Lead Me Home

Queen Anne Hill #1

by Catherine Bybee

Luna Canning trusts numbers more than people-and for good reason. As a forensic accountant who specializes in exposing fraud, she knows numbers never deceive, unlike the toxic family she's spent a lifetime trying to escape. Now living in her grandmother's Victorian home, Luna has built a carefully ordered life behind walls she thought were unbreakable.

When her car is stolen from an airport parking lot, former FBI agent turned PI Nate Warren steps in to help-and proves more dangerous to her defenses than any thief. Despite Luna's iron-clad rules about mixing business with pleasure, their chemistry ignites, and for the first time, she considers letting someone past her guard. But just as their relationship begins to blossom, Luna's manipulative mother arrives unannounced, dragging with her a dangerous man and decades of unresolved trauma that threaten everything Luna has built.

Now Luna must confront the ghosts of her past-both metaphorical and possibly literal, as strange occurrences in her historic home suggest she's not alone. With a violent threat looming and her heart on the line, Luna discovers that sometimes the hardest person to trust is yourself.

Genres: Romance

351 pages, Paperback

Expected publication June 9, 2026

About the author

New York Times Bestselling Author
USA Today Bestselling Author
#1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author
Amazon #1 Bestselling Author
#1 IndieReader Bestselling Author

RONE Award Winner 2012
Not Quite Dating
Married by Monday

RONE award Winner 2013
Not Quite Enough

Winner of the More Than Magic Award for Paranormal romance 2011
Silent Vows

Finalist RT Award in Contemporary Romance
Fiance by Friday

New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating from high school, she moved to Southern California with hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the International Bestselling Not Quite series, the MacCoinnich Time Travel series as well as the Internationally Bestselling Weekday Brides series.

Her books have been translated in over twenty languages.

Reviews

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luna + Nate

Luna is 35 and works as a forensic accountant in Seattle.
She lives in her grandma's old Victorian for free, but it's super expensive to keep the house inhabitable. The roof is leaking. The taxes are enormous. She has a roommate but still.
Nate is an ex federal agent turned PI and he's going to be Luna's partner for this new case. Their meet cute was not as much cute as it was full of spilled coffee.
Luna was planning on never getting married again, but Nate is slowly charming his way into her heart.
A new case, a new possible boyfriend, a money draining house, a complicated family history and a tiny little ghost are only some of the problems our poor Luna has to deal with in this book.

I really enjoyed reading this.
It was funny and sweet and adorable and a bit mysterious.
And the whole rainy Seattle vibe fits perfectly with the old house and the possible ghost and the annoying mother and everything else that is happening.
Great story. Great cast. Great locations.
Can't wait to see what will happen in the next book!

LEAD ME HOME was a really sweet and funny love story with some very serious parts! Beautiful location. Great cast. A cat and maybe even a ghost. What else do we need? Read it!

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💜 💜

[Julie Cabrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Bybee absolutely delivered with Lead Me Home. This was a very different book for me compared to her usual stories, but it didn’t make me love the love story any less. If anything, it showed a different side of her writing while still giving me everything I come to her books for.

I was especially obsessed with the forensic accountant component. It was so cool, so interesting, and such a unique angle for a romance. I also loved that I genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen when it came to her security. I kept expecting it to tie back to someone she helped put in jail or something connected to the case she was investigating, and that uncertainty kept the suspense high the entire time.

Professionally, she was such a badass. Confident, capable, and sharp as hell. Which made it oddly jarring but very realistic to see her placate her mom’s bad habits and whims. That contrast added so much depth to her character.

And let’s talk about the romance. All the green flags. Healthy communication, respect, and support, which we absolutely love to see.

My only small negative, and this is purely personal, is that I’m not a huge fan of the rocks and fortune telling components. They just aren’t my thing. Even so, it didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed this story.

