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What.Nikki.Reads rated a book it was amazing
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Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young
Out of the Woods
by Hannah Bonam-Young (Goodreads Author)
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I knew this book was going to hit close to home but JESUS 😭😭😭😭😭.
The amount of crying was ridiculous.
Thank you to the ALC
#penguinaudiopartner #prhaudiopartner #prhparter

🥾 Camping/hiking retreat
💜 Marriage in crisis
🥾 Highschool sweethearts
💜 First love
🥾 Grief + loss
💜 Dual timeline
🥾 Loss of a parent
💜 Golden retriever mmc
🥾 1st person/ single pov

Just making these edits, writing this review is making me emotional all over again. This book was Nikki coded in so many ways that I was a blubbering mess most of the book. Lost my dad, and MIL in my 20s. While married and both going through an impossible loss and making our way through that together. I could see this not being super emotional for someone who hasn't experienced much loss, but for someone who has it squeezed my heart so tight.

While the relationship/romance side is about a beautiful marriage in crisis (which we will get into) I think this story is just as much about grief and not just living with it but blooming from it.

Caleb, oh sweet golden retriever Caleb. He just wants to do right. Sarah... Gosh she felt so authentic and real. Her self esteem struggles. Her struggles with grief.
EVERY single interaction they had I was either swooning or crying.

The dual timeline was beautifully done.
I could go on and on about this book but... Just read it instead.
It is book 2. You absolutely do no need to read book 1, but I think you should because that one is beautiful in its on way as well.

Thank you to Hannah, and Penguin Random house for this ALC. And netgalley for the earc.

As the great Taylor Swift once said "Are we out of the woods?"

Now that doesn't necessary make sense as a start to this review, but it felt appropriate to mention.

Hannah Bonham-Young, thank you for this book. As if you hadn't already cemented yourself as one of my favorite authors with Out On a Limb, this book put you on the wall of fame in my book.

I almost don't want to call this a marriage in crisis book because a crisis doesn't seem like an accurate term. More like a marriage at a turning point. But I never doubted that Sarah and Caleb would find their way back to each other, no matter what they had to go through.

The amount of times I cried at this book was uncountable. From the lovely way Caleb talked about Sarah, to the heartbreaking flashbacks to Sarah's mom, to the suspenseful ending, this book had me holding the tissues.

Caleb is a top tier book boyfriend (husband) and has raised my standards even higher than they already are. How wonderful it was to see these two characters grow more in love with each other.

This story felt the most mature of Hannah’s books, and I think that comes from the age of our main characters and where they are in life. The wonder and concern of Sarah and the stress and hopefulness of Caleb could be felt through the page. Watching them fall in love twice during the book was such a treat even through the hardships they faced.

The love, the growth, the honesty…my heart! There were so many feelings in this book.

I also loved that Sarah and Caleb are living their best life childfree and being an amazing aunt and uncle.

Please check Hannah’s content warnings as some of those moments with her mom and with Caleb at the end felt especially raw, and I do not know how I would have responded if I would have gone through the passing of a parent in a similar manner. I liked how it was done and unfolded in the book, but it is an important point to assess before you pick up this story.

This felt very raw and real.
I’ll be honest the first 50 pages I really did not like Caleb. He felt different than how I remembered him in out on a limb but in all fairness that was in a different setting. As the story goes on it all clicks together.
One turning point was on Page 104 (I won’t say because it will spoil a cute moment) but we love thoughtfulness!

‘What hill will you die on’ segment paired with my imagination was perfect

This book shows you how things can stick with you but you can always overcome it.
I got emotional… reading about such intimate and realistic moments really makes you think.
I loved this. Words that make you feel so deeply is always a good sign.

My heartbeat was at 108 at one point!

Hannah knows how to write a fabulous book and is of course another auto buy author of mine.
I was thrilled receiving the e-arc for this, thank you again netgallery!

