Grouchy Teddy and Sunshine Gretchen meet at a camp and fall in love. Both of these characters were intense, artistic, and hot!!. At crossroads in their careers and the direction their life needs to take, both protagonists have to dig deeper into their heart for what matters to them, professionally and personally.


The narration was well done, though I really liked the Kit Swann way better than Teddy, whose accent was a little off.

#netgalley #IntotheWoods

‘Into the Woods’ by Jenny Holiday is a refreshing, heartfelt romantic comedy that expertly balances lighthearted moments with poignant reflections on personal growth, identity, and past traumas. The story centres around Gretchen, a woman nearing forty who is in the midst of a midlife crisis, and Teddy, a brooding ex-rockstar struggling with the aftermath of a band breakup. When they both find themselves teaching at a summer camp, their shared space for self-reflection and growth leads to a tender and heartwarming romance.

Gretchen is instantly captivating — sharp-witted, unapologetically feminist, and grappling with the chaos of her life. Her struggles with aging, career, and relationships feel incredibly relatable, particularly her frustration with the men she’s encountered. Enter Teddy, who, despite his initial gruffness, turns out to be a thoughtful and caring individual. His growth throughout the book — especially as he learns to engage with the kids at camp — is an endearing element of the story. Their relationship unfolds slowly, with both characters giving each other the time and space they need to heal and understand themselves before diving into anything more serious.

What really stands out in ‘Into the Woods’ is how Jenny Holiday handles heavier topics like childhood poverty, food insecurity, and the long-lasting effects of those experiences. The sensitivity with which these issues are explored adds depth to the characters, particularly Gretchen and Teddy, without overshadowing the romance or the humor. It’s a perfect example of how a romcom can tackle real-world challenges while still providing plenty of heart and light.

The dual narration — featuring Kit Swann and Teddy Hamilton — is a brilliant touch, bringing the characters to life in a way that makes the audiobook feel like a movie. Their voices complement each other well, enhancing the intimate, character-driven narrative.

If there’s one thing that holds the book back from being a perfect five-star read, it’s the portrayal of the friend group. While they’re present and add to the story, they never quite come alive the way Gretchen and Teddy do, leaving the side characters feeling a little flat. Still, the book’s strengths — especially its focus on self-discovery, healing, and the growth of the central relationship — make it a compelling and enjoyable read.

Ultimately, ‘Into the Woods’ is a delightful, feelgood romance with a surprising amount of emotional depth. It’s a book about second chances — both in love and life — and watching Gretchen and Teddy navigate their personal and romantic growth makes for a truly rewarding experience.

“I think you are my muse.”
“No.”

That sums up the vibe of this book perfectly. Incredible dual narration by Kit Swann and Teddy Hamilton brought this story to life. But let’s talk about Gretchen—a woman who loudly and unapologetically hates men. She had me sold within the first few lines. I went into this book with low expectations for no reason other than the fact I’ve been in SUCH a reading slump this month, and this book pulled me out like it was made for that exact purpose.

Gretchen is absolutely in the throes of a midlife crisis when we meet her. She’s nearing forty, grappling with the headaches of running a newly purchased dance studio, and fresh off a date with yet another self-centered, egotistical, sex-first-ask-questions-never man who would’ve served the world better as a stain on his father’s pants. So when the chance comes to teach dance at a summer camp—two weeks of swearing off men, embracing aging, and letting her bones and spirit settle into the idea of becoming a crone—how could she say no?

Enter Teddy. He’s got his own mess to untangle: a very public band breakup, an ex-girlfriend squatting in his apartment, and an urgent need for some head-clearing solitude. Except...he didn’t read the fine print and accidentally signed up to teach at this camp instead of just retreating to nature. Oh, and that awful date Gretchen went on? Yeah, that was with his ex-bandmate. What could possibly make this less complicated?

What follows is the sweetest, most heartwarming journey. The way Gretchen and Teddy hold space for each other to exist, to feel, and to grow—it’s so tender it hurts. Gretchen, who often has a sharp quip at the ready, lets Teddy piece together thoughts he’s never said aloud. Teddy, my sweet consent king, gives Gretchen the time and space to figure out what she wants, even when he’s ready to be more than a hookup so much sooner than her.

Into the Woods is such a good example of how you can have deep and sort of heavy topics in romcoms without sinking the vibes and the plot, but instead adding weight to your characters and their connections. The discussions about childhood poverty and food insecurity were handled with so much care, and as someone who’s lived through that, it hit home in a way that made me feel seen. Jenny’s writing doesn’t just skim the surface of these topics—she dives deep, and it’s clear how much she cares about her characters.

Watching Gretchen and Teddy grow into themselves while working at camp filled me with a kind of hope that sticks with you. Knowing that somewhere, a crone and an ex-rockstar asshole are slow dancing under a blanket of stars to the soft hum of Moon River? That’s the dream.

Oh, and shoutout to the fact this is part of an interconnected standalone series. I cannot WAIT to read Rory’s story in Canadian Boyfriend! (and hopefully about Teddy’s ex-girlfriend or sister? 👀)

If you’re in a slump, this is the book to pull you out of it. Endearing characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and all the emotional depth you could ask for. Truly, it’s a gem.

