Sarah, grappling with a sense of lost identity, and Caleb, unable to provide the answers she seeks, embark on a weeklong camping trip—an attempt to rekindle the fading spark of their troubled marriage. What unfolds is an intimate journey through self-worth, discovery, grief, and the fragile thread of reconnection.

A compelling narrative that explores the delicate balance between the highs and lows of marriage, shedding light on the resilience needed to navigate the storms and maintain its foundation. The characters felt real, their emotions palpable, pulling me deeper into their world and stirring my own.

It’s a comforting yet thought-provoking read that not only resonated with me but also led me to reflect on my own sense of self and the intricate dynamics of partnership.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely love Hannah Bonam-Young's dedication to exploring meaningful topics in her books. Yes, they're romances, and yes, they discuss identity, self-worth, and the natural evolution of partnerships because *those are all important parts of being in a relationship.* After seeing them be such wonderful friends in Out on a Limb, I was so excited to see that Sarah and Caleb would be getting their own book in Out of the Woods, and it did not disappoint!

Although filled with it's fair share of laughter and spice, this novel also had plenty of serious moments that not only highlighted personal growth in the characters, but showed the true strength of Sarah and Caleb relationship. Watching them stumble their way through forest hikes, struggle with change and vulnerability, and yet still be there for one another without any hesitation - they're a couple you simply can't help but to root for. For those that might be feeling a bit stagnant in life, or are anxious about change in a relationship, or are just looking for a heartwarming romance, I cannot recommend this book enough. Bonam-Young truly works magic with words.

Thank you to Random House Publishing, Dell, and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book brilliantly explores themes of identity, partnership, and the evolution of love over time. The author’s writing style captures both the emotional depth and the lighthearted moments with equal finesse. Sarah and Caleb’s comedic misadventures in the wilderness not only highlight their personal growth but also showcase the strength of their relationship. I couldn’t help but love them and root for them every step of the way. This book is a heartwarming reminder that, even through the toughest challenges, true love can be rediscovered and strengthened.

I absolutely loved "Into the Woods by Hannah Bohem-Young. It’s a heartwarming second-chance romance that resonated deeply with me. I felt Caleb and Sarah’s emotions so intensely, and I think many people will relate to their struggle to find meaning and fulfillment in their lives and relationships. The book is not only emotionally powerful but also incredibly well-written, smart and funny. I’m so, so grateful to Hannah Bohem-Young, Random House Publishing Group-Ballentine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was a fun book but it didn’t pack the emotional punch I was expecting. I find that romance novels about people who have been together for a long time and are struggling rarely work for me (see Happy Place). I’m genuinely not sure if it’s cause I can’t relate or if they just lack the angst and development of other stories, but either way, this is just never gonna be my favorite type of book.

That being said, there were many nice moments full of funky side characters and witty comments about camping that I throughly enjoyed. I am excited to read this authors next work!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the earc in exchange for an honest review :)

Out of the Woods
By Hannah Bonam-Young

I didn’t know how much my heart needed this book. Out of the Woods is the second book after Out on a Limb, even though you do not have to read Out on a Limb first, the characters will be more familiar, and Out on a Limb is also an amazing book. So go ahead and read it. Both books are 5 stars.

Sarah and Caleb have been together since high school, and have weather terrible storms together. Caleb and Sarah decided to marry to make sure her mother, Marcie, could be with them to celebrate. Sarah lost her mother to ALS just a few months later.

Sarah, now in her thirties, still feels lost. Caleb has always been her knight and shining armor, but she is tired of being the damsel in distress. After having a huge argument about being saved once again, they have the opportunity to go to a couples hike through the woods for a week, where they work to find eachother again.

The pacing was great, and kept me engaged through the whole book. I was cheering for Sarah and Caleb the whole time. The sarcasm and humor had me laughing most of the book. Sarah's internal dialogue and mine are on the exact same wavelength.

If you have ever just felt stuck in a rut and a little lost, this book is for you. It's for everyone. This book is an adult rom-com book, there are a few spicy scenes/sexual innuendo. I would recommend this book to all my friends.

5/5 stars. Hannah is one of my auto-buy authors.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read Out of the Woods and Thank you Hannah for such an amazing book.

