OMG. Are you kidding me. I’m so obsessed I can’t even stop thinking should Win and Caleb.

I will be doing a reread soon.

🌲 Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young🌲

I’ve have heard such amazing things about Hannah Bonam-Young, so I was super excited when I received this ARC! Before I get into the review I want to thank Hannah Bonam-Young, Dell, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book exceeded my expectations! I become so attached to both Sarah and Caleb that I read this book so quickly and even after finishing this book, I kept thinking about them. I related to both Sarah and Caleb because of the fact that they both had to deal with so much at such a young age. I desperately fell in love with their character development, and I even felt myself grow and heal in a weird way. I loved the fact that they were both willing to step up and try and help each other out by going on this cute little outdoor retreat. Also can someone please find me a Caleb and like ASAP. The way this book causes you to be laughing to crying in a matter of seconds is insane. If you aren’t looking to cry, I would definitely wait until you feel like ugly crying to read this book! Out of the Woods comes out on January 28th, and I would HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy!!!

4.5 stars!

Sarah (Win’s best friend from Out of the Woods) and Caleb have been together since high school. Sarah feels that she has lost herself along the way and decides to host a fundraising gala to raise funds for ALS research in memory of her late mother. The event doesn’t go as Sarah planned and Caleb saves the day, which Sarah sees as typical in their relationship and leads to the longest-lasting fight of their marriage. In an attempt to save their relationship, they decide to attend a couples’ hiking trip to disconnect from the world and work out their issues.

Sarah and Caleb were relationship goals in Out on a Limb, and I was so sad when I read this book’s description and saw that it was about them! I just needed them to make it out okay! While this is a marriage-in-trouble romance, at its heart is a journey of grief and self-discovery. I love sweet pea Sarah as a character so much! She went on the hiking trip to save her marriage, but she really ends up on a personal journey and finds herself in the process. I enjoyed watching her character development and the way her discoveries improved her communication with Caleb. I wanted just a little more “will they, won’t they?”, but there was ultimately so much love and respect between the two of them from the beginning. I was so happy to have Win and Bo make appearances in this story. Sarah and Win have a beautiful friendship/sisterhood where they just know exactly what the other needs. This book was so sweet and heartwarming, and I highly recommend it!

Thank you to Hannah Bonam-Young, Dell, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Read if you like:
💕 Marriage in trouble
💕 High school sweethearts
💕 Outdoor adventures
💕 Dual timelines

How wonderful it is to exist in a world where HBY exists! Hannah’s books are so tender and never fail to bring out every emotion in me. Her writing is always such a comfort to read.

Out of the Woods follows high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb Linwood, who you’re introduced to in Out on a Limb, as they navigate the ups and downs of their marriage while working on discovering their personal identities.

Their love story is filled with vulnerability and hopefulness. It explores how being with someone for years (and at a young age) can bring so much happiness and familiarity, but it can also leave you feeling like you’re not sure who you are without your partner.

I loved seeing them come together to communicate and rebuild their relationship. There’s never any doubt how much they care for one another. But they’ve both inevitably changed into different versions of themselves throughout the years as they’ve grown older and experienced grief. So with that they are having to relearn each other.

Hannah wrote a beautiful and heartfelt story that I can’t recommend enough.

Thank you Hannah and Dell for the ARC!

Hannah’s writing shines again. This story was not as fun and fluffy as Out on a Limb. You’re not reading about two people falling in love. You’re reading about a couple who’ve been together since they were teenagers and the growing pains involved in that kind of relationship. It was different and difficult to read at times because the two leads were struggling and taking it out on each other. I felt their pain. But Hannah has a beautiful way of telling stories and you have to get through the pain of their struggle to get to the happily ever after. It was well worth it, Sarah and Caleb’s story is heartbreaking but it’s also healing. I laughed, I cried and I felt a sense of hope and peace at the end. Loved this book and highly recommended it!

This book was beautifully written. It described the emotions and insecurities of life after feeling numb and unaccomplished for years. I liked the dual timeline flipping between Sarah’s life as a teenager with her mom and her life now as an adult wanting to make her mom proud.

