People Pleasing

People #2

by Hannah Bonam-Young

A sexy and emotional romance from the New York Times bestselling author of Out on a Limb and People Watching about two childhood friends reconnecting, healing from their past, and falling for the people they’ve become.

Nadia Kablukov does not want to go home, and neither does her brother Milo. But when their eldest sibling, Nik, calls in his emergency favor and enlists their help with opening his new brewery, they both head back, dreading the memories of their difficult childhood. For Nadia, this means facing her former next-door neighbor, her once best friend, and first love—Aleks.

Nadia knew Aleks was going to be around—he is Nik’s business partner, after all—but seeing Aleks standing on her brother’s front porch, all handsome and smiley, she realizes her feelings for him are not entirely gone.

Aleks longs for simpler days, when Nadia was only a stone’s throw away and life was less overwhelming. So, when she offers to help him with a project at the brewery, he’s eager to accept. Despite the time and distance between them, Nadia and Aleks find themselves falling back into old routines. Aleks is still able to see through Nadia’s hardened exterior and she’s still able to get him out of his ruminating thoughts like no one else can.

As feelings resurface and grow to an unmanageable point, they’re faced with reality: Nadia has never considered moving back home and Aleks has never considered leaving. So giving in to anything more between them will only cause more pain when it’s time to say goodbye again, right?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Fiction, Autumn

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 5, 2027

About the author

Hannah is an Amazon bestselling romance author from Ontario, Canada. She lives with her childhood-friend-turned-husband Ben, two kids, and bulldog near Niagara Falls on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.

Hannah writes romances featuring a cast of diverse, disabled, marginalized, and LGBTQIA+ folks wherein swoon-worthy storylines blend with the beautiful, messy, and challenging realities of life.

When not reading or writing romance you can find her having living-room dance parties with her kids or planning any occasion that warrants a cheese board.

Reviews

[cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

“She’s the center of my universe. The conductor of my life. My best friend and greatest love.”


on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ‎♪ˎˊ˗
“ɪ ᴡᴏɴ’ᴛ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜᴘ” x ᴊᴀsᴏɴ ᴍʀᴀᴢ
1:03 ───♥──────── 4:00


Nadia and Aleks have been best friends since childhood, with feelings that have always lingered beneath the surface. After Nadia leaves town to escape her difficult home life, the two lose touch and their friendship fades. Years later, they’re brought back into each other’s lives, forcing them to confront old feelings, unresolved wounds, and whether they can find their way back to each other.

Aleks. 🥹 I loved this man. He was so understanding, considerate, and genuinely gentle that I was just sitting there like, YES. THIS. 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ He has such a naturally kind personality and was so thoughtful about Nadia. He understood her in a way that felt incredibly tender, and watching him become a safe place for her again was probably one of my favorite parts🥹

And Nadia… oh my heart. 😭😭 Her childhood was heartbreaking, and I completely understood why she wanted to get away from everything as soon as she could. It genuinely hurt watching her believe that she was a horrible person when underneath all those walls was someone with such a kind heart. She just needed somewhere safe enough to finally let them down.

I really loved watching Nadia and Aleks slowly rebuild their friendship and then start finding their way toward something more. The slow burn was UNREAL. What do you mean I was at 70% and the tension was STILL ratcheting up?! I was waiting for that moment where everything finally snapped. And when it did??? The BIGGEST sigh of relieve came out of me i swear. And Aleks asking permission for basically everything???? especially knowing Nadia’s history???? Consent is hot🙂‍↕️GREEN FLAG. GREEN FLAG. GREEN FLAG.

I also really appreciated the emotional depth here, especially the conversations surrounding trauma, people pleasing, and recognizing when something within yourself needs to change. I love when characters actually acknowledge that they have problems and genuinely want to work through them, even when progress is messy and painfully slow

Honestly my one struggle was Nadia being so closed off sometimes. I definitely found myself getting irritated when she would shut down or get upset over things that felt avoidable, (the conversation about the dental hygienist... you'll know when you read it 🤦🏼‍♀️) especially because I was over here getting mad for Aleks. He's the only one who deserved to be upset😂

Overall, this was such a heartwarming story about first loves, second chances, healing, and learning that you don’t have to constantly mold yourself into what everyone else wants you to be. You can be loud, angry, happy, messy, complicated, and completely yourself... and that's okay 🫶🏼

favorite quotes ↓

“The truth is, Nadia invented the concept of attraction as far as my mind is concerned. As long as I was old enough to form those sorts of thoughts, they were about her.”

