What do you think?
Rate this book
Pray You Catch Me
Saela and Zaire LaRue came to Umberland to build a better life.
Instead, the island begins digging up everything they buried.
After ten years of marriage, love is still there—but so are the silences. The resentment. The wounds neither of them knows how to name.
Saela is disappearing inside a life that once felt safe, haunted by depression, abandoned dreams, and the terrifying suspicion that she may no longer recognize herself.
Zaire is tired of carrying the weight of a marriage he doesn’t know how to fix—and when temptation begins circling too close, old patterns threaten to cost him the woman he still loves.
Then Umberland starts calling.
A mysterious diary.
Dreams that feel more like memories.
Bloodlines no one bothered to mention.
A voice whispering that Saela is something more than human.
And a prophecy warning of a woman destined to become a storm.
As the line between intuition and madness begins to blur, Saela is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her family, her marriage, and herself.
Because something ancient has been waiting beneath Umberland’s beauty.
Something that remembers her.
And the deeper Saela falls into the truth, the more dangerous one question What if she isn’t meant to survive the woman she’s becoming?
Pray You Catch Me is a lush, atmospheric Black gothic romantic fantasy about a marriage on the brink, ancestral secrets, buried magic, mental health, desire, and the terrifying space between losing yourself and finally becoming who you were always meant to be.
Some storms don’t just break hearts… they reshape destinies.
Tropes and genres Black romance, gothic romantic fantasy, contemporary fantasy romance, marriage in trouble, second-chance marriage, hidden magic, found family, emotional healing, spiritual gifts, slow burn (within an established relationship), political mystery, emotional betrayal, and "Us Against the World”.
Instead, the island begins digging up everything they buried.
After ten years of marriage, love is still there—but so are the silences. The resentment. The wounds neither of them knows how to name.
Saela is disappearing inside a life that once felt safe, haunted by depression, abandoned dreams, and the terrifying suspicion that she may no longer recognize herself.
Zaire is tired of carrying the weight of a marriage he doesn’t know how to fix—and when temptation begins circling too close, old patterns threaten to cost him the woman he still loves.
Then Umberland starts calling.
A mysterious diary.
Dreams that feel more like memories.
Bloodlines no one bothered to mention.
A voice whispering that Saela is something more than human.
And a prophecy warning of a woman destined to become a storm.
As the line between intuition and madness begins to blur, Saela is forced to question everything she thought she knew about her family, her marriage, and herself.
Because something ancient has been waiting beneath Umberland’s beauty.
Something that remembers her.
And the deeper Saela falls into the truth, the more dangerous one question What if she isn’t meant to survive the woman she’s becoming?
Pray You Catch Me is a lush, atmospheric Black gothic romantic fantasy about a marriage on the brink, ancestral secrets, buried magic, mental health, desire, and the terrifying space between losing yourself and finally becoming who you were always meant to be.
Some storms don’t just break hearts… they reshape destinies.
Tropes and genres Black romance, gothic romantic fantasy, contemporary fantasy romance, marriage in trouble, second-chance marriage, hidden magic, found family, emotional healing, spiritual gifts, slow burn (within an established relationship), political mystery, emotional betrayal, and "Us Against the World”.
375 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2025
About the author
Shenaye Suggs
2 books10 followersShenaye Suggs (shuh-NAY SUHGZ) is a dreamer, a romantic, and a lifelong wanderer of the mind.
For years, she carried a world inside her—a place she once imagined building piece by piece on land, never realizing she could craft it instead through words. That world became Umberland, a Black-owned island pulsing with history, heart, and divine complexity. It is the home of her debut novel, Pray You Catch Me—the first book in the Love Like Honey series, following Zaire and Saela LaRue through love, loss, and self-return.
Writing became the container she’d spent her whole life searching for—the space where her many passions, curiosities, and eras could finally coexist. After years of being told to “pick a niche,” she decided to stop shrinking and start weaving. Through storytelling, she found freedom—a way to explore every mood, every lesson, every corner of the human experience.
She writes as she reads—moody, immersive, emotionally layered—embracing the beauty in melancholy and the poetry in stillness. Her stories live in that tender place between faith and longing, light and shadow, where transformation takes its first breath.
