“If you give me the space to grow, I’ll plant myself next to you. Always.”

A huge, huge thank you to Netgalley and Dell for the chance to read this early.

I was a huge fan of Hannah Bonam-Young from her Next duology and have been eagerly wanting to read more. I unfortunately had to skip Out On A Limb (not her fault, I can’t do accidental pregnancy books) so I’ve been looking forward to Out of the Woods for what feels like forever. And I am so happy to say: it absolutely lived up to my expectations.

I loved this book so much. I absolutely adore Caleb and Sarah. I loved their relationship so much and they felt so real to me. They were such a wonderfully well written couple that I was as invested as I am in my own relationship.

I am such a sucker for marriage in jeopardy/second chance romance sort of books and this did the trope so perfectly for one key reason: Sarah and Caleb’s love was never once in doubt. I loved that there was never once a question of if they loved each other, it was just a matter of how they showed it. We didn’t need to waste time on will they/wont they, it was just a focus of how they’d improve.

Know what else I love in a book? Dual timelines. Dual timelines in relationships! Seeing the start of a relationship at the same time as we see them struggling now? Yes yes yes yes, thank you! This book did this so, so well as we got to see them as kids falling in love and why they rushed into this marriage, and their story is so compelling through it all. I loved Sarah’s family and how easily Caleb fit into it and it was so wonderful to see them grow together.

This book definitely has some pretty heavy trigger warnings to consider. Death of a parent and the rapid health decline of a parent are two major components of this book with many scenes based around it. If that is a difficult subject for you, please use your best judgment here. It is not an easy topic to skip over in this book.

If you are ok with these trigger warnings, please consider picking up this book. It is such a wonderful story about falling in love, even if you already love the person, and finding yourself and your purpose later in life. I love them so much and I hope you will too.

Out of the Woods is beautiful and heart wrenching. As someone who got married young. It was beautifully written. 100% recommend but get ready for tears, laughs, and wonder

Thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Hannah Bonham-Young for gifting me with an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I have enjoyed all of Hannah’s books, but this might be my new favourite🍃. This book had me crying both happy and devastated tears in all the best ways. I loved these characters in Out on a Limb and was so happy they were getting their own book!

It was so fun to see them back in high school and learn more about why they are the way they are. It made me love their present day characters and seeing the struggle even more emotional. I loved the premise of hiking therapy to help couples work through rough patches and made the story that much more interesting to me.

This is a book I want to have in my personal library so I can read it over and over again! 🍃✨

I loved this more than hannaah bonam-youngs other books and I adored those! So romantic and if you love a second chance romance this is the book of the year for you!

Hannah Bonam-Young continues to be one of my favorites to suggest to romance readers. Believable and charming, I swoon for her leads. I can't wait to own a physical copy!

4.5 stars

Sarah and Caleb were the book couple I didn’t know I needed. I also think I am the right demographic for a “marriage in crisis” story because some pieces just felt so realistic at times. I don’t think you have to be married to your HS sweetheart to feel those moments of wondering what your future together looks like, but obviously starting so young comes with a whole new set of challenges.

Anyway, I really enjoyed this story! It was full of lots of raw emotion and heart. I liked how there were flashbacks in chronological order to give us peeks into Sarah & Caleb’s relationship, as well as her relationship with her mom. My mom had MS (which is admittedly terrible, but not as terrible as ALS) as I was growing up and although I didn’t lose her until I was in my 30’s, I could still easily relate to the role of caregiver as a teenager and how it impacts all your decisions. Obviously that’s just another reason this story pulled right at my heartstrings.

I enjoyed the camping/ couples retreat setting and the side characters were fun. It was good to see Win and Bo again too!! The way Caleb loves Sarah is just so endearing, and just another top tier book husband to add to the list!

There are open door intimacy scenes in this story, but it’s limited to about 2 and it is a slow burn!

Thank you to NetGalley, Dell, and Hannah Bonam-Young for the opportunity to read this e-ARC and share my opinion! It was an absolute privilege!

Out of the Woods was the PERFECT book.