“You’re not a bad person for getting overwhelmed. You’re not weak. You’re only human, and only capable of so much.”

“I’ve been building my life with the intention of having Nadia back in it since the day she left town. As far as I’m concerned, all of this is as much hers as it is mine.”

“How lucky I would be to get close enough to find your flaws.”

“If eyes are the window to the soul, Aleks’s soul is the best one I’ve ever seen.”

things to know about the book ↓

🍻 childhood friends → lovers
🍻 boy next door
🍻 roommates
🍻 forced proximity
🍻 “it’s always been you”
🍻 SLOWWWWBURNNN
🍻 first love
🍻 family reconciliation
🍻 dual POV

swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 25, 26, 27, 28, 30

Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

─────────
・❥・⁀➷ 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕

september 10th- EEEKKK HELLOOOOO. I GOT THE ARC??!!! 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭

august 19th- childhood friends to lovers + the boy next door?? im sat!! and this coverrrrr. YES PLZZ 😝😝😝

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Dell for the ARC. Where to start? This book builds upon the storyline from 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, so most readers will already be familiar with all of the characters and their personalities, though the author doesn’t go out of her way to broaden the reader’s knowledge of the main characters of 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨. MMC has the beginnings of a quirky/interesting personality, but never expands upon it. FMC has no personality traits other than the fact that she’s someone dealing with trauma… 𝘈𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭? When you get down to the plot, there is none. It’s just an unbelievable amount of miscommunication that gets suddenly resolved within the last few chapters. It is one of my biggest pet peeves when an author relies on the characters never actually talking to each other. Also, when both characters have been given awkward personalities and they (out of the blue) both have dirty mouths and have no trouble communicating when it comes to the last few chapters (when they’re finally intimate), it feels wildly insincere. I get it, it’s a romance, but when did authors forget to give their books some depth?

[Liana Gold]

I think Hannah Bonah-Young chooses such interesting covers for her books.. I'm curious to see what this story is about!



Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine and the author, Hannah Bonam-Young for and early ARC.

Publication: January 5, 2026

[Larareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Edelweiss for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have absolutely no idea what to say, besides this is the best Hannah Bonam-Young book! It's absolutely insane for me that I got to receive this book on my Kindle yesterday, maybe one of my greatest accomplishments (Hannah is one of my favorite authors) and it also became one of the best books I ever read.

As someone who absolutely hates childhood friends to lovers this book just completely changed my mind. The amount of yearning in this book is insane... and the slowburn!!! 70% into the book and it was so much tension that I almost couldn't keep reading.

Aleks is one of my favorite MMCs. He is one of the most tender and patient man ever and the way he loves Nadia left me speechless. Watching him become her safe place was definitely my favorite part of this book.

Nadia is one of the strongest FMCs and I love her so so much! Her childhood was heartbreaking and I saw so much of myself in her. There wasn't one page where I didn't want to get into the book amd give her the biggest hug ever!

I love a slowburn, but this was a little much even for me😅 I was waiting for that moment when they snap and it was definitely worth it. Aleks is the biggest green flag and him asking permission for everything was so so hot.

This is the most perfect book and I'm so so sad to say goodbye to this series. Really hoping we will get to see these characters again!

[Liz | lizzuplans]

PREORDERING IMMEDIATELY!!!!

(Though I am hoping for a spredge from The Works 🫶)

[Jill (readinginpjs)]

OMG WE HAVE A BLURB!! SEPTEMBER 2026 is SO FAR AWAY & I am DESPERATE for this book 🥹

[felicia]

Anticipated release of 2027

[Eve Tsak · Rating 4 out of 5]

❀࿔ 3.75 stars

i think what surprised me most about people pleasing was how genuinely the title worked its way into BOTH characters. nadia and aleks are both people pleasers, just in completely different ways, and there were moments where i genuinely stopped and went… oh. THIS is what the book is doing.

