4.5⭐️
"When you're not near, you occupy every corner of my life. Half of my thoughts are about you. All of my dreams involve you. My hopes and fears and purpose revolve around you."

I wholeheartedly loved this. So soft, so adorable. This is a marriage in trouble, childhood sweethearts, camping trip romance! Hannah Bonham-Young really hit it out of the park.

Sarah and Caleb have been married for seventeen years- they started dating when they were 14, and have been going strong ever since. But now, Sarah finds herself questioning her purpose. She doesn't believe she has anything to be proud of, anything she's accomplished in her life. Her marriage is in a slump- her and Caleb love each other, but don't communicate. She doesn't know who she is outside of her marriage, without Caleb. So they decide to go on a camping trip, which is a sort of a week-long relationship counselling session.

The relationship between Sarah and Caleb is so good. You can feel the chemistry and love between them, they're right next to each other but still have so much longing to be closer. They begin to truly communicate on this trip, and are so understanding and accepting of each other. It's really so well done. The therapy sessions are so subtle as we see our characters grow and come to new realizations.

They're also just SO CUTE. Caleb is husband goals. The banter and enjoyment and just true friendship between him and Sarah are so much fun. The scene where he reads his hot takes to the group had me laughing out loud, with Sarah good-naturedly ribbing him the whole time. You can really tell just how well these two know each other.

I think the flashbacks here worked well. Not sure long chapters and not even all focused on Sarah and Caleb's relationship, but enough to give us an understanding of Sarah's early life and how she came to be who she is.

Thank you to Netgalley and publishing team for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam - Young 🪵🐿️🏕️
🌲 Release date: January 28th, 2025 🌲

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sarah and Caleb have been the picture perfect couple for what seems like forever. Married at 19 they’ve been together through all that life has thrown at them. Sarah’s mom develops ALS and tragically passes away which alters the course of Sarah’s life. Caleb becomes her support system and her rock which is exactly what she needs, until it becomes all she sees in their relationship. The damsel in distress and the hero. They decide to go on a camping trip designed for couples to reconnect. Throughout the trip they meet new friends, learn more about each other and ultimately go through something life changing.


This was one of the best books I’ve ever read. I related to Sarah so much throughout the whole book. The way she feels like she has accomplished little to nothing is something that I struggle with. It’s hard to see everyone around you making big strides in their career and financial goals while you “stand still” and don’t know what you want to do. The strength she found to pursue what she really wanted to do was so inspiring and makes me excited for my future when trying to decide what direction I want to go in. Each character in the story brought so much and I love it when you get to know the side characters. Overall this is a story that will stick with me forever and I am so grateful I got the chance to read it when I did.

First, thank you so much for the ARC and the opportunity to read this lovely book. I've been a fan of HBY for a while now and I've been eagerly awaiting this read, as is evidenced by how quickly I read it.

As someone who has been married and is currently divorced, I can't stress how lovely this book was to read. HBY does a masterful job of having this couple, who so clearly loves each other, but they're just missing each other. She does a wonderful job creating these ~uncomfy moments where you're reading and wincing because wrong things are being said or intentions aren't clear, but you can tell these people are trying to do right by each other. Their relationship feels so real and you are rooting for them from the get.

I should have known I'd be crying as Out on a Limb had me *sobbing*. Seeing these two characters find their communication stride and find their way back to each other, even though they didn't really go anywhere, was so beautiful to watch. Even as someone who is not married now, I found Sarah's character and journey so relatable. Finding yourself older and being lost or unsure of your next step or looking for some form of identity is a scary feeling. Watching her find her next steps and having Caleb at her side to support her as she took those steps was a joy.

I enjoyed reading this book so thoroughly. It had me crying. It had me laughing. It had me cheesin'. HBY's reads always feel like a warm blanket straight out of the dryer being wrapped around you. She just captures human relationships of all kinds in such a beautiful light.

I am feeling so thankful I got to read this already. It feels so special to be able to read a book you’ve been anticipating since the second it was announced a little early. I’m so grateful for this little life that I’ve created for myself and the cute little things I get to do because of it.

THIS IS THE BOOK! I have loved every single one of Hannah’s books, OOAL is one of my absolute favorites. But this one is so special. There is something SO GOOD about Hannah’s writing. She writes with so much love and hope and fun and is able to balance it all with not so shiny parts of life - feeling lost, grief, and not knowing what’s next. This was so beautifully written and I loved every single second.

