Such a great mix of characters making a wonderful story and leaving you feeling like you want to walk the Camino one day.

Loved this. Wasn't overkeen on The Rosie Project, although I enjoyed the concept. This is the tale of two totally different people searching, except they aren't really sure what they are searching on. One is intent on doing the Camino, the other finds herself on it by accident really. Having said that, the descriptions of the places, the people they both meet enroute, together and separately, is enthralling. All the characters are well rounded and endearing. Lovely entertaining book, well written

I really enjoyed this book. I found the description of the Camino interesting and I enjoyed the different characters.

Husband and wife writing team Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist's charming new novel Two Steps Forward was obviously meant for me right now. I had previously read and loved The Rosie Project so the writing was likely to appeal to me. I have been noticing an uptick in the amount of uplifting literature or "up lit" published recently and have been interested not only in the phenomenon but also in these faith-in-humanity restoring stories and what they give to us as readers. And finally I do have a fascination with books about hiking and pilgrimages and the Camino de Santiago in particular pulls at me. With all of that going for it, it's no surprise that I enjoyed this gentle novel.

People undertake pilgrimages for every reason under the sun. Zoe, an American, is a recent widow struggling to process the sudden change in her life, her unexpected lack of money, and her re-awakened interest in the art she gave up in order to have children (now grown) and be a wife. She's arrived in Cluny to visit an old college friend as she contemplates what to do with her life now. Martin, a Brit, is an engineer who fled to Cluny, France to teach for a year after his wife's affair with his boss left him both unemployed and divorced. Completely broke, Martin sees a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago struggling with the trolley he's using to transport his belongings and decides first to see if he can design a better option, and once he does, to try and market it to earn some money. Neither Zoe nor Martin intended to hike the Camino de Santiago (also known as the Chemin or the Way), but it offers each of them a chance to change themselves, their perspectives, and their lives. Zoe will walk it in order to have time to think and to plan her next steps in life, to reflect on her marriage and who she became versus who she wants to be. Martin will walk it to road test his one-wheeled cart as proof to investors that it is everything he claims. But both of them will gain so much more from their walk than just what their original intentions promise.

Starting out within days of each other on their respective walks after having met briefly in Cluny, Zoe and Martin have set (negative) initial ideas about each other and even though they continue to run across each other as they look for places for food and to spend the night, they keep their distance. They each meet a wide variety of fellow travelers as they walk, all of whom have their own reasons for tackling the long and winding way. It is through these fellow pilgrims that Zoe and Martin start to thaw towards each other, coming to value the others' presence on the trail even though long stretches of their time is still spent walking alone. Alternating first person chapters between Zoe and Martin, the reader sees not only their internal motivations for walking but also what they think of each other and of the others they meet along the way. The first person narration also allows the reader to see when and how they each start to confront the things in their life that have brought them to this place and this walk as they learn that no matter how far they go, they cannot out walk the things that burden them and instead must acknowledge them, face them, and either release them or embrace them in order to move forward. Sometimes this knowledge comes as their relationship deepens but at other times it must be learned in solo contemplation.

The novel takes some time to really get going, focused as it is on the walk itself. In the beginning the characters are quite consumed by the purely physical concerns of the journey, finding food and inexpensive shelter, caring for their feet and tired, dirty bodies. It is only later in their respective travels that they start to focus on the emotional aspects of this pilgrimage to find themselves. The pacing is slow and only ever speeds up to leisurely as the novel progresses so readers looking for a romp of any sort are forewarned. Instead of a rollicking adventure, this is a sweet story of starting over, embracing change--good and bad, the goodness of humanity, and second (or third) chances at love. It is a quick and easy read and it is clear to see that Simsion and Buist, who have themselves walked the route that Zoe and Martin take, not only have a knowledge of the Camino but also a strong affection for it and for the changes it made in their own lives. Sweet, sometimes funny, sometimes romantic, and definitely thoughtful, this is a delightful and engaging read.

