This story wrecked me in the gentlest, most unexpected way. It’s quiet but so emotionally charged it hums beneath your skin. I loved how Prue wasn’t written as someone waiting to be saved; she was tired, grieving, holding her world together with shaky hands and still managing to love fiercely. Her relationship with her mother was so tender and raw I felt like I was holding my breath the whole time. And then came Milo, wild and warm and kind in the way you don’t expect someone like him to be. Their connection wasn’t just sexy, it was freeing. It let Prue want things again, ask for more, take up space. The romance felt like healing and chaos braided together. Every moment between them felt both fleeting and infinite, like summer at the edge of goodbye. I loved this book for the way it made me feel everything, and for how it reminded me that even soft people can be brave.

Thank you so much for the ARC! This book was so touching. I think Prue is one of my favorite contemporary romance FMCs so far. She’s different enough to not be basic, but she’s not “sooo different and unlike other girls,” which is what makes a lot of “different” FMCs completely insufferable… There wasn’t a single time where I thought she was being unnecessarily difficult, naive, or made any ridiculous decisions. Milo and his family were also so interesting, and I’m guessing we will be receiving a book about Nadia from all the Easter eggs we were given throughout this book, which really makes me excited. Milo is so precious and is basically the embodiment of golden retriever energy. You want a character that is DOWN BAD for his woman? Milo Kablukov is who you’re looking for. I loved it. Hannah Bonam-Young has a way of writing such tenderly romantic but also incredibly meaningful stories. All of her fans are going to LOVE this.

My only gripes– I wish it was longer so that all of the characters/relationships could be explored further (for increased impact). We don’t know much about how any of the main characters make their money or what they want for the future. I feel like an extra 50 pages of character development would’ve made this a 5 star read. Also, it needed to take place over a longer timespan… The quick relationship progression between EVERY character was at lighting speed, and the insta-love between Prue and Milo was a bit hard to believe… But hey… All romance books have an unbelievable element to them, it’s what makes them fun.

I want to start off by saying I don’t think Hannah Bonam-Young could write a bad book if she tried and People Watching was no exception! This was a 5 star read for me.
The chemistry in this book was palpable. These two wrote the book on chemistry.

I really appreciated their communication during any intimate moment.

The only complaint I have is that it wrapped up a bit early, there were a few too many “pins” left that weren’t discussed. I would have liked to see them work through that a bit more.

Overall, I really loved this book! I cannot wait for HBY’s next bool!

***Spoilers*** (kind of)

She was able to write insta-attraction without doing insta-love. It was really nice to see the characters have this instant pill toward each other without it being forced or over the top.

Both characters work through their pretty trauma well I assume this will be a series, because the scenes talking about Milo’s parents were not talked through well enough, so hopefully Nadia’s book is next and that’s a bit more developed.

Hannah Bonam-Young does it again. This is my second five star from her and every time I am blown away by her writing and how she writes such beautiful love stories. Prue and Milo's story was breath taking and made me feel so warm inside. I can't wait to see what she writes next.

wow wow wow!!!! hannah!!!! first off, i absolutely love this cover so much, it’s beautiful. this was so good, and so spicy hehe. milo, mr no commitment is so perfect. him and prue are soulmates. milo an artist, prue a poet find comfort in one another with their tough family situations (prue is a caretaker for her mom and milo has a hard time opening up about his childhood). milo coaches prue in sex lessons while falling for her. i loveeeeed that this was dual pov and set in a small town! i really felt for this characters and relate to them each with certain aspects. hannah just has a way with writing that i really enjoy.

do check content warnings — prue’s mother has early consent Alzheimer’s Disease and is the caretaker for her. her dad has a cancer diagnosis. milo comes from childhood abuse from his parents.

thank you dell romance for the earc that i desperately needed

People Watching by @authorhannahby

SHE DOES IT AGAIN FOLKS!!! Milo and Prue are so soft and so swoony and so so sexy. Sex lessons!!! Whew. 😅 I love them, I love their families, and I loved the Alzheimer’s rep in this book. It most definitely ripped my heart straight out of my chest and then shoved it back in. My grandmother passed almost 3 years ago, and lived a very long life, but seeing her lose her memory at the end and not able to remember my son and the other children in the family was heartbreaking. This is a real, heart wrenching portrayal of what people with Alzheimer’s go through and what their families go through as well. I was crying reading the authors note at the beginning because BEEN THERE. This book is very special to me. She managed to balance the serious topics in this book with so much love and hope and light heartedness and community. Well done. 👏🏼

Thank you to @netgalley and @dellromance for the arc! 💛
Pub date: 9/9/25

Easy 5 stars.! This book was absolutely lovely. Milo had me hook, line, and sinker from the get go. The journey he and Prue go on together had me eating this story up and not wanting it to end at the same time.

