This is a tender, funny, and emotionally resonant sapphic romance that explores identity, vulnerability, and the messy beauty of self-discovery—this time set against the backdrop of Portugal’s Camino de Santiago.

Sadie Wells is 35, stuck in a life that doesn’t quite fit, and suddenly questioning everything she thought she knew about herself. When she takes her sister’s place on a queer women’s tour of the Camino, she’s not expecting much beyond a break from her routine. But after a wine-fueled confession to her seatmate Mal during a bout of turbulence, Sadie finds herself face-to-face with the very woman she spilled her secrets to—and the journey becomes far more personal than she anticipated.

I loved how this story leaned into the idea that it’s never too late to figure yourself out. Sadie’s awkwardness, her internal panic, and her slow steps toward self-acceptance felt incredibly real. Mal, meanwhile, is dealing with her own grief and complicated family dynamics, and watching the two of them navigate their connection—sometimes clumsily, sometimes beautifully—was deeply satisfying.

The dual POV worked well, giving insight into both women’s emotional landscapes. And while the romance is central, I appreciated that the story also gave space to friendship, found family, and the kind of growth that doesn’t require a romantic resolution to feel complete.

Cochrun’s writing is warm and witty, with just the right amount of introspection. I especially appreciated the inclusion of aroace representation—it was handled with care and added depth to the cast. Also, bonus points for characters who aren’t all 22 and interchangeable. Sadie and Mal felt like real people, with histories and baggage and quirks.

My only minor critique is that the chemistry between the leads took a little time to click for me, but once it did, I was all in. The setting was vivid, the emotional beats landed, and the ending felt earned.

If you enjoy queer love stories with heart, humor, and a dash of wanderlust, this one’s worth the read. It’s a romance, yes—but it’s also a reminder that growth doesn’t have an age limit, and that sometimes, the scariest thing you can do is admit what you want.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

Thank you in advance to the publisher, Atria, and to NetGalley for the ability to read and review this ARC. Alison Cochrun, thank you for sharing your gift of story, and for being such an inclusive author.

Let me begin by saying that I am a cisgender / heterosexual woman. I think it's important to own my identity as a reader, as this is a queer rom-com.

_Kiss Her Once For Me_ was the first LGBTQ+ romance that I can remember reading (in 2022), and I loved it; so when I had the opportunity to read an ARC of _Every Step She Takes_, I leaped at it. This book gave me even more to love and celebrate. Ready for my review? Here we go!

First off, the main character Sadie isn't sure she's queer. She has spent decades trying to live/fit-into a heteronormative life but is finding that she can no longer continue that path.

As a twist of fate would have it, her blog-writing sister gets injured and is unable to walk the Camino de Santiago, fortunately Sadie seizes the opportunity to travel as a blogger in her stead.

At 30,000 feet, facing "certain death" (i.e. turbulence), Sadie comes out to the woman next to her. Not only does she declare that she might be a lesbian, she also fears she will die a virgin. Cue discomfort, laughter, and awkward turtles when she discovers the plane isn't crashing and she doesn't know how to manage the next several hours in her horrified vulnerable state ... Fast forward to the Camino -- Sadie finds herself face to face with a queer woman (and one gay man) and is forced to confront her own truth(s).

The story is fun, has its ups and downs, which led me to feel all sorts of emotions. The heart of the story beats with a vulnerable honesty that can resonate with any reader: We all want to feel like we are living our life not only at its most full, but also without regrets. This story gives us a chance to see what it might be like to take fourteen days to self-reflect, release, and to find ourselves on the other side.

Five stars. No ick or cringe. IMO no bad jokes or anything that could be seen as offensive or trite.

Alison Cochrun writes with quirky humor, and respects and honors diverse bodies in addition to queerness and sexuality as a spectrum.

