Thank you, NetGalley & Ballantine, for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!
May contain slight spoilers.

I have absolutely fallen in love with Milo and Prue. They both carry so much trauma tied to their families but in completely different ways. Prue is desperately trying to show her father that her dream is to stay close, to repay the love and care her family has given her. Meanwhile, Milo is learning to cope with the wounds left by the physical abuse he and his siblings suffered growing up. Watching them help each other heal, little by little, was so deeply moving. Their love felt like the softest place to land in a world that has been so harsh to them.

It was incredibly hard for me personally to read about the progression of Prue’s mother's disease. Watching that slow decline broke my heart, but it was also breathtakingly beautiful to see how the entire family, even the neighbors, came together to support her. It showed the very best of humanity and left me in tears more than once.

As for the story itself, I was completely hooked. I loved the spice in this book — it was fun, real, and added so much emotional depth to their connection. This was also the first time I have ever loved a third act breakup. It felt so genuine, so earned, and it made their reunion even sweeter. Their separate struggles made their love story feel even more perfect, as if they were always meant to find each other when they did.

And honestly, I need a whole paragraph just to scream about Milo. A gorgeous bisexual man with tattoos, a soft heart, and this chaotic charm? I need ten more books with him immediately. Hannah Bonham-Young, please give us more stories in this world. I am not ready to let go.

This book will be absolutely perfect to cozy up with during the fall. Be prepared to cry, fall head over heels, and never look at small-town love stories the same way again.

I really enjoyed Bonam-Young's portrayal of emotions in this story, both mine and the characters'. I also liked the main female character's self-discovery throughout the book. I was easily drawn to her feelings for the new guy in town. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Out on a limb is one of my favorite romances and Bonam-Young will always be an author I continue to read. The love story between the family and their community is what made this one special. Anyone who has been a caretaker to a loved one will resonate with the emotions our characters are going through.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶🌶🌶 / 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

I was excited to pick this one up (that cover!!), and while I did enjoy the read, there were some elements that fell a little flat for me.

Prudence (Prue) loves her introverted life in her small town. She takes care of her mother living with Alzheimer's, works with her father at her family's gas station, and writes poetry. She doesn't want her world to change, but her father fears she's been pushed into a tiny box without exploring what she truly wants from life.

Milo Kablukov, a self-described nomadic slut, temporarily moves in next door to help out his brother (Prue's neighbor) set up a brewery. When Milo and Prue meet, sparks fly instantly. As they spend more time together, they begin to question what exactly they want out of life, and what they're willing to risk.

Personally, insta-love books always feel a little bit forced to me, especially when it feels more insta-lust than anything. And while the spice was spicing and enjoyable, I definitely wanted more of an emotional connection for Prue and Milo explored. I loved Prue and I loved the way she stood up for herself throughout the book with Milo and her family - she knew herself and what she wanted. I wanted a little bit more development from Milo - maybe it feels like there is more to learn about his family and that's to come in later books, but I felt like we moved on very quickly from his childhood and relationship with his siblings.

Regardless, this book is still enjoyable and I am really looking forward to the next book, People Pleasing.

Thank you to Dell and Penguin Random House for this advance copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A captivating, heartwarming romance that’s not just about chemistry, but about the courage it takes to step out of your comfort zone and face what’s next. Prue’s quiet, introverted life meets Milo’s free-spirited energy in the best way possible, and the evolution of their relationship is utterly beautiful. This book is emotional, sexy, and a perfect reminder that sometimes, the biggest adventure is letting someone in.

WOW. I went in a bit skeptical but by the end I wanted 100 more pages. The chemistry was insane! I tend to shy away from instalove dynamics but this one felt so grounded and real. Loved the two protagonists and was rooting for them the whole way through. A pleasure to read, definitely a romance I’d recommend!

If the sense of place in Carley Fortune’s novels (an apparent and abiding love of small town life) had a baby with the cozy fall vibes of season 1 of Gilmore Girls, it would look something like this novel.

