I really enjoyed reading this book and loved the whole way it was presented. I had to keep reminding myself that it was not a true story as it written in an almost autobiographical way alternating between the two main character's experiences with a humourous twist which have obviously been written by two individuals. It would make a wonderful uplifting film so I hope it gets made. The wonderful array of characters exude warmth and companionship and, despite being written by two authors, flows well and intertwines and brings all these random people to life. The descriptions of the countryside of the French part of the route from Cluny to the Spanish border at Hendaye via St Jean Pied de Port I recognise, despite not actually walking the Chemin, I am familiar with several places on the route and have met some pilgrims undertaking the journey at various campsites along the way. The book totally draws you in and is quite emotional in parts, especially towards the end after all the blood, sweat and tears involved.

I am going to recommend this to my local book groups as a read as I think it will provoke a lot of discussion as people view the story from different angles as it covers a lots of problems we all encounter throughout life.

I cannot praise this book enough. The story of a walk of 2000 km, and the characters that Zoe meets along the way does not describe the rich, emotional, and totally absorbing nature of this book. Utterly and completely brilliant. The characters are varied and warm, the terrain rich yet barren, and the history interesting. This book has it all, I couldn't but it down.

A charming meander through northern Europe on a spiritual journey of the heart. Zoe and Martin are well-written characters both on their individual paths and seeking something specific from the Camino - and both of them are in pain. Their paths cross and intertwine.

It's a slow read with a gentle pace, with a well written narrative that flows seamlessly despite the two separate authors.

It's not a must-read for fans of The Rosie Project, though - it's totally different.

They were just two people who had a lot to think about and a need to find themselves. They found a way to do just that by walking the Camino Trail.
I confess I found it hard to make a connection with both characters as their stories were written individually but I loved the characters they encountered and the fact that love always finds a way.

Forget Don and Rosie - there's not too many laughs in this one. Lots of tears in fact. Totally different, but still a compelling, enjoyable and hugely entertaining read. Walking the Camino is on many people's Bucket list, certainly those in the older age group for whom this story will have great appeal. Warm, touching and totally engrossing as the story develops. The perfect book-group read as I'm sure everyone will respond in a very personal way to the multi-layered characters and storyline.

Two Steps Forward
by Graeme Simsion; Anne Buist

Zoe and Martin’s stories wander and interweave between Cluny in France and Santiago de Compostela in Spain following the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail. As they discover, this journey, like life, is not a well-defined path but a complex series of diversions, side routes, and chances missed or taken. Both characters are rebuilding broken lives and sensibly the authors suggest that while repair is possible the results may not always be some idealised perfection, much like Martin’s junk-shop buggy.
Clichés collide and coincidences conspire to patch up plot-holes in the book’s overlapping narrative where the authorial couple presumably write as a tag-team but there is enough charm and novelty in the delivery to engage the reader in the couple’s elaborate trails. Martin’s suppressed emotion and tendency to undermine any potential happiness is particularly convincing, especially in his relationship with his daughter.
While the book is not a travelogue there is abundant detail and advice to inform and attract future pilgrims and a wide cast of supporting characters to illustrate the strains of humanity they might encounter. However warm, the fragile and ultimately temporary camaraderie of the road is never over romanticised. There is also a striking reality in the moments of solitary travel where the characters, free to ponder their problems, discover that the practicalities of the journey, the tired legs, blisters, heavy packs and hunger become more important than any psychological baggage.

This must be a first for a book on the Camino – it is a real page-turner – life stopped as I needed to know if Zoe and Martin were finally going to get together and stay together. I laughed and cried with and for them. The love story was really wonderful but the reflections as they walked on so many levels were very moving. The Camino is very special. It is a place for companionship with people stepping out of their comfort zones. It is a place – if you can call a long distance path a place, where emotions are tested. The emotion of pain. Blistered feet and aching bodies. The emotion of facing ones emotions (some call them demons). Sadness, regret, lost friends and wasted lives all come to the surface. Walking alone can be lonely but it can be healing and this book shows this truly. I loved their voices and the honesty of the writing is intense and wonderful. If I can have one small complaint it is that I was confused at the start of the book. Various characters were thrown into text with no introduction and I kept wondering if they were important to the story. As it turned out they were and they weren’t. What mattered was that Zoe and Martin discovered they could release themselves from the baggage of their past lives and start again with energy.

I can’t wait to tell everybody about it!

What a wonderful film this book would make. It brings to life the challenge of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage trail with feeder routes all over Europe, all leading to the tomb of St James in Santiago. It is a heart-warming story of the camaraderie between strangers, of second chances, of friendship, of mature love, of beating the odds and surviving by taking one step at a time. At the conclusion you will feel a real sense of loss and a desire to carry on walking with the Zoe and Martin.

A novel with a difference and the real sense of two people going on very different journeys then meeting in the same destination. A bit like life - and that’s exactly what this novel takes you on - a journey of life.

From the authors of The Rosie Project, a novel I wasn’t that keen on, I wanted to read this as it had that ‘je ne sais quoi’ about it. I supposed I’ve fascinated why people should go on that walk, and what they do in order to get there. both people here had have had very different journeys even to get to where they are going. And it;s a very interesting read along the way.

I love walking (not just on booktrails) obviously and this had a lot of that walking jargon, observations and chat that is very real. Across two countries, with two languages there are also some understandings and funny moments along the way. I really felt as if I was on that walk with them and it was a lot of fun! Their paths cross, recross, they meet some characters along the way, encounter some strange things....the joy is doing the walk yourself (by reading the book if not the real thing) and seeing what your version is like.

This book made me smile, laugh, frown, wonder and dream and then think about what I would be like on a journey like this, how an ordinary person or persons can have the most fascinating stories or reasons for going.

It’s a the international version of Harold Fry to some degree and that’s no bad thing! A really insightful book!

Brilliant book that takes you on the psychological, emotional and spiritual journey of two people that end up in Camino to find themselves and meet each other. The story is told in alternating chapters between the two - Martin and Zoe. I’ve read the Rosie Project and enjoyed that so was keen to read this novel by the same authors. Really enjoyable and highly recommended.

Really enjoyable read. Told from the points of view of Zoe and Martin. Both are walking the from Cluny to Santiago de Compostela, and end up walking part of the route together. They meet a diverse bunch of characters along the way, each with their own reason for doing the walk.

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. We follow the pilgrims’ way from Cluny in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, in the company of Martin – an Englishman, and Zoe from California. Both are walking the trail for different reasons – Martin to prove his travelling cart on wheels has commercial promise, and Zoe to take some time for herself following personal tragedy. We follow their individual stories, as they come together at various points on the trail, along with a variety of individuals whom they encounter along the journey. The characters are well-crafted, and the scenery described in beautiful detail, it’s a great read.

Lovely romance story that isn't too "twee".
There is an interesting dual narrative to this story. Zoe is from California and Martin is from Yorkshire but they both meet in France, looking to make a fresh start and following the Camino. As Martin and Zoe take their first tentative steps along the walking trail they also begin a romance which is by turns funny and sad, and full of misunderstandings. The characters are very likeable and there are some lovely humorous touches within the story which kept me engaged.
Very enjoyable and light reading.