(Not sure about the Jerry springer show being mentioned😬 I’d steer clear from that)

This book has so much heart!! This is such a beautiful story about growing and changing with someone you love but also it's also a closer look into Sarah and Win's friendship. The flashback chapters that show Sarah's relationship with her mom and growing up with Win were my personal favorite! Caleb and Sarah's relationship was so raw and real and as someone who got married at 19, I related to their story so much. If HBY wasn't one of my favorite authors ever already, OOTW would've made me a life long fan!

This book made me absolutely bawl my eyes out. The love these two have for each other is truly inspiring, and I love that the author shows that even the strongest couples can still go through rough patches. I really liked the fact that there were two timelines going throughout the book; the past timeline showing how they feel in love, and the present timeline with them working through their problems. The nature couples retreat was an aspect that I really enjoyed; I feel like it is something that really helped them since it got rid of all the distractions, and let them talk with strangers to get a different perspective. I feel like Caleb and Sarah had a very relatable relationship because they are learning how to grow together, without losing their connection. I just really loved their story and how realistic it felt!

What a beautiful book that ends up being so much more than just them fixing their relationship. HBY does it again! Out on A Limb is my favorite romance book and this such a wonderful companion. I loved Caleb & Sarah in OoAL so I was delighted to get to learn so much more about them. Stories in the past with Sarah’s mother are heart wrenching. Overall this book just made me want to hug the ones I love the most and never stop trying to do better and evolve as a person. 4.5 stars

This was actually my first read from this author, and I completely get all the hype! I love a second chance romance, and even though there wasn’t necessarily a “break” between these two, it was still full of hope and second chances! I can’t wait to recommend this to fellow romance readers!

okay so here are my thoughts.

the writing was phenomenal. this book is very character driven & i love this universe.

for me, this did not feel like a marriage in crisis romance book. it felt more like a finding yourself mixed with some women’s fiction. i just don’t think it was marketed correctly, & i was a bit let down. the beginning was good, but around the 60% mark, it started to drag for me :/

i would still recommend the book. & i still love HBY & her writing, but this one was not my favorit unfortunately.

thank you dell for the early e-arc <3

Achingly tender second chance romance of my dreams! HBY can do no wrong. I loved this couple from the jump in Out on a Limb and I would quite literally die for them now. HBY writes with so much heart and I can’t get enough

HBY does it again! I adored this book. Sarah and Caleb have my heart.

This is a romance book that leans more into women’s fiction and that elevates it so much. While Caleb plays an extremely important role, this is Sarah’s story and it’s beautiful. The heavy themes were handled with such care and I got emotional so many times while reading it.

It’s always amazing to be able to relate to a character, but sometimes it sucks when that character is absolutely GOING THROUGH IT like Sarah was. But this felt like chicken soup for my soul.

I loved getting to see Sarah and Caleb care for each other despite the distance in their marriage, try to make things better and be friends first even though they were on the brink of falling apart. And I loved getting to see these characters who were flawed do and say things they didn’t mean, understand the error of their ways, and mend themselves and each other.

There were so many beautiful and hard-hitting lines that I can’t even pick a favorite. All in all, this book was amazing and will be one of the best I read all year.

Thank you soooo much to Dell Romance for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

LOVED:
- Most romances involve couples BEFORE marriage, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a married couple as the main characters. WE get lots of history with the couple, lots of love with the couple, and lots of issues needing to be resolved.
- This is the MOST vulnerable romance book I have ever read. We were able to be right next to their hurts and their wins. Caleb and Sarah love with so much depth, but they also hurt from deep places.
- Cameos from Win, Bo, and Gus from "Out on a Limb" !!
- Yes, time does bring healing, but it's the intentional healing we do IN that time that matters

LIKED:
-The hiking trip was such a fun uncommon plot line! I love camping/hiking so seeing Sarah and Caleb being uncomfortable in it was hilarious
- Caleb, the acts of service KING bringing Sarah's Kindle on the trip so she doesn't mess up her reading streak :)
- Libby was such a realistic 10 year old haha. The conversation between her and Sarah about their mothers was so emotional, but really healing.

MEH:
- This is purely personal based on my beliefs, but Sarahʻs faith journey made me sad thinking that she was so close to True Peace but didnʻt choose it.