I don’t know how Hannah does it but these characters, this setting, the emotions, the details - all of it - feel so familiar, so real, and relatable. I absolutely loved this book! Happily will read again and again and will recommend to anyone who will listen to me at the bookstore and beyond!

I will never have anything but incredible things to say about Hannah Bonam-Young and her books. People Watching is no exception. I finished this book in one sitting because it hooked me from the start. Prue and Milo are both such complex characters going through their own issues as people. The way that their relationship grew over time into something beautiful is something I will think about for a long time. I have read every book HBY has published and it always ends the same way; me wanting more. She is a powerhouse of a writer and has such a profound gift. I will sing my praises of this book from the rooftops and I cannot wait for September to start handselling her book at work. Kudos to another book absolutely well done and cannot wait for the next one.

More a 4.5. Such a delight. This book manages to tackle Alzheimer’s, cancer, child abuse and still be light and affirming in a way that doesn’t feel cheap.
It’s able to be sexy and fun and have you rooting for the couple.

Hannah cannot write a bad book, it’s been scientifically proven (by me)!! I adored this so much.
My heart went out to both of our MCs, Milo and Prue.
Hannah’s ability to string words together into these perfect beautiful sentences will always have me in awe. The depth we get with Milo, I would read an entire book on just him and his family and his life! I loved Prue as well, I wil say I wish we got A LITTLE bit more on Prue, but even without it, it’s still a 5 star book
And the spice!!! So good, definitely her smuttiest book
This book has heart, depth, chemistry, everything you need in a romance!

The first few chapters of this book were phenomenal and I genuinely though that I was going to rate this 5 stars. Sadly after that the story took a completely different turn and it wasn't in a good way. The pacing of the story was good and I feel like we lost the plot? I couldn't romanticize the male main character because he was a bit older than her (which is not a problem) but the FMC was a forcing and his inner thoughts made me feel a little uncomfortable and uneasy. I was expecting something more emotional but their relationship was solely based in physical attraction to be completely honest. By the end, I was glad I was done with it. I am sure others will enjoy this but I couldn't.

♾️⭐️

I would like to give this book and Milo Kablukov all the stars to infinity and beyond! Wowowow. This book. This book is so good. 🤩

Hannah so perfectly depicted the difficulties of slowly losing someone you love to Alzheimer’s. Having gone through this a couple of times with beloved family members, my heart aches for Prue. While emotional, Hannah absolutely depicted a loving and uplifting relationship between mother and daughter.

Milo and his siblings working through their trauma is so raw and real. I love that Mi feels with his whole heart!! And one of my favorite relationships in the story is Milo and Tom’s! The immediate bromance was perfection. And Milo’s love for Mrs. Welch??? A puddle. A puddle I am.

AND OF COURSE, Prue and Milo. Wow. Wowowowowow. I just want to hang out with them in real life. The wit, the banter, THE SPICE!! 🥵🔥 Hannah knew what she was doing with these two!!!


Oh, and all the town and side characters!! Gosh. I keep thinking of new things to rave about. I could write a thesis on all the things I love about this book. I need to reread asap. I loved it SO MUCH and you will too!!

Literally where to even begin…
first of all thank you so much to dell, netgalley, and HBY for letting my get my grubby little paws on this masterpiece so soon.
Let’s discuss our two besties

Milo:
Hot
Bi
Slutty little mustache
drives a van named Bertha

Prue:
Caregiver
Late Bloomer
Loves a good donut
Poetry Queen

This is giving very much opposites attract in the best most gorgeous way.

Prue had spent most of her adult life caring for her mom who is suffering Alzheimer’s and working in the grocery store her family own.

Meanwhile Milo has been living a very transient lifestyle with his van named Bertha. SUDDENLY his brother calls an emergency sibling meeting, forcing Milo to stay put for a few months. (In the same small town as Prue because duh!!)

It’s so hard for me to fully encapsulate everything I loved about this DAMN BOOK (but I will try)

The representation is GREAT!!
- [ ] bi rep
- [ ] panic attacks/anxiety rep
- [ ] Alzheimer’s /ill parent rep

The way Hannah is about to put so much HEART and humor into her books is literally an insane talent.

We are so lucky to exist at the same time as here and get to experience these damn books.

The characters are so multi faceted, the family dynamics and side characters are unreal. I have been thinking about these besties non stop they are my Shaylas for real.

Hannah, you’ve done it again bestie.