Sarah and Caleb went out of their comfort zone to do this outdoor therapy to save or “reignite” their marriage. It’s very evident how strong their relationship is that they both share, despite their feeling of growing apart early on in the book.

This book was a reminder of how much nature can do for your mental health and your brain in terms of processing deep thoughts and emotions.

I really liked the addition of Libby. Despite this being a couples therapy program, Libby came along for the journey with her grandmas who run the program, after recently losing her mother. I think it was good for Sarah to have Libby around. They could relate to each other, but it also gave Sarah the opportunity to see how much growth she’s had since losing her mother and help Libby through her current emotions around losing her mother so young.
I can’t remember the last time I laughed and cried (and laughed and cried again) so much in a book.

Final thought: I agree. Paper straws are a sensory nightmare.

The main trope of this book is marriage in crisis. Sarah and Caleb married young, over ten years ago, and now the heroine realizes that she hasn’t fulfilled herself and that their relationship is no longer what it used to be. They decide to join a hiking trip to sort out their feelings and their relationship.

Though I could relate to Sarah’s issues, I found myself on Caleb's side. I really liked him, and I felt that Sarah was unfairly blaming him, as he supported her in everything and only wanted the best for her. It’s a pity we didn’t get any chapters from his POV.

Another thing is the topic of children. Sarah mentioned more than once that she doesn’t want kids, but we never learned the reasons behind this choice or how they came to it as a couple.

The chapters about the past touched me deeply, especially the chapters about Sarah’s mother, which pulled at my heartstrings. And, of course, I was thrilled to see Bo and Win from Out on a Limb again! Although this is a standalone story, I’d recommend reading that book for better context.

I liked that Out of the Woods is about ordinary people facing relatable problems, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions and take something meaningful away, but I prefer Hannah's other books more.

Tropes:
✓ marriage in crisis
✓ flashbacks
✓ Bo & Win cameos
✓ high school sweethearts
✓ therapy

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House (Dell) for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Oh. My. God. BEAUTIFUL.

What an incredible, heart-wrenching, emotional read! Honestly, I cried (almost) from beginning to end. This was so SAD, but a beautiful, tentatively-hopeful sad.

Obviously, I loved Sarah and Caleb from Out On A Limb (I definitely recommend reading OOAL first). They were the adorable, steadfast, loving couple and I just needed them to BE OKAY in this book.

It's a book about a marriage in trouble, so obviously, I knew I would be anxious and sad, but I also felt so much love: I could feel Sarah and Caleb's love for each other, even through their struggles and doubts.

This is a contemporary romance, yes, but it's also so much more: it's a story about growth, grief, self-discovery, love and self-love. It's about realizing that you don't need to be perfect 100% of the time to deserve love and to honor those who have passed. It's okay to not have everything figured out, even in your 30s or 40s or any time.

Caleb. What a sweet, kind, gentle, perfect man. I wanted to shield him from harm at all times!

Sarah was such a relatable FMC, her grief and her growth just perfectly written. Her relationship with Caleb felt so real, both their vulnerabilities so honest and understandable.

To say I loved this book is an understatement. I hope I influence some of you into reading this and Out On A Limb! I'm now the President of the Hannah Bonam-Young's fanclub and I'm planning on reading the rest of her backlist ASAP as well as anything else she comes up with!

Love and growth in the great outdoors!

After falling in love with Out On A Limb, I eagerly counted down the days for this one, and it completely exceeded my expectations! Stories set in the great outdoors hold a special place in my heart, as that's where I grew up, and this setting added so much depth to the story.

While I was initially nervous about diving into a "relationship in trouble" plot, this was beautifully written about two people who deeply love each other, they just need to communicate and work through their challenges--some of which extend beyond their relationship.

The emotional journey was powerful, making the reader reflect on what truly brings joy and when it's time to let certain things go. Being able to see Win and Bo again made my heart so happy. Catching glimpses of their HEA was an added bonus I adored!

What a beautiful story!! HBY is the queen of mastering the tropes I typically avoid. This one being a marriage in crisis. I absolutely adored the entire book.