I love Sarah and Caleb with my whole entire heart 🥹

I have tons more to say but I’ll come back later with more ramblings.

Thanks so much to Dell for this ARC in exchange for an honest review I am so eternally grateful 🥹

I really, really enjoyed this one. Hannah wrote such a real, wonderful story. I loved getting to know Sarah and Caleb more since I loved them in Out on a Limb. It was so special. I’m excited to talk more about it!

I would like to pull more stars down from the sky and give them to this book. HBY yanked my heart out and shoved it back in. I devoured it.

This is a book that simply checks all my boxes, and found me at the exact right time. I love a second chance romance, but I REALLY love a second chance romance about a couple that has known each other for forever. I knew I was in trouble before the author’s note even finished.

OOAL was always going to be a hard book to follow, but this book delivered on every account. For added enjoyment, would recommend reading OOAL first, but OOTW can definitely be read as a standalone.

PLEASE read this book, and then come talk to me about it. Thank you, HBY, for a perfect read

UTTER PERFECTION AN ABSOLUTE FUCKING MASTERPIECE 😭

am i married? no, did i ever have a high school sweetheart? absolutely not. HOWEVER I FEEL LIKE CALEB AND SARAH WERE A PERSONAL ATTACK ON MY EMOTIONS 😭

i cried so many times that i actually dont know how many times it happened, i laughed so hard that i cried and i may have had to put myself in front of a fan once or twice due to how HOT caleb and sarah were 😮‍💨

i truly dont know if i can really come up with actual coherent thoughts on just how much i loved this book but i binged it in less than 24 hours and quite literally would not put it down last night and instead fell asleep mid reading. this book was so incredible if i could give it an infinite amount of stars i would. i cant wait to shove this book down everyones throats and threaten them to like caleb and sarah or else 🤗😂

i am so deeply grateful to have sarah say and feel so many of the things i do, i may not have her life but i do put so much insane pressure on myself to be something yet so incapable of deciding or pushing for that something. this book will be on my mind for so many years to come and i cannot wait to revisit it every time i get the urge to see that things always work out how theyre supposed to.

HBY is one of, if not THE auto buy comfort authors. i will read anything she puts into the world and i am very lucky to have gotten to read this ahead of time 🩵

I’ve been reading Hannah’s books since book 1’s release. I love that she’s grown so much, yet has maintained her voice throughout. I love the way she writes her stories—always such a good balance of fun, steam, and emotions. This book did not lack in any department.

I didn't think it was possible for Hannah Bonam-Young to outdo herself again, but she blew me out of the water with Out of the Woods. Time and time again, Bonam-Young writes with a deep and meaningful voice while still being able to find the humor in tough times. Our main couple have hit a rough patch in their marriage and you can feel it from the pages to the inner workings of your soul. Specifically I felt so much from our main character, Sarah, as she felt herself floundering to find a purpose and almost finding her stride after treading water for years. It wasn't that her marriage with Caleb had lost their love or friendship; it was just that they had both changed without telling the other how they needed that change reflected in their relationship. There wasn't a page where I wasn't rooting for our couple, continuously laughing and crying with them during the highs and lows. The book has a wonderful ensemble cast, with some returning characters from the first book in this duology Out On a Limb. You would be remiss if you skipped out on the opportunity to read this book; it is chicken soup for the soul.

I enjoyed this!! I loved getting to see Win and Bo and August again 🥹 and I loved the premise of working on a marriage and finding yourself.

I feel like towards the end I got a bit bored and the past timeline was kinda random, but overall I had a good time reading it! I do think I enjoyed Out on a Limb more, but I think all HBY fans are gonna love this!

Laughing, weeping and fanning myself through it all!!! This book takes you on such a beautiful journey exploring grief, identity and what it really means to commit to loving someone through it all. Reading as these characters find themselves in this new phase of their life and marriage was both hilarious and heart wrenching. I believe so many women will relate to Sarah’s struggles and will contemplate what they need from a partner to navigate them. As a HBY fan, getting to know these characters on a deeper level and visit with previous characters we’ve come to love was such a treat!

I absolutely adored this one.

I am forever such a fan of Hannah's work. She continues to excel in writing such witty, beautiful, and heartbreaking language within her dialogue that resonates with everyone. This book was the perfect mix of sad and horny with incredible tension filled moments that kept me so invested in Caleb and Hannah's journey as a couple.

