firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!

3.5 stars — this is the third women’s coming to age sports novel i read this year, and while i did enjoy it, especially the difference complex characteristics and backgrounds from each of the girls on the team, it was certainly the most depressing of the three i’ve read

If you’re looking for a heavier coming of age book, this is probably a good pick. But if you’re looking for a book about the experience of female competitive runners…meh.

I wish the publishers summary had been honest about what this book really is. It’s highly centered around a heavy sexual assault plot line that takes over most of the story. And then later it introduces ANOTHER sexual assault plot line.

Though I think the author did essentially get the politics and pettiness of women’s cross country right, it would have been a better book had she actually stayed with that as the central theme. It’s what the book’s summary *says* its focus is, and it’s also where the author shows some skill.

Though the weight issues are overblown here (cross country is really not like ballet or gymnastics in this way), the rivalries and politics among team members are very real, and though a lot of the girls’ perspectives are indistinguishable, those that do stand out feel accurate. Every team has a Danelle, for example.

In all, I enjoyed the parts of this that were actually about running and being part of a small and close knit team, but the book had other fatal flaws that are tough to get past.

This is the story of the best runners on the women's cross-country team at an elite liberal arts college in the early 1990s, but it's not really a book about running. Or, at least, it's not just a book for people who think they want to read about running. What makes this novel work for me is the way it is written, passing the story back and forth between first person plural (that "we" in the title is important) and chapters that settle into one character's specific experience, and the way that narrative choice supports the experience of being part of a team while also competing against each other. The characters need to keep running, but they also need to figure out how to cope with the rest of their lives (family histories, assault, binge drinking, eating disorders, etc), and I thought the movement between plural and individual experience worked really well for these other topics too. I didn't care that much about them winning, but I wanted to know what happened next in the story.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are all my own.

This was really well written and an enjoyable read. The characters were very vivid and I enjoyed following their journeys.

We Loved to Run is Stephanie Reents' debut novel and is set in 1992 at Frost College in Massachusetts. This story follows six elite women cross-country runners striving to reach the Division III national championships. The narrative unspools through the perspectives of the six fastest runners, weaving together personal struggles, competitive drive, and the bonds of friendship. At its heart are Kristin, the talented but troubled star with a summer secret, and Danielle, the compassionate team captain bearing her own scars. Together, the team confronts trauma, expectations, and each other as they race both on and off the track.

A cross-country veteran herself, Reents writes with startling precision and suspense during race scenes—a vivid immersion into the physical and mental rhythm of running. I was a little overwhelmed by the number of characters the story kept flipping between. This was not a light read, and not entirely hopeful, but it was definitely a thought-provoking, deep character-based story

We Loved to Run defies expectations of the sports novel, delivering a powerful portrayal of female athletes wrestling with ambition, trauma, identity, and solidarity. Reents’ prose is both lyrical and unflinching, and her experience as a runner adds authenticity to every race scene. The novel's collective voice is its greatest power—though uneven character development and a rushed ending leave some desire for more closure.
Still, this debut sings with emotional energy. It's perfect for readers craving athletic intensity blended with psychological depth and exploration of young women’s resilience against the backdrop of physical and emotional endurance.

We Loved to Run follows six young women on a cross-country team, each with their own perspective. I found it difficult to connect with the characters, and the shifting timelines, multiple POVs, and slow start made it hard to stay engaged in the early chapters. While other reviewers mention it picks up later, the slower beginning and the commentary (framed through a 90s lens) didn’t click with me personally. I can see how others may enjoy it (I'm usually a sucker for queer sports stories and female empowerment!), but I just couldn't stick with it long enough to connect.

I gave this a valiant effort - picked up two separate times, and even a third after a trusted recommendation source gave it a positive review. But it just wasn't for me...I just couldn't get attached to any of the characters and I found it to be too much of a slow burn. I dnfd the book at 47%.

I really like the premise of this one. Has elements of Rita Bullwinkle and Elizabeth Strout’s writing. Something felt slightly unmoored here but it was a captivating ride.

This book was a difficult read for me and it took 4 days. I am not really the demographic for a book about female cross country runners in college in the 90's.
Told from many points of view we see girls becoming women with a great need for friendship. Unsure about sexual identity, having borderline eating disorders due to pressure from their male coach's, some of the team afraid to share rape stories, undermining their confidence. But indeed, they all love to run.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the EARC. This is my honest review.

I really like academia and stories about athletic females so I was intrigued by this book about 6 college girls who loved to run. They are the fastest runners of their university’s famed cross country team aspiring to make it to the Nationals. While they are a close knit team and share much of their lives with each other, they are also fierce and competitive rivals, and each of them has her own demons and secrets. But the book is not just about running. The story plays out in the 90’s, and the author describes female college life in a brutally honest way with all the struggles like (trigger warning) excessive drinking and sexual assault. On top of this, our runners are battling eating disorders and body shame all the while they are pushing themselves to their limit. It’s a story about coming of age, friendship, competition, teamwork and perfectionism. I found the pace of the book rather slow (no pun intended) and struggled with the writing style at times. It basically switches between multiple POV’s and was a bit chaotic at times with extremely long sentences. The characters were all well developed and interesting. If I had to choose my favorite one, it would probably be Danielle, despite all her flaws, because she always sees the positive in everything and everyone and tries to keep it all together.
All in all, ‘We Loved to Run’ is an enjoyable and entertaining character-driven novel. This is a must read for runners, their families and coaches but even for the rest of us, it’s a gripping novel and will grab your interest from the very beginning. I’d like to thank Netgalley, Random House/Hogarth and Stephanie Reents for gifting me an advance copy. The above is my honest review and own opinion.

