I absolutely adored Caleb in Sarah when I read Out On A Limb so the second I found out they were getting their own book I knew I had to read it asap. As always with HBY books this was so heartfelt and endearing to read and had many laugh out moments. There were also scenes that I couldn’t help but shed a tear. At the dynamic between Sarah family in her younger years was so relatable to me and made me love her so much more.

*This was an e-arc from NetGalley*

Minor spoilers in this review.

How I read it: ebook (on a Kindle)

Themes: middle age "crisis" (30), high school sweethearts, marriage, child-free, heeling in the outdoors, grief, and legacy
Spice: there are detailed sex scenes in the book (and it was enjoyable)

Similar to: Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young

I did enjoy this book, and found it refreshing for a marriage to experience issues (as it does, naturally) and not have it end in cheating or divorce. If you are reading this because you enjoyed the 1st in the series Out on a Limb, you will continue to appreciate the same literary universe. I love being able to read up on characters I loved from a previous book and see what they are up to well after their book ends. That being said, I did like Out on a Limb more than this book. I connected more with the characters and found myself more invested than in this book. I loved the ending and LOVED the epilogue.

I would recommend this book. I gave 4 stars because I like it a lot, but would not re-read it.

HANNAH I FREAKING LOVE YOU.

The way this women writes men should be study cause they are the definition of perfection. This book was a warm cup of coffee on a rainy day. Holy crap I LOVED this book. Caleb and Sarah have my whole heart. I cried so many times and laughed just as much. There are not enough words for how much I loved this book.

If you read this read out on a limb first it will make the experience better.

I cannot wait to hand sell the crap out of this book.

Thank you NetGalley

SCREAMING AND CRYING IN THE WOODS RIGHT NOW!!! hannah bonam-young could do now wrong. i love sarah and caleb with my whole heart

LOVED this one! I fell in love with Sarah and Caleb in Out On A Limb and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this one. I love romances where it’s a “second chance” for the lovers and how they have to communicate and grow with each other. As always, the banter was on point. And we even got some sexual tension! Loved it. Will recommend!

I was (and am) so excited for this novel. Caleb and Sarah hit home incredibly close as someone who also married someone she dated from a very young age and who went through struggles as both people had to grow into adults and personalities beyond youth. Sarah is incredibly relatable as a main character, her internal monologue really allows you to get a feel of where she's coming from and it's not just a naggy, unfulfilled housewife vibe, not that I ever think HBY would stoop to that. She's not unhappy in her marriage per se, but in her life and the marriage issues she experiences are a side effect of that level of feeling unfulfilled. I was able to relate to her on a personal level beyond just understanding and that made the experience of the novel incredible.

That said, I did give it a 4 not a 5 mainly because I didn't feel that the Caleb drama was necessary. I think I would have preferred a shorter novel if it meant they just...found happiness because the delicious tension and the plot and the spice would have held the story fine for me without that element. It did, however, add an element of time to make them take on their 10-year ideas sooner rather than later, so I can understand where it comes from.

Overall a fantastic book about meeting your person very young and dealing with the growing pains of adulthood and expectations within and outside of that relationship. Poignant, touching, sexy, sassy, and legitimately funny, this book had something for any reader.

Spice rating: 3/5
Overall rating: 4/5

I graciously (and excitedly) received this novel as an ARC via NetGalley, the review is given freely and in my own words.

I didn’t want this to end and didn’t want to let Out of the Woods go! This book has my whole heart — seriously, I’m already missing it. Hannah Bonam-Young captures that perfect mix of warmth and depth, drawing you into a story that’s as healing as it is romantic.

I also love how Bonam-Young writes about self-acceptance and the importance of vulnerability in relationships. This book doesn’t shy away from tough conversations, but it does so with such empathy and grace. If you’re looking for a romance that feels both cozy and meaningful, this one will check every box.

i am genuinely so so grateful to receive this arc because i absolutely loved out on a limb and i wasn't ready to let go of these characters so i am so so happy to get to read this book early!

i am not the biggest fan of second chance romances so this was a difficult read in that regard but overall i really loved the story. i loved the way the story touched on religion, especially the way sarah kind of changed her views towards the end. i loved seeing sarah and caleb's communication grow throughout the whole "reignite" process. i LOVED the epilogue and seeing everyone thriving, even jai and nina!! one thing i do want to mention: i was unaware of caleb's game because good lorddddddd

4.5 ⭐️

Marriage in trouble? High school sweethearts? Sign me up!!

This was so so good. We meet Caleb and Sarah in Out on a Limb and we’re made to see them as the perfect couple so it was really nice to see that things aren’t always as they seem. Caleb and Sarah are such a great team and it was so fun to be back with Win and Bo.

The retreat was such a fun idea, and I feel as though it was very genuine and the increased communication skills were just chefs kiss. I truly did have a good time, it had a slow burn aspect to it, which I always love. I had so much fun. I read this entire book and one sitting unfortunately I just think nothing will ever compare to Out on a Limb, so that’s the only reason it didn’t get 5⭐️

I truly can’t believe I got the ARC, thank you so much to NetGalley!!

Hannah Bonam-Young does it again. She has such a way of making her characters feel so relatable and real. I feel that all the people that are married or are in a long term relationship are going to find this very relatable and even learn a thing or two about their relationships. I know I did. As someone who has been married for 7+ years, I felt like I related to Caleb and Sarah, maybe more than I have ever related to book characters before.
I love a marriage in crisis book, but this one felt different. There really isn't one big thing that puts their marriage on the rocks, but rather lots of little things throughout the years, and feelings of complacency and being stagnant, which I found to be very relatable and could see those things in myself and my relationship.
I loved the growth the characters went through together and having it be on backpacking trip (which I LOVE) made it so much fun.
Seeing a lot of Bo and Winn (from Out on a Limb) was also a huge plus.
Hannah's writing is so raw and real and deals with very real everyday issues people have and for that, I will continue to read her stories. I feel she adds things to the genre that no other author does.

