I love “Out on a Limb.” I love the marriage in crisis trope. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025.

"Out of the Woods" felt like a long hike, without enough tension or items of interest, and then flashback chapters that through off the momentum. I wanted angst, I wanted reckoning, I wanted redemption, but in a warm, cozy way, natch.

This was less of a romance book and more of a women’s fiction book. It seemed to me that Sarah, the FMC, had needed more effective therapy for quite some time, and the plot mostly centers around her development. The therapy scenes and exercises didn’t capture my attention, unfortunately.

There is an epilogue that neatly wraps up the stories of Caleb and Sarah, and Win and Bo, and that was a nice addition.

I was so lucky to receive the arc of this masterpiece and when I say Hannah is a genius, I mean I wanna live in her brain. I read this slowly to really take in the characters, the struggles, the plot and overall just the message behind the story.

We follow Sarah and Caleb, through flashbacks and present day. They are going through some struggles as a couple but Sarah individually is having her inner struggles with herself. In order to help their marriage and Sarah find who she is, the couple embarks on an adventure with a group of strangers in the wilderness.

I thought I loved Sarah and Caleb in Out on a Limb but I literally FELL in love with them as individuals and a couple in this book. The emotional roller coaster you got through with both of them is completely worth the tears. I identify with Sarah so much through this story, her self doubt crushes your heart. Although, you can see how she allows people to really feel heard and the light that shines from her just by the words I read is unmatched. Now, Caleb Linwood… the man you are. The love that he has for his wife is setting a standard for me in men that I don’t know if they will reach.

Words will not be able to express how much I loved this book! It singlehandedly made me fall in love with the marriage in crisis trope. I was NOT expecting to love this as much as I did! I am so grateful for being able to read an early copy! Reviews will be posted on my other platforms too!

I am very bummed to have not loved this one. It was a solid read and I of course love Hannah’s writing, she is able to bring such complex feelings and situations into her stories. I just had a hard time connecting with Sarah. I really needed a dual POV from Caleb to balance it out. I totally understand Sarah feeling lost and needing to find her passion, especially after losing her mom and still working through her grief journey. I’m sad she took that out on Caleb and didn’t really understand this as a marriage in crisis as much as it was a need for personal reflection and growth. Even throughout their trip, I felt like what they worked on most was who they were to each other in their relationship and not about Sarah finding a passion in her life. Caleb won me over, he was such a soft boy with a good heart that wanted to support Sarah through it all. The Win & Bo & Gus appearances were the best and I missed them so much. Always excited to see what HBY brings into this world!

out of the woods book review. 🏕️🥾🤎✨

thank you penguin random house and dell romance for the e-arc!

out of the woods is hannah bonam-young’s upcoming romance novel that follows the lives of sarah and caleb, high school sweethearts, who when they find themselves at a crossroads in their marriage head into the woods for a couple’s retreat to help them fix their problems.

this book was a surprise for me in the most beautiful way. after reading out on a limb, i knew that hannah’s writing contained a lot of depth as well as fun moments and hysterical quips. but out of the woods explored so much emotional themes from grief, and loss, to therapy, to changing relationships and did so in such a natural and relatable way. i loved seeing how sarah’s relationship with caleb was influenced by her life experiences and her relationship with her mother and the loss she has felt in her life. it felt extremely nuanced and realistic as so many of our romantic relationships do not exist in a vacuum (or in the woods *wink wink*) — they revolve and intertwine with our other relationships.

i thought this story really had heart and contained humour at exactly the right parts. i would describe this as a loose-second chance romance but it felt unique in that i was rooting for both sarah and caleb from the jump and that feeling never waivered. i love them in all their glory and flaws. i also found sarah’s imposter syndrome also extremely relatable.

of course we had some cameos from wyn, bo, and baby gus which was an added sweetness to the sometimes heavy themes and i am once again so in love with bo… he is always in the lead for best golden retriever (and 6’5 🥵) fictional bf.

overall, i loved my time with this book and i have such a soft spot for hannah bonam-young’s writing!

Thank you so much to Dell Romance and NetGalley for this arc! It was my wish come true to read this one early!