Spoiler (but funny):
When Gretchen went on that terrible date at the start? I paused the audiobook because I thought, “Oh god, this asshole is the love interest, isn’t he?” Thank you, Jenny, for proving me wrong.

**Thank you to Hachette audio and Forever for the ALC in exchange for an honest review

3.5 Stars
Into the Woods by Jenny Holiday is an enjoyable and fun romance that shines with light banter and the ever-enticing enemies-to-lovers trope. The chemistry between the main characters is delightful, and their witty exchanges kept me smiling throughout. It’s the kind of book that feels like a warm, breezy escape—a perfect pick for fans of playful romances.

However, I couldn’t help but feel like the story was missing a bit more depth. While the romance was engaging, the overall plot felt thin at times, with some moments bordering on repetitive. A stronger, more layered storyline would have elevated the book and made the journey even more satisfying.

Despite these shortcomings, Into the Woods is still an enjoyable read for those seeking a lighthearted romance with plenty of charm. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a sweet and entertaining escape. Perfect for a cozy weekend read!

Thank you NetGalley and Hatchet Audio. #IntotheWoods #NetGalley

I really enjoyed the narrators in this book. I feel like Teddy's narrator I have heard in other audiobooks, so it brought a sense of comfort because his narration is always great! I thought that this book was cute, and i enjoyed that camp environment with the main characters being older in their 30s and 40s. There is this journey where we feel like we are supposed to have it "all figured out" when we get to our 30s and 40s, and sometimes along the way we lose ourselves by trying to do that. I feel like both of these characters were able to come back to themselves by finding each other. There is such beauty in that!

🎧Song Pairing: Push - Matchbox 20 (this cover screams that scene from the Barbie movie where Ken plays AT Barbie and it’s all I could think about. Tell me I’m wrong)

💭What I thought would happen:

I’m guessing some camping trip where one or neither party have any business being in the woods (no shame in that - I have zero business camping)

📖What actually happens:

⛺️Art camp/outreach program
🩰Dancer
🎸Rockstar
🩷Forced Proximity
😅Camp boyfriend/girlfriend

🗯Thoughts/sassy musings:

I adored Canadian Boyfriend! Joshua Jackson’s voice was warm honey for my ears. So maybe I had some high expectations. Teddy Hamilton is just not on the same level.

While this was fun I also found myself not overly caring. I wish my heart had been a little more invested but I do think this is a me problem. I am so ballooned/uncomfortable/hormonal that sadly no book will excite me right now.

Anywhoozle, if you want a cute/light romance consider this one!

This was a cute listen! It definitely had some spice to it. I didn’t want to stop listening. I wish we would have a book 2! Thanks, NetGalley for this audio book ARC!!

In Into The Woods, two artistic types (a rock star whose band recently imploded and a dance studio owner) spend the summer at an artsy camp to regroup. Sparks fly and an adorable camp centered romcom is born. I really loved this book. It was just frothy fun with humor and sweetness and so much charm. Both characters were so inherently likable.

I enjoyed this story a lot, and I think a large part of that was the audiobook. It felt so conversational and like I was peeking into the characters minds. I really appreciated the dual perspectives and the way each of our main characters grew and developed throughout their time at camp. As someone whose summer job of 10+ years has essentially been filled with camp friends who have become real friends, I felt especially nostalgic and excited for summer, even though it’s the middle of winter right now.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ARC!

"Once upon a time there was a girl named Gretchen. Gretchen grew up to be a badass. And then she went to the woods to become a crone."

This is the perfect summer camp read for adults who've been to summer camp or missed out during their childhood. Jenny Holiday just has a way of sucking the reader in and making you want more. This was definitely a page turner!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The audiobook is incredible, It listens like if I was listening to a movie since the dialogue is both narrators!! We need all the audiobooks to be like this honestly!!

The book is cute! I liked our characters but I didn't enjoy them as a couple per say. The spice scenes were not for me I did cringe a couple of times. It's well written and I loved the time we spent at the summer camp and I wished we would have had more time there.

Overall it's really cute!! It is a bit more on the slower side for my liking but still a good read!

I could not have loved this more!! Enemies to lovers, found family, and redemption... all at summer camp!!

Gretchen is given the chance to be a dance instructor at a summer camp. She meets famous rockstar Teddy who is fresh off a breakup. He is a total grump and she is just learning to love some quiet..... but they start to get to know each other better and realize that they might get to have some fun this summer.

I LOVE how much they grow to love the kids and how they grow as people and it was awesome having main characters in their late 30s!!

Teddy Hamilton AS ALWAYS, is amazing. Kit Swann also did amazing in this dual narration. Perfection.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of the audiobook.

I absolutely loved the narration of this book. Teddy Hamilton is my favorite and he definitely pulls out all the stops for the duet.

I loved that this was a duet and made it more immersive and would highly recommend this book as an audiobook.