────୨ৎ────

the vibes

friends to lovers • slow burn • small-town-ish romance • family baggage • found family • mutual pining • childhood history • two people who desperately need to stop putting everyone else before themselves • no dramatic third-act breakup

nadia. there were definitely moments where, if you looked at nadia completely in isolation, you could probably get frustrated with her. like WHY are you convincing yourself he doesn’t like you when it feels so obvious? why are you overthinking every little thing? why are you making yourself responsible for everyone else?? but then you actually look at what she’s experienced, particularly within her family, and suddenly it makes complete sense.

that was probably one of my favourite aspects of the book because her behaviour never felt like it existed simply to manufacture romantic conflict. she has spent so long moulding herself around other people, their expectations, their emotions and what they need from her that of COURSE she struggles to believe somebody might just choose her without her having to earn it.

and once i started viewing her through that lens i was like okay… i get you. it actually reminded me a little of our perfect storm in the way that the character’s emotional reactions make so much more sense once you understand the family dynamic sitting underneath them.

aleks. aleks is also a people pleaser, but his version looks completely different, which i really liked. he is very much the person who will step in, fix things, help people, take responsibility and almost make himself useful before ever asking what HE actually wants. and i liked that the book didn’t make people pleasing one specific personality type. his relationship with his grandmother bernie was really sweet too, especially because there is history there between her and nadia, and it added another layer to why these two have remained connected even after time apart.

there are also parts of his past that explain why he approaches relationships and responsibility the way he does, and i thought the parallels between him and nadia worked really well even though their circumstances weren’t identical.

nadia + aleks FRIENDS TO LOVERS!!! i realised while reading this that i genuinely haven’t read enough of this trope lately. because there is already history between them, you immediately have that underlying familiarity and affection, but then the author makes you wait for EVERYTHING else. and i mean wait. this is genuinely a slow burn — their relationship doesn’t really fully cross that line physically until around 80%. which i actually appreciated. i liked watching them fall into each other’s lives again and slowly rebuild that closeness rather than immediately turning the friendship into romance.

and THANK YOU for not giving me the obligatory third-act breakup purely because we hit the 80% mark. there are still emotional obstacles and things they need to work through, but it didn’t feel like the relationship was being destroyed just to create a final conflict.

────୨ৎ────

the family + found family i haven’t read the first book in this series, so i was coming into this without all of the background, but i never felt completely lost. you do see characters and relationships that were clearly established previously, particularly through nadia’s family, and it honestly made me curious about the other books. her siblings especially interested me because they all feel a little… broken? not in a negative way, but like they’ve each carried different pieces of the same difficult upbringing and learnt completely different ways of surviving it. there’s also a really lovely wider group around them, so the found-family element definitely worked for me.

────୨ৎ────

overall, i really liked the writing and i think the emotional reasoning behind both characters was probably the strongest part of this for me. i could understand WHY nadia and aleks behaved the way they did, and i loved that they represented two completely different forms of people pleasing.

i just don’t think i was ever completely CONSUMED by their relationship. that could partly be because i had to read this in quite broken-up little sections rather than sitting down and devouring it, but while i always knew what was happening and enjoyed coming back to it, i never quite reached that obsessive i cannot put this down stage.

still, this has definitely made me want to read more from the author — and i’m very curious about the rest of this family now.

────୨ৎ────

thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC.

[Victoria Tezangi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have previously said that People Watching was one of my fave romance books and so when I was given the chance to read book two, People Pleasing, I was so excited! We were introduced to Nadia and Aleks in the first book and being able to see more of their lives and read about this story was amazing. Here we had a friends to lovers, slow burn that totally had my heart and I couldn't put this book down. Nadia is a complex character who really does have her walls up and throughout this book I just wanted to jump into the pages and give her a hug. I could really feel her pain and truama as I was reading and left me so desperate for her to have her happy ending. I loved watching as she slowly began to open up, let people in and take things at her pace. One of the things I found to be so beautiful in this book was her relationship with Aleks outside of romance. When they were together we saw Nadia as her true self, we saw her relax a little, have more fun and we got glimpeses into what she wa sprobably like as a teenager alongside him. Its with Aleks that she wanted to be better and came to that conclusion because being with him meant she was able to be the best and worse of herself which of course is very confronting.

