Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam Young

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My first 5 star rating of 2025!!! This stand alone sequel to Out on a Limb, was everything and more of what I dreamed it would be. The ability of the author to write such real and relatable characters is what really stood out to me during this read. The main characters were highschool sweethearts since age 14, and got married at 19. During this duel timeline book, you get to see how they grew together, and how they in other areas stayed stagnant until forced to evaluate their relationship from an adult perspective. Anyone who has been in a long term relationship/marriage will find ways to relate to one or both of these characters. Their love was never lost, but what fulfills them and their self identity was. To fix their personal and marriage struggles, they went to an outdoor camping/counseling retreat. Both, out of their natural element, were forced to choose honesty with themselves and with each other in hopes to build a new foundation for their relationship. I loved how real and raw the emotions, fights, and even spicy scenes were.

This is a must read!!
Out January 28th, 2025

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for sending me this ARC in exchange for a honest review 🤍🤍

Absolute and utter perfection. This book was wrapped around my little finger. There’s just something about HBY writing that just pulls you in. I read this book from start to finish within 24 hours. I know I know, I should’ve savored it, but I truly could not go on about my day until this book was finished.

Sarah and Caleb live inside my soul from here on out. As someone who’s been with their significant other for almost 8 years I feel like it was so eye opening reading a romance book where the characters get to fall in love for a SECOND time. A good marriage is not always sunshine and rainbows and this book is such an accurate representation of that.

I love how absolutely effortlessly in love Caleb is with Sarah. I love how Sarah feels so deeply for him and everyone in her life. These two were truly perfect for each other ever since they were young and in love in 10th grade. Adult life catches up to them and their marriage and they decide to go to a relationship retreat to work on their marriage and other aspects of their life to better understand each other.

ahhh this book. so many tears shed. 😭

i have never read a marriage in crisis but so many aspects of this book we relatable and realistic and i will definitely be seeking out more.

this book has such fun side characters - which can honestly make or break a book imo. and the camping aspect was so much fun!!

while i didn’t fully relate to caleb and sarah and their stories - their overall struggles just hit home.

there was one part and the end of the book that kind of ruined a good chunk of it for me 😅 but over all would still recommend!! ❤️

This book has my whole heart. It's raw and vulnerable and hot— everything I want in a romance. Prepare to fall in love and also cry!!

I adored this book! After seventeen years together, high school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb find themselves questioning their relationship.

This marriage-in-crisis story is so real and honest. It was incredibly moving to watch Sarah and Caleb rekindle their relationship and rediscover themselves. This is a story about growth both as an individual and as a couple. I loved the communication between the two characters and the fumbles along the way.

It’s so meaningful when romance novels tackle more than just the surface level stuff, and HBY certainly excels at digger deeper and bringing complex emotions to the forefront.

I highly recommend this novel if you’re looking for an emotionally raw story of two people finding their way back to themselves and each other.

My rating: 5⭐️

I loved this story so much. Sarah's real and honest look into her life's goals and purposes was so refreshing; I loved being inside of her mind. The setting was so much fun, and I loved the cast of characters that were introduced at the retreat.

I enjoyed this but not as much as her other work. I think after seeing this couple in Out on a Limb, I just didn't feel like this was the dynamic I was expecting. It was also a bit darker than I expected. There are content warnings for death of a parent, but it's pretty on page as the story goes back and forth from the present and past to show how the maim character was doing around the time her mom died

I am a huge fan of Hannah Bonam-Young so I was really excited to read this book! We got glimpses of Sarah and Caleb in Out on a Limb, but now we get their full story. Dual timeline books are usually very hard for me to get invested in, but I didn’t have a hard time with this one. I loved the unique cast of characters that Sarah and Caleb met on the outdoor adventure. Overall, I thought it was a well-done story that touch on the complexity of young love turning into a long-lasting marriage and how you navigate life around that.

All the stars. ♾️⭐️ This book broke me and put me back together and I am left sitting here wishing I could give the author a big hug. If you are unsure about reading it because it’s about a marriage in trouble, don’t. These two have so much love for each other and it’s obvious from the start.

I adore Sarah & Caleb. I love the then and now timeline and their journey is so beautiful to witness.