What got me the most was Sarah’s evolution to learning to stand on her own two feet and not rely solely on others. That really resonated with me. 💛

I know that Hannah Bonam-Young writes good books and I know that I liked the others. I just couldn't get into this one. I had to DNF it because I just couldn't get behind the FMC's reasoning. I just felt like she was complaining about nothing. I didn't want to be rooting against her for the whole book, so I put it back down. I might come back to this book in the future, but it wasn't for me at this time

4.75⭐️

this is my second hannah bonam-young book and let me tell you, she did not disappoint with this one. i’ve never read a marriage in crisis book before and the way she wrote is was very well done. i love how no matter what scenario sarah was thinking about, the way her life could change, that caleb was always in the picture. it just goes to show that they truly care for one another but they just got lost in the routine they were in for so long.

thank you netgally for proving me an arc of this book.

Honestly one of the best books i’ve read in the last two years, this was absolutely gorgeous and so relatable, It’s so nice to have a romance books which reads as relatable for those who are in relationships, not just those seeking, I love the outdoorsy nature of the book and will be seeking out more outdoor romance based upon this read. Fantastic book! so excited for more!

I received an ARC of "Out of the Woods", and could not put it down. I have loved all of Hannah's novels because her characters are so relatable. "Out of the Woods" is no different. I loved seeing Sarah and Caleb grow back together, but also grow independently. A wonderful feel good book that is deliciously warm and spicy.

i was overwhelmed with excitement when i first heard we were getting a book about sarah and caleb. their story was everything i could’ve hoped for and is one that definitely will stick with me!

my life looks very different compared to sarah’s but i’ve never related to her so much—overwhelmed with the expectations we put on ourselves and feeling stuck at times. it was beautiful watching her journey of finding herself again. i haven’t gotten this emotional while reading a book in a while but hannah really wrote something amazing!

caleb and sarah are amazing individually but oh are they the cutest together. i was rooting for them so hard and i loved seeing them work together to fix the difficulties they were facing. they truly got the ending they deserved and im so happy for them

hannah never fails to write such authentic characters with raw and heartfelt stories. she handles topics so well, especially grief in this story. her writing has become one of my favorites and i can’t wait for everyone to get their hands on this story tomorrow!

thank you so much dell romance (random house) and netgalley for the eARC!

This is the second book in the "Out Series", interconnected with Out on a Limb. Sarah finds herself in an early thirties crisis. Her and Caleb go on a trip into the woods to get "out of the woods" in their marriage crisis. They go through a journey of discovering who they are as a couple, setting new goals and growing back together.

Read this if you like:
- Highschool sweethearts
- Identity and marriage in crisis
- MC's don't want children
- Flashbacks to younger self
- Single POV (Sarah's), first person

This book hits home for anyone who has been with their partner for a long time. Sarah and Caleb are in a bit of a slump and instead of letting it fester, decide to do something about it and go to a retreat. They grow together, become even more open than they were before and come back stronger with new goals. Love this book!!

My star rating: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5)
Spice rating: 2.5/5 (a couple descriptive scenes, some vulgar language)

OH MY ACHY BREAKY HEART!!!!!! Out of the Woods written by Hannah Bonam-Young was so powerful, raw, inspiring, beautiful, heart breaking, deeply moving, personal, and so much more. I have never read a book written by Hannah Bonam-Young before this one, but after loving Out of the Woods, I'm definitely going to read every single book this queen writes. In Hannah's author notes, she does state you CAN read this book as a standalone and I had no issue doing so. Hannah, I will be sending you my therapy bill because this book mentally destroyed me and broke my heart more than once. When I first saw that beautifully detailed cover, I knew I had to get my hands on this book immediately and I'm so beyond happy I had the chance to devour this beautiful novel. If I could give this book an infinity star rating I totally would because it deserves all of the love, but I'm honestly scared my reviews and words will never give this book the justice it deserves. I absolutely loved this book with my entire heart, it will stay with me for years and years to come, no matter how much it left me broken hearted. There's a very small amount of books that will leave a ever lasting impact on you and Out of the Woods is one of those books that will change your life. Out of the Woods is more than just a romance novel, it's about self growth, finding your true self, hopefulness, familiarity, inside jokes, shared history, grief, friendship, and intimacy.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND RANDOM HOUSE PUBLISHING GROUP-BALLANTINE FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!!

