This was a wonderful road-trip story! I loved the found family aspect with their teach and mentor. The romance was wonderful and loved reading about where they were traveling to. Another must-read by Alison Cochrun!

Swoon. Okay. To the educators out there, imagine a book opening on the last day of school, just as the teachers are about to celebrate at the local Applebee’s. I happened to read this on the first evening of spring break, and I think that made this one even more special and relatable. The personalities, the antics, the excitement; it’s all captured, and I laughed out loud many times. The humor is for everyone, not just educators. I just think the fact that the two main characters are also high school teachers is a huge bonus to everyone working in education.

This one wrecked me -- Cochrun pitched it as a Rom com about death and even though the death part was clearly coming from the first few chapters, I still sobbed myself to sleep. The friends to frenemies, to coworkers, to friends to lovers arc was well done and I fell for Logan and Rosemary. Their shared relationship with Joe is what really carried me through the book.

I read this book on a plane and at about the 80% mark I was crying so noticeably that the woman next to me leaned over and said “I’m sorry but I just have to ask, what book are you reading???” And then I was too embarrassed to finish it so I waited until I was alone at my gate for my connecting flight so I could cry in peace. This book was so good and so tender and heartfelt and I adored it!!!

I highlighted so many portions about Rosemary bc I’ve never really felt so seen in a book until reading about her trip binder and anxiety brain.

Giving this a 4.5 rounded up because the repetition of the “blank fuckin blank” outbursts really got on my nerves lol

I absolutely loved Alison Cochrun’s first two books, but “Here We Go Again” didn’t do it for me like they did. The best part of this book was Joe and his love story with Remi. Their chemistry, even after thirty years apart, was beautiful and it was impossible not to love them. Unfortunately I can’t say the same for the actual main couple in this romance. Rosemary and Logan were childhood friends, then teenage enemies, ….to annoying coworkers to lovers? Both of their personalities individually worked really well for the story and they both had their strong moments of character development that changed them for the better by the end, but I personally didn’t feel the chemistry between them. Becoming friends again would have been more than enough, and honestly maybe better? The romance between Logan and Rosemary felt unimportant compared to their journey with Joe and everything they experienced on his Death Trip.
On a more stylistic level: Alison Cochrun’s writing is always full of life and very enjoyable to read, but the celebrity name-infused swearing got really old, really fast.
Overall it was a poignant, heartbreaking, enjoyable read— but I wish it wasn’t a “romance”.

This is a beautiful book! First one to make me sob in a long time. Cochrun writes about death/grief in a really tender & devastating way––there's a depth to this narrative that surprises the reader, and that allows this book to surpass her previous work (though I am a Charm Offensive stan forever). I do (still) have qualms with the way Cochrun writes racialized characters. It feels effortful in a way that reads less like, "I'm a white author whose writing reflects the world around me," and more like, "I'm a white author who wants to include ~diversity~ in my books." The issue here lies with the fallacy that our identities are easily legible. (Alexis Hall has written more eloquently about this topic as it relates to the author Ashley Herring-Blake, who seems to have the same issue!) Cochrun's characters seem to immediately/almost magically know (or notice) a person's gender/sexuality/race/disability/etc––they spot the pronoun pin, they recognize the accent or the features, and they always get it right. They can easily name and explain the way a person's identities intersect. But the way we interact IRL is far more complex. Often, we don't know someone's identities until they share them with us. And the way we think of our own identity isn't static, either; it evolves and changes over time. A book that wants to accurately reflect our world should contain a sense, or a tacit acknowledgement of that nuance. [SIDE NOTE: This is a common issue I've noticed in contemporary romance. Feel free to hire me as your sensitivity reader !!! ]

Here We Go Again
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Alison Cochrun

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Atria Books and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: A long time ago, Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale used to be friends. They spent their childhood summers running through the woods, rebelling against their conservative small town, and dreaming of escaping. But then an incident the summer before high school turned them into bitter rivals. After graduation, they went ten years without speaking.

Now in their thirties, Logan and Rosemary find they aren’t quite living the lives of adventure they imagined for themselves. Still in their small town and working as teachers at their alma mater, they’re both stuck in old patterns. Uptight Rosemary chooses security and stability over all else, working constantly, and her most stable relationship is with her label maker. Chaotic and impulsive Logan has a long list of misguided ex-lovers and an apathetic shrug she uses to protect herself from anything real. And as hard as they try to avoid each other—and their complicated past—they keep crashing into each other. Including with their cars.

But when their beloved former English teacher and lifelong mentor tells them he has only a few months to live, they’re forced together once and for all to fulfill his last wish: a cross-country road trip. Stuffed into the gayest van west of the Mississippi, the three embark on a life-changing summer trip—from Washington state to the Grand Canyon, from the Gulf Coast to coastal Maine—that will chart a new future and perhaps lead them back to one another.

