4✨
Thank you NetGalley, Hannah Bonam-Young and Bedford Square Publishers for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review - People Watching publishes September 11th.

This is one of my most anticipated reads of the year so I was thrilled to get an early copy as I’ve read all of Hannah’s previous books and love her style.

People Watching kicks off a new a small town romance series following Prue and Milo. Prue is stuck in her hometown caring for her Mum with Alzheimer’s, she’s made a deal with her Dad to spread her wings, meet new people and get out more. Enter Milo, who is in town to help his brother at his brewery and sparks chemistry with Prue (and the creation of a temporary steamy arrangement!)

Prue is very caring and thoughtful, but she has neglected herself for a long time, fully devoted to caring for her Mum. Her Dad strikes a deal with her to get out of their small town and live the life she’s been missing.

Milo is a charmer and joker on the outside with a complex past and traumatic childhood. He has many issues to work through as he’s spent his life running from his past. Watching him slowly confront his demons and rebuild his relationship with his siblings was lovely to see.

The romance between Hannah and Milo was wonderful to see blossom - they clearly cared about each other a lot as they faced challenges together. I thought the third act conflict was handled very well which I really appreciated.

This was heart warming and quite emotional at times, it’s not a fluffy light hearted romance - however the sexy bucket list does help lighten the mood! There were a number of hard topics covered which added a lot of depth and layers to the story which I enjoyed.

Unfortunately it took me until around the 30% mark to start to feel invested in the story which was a shame, but I did fly through the second half of the book.

I’d recommend checking TW for this one as there are discussions of childhood abuse, cancer & Alzheimer’s plays a big part in the story.

Favourite quotes:
‘The night we met I realised that, no matter what happened, there was always going to be a before Julia and an after Julia. That my life, whether I like it or not, was going to be forever split into two parts’
‘I wonder whether it matters if it’s fear or joy I’m feeling. I wonder if that is how falling in love feels. Exciting and terrifying in equal measure’
‘With tears in my eyes, I smile up at the moon. Because I, Prudence Welch, against all odds, have fallen in love. Love waltzed into my tiny town, found my very doorstep, let himself in, and miraculously managed to find me in a home I’ve never left’

Overall, I’d definitely recommend People Watching if you're drawn to emotional romances with layered, imperfect characters. Out on a Limb is still my personal favourite from Hannah, but I really enjoyed this one.

HBY has once again knocked it out of the park.
At first i was a bit apprehensive to read especially with dementia being such a big topic in the book,
Its been 8 years since my grandmother passed from dementia so i was nervous to read this but it was so beautifully written

I love LOVE milo and prue <3

4.5 stars (rounding up to 5)

"I'll live a thousand lives between her sheets, in her presence, with her laughter, if she'll let me. Damn the rest of the world. Damn everyone else. She is where I want to be and I'll build my life next to hers, if she wants me to."

A tastefully written romance that blends humour, heartache and passion seamlessly. Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bedford Square Publishers and Hannah for this amazing ARC. This book stole my heart. It’s tender, emotional, and beautifully real. Prue is a quiet-force-of-nature type of character, and I absolutely adored watching her story unfold. Her relationship with Milo is soft, flirty, and layered with so much warmth and chemistry.

The writing is simple but impactful, and the way it explores themes like caregiving, grief, and trauma was truly touching. The portrayal of Alzheimer’s in particular stood out to me. It was bittersweet, yes, but also refreshing, showing the hard days without ignoring the small, sweet, even funny moments that still exist within them. It wasn’t all doom and gloom. There was lightness in the way Prue and her family embraced her mother's journey, even on the hard days.

I’ll admit, I didn’t totally click with the beginning. The connection between Milo and Prue felt a bit too instalove-y for my taste as Milo basically falls for her the moment he sees her and shamelessly pursues her. That trope isn’t always my favorite, and at first it felt a little too much. But once the story settled and the characters opened up more, I really got into it. Also, let’s talk about the spice. Easily some of the best I’ve read. It wasn’t just thrown in; it was raw, meaningful, and added so much to their connection. The communication and consent throughout were written beautifully.

If you're into:
-Strangers to lovers
-He falls first
-Opposites attract
-Healing romance
-Small town settings
...then this one is definitely worth a read. I laughed, I cried, and I closed the book smiling. I'm already excited for the next in the duet.

📚 review 📚

people watching - hannah bonham young

when you want a romance to clear the palette but you need a little more substance, hannah bonham young is your girl.
much like out on a limb, (the first book of her’s i read and loved) this was full of heart, covering sensitive topics with care and consideration.
there are some moments that were a bit far fetched - how forward prue was for instance or how milo’s promescuity was blamed on his sexuality - those two things aren’t mutually exclusive - but the family reunions and relationships were heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measure. there is more 🌶️ than in previous books by hannah bonham young i’ve read but it wasn’t gratuitous and watching milo and prue go from strangers to friends to lovers with the small town vibes was fun - even the typical third act break up wasn’t annoying!

also - this does a thing i love where the title is in the book!
thank you @netgalley for the early copy. people watching is out in september and that cover has the perfect autumn vibes!