What broke me and hit close to home for me were all the mentions of grief. But once again, it was as beautifully done.

This book may make you cry, but you will also find yourself smiling and laughing a lot. I too agree with Caleb that paper straws are a sensory nightmare. IYKYK 😂 And if you also loved Out on a Limb you will delish in seeing Win, Bo & little Gus. You should totally read that book too, maybe even before you pick up this one. But either way, read this gem.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author Hannah Bonam-Young for the advanced reading copy, all my opinions are my own.

Great story, more women's fiction than romance. It was cool to see a story about a married couple. There is a lot of grief and sadness, as well as a woman on a path to self-discovery after a long grieving period.

This was a really sweet self growth story. 🥹

Out of the woods is all about Sarah and Caleb’s journey after 10+ years of marriage. They met when they were 14 married at 19. From Out On A Limb, you’d think they have the perfect marriage and have it all put together perfectly, until they don’t.

What really bothers me instead of communicating after a fight, is the miscommunication and the expectation to just “know” how the other person is feeling. But also, Sarah’s feelings are very valid and very real.

On a very important night, things dont go to plan, soooo Sarah spirals. In turn she starts to question her identity and direction of her life. Which thennnnn, leads to them going to a marriage retreat in the woods, where Sarah confronts their struggles, rediscovers herself, and works to reconnect with Caleb.

While I appreciated the focus on her growth and accountability, the romance felt secondary, and the connection between Sarah and Caleb didn’t fully land for me. It felt more like Sarah’s journey and Caleb was just there. The flashbacks felt unnecessary and distracted from the present story. There was some very sweet, emotional moments and some light steam.

Overall, this was a solid read with a unique premise, but it’s best to go in with lower “marriage-in-crisis” expectations.

3 ✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Caleb and Sarah are high school sweethearts, and each other are all they've known for the last 17 years. When Sarah begins to realize that she is dependent on Caleb and feels like she lacks success, their marriage suffers and begins to break. In an attempt to fix their marriage, Caleb and Sarah embark on a hiking retreat for couples. Will Caleb and Sarah find that their marriage is too broken, or will they find their way back to one another?

First and foremost, I am a huge fan of anything Hannah Bonam-Young writes. Her writing style is engaging, easy to read, and spicy. Out of the Woods is no exception to that. Caleb and Sarah were amazing secondary characters in book one of this series, Out on a Limb, so it was fun to finally get a book dedicated to their relationship. I was hooked from the beginning of the book, but I did feel as though the first few days of the hiking trip dragged on, which is why I only gave this book 4 stars. However, I did enjoy reading about Caleb and Sarah's independent self-discovery and learning of their past through flashbacks. About three-quarters of the way through, things started to really pick up, and that's when I couldn't put it down. The ending was absolutely perfect.

Trigger Warnings: Medical trauma/content, terminal illness, and sexual content

My first 5 star read of 2025!

Last year I read Out on a Limb and immediately fell in love with Hannah's writing, so I was very excited when I received this ARC! And let me tell ya, it did NOT disappoint.

This companion novel to Out on a Limb follows the story of Sarah and Caleb, who we met in the first book. Being married young, enduring trials very early in their relationship, and now feeling lost after over a decade of marriage, they decide to go on a couple's wilderness retreat to "Reignite" their connection and love for each other after feeling like they've lost themselves.

Their story was full of raw emotions and depicted issues seen in real relationships, as well as allowed us to see the journey of self-discovery and personal growth needed in order for them to strengthen their connection and grow their relationship together.

Beautiful writing and a beautiful story! This book had me laughing, crying, and taking away life lessons all throughout!

Tropes/Themes:
- Marriage in crisis
- High School sweethearts
- Self discovery/personal growth
- Grief from loss of a loved one
- Dual timeline

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Publication Date: January 28, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine, Dell Romance, and Hannah Bonam-Young for the digital ARC in response for my honest review.

This book follows a married couple, Sarah and Caleb. They seem to be blissfully happy but Sarah feels that something is missing so her and Caleb go on a hiking trip for couples to reconnect. Leaving everything else behind to focus solely on each other.

