Meet the Sisters

Hey, I’m Caitlynn—oldest of the four book-loving sisters behind Bound Escapes. By day, I'm a part-time military pilot. By night, I'm a full-time sarcastic hockey critic with a book permanently within reach.

Reading and I didn’t exactly have a love-at-first-page relationship. I struggled with it growing up, until Harry Potter finally showed me that the right book could make the real world disappear. I eventually stopped reading during high school and college, but in late 2012—bored out of my mind on my first deployment—I picked up a little-known book called Throne of Glass. The rest, as they say, is history.

As life became busier and increasingly chaotic, books became my escape: a way to shut off my brain, leave reality behind, and spend a few hours worrying about fictional people’s problems instead of my own. My reading tastes are delightfully unhinged and all over the map—from sports romance and romantasy to dark romance and everything in between (Hail Reaper).

The only thing missing was a community of people who understood why fictional worlds, morally questionable characters, and five-star reads could take over your entire personality. That’s what I hope we’re creating with these retreats: a place where book lovers can step away from everyday life, find their people, laugh far too loudly, and experience a little real-life found-family magic.

I can't wait to meet you at a retreat and share a weekend full of books, laughter, and probably a few questionable fictional life choices.

Hi, I'm Matalie, sister #2! Unlike my sisters, I never really had a phase where I wasn't obsessed with books. If there was a story to read, I wanted it. I was the kid who always had a book in hand and squeezed every ounce of value out of my library card, reading anything I could get my hands on. I dabbled in just about every genre—even tackling college-level books in middle school—but fantasy and YA romance always had my heart. Today, romance, fantasy, and especially romantasy are still my favorites.

My love of books eventually led me to major in English and spend a few years teaching high school English. Ironically, turning reading into work (and later making a career pivot into consulting) left me completely burned out on reading for several years. Then one of my sisters (Olivia btw) convinced me to pick up A Court of Thorns and Roses... and my reading slump didn't just end, it exploded. My Kindle has barely had a chance to cool off since.

Books have always been one of the ways my sisters and I connected growing up, so watching all of us become completely book-obsessed adults has been the best plot twist. These days, when I'm not reading, you'll usually find me wrangling my ever-growing menagerie of pets, running my consulting business, or cheering on USC football and whichever of my hockey teams I'm currently yelling at through the TV.

More than anything, I want Bound Escapes to be the kind of place I always wished existed; a community where readers can geek out over fictional worlds, make genuine friendships, and leave feeling like they've finally found people who understand why finishing a book can feel like losing a best friend.

I can't wait to welcome you into our little corner of the book world.

Hi, I'm Olivia, sister #3! I'm a Certified Nurse Midwife by day, mom of three, and currently basking in the rays of post-military life. My days are usually a beautiful mix of chaos, adventure, and a few too many pets.

Books have always been a place of comfort for me, but years of college, military moves, building a career, and raising a family slowly pushed reading into the background.

Then, in early 2022, after plenty of encouragement (okay... bugging) from Caitlynn, I finally picked up A Court of Thorns and Roses. I dove in headfirst and haven't really come back up for air since. Reading became more than a hobby again—it became my escape from the chaos of everyday life, a source of joy and connection, and even something I now get to share with my husband as I slowly convert him into a reader, too.

That's the heart behind these retreats. My hope is to create a space where readers can step away from the demands of everyday life, immerse themselves in incredible stories, and find a community that feels like found family. A place where you can finally exhale, rediscover the parts of yourself that get lost in the noise of daily life, and feel completely at home among people who understand the magic of a good story and the appeal of a morally gray character.

I hope every guest leaves feeling rested, inspired, and deeply connected—to books, to themselves, and to one another—carrying a little piece of that belonging with them long after they return home. I can't wait to meet you.

Hello! I’m Rachael, the youngest sister! Younger me was happiest escaping into fantasy worlds filled with magic and adventure. Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, and The Inheritance Cycle were some of my favorites! 

As I got older, life got busy. I built a career in the nonprofit world, became a mom to two amazing girls (and two very spoiled fur babies!), and somewhere along the way, I stopped making time for reading.

Then, a few years ago, I picked up Fourth Wing... and that was it. My love for reading didn't just come back—it completely took over my life. Suddenly my TBR was out of control, I couldn't stop talking about books, and I found myself wishing I had more people to share the excitement with. These days you'll usually find me reading long after everyone else has gone to bed, convincing myself "just one more chapter" is a perfectly reasonable life choice.

My dream is to create a cozy space where romance, fantasy, and romantasy readers can find their next five-star read, make lifelong bookish friends, and step away from the chaos of everyday life for a little while. Whether you browse our mobile bookstore or join us at a reading retreat, I hope you leave with a new favorite book and a few new friends, too.

I'm so happy you're here, and I can't wait to share this adventure with you. I hope you leave with a new favorite book, new friends, and memories you'll be talking about long after the last chapter.