I only have a handful of romcom books that I recommend over and over again when asked and now Into The Woods has been added to that list! I love the grumpy/sunshine or maybe grumpy/grumpy trope. Jenny Holiday is fabulous and can't read more! Loved it through and through to the point that I will re-read it someday just to laugh again! Especially the beginning when they just arrive and Teddy is so thrilled to see it all lol. 10 stars!

I’ve enjoyed a lot of Jenny Holiday’s previous books. Canadian Boyfriend fell a little flat for me, and this one was better. It’s not one of my favorites by her, but it wasn’t terrible.

Gretchen, who was Rory’s best friend in Canadian Boyfriend, is the FMC in this book. She’s working to open a dance/yoga/Pilates studio when she gets an offer to be a dance instructor at an arts camp for the summer. It’s there that she meets Teddy, the bassist from a hard rock band that recently broke up. Teddy is coming off some bad press due to the way the band’s breakup went down. He’s hoping to use the time at camp to start writing a solo album. The two don’t get off on the right foot, but gradually, they become friends and then lovers.

This book has some interesting things to say about the creation of art, but mostly it just kind of… plods along? I didn't care that much about the camp stuff and wasn’t too invested in it. The chapters are long, and not much happens. Even the spice didn’t do much for me; it felt oddly detached and not very sexy.

Also, speaking of spice — I appreciate the discussion of STI status prior to the characters having sex, but why are we still having characters say “I’m clean” when they discuss their test results? “I’m all clear” or “My test results were negative” are far better alternatives that don’t imply someone is dirty for having an STI.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, which was provided in exchange for an honest review.

Really cute romance that's just as much about finding yourself and your passion as it is about falling in love. The setting was so fun and the side characters were great (somehow Jack became my favorite? I think because I relate to him and the writing struggles a lot). Gretchen and Teddy were adorable and I loved how they worked together and helped each other grow.

When I initially read the blurb for this book, I was a little unsure if I would like the conceit of Gretchen going into the woods to become a “crone.” But this is a story filled with humor, depth, and important discussions about feminism, mental health, and finding yourself that takes place in a fun summer camp setting.

Considering the demographics of most romcoms, it’s nice to find an engaging and well-written book in the romance space about a woman finding her way as she approaches forty. And I really liked that it took Teddy on an equally important journey of healing old wounds and changing his perspective.

This book comes comes out in January, and I will absolutely be rereading it!

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.