… for me, at least. 🥹

HBY (author) has a way of writing exactly the things I’m going through somehow. I know I know, it’s not all about me, but when you’re the main character of your life it can definitely feel that way. This book, alongside Out on a Limb are both stories that I can relate to so deeply.

I’m willing to bet that the story of Sarah and Caleb is so relatable to so many couples out there. I, myself, know the feeling of being intertwined with another human being for years and years to the point of losing my sense of self. It’s an incredibly isolating and terrifying feeling. My husband and I have found ourselves in the position of considering couples therapy as well. Our relationship hasn’t been quite as long as Sarah and Caleb’s (thirteen years total) but I can 100% relate to the headspace that Sarah has found herself in.

A lot of my relationship has also revolved around feeling “less than” and “cared for” by my husband to the point that I’ve actually had the thought… Can I do anything on my own? If it were just me today, living this life on my own, what would that even look like? Could I afford to live alone? I’d have to learn to cook! 😮 (the horror)

Reading about the deep connection that Sarah and Caleb have was so beautiful. That despite it all, they love each other so much they were willing to go completely out of their comfort zones in an attempt to reconnect. It was a heartwarming journey watching Sarah discover her self worth and seeing Caleb discover how to better love her through it and ask for what he needs as well! I can only hope that when my husband and I try therapy it goes even half as well as their experience did.

Along the way, the story of Win and Sarah and their mothers equally pulled at my heart strings. Reading about them all living together, loving together and experiencing life together was absolutely incredible. Seeing Sarah’s resilience and strength being inspired by the strong women around her was so inspiring! And it really made me reflect on my fellow girl gang around me. Having relationships like that around you are so incredibly important and it was so sweet to read about the support group she grew up in.

Having the incident with Caleb being hurt parallel the experience of Sarah being in the hospital with her mom at the end almost wrecked me. (Like I could not stop crying in the coffee shop I was reading in) I was quite literally on the edge of my seat wondering where HBY was going to take the story. Would Sarah lose yet another important person in her life in order to show her that she CAN in fact live on her own and be her own person? That’s what I thought was going to happen. But I’ll admit I had the biggest sigh of relief with the actual ending.

If Sarah had lost Caleb I think I might have had to start a riot in her honor. These two were meant to be together and I’m so happy HBY kept them that way 🥺

Lastly, can we talk about the epilogue? Our girl Sarah finally getting what she deserved 😭 the members of Reignite still being so present in their lives and the change in Caleb’s parents? This story concluded perfectly and was tied up in the PERFECT bow.

I could go on and on but I’ll stop here. HBY you are magic, and I’m off to devour the rest of your books.

Wait I’m back for one more thing. That sex scene in the woods!? *chefs kiss* BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN.

I really enjoyed this book. I love a second chance romance and Hannah did this one so well. Having characters fall back in love is one of my favorite tropes. The side characters were so sweet and Hannah's writing made it feel like I was in the woods right with them. I haven't read the first book in this series and that might help with a little backstory.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital arc of this book. 💕

This was an extremely anticipated read for me. As someone who loved out on a limb and loved Sarah and Caleb’s chemistry and wanted more of their story when reading out on a limb I was anticipating this release day by day.

As someone who struggles with the grief of losing a parent and more so even struggling with feeling like I have nothing to be proud of myself for at times, I related to Sarah A TON. I believe that the topic of grief at the moments leading up to loss and years after was handled with so much care and compassion. I was not expecting Sarah and Caleb’s adventure with Reignite to Reignite the spark within me as well. I feel like there was so many life lessons to take away from with their story. 5 star read for sure although I’m a little sad it’s over. I will be doing a reread when I purchase a physical copy to annotate.

I leave you all with this to ponder further:

“What would Marcie Green do?”