TRIGGER WARNING'S
Death of a parent from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Medical treatments, illness, hospitalization, and terminal diagnosis.
Questioning religious practices/spirituality, and Catholicism.
References to alcohol and marijuana consumption.
Descriptive sex scenes.
Accident resulting in hospitalization.

"I'm capable of seeing you at your worst. At your angriest. At your lowest. At your meanest....and still loving you".

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

"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".

"We believe that there is no better place to reconnect with ourselves and our partner than in the glory of nature".

"Give me books, sunlight, water, and a handsome man looking at me like I'm some rare jewel, and I'm all set".

"Feeling inadequate tends to be a relatively common experience when we struggle with our self esteem".

Sarah Linwood is so authentic and real. Sarah's authenticity felt so deeply personal to my own, it was like Sarah was a reflection of myself. It felt like Sarah was my best friend throughout the entire novel, I cried when she cried, I laughed when she laughed, I was angry when she was angry, and I was feeling all of the emotions and turmoil Sarah went through. Sarah isn't perfect by any means, but she always put her family and friends first before herself, which is also something I do as well. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give Sarah the biggest hug whenever she was being vulnerable. I feel like so many can relate to Sarah, she suffers with her self growth, and it was so heart warming to watch Sarah navigate her self discovery and find her true self. Sarah's self growth journey throughout this book was so inspiring. Marcie Green, Sarah's mom died from complications of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) eleven years ago which just broke my heart. I can't even imagine losing my mom. Sarah decides to host a fundraising gala memorial in honor of her mom to help with ALS research. Sarah decided to set a goal to reach three hundred thousand dollars, but only reached one hundred and eighty thousand dollars, but that's only until Sarah's husband Caleb stepped in and saved the day. Sarah absolutely hates being the damsel in distress. Sarah has The Spoiled Princess pout that says: I'm upset but you don't have to take me seriously.

Caleb Linwood is the true and real definition of husband material. Ladies and gentlemen, please take notes from Caleb Linwood. Caleb has maple brown curly hair, hot as fuck in skinny jeans, wears glasses, espresso colored eyes, perfect pearly smile, five foot eleven, I think y'all get in now, Caleb is insanely hot. The only issue I had was with Cyrus and Michelle- Caleb's parents, they weren't very lovable towards Sarah, they always compared Caleb and Sarah to his siblings and their significant others, which I absolutely can't stand when in-laws do that, they are just very judgmental which doesn't sit right with me. Caleb is a wealthy young entrepreneur, so he's always working and trying to make the best work environment for his employees which is just the sweetest thing. Caleb is driven, intelligent, nerdy, protects out of love-not dominance, he also plays Dungeons and Dragons which I think is adorable that he's a gamer. Caleb Linwood is so spicy and has a mouth that will have you on your knees, "I would climb mountains for the chance to watch you come undone, baby". Caleb is just so perfect and the absolute sweetest to everyone around him. Caleb always delivers with the princess treatment for Sarah.

Sarah and Caleb Linwood are high school sweethearts, they have been married since they were nineteen years old. Caleb has always been Sarah's safe person, but after they had a falling out because Caleb saved the day at the ALS gala, Sarah and Caleb's marriage may seem rocky for a little bit. After their argument, Win and Bo- Sarah and Caleb's best friends set up a little trip for these two love birds to save their marriage. Sarah and Caleb decide to take the chance with Reignite which is a camping trip for couples, Reignite is a seven days of couples counseling in the great outdoors. The owners, Helen and Yvonne are there to lead these couples through breathing exercises and techniques to save their marriage. I absolutely loved all of the side characters Nina and Jai, Kieran and Henry, and Maggie and Phil, they were all so supportive of one another and I truly believe they all became the best of friends. Caleb and Sarah were very skeptical at first, but watching their self growth was truly inspiring. These two love birds were just the cutest, but I'm so proud of them for putting their differences aside and working together to save their marriage despite Sarah wanting to be independent and reaching the fundraising goal on her own. Sarah and Caleb, I love you both dearly and hold you both close to my heart. It often felt like I was right there in the woods cheering all of these couples on as they navigate and find their true selves. I can honestly say, I don't have a favorite couple from this book because they were all of my favorites.

