The Origin Story

“How did Well Bound Retreats come about?” you might ask. It started in the most 21st-century way possible: a shared Instagram post about a book retreat. Jenny’s birthday was approaching, and she sent Penny a reel from a book retreat that was being hosted in the Cotswolds in England. It would be a winter holiday getaway in what looked like a renovated English countryside manor. Lovely meals around a big table, cozy accommodations, little nooks to read your books, snow outside the windows. Literally what dreams are made of. And damn, we wanted to go.

Too bad, said the universe. It's sold out. Unfortunately, so were all the company’s next trips a few months later. Fine, we thought, we’ll find another company. The next three companies we attempted to book with were also sold out, regardless of the retreat's location. 

Two things occurred to us simultaneously: 

1. If we wanted to attend a book retreat, we would need to host our own.

2. We should definitely host our own and open it up to others.

And so, the seed of Well Bound Retreats was planted. While we didn’t make it happen in time for Jenny’s birthday, we are making our retreat dreams come true. We also get to make it the way we want it, which involves more time for reading and activities that draw us outside as much as possible. We’re essentially creating and hosting the retreats we want to attend. 

We are similar to other book retreats in that we share meals together, engage in bookish crafts, take fun outings, and essentially become a literary sleepover with friends, both old and new. But we also want to ensure that there is much of what we call “sacred reading time." Sometimes an overpacked retreat itinerary can feel less “cozy peace” and more like a checklist. Our vibe is all about slowing down, doing what you want, not what is expected, and unplugging from life for a few days to read your damn books. Sounds glorious, quite frankly.

It is also important to us to host these retreats where nature is the star of the visual show. We want to offer hikes through the mountains, strolls on the beach, evenings sitting around a campfire swapping stories about life and the books we’ve read. We want to sit outside in a comfy chair with our books and listen to the birds chirp, the waves roll in, or the wind blow through the trees. 

The world often feels like a stressful dumpster-fire right now. We’re not going to fix the world’s problems with these retreats. But we can offer a refuge to decompress. We want to provide a place where all you need to worry about is if you packed enough books to read. We hope you join us as we get "lit" in the woods.

Penny & Jenny