Some of my favorite quotes:
"If you give me the space to grow, I'll plant myself next to you. Always."
"My nana used to say that weirder people live longer."

I never thought I would eat up a marriage in crisis book, Hannah just has a beautiful way of writing romances with real issues this story is about a marriage in crisis you see the characters grow, heal from past wounds, grief and finding yourself again while being married. Hannah is the Queen of emotional romances that rip you and put you back together. Whatever she writes I’ll read it

oh my god?
and just like that, HBY does it again. she writes a book that is truly so authentically heartfelt and beautifully, in such a way that it takes her readers along for the journey, ripping our hearts out of our chests and putting them back together again better than she found them.
Sarah and Caleb hold a special place in my heart, and i love that HBY decided to feature the marriage in crisis trope because it shows us the reality of love and loving someone for a long time, and that you are bound to change. and in order to love, you need to grow. the vulnerability that HBY gives to her characters is top tear, and just has such a way of getting to me.

Hannah truly has an amazing gift of being able to blend these vulnerable, emotional moments with humor and acceptance, and GROWTH of her characters.

some quotes to take with you 💗

• “i brought it and a solar charger. i didn’t want you to lose your reading streak. downloaded a couple of extra books too.”✨
• “too tired? i would climb mountains for the chance to watch you come undone, baby.”🔥
• “if you give me the space to grow, i’ll plant myself next to you. always.” 🌱
• “you can go as far as you need to, but you’ll always be a part of me. you will always be the second voice in my head. the force that surrounds me. the source that i pull my inspiration from.”
• “i don’t want easy. i don’t want anyone else. i want you, sar. i want to be the only man ever lucky enough to be loved by you.” 😭
• “you have to shine on your own. and you will. baby. i know you will. because you shine brighter than anyone i’ve ever known.” 🌙

thank you to dell and netgalley for the eARC 😭

Thank you Random House and NetGalley for this ARC!

Such an intimate and heartwarming read that really hit close to home for me! We follow Sarah & Caleb in Bonam-Young’s latest book as they navigate a rift in their marriage prompted by an identity crisis and need for change on Sarah’s part. As high school sweethearts who have spent most of their life together, the two try out a week-long hiking trip as a way to reconnect.

As someone who also married their high school boyfriend, the themes of identity and growth were all too familiar and extremely validating! It’s impossible to not intertwine your identity with someone you have been with for ages, and equally as easy to fall into a rhythm of life that feels scary to change. I have to applaud Bonam-Young for writing such a realistic depiction of a marriage and not making this overly dramatic! I related to both Sarah and Caleb through the entire novel, finding both to be likable and complex characters. While this book was full of raw, emotional moments, we also got plenty of laugh out loud moments & intriguing side characters! Seriously, this book felt like therapy at some points for me- almost like the author was in my head! I cannot recommend this book enough!!

Review posted on Goodreads and StoryGraph on January 31, 2025.

Being married is a journey and reading about Sarah and Caleb’s love had me smiling, laughing, and sobbing at 2am. I adore reading Hannah Bonam-Young’s books because the way she writes makes you feel like the characters are friends in your own life. I rooted on Sarah and Caleb throughout reading and their growth chapter by chapter was spectacular. There were so many deep moments that made me relate being married, so many hilarious moments that made me laugh, and took me on such a beautiful journey. This was yet another 5 star read that is for sure one of my favorites. 💖💖

Where do I even begin? Hannah really gave us an absolute romantic work of art with this book. As someone who is very skeptical of high school sweethearts and their ability to maintain a happy, healthy marriage long term, I loved this book. Hannah never fails to give us a book that can resonate with her readers.

I loved getting to see Sarah and Caleb navigate through their hardships and work to have their marriage thrive. Their conflict was so relatable and its so refreshing to see a couple find their way back to each other instead of giving up when times get tough.

The new characters we met along the way were the perfect addition to this book. I also love how these characters each helped out in Sarah and Caleb finding their way back to each other in their own special way. I hope we get to see some of these characters again one day :)

The setting of being literally out in the woods added so much room for jokes and funny elements to the book. Seeing them work on their communication while also pushing themselves out of their comfort zone with being in the woods was great!