I thought that their conflict was incredibly relatable and I really loved this story of two people finding their way back to each other. Their communication grew as the novel progressed and I liked getting to see them work out their feelings and past grievances.

This book was just HOT. I was UNWELL a good amount of the time while reading and my jaw was ON THE FLOOR.

Now, there's truly nothing I love more than some quirky side characters to really fill a novel and Hannah absolutely delivered on that end. I loved getting to meet all of the couples at the wilderness retreat and how every single person led Caleb and Sarah on a path to healing.

This book is all about changing and adapting but still remaining faithful and loving no matter the timing or circumstances. It's a beautiful journey of not knowing what the future looks like and taking a chance on dreams that were never fulfilled.

I cackled, I cried, I sweated, and I truly had the time of my life reading this.

Thank you Hannah Bonam-Young, Dell Romance, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was already looking forward to this book release since reading “Out On A Limb” but WOW, I was blown away by this story! I love love love Caleb and Sarah, and think they are the perfect complements to each other. 💕
I love how Hannah Bonam-Young writes about sensitive topics with such care, empathy, and understanding. This was so obvious after she poured her soul into “Out On A Limb”, but was on full display in “Out Of The Woods”.
In this story, you’ll encounter:
- Second chance (within a marriage, no divorce/breakups)
- Extroverted FMC x introverted MMC
- Forced proximity
- Healthy communication
I personally connected with this book so much. 🥰 As someone who found my soulmate before I truly found myself, I’ve never felt more seen on the pages with Caleb and Sarah’s journey.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!!

HBY has cemented herself as a must buy author. I have never seen myself so vividly in a character as I did in Sarah. Her journey was so well done and so relatable to I think a lot of us who have been so driven by achievements and then lost ourselves along the way.
The flaws in their relationship I think are so real to people who love each other so much but don’t always know how to support their partner as they grown and chance. I loved Caleb so much—the rock scene oh baby!!!

And the background brought the story to life and the cast of characters was so lovable. I think the emotions of the characters is what really brought this story to life. And I cried probably the entire book, even though there were moments of heat, humor and more, it just made the emotions sarah is feeling all the more real.
4.5 stars on storygraph

Words simply cannot express how much I love Hannah Bonam-Young's books. Her characters, the themes she so carefully and compassionately explores, are absolute perfection. All of her books are so special to me for different reasons, and Out of the Woods easily joins their ranks as an exceptional marriage-in-crisis romance. It's also a deeply personal meditation on finding yourself and your passions – it's a midlife coming of age story, and it's beautiful to watch it unfold. (Plus, I knew Caleb and Sarah were going to have more chemistry than the periodic table, and boy was I right.) All told, I tore through this in less than 24 hours. I wanted to slow down, to savor it like a fine wine or a fancy cheese plate or something, but these two kept me hooked. Can't recommend it enough!

I actually was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to form any coherent thoughts about this book so soon after reading it. I also just don’t have the vocabulary necessary to talk about such an amazing book the way it deserves.

I never thought that Out on a Limb could be topped, and I’m still not quite sure which book I love more. It’ll take a couple of rereads for me to decide. The good thing is, Bo, Win, and Gus are in this book enough to satisfy my extreme need to see them again.

I was trying to decide for myself what theme I pulled from this book. There are some obvious ones like grief, love, and family. But I think the one I’m pulling from it the most is growth. A big part of this book was Sarah and Caleb rediscovering themselves and each other again after having been through some pretty traumatic things so young. They were what was safe for each other, and they continued to be safe throughout the whole book. They just had to learn new ways to keep each other safe.

I really love how Hannah writes relationships. She writes these characters who are already whole and who find someone else to love so deeply and completely. They communicate like adults, which is a big deal for me. I despise miscommunication, especially when they are grown adults who should be able to talk.

Sarah and Caleb were never going to not be together. Even through the worst of it, they were always going to stay together. I wouldn’t call this a second chance romance, and I also wouldn’t call it a marriage in trouble. They were never not going to be together. I would call it a marriage in crisis, as they were both in crisis mode trying to save each other and themselves. Throughout this book, Sarah and Caleb are redefining and relearning themselves and each other both within their marriage and outside of it. It’s a really beautiful thing, especially after finishing it and knowing that they were always going to be together. I think I would’ve never survived if they were not together at any point.

