Into the woods by Jenny Holiday

 

Published by Read Forever Publisher on January, 7^th, 2025

360 pages

I read the paperback version

Back Cover

Gretchen Miller is a bit of a badass. But even badasses get the blues when it comes to romance, and Gretchen could use a break from dating. So, when she gets the offer to be the summer dance instructor at Camp Wild Arts, she leaps at the chance to embrace clean air, nature, and her inner crone. But every forest has pests—and the biggest one at Wild Arts is none other than Tennyson “Teddy” Knight, the A) arrogant, B) infuriating, C) kinda hot if it weren’t for A & B rockstar who happens to be Gretchen’s fellow artist-in-residence.

Fresh off his band's epic and ultra-public breakup, Teddy's grouchier than a black bear in spring, and Gretchen is happy to ignore the unexpected heat she feels around him. Yet a wary friendship blooms, and before she knows it, Gretchen finds herself sneaking around to have one last summer fling with the broody musician before she swears off men for good. But as they grow closer, Gretchen has to figure out if she's ready to take this summer camp romance out of the woods and into real life. 

My review

For once, I like the fact that the two main characters are sunshine-grumpy. Gretchen might give up on love, but she still has a soft heart, since she went to the camp to help a friend and she might open up to Teddy. I love the fact that she has my age and she didn’t give up on herself. Yes, it took my time to get attached to her, but her date in the first chapters made me laugh and it was easy to relate to her point of view.

I didn’t liked Teddy at first because he was a total ass with Gretchen, but we learn about his past and I understood better his temper. Also, I think he enjoyed the camp with time and let his guard down, so he became more likable.

The story take time to develop, but I think it’s what I look for in romance. I don’t like when the protagonist falls in love before chapter 5. At least, this time we have time to know who they are and it feel more natural.

Excerpts

I’m having a fucking midlife crisis, that’s the problem. (p.3)

I was so, so tired of dating. Way-deep-inside-my-soul exhausted. I was not the kind of person who took shit from anyone, least of all men, yet when I faced my midlife crisis head-on and took a good hard look at my life, I had to admit that I’d recently started..bending a little on the dating front. (p.7)

“The gig is formally called artist in residence,” she said. “It’ll be you, an actor, a writer, and so one. As I understand it, you’re not camp counselors per se, but more like mentors. The idea is that you do the gig, but also get free time to pursue your own artistic aims.” (p.16)

“Are there any other musicians here?” I asked. Not that I cared. I wasn’t planning on making friends, and when it came to music, I wouldn’t be collaborating on my next project or maybe on any other project again ever. What has seventeen years of collaboration gotten me? A broken-up band. A broken-up friendship. (p.25)

I loved swimming. There was something about floating in water that buoyed me. Literally, but also mentally. (p.51)

I have this theory that you should only use cell phones as proxies for things that existed before cell phones – so like, use it as an actual phone, use it as a map, read a book on it. But don’t use it for things that can only be done with a cell phone, you know? By which I mean, don’t do social media. It messes with your brain. (p.110)

The doors were propped open on account of the heat, so we could hear the music before we could see them. It was Beyoncé’s “Run the World (Girls).” (p.112)