This isn't my most favorite Alison Cochrun book, but you can tell a lot of love and personal experience went into writing "Every Step She Takes".

This is a late-in-life coming out story of a woman on a trip of self-discovering meets a woman who is confident in her self and her path in life.

I enjoyed my time reading this book, though I wouldn't say it's my favorite romance every. But I did love that the characters were older! And not your stereotypical early twenties women.

I will read every Alison Cochrun book the day it comes out... or in this case sooner.

Once again she delivers a very sweet and enchanting sapphic romance. She is the best in the business at this, in my opinion. Her characters always feel real and well developed with a rich back story, and I love that her stories focus not only on the romance but on the other goings-on in the character's lives.
This was so fun and I am now looking into trips to Portugal.

I do not think this was the strongest of her books. Ratings-wise: Kiss Her Once For Me is my all time fave, and I do think Here We Go Again was a stronger novel, but this was delightful.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

Things I Liked: messy 30somethings figuring themselves out, love a tropey "practicing for a real relationship" scenario, European vacation, Stefano

Things I could have liked more: Mal and Sadie as characters, tbh

Things I actively did not like: Sadie was pretty pushy after Mal expressed discomfort, and that really didn't get dealt with

Ultimately: This made me think I want to go to Portugal and hike, and I cannot express to you how much I do not want to go on a religious pilgrimage. So- good enough to convince me I want to go do the same thing.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 18% - I really tried to stick with and enjoy this one, but found the main characters a bit too cringey for me. I LOVE The Charm Offensive and really enjoyed Kiss Her Once for Me, so I had high hopes for this sapphic romance but i just didn’t jive with it. Some of the dialogue and writing just got too cheesy for me. Why did we have to read that the MC’s mom’s robe blew open and revealed her crotch!? That was such a weird choice to me. The MC’s journey to discovering her queerness “later in model was starting to feel borderline cliche and I could not connect with her. I love this author and am disappointed that this wasn’t a hit for me but I know some will (and already have) enjoy(ed) this!
Giving this 2 stars because Netgalley requires a star rating but I do not typically rate books that I DNF.

I adored this story. Sadie is stuck in her routines and feels like there is no way to escape her obligations when she takes her sister's place on a trip to walk along Portugal's Camino de Santiago. This trip will have her questioning all that she thought she knew about herself. Along the way she meets a cast of characters that are so well developed and you'll be rooting for everyone.

This was my favorite read of the year and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I felt so seen!!!!

Mal, Sadie, it was a pleasure to experience the Camino with you- Ari

LOVED this for the story, the characters. alison cochrun can do no wrong.

4.5 stars. Whew, I feel like I also just walked hundreds of miles. Cochrun takes us on quite a journey in her latest book. I loved Sadie and Mal and all the quirky supportive characters around them on their Camino.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I will never not pick up an Alison Cochrun book. I loved this one so much. Sadie and Mal were such brilliant characters to follow, and I loved how their individual growth was interwoven throughout the narrative. I thought it was a really interesting idea to have the plot follow along a two-week trek, reminiscent of how Here We Go Again was a road trip. I think this book might be my favourite of Alison's yet. The story has a lot of important representation and messages woven throughout it, and I think every reader can take things away from the story like I have.

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the details about the Camino pilgrimage and the fun, well thought-out minor characters. The dialogue was funny and the late-in-life queer exploration is something that I don't often get to read about. This was by far my favorite of the author's books thus far.

Wow, I was completely absorbed in 'Every Step She Takes'! This book is a masterclass in suspenseful storytelling, with a complex plot that kept me guessing until the very end. The characters are expertly crafted, with rich backstories and believable motivations. The author's writing is atmospheric and engaging, drawing you into the world of the story. Overall, 'Every Step She Takes' is a gripping, expertly written thriller that I couldn't put down – highly recommended!

🚶‍♀️💖 Every Step She Takes – Alison Cochrun

Sadie’s 35, closeted, and stuck. So when her sister bails on their planned Camino de Santiago trek, Sadie takes a leap—and ends up on a 200-mile journey with Mal, the stranger she overshared with on the plane. Awkward? Yep. Life-changing? Also yes. 🌄✈️

Together they walk 200 miles, healing past trauma, exploring identity, and rediscovering the teenage queer self Sadie missed. As she blossoms, Mal learns to let go of grief—and both face the question: paths crossed forever, or diverged at journey’s end? 🌈

What to expect:

🗺️ Wanderlust + raw landscapes
💬 Witty banter + tender moments
💡 Emotional growth, anxiety rep, grief & healing
❤️ Sapphic second-chance sweetness

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alison Cochrun delivers another emotionally rich, queer-centered story that feels like a hug, a confession, and a fresh start all at once.

