2.5 stars
Rosemary and Logan are former high school best friends who had a falling out but are now connected by their jobs as high school English teachers and their terminally ill former English teacher. They take him on an end of life road trip over summer break. I was excited for this book as I love road trip books and want to listen to all the sapphic romances. Unfortunately, our female main characters were both very emotionally immature and felt more like caricatures for the first half of the book. The connections felt more genuine by the end of the book but it was just non-stop drama up to that point. The terminally ill mentor’s story was also full of more drama and miscommunication. I keep writing in my reviews that contemporary romance is my favorite genre when it’s done “right” but when it’s full of drama, secrets and lies between the main characters, it ruins the whole concept of HEA. I don’t understand how most consumers want this level of drama in their romance books. I really hope that relationships out there aren’t this dysfunctional. We need more genuine sapphic romance novels where the drama is from outside of the main couple so we can root for them from start to finish.

This one was cute but a bummer. The girls were kind of awful to their dying professor who travelled with them.

W O W.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster and chock full of good lessons. I loved both FMC's and loved watching them reignite their friendship, and then their romantic relationship down the line. Both Logan and Rosemary are flawed humans rather than caricatures, and the journey they go on with their mentor and friend Joe was both heartwarming and heart wrenching at the same time.

I can confidently say a book hasn't touched me like this in awhile, and it's one that will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review,

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Here We Go Again is so much more than the cute cover and loopy script title. Even the blurb doesn't give this story the justice it deserves. Here We Go Again is about love, and loss, and learning about who you are and realizing that you are deserving of things you have in life even if you do not think you deserve them.

Logan, Rosemary, and Joe embark on a cross-country roadtrip to bring Joe to his cottage in Maine one last time. Joe, Logan and Rosemary's former English teacher is dying from cancer and asks his two favorite former students (who were each other's former best friend) to help him. What ensues is a story filled with love, grief, joy, sadness, and reckoning. These characters are all so dynamic as each has to face their past regrets, mistakes, and unresolved feelings. Alison Cochrun possesses the unique talent of taking something utterly heartbreaking and turning it into a story where I could be laughing hysterically on one page and be sobbing by the next. I think anyone who reads this book would be able to see at least a little bit of themselves in each of these three characters. I know they are characters I will not be forgetting any time soon.

Alison Cochrun has a knack for writing books that manage to feel cozy in the midst of chaos. Here We Go Again is a road trip story about second chances and lost queer love that felt completely unpredictable but ultimately right from one chapter to the next. I loved every second of it and cannot wait to recommend it to my colleagues, my past (graduated) former students, and my LGBTQ+ romance book club.

don't really know how to talk about this book. It is so much more than a sapphic road trip romance and I loved it so much.

Logan and Rosemary are ex best friends and when their former English teacher requests to go on a death trip to Maine, the two of them decide to grant his last wish and set forth on the road trip of the summer. Logan is very visibly queer and a self-proclaimed fuckboy. She doesn't really form attachments and has a history of hooking up with any available sapphic in her vicinity. Then we have Rosemary who is also a lesbian but is more straight passing. She is super femme and has the opposite history of hookups as Logan meaning she hasn't had any.

The two of them had a falling out when they were in high school and now that they're in their 30s, they are forced to confront all of the big feelings they didn't deal with as teenagers.

Let's talk briefly about Joe. Joe is in his 60s and has pancreatic cancer and it's going to die. He is out and proud and has been the entire time he's known the girls. He was their English teacher when they were in high school and has kind of served as an adoptive parental figure for both of them. They both maintained very close relationships with him after high school even though they themselves didn't have a friendship. Joe's last wish is to go to Maine to his house and he inlists Logan and Rosemary to drive him there. So they figure out a vehicle and they load up Joe and his dog Odysseus and they set out.

What's a road trip without some detours right?

This book is so much more than a rekindling of a sapphic romance. It really is a testament to living life while you have it and embracing the relationships you do have. It's about leaving life with no regrets and fostering a sense of community. It's about self love and how to empathize and embrace your own feelings and experiences.

I was a bit of an emotional mess at the end of this and I still feel like I'm not doing it justice with this review. Honestly go read other people's reviews cuz they were much more eloquent than I am. This book is so good.

Lesbian MC with ADHD, Lesbian Aspec MC with ADHD, Gay Latine SC, Gay Black SC.

Small amount of explicit content. It's like one scene and it's fairly tame and should be safe for those that prefer fade to black or no explicit.

I have loved all the books written by Alison Cochrun and this one is now my favorite. I knew by the premise that I would love this book and was so excited to receive an arc. The premise of a road trip centered book is perfect for the summer or spring. The author as always wrote such intriguing characters and amazing story line.

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔: Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Road Trip, Opposites Attract, Slow Burn, Only One Bed

Logan and Rosemary were best friends as children but turned to arch rivals. When their favorite teacher has a dying wish they both agree to take him on a cross country roadtrip all the way to Maine. The journey is a way of connecting with their inner self, with each other and getting a larger perspective on life.

What I absolutely loved about the book is the experience of the road trip. Finding themselves, caring for a dying man. The story is heartbreaking, moving, inspiring all at the same time. Loved the funny situations and painful moments they go through! This was a moving read!

You might not think two people taking care of a beloved mentor with a terminal illness could be the start of a love story, but you'd be wrong. This book is a beautiful study of life, death, pain, and joy. It's funny and it's devastating. I'm so glad that Alison is pushing the boundaries of what a romance can be.

I'm so conflicted writing this review. My heart is torn between the plot and my overall enjoyment of the book as a whole.

rating: 3 STARS
genre: romance
format: audiobook + ebook

I REALLY loved the story with Joe, Logan, and Rosemary completing their "Death Trip." Their overall dynamic and the locations that they're able to travel to together really just warmed my heart (and almost made me want to see the Grand Canyon...almost, but not quite). I have a weak spot for elderly people in my romance novels, so Joe immediately flew to the top of my favorite character list here.

