Thank you Netgalley and Atria for the e-Arc. This is my favorite Alison Cochrun book so far. I'm loving the older found family members in books. It drives me wild when a character makes a decision for the other person. Alison is a talented story teller. Absolutely need a copy for my shelf.

Leave it to Alison to completely rip my heart out with another beautiful book! There's so much good stuff here, from the relatable characters to the heartwarming plot. I loved every second of reading this one (even the moments I was crying!)!

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Alison Cochrun’s prior books, so I jumped at the chance to read her next book, Here We Go Again. I will note that this book does suffer from the pitfall that many romances have been dealing with, namely being given “romcom” branding when it’s much deeper. The book’s front matter makes it clear what you’re getting into for the most part, so I wasn’t blindsided, but I did wish the cover, for example, didn’t present such a chipper scene, when the story heavily revolves around death and grief.
That said, I really like how Cochrun approached it, and upon realizing how the story morphed from her initial flippant concept to how she used the real-life experiences with loss that happened around the same time, it really shows through. I really love Joe as an older former teacher, and I appreciated seeing how his wisdom really impacted both Logan and Rosemary. Their relationship with him was the highlight of the book, and I loved the way the two supported him in his final months.
But while I liked both Logan and Rosemary as characters and what they offered to Joe, I failed to see them as a romantic pairing. There is some catharsis for what happened in their past, but at times, it really felt like former friends (maybe more?) trying to get along on civil terms for this one final goal. It all really took a backseat to the journey with Joe, and once he had passed, I felt more for them reeling in the wake of it than wishing they’d bond romantically. That’s not to say that things couldn’t work out one day, but the ending felt like a huge question mark for me, not an HEA, or even an HFN.
While I have mixed feelings about this book, I appreciate what it’s trying to do. If you’re interested in a story that tackles the impact of grief and loss, especially within the queer community, with prominent romantic elements, I’d recommend checking it out.

Charm Offensive is one of my all time favorite romances and I liked Kiss Her Once for Me, so I was incredibly excited to pick up Alison Cochrun’s newest novel. Here We Go Again firmly solidifies her as an auto-buy author for me! I fell in love with the characters in this book and couldn’t put it down.

Here We Go Again was my favorite kind of romance novel in that the story wasn’t just about the romance. I loved the connection between Rosemary and Logan, but even moreso I loved the found family between them and Joe. He was probably my favorite character of the whole book. More than once I found myself giggling out loud, but by the end I was ugly crying into my coffee. You will truly feel all of the feelings while reading this book, your heart will break, and then get put back together by the end.

Read if you like
-Queer romance
-Second chance romance (fuck boy/type A)
-Friends to enemies to lovers
-Found family
-Mental health rep
-Road trips

Thank you SO much to Atria and NetGalley for a review copy. All of the stars! I already know I’ll read this one again.

Atria eARC
How dare Alison Cochrun write such a hilarious and heartbreaking novel that left me sobbing at the end. I fell instantly for Logan, Rosemary, and Joe, but Joe was my absolute favorite. The characters here were so richly fleshed out. I was invested in the friendships, relationships, mentorships, regrets, and of course the road trip. I appreciated seeing how ADHD presented differently in the characters. The self discovery on the parts of Rosemary and Logan were also so honest and messy and heartfelt. While this novel dealt with such a heavy topic like cancer Cochrun balanced it with such great humor. It had me laughing and crying. She’s one of my auto-buy authors and I

After a bitter incident in high school, childhood friends Logan and Rosemary haven’t spoken in ten years. Now, both are teachers stuck in their small town, their lives are far from the adventures they once envisioned. When their mentor reveals he has limited time left, they embark together on a cross-country road trip to fulfill his final wish. Will the journey change the trajectory of their lives?

Sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, this is a beautiful story about letting go of past hurts and living life to the fullest. The characters are relatable, and the plot engaging from start to finish.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I really loved Alison Cochrun's previous novels so I had high expectations of this one and it far exceeded them -- I loved it so much!

Logan has lived in the small town she was raised in her entire life. She teaches at the high school she attended, and she still lives with her father. Rosemary has recently returned to town and is also teaching at the high school. Logan and Rosemary had a very close friendship for a few years as teens, but are no longer on speaking terms. When their former-teacher and close friend Joe says he wants them to drive from the Pacific Northwest to Maine as his last road trip before he dies of cancer, Logan and Rosemary are forced to get over their grudges and get along.

