This was a really heartfelt romance, I enjoyed it! I will definitely be reading more books from this author in the future.

There was life before this book and after this book, and I’m so glad I live in the after. Hannah never ceases to make me feel connected to her characters whether through a silly one liner or a driving plot point. This book is crisp fall air, freshly washed sheets, love at its finest.

Thank you Dell for this e-arc!!

Hannah, your writing is just out of this world. The way you the did the teaching trope was actual perfection. Milo is too hot and makes sense why he’ll only ever be fictional. Prue is everything. I loved her right away. They both brought out the best in each other. I did love how fast he fell and how hard he did. The pacing was exactly right I was sat the second I started this. I don’t think Hannah will ever do wrong in my book. I hope we get more Nadia and Aleks cause I am obsessed with them as well. I’m so glad I was able to read this early! Also I will be getting a “go, question, and find” tattoo 👏🏻


“You can decide someone doesn’t have a seat at your table without hoping that they starve.”
“But how wonderful and tragic and lucky is that?”
“It means you are my biggest adventure yet.”
“It means you are my home”

AHHHHHHHHHHHH 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

oh my god oh my god oh my god!!!! i finished this in less than half a day (i had to stay up until 2am to finish, but i digress) because it’s SOOOO good!!! milo, my bi tattooed king, is soooo hot, and prue is such a sweet, caring freak in the sheets 😅 ok but no, i loved these characters so much. like, too much, and now i’m sad it’s over 😩😭

i had nooo idea how effin spicy this was going to be, but wow was i pleasantly surprised 😏😏😏 spice was like 4-4.4/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

(Thank you, Ballantine | Dell, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young absolutely stole my heart. From the very first chapter, I was hooked by the chemistry between the characters—it was electric, emotional, and so deeply genuine. The connection they share is the kind of slow-burn magic that had me giggling, crying, and blushing all in one sitting. The banter was to die for, the emotional depth felt real, and yes—the spice was chef’s kiss perfection. It added so much intimacy and vulnerability to their relationship, and it never felt forced or overdone. I truly felt like I was watching their love story unfold in the most beautiful, real way. If you love a romance that makes you laugh, cry, and fall head over heels in love with the characters, this one’s a must-read. Hannah Bonam-Young just gets it.

I just love Hannah Bonam-Young and her writing 🥹🥰

People Watching was such an enticing quick read for me, I found myself putting other books down to focus on this story 😅 But I was drawn into this little world almost immediately, and couldn’t stay away.

The thing I love most about Hannah’s writing is that she feels so thoughtful and intentional with her portrayals of real-life issues, whether that be a physical or cognitive disability, past trauma, family issues, etc. She takes care of her characters, as well as her readers.

I loved Prudence and Milo, especially as a couple. They feel like such complements to each other, the missing puzzle piece in their lives 🫶 I do think their could have been slightly more flushed out for Milo’s character, but maybe that’s me just wanting more lol.

I’m so excited to talk up this book and this author (or keep talking up this author!) 🩷

The fact that I got to read one of my most anticipated romance books of 2025 early means the world to me. I fell in love with Hannah’s book last year and I will devour anything this woman writes. So big thank you to Dell Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

People Watching isn’t just a romcom, it’s also a touching tribute to the lengths people will go to help their families. This may seem like a weird thing for a reviewer to say. But I see so much of my mom in Prue. My mother has been in Prue’s shoes. Sacrificing her home, and mental and physical wellbeing to take care of a parent with Alzheimer's. I can also see my mom in Prue’s dad with her desire to not hold me back due to family limitations. I wouldn’t be where I am if my mom hadn’t made that sacrifice. So because of that this book truly touched me in a way that not many other books have.

Prue is a phenomenal main character and I think many will relate to her. She’s different, but not in the typical stereotype way. She’s smart and extremely realistic. Many would not make her same decisions. In fact they would say she’s being overly difficult or naive. I think it’s the opposite she’s loyal and pragmatic. Then we have Milo our MMC. I really enjoyed his character. And I honestly didn’t think I would. I thought he was going to be a playboy and push Prue to make different life choices. I’m so glad Hannah proved my early theories about him wrong. Milo is a golden retriever and our boy went down hard for Prue. And let me tell you I loved every minute of it.