This is hands down the best marriage in trouble book I’ve ever read. There are no truer soulmates than Sarah and Caleb Linwood.

Together since 14 and married since 19, Sarah and Caleb are in a rut. Sarah isn’t happy with her lack of career and purpose. Caleb can’t understand why things can’t stay the same.

To save their relationship, they go on a hiking/couples retreat. These two are definitely not outdoorsy, but they’re willing to fight for their love. They have to love each other’s mess and flaws in order to stay together. Caleb is always the knight in shining armor, but Sarah wants the room to grow and save herself.

There is self discovery, grief, and a beautiful love story in Out of the Woods. It was so beautiful and fulfilling with a little spice. 🥾🌲🏕️

*slight spoiler, there is no break up! So thankful!

Received and ARC from NetGalley.

I went into this blind & have zero regrets, high school sweethearts, marriage on the rocks. Highly recommend. There is sad parts, there are funny parts. I will tell everyone to read this, also love that the FMC & MMC are 30, I get so tired of young characters.

Definitely will be picking up her backlist.

Holy smokes. I didn't think anything could emotionally ruin me like Out on a Limb, but then Out of the Woods came along. Hannah has a great eye for taking unique relationships and making them so authentic for the reader. Every single one of her characters, whether main or supporting, is fully formed and never a charicature. I loved how she found ways to explain grief that weren't so black and white and how grief can push us to make decisions that we will sometimes question in the future. Also -- THANK YOU for writing soft men! It's so refreshing.

What a beautiful, beautiful story. You will not want to skip this one!

Fans of Out on a Limb are transported back into that world with Caleb and Sarah as stars of the show. Bo and Win are back as the special guests who made every scene they're in even better. This book not only had me in my feels but had me laughing and full of awe of the whole time.

Sarah and Caleb have been married for 17 years. They are each other's first loves and high school sweethearts. And lately, Sarah is starting to feel like she doesn't know who she is anymore without her husband. When Win tells Sarah about this couples camping retreat, Sarah decides this is what she and Caleb are meant to do to fix their problems.

I absolutely loved the plot. A marriage in crisis takes on the outdoors. I loved the outdoorsy nature vibes. I loved the complications and playfulness this brought to the story. Caleb and Sarah are absolutely adorable and I was genuinely rooting for their success. You can feel how much these two truly love each other and it broke my heart to see them so lost.

Sarah is a spitfire. She's had to grow up quick. She's tenacious and strong; sarcastic and funny; caring and nurturing; loving and fun. I really loved her character. At times she was a little over the top or whiny BUT Hannah wrote her so well that it's just a tiny part of who Sarah is (through the good and bad). I loved how normal she felt and how realistic her fears were. I loved seeing her growth and I loved watching her learn more about herself throughout this. She had such great character development and I loved watching her stand on her own two feet.

Caleb is so damn adorable and I wanted to just eat him up! He's such a gentle, sweet, loving man. He loves Sarah so much that he's willing to do anything for her. He wants her happy - that is his happiness. Nothing about this man was a turn off to me. He's a glasses wearing, nerdy beautiful man. I mean...can I get one?! He is putting in the work and I commend him for it. I also loved seeing his growth over time. Also, him being "wild" was SO MUCH FUN IYKYK *WINK WINK*

This was a beautiful story about a beautiful marriage. I envy these two so much for having made such a beautiful life. Yes, there are downfalls and tribulations but there is so much love here.

I loved how much Bo and Win we get in this. They are forever and always just a superior couple.

I really loved the side characters we get in this as well. They made the hiking so much more enjoyable. I just loved all the little roles each of them played in this.

I enjoyed the flashbacks but with how good this story was, I was always looking forward to the present day!

Every second of this book was adorable and entertaining. It had me in my feels and the last paragraph in the "10 years later" really got me.

This book was just hit out of the park! I really can't describe this whole thing other than: beautiful.
Highly, highly, highly recommend this book (and Out on a Limb)!!