This was a beautoiful read with the best side characters, great female frienships and one of the most sexy golden retriever/black cat relationships I have ever read. This man was the ultimate golden retriever book boyfriend and those more sexy scenes had me blushing and kicking my feet.

My only issue with the book was that I felt as though the ending was rushed. I loved that this was a slow burn and the build to those last chapters was honestly great but I did feel rushed towards the end and I would have loved a few more chapters. I am forever a huge fan of Hannah Bonam Young and I adored this book.

[Mikaela T (mikaelabooks_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not be more PLEASED with how this turned out *super angsty yearning eyes emoji*

Hannah Bonam-Young has set a new standard for me when it comes the second-chance trope. With her precise first chapter, she immediately had me buying into years of love and devotion between Aleks and Nadia. I often feel like I'm told that a couple really loved each other, and just have to trust that the story will convince me of it later. With "People Pleasing," I got to experience their comfort with each other from the beginning so I understood what they lost by being apart. Nadia and Aleks sank into my bones so quickly that I was eager to jump forward and desperately hoping they could grow back into each other.

Their history gave me every reason to root for them, but it didn't dictate their future. Both characters have grown into different versions of themselves. Aleks has found the confidence to pursue his dreams and his feelings for Nadia, even with the anxiety he's had his whole life. Nadia's arc isn't just running away from her past; she's figuring out what she wants to carry into the next phase of her life. Despite how deeply they knew each other before, and how well they still know each other now, there's so much left for them to learn about one another. They're not just finding their way back to what they had; they're building something new together.

Even in the familiar small town of Baysville, it feels like they're creating a world of their own. I really loved getting to be in it with them.

[nkc · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ 5 stars | 2 🌶️
(Thank you to author Hannah Bonam-Young & Random House Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review 💌)

I absolutely loved the first book, People Watching, because the characters felt so real while still being completely unique in their own ways. Since the timelines of both books overlap so closely, I really enjoyed getting to experience the same period of time from completely different perspectives and seeing how each character’s story unfolded alongside the other.

I was especially excited to get to know Aleks more in this book and gain a deeper understanding of Nadia, their relationship, and what brought them together. I personally saw so much of myself in Aleks, especially in the people-pleasing aspect of constantly putting everyone else’s thoughts and decisions ahead of your own. From the outside, it can look like you’re simply agreeable or easygoing, when in reality, people are taking advantage of your silence and willingness to accommodate them. Seeing Nadia recognize this in Aleks, call out the people who were taking advantage of him, and genuinely stand up for him was so powerful. I think that became such an important part of their relationship, especially as their friendship slowly developed into something more.

This was definitely a slower-paced romance than what I typically reach for, but there is something about this author’s writing that makes the development of the characters and their dynamics feel just as romantic, if not more so, than the actual spice. The build-up, tension, and emotional connection between the characters made the more intimate moments feel incredibly authentic to who they are and the relationship they had built together.

Another thing I really appreciate about this author is the way they incorporate such serious and emotional topics into their stories. These experiences shape the characters both individually and collectively, but the story also gives them space to heal. I loved watching these characters grow into the people they were meant to become and seeing them fall for each other because of who they truly are, not despite everything they have been through.

And I have to talk about the found family because I absolutely adored it. The relationship between Nik, Nadia, Milo, and especially Sef was one of my favorite parts of the book. There were genuinely moments where I found myself crying because the love they have for one another felt so deep and unconditional. It was such a beautiful reminder that family is not always defined by blood or the people who brought you into this world. Sometimes family is the people who choose you, show up for you, love you, and support you through every version of yourself and everything life throws your way.

Overall, this was such an emotional and character-driven romance, and I loved getting to see more of these characters and their stories unfold. 💕

[Nani Koko · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

I will always love HBYs writing. I love the care she puts into her characters and the heavier topics. This book was no different in those aspects and I did enjoy it and I always love a “always been you” friends to lovers.