Absolutely stunning! I cried so much! Hannah does it again! She knows how to captivate the reader and paints the story/picture so perfectly! I felt so connected to Sarah in her quest to find her voice again!😭 truly a beautiful story

I loved Sarah and Caleb when we met them first in Out on a Limb and was truly SO excited when I learned this book was in the works. And it does. not. disappoint. I was expecting it to be funny and sweet and spicy (and it was!) but I didn't expect just how emotional it was. I loved the flashbacks to when they were younger sprinkled throughout and liked that the rough patch they were working through stemmed from good intentions that didn't quite have the desired impact (as opposed to general apathy and disengagement like we sometimes see).

This really is another amazing read from Hannah Bonam-Young. If you haven't read her books yet, I HIGHLY recommend them (though because they do tend to touch on heavier topics, be sure to check trigger warnings if needed).

A really beautiful sequel to one of my all time favorite books. Loved seeing more into Sarah & Caleb’s lives, especially the flashbacks to learn more about their history and early love. Despite this being a marriage in crisis book, I didn’t feel like it was ever full-blown crisis. Also would have loved to see the characters grow a little on their own.

3.75 stars

What a touching read this was 🥹 This felt different from Hannah’s previous books in a good way! I was pleasantly surprised. Reading this felt like a therapy session and I loved it. It’s concerning how much I could relate to Sarah, and seeing her and Caleb work on their relationship was so sweet. This was definitely emotional and discusses illness of a parent throughout, so keep that in mind. I adored all the characters we meet and of course love the strong and supportive friendships that Sarah and Caleb have with Win and Bo ❤️ (so good to see them again!)

While there’s so much I loved about this and definitely got teary eyed a few times, I didn’t feel as blown away by the plot as I wanted to be. I also disagree with some of the beliefs that are expressed in this and the way the book went about talking about it, but I do genuinely love her writing and feel like this book was powerful and important. This was another success for Hannah in my eyes!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an early copy of Out of the Woods in exchange for an honest review!

Just crying while at Christmas with my in-laws.

Full review:

Sarah and Caleb are the perfect couple, right? This marriage in trouble romance is a good example of when there’s no need to rediscover their love for each other, rather it’s learning to love even more about that person as you discover who you are as you age and grow.

Trauma and grief was a big part of what brought them together and to their young marriage, and it created a dynamic of the damsel and the knight. Sarah no longer needs saving, she wants to figure out who she is now that she’s been saved…and life hasn’t made her figure that out. Caleb hasn’t either. But one thing they’re both sure they want is each other.

Enter a weeklong camping trip with the purpose of bringing couples closer together. It’s the kind of outdoor shenanigans I never want to be part of but love to read. It brings them together in unexpected ways and also feels very, at times brutally, real. We can all get better at communicating with our partner, but also at dreaming with them.

And don’t worry, there’s plenty of spice and tension 🫠😝

Big, emotional, and hopeful. Another wonderful book from Hannah Bonham-Young.

Ugh god I love Hannah Bonam-Young. She has such a special writing gift and her books make me feel so SAFE. Sarah and Caleb were such a beloved couple while reading Out on A Limb, and to get a deeper look at them through this book was so beautiful. Both of them are flawed in their own ways, but the strides they take to be better for themselves and for each other genuinely brought me to tears. I just absolutely loved this, I cannot wait to tell everyone I know to read this book, because I think that there is a little bit of something in here for everyone. Hannah has absolutely knocked it out of the park yet again, and I cannot wait to continue reading her books and shouting my love for her and her words from the rooftops.

How is it possible that I’ve already found one of my top fav reads of 2025..?!

I have never been so excited to receive an ARC!! All it took was a simple preview of the “Your approved request…” message in my mailbox, and I was jumping for joy. Literally.

This book was everything you could ever want in a romance novel: raw, real, swoony, SPICYYY. From the first chapter, I could tell that Sarah and Caleb would do a number on me. They were so special, and hereby have a permanent place in my heart. I miss them so much already.

The flashback chapters (which had me sobbing, btw) gave perfect insight on the development of Sarah and Caleb’s relationship. Highschool sweethearts turned marriage partners for over a decade, these two decide to take on a new challenge after hitting a rough patch: the great outdoors. ALSO… I had a thought; petition to have the phrase “highschool sweethearts” changed to “Calah” ? Like, “oh yeah, me and my partner? We’re Calah.” Is that stupid? Idk. Idc. Spread the word!

