I saved this for my tropical vacation because it just seemed like the perfect book. And I was right: I laughed, I cried, I pondered death. What more could you ask for? And the Mamma Mia-esque title? Sign me up!

Logan and Rosemary are both such loveable characters in entirely different ways. Logan is all over the place and Rosemary is organized. Alison Cochrun writes characters SO well that it was an absolute delight (my delight, not Logan and Rosemary's) to have them both stuck on a road trip together and see what happens. It's the chaos & order dynamic. It's the childhood friends to enemies to lovers arc. It's the emotional growth and development that only comes from facing death head-on.

And it was so, so good. Tender moments between our two FMCs and deeper talks between them and their dear friend/teacher Joe. Funny moments of road trip catastrophes (as any road trip would have). Some spicy scenes later on in the book.

Definitely a GREAT summer/vacation/road trip read! So glad I got to read it.

4.25

Alison Cochrun has quickly become one of my favorite authors so I was extremely excited for this book. This is admittedly my least favorite of her books. Kiss Her Once for Me and The Charm Offensive were both five stars, but it was still a wonderful read.

My two problems with this book were one, the pacing of the romance somewhat bothered me. It’s enemies to lovers and the switch from enemies to lovers was much too fast for my taste. I liked the book a lot more after they reconnect but it’s an awkward transition. My other issue was just that some of the dialogue felt unrealistic and too prose-y to be real speech.

With that said, this is still an Alison Cochrun book. I am amazed by her ability to explore deeper concepts within her romance novels. The portrayal of platonic love and grief in this book I honestly preferred to the romance. Joe’s love for Logan and Rosemary and their love for him was so lovely. His decaying health and eventual death were so sad but also so beautifully done.

I love a book that can make me both laugh and cry and this book is just that. I’m so glad I read it and I will continue to read anything Alison Cochrun writes.

I have not stopped thinking about these characters since I finished this book Sunday night. I’m not sure what Alison Cochrun puts in her books, but I eat it up every time.

This book is about love, loss, healing, and all of the people who shaped you along the way (good and bad). It’s very aptly pitched as a ‘rom-com about death’ and it’s beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, much like real life. I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with messy and flawed fictional characters.

These characters and their flaws were so real and raw. I truly feel like they are real people who I have become friends with along the way.

I absolutely recommend this one!

A beautiful, heartwarming story about found families and childhood friends to lover. This story had me hooked within the first 10 pages and I almost immediately fell in love with the characters. The love story between Joe and Remy was so achingly beautiful and devastating and I’ll forever hold this relationship and these characters close to my heart. The queer and neurodivergent representation was well written and I think will resonate with so many readers. I rate this book a five stars, easily!!!

I think a lot of what Cochrun did here was really strong, and it takes a lot of work to make a romcom about death work, but the beginning of this was a real slog for me. There's a difference between showing characters stagnating and making the book itself stagnate, and I think the first quarter of this went in the wrong direction. I was tempted to give up reading.

That said, the next three quarters were so good! Cochrun is such a talent, and I'll continue being a devoted reader.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

Starting off I loved Joe very much and really liked Rosemary. I found Logan to be a bit annoying for my taste, but I do think she grows on you as the story continues. There is a lot of humor in this book which I really enjoyed. I didn’t like the multiple times that Logan compared Rosemary’s pursed lips to a cat butthole (once was enough) and I didn’t love the exclamation they used which was a famous person’s first name then “fucking” and then their last name. Nothing wrong with it, but it just wasn’t my thing.

Overall, a good story that will probably make you cry! Would recommend.

Book Review
Here We Go Again by Alice Cochran

Tropes
Queer love
Found family
Personal journey and growth
Coming out
Forging your own path
Mental Health
Neurodivergent
Childhood trauma

Characters
Rosie- love her, her hyper fixation on organization and need to control are coping mechanisms I recognize in myself

Logan- love her straightforward sassiness, her ability to own her sexuality , she fronts a carefree attitude to hide the fact that cares soo much

Joe- teacher, mentor, father figure; he changed Rosie and Logan’s lives
I immediately became attached and invested in him , I knew he was going to die but I couldnt stop myself

Odie - cause every death road trip needs a furry sidekick

Thoughts
📚Cried at the end😭 have your Kleenex handy
📚Cochrans writing of childhood trauma, inevitable death and many more complex issues was expertly executed with compassion and kindness
📚 the cover suggests a light hearted read, but it is anything but
📚 the witty banter and chemistry, the use of jokes and sex to deflect from intimacy, the utter exhaustion at always being in flight response, it all felt soo real- I was emotionally tapped at the end of this book
📚this book is screaming for a playlist (every road trip needs one) - the music references , the songs🎶 APT
📚Easily my favourite book from this author!