#EveryStepSheTakes #AlisonCochrun #SapphicBooks #QueerRomance #SlowBurnLove #Bookstagram #CaminoDeSantiago #RomanceReads #LGBTQBooks #FallReadingVibes

Every Step She Takes is one the best more heartfelt books I've read in the past few years. Alison Cochrun continues to knock it out of the park. She follows up her last two novels which I LOVED with another BANGER. Sadie is 35 years olds and she's never been anywhere. In fact, she's stuck. She's stuck in life, and her love life. Really Sadie is just stuck but when her influencer sister gets injured and can't go on a once in a lifetime tour along Portugal’s Camino de Santiago; Sadie takes a leap decides to go! She connects with her neighbor on the plane, Mal and it turns out Mal is going on the tour as well. Sadie however is in for a surprise when she learns the tour is for queer women! She decides to go and ends up a journey of self discovery. Every Step She Takes will take you on beautiful journey and it's full of wonderful characters. I absolutely adored it!

When I saw there was a new Alison Cochrun book, I knew I had to read it! This is SUCH a cozy queer romance, perfect for fans of McQuiston's The Pairing.

We follow Mal and Sadie's unlikely meeting and their eventually trek through the coastal Camino of Portugal. While Mal is an elder queer, Sadie is discovering her queer identity. They are polar opposites, down to the water bottles they carry (hydroflask versus owala) when they meet, but once they find out they are sharing a room on the Camino, things take a romantic turn.

This novel is laden with great anxiety representation and the message that we're all exactly where we need to be in life. I was reminded of my own journey discovering my queer identity and the anxiety I feel around coming out to family. Cochrun's newest novel made me emotional in a way that most romance novels don't. I BEG you to read this wonderful book!

An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Alison Cochrun always gives you characters to root for and people who you can see yourself in.

As someone who's come to realize more things about myself later in life, I identified strongly with Sadie and the feeling that because I don't always have the words or the language to say certain things, my identity can hang in the balance. That it might not be as "valid" because I've come to it later in life. This book truly makes the journey as important as the destination and I absolutely love that.

I've loved every one of Alison Cochrun's books so far, and this was no exception. It did feel lighter than her other books. Although Sadie is definitely navigating an identity crisis that was both compelling and relatable, it wasn't the kind of tear jerker we've seen from her in the past. I was definitely rooting for Sadie from the beginning and I'm a sucker for "practice" dating turns real, so I was eagerly awaiting both Sadie and Mal to realize they were catching feelings. I really enjoyed Mal's backstory and her journey to understand herself and break patterns. I was a little nervous about how I would react to the setting of the book, because I find sometimes a book with a strong setting (be it regional or specific like a MC's profession) can feel clunky and heavy handed if not done well. I don't want to spent 90% of a romance novel being lectured about wine pairings or geography. But I needn't have worried. The author managed to insert just enough background to pique my interest without overtaking the plot. It was almost enough to make me want to embark on a trek of my own.

I really enjoyed Kiss Her Once for Me. I LOVE loved Here We Go Again. My expectations going into Every Step She Takes were probably TOO high.

The good:
- unique trip setting and learning about a travel experience I was unfamiliar with
- a sex scene where they stop after one person feels discomfort, don't think I've read any like that and I think the realism is valuable
- diverse cast of fun queer characters
- older characters and late bloomer rep

The disappointing:
- MCs didn't really come across as mature enough for being in their mid/late 30's
- didn't feel genuine chemistry between the MCs, outside of circumstance/forced proximity
- the physical descriptions were taking me out (ostentatious nipples?? a widow's peak that is so inexplicably sexy and dastardly and staggering and devastating it's mentioned 11 times???)
- please leave my man jack antonoff out of this
- trust fund kid rep

It still wasn't bad and I will still read anything Alison Cochrun comes out with but I had to share my truth. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

My absolute favorite read this year. Raw, emotional, intense, heartfelt. The journey that Sadie goes through, rough and profound, was absolutely beautiful. Will be recommending this for years to come.

Okay, so imagine blurting out a deeply personal truth to a total stranger on a plane during turbulence because, hey, you’ll never see them again, right? Wrong! That’s exactly what happens to Sadie in Every Step She Takes, and it kicks off the most incredible journey of self-discovery across the Camino de Santiago.
Sadie’s in her 30s, kind of lost, and just starting to figure out her sexuality when she trauma-bonds at 30,000 feet with Mal—cool, mysterious, and (plot twist) also walking the Camino. What starts as an awkward plane confessional turns into a slow-burn queer romance, with beautiful landscapes, big feelings, and just the right amount of chaos.
The setting made me want to immediately Google “cheap flights to Portugal.” And the characters? So memorable. Sadie is painfully relatable, and Mal is the kind of quietly complex person who absolutely deserves her own moody Spotify playlist.
Overall, this book is cozy, queer, and full of emotional growth without being overly heavy. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt like a late bloomer or wanted to process their feelings in hiking boots via a scenic existential crisis. Highly recommend.

Alison Cochrun has not missed for me yet. She's on the level of Abby Jimenez for me in that she consistently writes romance stories about realistic, genuinely interesting people who are going through relatable real-life issues and forming a connection. They way they get together, define and discover who they are, and the way they grow into a relationship with their partner, is always so well done. These are books that foster a genuine connection between two people, encouraging them to choose happiness in a chaotic world that all too often undermines efforts to do better. If Alison Cochrun has written a book, I am going to read it. It's as simple as that.