This was so much fun! For all the couples out there who found each other young. Sarah and Caleb's relationship has changed so much because they have grown up together. Their healing journey together was sweet and sexy. You could really tell that they still loved each other and wanted to make it work.

As a Little Women fangirl, this book had me from the dedication. But in all honesty, I knew I would love it before I even opened it. I was just not expecting to relate to Sarah in so many ways. From her insecurities to her self doubt. She made me feel seen.

I’ve read a decent amount of marriage in crisis books, and for most of them, I felt that if there was more communication to begin with, things would’ve been fine. That wasn’t necessarily the case here.
Sarah and Caleb’s conflicts made sense considering their background. For the sake of not spoiling the book though, I won’t go into detail.

What I can say is that the disconnect between them is so normal, so natural and so raw. When you’re married, it's hard to be on the same page as your partner every single day. Even more so when, at times, it feels like you're reading two different books. And while Sarah definitely could’ve communicated how she was feeling sooner, I understood where she was coming from. Feeling like you don’t know who you are, especially in an established relationship, can be terribly disorienting.

There’s a lot that happens between these two but I love that throughout the entire book, they never once regret each other. And taking out the angst of Sarah and Caleb trying to save their marriage, the whole set up of this book is hilarious. The side characters were very entertaining and added some much needed comic relief.

Also, I can’t write this review without mentioning Win and Bo, omg!!! Sarah and Win’s friendship is everything, they are so funny together. Also, Bo just being Bo. And August! Love her sm. Ugh, these characters will forever live in my heart. That epilogue??? I’m unwell.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I haven't read Bonam-Young's first book, Out on a Limb, but I still really enjoyed this one! It's nice to read a romance about an already married couple that is trying to get back to why they fell in love in the first place. So relatable! If you're looking for a fantasy romance, this isn't it, but I loved it more because of that.

I have never read a book with a troubled marriage trope. I thought it was very interesting and relatable. As all relationships have their struggles and it brought real situations to light. Life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. However, I think I just read this book during a hard time in my life personally, which is the reason I rated it what I did. I recently lost my mom and that part of it was especially hard for me. Overall it was well written and I loved all the messages. Some of it was just hard for me personally.

Absolutely adored this book! This story follows Sarah and Caleb, who we met in Out on a Limb, after they just had a major argument. To help save their marriage, they go to a wilderness retreat for a week.

This book was the romance book I didn’t know I needed! Hannah did such an accurate depiction of navigating grief, communication in long term relationships, and how ultimately choosing yourself makes you a better partner. Go get this when it comes out in January!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I loved getting to read more about Sarah and Caleb. Their story was so touching and heartwarming. Hannah can never disappoint.

Hannah Bonam-Young is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors. I really enjoyed Out of the Woods. I don't like second chance romance books, but I do appreciate the occasional "working on your marriage" book. My only complaint about this book is that I do feel like they resolved their issues kind of quickly - I felt like there was maybe more for Sarah and Caleb to process from 10 years of marriage. But I did love their banter and interactions - I loved the small enclosed group and the members were fun. Again could have had even more from them - especially Maggie.

This book is very unique compared to most romances I’ve read, because the two main characters have been together for nearly 2 decades and are going through a rough patch in their marriage. I loved the relationship between Sarah and Caleb, the flashbacks to include the early days of their relationship as well as her mom, their friendship with Win and Bo, and the idea of two not-so-outdoorsy people going on a camping marriage retreat. This book is funny but also touches on some heavier subjects like grief. My favorite kinds of books are the ones that make me feel something and this book definitely made me tear up. The only thing I didn’t like about this book is the conflict in the beginning that led the couple to go on the retreat in the first place. To me, it seemed like it was more so an issue that Sarah needed to address herself rather than something that would cause such a strain on their marriage. Overall, I loved this book and would definitely recommend it.

The review will be published on Goodreads onJanuary 28, 2025
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My rating: (3) ⭐⭐⭐

Out of the Woods is part of a series of interconnected standalone books, starting with the first book, Out on a Limb. Sarah and Caleb are the "happily" married best friends of Win and Bo, the protagonists of the first book. As mentioned in the book’s Foreword, I’d recommend reading Out on a Limb first, but it’s absolutely not necessary to enjoy Out of the Woods.

My undeniable favorite was Caleb, who is the embodiment of a “green flag.” Caleb is the perfect combination of strength and vulnerability. He’s loyal, caring, intelligent, and funny.

I really missed having Caleb's POV in the book because some moments would have been interesting to see from his perspective. At times, Sarah’s behavior toward Caleb seemed harsh and childish. Also, the events in the book happened too quickly. I would have preferred more backstory in the present. And the more I think about the spicy scenes described, the more questions I have.

I also really enjoyed the groundedness of the story, the imperfection of the characters, and their "flaws" and vulnerability. This book serves as a reminder that to move forward, you need to let go of the past and not drag it into your future. Dwelling on "what ifs" doesn’t lead anywhere good. It also shows that a beautiful picture on the surface can hide thousands of different emotions, not always positive—pain, fear, and doubt…

I recommend this book to readers who enjoy Ever After Always (Bergman Brothers #3) by Chloe Liese.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Plot? 10/10
Spice? Well done, 10/10
Vibes? Immaculate

It is so refreshing to have an ACTUAL HEA that doesn’t require miscommunication and other typically negative tropes. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes those are great, but HBY writes fights and things more realistically, which endears me more & more to her writing.

Love Sarah & Caleb’s progression & seeing them do the work to get them back to people they recognize and appreciate each other even more ❤️❤️❤️