My Thoughts: This was a beautifully written story about love and loss. Logan Matetis and Rosemary Hale used to be friends, very close best friends. They spent their time exploring them woods, rebelling against the conservative community, dreaming of escaping to live fulfilled lives. A little high school game before their senior year of high school divided them, and they never spoke again, not in high school or the decade Rosemary has been away. Neither of them are quite living up to where they thought they would be. Both are in the same small town working at the high school they graduated from as teachers. When they life long mentor, and former teacher, Joe lets them know that his cancer is back and he only has a short time to live, and has just one dying wish. A cross county adventure to Maine. They both reluctantly agree, driving in the most inconspicuous gay vehicle, from one state to another in an adventure of a lifetime, what lessons will they learn? What will they experience ? This follows the tropes of queer romance, second chance romance, opposite attract, and enemies to lovers.

This was more than a romance. It was about friendship, lifelong relationships, loss, healing, love, how to let go, and to be able to stand in your truth. The story was primarily narrated by Rosemary and Logan, with a few other surprise narrators, that really enriched the story. I have read other books by Cochrun and really enjoyed them and this one was no different. I enjoy Cochrun’s ability to weave romance with a message. These woman were both neurodivergent and Cochrun really did an amazing job at expressing how two different neurodivergent women can express theirselves down different paths. The author does an amazing job at balancing tender sweet moments with hard to discuss heavy topics, and does it with so much grace. Some of my favorite things from the book are the gay mobile, Joe, the Grand Canyon, and Remi.

Rosemary is rigid, control driven, Demi-sexual, and chooses stability over carefree, who has drowned herself into her career and has not had very many relationships. Logan is the total opposite, she is a carefree spirit, chaotic, shies away from relationships, and will leave someone before they hurt her. These two women have immediate tension from the initial car accident until the last page with appropriate angst. The characters were well developed, fleshed out, had depth, witty banter, chemistry, emotional, and were intriguing. The supporting characters of Joe, Remy, and Odysseus were just brilliant and elevated the story to another level. The author’s writing style was complex, multifaceted, spicy, endearing, poignant, beautiful, and brilliant. The tension was spot on throughout the story. The ending was so poignant, very beautiful, and extremely well written.

TW: toxic parents, mental health, and the loss of a close friend. This story was just so beautiful to me and I loved every single word. Cochrun has made a mark in my life and I will always read her books. Always. This story encompasses romance with relationships, and embraces loss is such an empathic way, you can’t help but fall in love. I experienced the whole gambit of the emotional rollercoaster with this one, from laughter to tears. I love the overall message of the book, teachers enrich people’s lives, become mentors to young minds, and also become safe havens for kids that are struggling. If you like Casey McQuiston, TJ Alexander, or Anita Kelly, you will LOVE this story. I highly recommend picking this up today!!

This is simply the sweetest, most beautiful, rip your heart to shreds and stitch it back up three sizes bigger book that I’ve ever read. I laughed constantly. I held back tears a few times and then cried so hard I couldn’t see the words anymore. The way this book approaches and opens up grief, death, mental health, love, joy, life, and so much more spoke to me in such a special way. I wanted to wrap every character in the biggest hug and never let go. I don’t even know how best to say how perfect it was, but I can tell you already this is a top book of 2024. And probably of ever.

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun is a friends to rivals to lovers sapphic road trip romance. When their former high school English teacher and longtime queer mentor is told he has 3 months to live he asks them to drive him to his beach house in Maine. Heartbreaking shenanigans happen along the way as the two fight each other and the American interstate in order to get him there. Also, one of the FMCs is on the ace-spectrum and her arch is handled so well. I can fully admit this book will leave you crying for the last 5o pages and you will be happy it happened.

Alison Cochran does it again! Here We Go Again had me absolutely sobbing the entire last 25% of the book. If I sob, it’s a five star rating. I don’t make the rules.

Cochrun is a master in writing emotional journey. In this book, we follow Logan and Rosemary as they take their beloved former teacher turned best friend, Joe, in a cross-country roadtrip.
They were once best friends, but one moment was enough to turn them into strangers, and now they kind of hate each other. Being forced into the gayest van in the country was not how they expected to spend their summer, but they can't say no to Joe.
Logan has a long list of ex-lovers. Rosemary's most stable relationship is with her job. They both have their issues to overcome, but they might be exactly what the other needs.
The emotional journey is one for the ages. Not only Logan and Rosemary's love story is incredible, but so is their journey to accepting Joe's imminent death.
If you want a book that will make you feel all the emotions, this is it!

Absolutely loved. Favorite Alison Cochrun so far! So much love and humor combined. It is pretty emotional and you may want to look at the trigger warnings but I just loved this so much. It was like a big emotional warm hug.

