Review: People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5 Stars)

Hannah Bonam-Young proves once again that she knows how to craft a heartfelt, sexy romance. People Watching isn’t quite as unputdownable as Out on a Limb was for me, but it’s still beautifully written and worth the read.

What really worked for me: the writing style. HBY’s prose is sharp and engaging, and her knack for balancing emotion with humor shines here. Prue and Milo have fantastic chemistry—their banter is fun, the dynamic between them is addictive, and yes, the spice absolutely delivers. 😏

But there were a few bumps along the way. This book comes with some heavy triggers, some of which I didn’t expect. That in itself isn’t a dealbreaker, but combined with a stretch of unnecessary, manufactured drama, it pulled me out of the story. Adults don’t always handle conflict perfectly, but the way it was written felt more contrived than authentic.

Milo was another sticking point at first. His initial confidence bordered on cocky—sometimes even predatory—and it made me hesitate to root for him. Thankfully, as the story unfolded, he grew on me. He’s ultimately a much softer and kinder character than his introduction suggests, but I wish the reasoning behind his behavior had been explored more thoroughly. The hints were there, but the lack of real closure—especially in the overly cheerful epilogue—left me wanting.

Still, the positives outweighed the negatives. The romance is swoony, the writing strong, and I closed the book already looking forward to Nadia and Alex’s story.

Final Thoughts: A sexy, emotional romance that blends small-town intimacy with big feelings. Not flawless, but compelling, heartfelt, and proof that Hannah Bonam-Young isn’t a one-hit wonder.