Thank you to netgalley and Bedford Square Publishers for this arc for an honest review.

Firstly I would like to say that I absolutely adore Hannah’s writing style. And she will always be an automatic read/buy after reading Out on a Limb.

I loved the story line of people watching however I’m sorry I just didn’t like the mmc, he just wasn’t for me. Certain things just were an ick for me. I would of loved it more if it would of gone deeper with the actual story plot of Prue and her mum rather than most of the spice. Don’t get me wrong the spice was good but I would of liked more back story.

It’s hard to rate this as it was mainly just the mmc that let it down for me. I think at the moment it will be a 3.75 stars rounded up to 4. I may revisit this in the future after a reread.

This won’t put me off reading any other of Hannah’s books as Out on a Limb is definitely in my top 5 reads!

Sadly (or not), not for me. That man is a walking red flag and, also, a walking cliché. Hundreds of previous partners (yes HUNDREDS), imagining her naked on their first encounter, with hands who have "mind on their own" (he's touching her when she doesn't want to), almost forcing her to kiss.. That's a hard no for me.
Prue is a bit boring at time. Like the opposite cliché of Milo, a boring virgin, shy, scared and inexperienced.
I feel like she's almost written like a child. Gross.
So obviously, there's no chemistry neither.
So hard pass, sorry.

📖 People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Thanks to NetGalley, Bedford Square Publishers, and Hannah Bonam-Young for the ARC!

This one snuck up on me in the best way. At first, I didn’t feel hugely connected to the couple - but once Prue and Milo leaned into their steamy teacher/student dynamic (yes, that kind), I was hooked. Their banter turned tender, their chemistry caught fire, and their relationship became so much more layered than I expected.

The small-town Northern Ontario setting was cozy and vivid, and I loved how Prue’s quiet life - rooted in caring for her mom with early-onset Alzheimer’s - was shown with so much honesty and care. Milo rolls in with his bumper-sticker-covered van and wandering soul, and what starts as casual turns into something deeper and unexpectedly sweet.

I do think this would’ve hit even harder with a bit more length to unpack the emotional baggage both characters carried. Still, it’s sexy, soft, and satisfying, and fans of character-driven, low-drama romance will find plenty to love.

A MASTERPIECE!!! My favourite Hannah book!! A favourite of the year!! This book was absolutely brilliant, it was beautiful, emotional, funny! I loved watching Milo & Prue falling in love, they built each other up in so many ways, I love that they were friends first! The banter, the flirting, the lessons were all HOT!! I’m obsessed with Milo, one of my all time favourite MMC’s! I love how this book tackled hard/sad topics with love and how real it was, some parts had me sobbing! Honestly an amazing, gorgeous book!!

I did not like Milo whatsoever, he was probably the worst mmc ive ever read. This felt like I was reading fifty shades under the disguise of being a small town romance.
He was just a red flag that kept being gross towards the fmc, I was actually shocked how he was the main love interest because he was constantly objectifying her.

No bc this book had no right to be making me shed tears at 2am on a random Wednesday! 😭🤚

I love the uniqueness HBY brings to the table. Her writing is very simple yet so hard hitting sometimes it really grounds you.

Reading about Milo and his past got my chin wobbling and nose stinging. And then to read about his dynamic with prue’s dad? 😭😭 hated that it had to be so complicated but loved how it all eventually turned out.

Prue was hilarious lol. I loved the banter between her and Milo. Their back and forth was sooo 🫦🫦

As hot as the spice was and their chemistry I didn’t find myself as taken by the romance as I was with their independent familial dynamics. This isn’t to say that the romance was bad or anything bc I did love them (THEY ARE SO ADORABLE AND FUNNY AND SWEET AND SPICY HOT!!) but Milo’s relationship with his siblings was so well written and developed I genuinely would’ve read on even if there was no romance.

ೃ⁀➷ Thank you NetGalley and Bedford Square Publishers for the ARC! ♥︎

𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲:
Praying there’ll be a book on Nadia 🤞🤞🤞

The story follows Prudence Welch, who leads a quiet life in the small town of Baysville, Ontario, caring for her mother with early-onset Alzheimer's and working at her father's gas station. Her life takes a turn when she meets Milo Kablukov, an adventurous newcomer. Their relationship begins with a casual agreement but evolves into something deeper as they challenge each other's comfort zones.

This is actually the third contemporary romance I’ve read this year where a parent has early-onset Alzheimer’s, which feels like quite the coincidence. I can't say it's a trope that I'm keen on. While I appreciated Prudence's quiet life and sense of duty, the insta-love felt a bit much, especially considering she hadn’t really had a chance to meet many people or explore relationships before Milo.

I enjoyed the family dynamic on Milo’s side, but I found myself wishing his family’s backstory had been developed a little further. There were some sweet moments, and I always appreciate Hannah Bonam-Young’s inclusion of emotional nuance, but this one didn’t hit quite as hard for me as some of her others. An okay read overall, just not a standout.