To top it off Milo and his family were so interesting and complex. Honestly my biggest complaint was I wanted to deep dive more into their dynamics and their struggles. But hopefully based on what the book is hinting we’ll see more of them in hopefully Nadia’s book.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone. 4⭐️

People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young is a quietly powerful romance that thrives on character depth and emotional honesty. Despite taking place over a relatively short span of time, the story never feels rushed. The relationship between the main characters unfolds with a natural rhythm, allowing their vulnerabilities, humor, and connection to shine through. Their conversations feel real, their chemistry undeniable, and the emotional pacing is so well done that it’s easy to forget how quickly everything develops.

What makes this book stand out is the way it balances emotional heaviness with moments of levity and tenderness. The characters are flawed, relatable, and written with such care that their growth feels deeply personal to the reader. It’s a book that sneaks up on you—quiet and steady, but with a lasting impact. If you love contemporary romance that leans into character development and authentic connection, this is one to savor.

Absolutely fell in love with this book! Was such a quick cozy read! Perfect book to read in the fall!

There’s no doubt about it—People Watching is a knockout romance that’s bound to top many readers’ “Best of 2025” lists. With razor-sharp wit, raw emotional depth, and scorching chemistry, this book grabs hold of you from the first chapter and never lets go. At its core is a deeply moving love story wrapped in themes of healing, self-worth, and emotional growth.

Milo is the ultimate chaotic soft-hearted MMC—funny, flawed, and completely unforgettable. His journey from self-loathing to emotional vulnerability is powerful and tender. Prue, on the other hand, is a fierce and relatable FMC whose voice leaps off the page. Together, they create a dynamic that’s electric, intimate, and profoundly human.

The slow-burn romance doesn’t hold back on the spice once it kicks in, and it’s some of the best written on-page chemistry we’ve seen in a while. Expect banter that simmers, scenes brimming with consent and emotional connection, and yes—moments that will leave you breathless.

Perfect for fans of character-driven romance with heart, heat, and humor. If you love layered, emotionally resonant stories with standout leads and unforgettable tension, HBY delivers ANOTHER must-read.

This book made me laugh and cry simultaneously. I sat down to “read a couple of chapters” and read the book in almost one sitting - I was interrupted by my real life. The characters are so well written, I felt like I knew them. The plot’s in this book are sweet and heart wrenching all at once. I happy cried and sad cried. I related to the characters while also remaining fascinated by them. I highly recommend this book.

What starts as a “no strings, just vibes” arrangement turns into Milo worshiping the ground Prue walks on. She keeps trying to convince herself that she can keep it light. Meanwhile, this man is out here rearranging his entire life and building a shrine to her in his heart.

This book is funny, emotional, and sneakily wise. It has some of the most loveable supporting characters, a town I want to vacation in (despite its gossipy tendencies), and steam that somehow feels both filthy and deeply respectful. I giggled. I blushed. I highlighted 47 quotes.

People Watching is a lesson in hot guys with slutty facial hair, emotionally intelligent banter, and the kind of chemistry that could light a gas station on fire.

4.75 rounded up! I fell for this story , head over heels. I haven’t had much luck with this author before , but i needed this injected into my veins. and i am now converted instalove enjoyer, if they can all be written like this. The banter was witty, the pet name was niche. I adored Milo & his family. Unfortunately, the third act break up made the rating fall for me. I felt her anger was a tiny bit misplaced, and that their relationship was so built on communication that they should have just communicated! But it resolved quickly. The rest of this book was perfectly crafted for me & this is coming from someone who has not previously enjoyed this authors books. I will be locked in for the next one. PLEASE BE ALEKS & NADIAS!!

some of my notes while reading:

VIRGIN x EXPERIENCED GUY TROPE???
Towns darling x semi bad boy
ARTSY GUY WITH TATTOOS??
TEACH ME TROPE???
he falls first and harder

HBY CANNOT KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS? I feel like a broken record, but HOW does she perfectly toe the line between heartfelt and angst? She is an actual witch, creating the perfect potions aka her novels. Anyway, if you like strangers to lovers, spicy lessons, small towns, and a healthy dose of family issues this one is for you!