Smart, suspenseful, emotionally grounded, and a romance that you feel happy closing the last page . This was an easy five stars for me. 💚📖

[KDRBCK]

Lead Me Home by Catherine Bybee, published by Montlake is a touching, heartwarming, slow burn with characters that are good people.
Lead Me Home is the first book in the Queen Anne Hill Series.
I read the book a few days ago and the story still stays with me. Luna is the youngest of three siblings and she grew up rough. Her only constante was her grandmother. Her gran who left the siblings her home where Luna is living.
She has some issues, but works hard to get over them. And then she meets Nate. Nate himself is through a rough break up. But his character is kind of flat. Main character is Luna and her ailments.
I enjoyed reading the story and wish for Ash and Harper to get their own stories - pretty please.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. It feels different from her other books. More real with the characters doing soul searching while leaning into one another. This looks to be a trilogy which is going to be fun - seeing the siblings grow and heal. Also can’t wait to know more about the ghost! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

[Julie Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thank you to Netgalley and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Firstly, let me gosh about the beautiful cover design. Amazing! Definitely the main reason that brought this book to my attention in the first place.

Secondly…what a book, what a story. And especially the main heroine, Luna, is someone you might meet only on the pages but her presence instantly feels very real in your own life.

I am slowly growing addicted to romance books that offer bonus layers of depth to their leading characters, making these books into woman’s fiction as well as passionate love stories.

This was my second book by Catherine Bybee and let me tell you - she’s a master at creating very interesting plots that entertain and lead through a darker journey of the characters’ lives all at once.

Because people usually don’t comment on this in their reviews (or even read them altogether), I wanted to say how courageous and incredible was the Author’s Note at the end of the book, along with a one page essay titled “I Refuse to Become my Abuser.” There are so many women out there who are silently hurting from abusive relationships in their families and who are unaware of these powerful labels. It isn’t always as simple as a husband who’s beating you up and you have bruises to show. Sometimes it really is your mother and the scars are mainly emotional. But these kinds of scars are often invisible and run even deeper…often remaining there for life.

Writing a romance book that addresses these issues is a superb way to engage people into awareness about this topic. I hope this book receives all the success it deserves and I’m looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

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[Tanisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I am a huge fan of traditional romance, romantic suspense is the subgenre that truly keeps me hooked. The blend of emotion, tension, and mystery always works for me, which is why I was excited to pick up this book. I had previously read “No More Yesterdays,” which is book three in another series by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Getting the chance to start at the beginning of a brand-new series made this read even more appealing.

I genuinely liked both of the main characters and found their connection easy to invest in. Their relationship developed in a natural, believable way, which made the emotional moments land even harder. I also appreciated how the suspense was layered into the story. Instead of rushing straight into the high-stakes moments, the book took its time building tension, which made those scenes feel more impactful.

Without giving anything away, I will say that I would have liked a slightly more set-in-stone ending. That said, knowing this is the first book in a series makes that choice feel more understandable, and it definitely left me curious about what is coming next. Overall, this was a solid and engaging start to a new series, and I am looking forward to continuing it.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

[Karen Axnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a meet cute involving spilled coffee, Luna Canning and Nate Warren discover they have both been retained to investigate corporate fraud. Luna is a forensic accountant with a well-deserved reputation for excellence and Nate is a former FBI agent now establishing his own business as a Private Investigator. Predictably, what begins as an uneasy alliance becomes a slow burn romance that is both enjoyable and credible.

