Two Steps Forward (Graeme Simsion & Anne Buist, Text)

Martin, a divorced English engineer, and Zoe, a widowed American artist, are each at a turning point in their lives. Unexpectedly alone, without money or young families to care for, they are unsure where life will take them next. Each sets out to walk over 2000 kilometres along the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrim’s walk through France and Spain. Martin has planned his journey meticulously while Zoe has embarked on something of a whim, inspired by the promise that the Camino will help her find what she has lost. Martin’s and Zoe’s stories are told in alternating chapters by husband-and-wife writing team Graeme Simsion and Anne Buist. The leisurely paced novel explores themes of forgiveness and self-discovery with gentle humour. A cast of interesting characters and the detailed descriptions of the logistics and rich history of the walk add to its appeal. Two Steps Forward is a feel-good, mature romance that explores what we need to let go of to move forward. It will be enjoyed by fans of Simsion’s ‘Rosie’ books and Rachel Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.

Melanie Mutch is a librarian and co-founder of librarianschoice.org

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