I loved Logan, Rosemary, Joe, and Remy. The more I learned about them the more I loved them -- and while there were definitely times I wanted to shake them for the choices they made, I could still see where they were coming from.

I loved all the road trip parts, all the side adventures and the vivid descriptions of the places they saw.

I think my favorite rom coms are ones that also deal with real life issues, and this one tackled so many in such a lovely way. Alison Cochrun writes about trauma and mental health in such a gentle way - I was very impressed by the way she handled all of it.

I would recommend this to anyone who wants a swoony love story that will also tug at your heartstrings. And you'll be singing Abba songs the whole time, which is a good thing in my opinion. I cannot wait to read what Alison Cochrun writes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an early copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the author's previous novels and this one started out well for me but just moved so slow in the middle.
One thing I really appreciate about this author is that she lists the triggers up front. I was hesitant going in and it did get a bit trigger-y for me. I really really appreciated her warning and ALL authors need to do this! I think those that like her books will love this one--it's just not the right time for me.

Here We Go Again is another total win from Alison Cochrun - full of heart, figuring yourself out and an epic cross-country road trip for the ages! In it we follow ex-friends Logan and Rosemary who are now stuck teaching at the same school and avoiding each other as much as possible. But when their beloved former English teacher and lifelong mentor tells them he has only a few months to live, they’re forced together once and for all to fulfill his last wish: a cross-country road trip. A road trip that will turn their lives around while forcing them to face some of their deepest fears and insecurities.

You need to read Here We Go Again asap if you adore:

- queer romances (with two lesbian main characters and an abundance of queer side characters <3)
- road trips! (that will change your life!)
- characters that are not perfect but work hard to be the best version of themselves (even when it's scary!)
- second chance romance trope (plus kinda a fuckboy x nerd dynamic hehe) and only one bed!

All in all, Here We Go Again is easily one of my favourite books of the year 2024 and I truly can't wait for my preorder to arrive! Alison Cochrun knows so well how to write heart-warming romances that make you question things about your own life, how to balance the sweetness and the angst! Just another Cochrun masterpiece!

Once inseparable childhood friends, Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale’s bond shattered in high school, turning them into bitter foes for a decade. Fast forward to their thirties when they’re trapped in mundane lives as teachers in their small town, far from the adventurous futures they once dreamed of. Rosemary’s life revolves around order and stability, while Logan, a chaotic free spirit, shields herself with a nonchalant attitude.

Despite their efforts to avoid each other, fate keeps pushing them together—or rather crashing together, when Logan hits Rosemary’s car. The unexpected twist in their lives comes when their beloved former English teacher reveals he has only a few weeks left to live. To honour his last wish, they embark on a cross-country road trip. What starts as a trip to say goodbye to the most influential person in both their lives might just end with a reunion of kindred spirits.

A testament to the teachers who shaped us and made us feel safe? A road trip to grant someone their last dying wish that also confronts you with the woman that is sorta, kinda the one that got away AND there’s a dog thrown into the mix? Childhood friends to enemies to lovers?

In theory, Here We Go Again should have been a homerun for me. In reality, I had a hard time getting through it.

And that was in great part down to the fact that I just couldn’t connect to the characters. Logan was a thorn in my side from the very first time she insisted that Rosemary is straight and it didn’t really get better when she learned that Rosemary wasn’t, in fact straight. Logan is a deeply flawed character (and I absolutely adore how the author portrays flawed characters, huge points for that) and goes through a lot of growth in this, but the repetitive regressing to what is called the “fuckboy” vibes throughout the book made me want to tear my hair out. Again, this is a testament to the author’s writing talent because I did feel a lot of emotions for this book, I just wish there was a point where I actually liked or rooted for the couple.

It really comes down to personal preference though. While I’m sure that, for example, no one else is going to cringe the way I did every time Logan would swear by using famous women (e.g. “Janelle fucking Monet”), it just constantly reminded me that I was reading a story that wasn’t real and thus made me miss that escapist quality I usually adore about Cochrun’s writing.

Similarly, while everyone is probably going to say that Rosemary is whiny, I just felt incredibly sad for her. Throughout huge parts of the story, I kept flinching with the way everyone treated her unfairly, even after they were “kinder” towards her because of her anxiety. Yes, Rosemary also has flaws and secrets she keeps and is by no means infallible, but in the end, I just think that she deserved a whole lot better than she got in this book.

Even with Joe’s story, I felt so detached throughout it all. I guess in a way, what I was missing with this book was the heart of it all.