Quote
“Love is finding someone who helps you rewrite the story of yourself”

Thank you to @netgalley @atriabooks for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own

Logan and Rosemary started out as the best of friends in middle school. But after an incident the two have been bitter enemies, even into adulthood as they are both teaching at their small-town high school. When the former friends find out their beloved high school English teacher is dying of cancer, he guilts them into taking him on a cross-country road trip to the location where he wants to die.

As the former friends are forced to be in close contact for such a long period of time, secrets of the past can't stay in the dark. A beautiful Queer mix of falling in love and the heartache of loss. This is a truly lovely mix of humor and sadness and a fantastic new read from Alison Cochrun.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Alison Cochrun for providing me with an eARC of 'Here We Go Again' for review.

As someone who considers The Charm Offensive as one of my favorite books of all time, I was more than excited to dive into this one. Though it started off slow, I was soon enamoured by the heartwarming road trip adventure and the endearing characters. The book is an emotional rollercoaster, with moments of laughter and sadness, and a beautiful exploration of the meaning and purpose of life, as well as a celebration of life itself.

However, I must advise you to check the content warnings before diving in. Overall, 'Here We Go Again' is a must-read for anyone seeking an engaging and emotional journey that will leave you feeling uplifted and fulfilled.

i’ve tried reading this multiple times and find it so boring. i unfortunately have to dnf at 20%

the characters were lackluster and not very entertaining, not to mention extremely immature for their age. there was nothing i found myself invested in while reading the book (or attempting to) and i was constantly getting distracted or skimming. i was excited for this one so maybe i will pick it back up again in the future, but that doesn’t seem promising.

I loved Here We Go Again so much. It was a heartbreaking and heartwarming read that left me crying at 1 am through the last 20% or so. It's also very funny, from the dialogue to the sometimes wild ride of a road trip. Leads Logan and Rosemary are childhood friends turned enemies who try to mend things enough to bring their beloved mentor Joe on a cross-country road trip before he passes away from cancer. Too-casual Logan and uptight Rosemary have been fighting for years, unable to see their similarities or remember how to be friends (or that they both wanted to be more). Joe is done fighting cancer and wants to have one last adventure before he dies, and he brings a stubborn humor, and sometimes wisdom, to his relationship with both women.

Alison Cochrun delves into so much here, though I was most moved by her explorations of grief, neurodivergence and mental health, and demisexuality. Her writing about dying and grief was so moving, both in the details of dying (such as the depictions of end-of-life care) and the emotional elements (from Logan and Rosemary grappling with the impending loss differently to the arc of Joe being reunited for a goodbye with his former lover). There are a few quirks of Cochrun's writing here that bothered me, but I let them go with this story being so affecting otherwise.

Absolutely loved this book! When it comes out, it will be our Book Club pick! Truly a great story of frenemies to more (no spoilers!), with great life lessons along the way. Remember, you don't have always to follow the itinerary, the best memories come from events that aren't planned. Readers will be able to see themselves in Logan and Rosemary with each of their strengths and faults. I appreciated the descriptions of the setting and how powerful each moment was.

Highly, highly recommend for a fun, emotional read!

4.5 ⭐️
I haven’t cried this hard about a book since I read Babel. Joe, Logan, and Rosemary are all very real, very flawed humans that don’t even necessarily value change but do change nonetheless. I loved the premise of a road trip rom com. I have always loved road trips and it was a news experience for me to hear about areas of the US I have never been to.

Joe is an icon and his influence on Logan and Rosemary reminded me of some of the great teachers I had in middle school and high school that believed in me before I knew how much potential I had. Plus I love a plotter, and Joe definitely had tricks up his sleeve.

Some of the metaphors in this book absolutely took me out and I WILL be using them when my friends need a pep talk on life.

The queer rep was so good and obnoxious in the most accurate way. If you’ve ever been in a queer friend group, that’s exactly what it felt like reading some of the references made in the book.

I also really enjoyed some of the historical contexts mentioned like their ethnic backgrounds and how the AIDS epidemic was discussed.

This was an incredibly beautiful, heartbreaking, and heart mending read. Rosemary and Logan are the ex-best friends that almost every queer woman remembers from her youth. But unlike so many, they reunite and are able to work through their past and reconnect all whilst taking care of a dying loved one.