This book touch heavy topics in the perfect way. Kept my attention the whole time and had me reflecting on my own childhood.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dell romance for the ARC !

This was my 3rd HBY and I’m not disappointed! I love the way she writes characters. She always knows how to do the perfect banter. The spicy scenes in this book were out of this world, probably the best I’ve read.

I really loved our two MCs, but I thought their relationship was a bit insta-lovey. I don’t mind a « spicy teacher » plot but if they’re going to fall in love I need to be totally convinced and sadly I wasn’t.

I was also really intrigued to dive into a plot where the parent has Alzheimer’s. To my disappointment, that side plot took a backseat pretty quickly.

Again, this was still a really solid book, great smut and loveable characters so I think anyone interested should definitely read it.

Hannah Bonam-Young, does it again.
I am a huge HBY fan so of course I ran to read this, and let me say I am not disappointed.

This story was beautiful. So romantic and hopeful but also had some heavy topics and beautiful healing throughout. Literally why was I laughing one page and crying the next one.

The characters were so REAL! Like so flawed and perfectly balanced. I LOVED IT. And really connected with Milo’s story. If you have came from tough family households and still carry trauma , please read trigger warnings. Now if you’re on your healing journey you will FEEL so deeply seen!!! This book is for us fight or flight babes.

The SPICE…. Girl the spice. I Wasn’t expecting it and loved every single second!!

Ugh I loved this and as always will be recommending to my customers and stocking this in my shop.

There was so much potential for me to absolutely adore this book, but I fear it fell slightly short.

HBY is still a delicious writer and will continue to be an auto-buy author.

For me, we skipped the chemistry development and went straight from strangers to in love. We needed 100 more pages for it to get to the place it wanted to be.

Please don’t get it twisted, I definitely enjoyed this book but I was hoping to GOBBLE it.

I wanted to kee kee with this book, I wanted to he he ha ha. Where was the yearning?

I already know People Pleasing is going to eat with my black cat woman and down bad man.

(Thank you NetGalley for the e-Arc)

I finished this one a bit ago, and as always, Hannah Bonam-Young has delivered a book that I loved. This book dives into caring for a parent with early onset Alzheimer's and also touches on childhood abuse. I am usually not a fan of the virgin FMC trope, but I think this book handled it well. Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, and Hannah Bonham-Young for providing me with and early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Hannah has quickly become an instant read author for me and every single time I start a new book from her it feels so comforting to sink into it. Her works have begun feeling like meeting up with an old friend and getting to hear all the new stories and adventures they have to share.

This book had me smiling, giddy, crying, and laughing, quite possibly within the same chapter. The depth of these characters really felt like you knew them. They had back stories that were fleshed out in a way that made sense for them and it was so nice to see them heal together and find each other in the sweetest perfect way.

Milo’s family went through it as children, and all three of them are still healing and working through the trauma that they had as kids. Nik and Sef are such a sweet couple and I love how warm and inviting they are as people and as a family. There love for each other was a great way to give a glimpse of what is possible for the two younger siblings, even if they don’t believe it for themselves yet. Milo‘s growth in the story felt so rewarding not only for the character for us to read through how much he has grown and how much he can see that he deserves happiness and deserve someone to love him.

I’m not always thrilled with a story where of the woman is a virgin looking to lose it for the first time, however, with Pru and her story, it made sense. Within the first 10% of this book, I was already crying watching Pru’s mom think that it was her wedding day and see the toll that it took on her family was heartbreaking. You learn that Pru has given up a lot in her life to take care of her mom and to make sure that her dad is supported while their mother battles early onset Alzheimer’s. Pru would never see it as giving up her dream, but this is a constant issue her dad brings up and wants Pru to take back her life and achieve the dreams she has as a child.

The story had a lot of heavy elements to it so watching Milo and Pru fall in love and have this agreement between the two of them for Milo to help Pru check off a list of things she wants to try and to learn what she likes helped bring some levity and happiness into the story. Not only that, it’s so sweet to see the connection they build and to have them both trust someone that deeply for the first time was so sweet to witness.

This town felt fully flushed out. I felt like I knew where everything was and everybody there made sense. We know that there’s going to be a second book in this town and after reading the story, you can get a good sense of who with this book will be about, and I cannot wait!

I highly recommend this book!