All that being said, Cochrun’s prose is still unparalleled and invites you to keep on turning the pages. And I’m sure that readers will feel just as heartbroken about Joe’s diagnosis and his last dying wish as I did. This really is a love letter to the teachers who shape us and become a huge part of who we want to grow up to be and for that, I applaud this story. Not to mention that the descriptions of the scenery and the reminiscing of old highlights in Joe’s lives absolutely draws you in on a regular basis. There are some shenanigans, some moments that will make you chuckle and a dramatic moment in the rain that will have you blasting Taylor Swift for the remainder of the day (you know which song I’m talking about).

So while this may have not been a new favourite for me, I still wholeheartedly believe that Cochrun’s writing is some of the best out there and am excited for what’s yet to come.

Buckle up and join two childhood-friends-turned-enemies-turned-reluctant-allies in Here We Go Again, a road trip adventure that honours the impact teachers can have on your whole life’s trajectory.

Logan and Rosemary used to be friends...until an incident the summer before high school turned them into rivals. They're adults now and even work for the same school but they don't talk. They're also connected through their former high school English teacher who helped to shape both of their lives - he's been ill with cancer for some time and Logan and Rosemary are the only people who have continued to show up and care for him. When Joe tells them he's dying and wants one last adventure, Logan and Rosemary eventually agree to drive him cross country to a beach house in Maine where he wants to die. The road trip starts out rough - Logan and Rosemary are incredibly different people who clash at every twist and turn. But along the way, they both gain a better understanding of the other and grieve the impending loss of their beloved teacher together.-

I binged this book in one evening and I'm so so glad I did. I truly could not put it down

This book...it's just incredible. It's heavy but yet also funny? I NEVER cry for books and if I do it's maybe a tear up at MOST. When I tell you I was full body sobbing from about 76% to the end of the book. Tears rolling down my face and everything. And despite this, despite it's heaviness, there's also so much humor (shoutout to the moment towards the end where I was simultaneously crying and laughing out loud - what an experience!

As a brand new hospice social worker...the death and dying process and anticipatory grief was so incredibly and meticulously well done. This book speaks to so many of the reasons I chose to take this step in my career and walk with families through this experience.

And YES this is undeniably a romance! With two flawed but beautiful people. The way Logan in particular begins to understand Rosemary more fully was absolutely beautiful to watch. And to see Logan begin to open up despite being abandoned in the past just made me want to give her the world's biggest hug. The neurodiversity rep was absolutely on point and there were so many quotes, particularly from Joe that I highlighted - including, "Your big feelings are one of the most beautiful things about you" and "I know you think your impulsivity is a flaw, but it's a gift" and "Your brain is an asset not a liability". These are things I just wish every person with neurodiversity could hear from their loved ones.

This book is just indescribably good and powerful and funny and heart wrenching. I couldn't say enough good things about it. Do take care picking this one up - it will certainly make you feel emotions and think about death, but in a really really beautiful way.

Thank you thank you to Atria and Netgalley for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

WOW! This book was breathtaking. Alison creates a story that is romantic, tender, sweet, laugh out loud funny, and also heartbreakingly meaningful. Her characters feel authentic and endearing. It was hard for me to put this one down. I felt so many emotions reading this and truly was blown away. I can't recommend enough.

Thank you Atria and Netgalley for my copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

💬 “Rosemary forces herself not to look at Logan, not to think about friendship and kisses and becoming your truest self around someone who makes you feel safe.”

Here We Go Again by Alison Cochrun is a sweet queer rom-com that tugs at your heartstrings and left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling and a little bit of tears. With its engaging characters, witty banter, and a compelling Friends to Enemies to Lovers plot, this novel is was absolutely the most interesting road trip I’ve been on yet!

Cochrun’s writing is both heartfelt and humorous. She weaves themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery into a tapestry of vivid landscapes and quirky encounters. The chemistry between Logan and Rosemary crackles, and their banter is purely brilliant - I laughed out loud so many times. As they grapple with their feelings and confront old wounds, I found myself rooting for them to find their way back to each other.

The book was filled with laughs, tears, and moments that resonated so deeply and I appreciated the inclusion of elder queer characters and LGBTQIA+ history themes. Cochrun really captures the essence of friendship, second chances, and the transformative power of a road trip.

Biggest of thank yous to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this eARC to review!

The way this book took me completely by surprise and had me ugly crying in the club (my couch)!!!!