I could practically HEAR the leaves cracking under my boots and smell the first hints of chill on the air.

The romance didn’t hit as hard for me as some of her others have, but I was in it by the end. I really really loved both the FMC and the MMC individually, and felt like this was a really good set up for more novels set in this world.

I adored Out on a Limb, but Bonham-Young has truly created something fantastic here. The writing is incredible - simple descriptions feel like lines of Prue's poetry. The character development is top-notch and it felt real and authentic.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for this copy!

If Hannah Bonam-Young writes it, it is guaranteed that I will read it. Once again she has created characters and a story that her reader can relate to and will love. I will be honest and say that I was crying by the end of chapter 2. I appreciated the way HBY portrayed caring for a family member with Early Onset Alzheimer's and the struggles that go with that. Alzheimer's is something that is close to my heart as my Grandpa had it and HBY handles it with care.

Our MMC is Milo and I have to say I immediately loved his character. You can see the flaws, but also the amazing things about him. He is not only a wanderer, but a pleasant surprise. Our FMC is Prudence (Prue) and it was her story that I related to in such a strong way. She is a fantastic example of someone who loves deeply and would do anything for those she loves. It's a small town romance that packs an emotional punch.

These two people, flaws and all, embark on a journey for discovery. Though it is initially Prue who is on the path to discovery, Milo realizes maybe he is too.

Tropes and Triggers:
*Lessons in Intimacy
*Grumpy x Sunshine
*TW: Early Onset Alzheimers
*TW: Emotional/Physical Abuse (off page-ish)

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Ballantine | Dell for the arc, all opinions are my own.

4.5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

If anyone can get me out of a reading slump, it’s HBY! As always, I love her characters, her stories, and the worlds that she builds. Just absolutely full to the brim with feeling. In particular, Prue and Milo [and even the less flushed out characters, like Milo’s siblings (please tell me book two is about Nadia 😭)] are so human. They are flawed and scared but ultimately don’t let those aspects keep them from falling for each other or challenging these fears (though I wish so badly that Milo could have ended up in therapy by the end like PLEASE). I think I just wish that there was more. More backstory, more time, more INFORMATION. As attached as I was to these characters, I would have loved there to have been more time spent with Milo and his siblings, Julia’s time as a teacher with Milo, etc. to help that attachment grow stronger. In general, just a little more showing rather than telling.

Overall though, I am like a moth to a flame with this woman. If she writes it, I will read it.

I just finished the first daft of this book and I cannot express how deeply I love these characters, this story, and the families we are folded into. Hannah’s first venture into duel POV and wow. perfection, actual perfection. I do not want to give too much away but the vulnerability that comes with letting yourself go home and stay weighs so heavy on me personally, and Hannah captured it perfectly. Some of us are on a hairpin trigger, ready to run at the drop of a hat. It can seem adventurous and it can be - but there is a courage that exists in the ability to stay. It is brave to plant roots and dig into your people.

As always, Hannah Bonam-Young knocked it out of the park with People Watching.
No surprise there—but it’s still such a joy to pick up one of her books and know it’s going to be sweet, emotional, heartwarming, funny, and just… lovely. Milo and Prue’s story was all of that, and as usual, my heart feels full to the brim with all the feelings.

Prue and Milo are both delightful—kind, imperfect, beautifully human—and I loved every second of getting to know them and watching their story unfold.

I wish you could all read this book right now, but in the meantime, let this be your official warning: get your hands on it as soon as you possibly can. (That’s September 9th, in case you’re wondering.)

loved meeting Prue and milo . Loved that they were connected by her mom. loved milo's family and would love to see Nadia story. Loved that the siblings are trying to help each other and that Prue and milo found love. 1st time reading this author and will read more if they are like milo and prue.

sat and read this in one sitting. my life is irrevocably changed, i have loved every subsequent hannah bonam-young release more than the last and the steamy lessons in this book??!??? clutching my pearls and ‘erthang. i DO wish we had a smidge more time to develop them emotionally but it was still indeed a romp!!