Sometimes I wish a story went beyond the “happily ever after”. That it would show us the domesticated bliss and struggles of a settled couple. This story gave me exactly that. Instead of reading about two people falling in love, this is about a married couple drifting apart despite their undeniable love for each other. In its simplicity, is the complexity of love and relationships. It is truly one of the most beautiful romances I’ve read. There was no big reason why these two were having troubles and I think that is what made the story so moving and intimate. It is the reality of being together for years but not growing together.

Sarah was beautifully developed. I may be partial because I resonated with her but she was a very compelling main character. I admired how she dealt with her struggles and tried to find her own spot in the world. I empathized with her trying to figure out her own self while still loving her husband deeply and how hard it is to grow independently in a marriage.

Caleb was THE husband. He just loves his wife. He loved her so much that he didn’t realize what was happening. It is clear he was hesitant to jump into this new chapter with Sarah but he does it anyways because he wants to make her happy. It was really moving to read about their struggles. When they shared their emotions, I could feel it as if they were my own. I couldn’t help but truly feel their love come off the pages (e-reader) especially in those moments.

All of the side characters were a pleasant addition. They added nuance and helped keep the story light. It was also nice to see how Sarah and Caleb interacted with the others. It was those moments most that we got to see their personalities truly shine. The majority of the book spans about a week and I think that was perfect for this kind of story. I really enjoyed the hiking aspect, especially because the main characters were so NOT outdoorsy people. This was such a wonderful story all around and I think will stick with me for a while.

I didn’t think Hannah could capture my heart even more just from reading previous books but WOW! This book was absolutely beautiful. It perfectly captured the dynamics of marriage especially when getting married young to your high school sweetheart. You experience so much of life together with your life partner and so much change and Hannah did such a great job putting on page all the emotions and struggles a couple goes through during that time together. Each time a detail was mentioned that may seem small to others like not answering the phone when talking, my heart cracked. It’s those small details that brought the story to life for me. So many moments in this book I felt seen. What a beautiful story you’ve shared Hannah. 💕

4.5 ⭐️s

Hannah Bobam-Young has done it again, this novel, while completely different from Out on a Limb captived my heart all the same. Her characters are so well-written and the plot is so intriguing. I cannot wait to hear more from her in the future

out on a limb was a comfort read for me. now we are adding this one to the list. i absolutely loved this with all my heart. the emotional roller coaster this put me on while being funny and so real was wow. i loved getting the flashbacks of sarah and caleb’s relationship before marriage while they work through their issues now in their 30s.

The first 5 star read for 2025, and man I wish I could give it more than 5😌

This book was everything Hannah is great at doing: a love story that you never want to end, the realness of a relationship, life/death, grief…. Just truly everything. Also more of Bo and Win🥹

I smiled, I laughed, I wiped tears from my eyes, and I did not want to put this book down.

A gorgeous second-chance romance with realistic characters by Hannah Bonam-Young.

Overall: 5
Spice: 3

Sarah and Caleb have been in love since they were 14 and married for the last decade +. He has always been her rock, when her mom passed away just after they were married and now when she tries to plan a fundraiser on her own he has to sweep in to rescue her. Sarah loves Caleb, but wants something to be proud of that is all her own. Since Caleb has always been there, how can she find the things that is only for her. Win's best friend suggests a week long Reignite camping trip designed for couples to reconnect with one another. Caleb will do anything for Sarah, so off they go into the great outdoors when neither of them is outdoorsy at all. Will the week guide them back to one another or help them see a different path?

As a huge Hannah Bonam-Young fan, I was thrilled to get to read the ARC of this one thanks to NetGalley. HBY did not disappoint as this had the same realistic characters and life challenges as her other books that I love. Romance books like this that demonstrate the necessity and importance of reconnecting with your spouse are so important. Being married requires falling in love with your spouse over and over and over and over again. I was sad to read that Sarah had been struggling for so long with the after effects of her mother's illness and death, but happy she recognized her discomfort and took steps to find her own happiness. The retreat setting offers fun side characters. Highly recommend for romance readers.

I absolutely loved this books especially with this being my first Hannah bonam young book. If you loved all of her other books I have no doubt you’ll enjoy this one too. I believe this is the story of the best friends of the main character in one of her previous books.