I am always open to learning, and this novel taught me about an identity type I previously knew little about: aroace (a-romantic, a-sexual). I know people in my own life who self identify as asexual, but learning about a person being a-romantic as a type was an eye/brain-opener for me. So, thank you, Alison, for helping me better understand another level of diversity in the lives of people around me.

We are never too old to start again, to learn about ourselves or the world, or to lay claim to the life we want. We just have to be brave enough to allow ourselves to BE who we are, and go for it. 💜 🙏

Anticipated publication date September 2, 2025.

I really loved this book and how it was a romance that also placed emphasis on the importance of friendship and other relationships. It also beautifully brought me into the world of the Camino and my best friend and I are now planning our own trip for our 10 year friendship anniversary.

Who would like it: Fans of found family, Queer love, wanderlust, self-discovery, early 2000’s esque rom-com angst.
Rating: 4.75/5 = Loved it! I will have to wait & see how long it sticks with me to determine if it’s a true 5 stars.

Synopsis: Sadie Wells, who is 35 and never been out of the country before, volunteers to take her wanderlust, travel-influencer sister’s place on the Camino de Santiago tour in Portugal - without knowing a thing about it or herself. On her plane she meets Mal, who during a bout of heavy turbulence, Sadie confesses all of her secrets and self doubts to, including questioning her sexuality. It turns out that Mal, a self proclaimed serial monogamist who loves to find escape in love and travel, is also going on the same Camino tour - and while Sadie is hoping to steer clear of Mal due to embarrassment, Mal is hoping to steer clear of Sadie before she sweeps her off her feet. Going back and forth between the two FMC’s POVs the story is both about losing yourself in new experiences and finding yourself at the same time.

Blurb: This is the second book I’ve read of Alison Cochrun’s (the first being Kiss Her Once for Me) and I will say that it is by far my favorite. I love a found family and self discovery trope and add in the fact that it is both FMC’s who are going through their own self discovery - chefs kiss! I’m going to have to read through Alison Cochrun’s backlog because she just keeps getting better with each book. Though I read it as an eBook ARC I may end up buying a physical just so I can re-read it in the future when I go through my own moments of self doubt - maybe I’ll even look into a vacation in Portugal, though maybe not the camino portion.

Also I want to know if Alison Cochrun titles all of her books off of song lyrics or is that just a coincidence???

Acknowledgement: Thank you Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via @NetGalley.

All of Alison Cochrun’s books have been 5 stars for me and this is yet another one! Absolutely loved the setting. Was losing it when Sadie was screaming on the plane and didn’t realize it and absolutely loved that they both found themselves before they came back together.

Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochrun--Cute queer romance about 2 women who meet on an airplane then find themselves in the same tour group walking the Camino de Santiago. Sadie is in her 30s and is realizing that she is not straight when she joins the tour group in place of her injured travel influencer sister. She is surprised to learn that Mal, the friendly lesbian she met on the plane, is also in the group. This story is a lot about that it is never too late to discover who you are. I enjoyed the story and the fun cast of characters but didn't really feel Sadie and Mal had believable chemistry. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of the book which releases on 9/2.

This was such a cute and exciting story! I really enjoyed this sapphic romance. It was unlike any other. Definitely Recommend
!

This was a fun read, and I enjoyed that the characters were older AND that they weren't just two white women who looked like they could be identical twins. I always appreciate that this author has good writing that is easy to engage with and doesn't take itself too seriously.

I usually love this author but this was not it. Boy did this book dragggg. I got so bored I had to Dnf at 30%

I can’t say enough how much I loved this book. I felt very seen as a queer person who didn’t have my awakening until in my 40s. I loved Mal and Sadie. Sadie’s in flight announcement was awesome. Mal and Sadie both had family situations they had to work through and seeing them lean on each other was so sweet.

Alison Cochrun will be a permanent insta-read for anything she puts out. She has yet to put something out I haven't enjoyed. Definitely confirmed with this novel.

Her writing is so poignant at the right parts but so light and hilarious at others. Her characters just have such life to them even her multi-dimensional side characters should get novels!