Also, the spice? Everything. Enough said.

I truly had a great time reading this and went through all the emotions, as Hannah often causes me to do.

Thank you Hannah Bonam-Young, Dell Romance, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Hannah Bonam-Young has done it again. 4.25 stars!

As a huge fan of Out on a Limb, I was excited to hear about this book that would feature the same characters again, except the main female character's best friend would be taking the lead.
And it did not disappoint.

The main trope of this book is 'marriage in crisis' and I'm usually a sucker for this trope because I like hearing how a couple fell in love, what made them special, what pushed them apart, and how they work together to find their way back to each other. This book had that same essence to it.
The tone of this story was what caught me by surprise, but in a good way. While OOAL had a cheeky, quirky and humorous tone to it, this book really went deep, unpacked a lot of hard topics, and was emotionally driven. It had me in tears one too many times...no complaints tho!

In this story we follow Sarah and Caleb who are high school sweethearts that got married young, and now fifteen years later their marriage is on the rocks, but they want to find their way back to each other. They end up going on a marriage retreat in the woods (featuring other couples that were both realistic and humorous), and they navigated the tough parts of their marriage, the good parts, the parts they never speak on and the parts they wanted back.
The conversations in this book were so realistic and relatable, and I appreciated how the author made Sarah a bit unlikable at first, because it gave her room to grow and allowed the reader to see her growth and change. She had to come to a lot of realizations herself, and it became evident that she was unlikable at first because of her negative view of her life purpose and self worth.
Caleb was simply adorable, and I appreciated seeing the work he put in himself, and watching him come to realizations about their marriage and relationships, being willing to open up, and still being obsessed and attracted to his wife even after all these years.

It was also refreshing to get the cameos of Bo and Win (and baby Gus!) sprinkled here and there in the book.

I will say I wanted more of Caleb's story, and wanted to see how exactly the dynamics of his relationship with his parents started changing. We were just told this, and I wanted to actually see it. Also the end was a wee bit dramatic, but it served as a necessary agent to get somethings squared away.

Definitely recommend this one.

3.25⭐, 2.25🌶️

"And 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."

This wasn't my book unfortunately , which I hate cause everyone else seems to be loving this book substantially more than I do. There were parts I really liked - the emotional effects I got with Sarah and her relationship with her mom, the love Caleb continued to show her throughout the entire book, the excitement at the end of the trip - however, while I enjoyed that all, the book just felt slow paced and too quiet for me.

I did not feel this was a real "marriage in crisis" storyline, it felt more like Sarah just having a mini life crisis, and taking that out on her husband unnecessarily. All of their problems being resolved over a few conversations during a 5 days camping trip was unrealistic and just showed that Sarah needed therapy.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unpaid review!

I have seen so many rave reviews for Hannah Bonam-Young (my fingers definitely wanted to type Helena Bonham Carter 😜) so I was psyched to finally read one of her books. Out of the Woods follows Sarah and Caleb, high school sweethearts who have been married for eleven years and truly love each other. But loving each other and seeing each other are two different things, and lately Sarah is feeling a bit invisible. Sarah has relied on Caleb to be her rock ever since her mom died, but after a decade of that dynamic things are feeling stagnant. Sarah doesn’t feel like she has accomplished anything she can be proud of and she wants Caleb to be her husband, not her emotional crutch. When her best friend suggests a week long couple hiking retreat to reconnect and reignite, Sarah convinces Caleb to go, despite neither of them being outdoorsy. They will hike, meet new people, delve into their emotions, and contemplate their future.

This was such a unique take on a romcom since Sarah and Caleb are already married and have no desire to be apart. It definitely veers away from the usual tropes we all know and love and gives us a different perspective. Out of the Woods shows that the HEA doesn’t come automatic with the wedding rings, that marriage is about communicating and seeing your partner and supporting them in the ways they need it. I did find that it lulled a bit here and there, maybe because the conflict didn’t seem as dire, but I genuinely enjoyed their relationship and journey as well as the side characters. I can’t wait to read more by Bonam-Young!