This was a heavier read than I anticipated - especially the 2nd half. I am not a runner so began the book a little suspicious as I was more interested in women's experiences and friendships and struggles than running and it delivered. It took a bit to get all the characters straight but once I did, the story unfolded well albeit a little slower than I might have liked at times. Stephanie Reents is a lovely writer but sometimes gets lots in the description? I particularly enjoyed the parts where "the team" was the voice - first person plural. Overall a solid read. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC.
3.5 stars

📚: We Loved to Run by Stephanie Reents
⭐️: 3/5

Framed as a story about friendship in the world of college cross-country running, this book started out being about a lot of things (honestly, maybe too many things as I found it a bit hard to find where the plot was grounded in at the beginning).

Then it took a hard left turn into territory that I wish there was a bigger trigger warning for, with the back half of the book centered around sexual assault and working through trauma. This ended up being a heavy read, and I encourage those that pick it up to be aware and take care while reading.

Thanks to Random House via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. We Loved to Run is out now.

I admit I don't care about sports but was invited to read this and I'm all about women's empowerment. So this is a good book but definitely a better book for someone who cares about sports.

it's the summer of reading books about GIRLS! i am sooo glad i picked this book!!!

We Loved to Run follows six girls on a college cross country team as they battle the pressures of athletics while walking the tightrope from girls to women. it's amazing!! i personally love a book with a full cast of characters and these girls were incredible to read about. while i understood the choice to focus on two main girls, i found myself wanting more of the other four. these book could have been 200 pages longer and i would have eaten it all up. take a chance on this, you won't regret it <3

thank you netgalley and random house for the free ARC!!

As a woman, I can relate to the feelings of body image, meeting and exceeding high expectations, friendship, and confidence. These themes throughout the book make it an enjoyable read, and I enjoyed the different point of views with the team members.

this was a dnf for me. i made it about 15% in before deciding i was done. right away, i had a hard time telling any of the characters apart. there are six povs, but none of the voices felt distinct. it all kind of bled together into one flat, shapeless perspective.

what really pushed me away, though, was the relentless fatphobia. it came from all directions - the girls, their coaches, the narration - and while i understand that's part of the sport culture this book is depicting, it made for a miserable reading experience. i can't stomach another paragraph about how disgusting they find fatness.

the moment that sealed it was the scene where the girls are out running and one of them accidentally tramples a rabbit and then start talking about murdering it/putting it out of its misery. it was so jarring and unnecessary. not dark or gritty or edgy, just needlessly cruel.

i appreciate what this book might be trying to do in terms of examining the toxicity of athletic environments for young women, but it just didn't work for me. it felt more like indulgence in that cruelty than critique. hard pass.

The premise here grabbed me right away: a women’s cross-country team, identity, ambition, and the lengths girls go to—sign me up. Unfortunately, the execution just didn’t work for me. The story is told from the perspective of six different runners, which ended up feeling overwhelming, and instead of sounding like college athletes, the voices came across more like high schoolers.

I wanted grit, urgency, and emotion. Instead, I kept finding myself disengaged and skimming. Ultimately, it just wasn’t holding my attention and I decided not to continue. DNF.

I started reading this book on my kindle but switched to the audiobook about halfway through. I STRONGLY recommend the audiobook. The narration is excellent and the narrator does a fabulous job of weaving in the emotion of the story. Everything felt so much more impactful and meaningful listening to the book.

This story is a glimpse at the lives of a female college Cross Country team. I say glimpse intentionally. Do not except a full deep dive into their lives. Rather dive into the small tidbits they give us and the way those tidbits bring them together.

It was a powerful story. Heartbreaking and awful but a testament to the strength of women. There is power in numbers, connection and supporting each other. I thought it was a beautiful story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.

Thank you Random House, Hogarth, and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was interesting, but ultimately I had a difficult time following it. It was unclear multiple times throughout the book who the narrator was. I also just had issues with some of the characters' storylines not panning out or developing. Maybe I need to reread, but it wasn't my favorite book.

Thank you again for the ARC!

First off, I want to give thanks to the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

We Loved to Run follows a group of young women on a cross country team at a small college. As the story unfolds, we learn about the different women that make up this ambitious team looking to qualify for nationals and the struggles that plague them. We Loved to Run is not only emotional, sad, and painful but also a story of hope as it takes a stab at girlhood and ambition.

Out of all the arcs I’ve received, I think this one surprised me the most. I truly was not expecting to love this one as much as I did.
I really enjoyed the writing style, in particular, because it felt as if I was reading someone’s diary and an outsider who actually witnessed the events unfold. We Loved to Run combines characteristics of character study-style novel and a novel that focuses on the everyday experiences of a group of women—similar to a slice of life novel. It felt intimate, real, and familiar.

My only critique is that I can see some readers wanting some of the excessive details removed. However, the excessive details makes sense when you think of it as a diary.

Other than that, I truly loved this one. I loved reading about the characters, the pacing, and the simplicity. It even has some tension sprinkled through. Overall, I think everyone should give this a try. Prepare to cry at the end though.

Rating: 4.45/5