My favorite parts of this were the quiet moments we saw of our two MCs. The obvious love they had for each other I loved Aleks so much, gentle giant is my favorite way to describe him

Nadia at first was hard to love and honestly I think that was the point, that’s how her character is. She’s been through a lot and after sitting with that I gave her character more grace as I was reading this but it was very frustrating at times

I have to give this 3.75, as I really wanted MORE. More of everything. I appreciate no third act break up, but after the 80% it felt rushed to me. We were told a lot and not shown a lot towards the end which is my biggest pet peeve I WANNA SEEEEE how their family reacts to them together after 10 years of everyone wanting them together, not just told what happened.

Overall it is a lovely book, I did cry as I always do with HBY but unfortunately it’s my least favorite book from her. STILL GOOD!!! I had a good time, I just really wanted more

[Meghan Sheets · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Inadvertently, I’d given them what they seemed to think I was the entire time. An angry daughter.”

This is a love story through and through, but not just between Nadia and Aleks (which I ADORED). It’s a love story to our inner child. The way Hannah effortlessly made me feel seen as the kid who left town in an effort to break the cycle healed some of my inner wounds. Nadia is Peace by Taylor Swift and Dashboard by Noah Kahan. She’s so much of my own story. I cannot even begin to express how much I needed this book right now.

“…nothing comes close to the feeling of belonging to a family again. We’re not perfect, by any means. We’re all works in progress, figuring out how to heal day by day without causing harm. But we’ve got each other now.”

Thank you to Ballantine and Dell for the eARC! 💜

[Sarah Stipetich · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Hannah Bonam-Young for the opportunity to ARC read this book.

Since discovering her writing, Hannah Bonam-Young has become an absolute instant read for me. Hannah writes such real characters and I find myself in all of them. They have flaws and trauma and every emotion seems authentic and wraps around your heart...I love that the main love story is always only a part of the larger story and often her characters have to learn how to love by accepting love from the people who surround them. This second installment to the Kublokov family really was perfection for me.

[Alanna KC · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an emotional story, with such in-depth character development and all of the yearning. Aleks and Nadia are childhood friends who each have their own baggage that makes their relationship timing tricky, but the love between them is so very strong and visible in all of their actions (even those angst-filled silences). I loved this book, and especially enjoyed seeing all the side characters again from People Watching.

It's impossible to go wrong with a Hannah Bonam-Young book, and this is another I'd highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Rachel Hodgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh I loved this so so much. I love autistic representation in books and Aleks was so kind and sweet throughout it all. I could tell that there was so much hurt in the FMC but he never let her speak poorly of herself and constantly reassured her. They were tender and loving in so many ways.

[Merrell Whitten · Rating 3 out of 5]

probably a 2.5 if I’m honest bc this just felt like a nothing burger of a book. idk I just couldn’t get into it at all

[Aaliyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75☆

If childhood friends to lovers is your vibe + "it's always been you," then you are in for a treat!!! Aleks and Nadia have been friends since they were 5 years old, and being next-door neighbors made them inseparable. Years later, upon turning 18, Nadia leaves her hometown and her abusive home after a traumatic event to begin anew; she ultimately leaves Aleks behind in the process. Aleks tries to stay in touch, but eventually, Nadia pushes him away. She is a frustrating character to read about, but she feels real and raw.

Aleks stays pining after her many years later, but he thinks his feelings aren't reciprocated. Now, Nadia has moved back into town with the intention of helping her brother and his wife with their children and his wife's pregnancy. Once Nadia and Aleks start hanging out again, it starts off awkward but quickly becomes all-consuming, reminiscent of just how compatible they were when younger. The pining on Aleks' part is on another level; he YEARNS like an Abby Jimenez man!!!!

They eventually do move in together because she needs a place to stay, and the forced proximity makes the chemistry insane🔥. Aleks is quite literally perfect, but his only flaw is that he's a bit of a people pleaser. Both Nadia and Aleks take baby steps to fix their flaws, and in the process, they finally come to terms with the fact that they are each other's halves. This story is beautiful but also deep and thought provoking. People Pleasing is my first book by Hannah, and I'm excited to read more of her work!

Releases January 5th, 2027!! Thank you to Netgalley for the E-ARC!!!

[Hannah Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah!! No notes.

[em · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

3.5

I really like Hannah Bonam-Young’s prose, but this felt very overwritten at times. I think there were full scenes and lines that could have been cut heavily without consequence.

