Out of the Woods

Out of the Woods is set in the same world as Canadian author Hannah Bonam-Young's Out on a Limb that introduced readers to Win and Bo! Now their BFFs Sarah and Caleb take centre stage in this new book focuses on a marriage in trouble.

Sarah and Caleb have been together since they were young teenagers. They've grown up together and have been married for a decade. But Sarah doesn't know who she is without Caleb and is still dealing with the death of her mother (these flashbacks were very poignant). When an event throws Sarah's life and marriage into a tailspin, the couple agrees to attend a couple's camping retreat to work on their relationship.

My Thoughts: I liked the unique focus of young love/young marriage and the impact an early start to an enduring relationship can have. Being with my own husband since I was 20, I (thankfully) did not relate to Sarah and Caleb's issues. 

This was a good read, but not quite the caliber of Out on a Limb (which, admittedly was a 5-star read for me). Sarah was the main reason this book fell a little flat for me and I think she was better as a secondary character. Her reaction to the event that blew up her marriage and her anger at Caleb was uncomfortably over-the-top (almost childish). We only get Sarah' POV and I think the story would have felt more balanced if Caleb shared his perspective even just a bit.

Once the couple heads to the woods, the story blends the marriage in trouble trope with a bit of adventure, some humour and spice as the focus becomes Sarah's journey to figure out what she wants out of life and her marriage in the hopes that Caleb will grow along with her. 

Overall, this was a good read, but I had hoped to enjoy it more. That said, I love being back in Win and Bo's orbit and hope more books are planned for this series.

Tip: While not necessary, I do recommend reading Out on a Limb first so you better understand the bond between Sarah, Win, Bo and Caleb.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Hannah Bonam-Young

Genre: Romance, Canadian

Type and Source: Trade Paperback from public library

Publisher: Dell

First Published: January 28, 2025

Read:January 27 - February 2, 2025

Book Description from GoodReads: High school sweethearts Sarah and Caleb Linwood have always been a sure thing. For the past seventeen years, they have had each other’s backs through all of life’s ups and downs, achievements, losses, stages, and phases.

But Sarah has begun to wonder... Who is she without her other half?

When she decides to take on a project of her own, a fundraising gala in memoriam of her late mother, Sarah wants nothing more than to prove to herself—and to everyone else—that she doesn’t need Caleb’s help to succeed. She’s still her mother’s daughter, after all. Independent and capable.

That is until the event fails and Caleb uninvitedly steps in to save the day.

The rift that follows unearths a decade of grievances between them and doubts begin to grow. Are they truly the same people they were when they got married at nineteen? Are they supposed to be?

In a desperate attempt to fix what they fear is near breaking, Sarah and Caleb make the spontaneous decision to join a grueling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches.

What follows is a life-affirming comedy of errors as two nature-averse people fight their way out of the woods in order to find their way back to their roots.