The present chapters were also magnificent, and I adored every second. I rarely read books where the main couple are already in a relationship, so seeing Sarah and Caleb work so hard to better themselves both individually and together was a new, refreshing experience. Their love for one another is so painfully clear, and I feel a sense of overwhelming pride in their ability to fight for each other. To communicate, grow, and respect.

The secondary characters also added a lot to the story, which is often difficult to find. And, of course, I loved the scenes with my babies Win and Bo.

I adored every second of ‘Out of the Woods’ All my stars go to this masterpiece. Can’t wait to receive my physical copy and shower Hannah Bonam-Young with even more praises on the pub date, which you can find on my instagram @re.readsss ;)

I know that this author is huge on BookTok right now, but I truly do not understand the hype. I just could not get into this book, so I guess her writing style just isn't for me. I really don't even know what it was specifically, it just wasn't my vibe at all.

HBY delivers another book true to her formula: a heartfelt backstory, engaging plot line, and of course, the perfect mmc. we follow sarah as she navigates the grief of her mother and the feelings of disarray regarding her life/career and what’s she’s made of it, which in turn, affects her marriage.

i want to note that my favorite trope of all time is marriage in crisis. that being said, my main criticism of this book is that it’s been advertised as a marriage in crisis book when it’s not one. to me, marriage in crisis means that at least one person in the relationship has checked out/has one foot out of the door, maybe they are even on the cusp of divorce! this was not the case at all for sarah and caleb. at the end of the day, they still were very much invested in their partnership — they just needed to figure out some issues, communicate that, and work towards a solution, which btw is typical for any long term relationship!

evidently, the romance did fall short for me. it’s very sweet and caleb proves to be a top tier mmc, but the main focus here is sarah and the affects of her still grieving her mother. i thankfully found this to be the light of the book and even got emotional at some parts learning about marcie green and the beautiful relationship between her and sarah. it’s very touching and ultimately why i rated this 4 stars.

if you’re like me and you’re expecting a marriage in crisis trope to be the center of this book, i would lower those expectations. a good read nonetheless, but OOAL still takes the cake for me.

thank you dell romance for the e-ARC!

HBY does it again. This is a book that’s meant to be savored. There’s so much love and depth here. I highly recommend you read Out on a Limb first because that book is equally as amazing and makes this story even sweeter.

This story follows Caleb and Sarah. High school sweethearts navigating through issues in their marriage. They’ve been married for about 10 years and have fallen in roles that are starting to no longer feel comfortable. They agree to go on a guided hiking and outdoors adventure that includes counseling to help reconnect to each other and to themselves.

The story that unfolds here hurts so good. There’s so much love and so much hurt to unravel. My favorite quote has to be “if you give me room to grow I promise to always plant myself next to you” and I feel like it really captures the essence of this story.

It has been and always will be, Sarah for Caleb and Caleb for Sarah. I love these two and the discoveries they make about themselves and their relationship. I love their humor and the ways this story made me laugh (I was cackling at the ‘hill I would die on’).This book made me cry no less than 4 times and I related deeply to so much of it.

This book is masterfully done and I can’t recommend it enough.

Hannah has done it again!!! I want to start by saying thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. The story aside from the romance was phenomenal. Hannah Bonam-Young always delivers a romance you just can’t put down that also makes you feel things. I feel like it’s hard to have the balance of romance and a bigger story but Hannah hits it every time!

Sarah and Caleb were such an amazing part of Out on a Limb and getting to read their story with hints of Bo and Win was absolutely everything. The plot was fantastic and the character development was spectacular.

There was something so raw and vulnerable about this book and Sarah’s experiences. I could not stop crying even though I didn’t find myself relating to the specific situations in the book, the way Hannah writes a story and is able to explain a character’s feelings always gets me emotional.

Hannah Bonam-Young is now and forever an auto buy author!!

Thank you Hannah and the publishers again!!