The theme of family within this book was so strong and steady. Throughout the whole book, I could feel the love and care they had for each other. It truly is a found family, from Win and Bo to Sarah and Caleb, and even Win and Sarah’s mothers. They were each other’s family, and I love watching them care and love each other so deeply and completely. I also really enjoyed the group dynamic of those on the retreat with Sarah and Caleb. It was such a short amount of time to create and meet a whole ensemble of characters, but they didn’t feel underused or underdeveloped.

THE PAPER PLANES GOD THE PAPER PLANES!!!! I was really wondering how those would come into play in this book after seeing them all over the promotional material. AND BOY WAS I NOT READY!! Sobbed!! Multiple times!!

The support and connection between Sarah and Caleb was so evident even from such a young age. Some people may say that they were too young or that the situation was what pulled them together, but I strongly disagree. It’s so clear even from the beginning that they were inevitable. I love that the feeling of inevitability never went away. Even as they were growing and changing, they were never not each other’s soul partner. They knew each other so deeply and completely. I was constantly marking times where they were unconsciously touching or searching or leaning on each other for support or just because they loved each other.

The whole story surrounding Marcie and her life was probably the most emotional part of this book for me. I have older parents, and I spend so much of my time struggling with anticipatory grief. It’s a really difficult thing to handle, and they’re both healthy!! Seeing how young Sarah was when her mom died and how it affected her even when she thought it wasn’t, was a very hard thing to read. It’s a reality for a lot of people, and it changes you forever. Sarah’s bond with her mother was beautiful. I really loved how raw and very real that part of this book was.

I love that they chose not to have kids and stood by that choice. I love that Hannah wasn’t afraid to write that decision into this book. So often, the epilogues end with a marriage and children (which is a valid choice, and it what is right for some characters!!), but I love seeing different endings. I love when fictional stories reflect real life and the choices that real people make every day.

The spice 🥵!! Hannah knows how to write spice LET ME JUST SAY!! I’m still thinking about, “Be a good boy and spit on it” and “Baby, all I do is miss this p*ssy” THREE DAYS LATER (and probably for the rest of my life, if I’m being honest)!!! I love that their sex life never really died, just had some hiccups when they were in a conflict. They truly loved every part of each other, and THEY WERE SO HOT, YOUR HONOR!!

The love was so deep between all of these characters, and I’m gonna miss them so much. Out on a Limb genuinely changed my life and my brain chemistry. Out of the Woods touched my soul and embedded itself into my heart. I will never get enough of Hannah’s writing or these characters. I am forever grateful they exist, and I will hold tight to them forever.


(Cry count while reading this book: 7 times! Cry count while writing this review: 3 times!)

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for this ARC!

Once again Hannah does it!

This story follows Caleb and Sarah from Out on a Limb; high school sweethearts who are facing a rut individually and as a couple. You don’t have to read the first book to enjoy this one but it is recommended. Hannah has such a way of writing that really connects you with the characters straight from the beginning; it’s a beautiful story about loss and finding yourself.

This story does discuss topics of grief, parental death, questioning religion, and references to alcohol and marijuana.

4 star
Adorable and unique. Stamped with Hannah’s signature brand of cute, quirky, hot, and emotional.

I binged this book in 3 hours. I refused to go to bed until I had completed it. HBYs books are phenomenal.

I connected to sarah so much. I'm in mu early thirties and feel like I have accomplished nothing. I feel lost. So reading about sarah and her feelings really got me.

I honestly adored this book so much and cannot wait for it to be out in paperback to add to my collection

I was confident that I would enjoy *Out of the Woods*, given my longstanding admiration for Hannah Bonam-Young’s previous works. Her ability to craft compelling narratives has consistently impressed me, setting high expectations for this latest novel. However, I was not fully prepared for the profound impact this book would have on me. It is truly remarkable when a story aligns so closely with one's own life experiences, allowing for a deeply personal connection with the narrative.

The depth of resonance I found in *Out of the Woods* went beyond mere enjoyment; it struck a chord that was both unexpectedly powerful and humbling. Bonam-Young’s skillful storytelling offers a reflection of my own journey, mirroring aspects of my life and emotions with striking accuracy. This alignment is not just a testament to her writing prowess but also a rare and beautiful experience that allows a reader to see their own reflections in the story’s fabric. The experience of reading this book has been transformative, revealing the ways in which literature can echo our personal truths and connect us to the universal themes of growth, love, and self-discovery.