I adored the characters in Graeme Simsion’s The Rosie Project, so looked forward to picking up his next novel, Two Steps Forward, which he co-authored with Anne Buist.
Two Steps Forward follows the narratives of two main characters, Martin and Zoe. Martin is a recently divorced engineer, while Zoe is a recently widowed artist. Both are looking for a fresh start, which they find while walking the historic Camino pilgrimage from France to Spain. Their paths cross at frequent intervals during their walks, and a romance slowly begins to blossom.
At times introspective, at times travelogue, and at times romance, there’s something for everyone in this book. The writing is clever, engaging, and sharp. I also really enjoyed the supporting cast of characters, including some very fun Brazilian women and an irksome German. Everyone has a lesson to learn on the Camino, and it was fun to see what that ended up being for each character.
I’ve also never read any fiction about big historic walks like this, so it was fun to read and learn about something new. The authors provide a lot of details about accommodations, how to do the walk, food, and the various towns and routes along the way. The book is educational in that way, as well as entertaining.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others. Though the main characters don’t quite live up to those in The Rosie Project, the supporting characters are quite colorful and entertaining, as well as endearing. A recommended summer read!
Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. If you’re interested in purchasing Two Steps Forward, check out the links below.
You can also follow Graeme on Twitter.
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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