The romance, however, fell really flat for me. It felt very fast and, honestly, I skipped forward through the spicy scenes because they were a bit much (that could be a me problem and not a book problem - as I've discovered I prefer slightly less spice in my books than I used to). I can't really put my finger on what about it didn't work, but something didn't sit right.

Overall, this was a cute romance. It wasn't for me, but it might be for you!
(The audiobook narration, however, was VERY good. Would listen again.)

I am a big Alison Cochrun fan, and this book does not disappoint! The three main characters were so lovable and relatable, I felt like I knew them. I was crying at several points throughout the story.
Every detail of the road trip was so vivid and accurate, I finished the book feeling so inspired to do a big American road trip! I would definitely recommend this book!

I loved this book so much!!! Romance books that make me cry, laugh, and feel way too many emotions will always be my favorite!!!

I think something is broken in me, because after reading all of the amazing 5 star reads, I just … didn’t feel the same 😭 which completely broke my heart since I adore alison cochrun and her style of writing!

I will say, this is 100% a sad contemporary romance with a lot of grief and death scattered around the plot so please take the time and read the trigger warnings to take care of your mental health first ❤️

logan and rosemary used to be best friends in school and are now mortal enemies teaching at the same school - it’s a tale as old as time! and throw in the best character of all time, joe, their former english teacher and you have a recipe for a perfect second chance romance!! except, I could NOT get over logan and rosemary’s characters… they were unlikable and selfish towards their own hearts (from putting on a brave face and joking around to hide a broken heart to expressing little to no care about the few that actually love them) 🥴 I really didn’t like how logan projected her trauma and closed herself off from everyone by her selfish nature

while I understand that everyone goes through trauma differently, for a romance book, I want to be able to root for the characters, and I just did not feel that way about logan at all. the way she used others, including my sweet sweet joe, was not it for me.

speaking of joe, though, I absolutely adored him and cried so much because he SAVED the story for me 🥹🥲 I wish everyone had a joe in their lives because I promise, the world would be in a better place

thank you to atria and netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 3 stars
wine pairing: finger lakes chardonnay

I swear Alison Cochrun gets better with every book! Everything about this book was great. The characters, the neurodivergent representation, the banter, everything.

I loved that it was a road trip. I loved the Gay Wagon. I love that a dog tagged along.

With that being said, this book is sad! But happy! But sad!!

Please read it!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

Alison Cochrun is a genius. I will buy anything she writes. Here We Go Again had me smiling ear to ear. Loved it.

"𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘸. 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘸 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵. 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴."


I'm a bit wrecked after finishing this book.

It pulled on every. single. heart string that I have and twisted me into a crying mess.

But like, in a good way.

Losing someone you love is truly gut-wrenching.

And as I was reading, I couldn't help but resonate with so SO much of Rosemary. It was like Alison was writing about me.

But at the same time, part of me was also connected to some of those deep-rooted feelings that Logan had as well.

This was just a beautifully written story.

But fair content warnings to all: Mentions of cancer, parental death and abandonment, and detailed caregiving.

Thank you to @atriabooks and @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for this review!
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Ever go into a book for the summer road trip vibes but come out of it with so much more? That's this book.

Here we go again deserves all the praises and hype. It's quickly becoming my go to summer book recommendation. It gave me EVERYTHING I look for in a summer romance novel. The road trip, the beautiful outdoorsy settings, a cast of found family characters who will stick with you, engraving themselves into your memory for eternity. It's bright, sunshiney, but also tragic and gut wrenching. I'm clenching my chest where my heart is just thinking back upon this touching story.

I love all of Alison's books. They have all been 5 stars, but this one is my absolute favorite.

Thank you Netgalley, Atria Books, and Alison Cochrun for eARC.

Here We Go Again is out now.

It's been a while since a book made my cry but this one managed it.

A sapphic friends-to-enemies-to-lovers set on a road trip where Logan and Rosemary are taking their beloved former teacher turned friend to Maine. Oh and he happens to be dying of cancer, which will make you cry.

Alison Cochrun did something really special with this book. She not only manages to grow a romance against the backdrop of tragedy but explore death and dying. In a world where there have not always been visibly gay older people, it's a powerful thing to have an older queer character. There's a moment where Joe remarks about the AIDS crisis and that "gay men don't get to grow old" and I sobbed.

There's also all these beautiful little hints about how there's queer people everywhere. Even in the South where people like to pretend we aren't.

As always, Alison Cochrun's discussion of characters who are not fully allo is amazing and well done.

I loved this. It was beautiful and sad and romantic all at once

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own."

this is my favorite Cochrun book thus far! This book had some much great stuff and the romance was great. While this is definitely a romance book there is so much more than that. This is a book about grief and self exception. This book is a love story to the queer community and queer history. This is a book about art and a book about loves beyond just romance. This book is just all around beautiful. I haven't read a book that had me laughing one minute and crying the next. This book is an absolute breath of fresh air and I can't wait to bug everyone about reading it! Please do yourself a favor and read this one. This book is definitely worth your time.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC

What a cute story. We follow Rosemary (perfectionist extraordinaire) and Logan (hot mess express) as they drive their favourite person and teacher, Joe, across country so he can die in his old home. I enjoyed the representation and diversity, but the lack of communication is always something that bothers me. Joe and Remy were my absolute favourite and I didn’t realise how much I miss going to drag shows 😩. I need to find one ASAP.

I would recommend Here We Go Again to anyone who wants a cute friends to enemies to lovers story and a beautiful message of living your life while you can.