Amazing story about a married couple struggling and finding their way back to each other again. This book was so realistic and heart wrenching. I loved it from beginning to end. As a mom of 3 that has been married for 12 years this was just such a relatable book.

Something I wouldn’t normally pick up, but it’s definitely something I’m glad I read Hannah bonam young definitely is the Queen of feelings !! This couple has gone through hell and back with each other , Sarah and Caleb are the definition of soulmates!

Sarah loses her mom at a really young age and Caleb was there to help pick up the pieces and in turn she falls into a life of over comfortablility because Caleb’s there’s to take away the stress but when she become self aware of the situation at a gala in her mothers honor she’s unsure she’s willing to keep her marriage afloat .

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really loved this one! I am not the best at writing reviews sometimes, but sometimes books take you by surprise and this one did just that. I got invested a few chapters in and couldn't put it done. It was so good! I highly recommend this one. HBY is a magician at romance, and I loved this one too!

This one was heavy, but so very good. Hannah BY once again writes a story that has me both laughing and sobbing and fills my heart. I wasn't sure about a romance of an already established relationship because it's not my favourite but I have to say seeing Sarah and Caleb work through their relationship, deal with past grief and pressure and still find time to find joy in each other was beautiful.

Outstanding! Hannah had mentioned that she wasn't sure if this was a story people would want to read, since Caleb and Sarah were already together, and married, that this wasn't a second chance romance either. She couldnt be any more wrong, I enjoyed this entirely.

Just want to say that aside from the relationship between Caleb and Sarah (which I loved entirely). What I appreciated the most from out of the woods was Sarah dealing with the loss of her mom and picking herself back up and putting herself first after over a decade realizing she wanted more for herself. Along with the core people in her life that she surrounded herself with for comfort and support. Her talk with Libby saying she loves dreaming of her mom but it hurts waking up and realizing she’s still gone, that she knows how hard it is to lose her over and over again.

Out of the Woods Review🌲🥾⛺️🐿️

A big thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this arc!

I’m a little delayed in sharing my thoughts but this book was an emotional roller coaster (affectionately). This is a book that will leave long lingering thoughts and feelings. I absolutely adored Out on a Limb and was so so excited to see a book about Caleb and Sarah. Actually heavily contemplating a re-read of Out on a Limb bc I miss Win and Bo. 🥲

Sometimes you read a book at the right time and at just the right place in your life where you need to. I didn’t know I was signing up for a free therapy session with this book (but it was a fantastic thing) so a big thank you to Hannah for that.

So many takeaways. So many real life relatable feelings that I feel so many people can relate to. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day and the mundane that sometimes you start to lose small pieces of yourself and individuality. There’s heavy topics of grief and loss, the healing journey, and rediscovering yourself while still growing with your partner.

This was a fantastic read that will stay with me for a long time. Hannah has not failed yet to make me sob and absolutely adore her characters. I would check your TW if you prefer to, as there are some sensitive topics, but aside from being a fantastic book in general, there are so many valuable takeaways. Lots of love for Out of the Woods.

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up

Book 8 of 2025 - ☑️! Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell & Hannah Bonam-Young for an ARC of Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young.

Hannah Bonam-Young is an author who’s been on my list thanks to Bookstagram. Out on a Limb is still on my TRB, but I was thrilled to get this ARC of Out of the Woods. This was sort of a buddy read with my friend Val, and I enjoyed it so much!

I can’t think of any other marriage in crisis books that I’ve read, and this was a great first book to venture into that trope (though I’m not sure how much I love the trope itself, the writing is top-tier). Our protagonist, Sarah, meets her husband, Caleb, in high school. They’ve grown and grown up together. Now that they’re in their 30s, Sarah starts to wonder who she is as an individual, since she’s been part of a couple for so long. After her husband Caleb steps in during a fundraiser that Sarah spearheaded, which leads to fight, they decide to go on a couple’s retreat to figure out who they are together, and who Sarah is an individual.

Bonam-Young’s writing style and ensemble of characters are top-notch. Bonus points for diversity within the characters: class, disability, sexuality, race & ethnicity. The 🌶️ scenes were great.

Despite being married to a Canadian, I haven’t read too many Canadian authors (yet), so that was another fun fact to learn about Hannah as I was reading the book. Bonam-Young has a fan in me, and I look forward to reading her other work.

4.5/5 ⭐️ overall, and 3/5 🌶️ rating. 🇨🇦 🌲 📝 #NetGalley #OutoftheWoods

“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑰’𝒎 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒆. 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐𝒎 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒖𝒔. 𝑨𝒏𝒅, 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒓, 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒑𝒚 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆. 𝑯𝒂𝒍𝒇 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑴𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑰 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒎𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝑰 𝒔𝒂𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒓𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐."