This was such a solid and slightly different contemporary romance that has broken up the somewhat monotonous tone of romance at the moment!

Prue is one of the best FMCs I’ve read this year. She is so real, so relatable, so sweet but cranky and just an overall really well rounded and thought out character with all the actual juxtapositions you see in an actual human! She is different enough from other romance FMCs to feel new and fresh but not so different that the whole novel becomes centred around it. 5 stars for Prue!

Milo, milo, milo. Do I love the idea of Mi? Yes, I do. TATTED means an auto 3 stars for you sir with no possibility of falling under that 😅 however, do I love Milo as much as the idea of Milo? No. I found his character just a tad bit overdone. His emotional scenes were needed but they were a little bit sudden or overdone for me with not a huge amount of build up. That being said, he is a smut king and we love a man who is DOWN BAD for his woman. I mean he literally crawls to her? Simp.

This book was sadder than I expected it to be but really wholesome as a result. It felt like watching your favourite tv series for the third time but you somehow forget the best bits?

Not quite the 5 star vibe but so so close.

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this! Hannah Bonam-Young never misses! I loved our characters Prue and Milo, they both had such amazing character development throughout the book that I just loved reading!

I was THOROUGHLY, thoroughly charmed by this. Do you have any idea how absolutely unprecedented it is for me to read 70% of a book in a single sitting. I couldn't put it down. I'm so soft for Prue and Milo. They're so well-fleshed outside of their relationship which can be really hard to come by in contemporary romance these days!! My heart ached separately for both of them in their respective situations and I was rooting for them all throughout their tentative flirtations and beyond. Also I can't not mention ,, the praise ,,, the reassurance ,, Milo had me well and truly fucked UP.

There are a couple of HBY books on my tbr already that I haven't gotten to yet, but I can't be happier that this was my first, I feel like this is going to be a comfort re-read (as someone who really doesn't do a lot of re-reading). You can tell that every sentence was written with such love and care and I can't wait for this one to be out in the world.

Hannah Bonam-young has a way with words that just grips me from the opening line in her books! People watching was no different.
Milo is a free spirit exploring the world with no commitment, roaming around in his van or is he running from his past?
Prue is a homebody never leaving her home town caring for her unwell mother she is burnt out trying to juggle her caring responsibilities with well...life as a 24 year old.
Their paths cross unexpectedly and immediately I was drawn to their chemistry. Navigating their lives, admitting some truths and being vulnerable with each other their relationship is almost poetic and I was obsessed. Their banter had me laughing and their vulnerability crying. I experienced every emotion and was rooting for them so hard!
If you want a book that will make you laugh, cry, swoon and leave you yearning for me. This is it. I personally think this is one of her best books to date. Highly recommend. 5 stars!

Unfortunately, this really didn't work for me.

Prue was such a meek, bland character and Milo gave me the ick. The fact that they had no chemistry didn't help either.

Also, a personal preference but I really don't like it when characters are instantly like "damn I want to bang them" it's like, where is the build up? Maybe have a conversation first? To me there isn't anything romantic about that!

Thank you Netgalley, Bedford Square Publishers and Hannah Bonam-Young for my ARC copy. I absolutely adored this book and fell ever so slightly In love with Milo. I knew I would love this, as I have loved all of Hannahs previous books. This was such a cute small town vibes romance and I hope we get to hear more from Nadia, I need that a book filled with her sass!! I will 100% be recommending this to everyone and I will 100% be needing a physical copy to reread it.

4.5 stars ⭐️
I absolutely loved this story so much. It made me feel all the emotions & devoured it in less than 24 hours. Really easy read but with lots of depth. Made me laugh, made me cry & loved the spicy scenes too! Very well written.

The characters felt so real to me, I loved the contrast between Milo & Prue, I loved them both individually & together as a couple.

I do wish we had slightly more of Milo's backstory with his travels etc but overall an amazing read.

Thank you for allowing me to read this early copy.
This is going to be such a hit when released in September!!

People watching. This is such a beautiful read. Hannah clearly wants us to cry and be emotive with this one. Starting strong with the author’s note that was absolutely amazing and made me cry. The emotion about why this book has been written and who inspired one of the characters was just so nicely written and reminded me of my Grandmother.
The story itself is a beautiful romance that shows the main character’s vulnerabilities and really gives a solid base to the story that is unfolding. I absolutely loved Prue and Milo together, even the cliché fall out felt nice and profound and not too cheesy like some books do. The ending was such a pretty and chosen really well showing once again a perfect representation of illness in Hannah’s books. As an author she takes something difficult (illness, disability etc…) and turns it into a beautiful story showing the good in the bad.
I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone, It’s also a perfect start for readers who may have not read any from Hannah yet.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book.

Wow wow wow. This book just felt so raw and real. It is so sad but amazing to read about real problems and dealing with them in such a real way. I love Pru and Milo, can't wait for Hannah's next book!