The many settings of this book are described in such vivid detail, they made me feel like I was there and simultaneously like I’d never experienced such beauty before. Clearly Cochrun did her research and it’s much appreciated! Even the small detail of name dropping the right grocery stores in each region of the US.

This is very much so a book about dying and caring for a dying loved one. That is a difficult topic for me but I think it was handled with grace and I found it to overall be cathartic to read as Logan and Rosemary went through the pain or caretaking and grief. Overall a stunning, emotional, wonderfully queer read.

I am an emotional wreck after this book.

2 girls and their old teacher go on a death road trip. Poor Joe has terminal cancer and refuses to die in a hospital. He has this plan to go to Maine in his cabin and spend his final days. But to get there he entrusts his 2 favourite students who he has grown super close to over the years to drive him there together.
The only issue? They hate each other and bicker like an old married couple… how are they supposed to drive for days on end in a car together, with close proximity…and not kill each other.

This is such a beautiful story of growth, finding yourself, true love, found family, family trauma, the list goes on.

I was laughing, I was sad, I sobbed like a little baby.. this gave me all of the feels.

It did take me a bit to get into, but that’s more of a me problem. Once I got 40% in, I couldn’t put it down and I binged the rest of the book.

This book has LGBTQ, Found Family, Enemies to Lovers, One Bed, Close Proximity, terminal Illness, Neurodivergent Main Character, Drag Queen/Kings, the list goes on..
It covers so many important issues, and is just an incredible story. I would really recommend you read this book!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in advanced in exchange for my honest opinion!

I’m SOBBING. This is for anyone who’s mentors and English teachers were their lifelines in high school. For anyone with ADHD and anyone who doesn’t know how to confront death. This is a love letter to road trips and literature and finding each other again. This may be the best book I read all year.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author forthe arc

Alison Cochrun has always been a beacon of fresh narratives and emotional depth in storytelling, which is why "Here We Go Again" comes as a bit of a surprise. Cochrun's exploration of grief in this novel is commendable, offering a nuanced take on loss and the complexities of dealing with it. This thematic exploration is a testament to Cochrun's ability to delve deep into the human condition, presenting a narrative that, at its core, is well-crafted and thoughtful.

However, the reliance on certain narrative tropes leaves a bit to be desired. The trope of miscommunication—or, more accurately, the lack thereof—serves as a significant plot device that feels a tad overused. The notion that two grown adults, Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale, could not find it within themselves to have a meaningful conversation for the advancement of the plot strikes me as a missed opportunity for more profound character development. It's a device that often feels like a shortcut through more complex, engaging storytelling.

Logan's character, in particular, presented challenges. Her personality occasionally borders on caricature rather than a fleshed-out character navigating life's trials. Her backstory, meant to evoke sympathy, sometimes feels like a checklist of traits rather than a genuine exploration of her character. The dynamic between Logan, Rosemary, and their mentor, Joe, though central to the story, sometimes lacked the believability I craved. The long-standing love and complicated mentor-student relationship could have been fertile ground for deep emotional exploration but occasionally felt superficial.

Despite these criticisms, "Here We Go Again" still showcases Cochrun's talent for storytelling and her ability to weave complex themes into her narratives. The road trip that Logan and Rosemary embark on with their mentor is filled with moments of genuine connection and growth, offering glimpses of what this book could have been with a bit more depth in character exploration and a reduction in reliance on tropes.

"Here We Go Again" is a journey with highs and lows, much like the road trip it depicts. It's a novel that might not have fully lived up to expectations but still provides a decent read for those who enjoy Cochrun's work. It's a reminder that even in stories we find lacking, there are always moments of beauty and insight.

Alison Cochrun can do no wrong. There is a heavy focus on grief and found family that encompasses everything, making it not something I would call a "light read". Loved this friends to enemies to lovers second-chance romance.

I really love all of Alison's books!
These characters--Logan Maletis and Rosemary Hale --were amazing.
I loved the road trip, the fighting, I was sad for their loss and thrilled for their reunion and their love.
and the stories and the food and the singing.
Loved it!
THANK YOU

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A lovely story! Logan and Rosemary used to be friends when they were younger and then dram ensued and the friendship ended. Now they don’t get along. But when their old mentor and teacher Joe wants to travel to his vacation home while he’s still got the chance. When he asks them to go with him they have no choice but to go. Along the way can they regain their friendship? Will something more develop? This book will have you laughing at one moment and then bawling the next! Mix in some spiciness and it’s a perfect grief filled rom-com! If you enjoy slow burn rekindled relationships with lots of love, grief, and humor I highly recommend checking this one out!