When she isn’t writing, she’s reading—usually curled under a blanket with a cup of tea, an ambience video flickering on the TV, and her two dogs, Zöe and Luna, somewhere nearby. She spends her quiet hours building playlists, pinning to Pinterest boards, or attempting to get into gaming with her husband Steven, her real-life book bae, from the comfort of their cozy home.
She loves foggy mornings, rainy afternoons, and any moment that feels like the world just exhaled. And through her writing, she hopes to give readers that same feeling—of exhale, of being seen, of belonging.
Writing became the container she’d spent her whole life searching for—the space where her many passions, curiosities, and eras could finally coexist. After years of being told to “pick a niche,” she decided to stop shrinking and start weaving. Through storytelling, she found freedom—a way to explore every mood, every lesson, every corner of the human experience.
She writes as she reads—moody, immersive, emotionally layered—embracing the beauty in melancholy and the poetry in stillness. Her stories live in that tender place between faith and longing, light and shadow, where transformation takes its first breath.
When she isn’t writing, she’s reading—usually curled under a blanket with a cup of tea, an ambience video flickering on the TV, and her two dogs, Zöe and Luna, somewhere nearby. She spends her quiet hours building playlists, pinning to Pinterest boards, or attempting to get into gaming with her husband Steven, her real-life book bae, from the comfort of their cozy home.
She loves foggy mornings, rainy afternoons, and any moment that feels like the world just exhaled. And through her writing, she hopes to give readers that same feeling—of exhale, of being seen, of belonging.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 12, 2025
Pray You Catch Me is raw, gripping, and emotionally charged. It exposes how even the smallest secrets can crack the strongest marriage. Every chapter pulls you deeper into the chaos of love, deception, and hard truths. By the end, you’re left asking yourself what would you sacrifice to keep your marriage whole?
Overall: 10/10. It’s a slow burn, but one I actually appreciated because the author took their time building the relationship messy moments and all. If you enjoy real-life relationship situations and not just instant HEA, this book is for you.
Overall: 10/10. It’s a slow burn, but one I actually appreciated because the author took their time building the relationship messy moments and all. If you enjoy real-life relationship situations and not just instant HEA, this book is for you.
November 16, 2025
I love discovering new authors, and this debut was a great find. The story is layered, well-written, and evokes emotion. It’s a slow burn with a mysterious undertone, following a married couple of 14 years as they confront challenges in their relationship. While there are a few heavy moments, the storyline feels honest, engaging, and real. There’s a lot of things to uncover about Umberland and I need to know, I’ll be back for book 2!
November 11, 2025
Something different
This book is something different from what I have been reading and I love it! The way you’re able to feel everything in this story is all because how Shenaye built this wonderful world and storyline between the FMC & MMC. It’s a slow burn that holds your attention each page, wanting more.
This book is something different from what I have been reading and I love it! The way you’re able to feel everything in this story is all because how Shenaye built this wonderful world and storyline between the FMC & MMC. It’s a slow burn that holds your attention each page, wanting more.
November 16, 2025
This was a MFN BOOK okay!! 🔥 Saela and Zaire’s love story had me in a chokehold. Baby, I was straight up bawling by the end 😭
They’ve been together 14 years and whew… this book really shows how easy it is to ride the highs of marriage while hiding the lows. That quiet coexisting, the love still there but the connection slipping… watching them both drowning and not knowing how to reach each other. Yeah, that hit me right in my chest. So, so relatable.
The push-and-pull, the wanting vs. the walls, those tiny glimmers of hope getting snatched away. DEEP. The writing was emotional, vivid, and so descriptive. And the visuals dropped in throughout the book! Chef’s kiss it really helped bring the people, the spaces, the whole world to life.
Don’t get it twisted though, it still had the jokes and the spice you need lol. And PLEASE listen to the playlist while reading. It matches the vibes perfectly.
For this to be a debut novel?! Amazing. I loved it, and I cannot WAIT to dive deeper into this series and the magical world of Umberland.
