woman who is constantly on his mind.

‘I felt like I’d cut my chest open and laid my heart out at Collins’s feet. Lucky for me, she handled it with care.’

If you enjoy offbeat tiny mountain towns, friends to lovers romances, and ghost stories then the first book in Lyla Sage’s newest series, SOUL SEARCHING, will be right up your alley. Be prepared to swoon, laugh, sigh happily, and wish your time with these characters didn’t have to end.

“Who says I’m not running, too?” Her voice was more timid again…
“Are you?”
“Takes one to know one, Brady.” Collins looked up at me. “But it sounds like we could both use a little soul searching.”

I adored Lyla Sage’s Rebel Blue Ranch, so I was excited to see she had a whole new series, Sweetwater Peak, coming out. And book one, SOUL SEARCHING, most definitely didn’t disappoint. While it’s set in a totally different location–Sweetwater Peak, Wyoming–it still thankfully had the down-to-earth characters, small town issues, and rich emotions I’ve come to love from Sage’s writing.

The biggest difference was that the heroine, photographer Collins Cartwright, has always been able to see and communicate with ghosts. So, yes, there is a bit of woo-woo involved. But Sage wrote it in such a way that Collins’–and her twin sister Clarke’s–ability was just a natural part of her life. It wasn’t outlandish. It honestly felt…right. Especially considering Sweetwater Peak itself was steeped in such diverse history and had a spooky vibe all on its own, located in the shadow of a mountain. The interesting stories and the many ghosts Collins interacted with were some of my favorite moments, aside from watching her and her roommate Brady’s friendship bloom into something more.

From their memorable meet-cute to their equal partnership in every aspect of their lives by the end of the story, Brady and Collins were so sweet together. Their attraction was undeniable. But it was how they were so protective of each other–physically and emotionally–that made me melt. They both called the shots in their relationship. It was a give and take that worked well with their personalities and their situation. And I think Sage cast them both in a very realistic light, not glossing over the times when Brady or Collins would step in to boost each other up. I loved those scenes. And from the teaser at the end, I have a feeling Clarke’s book in this duology is going to be every bit as entertaining as her twin sister Collins’ was. Can’t wait.

QOTD: When you read a novel set somewhere you’ve never visited, do you pay attention to the details of the location, or do you just focus on the storyline & characters instead?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: September 30th, 2025 | The Dial Press | Sweetwater Peak #1

Home is where the heart is—and this one is haunted.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Rebel Blue Ranch series returns with a brand-new story, featuring a small-town upholsterer in need of a fresh start, a photographer whose life has come to a screeching halt . . . and the supernatural forces that bring them together.

Collins Cartwright does not want to go home. Sweetwater Peak, Wyoming, was supposed to be in her rearview mirror, but when she finds out a developer is trying to buy her parents’ antiques shop out from under them, she doesn’t have a choice—at least, that’s what she tells her family. They don’t need to know she’s lost her job and is out of money. Or that the ghosts who have always been her companions have recently gone silent.

But just because she’s returned home doesn’t mean she has to stay with her parents or crash on her twin sister’s couch. Lucky for her, the new-to-town upholsterer has a room for rent above his store. Unluckily, it is absolutely crawling with more ghosts who are freezing her out. And Collins hates being ignored.

Brady Cooper is absolutely and totally fine. Seriously, there’s no secret reason why he decided to uproot his life and suddenly move to Sweetwater Peak. He just needed a change of pace. At least that’s what he tells himself. And everyone else.

When he agrees to let the elusive Collins Cartwright stay in his spare room, he doesn’t know that she’s absolutely bonkers—constantly talking to herself and having conversations with no one—or that she looked like that. But as they begin to get closer, the lines between them start to blur, leaving both of them—and the ghosts who have been pushing them together—wondering whether their temporary arrangement could be something more permanent.