The Main characters that have such depth as she puts them through the transformative journey of the Camino. Sadie who is running from responsibility but ends up running towards self discovery and Mal running from her past and family but ends up running to Sadie.
The theme is definitely a "coming of age" style story but for a 35 year old woman since she didn't get to have that adolescence period. Why not now! There's more but I'm not spoiling.
I can't recommend this book enough!

Thanks Net Galley for the early arc copy so I could leave a review.

as a big fan of the charm offensive, former resident of bellingham washington, and someone who dreams of getting to walk the camino one day - this romance had everything i wanted and more.

the romance was adorable, the banter was funny, i loved the cast of characters so much, and honestly wish that i could sign up for a beatrix tour asap.

had such a fun time reading this. was definitely predictable at times, but sometimes i just want a silly little gay romance to help me relax and this did just the trick.

this was perfectly enjoyable, but a step down from alison cochrun’s other books. both characters were interesting, but I didn’t feel like mal actually grew much throughout the story. both characters felt younger than their ages (which is something I hesitate to say, because this book deals with themes of coming out later in life. I don’t mean that these aspects make the characters feel younger, it is more their emotional intelligence and decision making skills shown by the end of the novel. there is no timeline for queer self discovery) and I left the book feeling like they did not really love each other. that being said, I adored the setting and the side character, and I will continue to read this author’s work. thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this earc in exchange for an honest review!

Every Step She Takes by @alisoncochrun
Genre: Sapphic Romance told in dual povs
Pages:352
Release date: 9/2/2025

Synopis: During a plane scare, Sadie reveals a secret to her seatmate Mal, which begins a life changing journey.

Thoughts:
*Loved Sadie and Mal together. Their individual growth made the progression of their relationship worthwhile.
*Loved how patient and understanding Mal was towards Sadie.
*The side characters were funny and lovable, especially enjoyed Stefano his energy was infectious.
*Appreciated learning what a Camino is. It sounds difficult but rewarding.
*The ending was so cute, and I like Sadie's families reaction to her news.

Thank you, @netgalley and @atriabooks, for giving me the opportunity to read this sweet book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

#everystepshetakes, #queerawakening, #lgbtqromance, #latebloomers

3.75!!

Here, we follow Sadie, 35 and deeply confused as to why none of the men her family sets her up with do it for her. Cue a spiral of self-reflection and a long-overdue queer awakening. Alison Cochrun really captures that messy, tender process.

Then there’s Mal: confident, elusive, with father issues and commitment problems.

I was a bit lost in the opening chapters. But once things settled, the emotional core of the book shone through. The romance was real, flawed, and deeply human. And definitely for fans of roadtrips/discovery trips. Which I unfortunately am not, so that's why I was not completely bought, but I liked it anyway!

Every Step She Takes by Alison Cochran

Tender-hearted with late 30s main characters reckoning with their life choices, every step she takes is a fantastically written, sapphic romance that will have you yearning to book a plane ticket to Portugal.

READ VIA:
Thank you, Avon, for the advanced e-copy

ABOUT:
When her sister suddenly becomes unable to go on her influencer trip down the Camino de Santiago, Sadie, who always takes care of others but never herself, takes her place. Suddenly, she finds herself sitting next to a magnetic woman on the plane and confessing her deepest secrets. When it turns out they’re in the same tracking group for their two-week journey down the Camino, sparks, emotions, and hard truths all come to life

MY THOUGHTS:
I cannot even begin to explain how much I loved the writing of this book. The prose flows and is descriptive without being overbearing and immediately transports you into Portugal. I love the alternating points of view and felt that both Sadie and Mal had very distinct points of view that came across through their respective chapters.

I think something Alison did especially well in this book was having late 30s women still questioning their identity, their value, and how they wanted to live their lives. I think so many readers will identify with the feeling of restlessness. I felt a connection to both these characters, and I love seeing them have a new “queer adolescence“.