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🔥.5
Relationship: MW
Tropes/content: Marriage in trouble, high school sweethearts, relationship retreat, flashbacks

⚠️Check triggers⚠️

Sarah and Caleb Linwood are high school sweethearts who have been together for seventeen years. There's no doubt that they're the perfect match for one another. Sarah starts to wonder if she can stand on her own without Caleb by her side, so she decides to host a fundraiser in her mother's honor. When Sarah falls short of her goal, she's prepared to own it, that is until Caleb swoops in to save the day. Sarah and Caleb soon find themselves at odds and wondering how to move forward. They decide to go on a couples retreat in the woods to work on their relationship.

As someone who loves Out on a Limb and had it as their top read of 2024, I was so excited for this book. It hurts my heart to say that I didn't care for this story.

I liked Sarah and Win's friendship. They're able to care for one another and have honest conversations without offending each other. I loved Caleb calling Sarah "baby" as often as he could. I especially enjoyed when he told her he loved her before the retreat and was happy they were going together. I thought the flashbacks were helpful in better understanding Sarah's grief and how her relationship formed around that grief.

I struggled with Sarah at times. I understood she had a lot of grief and trauma from her mom dying at a young age. I got why she felt incomplete as an adult. I struggled with the fact that she seemed to blame Caleb for a lot of her feelings, but never really communicated with him. It's hard for someone to change when they don't know they've been doing something that's impacting others. I felt like Caleb did a lot of introspection and owned up to his part in their dynamic, but I didn't think Sarah fully did the same.

There's not third act break up, but there is a crisis of sorts that happens. That did pull at my heartstrings, however, I felt like that was choppy. They went from being at the retreat, to being at the crisis, to epilogue. I felt like we needed a bit more of them post the crisis and navigating the changes they committed to in the woods.

In terms of the writing style, I felt like this book was a lot of internal thoughts. It felt like there wasn't a lot of dialogue, which isn't great for a couple that has a communication problem. The story dragged at parts and I found myself skimming some of the scenes in the woods because they felt repetitive.

Thank you to Hannah Bonam-Young and NetGalley for the early copy!

This was a beautifully written love story about high school sweethearts trying to navigate their relationship through life's ups and downs. The portrait painted in this novel delves into the complexity of continuing to love someone through the years as you both inevitably change as you grow. I love how this book explores so succinctly that love is something you do, it's a choice you make every single day. Beautiful story, I loved every page.

3.75 Stars

I was so excited about this book and I think I may have overhyped it in my head. Don’t get me wrong, I still had such a marvelous time with Caleb & Sarah, and I loved the story. However, I found myself annoyed by the miscommunication on more than one occasion, and the ending of this book created a new conflict after fixing the main focus of this book which was the Marriage in Crisis - so that felt unnecessary, and solely to bring back other characters in the interconnected series. I did however like the healthy communication scenes, the spicy scenes, and the way these two really stuck it out for each other, their relationship and themselves. Hannah’s writing is always so so beautiful and I loved so many quotes, I just was going with really high expectations and was a little dumbfounded when I saw my self and my own flaws reflected that I got angry at the miscommunication points. However loved getting to read this one early. Thank you to Dell Romance & PRH Audio!

I’ll leave you with this quote:
“if you give me the space to grow, i’ll plant myself next to you everytime” Out of the Woods, Hannah Bonam-Young

This was so cute!!! I love Hannah’s books but there is something about reading a marriage on the rocks that hits different for me. These two were relatable and real and I loved watching them fall back in love 🤍

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for honest review.

Fun idea to take married couples out in the woods for relationship therapy. Really enjoyed the setting. Caleb and Sarah's communication and banter made me smile. Those woodland encounters are a bit steamy, too, so be prepared for things to heat up!

I was a little disappointed because I thought this might be a much deeper dive into couples in crisis and how to find their way back to each other. What they say is a marriage crisis is just a small bump in the road. They were crazy about each other the whole time. I didn't feel a sense of the relationship being in real trouble. It's more about Sarah herself working thru some grief and being happy and well supported by the one you love. So it's a fine romance story, it's just not very deep.

I am in the minority though, many readers loved this book, although I suspect this is for a younger audience than myself. That said, if you are a fan of cute romance novels with lots of steamy bits, this one is for you!

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC!

Rating: 5 big ole' stars!!

Review:
I LOVE this book! I've never read anything quite like it!

