Cozy in Ohio

Some weekends just don't require real pants.

Our second reading retreat took place in Uniontown, Ohio in January 2026, and we are still smiling about it. Also possibly still recovering from the amount of cozy we packed into one weekend.

After our first retreat, we wondered if we could recreate the magic on a bigger scale. The answer was yes. A very snowy, snack-filled, pajama-wearing yes.

Olde Stone Acres gave us room to spread out, settle in, and immediately lose track of time.

We went bigger, cozier, and somehow even lazier

This time, we welcomed 24 women, which meant our sweet little setup needed a major glow-up. Enter Olde Stone Acres, a beautiful estate in Ohio that gave us the space we needed and the kind of charm that makes you whisper, “I could absolutely abandon my responsibilities here.”

The house was perfect for a winter reading weekend. There were so many spaces and couches to curl up alone, places to gather together, and plenty of room for the sacred retreat migration pattern:

Coffee. Couch. Book. Snack. Different couch. Repeat.

We came into the weekend hoping it would feel peaceful, comfortable, and easy. Olde Stone Acres understood the assignment. It held all of us so well, from the readers who finished multiple books to the readers who opened one book, read three pages, and then took a nap so powerful it should have been studied by science.

Both types of readers are valid here.

We finally learned we do not have to do everything ourselves

At our first retreat, we did a lot ourselves. Like, a lot. The kind of “we’ve got this” energy that quickly becomes “why are we carrying 600 things and where did we put the serving spoons?”

For retreat number two, we got smarter.

Our friends at Waxed Crescent helped us welcome everyone on Friday night with what was maybe the most mouth-watering, visually stunning grazing table we've ever seen or dreamed of.

We also had help from Ronna at Tipsy Designs (she's the one in the middle back) who's insane talent makes for a great activity for a group of bookworms and we WILL be hanging out with her again.

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It turns out inviting talented people into the process is not cheating. Who knew? Probably everyone. We were just busy labeling baskets and panic-counting forks.

And speaking of baskets, we had some wonderful partners help make our welcome goodies feel extra special. HOT TIP: if you're ever thinking about hosting a bookish event or book club, don't hesitate to reach out to your favorite brands or even people you meet on the internet. They may just be willing to work with you to keep costs reasonable while adding a ton of surprise whimsy!

• Amazon Publishing

Thank you for the beautiful galleys of Soft Launch by Sarah Vacchiano! Nothing says “welcome to a reading retreat” like a book before the book world gets it.

• Cliche Teas

We stumbled across your absolutely adorable bookish-named teas on Instagram and the rest is history. We cannot thank you enough for offering wholesale pricing. It's official, we will be giving away your tea sachets at every event we host until you push us away.

• The ABC Market

From Instagram pals to gifting partners, we're so happy you're here. The cozy levels were already high, and then you added firelight with your absolutely perfect bookish candles. That's hot.

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We made sure no one had to lift a finger, even though they totally did.

Just like our first retreat, we wanted every guest to feel like they could fully unplug.

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That meant we provided the all the meals. We handled all the prep. We handled the cleanup. We made sure snacks appeared, coffee existed, and no one had to think too hard about what was happening next.

The only problem was that many of our guests are apparently incapable of not helping.

We would turn around and someone would be clearing plates. Someone else would be taking out a bag of trash. Someone would appear in the kitchen holding a dish towel like they had been called to duty.

Adorable? Yes.

Allowed? Technically no.

Appreciated? Absolutely.

But the whole point of these weekends is simple: arrive, exhale, read, rot, repeat. Guests do enough in their regular lives. At retreat, the most stressful decision should be whether to start a new chapter or get another cup of coffee first.

The itinerary stayed loose and lazy, just how we like it

We will always be proud defenders of the loose itinerary.

Our retreats are not packed with back-to-back activities, color-coded schedules, or group bonding exercises that require shoes. We offer just enough to keep the weekend interesting, but never so much that anyone feels forced to change out of pajamas.

That balance is what makes the weekend feel special.

There is room to join in, and there is room to disappear into a blanket pile. There is room for conversation, and there is room for silence. There is room for reading sprints, snacks, laughter, slow mornings, and the ancient art of staring out a window while holding a book you are not currently reading.

The official theme is reading.

The unofficial theme is rotting.

The real magic is that everyone gets to do both at their own pace.

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Then the highland cows showed up

We had planned the books. We had planned the food. We had planned the welcome baskets.

We did not plan the highland cows.

And honestly? They may have stolen the show.

Books are wonderful. Snacks are important. But highland cows? That is retreat folklore.

This weekend proved what we hoped was true

Our second retreat was a huge success, not because every moment was perfectly planned, but because the right pieces came together.

The house, the help, the fluffy neighbors, the views...

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The right group of women who understood that peace can look like laughing in the kitchen, reading beside a stranger who becomes a friend, or spending two straight hours under a blanket with no explanation needed.

This weekend also made one thing very clear: people are hungry for this kind of rest. Our 2026 Winter Reading Retreat was so loved that we have already booked Olde Stone Acres again for 2027, and that retreat has already sold out.

We can't say we're surprised, though. But we are thrilled, grateful, and maybe a little emotional about it.

Our second retreat proved without a doubt that the right place with the right people can offer the right amount of peace. And if that peace happens to include highland cows, well, we are certainly not going to complain.

Love,

Blake & Meg