I also would have liked if this had more of a plot than it did. It felt very zeroed in on the relationship and I wish we could have focused on the brewery more, and given Nadia something to worry about that wasn’t resolved five minutes after she got a text about it.

I really love a friends to lovers story when it has a solid separation period and solid yearning. This certainly had both, but the yearning felt silly because both characters knew they liked each other pretty much the entire time, so it kind of just felt like we were waiting for them to get over themselves without any cause for conflict. Obviously, there was the situation with Nadia leaving, but it only ever felt like an issue on her end, so the stakes just weren’t there.

Nevertheless, I did really like both main characters and thought they had good chemistry. Still, I would have liked for both of them to work on themselves more in order to make the relationship believable to me.

Thank you to Hannah Bonam-Young, Bedford Square and Netgalley for the ARC!

[Molly]

10th Sept 2026 / Changed to 14th Jan 2027 / Changed to 5th Jan 2027

[chelseabrookelikesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK!! I knew going in that Hannah Bonam-Young was probably going to get me in my feelings, but I was not prepared for just how much I was going to see myself in this story.

Nadia and Aleks were childhood best friends, first loves, and then spent YEARS apart with so much left unsaid between them. And the second they were back in each other’s lives, I was done for. The history. The familiarity. The fact that Aleks has basically been in love with this woman forever?! THE PINING?! Good lord!!

And Aleks, ohhhh how I absolutely adored him. And finding out he’s autistic made me love him even more. There were so many little things about the way his brain worked, the overthinking, getting overwhelmed, people pleasing, constantly worrying about everyone else, that had me sitting there like…well hello there, sir. 😂 I see we have some things in common. Watching Nadia be one of the few people who really saw him and understood when he was putting everyone else before himself got me right in the chest.

But Nadia’s story is where this one really hit me. She grew up in a home where she learned how to survive, not necessarily how to just BE. She left, built a life somewhere else, and coming home meant facing so much of what she had spent years trying to leave behind. She could be frustrating and closed off, but I understood her. Sometimes healing is messy as hell. Sometimes you don’t even know who you are underneath all the things you learned to do to protect yourself.

And I freaking loved that this wasn’t just about Nadia and Aleks falling in love. It was about figuring out who they are now. Breaking old patterns. Learning to say what they need. Letting people love them without constantly trying to earn it. UGH.

Also, when I tell you this is a SLOWWWWW burn, I mean Hannah made me WORK FOR IT! The yearning and tension were absolutely ridiculous. But once we finally got there?! WHEW. 🔥 That slow burn was slow burning, but the spice was absolutely SPICING.

This was emotional and heavy at times, but also so incredibly tender. The romance, the sibling relationships, the found family, the healing, all of it. Nadia and Aleks weren’t perfect people magically fixing each other. They were two people doing the work and learning how to love each other as the people they’d become.

Thank you so much to Ballentine (Dell), NetGalley, and Hannah Bonam-Young for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Monica Beard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm about 2/3 of the way through what has turned about to be quite a rough pregnancy, and I was so excited to escape into the world of People Pleasing (northern Ontario). I don't want to describe Bonham-Young's books as cozy, because the real world definitely intrudes - she writes books about people who deal with disabilities, with trauma and with all kind of pain, but manage to make a kinder community for themselves. And it's exactly the world I want to be in while dealing with a tough pregnancy and a day job full of trauma. People Pleasing is set in the same time frame as People Watching (which dealt with Milo, the brother of our FMC Natalia), so readers should know that by reading People Pleasing, you will be spoiled a bit as to the ending.

Natalia and Aleks have, it is clearly obvious, been in love since they were teenagers, but when Natalia moved to the big city to escape her abusive parents, she chose to leave Aleks behind. I think in a lot of versions of this book, there would be a lot of drama over whether the two will get back together, but part of what makes this book feel like such a warm world is that it feels inevitable that these two people who love each other will find their way back together - the joy is in watching their kindness heal each other and seeing how they find their way back together. It was also great to see the family relationships from People Watching from a different angle: Natalia and Aleks both grew up with Milo and other brother Nik, and so both have a perspective on how the the siblings looked after each other and learned to heal. It was nice to explore those relationships, which are very much at the heart of People Watching.