I tried to like this book more than I did but I just couldn't.
An easy holiday read about typical stereo-types walking the Camino Frances pilgrim trail through France and Spain. Martin, an Englishman, has recently lost his wife, his house, his job and his money, he is a stubborn man. Zoe, an American, is recently widowed, her husband killed himself to avoid his impending business collapse. Their inevitable romance just as rocky as the pilgrimage they are taking.

I was surprised when I found out half way through that the book had two authors. It is written from both Martins and Zoë's perspectives and whilst the details of the journey, lodgings, scenery and food were very detailed the two characters voices were so similar - as if written by one person with one dimension.

A wonderful story, The characters are so easy to identify with and I really felt I was on the journey with them. To me, it was a tale of life, and how we find different ways of dealing with trauma, heartbreak and pain. I loved how the characters developed, not only in the book but as pilgrims and humans.
I've had to keep stopping the story to look at places they travelled through or too, and I am hugely inspired to become a pilgrim myself. I guess that's one of the biggest compliments I can give the authors, they introduced me to a trail I had never heard off, and am now researching for myself. A truly wonderful read

This is WONDERFUL! I don’t think I’ve ever read anything by real-life husband and wife authors and the alternating chapters work brilliantly. If you don’t fancy going for a walk after this, I’d be surprised! Full of heart and poignancy. Highly recommend.

Loved the Rosie project so expecting a lot from this book - not sure it fulfilled expectations but think it may be another l will go back to and re read

For centuries the Camino de Santiago has been a route that pilgrims from all over Europe have followed in faith. Now the Camino is populated by a mixture of the devout and the tourists. For Zoe the Camino from Cluny was a spur of the moment thing, not long after her husband's death and the devastating news that she is penniless, Zoe is walking on a minuscule budget looking for a change in her life. For Martin the Camino is a chance to test the invention that may save him from penury but his baggage includes a bitter split from his wife, the loss of his job and worries about his daughter. Along the trail through France and Spain Martin and Zoe 's paths cross and they meet a variety of characters who help them find themselves and each other.

Having loved Simsion's previous books I was eager to pick this up and was not disappointed. The Camino is of interest to me historically but since the film 'The Way' it has become very popular and this story reflects the variety of walkers and their motivations. Zoe and Martin are both complex and interesting characters and the supporting cast are varied and yet relevant in their own ways. the wonderful sense of humour that Simsion always has is to the fore and the additional of his writing partner rounds out the story from a more feminine perspective.

A refreshing novel about the pilgrimage called El Camino de Compostella. Zoe, is an American widow, who is angry with her husband and her mother, also since deceased. On her way on the section from Cluny in France she encouters Martin, a stubborn Yorkshireman, who is trying to get over a bitter divorce.
We are told of their travels, misfortunes, and the people they meet along the way. the sights and sounds of the various pilgrims. It is a book which might benefit from a few maps showing you how far they are travelling. However the characters, particularly the two main ones are vividly written, and the book ends with a happy ending (thank goodness)
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for allowing me to read this very interesting novel.

The Camino has a way of changing lives as is evident in this superb book

Two people’s lives braid together on the Camino and both write their own story in separate chapters. Zoe is a struggling artist from the United States who is grieving for the loss of her husband. Martin, an Englishman, is going through a sadly complicated divorce.

Their paths cross in Cluny for the first time; however, they start their pilgrimages with individual objectives and alone. Their paths braid in and out along the way as well. Each going through their own transformation as is typically known to happen on a Camino pilgrimage.

The braids of the novel are woven into revitalization, transformation, conflict, humour self-awareness and finally romance. I felt all of these themes go deep into my soul as my own transformative experience of reading the book was woven into their stories. It was truly magnificent experiential reading.

Even if the Camino does not interest you, the pace and tension in the book are worthwhile and inspirational.

BonnieK

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review.

I absolutely loved this book and reading it has made me want to visit the route for myself. The book tells the story of two lost souls who embark on a pilgrimage through France and Spain and the adventures and trials along the way. The story is told alternating between their two narratives and you see how they eventually meet up and intertwine. It is beautifully written with wonderful characters that you really end up routing for and follow them on their discovery of each other and themselves. Highly recommended for a wonderful holiday read.