The story is told through dual timelines of the past and the present and it is beautifully done. The writing can't help but pull you in with compelling dialog and swoon worthy moments. Hannah did an amazing job at showcasing the hardships happening in Sarah and Caleb's relationship without over romanticizing it. The hardships they were going through felt realistic, and I absolutely loved that. This book had me tearing up every other chapter! That might be partially because I'm a big baby that cries at anything, but I'm still shook!

In the book Sarah is trying to find herself after a few instances leave here feeling like she hasn't accomplished anything in her life. She feels static in her life and needs something to change. Caleb would do absolutely anything for Sarah, and he has, but Sarah is done feeling like she needs to be constantly taken care of. This is how they end up on their wilderness counseling retreat.

I loved saying Sarah and Caleb grow together as people! Their relationship and love for each other was so sweet. Caleb's love for Sarah is just absolutely swoon worthy and I just can't get enough of it!

Hannah Bonam-Young has definitely become an auto-buy author for me and I can't wait to dive into the rest of her books!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this book,it was a fun read and I it has some fun adventure in it, thanks so much for letting me read this book.

Another masterpiece from Hannah—at this point, I’m not even surprised. This book somehow healed parts of my life I didn’t even know needed fixing. That’s the magic of certain stories: they sneak up on you, rearrange your soul, and leave you wondering how you ever lived without them.

Hannah delivers a stunning, emotionally rich novel told through dual timelines—past and present—blending heartache, hope, and hard truths into a swoon-worthy but deeply realistic narrative. She doesn’t romanticize a marriage in crisis. Instead, she tackles it head-on with brutal honesty, giving equal weight to the struggles and the love between Caleb and Sarah. Through a wilderness retreat (because what better way to fix your relationship than surviving the great outdoors?), she explores therapy, communication, and the sheer work that goes into healing. Special shoutout to Helen and Yvonne for their therapy sessions—someone give these women a medal.

“He’s so familiar to me now that I feel myself having to concentrate to truly see him. As if he was a mural passed every morning on the way out the door or the lyrics to a favorite song I’ve sung along to a million times. Beautiful. Special, even. But known.”

Sarah Linwood owns my heart. She’s confident, funny, and spontaneous, yet deeply introspective, struggling with self-worth and the feeling that she hasn’t accomplished enough. Her journey felt so raw and real, especially in the way she wrestled with her identity outside of being a wife. I loved how her growth was organic—messy, complicated, and entirely hers.

“Life kept going, the Earth kept spinning, everyone moved on, but I stayed still.”

And then there’s Caleb Linwood—resident nerd, husband extraordinaire, and the kind of man who makes you believe in love. Hannah writes the best male characters, and Caleb is no exception. He’s the stable one, the protector, the guy who always gives more than he takes. But underneath his steady exterior, he struggles with his own fears of not being enough. Seeing him fight for his marriage, for Sarah, for himself? Absolutely swoon-worthy.

“I hope that if you have to rewrite your life, you won’t erase my part in it, that you’ll let me stay a part of your story.”

Caleb and Sarah’s love story spans over a decade, from teenage soulmates to a couple trying to navigate the realities of adulthood. Their intimacy, their deep-rooted friendship, and their sheer belief in each other made every moment between them gut-wrenching and beautiful. They felt real—the kind of couple you root for with your whole chest. The book perfectly captures what it means to love someone not just in the easy moments but through the tough, uncertain, and painful ones too.

“It is you. And your heart is mine in the way that our home or our neighborhood or my favorite movie is mine. Mine but not for me alone. Your heart is mine to care for, to treasure. But it will never be just mine.”

What truly sets this book apart is how it approaches marriage: as something that requires work, patience, and, above all, understanding. Caleb and Sarah don’t just magically fix their problems overnight. They put in the effort, communicate, and choose each other every single day. It’s not about grand gestures but about showing up, even when it’s hard. And watching them rebuild their relationship—amidst the chaos of the wilderness, no less—was nothing short of breathtaking.

“I don't want to wait ten years to have the life we want. You are the only thing that matters to me, and I'm tired of pretending otherwise.”

Beyond the romance, the book shines with its portrayal of friendship and found family. Bo and Win are the kind of best friends everyone needs—loyal, honest, and always ready to offer a reality check. Then there’s Nina, Helen, Yvonne, and Libby, each adding their own warmth and wisdom to the story.

And let’s talk about that epilogue. Win and Bo having their fourth kid (this man was born to be a dad), Sarah and Caleb adopting a dog, and Sarah finally following her dreams? My heart = completely healed.

This book was everything—heartfelt, deeply moving, and beautifully written. Hannah did it again. A masterpiece, through and through.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced readers copy of this book.