I know reading this book felt like entering a cozy blanket, and I hope other people get the same feeling from it. Thanks to Ballantine for the early copy.

[Victoria Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am completely blown away with how devastatingly beautiful this book was. Hannah Bonam-Young has always had this talent of somehow within a few chapters having you emotionally so invested in her characters, and to me personally this one was even more so. I would say this may be my favorite of her works and I read it in one day.

There are moments I genuinely laughed out loud, (like Aleks' stream of baseball consciousness when he is trying to not think about something else lol...) moments I cried (manyyy) , and moments I was smiling from the intense amount of yearning. Friends to lovers and found family are two things I love reading in books and this has both.

Nadia + Aleks will truly stay with me forever. Watching their story unfold between past / present was messy, painful, endearing, and beautiful all at the same. It is such a soulful love + connection, and both characters are intensely introspective (hence the ugly tears
I cried). I feel so grateful to have read it.

The emotional depth of these characters is written so well, a deeplyyyy evocative book. It was such a stunningly realistic portrayal of handling anxiety, trauma, grief... but Hannah handled the reader's heart with such gentleness while she was creating this book and I appreciate that immensely. There was a part mentioned about meeting layers of yourself, and I resonated with that thoroughly. I just had to blink a few times at the kindle, absolutely breathtaking writing. I loved this entire story and would give it 20 stars instead of 5.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you Hannah Bonam-Young for bringing this story to readers. Also thank you to Ballantine/Dell & NetGalley, I feel so extremely thankful.

[Rosandra Lysué Martínez · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

People Pleasing was the slowest of burns . I was a little scared of starting it just because People Watching wasn’t exactly my cup of tea . But I must say without a shadow of a doubt that Hannah Bonam IS SO BACK. She redeemed herself with this lovely and emotional read . THANK YOU, NETGALLEY !!

One of the things I love the most about this reads, including People Watching, is the found family and the brotherhood . It helps the reader understand the perspective between each and every one of the siblings . Reading Nad’s perspective broke my heart . I understand the need to get out, but as an older daughter , I would NEVER have abandoned my siblings. I’m SO glad the three of them had Bertie . They needed someone to love them and care for them when the people that were supposed to do it, didn’t .

The tension every time Aleks and Nadia were together was next level . I was holding my breath, begging for them to be honest, begging for them to admit their feelings for each other . There were so many things that hadn’t been said . So many years of unspoken feelings . The boy was down bad and he knew it . I’m still content with the way they resuscitated their friendship and gave it another chance . They took care of each other and when Nadia got scared and thought about leaving, he stepped up and spoke his truth and they never looked back .

I love the opportunity that this book brought to see from Nadia’s perspective how bad her brother’s had it at that awful house . I loved Mari’s character and I have a feeling that we will be seeing more of her . I love the way Sef is the glue that sticks the family together, how she is always warm and supportive, and how much they all trust her and appreciate her .

It was a beautiful read . Teared up for the last two chapters .

[Mads Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ ad | arc review

Going into People Pleasing, I had pretty high expectations, mostly because I adore Hannah’s writing, but this one didn’t quite hit the way her others have for me.

The love story was where it fell short. I never really felt the connection between Nadia and Aleks. This is a slow burn, and I love a slow burn, but for it to work I need to feel the chemistry and tension building the whole way through, and I just didn’t get that here. They don’t actually get together until around the 80% mark, and by that point I wanted to feel like I’d been on a journey with them, but instead it felt like I was waiting for something that never quite arrived.

Nadia was also a tough one for me. I found myself far more drawn to the side characters than to her, which made it harder to root for the central romance. There were a few moments that felt a bit cringy too, which pulled me out of the story when I wanted to be fully in it.

That said, there was so much to love here. The forced proximity was done so well, and I’m a sucker for quiet, understated love, the kind that shows up in small acts rather than grand gestures. Aleks brought a lot of that softness. And the found family element, as always with Hannah’s books, was a real highlight. Getting to spend more time in this world and with these characters again was genuinely lovely.