I LOVE THIS BOOK. As a person who also found their person when they were 14 I loved getting to read a story of a couple in a similar situation. I felt like I related so much to these characters. I cried, laughed, clutched my pearls. This book has it all, wonderful spicy scenes, fantastic banter and joke, and a truly heartwarming story of two people trying their best for one another and growing together after being together for over a decade. I think I might be rereading this book on a regular basis.

This book was something oh so special. Like seriously, No Notes!

"We've opened our hearts, let the ugly out, and welcomed each other's darkness with kind regard."

As a gal who is married to her high school sweetheart this one hit so close to home. I knew the moment that I read Hannah's author note in the beginning that Sarh & Caleb's story was going to be so relatable. I felt every single possible emotion while reading, and it was absolutely PERFECT! I literally laughed out loud and sobbed big fat tears.

Sarah & Caleb's story is one of young love, self discovery and learning to grow together after experiencing loss and grief. Not only was their situation so relatable for me, but their story was beautifully messy and every bit of me felt for them.

This is my new comfort read, and I absolutely cannot wait to force everyone that I know and love to read it. Thank you HBY for giving us this story!

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group & NetGalley for this ARC in exchange of my honest review. All thoughts are my own!

What do you do when loving each other is no longer enough? Sarah & Caleb started dating at 14 and were married at 19. Now, over a decade later, so much of who Sarah is, is wrapped up in Caleb - and she’s struggling with her identity. So, Sarah & Caleb ultimately go physically into the woods on a 7 day camping retreat, in order to reignite their flame & get “Out of the Woods”. (Side note, I got OOTW as a surprise song mashed with Getaway Car hehe).

This book impacted me in a way no other book has before. I have major main character syndrome & try to picture myself as the fmc in every book, but with this - I did not have to try very hard. (I too would easily fall victim to becoming a cult member, but that’s not the point I’m making). Her struggles were so real & honest, as was her wondering brain. & CALEB? One of the greatest golden retriever mmc’s (welcome to the best book bfs of all time list). I don’t know if I’ve ever rooted for two people more than them & now that I’m finished reading the book, I would like to request a 10 season minimum sitcom about Sarah, Caleb, Win, Bo, Gus (+ all their future kids), and every single person who was on that retreat.

Overall, this whole story takes a deep dive into the most vulnerable parts of life & left me feeling less alone. It’s always a nice reminder that we don’t need to be great by anyone else’s standards but our own.

WWMGD?

“I am a simple creature, at my core. Give me books, sunlight, water, and a handsome man looking at me like I’m some rare jewel, and I’m all set. Especially when it feels like a long time since I’ve shined for him.”

I have enjoyed all of Bonam-Young's previous novels, with Out on a Limb being my favorite. I was excited to be back with the same cast of characters. I adore Bonam-Young's writing and this book did not disappoint. The story follows Sarah and Caleb as they navigate their marriage and work through some long term problems. I liked the overall story and message, but I really wished that we got Caleb's POV. Sarah's point of view was all over the place and painted Caleb in a not so great light a lot of the time, but for really minor reasons. I think having his point of view would have brought more depth to their story and relationship. It also did seem at times that Sarah had some deeper issues going on that would need to be addressed more thoroughly than just a week long camping retreat. She spends a lot of the time maladaptive daydreaming due to unprocessed trauma and if that was addressed it was very briefly. Overall, I liked the story, but it wasn't my favorite of HBYs.

Jaw is on the floor. HBY never fails to astound me. Wow this book is so incredible and lovely and emotional and honest. I was hooked from the dedication.

Hannah delivers yet another 5 star book! This was one of the most beautiful, moving, and honest romances that I’ve ever read. It follows a couple through moments that many romance authors don’t always want to write about but Hannah does it with ease and proves that romances don’t have to be all sunshine and rainbows because couples who love each other can and will go through tough times. This book also touches on hard topics that are handled with such care and because you go through the hardships with the characters, it makes you feel like you actually know them and are experiencing everything alongside them.

This book is for the Amy March girlies, the perfectionists who are often too hard on themselves, the fixers who try to protect their loved ones, people who feel like they should have it together but don’t yet, anyone who has lost a loved one, couples who have spent more of their life together than apart, and, of course, romantics. Most importantly, this book is for anyone who wants it to be for them because Hannah writes approachable love stories for anyone who needs a little more comfort and love in their life!

Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for an early copy.

In "Out on a Limb", Sarah and Caleb are depicted as a put-together couple, successful and settled in their home. This book explores the underlying tension in their relationship and focuses on the two growing as individuals in a couple. While this can be read as a standalone, I appreciated seeing the contrast between the couple and seeing Sarah and Caleb evolve in this book. HBY did an excellent job balancing between their different timelines, as we saw the two develop from high school sweethearts to a 17 year relationship. This is not a concept often explored in romance novels and I really like how HBY explored this story, however, I felt the ending was rushed.

thank you to HBY for writing this book and netgalley for the arc

i had never read a marriage in crisis romance before this one and after finishing i don’t think there’s any need to because they’ll all get compared to this.

sarah and caleb’s story was so deeply emotional and relatable. they both went through so much at such a young age that i could not imagine going through. they had their problems that come with being too comfortable in their roles within their lives but their love was so evident for each other and it’s the type of love i could only dream of having one day.

i’m not sure yet where this one sits on my rankings for HBY books but it was definitely one of my favorite books i’ve read in the past couple months. i loved sarah and caleb as characters and as a couple and i loved getting to see flashes of win, bo, and baby gus.

Out on a limb was easily one of the best books I have read this year so naturally, I was very excited when I received this arc! And it did not disappoint. It was cute, funny, and emotional. I loved seeing Sarah and Caleb grow together. The story was really well done and it almost felt like I was there with them.

I usually don't enjoy marriage in trouble trope or like effort to save marriage trope but I wanted to give it a try since I enjoyed Out On A Limb.
I did enjoy this book, it had a nice pace and didn't make me absolutely hate the guy just for her to end up with him again, I was kind of confused through this book but towards the 3/4 way I did start to understand.
The characters weren't my favorite but I did like the emotional depth and ability to connect to them.

Switching between the present where Sarah’s unmoored by her life and marriage and the past when her mother’s ALS progressed to death, Hannah Bonam-Young’s Out of the Woods is a wonderful tearjerker.

Sarah’s unhappiness with her life comes to a head when the fundraiser she puts together in honor of her mother fails to reach its goal. Her husband, Caleb, donates the final $120,000 and brings out the big check, once again rescuing her like a knight in shining armor. But Sarah is sick of feeling like a damsel in distress, a non-participating character in her own life. She needs a change, and when a friend suggests a wilderness couples therapy retreat, she tells Caleb that that is what she wants to try. Through the thick and thin of the forest trees, they will root out the roles they’ve fallen into.

Sarah and Caleb’s journey was a hard one, and the last tragedy of Caleb’s concussion and hospitalization might have been a bit much for an already sad story, but it was definitely worth reading.

I will read anything Hannah B-Y writes. She is absolutely my favorite author find of 2024! I loved this book just as much as I loved Out on a Limb. Very excited to see more from her! I love the disability rep, the character development, the relationship development, everything. Her books are flawless and this is no exception! Thank you for the ARC :)

another winner by HBY! thanks so much to netgalley for the ARC. it took me a while to get to this book because i knew once i finished this, i probably won't be reading another HBY book until 2026 and that made me sad.

her characters are so wonderful to get lost into. was rooting for them both throughout. i love a well executed marriage in crisis story.

not giving this 5 stars only because they didn't make me feel as feral as winbo did.

Out of the Woods by Hannah Bonam-Young was a quick, well-written and heartfelt romance. I really didn't expect anything less from Bonam-Young and she delivered! I loved the fact that the story revolved around a married couple who truly do love each other but just kind of lost their way. It's not something you commonly see in romances and I loved it. I loved how the 'issue' of the plot was resolved and the character development. I will say that the thing I enjoyed the least about this book was the dual time line. Yes, I did enjoy seeing how the relationship between the two love interests started but it focused SO MUCH on the mother and like I get that it's a big part of the FMC storyline but still, it was the least interesting part. It clearly was still interesting enough, though, because I inhaled this book in two sittings. Overall, I will definitely be recommending this romance to people looking for something with heart.