At a glance
Out of the Woods
Contemporary romance
Out of the Woods
Book 3 of the The Mountains Are Calling series
367 pages · First published 2026
Backcountry hiking guide Stevie Lynch has built her life around Fontana Ridge and the Smoky Mountains, while travel nurse Jack Sullivan keeps moving from one temporary assignment to the next. Becoming reluctant roommates gives them more time together than either expected—and makes keeping their distance increasingly difficult. Shared meals and quiet conversations turn friendship into something deeper, even as grief, family responsibilities, and Jack’s approaching departure complicate their choices. With its mountain-town warmth and exceptionally slow-building romance, this is an autumn-afternoon escape for readers who enjoy found family, tender companionship, and learning when to put down roots—or spread their wings.
Paired for this story
Jump to the pours ↓Apple-Cinnamon Tea + Spiced Rum Cider
Choose your bookseller
Find the Book
Print retailers offer a search when an exact edition is unavailable. Kindle links open a specific edition. Audiobook links may open an edition or a search.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Book Bartender earns from qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org links also earn us a commission on qualifying purchases. Your price is not affected. Read the full affiliate disclosure.
No surprises at chapter twelve
Content notes
Parental death and grief; a family member with Alzheimer’s disease; chronic back pain in a family member; caregiving stress and strained family relationships; accidental injury and hospitalization; some profanity, sexual innuendo, and romantic kissing.
Alcohol-Free Pour
Apple-Cinnamon Tea
Apple and cinnamon soften a warming cup of black tea, a cozy companion to quiet conversations and a friendship that takes its time becoming love.
What you'll need
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.How to mix it
- Steep the black tea with the cinnamon stick. Stir in warmed apple juice and garnish with an apple slice.
- Garnish: Apple slice and cinnamon stick.
- Glassware: Mug.
Shop glassware & tools
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Mug ↗Cocktail Pour · 21+
Spiced Rum Cider
For adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Warm apple cider, cinnamon, and dark rum echo the autumn mountain setting and the comfort Stevie and Jack discover in sharing everyday life.
What you'll need
- 6 oz apple cider ↗
- 1.5 oz dark rum
- 1 cinnamon stick ↗
- 1 orange slice ↗
Shop the spirits 21+Search Total Wine for Dark rum · 21+ ↗
How to mix it
- Warm cider with the cinnamon stick and orange slice in a small saucepan for 5–10 minutes, without boiling. Remove from heat, stir in rum, and pour into a heatproof mug.
- Glassware: Heatproof mug.
Shop glassware & tools
We earn a commission from qualifying purchases through these Amazon links, at no extra cost to you.
Mug ↗Set up the bar cart
Shop the Barware
Find the glasses and tools for your next pour.