I love Alison Cochrun’s work and knew this book would be no different, but I wasn’t expecting to feel oh so seen in these characters like I was. Both Logan and Rosemary are two fictional characters that I swear are real because I think I am their child?

This was so much more than a romance, it was more about grief and forgiveness and acceptance and the importance of queer community. I loved it!!!

the fact that this book's epitaph is an ABBA lyric made me confident i would love it -- adored this friends to enemies to friends to lovers road trip sapphic love story. so heartwarming and filled with personal growth, i annotated so much <3

3.5/5

TW: Cancer, terminal illness

Logan and Rosemary, two childhood best friends who had a falling out and then ended up teaching at the same school, find out their mentor is dying and go on a big, gay road trip together across the US.

I loved a lot of details within this book – the messy family dynamics, the need to be in control (Rosemary) or out of control (Logan), the found family storyline, and the subject of aging/living with a terminal illness. There were some things that really bothered me though (specific phrases such as: “cat’s puckered asshole mouth” and the “Shay fucking Mitchell” of it all).

Not my favorite Alison Cochrun read, but I still really enjoy what she has to offer.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have never been so happy for a book to destroy me.

Childhood best friends Logan and Rosemary turned into rival teachers and now have to band together to take their dying former teacher (a gay man named Joe Delgado) on one last road trip.

I came into this as a huge fan of Kiss Her Once for Me and was absolutely not disappointed by this second Sapphic romance. I love the nuerodivergent rep (ADHD) in both women and anxiety and messy parental baggage. Even in the ADHD rep, Rosemary and Logan clearly experience it in different way, and I loved that this highlighted how not all diagnoses present the same. The road trip was fantastic, the parallel and metaphors and callbacks were so beautifully done.

I cried...a lot. My dad fought cancer and later died of something else, and his name was Joe. So there was a lot of confrontation of grief for my own loss, and it was actually really cathartic. Cochrun captured the grief and loss in a raw, painful, beautiful way.

If you love Sapphic romances that will also utterly wreck you, this is the one.

⭐ Rating: 5/5 stars
🗓 Publish date: April 2, 2024
🌈 Representation: lesbian MCs, gay side characters, drag, ADHD and anxiety

CW/TW:
Death, Cancer, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, Homophobia, Sexual content

Oh gosh, I just adored this book! Any book that has me both laughing out loud and sobbing is a great book, in my opinion, and Here We Go Again had me doing plenty of both!

I loved both Logan and Rosemary as MCs. They were unique from each other, but also balanced each other perfectly. I could feel their chemistry immediately and I adored the friends to enemies to lovers drama. I also loved that they were both queer teachers! More queer teachers in books please!!

The road trip created a nicely structured plot that drove (lol) the story forward and kept me invested. There were so many hilarious mishaps and heartfelt moments along the way (and at the end).

I think this book might end up being a top fave of the year and I will definitely be recommending it far and wide!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an early copy of this title. All thoughts expressed are my own.

I like to post about my favorite book from the month previous and I've read so many excellent books this month that earlier today I wasn't sure which one to choose. Then I picked this up and read it in an afternoon/evening and found my winner. I had been putting off reading my arc because I loved the author's other books and sometimes I get nervous that I won't like an author's next work as much as the previous ones. I did not need to worry because this is a heart book, one I felt in my soul, had an emotional connection to, and will absolutely need to own and read again and again. Alison Cochrun 's pitch was "a romcom about death" and that's exactly what it was: romance, definitely (childhood best friends to 'enemies' to reluctant travel partners, to lovers); comedy, for sure (definitely laughed out loud multiple times); and oh my word the careful but thorough treatment of death/dying/grief in this book is the best I've read in a long time. There's really only one spicy scene and then mentions of other occurences not shown or really described on page, and in other books that would have felt like not enough but in this story it was perfect for their journey. I really appreciate queer romances where one character is less experienced and maybe doesn't know exactly what their labels are, so that aspect of Rosemary's character was special for me. I am someone who will tear up reading books, sometimes a few of those will actually fall, but on occasion I feel a book deeply and fully sob. I think I started 2/3 of the way in and haven't stopped even though it's done and I'm writing this review. Thank you Alison Cochrun for your story, your words. I don't even know how to end this review other than I love this book and need to go cry some more. CW: past death of a parent from overdose (talked about, not on page), active dying and eventual death of a main character (not one of the FMCs whose POVs we get). It's a lot but it's worth it.

I absolutely adore this book and have Pre-ordered my physical copy. I loved the way this book talked so many different emotional situations. This was so beautifully done.