4.5 stars Hannah Bonam-Young’s writing is exquisite. I will read ANYTHING this woman writes.

As soon as Hannah Bonam-Young announced that she was giving us Sarah and Caleb’s story in Out of the Woods it instantly became one of my most anticipated new romance books of 2025.

I had fallen in love with these two from reading Out on a Limb, her amazing hit of 2023, but getting this up close and personal with Sarah and Caleb for their own story was such a gift.

An even better gift is having Hannah join us this February in the She Reads Romance Books Book Club to discuss this book which is our February 2025 Book of the Month!

It’s a rarity to get a romance book that focuses on a married couple because you think married couples already have their happily ever after but those of us who are married know that marriages have their ups and downs – even for those who find their soulmate in the eleventh grade.

I LOVED that Hannah gave us a married couple but with a storyline that wasn’t tried and done before (such as focusing on fertility struggles or infidelity), focused simply on the fact that these characters were at a bit of a crossroads in their relationship.

Sarah and Caleb are honestly couple goals because despite the hardship that had them trekking in the woods for a week, they are two people who love each other wholeheartedly and completely and who are willing to do the work and to communicate to make their lives even better.

I love how Hannah normalizes that even people who love each other to pieces have their ups and downs and need some outside assistance to get them through a tough time. Sarah realized that couples therapy might not have been the way to go for them but the week out of the comfort zone was the trick.

Sarah was the wild, quirky friend to Win in Out on a Limb, but you see a different side to her in this book. She’s a woman struggling with her purpose in life, stuck in the space after taking care of and losing her mother to having no direction but a husband who is her caretaker and rescuer whenever she needs it.

Caleb himself was frustrated that Sarah wasn’t happy with her life, as good as it looked on the outside, but Sarah represents the woman in all of us who find ourselves at a time and place in our lives when we’ve lost our way, or simply want more.

Of course, Sarah is one of the lucky ones to have such a loving and caring husband like Caleb. This man is truly a unicorn among men. He is completely and utterly devoted to his wife and has been since the age of 17. His steadfastness, his patience, his kindness and his ability to step back and truly try and understand his wife were just awe-inspiring.

While Sarah and Caleb’s story was obviously front and center, I loved seeing more of their friendship with Win and Bo, the new characters they connected with (Libby, Yvonne, Helen and their fellow trekkers) and even how their relationship with Caleb’s parents had a moment (go Sarah!).

This book and EVERY book by Hannah is a must-read. I cannot wait to see what she gives us next.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Ok this was my first read from Hannah and I am in love! This was absolutely stunning and I loved the fact that you don’t need to know really anything about out on a limb to read this one. This is a perfect example of a second chance marriage in peril trope that actually works.

Sarah and Caleb have become couples goals due to their ability to communicate and work together to resolve their crumbling marriage. The fact that they’ve know each other for forever is an even greater testament to their commitment and love. I loved the way they were still able to be flirty and romantic, but still have those hard conversations as to why there is turbulence. The banter was also effective in bringing some levity to the story and also the spice was just as great!

The entirety of the comping trip was just so fun to read and I was cheering for them the entire time! The impressive list of side characters were pretty much completely fleshed out and added their own flair to the story.

I think the most amazing point that’s made is that everyone feels like Sarah at some point in their life and that’s ok, but what’s more important is to no lose yourself in trying to find what you think is who you are. 🥰

Every Hannah Bonam-Young book I've read *and I've read them all* never falls to leave me swooning for more! As someone who married young, not quite as young as Sarah & Caleb, but nevertheless I could relate to some of the issues they struggled with. It makes my heart so happy to follow a couple who starts the book together and we get to see their growth into something for the better. Definitely makes me want to go sign my husband and I up for a romantic wilderness camp!!