Milo and Prue were fantastic characters to follow through this book, and they deserve every star I'm giving them--but I wanted more with this. Milo's background was often explained in vague terms without giving the full picture. I wanted to see their relationship overall develop more because as it stands, this was rather insta-lovey.

On a more personal reading level, this may not have been the book for me; I'm quite tired of the "inexperienced girl who's desperate to no longer be inexperienced and conscripts a very sexually adventurous many to change that for her." The way that was approached brought nothing new to the table.

Overall, 3.5 rounded up.

Hannah Bonam-Young delivers another heartwarming romance filled with slow-burn tension, and all the cozy vibes. The characters are lovable, and the chemistry is undeniable. Perfect for fans of heartfelt romance, this one’s a must-read!

As always with Bannah Bonam-Young books I have a hard time putting just how much I love these stories, characters, and settings. Baysville was such a cozy, heartwarming, and overall lovely town that I hope to one day visit the actual place it was based on just to experience that atmosphere. Having dealt with the caretaking of family members in my late teens to early 20’s I was able to relate to Prue on a deeply personal level and also found myself having a lot in common with Milo as well. People Watching is by far one of the most well written romances I have ever read and the spice was just *chef’s kiss* and it was glorious.

This was really sweet. HBY has such a tender voice when it comes to love stories it just feels like a warm hug when you read one of her books. I love that it was set in Muskoka, represent! I loved Milo and Prue and it did just feel like a lot of their connection was written in the stars. It felt like instant intrigue and it was nice that they both had things to work through before committing. I do wish Milos issues with his parents were more touched on. I feel like crumbs were dropped but never fully dealt with, though I think it could have also been part of the set up for the next book which I am so excited for. I think Prue's mom was dealt with the perfect amount for a rom-com. I found in books like “Say You'll Remember Me” it was too much and made it a really heavy read. It was a good balance of mutual respect and love and a joy to read.

Thank you Random House and NetGalley. I was so excited when I got approved for this ARC!

If HYB writes it, I will read it. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors and was so thrilled to get two of her books this year!

Milo and Prue. How could you not love them from the first chapter?

Milo- an artist, nomadic wanderer, getting away from his chaotic past and just always searching.

Prue- she has had to deal with a lot in her 24 years. She put her life on hold to become a caretaker for her mom, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s and a dad who was diagnosed with cancer. She has become isolated in her life and scared to put herself out there and start living.

Milo comes to Prue’s small town to help his brother with his kids and open his bar. Milo meets Prue on day one. They are instantly drawn together, though Prue fights it and Milo, well, it’s insta love for him. Milo is convinced he should keep a distance between them because he has no plans to stay but can’t. He's a moth to her light.
Milo sees Prue’s mom and quickly realizes that she was his favorite art teacher. She had taken him under her wing and they had a special connection. Which continues during her good days.

On her birthday, sitting on the dock with a couple of beers, they start to play truth or dare. Milo learns she’s a virgin and Prue wants him to teach her. The lessons begin…..

This might be my favorite of her books. I loved it so much.
Two lost souls who are each other's missing puzzle piece. Milo’s closure from his past, the reconnection with his family, and the lost boy finding his home and his place.
Prue finally experiencing a life that she had only dreamed of, the adventure without leaving, finally feeling completely seen and being at peace.

Him having her tattoo, her having his painting 🥰🥰

A refreshing look at a romance story with firsts for both: Prue has never been in a relationship, and Milo has never committed to one, he’s always been more of a player than boyfriend material. Because they approach their time together with newness, curiosity, and an innocent exploration, it feels like something the reader gets to discover anew as well. A great book with endearing supporting characters, this feels like a real Love Story.