Beyond their work relationship, both Luna and Nate bring painful romantic histories to their budding romance. Luna’s childhood was strongly affected by a neglectful mother who still brings chaos wherever she goes. Luna has two half siblings and all three of them have different fathers. Currently she resides in the Victorian home on Queen Anne Hill (Seattle) left to her by her maternal grandmother who was a frequent surrogate mother to all three siblings. The house plays a significant role in the storyline with its much-needed repairs and rumored haunting.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which is much more than a romance. The storyline is nuanced through the exploration of corporate fraud, female friendship, family drama, childhood trauma, and a bit of suspense in the aftermath of a stolen car. Luna’s character is well-drawn, and I would have liked more depth in Nate’s development. Since this is the first in a new series, we are likely to receive additional books based on the two other siblings, and perhaps Luna’s best friend/roommate as well. All would be welcome. Overall, this is a worthwhile read. I look forward to more books in the series.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Luna and Nate's story! I like how the author weaved in a bit of paranormal with the haunted house and how Luna and Miley, the roommate, handled it. Now normally I struggle if one of the main characters is against marriage but this is one of those times where the author wrote it in such a great way that I had no issues with it. Her resistance didn't drag and he was so respectful to her boundaries... it just all worked and in an incredible way. Because of that, this is one of the rare books that had me staying up super late to finish it because I just couldn't put it down. I really want to dive more into this world because I loved the side-characters and I can see so much potential to this series.... even more so after reading the author's notes. It had me recapping what I just read after the personal message the author dropped in the notes. I'm sad for all those who have been through something similar to Luna and that's why it's so important to see how life can turn around in a good way. There is always hope.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5


Luna Canning es una contadora forense brillante que vive en una antigua casa familiar llena de recuerdos, goteras y responsabilidades que no siempre se ven a simple vista. Su rutina se altera cuando conoce a Nate Warren, un ex investigador federal que acaba de empezar una nueva etapa como detective privado. Un encuentro incómodo y un caso complejo los obliga a trabajar juntos, enfrentándose a secretos financieros, verdades incómodas y decisiones que pueden cambiar más de una vida. Mientras el pasado pesa y las lealtades se ponen a prueba, Luna y Nate descubren que regresar a un lugar o a una persona también puede significar sanar lo que parecía imposible de reparar.


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¿el hermano tendrá su libro?


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lead Me Home is the newest series by Catherine Bybee. It follows Luna and Nate as they join up to dig into missing money and explore their attraction to one another. The saying when it rains it pours, is not just good for a book that takes place in Seattle, but also because of all the events that happen to Luna in this book. It was almost too much. The roof, the car, her mother, the mother’s boyfriend. All within a span of a few weeks. While I liked the story,it wasn’t my favorite of hers. Their careers, while it was what brought them together,I wished there was a bit more depth to the case they were working on.

What did have depth was Luna’s relationship with her mother. After reading the authors note and the additional poem, Catherine’s personal experience lended depth and emotion to the situation.

Thanks to Netgalley for the arc. It did not influence my rating.

[Nicole Laverdure · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Catherine Bybee’s book LEAD ME HOME. This story was beautifully written. It was interesting and intriguing. I recommend this very good read.

Luna Canning, a forensic accountant who trusts numbers more than people, has settled into a strict routine in her grandmother's Victorian house. When her car is stolen, private investigator Nate Warren gets involved, shaking up her reserved nature. Their budding relationship is tested by the return of Luna's manipulative mother, accompanied by a dangerous companion. What will happen to Luna? Will she be in danger? Faced with both physical and emotional threats, Luna questions whether she can truly trust herself.

I received an advanced reader copy from Montlake and NetGalley.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lead Me Home is book one Catherine Bybee’s Queen Ann Hill series. There are so many layers to this story: industrial fraud, female friendships, a lovely old Seattle house that might be haunted, a budding romance and an enormous amount of family drama. Ms. Bybee seamlessly blends all the threads into a story that begs to be read in one sitting. My review of this book from NetGalley is completely voluntary. Most highly recommend.

[Debbie Ballard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved reading the amazing and engaging story. When Luna's car is stolen from the airport, Nate, her coworker, gives her a ride home and stays the night on couch to protect Luna and her roommate until Luna's brother can get there the next day. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting romance story by the fabulous author, Catherine Bybee.

[Anita]

My thanks to the Publisher and Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

[Breva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one’s a solid, easy read with romance, danger, and trauma all mixed together. Luna is relatable in her trust issues, and the numbers-over-people mindset makes sense. The romance is cute but kinda predictable, and some of the drama feels a little extra. Still, it’s comforting, emotional, and does the job if you want something light with a bit of suspense. Not amazing, not bad, just fine.