REVIEW: People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young

In People Watching by Hannah Bonam-Young, Prudence “Prue” Welch and her father have a routine down pat when it comes to taking care of her beloved mother who was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s about four years ago. It’s not easy. But Prue can’t imagine being anywhere else. She grew up hearing all about how her parents met and fell in love and unfortunately has yet to have her own grand romance appear in her life. Then a stranger rolls into town in his aging van and shakes up Prue’s existence. She’ll admit she was attracted to Milo Kablukov right from the get-go. The dark hair and eyes, the tattoos, the flirty banter. Yep. It totally worked for her. But knowing he’s only in town to help his older brother before hitting the road again has Prue floundering. She figures maybe they can either strike up a friendship or something…more. Either way, she has a feeling Milo will most definitely leave a mark on her heart once he’s gone.

‘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.’

Milo thought he was just visiting his older brother Nik and his younger sister Nadia in Baysville, Ontario, to help Nik open the brewery he’s been planning for years. But somehow, he gets rooked into rehashing childhood trauma–as well as instantly being interested in the town’s favorite good girl, Prue. Milo isn’t looking for a long-term relationship. And he lets Prue know this right away. But when she not only needs a little help around her family’s gas and grocery store as well as with her mother, he can’t say no. The Welchs are the type of family Milo aspired to have growing up. So, to even have a few weeks soaking in the love and camaraderie? Priceless. And so is Prue, as it turns out. She’s a one-of-a-kind woman who owns his nomadic heart within days. Something Milo didn’t see happening, but he’ll admit that he’s all in. Now hopefully Prue will be, as well.

‘Prue trusts me with her body, but could she trust me with her heart too?’

Hannah Bonam-Young’s newest novel PEOPLE WATCHING is the perfect way to slide into the autumn reading season. It covered everything from medical crises to family issues to small town living and of course, love. Lots and lots of love.

‘No matter how many love stories I read, they’ve never held a candle to my parents’.’

CW: View Spoiler »Early Onset Alzheimer’s patient (detailed), child abuse (historical), cancer diagnosis « Hide Spoiler

You can count on Hannah Bonam-Young for a romance that has some serious spice, a good number of laughs, emotional depth, and diverse characters who face down serious issues in realistic, sometimes gritty ways. PEOPLE WATCHING capitalized on those elements. Prue and Milo’s story wasn’t necessarily an easy one for them, but they walked away with several life lessons and a lovely future ahead of them. The fun was in them getting to that point, with all the missteps they took while learning to trust themselves and each other.

For as much as this was a romance, there was also a nice focus on family and community. Prue’s mother sadly had Early Onset Alzheimer’s. While it could be heartbreaking at times, for sure, there was this underlying feeling of love, safety, and compassion that wove itself through all of the scenes with Prue, her mother Julia, and Prue’s father Tom. I *adored* them all. The Welchs had a tight-knit bond that even medical issues couldn’t diminish. Some of my favorite moments were the stories of how Tom and Julia met as well as the unique family traditions they had with Prue over the years. And their small community in Baysville, Ontario, stepping up and coming together to watch over Julia melted my heart with how caring they were.

Milo also had some family issues to straighten out when he coasted into town. A nomad for about a decade, he was such a great guy. Funny, oh so charming, sexy, and with a childhood’s worth of bad memories to sort out, he was the perfect counterpoint to Prue’s narrowly focused worldview. Milo was a self-proclaimed perma-bachelor. Until he met Prue. I loved that right from the first day they both knew there was something special between them. It was highly entertaining to see them deny their feelings–but *not* deny their attraction. Milo and Prue’s attempt at a friends-with-benefits situation was good in theory but you can guess how it ended up. Add in what was going on in Prue and Milo’s lives and it turned into a complicated mess. But Bonam-Young never disappoints with her sweet endings. And this one will have readers smiling happily.

QOTD: Have you read any of Hannah Bonam-Young’s work yet?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: September 9th, 2025 | Dell |

In this sexy and emotional romance from the acclaimed author of Out of the Woods and Out on a Limb, a small-town woman’s journey to spread her wings intertwines with the arrival of an adventurous newcomer who brings out the best in her.

Prudence Welch has found solace in her introverted life in Baysville, a charming tourist town in Northern Ontario. Despite once dreaming of a life beyond its borders, she now finds contentment in her working at her father’s gas station, writing poetry, and caring for her mother, who was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer’s shortly after Prue’s nineteenth birthday. But as her mother’s condition worsens and her father’s concerns about her future intensify, Prue feels her world slipping further out of control.

Enter Milo Kablukov, an enigmatic wanderer whose beat-up van covered with ill-advised bumper stickers rolls into town just when Prue needs a change. It’s all too easy to let go with him, and Prue can’t help but strike up an unlikely friendship with Milo, which leads to a wild and sexy agreement between them.

Milo, a man of many adventures and countless stories, is not one to settle down. However, his brother’s urgent need for help has brought him to Baysville, and now the intriguing Prue has given him more reason to stay. Especially once they start spending more time together, their chemistry intensifying, and casual-sex lessons start at Prue’s request.

But as their temporary arrangement blossoms into something deeper, Prue and Milo discover that getting out of their comfort zones is one thing . . . taking that leap together is something else entirely.