Another beautiful queer romance from Alison Cochrun! Every Step She Takes is a funny, intimate, adventurous story about queer awakenings and finding love. Cochrun writes flawed, but lovable characters and this book is no exception. The ensemble of characters is very diverse in a way that feels authentic to the queer experience. Some stories about “late bloomers” can feel cliche, but Cochrun wrote Sadie and Mal’s story in way that felt exciting and new, but still earnest and familiar. Mal and Sadie's Connection was palpable and I loved how the two grew together throughout the story Easily another quintessential sapphic romance I’m adding to my book shelf!

Note: I was able to read this book due to getting an ARC that was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

rating — 4.25 out of 5 stars.

alison cochrun!!! i am four for four on enjoying her releases, and there are not many authors who can claim that kind of run. she’s always had such a solid grasp on in-depth character work, satisfying relationship development (and character development), and balancing those with a unique and interesting overarching plot. when i pick up one of her works, i can trust that it’ll be a good read, no matter what. i’m very pleased that this title is joining those ranks!

funnily enough, i actually spent two weeks in santiago de compostela as an introduction to my semester abroad almost a decade ago – while i didn’t complete the camino myself, i saw pilgrims nearly every day, and it makes me smile to think back on that time in my life and imagine sadie and mal among them. at that point in my life, i hadn’t admitted to myself that i liked girls, much less spoken it out loud to anyone else. sadie’s journey, while not identical to mine, still has shades of relatability for me in that way. no two gay awakenings are alike, and i certainly didn’t spring from the womb with an awareness of my own lesbianism, so i really do get her.

i do have one pet peeve about this – the POV switching. i absolutely enjoy multiple POVs, but i really prefer when they’re separated into their own chapters. in times of need, i can even get behind having POV switches when a new scene occurs. but having the POV switch in the middle of a conversation feels egregious, and it was jarring to have it happen multiple times throughout the book. i don’t like it!! it can take me out of the story, which is a shame when it’s one i’m enjoying. ultimately, though, i still loved the book, and as always, i can’t wait for whatever story appears next in the alison cochrun repertoire!

This book had me actively stopping reading at several different points to plan my own trip to the Camino, and I feel like that’s the highest compliment I can give!

This book is packed full of everything you could possibly want - a story of self discovery, a wholesome (but spicy) romance, and a beautiful setting.

If you like sapphic stories, European settings, lots of food, or just want a story to whisk you away, definitely pick this book up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this sapphic romance by Alison Cochrun. This story follows Sadie and Mal and their journey as they walk the Camino de Santiago in Portugal. Sadie is grappling with the fact that she might be queer, as well as unpacking the family trauma she never actually dealt with. Mal is struggling to come to terms with the fact that her father, who was never accepting of her as a queer woman, has died and left everything to her. This romance is packed with self discovery, queer joy, and adventure. I had a fantastic time reading this book.

I adore Alison Cochrun's writing and "Every Step She Takes" is gleefully added to the canon of wonderful sapphic books for me. Mal and Sadie are charming and tender together, the Camino is emotional, funny, and fulfilling, and the character growth is practical and joyful.

While the first quarter of the book sets up anxiety and fear as the rulers of head and heart, the subsequent pages unfurl the why behind the what, making for tender revelations and inviting the characters to be vulnerable with others and themselves. While resistant, both Mal and Sadie arrive at where they need to be, when they needed to be there. As always, there are minor characters in the wings ready to call the MC on their bullshit and kindly help them to their better HEA. We all need a little help from our friends, and Alison Cochran's books never disappoint to have a queer found family waiting in the wings.

I always appreciate the emotional intelligence Alison Cochrun gives her characters - and capacity to grow,. Also, I delight in MC who are over 30 as it gives so much more to write, reflect on, and invite readers to do the same. That said, there's no age restriction to this book. I think everyone will find something to take away and leave behind, as Inez likes to say.

One of my favorite reads this year!

This book has me severely needing to go on a backpacking trip! It gave me a lot of nostalgia for the trips I took in college, all the amazing people I met and the moments of self reflection. While my trips didn’t lead to my coming out or falling in love like these two, it did give me such incredible memories. This book was really tender and beautiful and exactly why I love to read romance!

Who’s going to start up Beatrix Tours? Because I’m ready to sign up for a Camino!

Alison Cochrun is easily an auto-buy author for me. She writes romances where the chemistry jumps off the page, the storylines to sucks you from page one to last sentence, and leaves an emotional wallop on your soul. Every Step She Takes is no different. You have a late in life lesbian trying to discover who she is on a surprise LGBTQA+ hike through Spain. In Alison Cochrun's hands the book basically writes itself!

You can't help but love every character, flaws in all, and cheer on both Mal and Sadie as they trek through the country. While this isn't my favorite Cochrun book it's still high on my recommendation list.

Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun is an incredibly fun and funny book that follows two queer women on a physical, emotional, and mental journey on the Camino de Santiago, a religious/spiritual journey that these characters choose to take starting in Lisbon, ending in Spain. And wow, what a journey it was.

Alison Cochrun is an auto-buy author for me, and I was certainly not let down by this book. Mal and Sadie both feel like incredibly real, fleshed out characters who you can't help but root for. They both have their own struggles and flaws that they bring to the Camino and deal with over the course of the two-week journey. Along with Sadie and Mal we meet a host of other funny and larger than life characters who travel the Camino with them and also go through their own journeys and growth along the way. I really fell in love with everyone in this book, and I would love to read more about any one character in this book.