Martin has lost everything, his home, wife, job and savings. Zoe has lost her husband. They are both on a pilgrimage through France and Spain. Lovely descriptions, some funny incidents. The two characters voices on the whole, are good. but I did find the pace of the story too slow for me.

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This is definitely a very different book than The Rosie Project (which I loved); though it still focuses on slightly older characters, this time the novel tells the story of two people who meet whilst walking from France to Spain and the 'rocky road' (sorry) that is ahead of them. Though it's entertaining in its own way, it's not as funny as The Rosie Project and definitely has a more serious tone - I found it more of a thoughtful, contemplative novel, but still enjoyed reading it.

I found the information about the famous pilgrimage from France to Spain interesting and it made me want to try something like that myself (as often happens when I read books like this). The narrative is fairly slow in that not that much actually happens, which meant I didn't quite get into it as much as I thought I would. However, the story reveals a lot of what both Zoe and Martin are thinking and saying as they keep bumping into each other along the way, instead of an all-action narrative. This novel also manages to avoid being at all cheesy or over the top, which is another plus for me!

The characters didn't hugely resonate with me; I struggled to properly connect with either Zoe or Martin, but I did find the novel to be an interesting read and one that made me think a little. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a smart, well-written novel about literal and non-literal journeys... if that makes any sense!

Many thanks to Two Roads and Netgalley for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.

This is a story about two people walking the St James Way, a long distance pilgrims path from France to Spain. The story about Zoe and Martin is very sweet but it is the journey they make on the Way that, for me, is the best part of the book. They walk for months, lose themselves and find themselves in most unexpected ways. It a lovely book but be warned - you will want to make your own pilgrimage once you have finished reading.

Having loved Graeme Simsion's previous novels I was really looking forward to this. Unfortunately, I found it a little dull and it didn't really captivate me. The concept of the book is interesting but I didn't like the execution.

An unusual book about the Camino pilgrim trail, something I was unaware of. This novel follows two characters as they walk, learning about themselves and the reasons why they are walking. A slow paced novel, but this suits the subject matter. A warm and meditative read.

It was their own journey on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the famous pilgrims’ walk through France and Spain, that prompted husband and wife writer duo, Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project and The Rosie Effect, and Anne Buist, to write Two Steps Forward. But it’s the magic of the journey and its ages old pull that sustains the novel and is the backdrop for a tale of self discovery and love. Told primarily through the perspectives of Zoe and Martin, a recently widowed artist and a divorced British engineer, the book takes the reader on the journeys of individuals trekking the pilgrims route, all of whom are looking for something, whether they know it or not.

It’s said the Camino de Santiago de Compostela changes its wayfarers irrevocably. And our characters are changed. They find what they are looking for in their own lives, with the support of one another.

It’s rare to find a love story focused on characters in middle age rather than the throes of young lust. The maturity of the characters affords Simsion and Buist space to explore other themes such as family, health and careers. Despite the length of the trek the journey is sometimes chalustrophic for the characters, but the writing never feels this way.

Two Steps Forward won’t change your life in the same way that the Camino de Santiago changed the lives of both the characters and the authors, but it will grab your interest and intrigue, and perhaps encourage you to consider your own journey and where you are going.

4.5 Stars

This was lovely.

As many of you know, I am not a fan of the romance genre generally. However, I am a big fan of The Rosie Project and I'm also very interested in the Camino de Santiago so when the opportunity to read this novel came up I just couldn't resist.

This book is so well written, it's just a rollercoaster of emotion as you live the Camino with Martin and Zoe, two very different people who's lives entwine again and again. It was happy, it was sad, it was beautiful and above all, it was real. This is the authors true talent, creating real believable characters. This isn't the young adult lovey dovey romance, this is adults with baggage (both physically and mentally!) just trying to get along and find their place in the world.

The subject was clearly extremely well researched, the authors having experienced the Camino themselves, so the reader can absolutely become immersed in the walk along with the characters.

Two Steps Forward is inspiring and lovely and thoroughly enjoyable. Absolutely recommend this one.

Thank you very much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Really enjoyed this tale of romance, friendship and adventure. Loved the collection of characters and felt truly invested in Martin and Zoe's journeys. Would make a great holiday read.