✈️ Bookish Thoughts
Every Step She Takes is a sapphic romcom set on a queer women’s tour in Europe. Our FMC Sadie is in her mid-thirties and questioning her sexuality. And Mal is ready to step in as her sapphic mentor.

The book starts off so strong. The airplane scene had me laughing out loud and totally gave me secondhand embarrassment. But around the 30 percent mark, the pacing really started to drag.

Even though both FMCs are supposed to be in their 30s, they felt very young and honestly immature. I couldn’t fully buy into the romance either. There was just something missing. Some of the side characters also felt cringe and overly forced. I had to push myself to finish the book.

💛 What to Expect
• Sapphic romance
• Self-discovery
• Late bloomer
• Found family
• Queer women travel tour

📅 Pub Date: September 2, 2025
Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Every book I’ve read by Alison Cochrun has been a beautiful description of self discovery, gentle yet poignant, sweet and sensual, and this book was no exception. Every Step She Takes takes the idea of the journey to a literal level as Cochrun describes the Santiago pilgrimage (camino de Santiago) in ways so vivid, I could feel the exhaustion and exhilaration of the travelers and had I not been planning my own camino already, the story certainly would have inspired me to. If only there was a way to book the camino with the same group of queers from every life journey! Thank you to Alison Cochrun for another book that breaks and heals your heart and gives you hope in a world that needs it.

Alison Cochrun does it again 🎉

As a self-proclained indoor person, I can safely say I'll never hike a Camino but I feel like I did though Sadie and Mal's story.

first up, we have Sadie who is 35 and impulsively says she'll hike the Camino for her social influencer sister when she can't due to an injury. little did Sadie know that the tour she's going on is a queer tour. Sadie has been thinking for awhile that straight isn't the best term for her but being thrown into a group of out and proud queer folks stuck together for two weeks doing a physically grueling task is her version of a nightmare.

that is, until she asks Mal to help her experience queer adolescence.

Mal is the heir to a wine fortune that she never wanted. when her estranged father dies and leaves the fortune to her, she does what she does best and that's run away. she wasn't expecting to end up next to a woman full of freckles crying out about being a lesbian virgin during turbulence on a flight then to end up on the same queer tour.

As Mal and Sadie hike their Camino with their very fun and unique group of queer buds, they start to go on an internal emotional journey as well as a physical one. they get introspective about what they want and how to go about it. they also do some practice flirting and dating and kissing. but for real, it's just practice, seriously.

While not my favorite of Alison Cocchruns books, it's still a fantastic read and one that I loved reading. I even read the ebook instead of waiting for the audio and if you know me, that says a lot about the story.

I'd also like to give a brief moment for the fat rep. Sadie is fat and it's fairly decent rep from a non-fat author. there's one specific scene that brought me such immense joy and it's how I want all authors (and people in general really) to handle the conversation when someone says they're fat. its solid representation and I'm here for it.

questioning fat maybe lesbian, definitely queer MC, lesbian MC, multiple secondary queer characters including trans rep

4.5 ⭐

Every Step She Takes is fabulous! I rated it 5 stars. I was able to get an ARC of this book via Net Galley. I have no notes! I’d give it 10 stars if that was an option. This Sapphic Romance is cleverly and beautifully written with literal Laugh Out Loud moments and it was really such a great story. This book follows Mal & Sadie and tells a story of self discovery and shows how freeing living as your true self can be. Alison Cochrun is a genius and writes the human emotions so well. I really can’t wait for everyone to read this book.

I really loved this book! This is my second Alison Cochrun book. I love the connection to the PNW in her books (that I’ve read so far at least), and I loved that this one was set on the Camino de Santiago. I’ve never done a Camino, but I’ve known folks who have, and I thought it was really cool premise for a romance novel.

This had a really good ensemble of characters that contributed to the story. The nervous breakdown/gay epiphany moment on the plane during turbulence was incredible.

I appreciate how Alison Cochrun can balance characters being messy but still relatable. Mal and Sadie both fit that bill, and I thought the development of their relationship was really cute.

Loved this! Can’t wait to go back and read the other Alison Cochrun books I’ve missed, and can’t wait for more in the future. Will probably end up purchasing a physical version of this to add to my library as well.

“Every Step She Takes” is a story about discovering your identity, dealing with complicated grief, and how it’s never too late to start living as your true self. And of course, finding your people in the queer community to make everything feel less scary and alone.