So overall, a good read, just not my favourite of hers. The bones of something special are there, I just needed more from the central relationship to fully fall for it 🩷​​​​​​​​​​​​

[Melissa DeLong-Cox · Rating 3 out of 5]

What an absolute joy to return to the Kablukov family 🥹 People Watching was one of my favorites and most emotional recent reads (I don't know why it got to me so bad!!!), so I was expecting to have a similar reaction to this one.

Despite many years of building tension between the MCs, there was a ton of missed opportunities for connection that left me frustrated and screeching at the pages. Given their history, I just wanted these characters to USE THEIR WORDSSSS and speak to each other! Because there wasn't a third act breakup, I was ultimately satisfied with how long it took them to admit feelings and get together, but it does take until well over the third quarter mark. I would've loved more time of seeing them together, but as always I'm deeply appreciative of an epilogue!

Since there's a third sibling, I'm assuming we'll get another book in this universe and I'll be waiting anxiously for it. I loved that we got to see some outside perspective of Milo and Prue, so I'm hopeful future books will give us more of a glimpse towards Nadia and Aleks.

*Thanks to Ballantine - Dell and NetGalley for the ARC!*

[Book Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting an email from the publisher with this ARC, no sirree! And I literally dropped everything to read it, too. So many thanks!

Aleks and Nadia were painful, I won't lie. It was so hard to read. And honestly, I should have taken that content warning list and sat with it like a big girl (and not thought I was a big girl in acknowledging that some of the topics might be hard for me 🙄). There were a lot of bit things in this book - aren't there always in HBY's books? - and despite a lot of them being sore points for me, I actually found reading this to be ok.

Back to Nadia and Aleks - the pain was in their timing. The yearning and pining and just learning how to be. But I think my enjoyment of this book came from the yearns and pines. That frustration of waiting and missing and knowing that they both knew but couldn't. The characters grappling with the almost moments was a hoot to read and I was on the eds of my seat multiple times just waiting for the moment to hit.

The family around Aleks and Nadia were lovely too - and if you've read People Watching you get a fun timeline;) - characters who you'd want as part of life I would think.

A grea story of found family, of home and belonging, of realising everyone deserves to be loved.

[Sophie TM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the glimpses of Nadia and Aleks back in People Watching, so going into their book, expectations were high but Hannah Bonam-Young delivered. Although I didn’t love it as much as People Watching, it was every bit as swoony, heartfelt, and emotionally rich as I hoped it would be.

What I love most about HBY’s writing is how seamlessly she balances romance with raw, real-life struggles. She doesn't shy away from heavier topics, but approaches trauma, boundaries, and personal growth with incredible sensitivity and respect. (Definitely check the trigger warnings first, but in my opinion, she handles them with grace.)

Was it obvious to everyone that they were in love from the jump? Yes. Should it have been obvious even to each other? Yeah. Could they have sorted things out way sooner with a simple conversation? Yep. Did I still get butterflies and swoon when they finally made it happen? Absolutely, and it was worth it!

I know HBY usually writes her interconnected standalones in sets of two, but I would love to get more of this world, maybe Mari? Sef and Nik’s story? I’ll take any more I can get!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bedford Square Publishers, and Hannah Bonam-Young for an ARC of this book. This was an honest review of my reading of this ARC.

[Elia Winters · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

After reading Milo and Prue's story, I was so excited to read Nadia's story and it did not disappoint! People Pleasing was a heartwarming, emotional and beautiful story! I loved seeing the same timeline from People Watching but from Nadia and Aleks POV. I could feel the pining Aleks had for Nadia but I could also understand why Nadia needed a fresh start, leaving her abusive home and the town where she was sexually assaulted. But the cards Aleks made for Nadia when she left ❤️😭 My heart melted.

Aleks was also an amazing character, I love the representation of a character on the autism spectrum and I just loved him so much. The way he was building his business and life hoping Nadia would come back into his life, swoon. I just loved their relationship so much from their childhood friendship to their relationship once reconnected. I also loved seeing Nadia's story reconnecting with her family and finding her happy place, after being through so much, she deserved all of the happiness!

Aleks and Nadia's story was beautiful and I loved every moment! I loved seeing Milo, Prue, Nic and Sef again and I would love to see more from Nadia's friend Mari!! I loved Mari and she was such a great friend to Nadia so I would love to see her story!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Hannah Bonam-Young for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.