Thank you so much to Hannah Bonam-Young, Random House, Dell, and NetGalley for the arc copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for letting my read this E-arc

I can’t express how much I loved this story. As someone who did not read “Out on a Limb”, I was absolutely surprised and in love with the universe. I will be backtracking to read the first story.

Sarah and Caleb’s story was just wonderful. The dialogue and scenery of the story made it like a movie in my head. I felt like the story was just easy to relate to and the characterization was so realistic. There were many moments I felt like crying but in the next minute I am running around and screaming because of how cute they are.

This was a great story full of dealing with grief, finding independence while also keeping those close to you in your heart.

“Darkness before the Dawn”

This book felt like I was reading a story of my very own. As someone who’s been with my high school sweetheart and went through nearly losing my only parent. It gave me every single feeling and it was the most beautiful book. I felt so enthralled by HBY writing and he ability to really make you feel something similar to the characters and to watch their growth as a couple and as individuals was amazing.

I adored Out on a Limb and was ecstatic to get a chance to read Out of the Woods early. It did not disappoint! I laughed, I cried while reading this wholesome and heartwarming story. Bonam-Young takes the readers through an inspiring and heartfelt journey of rediscovery as Sarah and Caleb begin to confront their unresolved concerns and address the foundation of their marriage. The author does a wonderful job of showing how true intimacy and understanding require both partners to be vulnerable and willing to face difficult truths. With moments of tension and tenderness, you can feel the immense respect and love that they have for each other. Even though I felt the third act and some of the flashbacks didn’t really add much to the story, Sarah and Caleb’s relationship was an absolute joy to read and the epilogue was perfection.

Overall, Out of the Woods is a deeply emotional exploration of love, loss, and strength needed to rebuild a relationship. It is beautifully written and a must read for those who appreciate stories about second chances, personal growth, and the resilience of love.

Thank you NetGalley & Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Hannah Bonam-Young for allowing me the privilege of reading and reviewing the arc for Hannah Bonam-Young’s newest book Out of the Woods. You already know how much I love HBYs work.

Reading a Hannah Bonam-Young book doesn’t feel like reading a book. It feels like getting a window into someone’s real life- all their struggles, deep inner feelings, joys and heart aches.

I loved the support that Sarah gave Win in Out on a Limb and the snippets we got of her and Caleb’s relationship. So when Out of the Woods was announced and it was going to be focusing on their marriage, I was over the moon.

The identity struggle that Sarah goes through in this book, begging the question of “who am I without Caleb,” Felt so real and raw. The phenomenon of meeting your soulmate earlier than most and feeling stuck in routine and being too safe. I could picture it as if she was my own best friend. The challenges they faced were realistic but not in a way that weighed them down but uplifted them.

I could tell Hannah absolutely poured her heart and soul into this book. Being able to read the arc of this was truly life changing. I laughed. I cried. I gasped. Caleb and Sarah have my heart and I’m so excited for their story to be shared!

I really didn’t enjoy this book. I enjoyed it for the first 30 ish percent after that I found it boring. I was unable to connect to the characters and I feel like the main couples issues were solved way too fast. Overall, this book put me into a slump and I was left skimming the last 40 percent in hopes it would get better.

Sarah and Caleb have been together since they were young teens. Now they’re into adulthood and have shouldered more than their fair share of grief. Sarah feels like she no longer knows who she is on her own, and Caleb fears losing the person who makes him feel whole. The two end up on an outdoors couples trip that forces them to get out of their comfort zones and face who they are as individuals and a couple. Can they grow together or will this be the final thing that drives them apart?

This is not the normal romance I would read due to it being second-chance(ish). Despite that, I found it enjoyable. The majority of the book is present day, but there’s also scenes that go back in time and lay groundwork for who the couple is today and how they got there. There’s grief and trauma, but there’s also love and joy. If you’re a fan of Hannah Bonam-Young’s other work, you’ll enjoy this one too.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

✩5

I’ve known Caleb for over seventeen years now and loved him for nearly as many.

✦What to Expect✦
•HS sweethearts
•Married couple
•Hiking/couples trip
•Forced proximity
•Found family
•Hot nerdy MMC with glasses
•Loss of a parent/ALS

✦Characters✦
•Sarah Green/Linwood
•Caleb Linwood
 
✦Fav Quotes✦
Life kept going, the Earth kept spinning, everyone moved on, but I stayed still.