They’ve been together 14 years and whew… this book really shows how easy it is to ride the highs of marriage while hiding the lows. That quiet coexisting, the love still there but the connection slipping… watching them both drowning and not knowing how to reach each other. Yeah, that hit me right in my chest. So, so relatable.
The push-and-pull, the wanting vs. the walls, those tiny glimmers of hope getting snatched away. DEEP. The writing was emotional, vivid, and so descriptive. And the visuals dropped in throughout the book! Chef’s kiss it really helped bring the people, the spaces, the whole world to life.
Don’t get it twisted though, it still had the jokes and the spice you need lol. And PLEASE listen to the playlist while reading. It matches the vibes perfectly.
For this to be a debut novel?! Amazing. I loved it, and I cannot WAIT to dive deeper into this series and the magical world of Umberland.
November 12, 2025
This was a nice slow burn about the married couple Saela & Zaire have challenges, and their relationship is tested. Secrets come out. Hidden agendas galore or is it all in Saela’s head ? HEA or will this end badly TAP IN‼️
I truly enjoyed every page of this. It was humorous, engaging, and had me by my heartstrings. What more can you ask for ?
Before you ask it’s not a squeaky clean they ain’t wild with it, but they get it crackin in this book. Check it out.
I truly enjoyed every page of this. It was humorous, engaging, and had me by my heartstrings. What more can you ask for ?
Before you ask it’s not a squeaky clean they ain’t wild with it, but they get it crackin in this book. Check it out.
April 26, 2026
This couple stressed me out! Okay I’m lying Zaire pmo!!! There is so much happening in Umberland and everybody knows what’s up except for our FMC & MMC. They are too distracted by their disasterous marriage.
December 8, 2025
Enjoyed it
The book was well written…from the detailed creation of Umberland, the beautiful visual imagery throughout the book, the real life issues. This was a good read.
The book was well written…from the detailed creation of Umberland, the beautiful visual imagery throughout the book, the real life issues. This was a good read.
May 19, 2026
I recently finished reading Pray You Catch Me and this book was an EXPERIENCE fr fr.
The worldbuilding, the emotion, the tension, the mystery… everything felt so immersive. You can tell the author really took her time crafting Umberland and these characters because nothing felt surface-level. Every conversation, every conflict, every secret unfolding had weight behind it.
Zaire and Saela’s marriage felt REAL. Not perfect. Not romanticized. Real. Watchin' two people who clearly love each other struggle under pressure, expectations, secrets, and emotional exhaustion was honestly one of my favorite parts of the story because it felt human.
AND... let’s talk about Zaire for a second because Boo Daddy Z?? Yeah, he got it 😭... You can’t tell me NOTHING 'bout that man. IDC. IDC. Period. LOL
What I loved most though was the atmosphere of the story. There’s this constant feelin' that something bigger is happening beneath the surface. You’re tryna piece together who these people really are, what’s goin on, what secrets are bein hidden, and the entire time the tension just keeps buildin'.
The author knows how to make you FEEL the story instead of just reading it.
I’m definitely lookin' forward to reading the rest of the series because I’m 1000% invested now.
The worldbuilding, the emotion, the tension, the mystery… everything felt so immersive. You can tell the author really took her time crafting Umberland and these characters because nothing felt surface-level. Every conversation, every conflict, every secret unfolding had weight behind it.
Zaire and Saela’s marriage felt REAL. Not perfect. Not romanticized. Real. Watchin' two people who clearly love each other struggle under pressure, expectations, secrets, and emotional exhaustion was honestly one of my favorite parts of the story because it felt human.
AND... let’s talk about Zaire for a second because Boo Daddy Z?? Yeah, he got it 😭... You can’t tell me NOTHING 'bout that man. IDC. IDC. Period. LOL
What I loved most though was the atmosphere of the story. There’s this constant feelin' that something bigger is happening beneath the surface. You’re tryna piece together who these people really are, what’s goin on, what secrets are bein hidden, and the entire time the tension just keeps buildin'.
The author knows how to make you FEEL the story instead of just reading it.
I’m definitely lookin' forward to reading the rest of the series because I’m 1000% invested now.