I love Alison Cochrun!

I enjoy reading her books so much, and I feel really lucky as a reader that we have her talent and stories in the romance book space. She's so considerate of both queer and neurodivergent representation in her books, and I'm so glad that she helps so many readers feel seen in her stories. She's so good at crafting character voice (especially in dual POV stories) and her writing is smart and funny.

This story had me both laughing out loud and ugly crying -- such a beautiful marriage of comedy and pull-your-heartstrings depth. You can really feel that this is a book of Alison's heart, that it's personal and contains so much of her feelings. It made it that much more resonant. It really is a captivating and powerful from beginning to end.

I loved the details that makes this story feel lived in and unique (like the auto mechanic shrimp and underground amateur drag shows) and I loved taking this literal and figurative journey with this cast of characters.

The one tiny thing that did annoy me was Logan's use of celebrity names in her proclamations of surprise or anger. I think Shay Mitchell was used three times? It got annoying pretty fast.

Overall, a really touching and and funny story.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley. Thank you for the opportunity

Fun and lighthearted. Loved it.

I was seriously looking forward to this book, and it absolutely delivered!

Here We Go Again follows Logan and Rosemary, who were best friends as kids but had a falling out in high school. Now, they're both back at the same school as teachers and arch-nemeses.

Of course, Logan and Rosemary both bonded with the same English teacher, Joe, as kids, and they both now find themselves invested in taking care of him as he battles cancer. So when Joe announces that he's dying and his last dying wish is to go on a death road trip with the two of them, they have no choice but to pile into a van together with him and his giant dog and hit the road.

I think one thing Alison Cochrun does really well is crafting a cast of characters that is complex and also utterly charming, and she really succeded with that in this book. Of course, I was obsessed with Joe and all of his elderly gay ridiculousness from the start, but I also loved Logan and Rosemary and each of their unique messes.

Logan is your stereotypical, somewhat chaotic, soft butch with ADHD, while Rosemary is the later-in-life ADHD diagnosis who compensates with needing to be in absolute control of everything, right down to hyper-fixating on color-coded binders for everything.

The chemistry between the two of them is palpable from the beginning, and I loved getting to watch them heal their wounds and fall in love. I also really loved getting to watch Joe get his own rekindled love story as a part of their journey.

This is truly the perfect summer road trip book, and you have to pick it up ASAP. It had me laughing, swooning, and crying in equal measure and I'm sure it will have you feeling the exact same way.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This friends-to-enemies-to-lovers forced proximity road trip romcom (got all that?) follows a snarky dying teacher who forces two of his former students to drive him across the country in the gayest van west of the Mississippi. Hysterical and heartwarming, f you're looking for a Pride month read, you can't go wrong with this one!

Thanks to Atria for the copy to review.

Here We Go Again is an LGBTQ romance, but also devastated me. But that's what I love in the romances I read!

here is what I wrote on Goodreads:

everyone say thank you, alison.

i, too, am going to start using wlw icons' names to swear. "for fletcher's sake" was my favorite one!

this book was fantastic. however, looking up the content/trigger warnings is a must.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4 ⭐️

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun is a second-chance romance set during a road trip. I wanted to like this book so much more than I did. Instead, I found myself annoyed at all of the main characters for their inability to communicate and their manipulations of each other.

I was excited for my childhood friends to rekindle the sparks from their youth. I loved the road trip setting with its beautiful descriptions, Joe's role in this book, and Logan and Rosemary's relationship. Despite the things I disliked, I was rooting for Logan and Rosemary to work through their differences and be together. I absolutely cried at different points in this book. This book left me with so many mixed emotions, and this is part of the reason I enjoy Alison Cochran's writing.

This book was so sweet. It was a quick read that was emotional, funny, and inspiring. I will absolutely recommend it to my followers!

This book is a beautiful story about love and loss and navigating grief that I thought was well done! Alison Cochrun has yet to be a miss for me.

I really loved the characters in this book, both main and secondary. Each one felt very thought out and helped move the plot in the direction that it needed to go. I also loved the parallels of the relationships between the two couples in this one. I think it added another layer. Rosemary and Logan were great main characters with their own flaws they work through and I love how their dynamic was throughout the book. You can tell that Cochrun puts a lot of thought into character growth in her stories.

This really is not only a love story between two childhood best friends but is also a love story of the impact that teachers can have on their students as well. It had me thinking back to one of my middle school English teachers who had an impact on me similar to Joe on Rosemary and Logan. I thought that was a really nice added dynamic throughout.

The overall plot was done well I think. The pacing felt good throughout and eventually I got to the point that I didn't want to put this book down!

Overall I just really loved this book! I'd highly recommend picking this book up during the summer. It's the perfect mix of a summer road trip with humor but also some heavier-hitting moments.