One thing Cochrun does exceptionally well in this book is the imagery and descriptions. I’ve read a few of her other books, but this one takes the cake. There were points in the story where I could very vividly see the coast of Portugal in front of me. I felt like I was on the Camino with everyone. I could imagine the quirks of each character as if they were sitting at the dinner table next to me at night in the cool breeze sipping on sangria. I absolutely ate up these little moments that I could visualize.

I could not put this book down until it was over. This book had me in happy tears at the end. This is my new favorite Alison Cochrun book!

This is my second book by Alison Cochrun and I really think she's going to become an auto-buy author for me. I didn't love this as much as I loved "Here We Go Again" but this was still really good. I loved the main characters and how different they were and that these differences really complimented each other. I also laughed out loud multiple time throughout this book mostly because of the side characters and it just made the book so much better. I love a romcom with actual comedy and an engaging and fun supporting cast. I really enjoyed Sadie's journey of self discovery and her growth throughout the novel was very real and I loved being on this journey with her. Same for Mal, I didn't find her as engaging as Sadie, but I thought her growth throughout the novel was done really well and I really feel like I got to know her over the course of the novel. I loved that we got to see her be more and more vulnerable with Sadie as the book went on, it made her feel real and made me feel more deeply for her. I thought the chemistry between the characters was good and their scenes together were really fun. I wish we had more time to delve deeper into both characters families but this is a contemporary romance novel so I understand why those storylines were a bit more in the background.
I also really really loved the setting and now I want to go on my own Camino.
Overall a really solid novel and I can't wait to see what Alison Cochrun does next.

Every Step She Takes is the fourth book I've read from Alison Cochrun, and I can confidently say she never misses. The way she approaches internalized homophobia and creates a safe space for self-exploration while also holding her characters accountable for bad choices is so refreshing to see in a book like this. As a hiker, myself, I also loved the element of a physical journey along the Camino tied with the emotional journey of both of the characters. I can't wait to recommend this to anyone who is struggling with their sexuality and is looking for a book that will make them feel seen and understood.

This was my first Alison Cochrun novel and now I will be going back and reading her prior three published works.

I was captivated by the idea of walking the Camino in Portugal and Spain since my college roommate had suggested that we tackle it someday as empty nesters. And I like a good account of traveling famous trails (Wild, A Walk in the Woods).

Then throw in the two FMCs who couldn't be more different and a hilarious found family in the walking tour and I was sold.

Cochrun does a phenomenal job of understanding the human condition and making you laugh out loud about it before it can get too melancholy. I really appreciated the balance of a character who was basically coming of age in her thirties and realizing she was a lesbian with characters in the LGBTQIA community who had different paths and found their confidence and supported her.

However you identify, the story of coming to terms with who you are and who you love shone through with a beautiful travelogue and pop culture references thrown in along the way.

Highly recommend!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc! I am obsessed with Alison Cochrun and this book absolutely did not disappoint. I could not put it down.

As a traveler, I loved all of those elements that were included in it and how real all of that felt. But I also loved the emotional depth to this and how each character really took this as a chance to evaluate their life and what they want out of it which is exactly what you're supposed to do on the Camino.

There are also a lot of side characters with everyone on the Camino with them, but it felt like each character was intentional and only added to the book even more. I can't say enough great things about this book!

Self-discovery is never too late! Sometimes it takes a near-death experience to get really real with yourself, and any unfortunate strangers who happen to be in your airplane row. Luckily for Sadie, her seat mate is gentle with her and helps her feel less alone and afraid than she might otherwise have done, after blurting out that she is a lesbian while a commercial airliner rapidly loses altitude. When her seatmate, Mal, turns up on the very same guided trek along the Camino de Santiago, sparks fly. Mal is trying to break her habit of falling in love with every woman she meets, while she grieves the loss of her estranged father and her sudden ginormous inheritance. Sadie is making it very hard. As they walk and talk together, their connection grows. But pilgrimages end, and real life must intrude. Does a connection forged on the road have legs back home? This is a very sweet book that gives hope to anyone who has thought it was too late for their life to begin.

I loved this, and it made me want to go hike the Camino myself, despite not being someone who is ever going to do such a thing. Watching MC figure herself out and fall in love was so sweet and honest and real, and the building of their relationship was fantastic. The setting is perfect and just fits so well with the idea of finding yourself (a journey on a journey) without being heavyhanded. Just a delightful romance.

I just didn't care! I found Sadie boring and Mal annoying and was not interested in the setting. Maybe I only liked Cochrun's debut because I love reality tv lol.

I loved this book SO much. The romance, the self exploration, the lush setting. It was perfect! This also resonated with me so much personally.