Given their ages, I expected them to be good communicators. Still, Alison truly made sure that these characters expressed their needs and challenged each other in a way that made the romance, despite the quick timeline, feel so real.

The supporting characters were well thought out, fully developed, and added to the story and the setting.

Also, there was so much positive queer representation in this book that I truly enjoyed it.

SIMILAR BOOKS:
I didn’t know if you enjoyed Allison’s previous books or are a fan of Anita Kelly, this book will resonate with you. I've read a third of Allison’s books (I’ve also read Charm Offensive and Kissed Her Once For Me), and this might be my favorite yet.

SHOULD YOU READ:
I absolutely recommend this book, especially for those who are not super familiar with sapphic romance. This would be a wonderful place to start. I think the maturity of the characters and the journey of the Camino de Santiago will immediately draw you in.

As someone who has never been to Portugal or a two-weeks long walking excursion, Alison Cochrun got me in the mind of our "late-bloomer" Sadie as she straps on her sneakers and journeys through Europe as she sifts through her identity. I rubbed my feet at times at the descriptions of blisters on the trekkers' feet and could feel the heat on my back, yet I was on my couch still.

The story follows Sadie, a 35 year old woman, as her family sets her up on countless dates with men, and she cannot figure out why not one of the men does anything for her. Panic envelops Sadie as she reflects more on this point, uncovering years of sexual oppression and shame in realizing so late in life, as Sadie expresses. As a person that also came to terms with my identity in my late 20s/early 30s, I related to Sadie's state of mind at times, wondering why it was not more obvious to me during the first three decades of my life. It's a scary thing to come to terms with, but it doesn't make anyone's journey less valid. Cochrun does a great job going through Sadie's state of mind and her becoming comfortable with herself.

In contrast, the story's other narrator, Mal, comes off as a confident, elusive, and a globetrotter. She is the heiress to a Portuguese wine dynasty - but is shamed by how that ties her to her past and lost as to where she ultimately wants to land. Mal has major issues with her estranged father and struggles to make meaningful-long term relationships. Although I related to Sadie's queer coming out, Mal's nurturing and charitable side really resonated with me as a person.

The relationship with themselves and each other is the real journey of the story, not the Portuguese backdrop. Mal supports and champions giving a queer adolescence to Sadie, in part to help this lost woman and partly to ignore her own demons. The queer adolescence takes Mal and Sadie on adventures to flirt with strangers, self-confidence, and some not so savory requests, This is where some aspects came in that gave me pause. Sadie almost whines at one point when given a 'No' when asking for someone to have sex with her. She didn't drop it then and there, as the other person was pretty clear about it. She asked over and over again - which felt inappropriate and icky to me personally.

The beginning was also a little rushed in my opinion. The situation with her sister being an influencer and needing her sister to cover for her was not built out enough for me to believe it. The little vignettes at the end of each chapter usually helped carry the story, but left me lost even more in the beginning. I think the author could have set the scene better before Portugal is all.

As always with Alison Cochrun, I loved this book! The two main characters were equally endearing in different ways, and the supporting cast, especially their fellow walkers, were well drawn and quirky. What I loved most about this book though was the central pilgrimage - the walking and the settings along the way. It was absolutely enchanting! I will highly recommend this book to all readers of romance, LGBTQIA+ and women's fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

One of the best romances I've read this year, in the same vein as Casey mcquiston latest, where queerness meets travel to morph into one singular transformative experience

I have a new favorite romcom, and you're looking at it. I found myself not wanting to put this book down. As a woman who came out at 30, I was immediately connected to Sadie's story and fears. I also absolutely love travel, so that aspect of this book really got to me! While reading, I found myself laughing out loud (plane scene, anyone?), so much so that I woke my partner up a couple of times. I also found myself crying along with the characters at times. In addition to loving the main characters, all of the side characters are instantly loveable as well.

I will recommend this book until everyone I know has read it!