I finished this book a few days ago and have been having a hard time finding the words for a review. In a nutshell, I really really loved it and I feel like I can't do it proper justice. This story sucker punched me in the feels in the best way, and I'm still churning it over in my head days later. [Just read it for yourself.]

However... While I'm older than the MCs and my husband and I were not high school sweethearts, this story resonated more with me than I expected it to. I feel like we don't get enough representation for real-life marriage struggles in the romance genre. There was no third-act breakup, no harmful miscommunication, no deception - just LIFE. The MCs were so obviously devoted to each other but found themselves struggling. Their challenges were so very relatable - we've all been there! (And if you say no to that, you're lying. No marriage is perfect.) My husband and I have been married for 15 years, together for almost 20. Keeping the fire burning is *WORK* and this book showcased that in the best way. The communication was raw and healthy while their growth together was perfect.

The MMC reminded me so much of my husband - a sweet and caring man who turns up for the ones he loves - while on the flip-side, I really identified with the FMC and her self-doubt and "life's purpose" struggle. Caleb and Sarah are just like you and me; real people dealing with real life. I'd be lying if I said I didn't start Googling "marriage counseling camping retreat" after this. I did, however, take notes on the journaling front. I liked the progress they made through writing things down and started that for my own relationship. (Learning things from books is fun!)

I'm not typically a "book highlighter", but this one just kept me making note after note. Hannah has a way with words and it shows. I laughed, cried, gasped, and cheered my way through this book.

"If you give me the space to grow, I'll plant myself next to you. Always." [swoon]

As for content, you will deal a lot with the loss of a parent (at a young age) from a terminal illness. The spice is spicy (oh so deliciously spicy) but not plentiful. What you do get is gooooood though. The tension is hot and when the dam breaks, hoooo boy. 🥵

I think it's important to mention that this is the follow up to "Out on a Limb", and while reading the first will help you better relate to Caleb and Sarah, it's not critical to this story. (Especially since the first book deals with pregnancy, and that can sometimes be difficult for some readers.) Don't let hang-ups from the first keep you from reading this.

📚Trope(s): Fist Love, Young Marriage, Grumpy/Sunshine, Sweet/Nerdy MMC, Spunky FMC
What you get: 🏕️🇨🇦👓🫦
⭐️Plot: 5/5
🔥Chemistry: 5/5
🌶️Spice: 3/5

I absolutely adored this book! This was my first read where the characters are already married and I just love that. As someone who also married my high school boyfriend, I found a lot of the feelings the main character described really resonated with me and I understand the feelings of needing to find yourself after leaning on someone else for so long. I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend!

After being together for 17 years, Sarah begins to wonder who she is outside of her marriage with Caleb. The solution? Join a group hiking trip designed to help couples through rough patches. Can they make it out of the woods and back to their roots?

Hannah Bonam-Young does it again!

I loved the romance, the vulnerability, and the healing between Sarah and Caleb. Their relationship and the struggles they went through were so real, raw, and relatable. I laughed, I cried, and I screamed, so you know I had a great time reading their story.

Would definitely recommend!

Hannah Bonam-Young never disappoints. Her books are so emotionally rich and raw, and yet, they don’t leave you feeling discouraged and exhausted. Out of the Woods had that perfect HBY blend of messy realness with humor and heart. This book is the perfect, most beautiful example that love is choice, and it must be made repeatedly, every single day, to form a sustainable relationship.  
This book gives me so much hope for love that is this beautiful.

Format - E ARC

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶

Series- N/A

Troupes- Marriage on the rocks, forced proximity, getting out of your comfort zone, camping


Hanna has freaking done it again! There are few authors who can get me to read outside of my comfort troupes and she has become one of them.

This Marriage in trouble story features our favorite high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb from “Out on a limb”. Sarah is at a cross roads in her life, she married her supposed love of her life but did she do it for the right reasons back then? And other then that what has she accomplished since? Caleb brings in good money and takes wonderful care of her but he works a lot. After a week long argument and a chat with Win Sarah decided what they need is a wilderness retreat to reconnect with her dear husband and hopefully she can find what she’s missing in life. The Catch? She and Caleb are more outsidey people and less outdoorsy.

As I said this is not one of my preferred troupes but damn if Hannah didn’t suck me in and keep me reading as these two navigate their way though the forest and their Marriage problems along side a hilarious and wonderful cast of Characters. Over a decade of Marriage and these to still know how to keep things new in the Spice department. So needless to say yes recommend this book and yes your gonna wanna read it now.

Thank you Hannah, Random House and Netgalley for this advance copy, all opinions are my own.