A beautiful story about discovering yourself later in life, complete with queer joy and a great romance during a scenic trip through Portugal and Spain.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: September 2, 2025

A funny, poignant, later-in-life coming out and coming of age sapphic romance. A true journey of self discovery…physically and mentally. Beautifully written, I was transported to these scenes in Portugal and Spain, feeling like I was on the trek with this cast of characters (and a wonderful cast they were)!

5+⭐️ This book literally grabbed me from page one! This book warmed my heart and had me smiling so much! I would have finished this book in one sitting if I hadn’t been traveling while reading it. The main characters, Mal and Sadie, as well as all of the side characters were written perfectly. I resonated so much with Sadie at the end of the book as she transitions to a new career, as I am doing the same. I will definitely be purchasing a physical version of this book to keep on my shelf forever. Thank you Alison Cochrun for bringing me along on this journey; I felt like I was walking the trail at times with the characters. And thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Best of the Year! Alison Cochrun can NEVER stop writing! Now booking my flight to Portugal so I can start my own Camino!

I fell in love with Alison Cochrun’s writing with her debut novel, The Charm Offensive, making her an auto-buy author ever since and boy does she deliver again with Every Step She Takes which is now on my list of best romance books of 2025!

Sadie is one of those characters you can’t help but fall for and root for once you meet her on the page. She’s a thirty-five year old woman who is just starting to question her own sexuality when she inadvertently blurts out that she may be a lesbian to her seatmate on a plane to Portugal where she is going on a multi-day trek along the Camino de Santiago with a group of queer woman.

I loved following Sadie’s journey along that Camino that is not only a beautiful description of the scenery around her in Portugal and Spain but also a beautiful tale of self discovery and growth for her and her trek mates.

Cochrun’s tale of Sadie’s coming out and coming into her own identity was so well crafted. I felt every one of Sadie’s emotions that she was brave enough to share with her roommate Mal.

Mal was such a fantastic character as well. I loved how she offered to be Sadie’s fairy dyke-mother, giving her the chance to live the queer adolescence that Sadie missed out on while also giving her “practice” with a woman.

I’m obsessed with the dating coach/bedroom teacher trope and this one was fantastic since it was so easy to see Sadie and Mal’s chemistry and love for one another.

Cochrun also gives such a wonderful cast of characters who are along for the trek with Sadie and Mal as well as interesting backstories for the lead characters which really enriched the story.

I also love books that inspire travel and walking my own Camino is now on my bucket list of things to do in life.

Every Step She Takes truly sets Alison Cochrun a part from other authors. It demonstrates her skill as a writer where she can weave in so many important themes to her romance and make it just flow and seem so effortless. I know that I will be thinking about this book, its themes and message and its characters for a long time to come. Such a special read and one of the best romance books of 2025 without a doubt!

This is one of those reviews where I don’t feel like I do the book justice because it’s just so good. So just trust me and read it and you’ll see what I mean.

*I received an advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I feel bad not loving Every Step She Takes by one of my favorite authors, Alison Cochrun, because it feels like a deeply personal story. But even though the main characters' journeys were inspiring, the romance just simply fell short.

I've read and loved each and every one of Alison Cochrun's books, but this one packed way less of a punch for me. With all of her previous books, I've laughed or I've cried (or both!), but this was just felt like a slog. Maybe it's my absolutely horrible luck with international road trip stories (niche comment, I know), but this book felt... muted.

I'm a huge, huge fan of sexuality discovery stories, so I would have thought this would have hit home for me. However, I can't put my finger on why it didn't. I think I felt more of a pull towards Mal and her messy family issues, but I struggled to see why the relationship with Sadie was different than the dozens of other times she "fell in love." The practice FWB trope didn't even do much for me. It felt like more of the author exploring Sadie's personal journey than building the romance for the two MCs. They felt very friendship vibes, IMO. Simply put, these two lacked romantic and sexual chemistry together

I'll admit, it did pick up a bit at the end, and I enjoyed the last 10%, but for me this is the weakest Alison Cochrun book to date. I think I either needed more pain and gut punches (yeah, I'm a weirdo) or way more humor to draw me into the story because the romance felt weak. Oh well, next time.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

I can't wait to make all my friends read this when it comes out in September! I loved reading this book (thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC) about Sadie, our thirty-five year old protagonist who just hasn't quite figured things out yet.

I loved the main character, Sadie, and I *loved* the love interest, Mal. This book was as heartwarming as it was romantic and definitely fed my travel bug!

I would recommend this book for anyone who loves travel romance, queer/WLW love, and coming-of-age stories.