This book was also just incredibly funny. The first scene on a plane had me laughing out loud, which is not common for books, and that humor stayed throughout the entire book. This book was also very emotional, though. I felt seen by Sadie's journey, and inspired by Mal. As someone who really does not like walking for long distances, this book made me want to go on my own Camino, it was that good!

This was a quick, readable queer romance novel focused on finding oneself in multiple ways. When you read a romance, you pretty much know how it ends—what draws you in as a reader is how the characters get there, the setting, the character-development and writing style. This is where Every Step She Takes stood out to me. The characters are fun and likeable, the setting is lovely (now I need to take a walking pilgrimage in Europe) and the premise was unique and heartwarming (discovering one’s sexuality late in life). Great weekend read with a memorable story.

I really enjoy Alison's books. Most of the time the only trouble is I read them too fast and must wait for more. I especially liked this one because of the outdoorsy activity and late bloomer sapphic story.

Sadie thought she was just filling in for her injured influencer sister on a scenic walking tour—minor detail her sister forgot to mention? It’s a queer Camino tour. Which is a bit of a curveball when you’re just realizing you might be a lesbian. Oh, and that gorgeous woman from the plane? She’s Sadie’s roommate for the trip. Cue panic. And flirting.

Alison Cochrun delivers again with a story that’s equal parts hilarious, heartwarming, and hot-girl-hiking chaos. Watching Mal “help” Sadie practice being queer? Iconic. Add in a dreamy Spanish backdrop, a fabulous queer cast, and some seriously thoughtful convos about identity, comphet, grief, and late bloomers—and you've got a queer romcom that struts the line between feel-good and full-feels. Loved it.

I loved this book in all of its travel romance glory. It was at once a fun and flirty exploration of new places and new things, and also a deep dive into the hard things we have to think about when we finally have enough time on our hands. This story really hit the spot for me — a perfect summer read, a perfect pride read, good to take the edge off, but not without bite of its own.

Alison Cochrun is one of my favorite romance authors, and this didn’t disappoint! I actually read this right before going on the Camino myself, which I think made it an even more fun reading experience. I really resonated with Sadie and loved the found family in this book.

I didn’t think I would enjoy this book as much as I did. It started out slower for me but it really picked up. I loved the cast of characters, they were such a fun motley crew that you grow to love, just like the MCs did. I was fully expecting an awful third act break up but the author worked around that pretty easily. I felt the ending was abrupt, I was not expecting to turn the page and hit the acknowledgements. I feel like any newly out queer person or someone looking for positive queer representation would love this book. It’s a journey and I truly enjoyed it.

I got this an as ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, thank you!

Alison Cochran does coming to terms with sexuality so well, this one was no different. I loved the atmosphere and insight into the trail. Honestly, it was my favorite part of the book. The main characters dynamic was interesting but not one that I truly believed in.

This was a good one. Alison Cochrun is very good at making you love every character that steps foot in her books. Characters are complex but lovable. And the storyline is always smooth.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC! I really always enjoy this authors charming romance novels, they have a lot of heart and this one is no different

I love the way Alison Cochrun develops characters, and this book was no exception. I loved the courage the main character showed from the beginning- stepping in for her twin to walk the Camino, grappling with her sexuality, and struggling to figure out who she was in light of new discoveries about herself- it is a “coming of age” book for a character in her 30s. Many thanks to Atria Books, Alison Cochrun, and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an unbiased review.

This book was fantastic! I adored these messy but sweet disasters and I loved the way the Camino journey played alongside their relationship. Alison Cochrun continues to write the best characters. After I finished it, I just wanted to pick it back up and start over.

(This was a voluntary review of a free advanced reader copy. Thanks to Atria Books, Alison Cochrun, and NetGalley for that privilege!)

“How boring would life be if we didn’t have anything left to discover about ourselves?”

I haven’t read anything by Alison Cochrun that I haven’t loved. She manages to create such beautiful, flawed, and captivating characters. This book is no different, and going in nearly blind made for such a great reading experience.

The story focuses on Sadie and Mal, who are on a group tour walking the Camino de Santiago in Portugal. Sadie is there in her sister’s place after making a snap decision, and she’s immediately unsure. Mal has walked the Camino before, but she’s there because she running from her latest breakup and her father’s death. They’re both at such a crossroads and using this tour as an escape, but it becomes so much more than that.

Sadie is grappling with the realization that she’s not straight, and Mal steps in to help her embrace her queerness. It revolve into such a deep emotional connection between them. Mal is trying not to let herself end up in another relationship so soon despite her clear attraction to Sadie. They have such honest and vulnerable conversations as the tour goes on, developing into what Mal hopes is a real relationship and not the pit stops she’s had before. Their struggles are real and relatable, and they’re dealing with internal issues on top of the external difficulties of walking the Camino.

Not only are Sadie and Mal great characters with incredible development, the supporting characters on their tour are incredible. The tour itself is queer, and it’s an eclectic group with such different experiences. They’re endlessly supportive and encouraging of each other, and it’s amazing to see their development in the background of Sadie and Mal’s. This is the kind of book that buries itself deep in your soul and reverberates.

I could talk about how incredible this book is for so long. It’s just excellent.