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

“I think heaven might be real.
I think it’s you.”

✦Thoughts✦
Be still my heart.
Truly all the feels.
I’m fine, it’s fine… I am just going to start crying again.

This is story is so beautiful.
It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time.

CALEB IS A PGOM!!
*precious gem of man*
Truly the most lovable & caring man.

Sarah my heart hurt for her so much.
She was so relatable and I enjoyed her so dang much. I lover her growth & journey to figuring out what she wanted to do.

You could feel the love between these two so much. I knew it was going to be okay, because you could tell they are truly soulmates.
I loved them finding their way back to one another and figuring out what they want their future to look like.

That ending was so emotional
And that epilogue. PERFECTTTTTT

While this book is heavy subject matter - it hit super close to home for me. I absolutely loved it.
I was lucky enough to receive this ARC - I am an out on the limb Stan and I was soooooo excited to get this one
Sarah and Caleb are high school sweethearts with some heavy backstories that they don’t really deal with when they are young and it come around to start hindering their marriage. Will they come out together in the end?
What you can expect:
- marriage in crisis
- high school sweethearts
- a outdoorsy marriage retreat
- light spice
- heavy subject matter
- reminiscing about parental loss

Out of the Woods

Sarah and Caleb are high school sweethearts and have been together since they were 16 years old. After years of being together Sarah feels a sense of uncertainty and not exactly sure of who she is without Caleb. Win suggests that she attends an outdoor couple’s retreat. In hopes to save their marriage, Sarah and Caleb agree to go, in attempt to find their way “out of the woods” and back to each other.

This story was relatable in so many ways. I’ve been with my husband for over ten years and have felt those same feelings/emotions as Sarah. I love how this story portrays the hardships of marriage and not just the smooth and pretty sides. I also loved how it gives a sense of hope, showing us that with hard work and effort you can make things work out in the end. This story was so wholesome and real. The addition of Sarah and Caleb’s shared history also add to the emotional impact of the book. The humor and spice included is just a bonus!

Out of the Woods in an interconnected standalone that is meant to be read after Out in a Limb. Although its not necessary, its highly recommended.

Title releases January 28, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

5.0 stars

I know I wont be able to sum up in words how much I loved this book. And I'm really not surprised. HBY writes in such a way that I am fully invested in her characters like they are my in real life friends. She writes emotions in such a human way. I highlighted SO many lines in this book. It lived up to everything I thought it would be.

Sarah and Caleb are my husband and I. We met at 14 and got married at 19. Seeing a romance book written for a couple that found each other as soulmates at such a young age and got married just a young that stayed married is SO rare. I love that HBY had them do the work to win each other back. The pure terror that Caleb felt because Sarah was stuck in that horrible place of 'what ifs' Its so natural for that to happen in your 20s but add a marriage on top of that? Those 'what ifs' seem so much louder.

It was truly a book about a husband and a wife finding their way back to each other. While still being their own person and never wanting the other person to comprise on something. All Caleb wanted was to save Sarah from any hurt life might throw at her since she had the ultimate hurt of losing her mom way too young. Then we got to see how that looked on Sarahs end and how it magnified her own feelings and past traumas.

This book while covering such a heavy topic of loss and a marriage in crisis was so funny too. I loved that they were not outdoorsy people whatsoever but went on this ultimate camping trip (which again shows their dedication to their marriage.) I laughed SO hard out loud when Caleb read his 'die on this hill subjects.'

I had so many emotions reading this but naturally cried for the last chapters and epilogue.

HBY is the QUEEN of epilogues. She gives us such a beautiful picture of their life 10 years from the end of the book. It wraps up everything is such a perfect bow.

I love a romance about a married couple. They're so different from those about single people and more relatable for me. Here we have a couple who have been together since they were young and the story explores what that means and what it's like to have been together for so long.

This isn't my favorite book by this author (Out on a Limb) but it's solid. It's funny and sweet and sexy, everything I look for in a romance.

Highly recommend.