Now to the story. It was absolutely enjoyable with fun characters who have issues they are trying to face and get over while being at a camp.

Now this is the reason it is not a 5 ⭐. It kinda meanders at points and it is a little long. But even the longer dragging points were good.

This was one of the best narrated audiobooks I've ever heard! I loved how the narrators each played characters in the other's chapters. It was so good to hear female characters with female voices and vice versa. Also, these two were perfectly cast. She was spunky with some edge to her voice and he had a Keanu like chill, perfect for a hard rock star.

This book is Holiday's best one yet! I liked that a secondary character from Canadian Boyfriend got the spotlight. Her story was so layered and relatable, especially since I went through a turning 40 crisis, I felt this was spot on. It's nice to see age diversity in romance, so many are about women in their twenties or women in their 40s who sound like they are in their 20s. These characters were age appropriate. They acted maturely and spoke about their wants and feelings (as much as two people with their family trauma could.) As a therapist, I felt their backstories and how they manifested was so true to life. Holiday has a good understanding and realistic portrayal of how mental health is affected.

I also liked the secondary artists in this book, especially Maeve, Jack, and Teddy's protege. I appreciated how Teddy and Gretchen grew together, opened up, and met each other with so much grace and compassion. I would whole heartedly recommend this book. It is way more than a run of the mill romance. Also, I have to believe the material was made stronger by the narration, so get it as an audiobook if you can! 4.5 stars! That's to Net Galley, Forever, and Hachette for this advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Really good story. It dragged on a bit, but I loved Gretchen! How fun to go to camp again as an adult. Narrators were really good too!

I received a copy of this audiobook from netGalley for a honest review.

I love Jenny Holiday books, she is a must buy for me and when I heard of this one I automatically grabbed it. I got the audiobook from netGalley because I can listen so much easier then find time to read. I was so happy to find out that this one was Gretchen Millers story from Canadian Boyfriend. I loved her and how she helped Rory in that book and her dance studio sounded amazing for girls. Well her story didn't disappoint! I loved Teddy for her and the setting of the north woods summer arts camp was great. All the feels and greatness you expect from one of Jenny's books with the tough topics thrown in.

Into the Woods was a cozy yet reflective romance story. I found myself thinking about their situations and how I would have handled them. Both Miller and Knight had relatable qualities. Even though Knight is a rock star, you can see how down to earth he really is.

I don't think I would have picked this book up as a physical copy as the chapters are LONG, which isn't really my thing. I even found myself thinking. "Wow, this chapter is just still going." Even in audio book form.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It was a well written slow burn. I have seen some people call it a Enemy to lovers romance but I wouldn't agree.

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬

| Thank you so much partner @readforeverpub & @holymolyjennyholi or the free early copies! |

𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚢: 𝙹𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚢 𝙷𝚘𝚕𝚒𝚍𝚊𝚢
𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚢: 𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚠!
𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮: 𝙆𝙞𝙩 𝙎𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙣, 𝙏𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙮 𝙃𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙩𝙤𝙣

⛺️(𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥):
𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙝𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 • 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙞𝙧𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙨 • 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 • 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥 • 𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨 • 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 • 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧 𝙭 𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧 • 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 • 𝙜𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙮 𝙭 𝙨𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 • 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧 • 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙭𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙮 • 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙨 •

💭:
ItW is an enemies to lovers story with funny banter, dual PoV, and a great story. I ate it all up!

I knew I’d love this book after reading Canadian Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday.

The book starts off with the FMC, Gretchen, swearing off all men.

She’s a 40 year old dancer and business owner that has had her string of bad dates. No more online dating apps for her!

I will always love and appreciate a book where the characters are a little older.

I’m 40 👀 so reading about characters closer to my age makes them feel more relatable.

The interactions between the main characters felt authentic, their romance was organic.

I loved reading about their experiences in the woods, listening to some of their backstory.

The best part for me was the communication between them. I’m not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope, it can be frustrating!

💜:
𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙:
-summer camp setting (for artists)
-cozy vibes
-the MCs emotionally connecting
-growth in characters
-Teddy’s connection with a musical camp kid (my heart)
-the humour (“tree decorating excursion” lol)

𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠, 𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤.

𝙄 𝙨𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙥𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩!

🎧:
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘢 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘣 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵.

"Into the Woods" by Jenny Holiday is a fun rom-com, set within the idyllic confines of a summer arts camp. The story centers on two instructors/artists in residence, who find the serene setting an ideal backdrop to disconnect from their hectic lives (and their phones) and reevaluate their paths. The audiobook version was enjoyable, with male and female narrators effectively alternating to bring the narrative to life. I particularly appreciated the added depth stemming from the main characters being in their late thirties, which brings a more mature perspective to the romance. Overall, this was an enjoyable read. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this title!

I was very excited to read this book after absolutely devouring "Canadian Boyfriend". I loved getting to learn more about Gabby while also getting to peek in on Rory.

The overall book was good and I enjoyed seeing how the characters were growing and changing. I just felt like some things moved too quickly (like the relationship) while others dragged (the back stories). I would have preferred they focus on building the new relationship rather than focusing on how they got there.