March 26, 2026
Just Wow….
This book was so immersive and intense and I loved every second of it ! All of the thought and care that went into this book is mind blowing ! And for it to be your first release?! Girlllllll Ms Suggs was sitting on GOLD!! All of these characters had a depth to them that was so original and unique that I don’t think I can even say I’ve experienced it before while reading. This book was so well writing and intriguing that I couldn’t put it down! I ate this up in once sitting and I’m RUNNING to the next book 😭 I absolutely adore this book and it can t go anywhere but my top read ! And I’m not taking about just this month … I’m talking about EVERRRRRR 🫶🏾 100/10 let me stop yapping and get to this next book chile !
This book was so immersive and intense and I loved every second of it ! All of the thought and care that went into this book is mind blowing ! And for it to be your first release?! Girlllllll Ms Suggs was sitting on GOLD!! All of these characters had a depth to them that was so original and unique that I don’t think I can even say I’ve experienced it before while reading. This book was so well writing and intriguing that I couldn’t put it down! I ate this up in once sitting and I’m RUNNING to the next book 😭 I absolutely adore this book and it can t go anywhere but my top read ! And I’m not taking about just this month … I’m talking about EVERRRRRR 🫶🏾 100/10 let me stop yapping and get to this next book chile !
June 4, 2026
Slow burn for sure, but such a good story line. At first I felt the book was too descriptive, but honestly, I ended up appreciating the descriptions as well as playlist. Read & listen to crest an immersive experience! Can’t wait to five into the next one.
Did Not Finish
April 26, 2026Cool Concept hmmm on Execution
The concept of the book pulled me in. Despite the heavy AI promo I wanted to give this read a chance because rarely do you see marriages in trouble trope. I appreciated the Author's Note that warns she uses AI heavily and there are graphics and song references throughout the book.
Opening it up I didn't make it past 4%. An awkward sex scene clip kicks off the story. Its the lonely wife reading erotica to feel a connection. It felt like a shorthand way to introduce the characters but I was still reading. A few sentences later an AI graphic is provided in the middle of the page. It felt unnecessary and it immediately took me out of the reading. A solid author should be able to describe a basic scene without the need for AI. It was the FMC being startled by her husband.
Reading a little bit more and the song mentions also interrupted my reading flow. I'm trying to establish what's happening and the characters emotions and fall into the words but a song suggestion is randomly in the middle of my doing that. It has a cute AI graphic but I don't care for that when I'm trying to immerse in the writing.
The writing had a cadence that didn't feel settled. Not unsettled in a way to build mood of the story just lacking finesse.
Overall
Overall the reading felt choppy because so many distractions were dropped in short amount of time. Being interrupted every 2- 3 minutes in text by some form of a graphic wasn't how I thought the message in the Author's Note was going to be presented on page.
I would love to see what this author does without AI. Her ideas seem so fascinating
The concept of the book pulled me in. Despite the heavy AI promo I wanted to give this read a chance because rarely do you see marriages in trouble trope. I appreciated the Author's Note that warns she uses AI heavily and there are graphics and song references throughout the book.
Opening it up I didn't make it past 4%. An awkward sex scene clip kicks off the story. Its the lonely wife reading erotica to feel a connection. It felt like a shorthand way to introduce the characters but I was still reading. A few sentences later an AI graphic is provided in the middle of the page. It felt unnecessary and it immediately took me out of the reading. A solid author should be able to describe a basic scene without the need for AI. It was the FMC being startled by her husband.
Reading a little bit more and the song mentions also interrupted my reading flow. I'm trying to establish what's happening and the characters emotions and fall into the words but a song suggestion is randomly in the middle of my doing that. It has a cute AI graphic but I don't care for that when I'm trying to immerse in the writing.
The writing had a cadence that didn't feel settled. Not unsettled in a way to build mood of the story just lacking finesse.
Overall
Overall the reading felt choppy because so many distractions were dropped in short amount of time. Being interrupted every 2- 3 minutes in text by some form of a graphic wasn't how I thought the message in the Author's Note was going to be presented on page.
I would love to see what this author does without AI. Her ideas seem so fascinating
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews