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We Loved to Run
A fearless debut novel about a women's cross country team and how far girls will push themselves to control their bodies, friendships, and futures.
We loved running because it was who we were, who we’d been in high school, who we hoped to be in futures we couldn’t yet imagine. Strong and fast. Fast and strong.
At Frost, a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, the runners on the women's cross country team have their sights set on the 1992 New England Division Three Championships and will push themselves through every punishing workout and skipped meal to achieve their goal. But Kristin, the team's star, is hiding a secret about what happened over the summer, and her unpredictable behavior jeopardizes the girls' chance to win. Team Captain Danielle is convinced she can restore Kristin's confidence, even if it means burying her own past. As the final meet approaches, Kristin, Danielle, and the rest of the girls must transcend their individual circumstances and run the race as a team.
Told from the perspective of the six fastest team members, We Loved to Run deftly illuminates the impossible standards young women set for themselves in spite of their own powerlessness. With startling honesty and boundless empathy, Stephanie Reents reveals how girls—even those pitted against each other—find ways to love and defend one another.
We loved running because it was who we were, who we’d been in high school, who we hoped to be in futures we couldn’t yet imagine. Strong and fast. Fast and strong.
At Frost, a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, the runners on the women's cross country team have their sights set on the 1992 New England Division Three Championships and will push themselves through every punishing workout and skipped meal to achieve their goal. But Kristin, the team's star, is hiding a secret about what happened over the summer, and her unpredictable behavior jeopardizes the girls' chance to win. Team Captain Danielle is convinced she can restore Kristin's confidence, even if it means burying her own past. As the final meet approaches, Kristin, Danielle, and the rest of the girls must transcend their individual circumstances and run the race as a team.
Told from the perspective of the six fastest team members, We Loved to Run deftly illuminates the impossible standards young women set for themselves in spite of their own powerlessness. With startling honesty and boundless empathy, Stephanie Reents reveals how girls—even those pitted against each other—find ways to love and defend one another.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published August 26, 2025
35 people are currently reading
10821 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Reents
6 books67 followersStephanie Reents is the author of The Kissing List, a collection of stories that was an Editors’ Choice in The New York Times Book Review, and I Meant to Kill Ye, a bibliomemoir chronicling her journey into the strange void at the heart of Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. She has twice received an O. Henry Prize for her short fiction. Reents received a BA from Amherst College, where she ran on the cross country team all four years; a BA from the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar; and an MFA from the University of Arizona. She was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
August 21, 2025
On a day like this when the whole world unspooled slowly and leisurely, we loved to run. (loc. 1316*)
It's the early 90s, and at a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, the women's cross country team is on fire. They are smart, and they are fast, and they swing between being the closest of close friends and being ready to tear each other's throats out. They are all fast, but some of them are faster; some of them are faster, but the slower runners' times count, too, in their meet placements. They are all thin, but some of them are thinner; some of them are thinner, but some of them know how dangerous that slippery slide can be. They tell each other secrets and break each other's confidences; they push each other to be their best and knock each other down; they run.
Reents plots a course here that is partly in third person singular and partly in first person plural: Emotions did not behave predictably under physical duress. We loved each other, too, the love as dark and sticky and intense as blackstrap molasses. (loc. 116) There are too many characters to follow each one closely, but a few are highlighted and a few more run through the chapters again and again. Some of them are more palatable than others, but that's kind of the point. In some ways I found Harriet and Chloe to be the most interesting characters, Harriet because she subverts a lot of literary expectations of how a character with an eating disorder is written, and Chloe because she can't quite get a grip on her teammates finding her tedious.
What you make of the book will probably depend largely on how you feel about the first person plural. It worked for me, but I think partly because we also had those sections in a single character's head. (Having numerous POV characters also allows for multiple dramas, small and large, which never hurts...) I'm guessing that the choice of timing (the 90s rather than a contemporary setting) has something to do with Reents's own experience as a college runner, but regardless, it was a nice choice; I think I wouldn't mind reading a bit more fiction set in, say, the 80s through early 2000s—contemporary enough, but minus everyone being constantly glued to their cell phones and social media.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
It's the early 90s, and at a small liberal arts college in Massachusetts, the women's cross country team is on fire. They are smart, and they are fast, and they swing between being the closest of close friends and being ready to tear each other's throats out. They are all fast, but some of them are faster; some of them are faster, but the slower runners' times count, too, in their meet placements. They are all thin, but some of them are thinner; some of them are thinner, but some of them know how dangerous that slippery slide can be. They tell each other secrets and break each other's confidences; they push each other to be their best and knock each other down; they run.
Reents plots a course here that is partly in third person singular and partly in first person plural: Emotions did not behave predictably under physical duress. We loved each other, too, the love as dark and sticky and intense as blackstrap molasses. (loc. 116) There are too many characters to follow each one closely, but a few are highlighted and a few more run through the chapters again and again. Some of them are more palatable than others, but that's kind of the point. In some ways I found Harriet and Chloe to be the most interesting characters, Harriet because she subverts a lot of literary expectations of how a character with an eating disorder is written, and Chloe because she can't quite get a grip on her teammates finding her tedious.
What you make of the book will probably depend largely on how you feel about the first person plural. It worked for me, but I think partly because we also had those sections in a single character's head. (Having numerous POV characters also allows for multiple dramas, small and large, which never hurts...) I'm guessing that the choice of timing (the 90s rather than a contemporary setting) has something to do with Reents's own experience as a college runner, but regardless, it was a nice choice; I think I wouldn't mind reading a bit more fiction set in, say, the 80s through early 2000s—contemporary enough, but minus everyone being constantly glued to their cell phones and social media.
*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.
Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.
May 16, 2025
A powerful, quietly devastating look at girlhood, ambition, and the weight we carry when we’re supposed to be strong. This one stays with you. We Loved to Run isn’t just about running—it’s about girlhood, perfectionism, and the way young women push themselves to the edge to be enough. Told through six perspectives, this novel captures the complexity of being a teenage girl when everything feels like it matters too much—body image, pressure, secrets, and the impossible idea of being both soft and strong.
Kristin and Danielle’s dynamic felt so real—one girl trying to hold everything together, the other slowly unraveling. I loved how the book didn’t shy away from showing how even close friendships can carry competition, silence, and loyalty all at once.
Stephanie Reents writes with so much empathy and honesty. This one had me reflecting on the girl I was, the friendships that shaped me, and the expectations we’re still trying to outrun.
Kristin and Danielle’s dynamic felt so real—one girl trying to hold everything together, the other slowly unraveling. I loved how the book didn’t shy away from showing how even close friendships can carry competition, silence, and loyalty all at once.
Stephanie Reents writes with so much empathy and honesty. This one had me reflecting on the girl I was, the friendships that shaped me, and the expectations we’re still trying to outrun.
May 28, 2025
From its first chapter, We Loved to Run draws the reader into the all-consuming drama and sacrifice of being a top runner on a collegiate cross-country team. “We hated running, and we loved it. We spent so much time trying not to think about our bodies that we were always thinking about them. Thinking about how they were not hungry or not injured or not fatter or weaker than the body of some other girl. Running was the glue that kept us together, but it was also a truth serum, drawing out feelings we’d rather not have.”
This story hooked me, largely because I am a longtime runner but never had the experience of running on a XC team. The lyrical novel, capturing the friendship and competition between six young women, makes me appreciate the intensity and dedication of top-level running but also grateful I discovered running as a hobby in young adulthood, rather than in the pressure-cooker of collegiate athletics, which produces injury-prone and self-destructive runners (at least, that was more the norm in the 1990s compared to now).
Author Stephanie Reents must’ve been a dedicated XC runner herself because she vividly captures the movement, energy, strategy, discomfort, and emotions of the meets as well as of the training runs. But, this is not a book about running as much as about relationships, set in the early 1990s—a time when eating disorders were tacitly accepted and almost inevitable, before Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) had a name and coaches were sensitive to it; before the Internet, cell phones, and social media became ubiquitous; and when young women were starting to become aware and empowered about sexual harassment (the Anita Hill hearing plays in the background in one scene).
The author makes a few unusual choices, such as using the first-person plural “we” in many chapters without revealing who the narrator is, suggesting the team’s bond and their role as teammates is more powerful than each of them as individuals. The other chapters are told in the third person and focus either on Danielle, the team captain, or on Kristin, the fastest runner who feels like an outsider. Surprisingly, the nameless Coach and Assistant Coach are secondary rather than main characters, on the periphery of these runners’ lives even though they exert great control. Each runner’s power and talent seems to come more from their teammates and their own inner drive than from the two men who shout orders at them.
Ultimately, the conversations among the top runners and their inner dialogue drive the story more than running itself, and we feel what it’s like to live in the stratified environment of this fictional small New England college and navigate friendships while coping with myriad insecurities, disappointments, and personal victories. The plot detours midway to Kristin’s life, and then Danielle’s, as both cope with confusing, regrettable, anxiety-producing sexual encounters that raise questions about what constitutes assault or date rape. The book’s heart is rooted in these lonely girls’ need for friendship, and the true care they feel for one another, which ultimately overrides their competition.
I’m grateful to have received an ARC from Hogarth Books and recommend this book to any runner, coach, and especially to parents of college-age athletes. But even if you don’t fit into one of those categories, you’ll likely enjoy and appreciate this turbulent story of how one pivotal season shaped these young women’s lives.
This story hooked me, largely because I am a longtime runner but never had the experience of running on a XC team. The lyrical novel, capturing the friendship and competition between six young women, makes me appreciate the intensity and dedication of top-level running but also grateful I discovered running as a hobby in young adulthood, rather than in the pressure-cooker of collegiate athletics, which produces injury-prone and self-destructive runners (at least, that was more the norm in the 1990s compared to now).
Author Stephanie Reents must’ve been a dedicated XC runner herself because she vividly captures the movement, energy, strategy, discomfort, and emotions of the meets as well as of the training runs. But, this is not a book about running as much as about relationships, set in the early 1990s—a time when eating disorders were tacitly accepted and almost inevitable, before Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) had a name and coaches were sensitive to it; before the Internet, cell phones, and social media became ubiquitous; and when young women were starting to become aware and empowered about sexual harassment (the Anita Hill hearing plays in the background in one scene).
The author makes a few unusual choices, such as using the first-person plural “we” in many chapters without revealing who the narrator is, suggesting the team’s bond and their role as teammates is more powerful than each of them as individuals. The other chapters are told in the third person and focus either on Danielle, the team captain, or on Kristin, the fastest runner who feels like an outsider. Surprisingly, the nameless Coach and Assistant Coach are secondary rather than main characters, on the periphery of these runners’ lives even though they exert great control. Each runner’s power and talent seems to come more from their teammates and their own inner drive than from the two men who shout orders at them.
Ultimately, the conversations among the top runners and their inner dialogue drive the story more than running itself, and we feel what it’s like to live in the stratified environment of this fictional small New England college and navigate friendships while coping with myriad insecurities, disappointments, and personal victories. The plot detours midway to Kristin’s life, and then Danielle’s, as both cope with confusing, regrettable, anxiety-producing sexual encounters that raise questions about what constitutes assault or date rape. The book’s heart is rooted in these lonely girls’ need for friendship, and the true care they feel for one another, which ultimately overrides their competition.
I’m grateful to have received an ARC from Hogarth Books and recommend this book to any runner, coach, and especially to parents of college-age athletes. But even if you don’t fit into one of those categories, you’ll likely enjoy and appreciate this turbulent story of how one pivotal season shaped these young women’s lives.
June 4, 2025
I have never been a cross country runner myself, but I was immersed in the world of these college girls and each of their stories. The characters are compelling and distinct (and Jed, one character's erstwhile crush, in particular is deliciously surprising and weird). The details of college in the 1990s (the fashion, food, music) are spot-on, as is the depiction of young adult life at the cusp of the internet era. But readers of any age will find universal themes in the insightful depictions of intense female friendships checkered by competitiveness, pride, ambition, and insecurity--about achievement, about body image. I thought the chapters told from the perspective of the team, in the first-person plural ("we"), were a particularly clever device for conveying a group mentality. And though I've never experienced it myself, through her descriptions I felt I could understand the unique exhilaration and focus of being in a race, at the peak of one's body and mind. We Love to Run was funny, heartbreaking, and compassionate.
August 26, 2025
“WE LOVED TO RUN”
By @stephanie.reents
Out with @hogarthbooks today-thank you for this copy
A novel for anyone who has managed to pull through. The complicated college crashout, the childish drama that’s so hard to let go as you grow as a runner and as an adult… A general rule: “You’re only as strong as your weakest runner” expands to more than just the race when you’re functioning as a team.
The brilliant thing about sports (and sports novels) is that nuance becomes less crucial in the running (or the reading.) While running, symbols vanish and metaphors become useless. Meaning is straightforward, everything is clear—running speed determines everything. Winning is winning. Losing is losing. Strength is strength. Pain is pain.
“We Loved to Run” is a knockout feminist women’s cross country novel. With uncomplicated multi character narration, this novel conjures a terrifically complex study of womanhood. Enjoyable to read, it shines in its realness and relatability for anyone who loves to read but especially for someone who has been a part of a team or spent time running competitively.
Of course, it’s never just about running—lives are lived, hearts are broken, words are spoken aloud we’re never able to get back—and yet somehow, it is exactly about running. Perhaps it’s not all so clear-cut as I thought.
I’ve read a handful of sports novels. It’s really hard to pull one off; it’s really, really hard to pull one off about running. Cross country is a sport run mostly out of spectators’ sight, with just a few glimpses of what’s happening before the finish. John L Parker, author of cult classic “Once a Runner” may be the only person ever before to really pull this sort of thing off. That is, until now—Stephanie Reents has brought us all an excellent, never-before-done work that I suspect serves the future as its own niche classic, and for that she deserves all the applause. She wrote a great sports novel, and then some. For me, that’s a win.
By @stephanie.reents
Out with @hogarthbooks today-thank you for this copy
A novel for anyone who has managed to pull through. The complicated college crashout, the childish drama that’s so hard to let go as you grow as a runner and as an adult… A general rule: “You’re only as strong as your weakest runner” expands to more than just the race when you’re functioning as a team.
The brilliant thing about sports (and sports novels) is that nuance becomes less crucial in the running (or the reading.) While running, symbols vanish and metaphors become useless. Meaning is straightforward, everything is clear—running speed determines everything. Winning is winning. Losing is losing. Strength is strength. Pain is pain.
“We Loved to Run” is a knockout feminist women’s cross country novel. With uncomplicated multi character narration, this novel conjures a terrifically complex study of womanhood. Enjoyable to read, it shines in its realness and relatability for anyone who loves to read but especially for someone who has been a part of a team or spent time running competitively.
Of course, it’s never just about running—lives are lived, hearts are broken, words are spoken aloud we’re never able to get back—and yet somehow, it is exactly about running. Perhaps it’s not all so clear-cut as I thought.
I’ve read a handful of sports novels. It’s really hard to pull one off; it’s really, really hard to pull one off about running. Cross country is a sport run mostly out of spectators’ sight, with just a few glimpses of what’s happening before the finish. John L Parker, author of cult classic “Once a Runner” may be the only person ever before to really pull this sort of thing off. That is, until now—Stephanie Reents has brought us all an excellent, never-before-done work that I suspect serves the future as its own niche classic, and for that she deserves all the applause. She wrote a great sports novel, and then some. For me, that’s a win.
August 13, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House, and Hogarth for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review
I had to DNF this one at 40%. I was just so bored, it was too much of a character study for me. There was nothing keeping my attention and none of characters stood out in anyway.
I had to DNF this one at 40%. I was just so bored, it was too much of a character study for me. There was nothing keeping my attention and none of characters stood out in anyway.
June 9, 2025
I received a copy for review. All opinions are my own. It was very interesting to learn about each girls individual life struggles and see how they all would have to come together at the end. The character development was really great and helped make the book easy to follow. I love that it takes place in the 90s because it made me feel a bit nostalgic and as a runner myself I was really excited to read this novel. Definitely a good weekend read!
July 17, 2025
What a book! WOW! I requested this book off netgalley when I saw it had to do with running. Running is something I’ve always loved and always will. This book took a deep dive into a women’s cross country college team. It really went into the physical and mental mind of a runner and everything a woman endures in the sport. This book was heavy at times and did touch on some subjects that were tough to read but were real life things when I went to college too. It shed some light on how women in general are put through so much from sports to real life. I liked this book a lot and really just loved how well it was written.
This brought me back to my last two years of high school and when I truly fell in love with running. Going from finishing last some races and all the way in the back my freshmen and sophomore year of hs and hating running. To my junior and senior year of hs - finishing with the A group, finishing fifth in a race, and going to sectionals really changed my entire outlook on running. Running has always taught me one of the biggest lessons I take with me everyday in this life - you get what you put into it. The harder you work, the more you’ll keep improving and bettering yourself. I can attest to that going from a 31 minute 5k to a 22:30 5k & with so many aspects of my life. I just love running so this was a must read of course for me!
I highly recommend checking this one out! Thank you random house and netgalley for my ebook copy that comes out August 26, 2025.
This brought me back to my last two years of high school and when I truly fell in love with running. Going from finishing last some races and all the way in the back my freshmen and sophomore year of hs and hating running. To my junior and senior year of hs - finishing with the A group, finishing fifth in a race, and going to sectionals really changed my entire outlook on running. Running has always taught me one of the biggest lessons I take with me everyday in this life - you get what you put into it. The harder you work, the more you’ll keep improving and bettering yourself. I can attest to that going from a 31 minute 5k to a 22:30 5k & with so many aspects of my life. I just love running so this was a must read of course for me!
I highly recommend checking this one out! Thank you random house and netgalley for my ebook copy that comes out August 26, 2025.
June 20, 2025
This is a story of friendship and competition and resilience, set in the glorious 1990s at a quiet New England college, long before the world got connected and complicated. A small group of cross country runners trains and strains, pushing and pulling each other across finish lines.
But dark moments from the recent past linger and fester like a shadowy hallucination. They - and we - are left to process the events, often without any satisfying conclusion. This is a snapshot of a time without a #metoo movement, or the modern perspective of a collective social consciousness. This is an uncomplicated world, but there are still complications.
The reader is brought into this tight-knit group, and gets to experience the joys and pains of college athletics: classes, training, wins, parties, insecurities, injuries, and fears.
Not to be overlooked, Reents' writing exhibits exquisite detail to the extent that you can easily imagine yourself snaking down a dirt trail on a cold October morning in Western Massachusetts, your shoes damp with dew, your lungs expelling steamy puffs of exhaustion.
This is a engaging and energizing read, a 5K for the soul.
But dark moments from the recent past linger and fester like a shadowy hallucination. They - and we - are left to process the events, often without any satisfying conclusion. This is a snapshot of a time without a #metoo movement, or the modern perspective of a collective social consciousness. This is an uncomplicated world, but there are still complications.
The reader is brought into this tight-knit group, and gets to experience the joys and pains of college athletics: classes, training, wins, parties, insecurities, injuries, and fears.
Not to be overlooked, Reents' writing exhibits exquisite detail to the extent that you can easily imagine yourself snaking down a dirt trail on a cold October morning in Western Massachusetts, your shoes damp with dew, your lungs expelling steamy puffs of exhaustion.
This is a engaging and energizing read, a 5K for the soul.
June 14, 2025
We looove a book about female friendships, but I was a little overwhelmed by the number of characters it kept flipping between.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth for sending me this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth for sending me this book!
August 19, 2025
We Loved to Run by Stephanie Reents is a literary fiction coming of age novel featuring a team of female cross country runners at a New England liberal arts university. The novel is told from the points of view of the top six runners, but primarily Kristin and Danielle’s, as they compete with and against one another across one season. I had some difficulty keeping track of the various characters and storylines, where some are fully fleshed out and others left more open ended.
The novel is a slowly paced and emotionally wrenching look at the complex female experience. The young women, particularly Kristin and Danielle, face various battles as much off the race courses as on. The writing style is raw with an unflinching tone on harsh topics all too common for college aged women: excessive drinking, sexual assault, eating disorders and a pregnancy scare. It was frustrating at times to watch the characters ignore each others’ obvious struggles. It wasn’t until the end that the women came together to truly listen to each other’s stories and support one another. This is not a light read, and not entirely hopeful, but a thought provoking, deep character based story that focuses on the realistic experience of young women in college. 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Hogarth for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
The novel is a slowly paced and emotionally wrenching look at the complex female experience. The young women, particularly Kristin and Danielle, face various battles as much off the race courses as on. The writing style is raw with an unflinching tone on harsh topics all too common for college aged women: excessive drinking, sexual assault, eating disorders and a pregnancy scare. It was frustrating at times to watch the characters ignore each others’ obvious struggles. It wasn’t until the end that the women came together to truly listen to each other’s stories and support one another. This is not a light read, and not entirely hopeful, but a thought provoking, deep character based story that focuses on the realistic experience of young women in college. 3.5/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Hogarth for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 10, 2025
If you’re looking for a heavier coming of age book, this is probably a good pick. But if you’re looking for a book about the experience of female competitive runners…meh.
I wish the publishers summary had been honest about what this book really is. It’s highly centered around a heavy sexual assault plot line that takes over most of the story. And then later it introduces ANOTHER sexual assault plot line.
Though I think the author did essentially get the politics and pettiness of women’s cross country right, it would have been a better book had she actually stayed with that as the central theme. It’s what the book’s summary *says* its focus is, and it’s also where the author shows some skill.
Though the weight issues are overblown here (cross country is really not like ballet or gymnastics in this way), the rivalries and politics among team members are very real, and though a lot of the girls’ perspectives are indistinguishable, those that do stand out feel accurate. Every team has a Danelle, for example.
In all, I enjoyed the parts of this that were actually about running and being part of a small and close knit team, but the book had other fatal flaws that are tough to get past.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
I wish the publishers summary had been honest about what this book really is. It’s highly centered around a heavy sexual assault plot line that takes over most of the story. And then later it introduces ANOTHER sexual assault plot line.
Though I think the author did essentially get the politics and pettiness of women’s cross country right, it would have been a better book had she actually stayed with that as the central theme. It’s what the book’s summary *says* its focus is, and it’s also where the author shows some skill.
Though the weight issues are overblown here (cross country is really not like ballet or gymnastics in this way), the rivalries and politics among team members are very real, and though a lot of the girls’ perspectives are indistinguishable, those that do stand out feel accurate. Every team has a Danelle, for example.
In all, I enjoyed the parts of this that were actually about running and being part of a small and close knit team, but the book had other fatal flaws that are tough to get past.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
June 29, 2025
We Loved to Run is an ideal novel for female runners of any age but I think it’ll especially hit home with millennials and Gen X who grew up in the 90s and early 2000’s and were in sports, especially running. But this novel is about more than just a liberal arts cross country team and runners highs and competing and the unhealthy eating that was genuinely promoted as correct in that timeframe. It’s also about the power of friendships to get you through tough times. On and off the field, so to speak.
I latched on to Kristin’s journey the most because it took up the most space, but it was actually Chloe and Danielle who I wanted to know more about and wish their stories had been a little more fleshed out too.
In any case, this book captures the essence of that time, of the body image struggles, of the way life was before the internet fully took over; and of the way a team is only as strong as each of its members. I did like how sometimes the narration would switch to “we” and away from one person in particular to really emphasize the team aspect.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC and provide an honest review.
I latched on to Kristin’s journey the most because it took up the most space, but it was actually Chloe and Danielle who I wanted to know more about and wish their stories had been a little more fleshed out too.
In any case, this book captures the essence of that time, of the body image struggles, of the way life was before the internet fully took over; and of the way a team is only as strong as each of its members. I did like how sometimes the narration would switch to “we” and away from one person in particular to really emphasize the team aspect.
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC and provide an honest review.
August 3, 2025
Ladies, if you read just one book this year, make it this one! This novel is masterfully crafted, blending actuality with metaphor, rich symbolism and wisdom. In dismantling the psyche of the female runner, Reents weaves it together with all that it means to be a woman in this society. She captures the insecurities and internal dialogue we know so well; the constant questioning of whether we're good enough, pretty enough, lean enough, strong enough, tough enough, or, too fat, too thin, too tall, too short. That relentless self-doubt that plagues us all at one time or another, becomes a central thread throughout, but that’s only part of it.
Reents creates this story through the intricacies of close female relationships, as they're tied to competition. The small team dynamics and intense friendships she portrays feel authentically real; caring yet competitive, affectionate yet sometimes ‘mean-spirited and snarky’. These contradictions come together to form bonds that are both beautiful and complicated; the inextricable bond between teammates and friends.
You could easily read this as simply a book about a college cross-country team and their lives, and it would still be a compelling story. But if you dig just a bit deeper into the symbolism and examine the complicated realities of the female experience, the highs, lows, pitfalls, insecurities, vulnerabilities, and the search for strength through fear and guilt, you'll discover the true genius of Reents' writing. This is a book that understands women's inner lives with remarkable insight and compassion, and I will be thinking about its brilliance for a long time to come.
*I was invited to read by the publisher, through NetGalley, for an honest review (Random House)
Reents creates this story through the intricacies of close female relationships, as they're tied to competition. The small team dynamics and intense friendships she portrays feel authentically real; caring yet competitive, affectionate yet sometimes ‘mean-spirited and snarky’. These contradictions come together to form bonds that are both beautiful and complicated; the inextricable bond between teammates and friends.
You could easily read this as simply a book about a college cross-country team and their lives, and it would still be a compelling story. But if you dig just a bit deeper into the symbolism and examine the complicated realities of the female experience, the highs, lows, pitfalls, insecurities, vulnerabilities, and the search for strength through fear and guilt, you'll discover the true genius of Reents' writing. This is a book that understands women's inner lives with remarkable insight and compassion, and I will be thinking about its brilliance for a long time to come.
*I was invited to read by the publisher, through NetGalley, for an honest review (Random House)
June 28, 2025
You will come to this novel interested to learn about the world of competitive women’s cross-country running, and you will find the characters compelling, and what happens to them, and how they deal with their challenges, will keep you engaged. But what will remain with you is a sense of how women’s identities are forged in the crucibles of the communities they create. It would be reductive and misleading to compare the women of the Frost cross-country team to the Bingley sisters, but it’s worth recognizing that they are not unrelated, and that the power that stories such as this one have to enrich our understanding of women’s lives is the kind of thing that those of us want who come to reading for more than a few hours’ entertainment.
July 1, 2025
The book explores the challenges young women face, both in sports and in life, and how powerful it is when they come together for a shared goal. The focus is on six different team members in the women’s cross country team, which means there are six POVs. Some characters had more focus than others, which meant there were a lot of storylines that were either tied up quickly or left open-ended. Overall, a good and emotional read to get that adrenaline rush to start running again.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC and provide an honest review.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC and provide an honest review.
July 17, 2025
I've never been a runner but I think anyone can relate to this lovely novel about a group of friends at Frost. These six women are the best runners in college and are always trying to beat each other while still remaining friends. The focus settles on Kristin who receives an odd letter from an ex and things change in a heartbeat! It's a beautiful tribute to friendships and rivalries that we have all probably faced at one time in our lives.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
September 7, 2025
A phenomenal debut with some of the best descriptions of what it’s like to be a female runner, competitor, and friend that I’ve ever read - highly recommend!
June 7, 2025
We Loved to Run explores coming of age through the lives of six collegiate runners. The issues that the girls face are very realistic and dealt with in a way that felt very accurate to the early 1990s timeline. Much of it made me feel nostalgic but also sad remembering the pain of navigating those spaces. The story is told in vignettes from the six girls but there is a bit of imbalance as some carry more weight than others. Overall I enjoyed it, but I did find some of it to be a little slow. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
August 29, 2025
it's the summer of reading books about GIRLS! https://www.instagram.com/p/DNZDi8qyvuC/?img_index=1
We Loved to Run follows six girls on a college cross country team as they battle the pressures of athletics while walking the tightrope from girls to women. it's amazing!! i personally love a book with a full cast of characters and these girls were incredible to read about. while i understood the choice to focus on two main girls, i found myself wanting more of the other four. these book could have been 200 pages longer and i would have eaten it all up. take a chance on this, you won't regret it <3
thank you netgalley and random house for the free ARC!!
We Loved to Run follows six girls on a college cross country team as they battle the pressures of athletics while walking the tightrope from girls to women. it's amazing!! i personally love a book with a full cast of characters and these girls were incredible to read about. while i understood the choice to focus on two main girls, i found myself wanting more of the other four. these book could have been 200 pages longer and i would have eaten it all up. take a chance on this, you won't regret it <3
thank you netgalley and random house for the free ARC!!
May 28, 2025
Unique take on the typical struggles we forget about when we transition from girls to women. I enjoyed the different points of view and personalities while confronting the same issues. I loved the real take on each characters competitive drive and reasons they all had for their love of running. A bit hard to follow but still fun being a fly on the wall if you’ve never been through some of these challenges.
Thank you for this ARC via NetGalley!
Thank you for this ARC via NetGalley!
May 25, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley for this book. I really enjoyed this book that examines life in college in the early 1990s from the perspective of female athletes. An intense look at life way before the “me-too” movement and emotional at times.
June 3, 2025
We Loved to Run by Stephanie Reents was a quick, though not light, read. The book follows the six fastest members of the women's cross country team of a fictional New England college (Frost) throughout their season. The narrative switches each chapter to a different narrator though each reads as if they are omniscient, and they each spend a lot of time thinking about and speculating or observing what the other women in that core six are doing during the chapter's events as well. As the weeks pass, the team continues to excel in workouts and in races in what could potentially be their best season as a team yet. The novel asks whether they will be hold it together, keeping their injuries, their anxieties, and their insecurities at bay to make it to the national competition. We Loved to Run captured the nuance and intricacies of female friendships and the love-hate relationship that many competitive athletes have with their sport and their bodies as a consequence.
As a former women's cross country team runner, I was excited to see a novel centered on a women's cross country team. There are not many! And I thought Reents delivered on some of these elements I remember most fondly: cross country season in the crisp New England fall, the weird relationship between the men's and women's cross country team, the love hate relationship to running that every runner has, and the nuance of female friendships. The book also does not shy away from some of the darker elements of competitive running like running through injury and pain and the rampant disordered eating culture, the latter perpetuated in We Love to Run by pretty much every member of the team as well as the coaching staff. Despite the heaviness, I felt Reents wrote about these details in a compassionate and realistic way that resonated with me. I loved the way she characterized and noted a lot of these small details.
Some of the other details were a little harder for me to follow. I did not feel like I knew any of the six girls well, as each is mainly characterized almost entirely by her compulsions and what place she landed each week in the workout. As a runner, these details were meaningful and interesting to me but I foresee the book losing a lot of readers because there is little detail about the runners outside of their relationship to running. Additionally, the women were also really kind of mean to each other. I've run competitively and I have never harbored some of these types of thoughts about my teammates. I don't remember these kinds of fights breaking out amongst my teammates. Though the plot is building up to their most important meet of the season, I would say it is mainly a character driven novel and I did not care a ton about any of the characters because I did not felt like I knew them outside of running and they were kind of mean! The narration style compounded this, sometimes as a singular we, other times in the voice of a single character which further blurred the lines. I think the intended function of this was to show they moved and thought as a group, and were constantly in tune with what was going on with one another, which resonated with me as a former athlete. However, their actions were very much at odds with their inner thoughts.
Other reviews have made mention that this book made them remember 'exactly why they did not get involved in competitive sports'. This makes me sad, because I feel like the very fact that Reents is still reflecting on her time as a collegiate athlete is /because/ she remembers it, her teammates, and the love they shared, so fondly. But I feel like the other reviewers' negative sentiment speaks to the fact that the meanness at times outweighs the kindheartedness in the book, and that although the characters come together by the end in a genuinely touching scene, it is hard to overlook all the cruelty along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, Hogarth Books, and Stephanie Reents for an honest review in exchange for a free e-ARC.
As a former women's cross country team runner, I was excited to see a novel centered on a women's cross country team. There are not many! And I thought Reents delivered on some of these elements I remember most fondly: cross country season in the crisp New England fall, the weird relationship between the men's and women's cross country team, the love hate relationship to running that every runner has, and the nuance of female friendships. The book also does not shy away from some of the darker elements of competitive running like running through injury and pain and the rampant disordered eating culture, the latter perpetuated in We Love to Run by pretty much every member of the team as well as the coaching staff. Despite the heaviness, I felt Reents wrote about these details in a compassionate and realistic way that resonated with me. I loved the way she characterized and noted a lot of these small details.
Some of the other details were a little harder for me to follow. I did not feel like I knew any of the six girls well, as each is mainly characterized almost entirely by her compulsions and what place she landed each week in the workout. As a runner, these details were meaningful and interesting to me but I foresee the book losing a lot of readers because there is little detail about the runners outside of their relationship to running. Additionally, the women were also really kind of mean to each other. I've run competitively and I have never harbored some of these types of thoughts about my teammates. I don't remember these kinds of fights breaking out amongst my teammates. Though the plot is building up to their most important meet of the season, I would say it is mainly a character driven novel and I did not care a ton about any of the characters because I did not felt like I knew them outside of running and they were kind of mean! The narration style compounded this, sometimes as a singular we, other times in the voice of a single character which further blurred the lines. I think the intended function of this was to show they moved and thought as a group, and were constantly in tune with what was going on with one another, which resonated with me as a former athlete. However, their actions were very much at odds with their inner thoughts.
Other reviews have made mention that this book made them remember 'exactly why they did not get involved in competitive sports'. This makes me sad, because I feel like the very fact that Reents is still reflecting on her time as a collegiate athlete is /because/ she remembers it, her teammates, and the love they shared, so fondly. But I feel like the other reviewers' negative sentiment speaks to the fact that the meanness at times outweighs the kindheartedness in the book, and that although the characters come together by the end in a genuinely touching scene, it is hard to overlook all the cruelty along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, Hogarth Books, and Stephanie Reents for an honest review in exchange for a free e-ARC.
June 1, 2025
We Loved to Run is about a college track team. The Poets, at Frost liberal arts college in New England, is comprised of a group of fast women. These women share the highs and lows, alternately loving and competing against each other.
The story is mostly told in the “we,” which took a little getting used to. There are some chapters that focus more on a single woman, and those are told in the third person. In those in between chapters, the reader learns more about Kristin and Danielle. We get bits and pieces about all of them, but we know Kristin and Danielle best.
Fortunately, I think a lot has changed in track and field and most colleges don’t treat their female athletes this way anymore. At Frost, we hear about the weigh-ins, the body fat percentage measurements, the starvation, and the brutal workouts with not enough recovery in between. We read about running with a stress fracture. Running hung over. Running angry and fiercely, and still… how much these young women love running.
We Loved to Run goes deep on eating disorders and sexual assault. This book is heavy reading, but beautifully written. I thought Stephanie Reents described the human condition so well, particularly that of young women who hate their bodies and, at times, themselves.
If you love running, there’s a lot to connect to in this book. And if care about young women, there’s a lot to be sad about in this book. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Some favorite passages:
“We spent so much time trying not to think about our bodies that we were always thinking about them. Thinking about how they were not hungry or not injured or not fatter or weaker than the body of some other girl.“
“We shared tampons, the treats our moms sent us, clean socks, joy and shame and deodorant. We were friends like that.”
“We all rolled our eyes internally, and yet when we got going like this, it was a landslide, one girl’s self-criticism setting off another’s, a foot of unstable ground becoming two, then five, then fourteen, rushing down the slope, burying everything beautiful and living in its path. Suddenly, everyone was sucking in their stomachs, eyeing their thighs. Too much here. And here. Not enough there. Oh my god, it was disgusting. Squeezing whatever we could. Pinching. Breasts, bellies, buttocks. If there had been a mirror, it would have been worse. In this mood, it was traumatic to see yourself. It was like looking through the wrong end of binoculars.”
“While Eli was trying out something he actually might want to do someday, she was earning $3.25 an hour as a barista at Boise’s first espresso shop. This is one of the differences between being raised in a fully staffed family versus a single- mom situation.”
“Anyway, it wasn’t her body, per se, that she was so afraid of him seeing, but rather her relationship to her body, which he would see emblazoned across her face.”
“This is the thing that novice runners fail to appreciate: something is always hurting. If Danielle let discomfort—or, worse, real pain—stop her, then she would never run a step. The trick is knowing when you have crossed an invisible line between uncomfortable and serious, between something-to-be-tolerated and something-which-requires-professional-care and worse: rest.”
The story is mostly told in the “we,” which took a little getting used to. There are some chapters that focus more on a single woman, and those are told in the third person. In those in between chapters, the reader learns more about Kristin and Danielle. We get bits and pieces about all of them, but we know Kristin and Danielle best.
Fortunately, I think a lot has changed in track and field and most colleges don’t treat their female athletes this way anymore. At Frost, we hear about the weigh-ins, the body fat percentage measurements, the starvation, and the brutal workouts with not enough recovery in between. We read about running with a stress fracture. Running hung over. Running angry and fiercely, and still… how much these young women love running.
We Loved to Run goes deep on eating disorders and sexual assault. This book is heavy reading, but beautifully written. I thought Stephanie Reents described the human condition so well, particularly that of young women who hate their bodies and, at times, themselves.
If you love running, there’s a lot to connect to in this book. And if care about young women, there’s a lot to be sad about in this book. Overall, I really enjoyed it. Recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Some favorite passages:
“We spent so much time trying not to think about our bodies that we were always thinking about them. Thinking about how they were not hungry or not injured or not fatter or weaker than the body of some other girl.“
“We shared tampons, the treats our moms sent us, clean socks, joy and shame and deodorant. We were friends like that.”
“We all rolled our eyes internally, and yet when we got going like this, it was a landslide, one girl’s self-criticism setting off another’s, a foot of unstable ground becoming two, then five, then fourteen, rushing down the slope, burying everything beautiful and living in its path. Suddenly, everyone was sucking in their stomachs, eyeing their thighs. Too much here. And here. Not enough there. Oh my god, it was disgusting. Squeezing whatever we could. Pinching. Breasts, bellies, buttocks. If there had been a mirror, it would have been worse. In this mood, it was traumatic to see yourself. It was like looking through the wrong end of binoculars.”
“While Eli was trying out something he actually might want to do someday, she was earning $3.25 an hour as a barista at Boise’s first espresso shop. This is one of the differences between being raised in a fully staffed family versus a single- mom situation.”
“Anyway, it wasn’t her body, per se, that she was so afraid of him seeing, but rather her relationship to her body, which he would see emblazoned across her face.”
“This is the thing that novice runners fail to appreciate: something is always hurting. If Danielle let discomfort—or, worse, real pain—stop her, then she would never run a step. The trick is knowing when you have crossed an invisible line between uncomfortable and serious, between something-to-be-tolerated and something-which-requires-professional-care and worse: rest.”
July 31, 2025
Book: We Loved to Run
Author: Stephanie Reents
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Hograth, for sending me an ARC. This is another case where it’s not the book’s fault, but mine. I had a feeling that when I agreed to read and review this book that I was not its target audience, and that proved to be right. Don’t let my review discourage you from giving this book a try.
In this one, we follow the intense journey of a women’s cross country team at Frost College in Massachusetts as they strive for victory at the 1992 New England Division Three Championships. As the team pushes through gruelling training and personal sacrifices, Kristin, the star runner, is struggling with a secret that threatens her performance and the team’s chances of success. Team captain Danielle is determined to help Kristin regain her confidence, even at the expense of confronting her troubled past. With the championship meet drawing near, the girls must rise above their challenges and unite as a team to compete. Narrated through the perspectives of the six fastest runners, this book powerfully explores the intense pressures young women place on themselves while navigating a complex world of competition, friendship, and personal growth.
A lot is going on in this one. We follow six runners on Frost’s cross country team. They are very good at what they do, but something has happened, and we don’t know what. It is up to the reader to figure that out. We get so many of the runner’s points of view, which may be a good thing, but here it did not do the door any justice. There were too many points of view, no, maybe that’s not right. I have read many books with multiple points of view, and they were done well. I felt like that with this one, that the characters’ voices were not developed enough to figure out who was telling the story. It felt as if they were all one person. This made it nearly impossible for me to figure out who was who. It also made it very difficult for me to develop any kind of connection with the characters.
The writing could have been engaging, but, again, because the characters’ voices all felt like one, it felt like the story could not take off. The bones of a great story are here, but it felt like it got lost in the mix somewhere. I would have liked to see things a bit more developed and be given more of a chance to connect with both the story and the characters. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is good and there is a lot of talent here, but everything felt way too underdeveloped for my liking. I would have liked just a little bit more development.
There are a lot of heavy subjects here. We have food relationships, dating, abuse, and trauma that go along with everything. Plus, the young women are elite athletes. Again, I felt like all of these heavy and more difficult topics were lost in the mix. All of these topics could have a lot of discussion on the table. It needed to be developed just a little bit more.
Overall, that was my main issue with this book. It was missing development. Had it given me a little bit more, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. It was a miss for me.
This book comes out on August 26, 2025.
Author: Stephanie Reents
Rating: 2 Out of 5 Stars
I would like to thank the publisher, Hograth, for sending me an ARC. This is another case where it’s not the book’s fault, but mine. I had a feeling that when I agreed to read and review this book that I was not its target audience, and that proved to be right. Don’t let my review discourage you from giving this book a try.
In this one, we follow the intense journey of a women’s cross country team at Frost College in Massachusetts as they strive for victory at the 1992 New England Division Three Championships. As the team pushes through gruelling training and personal sacrifices, Kristin, the star runner, is struggling with a secret that threatens her performance and the team’s chances of success. Team captain Danielle is determined to help Kristin regain her confidence, even at the expense of confronting her troubled past. With the championship meet drawing near, the girls must rise above their challenges and unite as a team to compete. Narrated through the perspectives of the six fastest runners, this book powerfully explores the intense pressures young women place on themselves while navigating a complex world of competition, friendship, and personal growth.
A lot is going on in this one. We follow six runners on Frost’s cross country team. They are very good at what they do, but something has happened, and we don’t know what. It is up to the reader to figure that out. We get so many of the runner’s points of view, which may be a good thing, but here it did not do the door any justice. There were too many points of view, no, maybe that’s not right. I have read many books with multiple points of view, and they were done well. I felt like that with this one, that the characters’ voices were not developed enough to figure out who was telling the story. It felt as if they were all one person. This made it nearly impossible for me to figure out who was who. It also made it very difficult for me to develop any kind of connection with the characters.
The writing could have been engaging, but, again, because the characters’ voices all felt like one, it felt like the story could not take off. The bones of a great story are here, but it felt like it got lost in the mix somewhere. I would have liked to see things a bit more developed and be given more of a chance to connect with both the story and the characters. Don’t get me wrong, the writing is good and there is a lot of talent here, but everything felt way too underdeveloped for my liking. I would have liked just a little bit more development.
There are a lot of heavy subjects here. We have food relationships, dating, abuse, and trauma that go along with everything. Plus, the young women are elite athletes. Again, I felt like all of these heavy and more difficult topics were lost in the mix. All of these topics could have a lot of discussion on the table. It needed to be developed just a little bit more.
Overall, that was my main issue with this book. It was missing development. Had it given me a little bit more, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. It was a miss for me.
This book comes out on August 26, 2025.
June 30, 2025
Thank you to the Publishers and Netgalley for the arc.
Minor spoilers ahead
I loved this book. It’s the type of book that punches you in the gut — but quietly and stealthily, so you don’t realize it until you’re pressing on the aching bruise.
At its core, it’s about being a woman (NOT a girl, as Harriet would remind me) in a world that always wants more, takes more.
Set in the 90s, we follow a team of cross-country runners at a small liberal arts college on the East Coast. This is a story about girls who run — and the things they are running from.
I liked the multiple POVs, as well as the first-person plural interspersed. At times, I felt there were too many characters; it was hard to keep track, but for the most part, Reents does a good job of making them feel distinct. Since the only fixed perspectives we get are from Kristin and Danielle, we learn the most about them and see the ways their stories end up mirroring each other.
I loved the team dynamic: the way the girls love each other hard, but also wouldn't hesitate to trip each other if it meant they would get ahead. Also really enjoyed the casual representation and diversity of both queer characters and POC. It's just such a great cast of characters, and the way they interact felt so refreshing and real.
Also want to take this moment to mention that it's set in college!!! I love the college-age setting (probably because I am a college student) so I was happy to be sent an arc that's not set in high school but also not real grown-up adults -- not that I don't enjoy those books too, but it's just nice to feel seen in what you read.
I had an inkling going into the book, just based on the description, what was going to come. Major warnings for sexual assault that is described in detail. It was tough to read, but also impactful, and unfortunately, it will likely ring true for many. The girls put it best in the novel, asking who among them doesn't have a story about a boy who pushed too far?
There were a few plotlines I wished were developed more. Some of the girls on the team are highlighted briefly, then pushed to the back again. I would've liked to explore Harriet and Danielle's dynamic a little deeper. There are also mentions of Danielle having a drinking problem and Harriet having an eating disorder that don't go further, though I would've liked to see them expanded on.
My critiques, however, are small. They didn't hinder my reading experience. I enjoyed the slightly open ending too. The reader gets to wonder what happened next without it feeling like you're missing out on some major result. It feels like life, almost, the way it ends.
I adore the very last paragraph. The simple sentences that show us where the girls are now, all the ways they've changed, but also all the ways they've stayed the same. It's poignant and caps off the book perfectly.
To try to sum it all up: I love women and the relationships we have with ourselves, with others, and with society as a whole. This book hurts because it's too real. It's honest in a way that's almost painful to look at. These girls aren't all good, all the time. But do they have to be?
4 stars
Minor spoilers ahead
I loved this book. It’s the type of book that punches you in the gut — but quietly and stealthily, so you don’t realize it until you’re pressing on the aching bruise.
At its core, it’s about being a woman (NOT a girl, as Harriet would remind me) in a world that always wants more, takes more.
Set in the 90s, we follow a team of cross-country runners at a small liberal arts college on the East Coast. This is a story about girls who run — and the things they are running from.
I liked the multiple POVs, as well as the first-person plural interspersed. At times, I felt there were too many characters; it was hard to keep track, but for the most part, Reents does a good job of making them feel distinct. Since the only fixed perspectives we get are from Kristin and Danielle, we learn the most about them and see the ways their stories end up mirroring each other.
I loved the team dynamic: the way the girls love each other hard, but also wouldn't hesitate to trip each other if it meant they would get ahead. Also really enjoyed the casual representation and diversity of both queer characters and POC. It's just such a great cast of characters, and the way they interact felt so refreshing and real.
Also want to take this moment to mention that it's set in college!!! I love the college-age setting (probably because I am a college student) so I was happy to be sent an arc that's not set in high school but also not real grown-up adults -- not that I don't enjoy those books too, but it's just nice to feel seen in what you read.
I had an inkling going into the book, just based on the description, what was going to come. Major warnings for sexual assault that is described in detail. It was tough to read, but also impactful, and unfortunately, it will likely ring true for many. The girls put it best in the novel, asking who among them doesn't have a story about a boy who pushed too far?
There were a few plotlines I wished were developed more. Some of the girls on the team are highlighted briefly, then pushed to the back again. I would've liked to explore Harriet and Danielle's dynamic a little deeper. There are also mentions of Danielle having a drinking problem and Harriet having an eating disorder that don't go further, though I would've liked to see them expanded on.
My critiques, however, are small. They didn't hinder my reading experience. I enjoyed the slightly open ending too. The reader gets to wonder what happened next without it feeling like you're missing out on some major result. It feels like life, almost, the way it ends.
I adore the very last paragraph. The simple sentences that show us where the girls are now, all the ways they've changed, but also all the ways they've stayed the same. It's poignant and caps off the book perfectly.
To try to sum it all up: I love women and the relationships we have with ourselves, with others, and with society as a whole. This book hurts because it's too real. It's honest in a way that's almost painful to look at. These girls aren't all good, all the time. But do they have to be?
4 stars
July 2, 2025
I really loved We Loved to Run, a sharp insightful, empathetic, fun, must-read novel set in a liberal arts college in the ‘90s among a team of driven women runners.
As the story propels these fast gals forward at a suspenseful cliip--will they make it to nationals?--we worry and root for them. The novel is intermittently told using a choral “we” that feels unforced and fitting, yet the main characters are distinct and on their own paths. Most of the time they support and spur each other on. “How many times has she run a little faster because she was surrounded by women who believed she could run a little faster, and about whom she also believed the same?”
When trouble bubbles up, these girls are on their own, discovering that college meant “no one was watching, at least no one who knew what to do." So they try out snatches of textbook Freud and streams of sports platitudes on one another's issues, often finding the abstractions useless against the depths of their roiling feelings. This can spark fun for the reader, like with Harriet perpetually uttering feminist bromides. “Marriage is the site of women’s oppression,” she volunteers. Her smart mates know when to roll their collective eyes.
Kristin’s harrowing experience in the woods is matched by an equally harrowing scene in the wrestling room, where the teammates are publicly weighed, measured with calipers, and critiqued by their male coaches. Arguably, the depiction of this more institutionally normalized ritual feels even more raw and excruciating than the surreal camping trip.
Always empathetic, to its huge credit the book never shies away from emotional complexity, brilliantly conveying the shifting dynamics of group friendship. Misunderstandings, gossip, judgment and self-image all play roles. “We were her best friends, and we wanted what was best for her, and she had a secret that she hadn’t shared with us. It stung a little.” These are sensitive, real, relatable humans.
Ultimately, though, these girls are bound together by talent, drive, and the fact that, yes, they love to run. Long runs can be "like dreaming with another person, or having a nightmare . . . It wasn’t only painful. It could be an ecstatic experience, too.” What a beautiful expression of the feeling of exhilaration, tenderness, and belonging that comes with being in this kind of intimate community.
Other reviewers have mentioned the novel as being pre-#me-too, which of course it is, but I wonder: are college age American girls and guys now so much more crystal clear on the lines than their predecessors? My guess is there are still times where lines feel blurry, where girls still blame themselves, where guys (mainly focusing on heterosexual encounters, here) think a girl just needs a little coaxing to get beyond her first “no.” I’m betting this novel raises some interesting resonances and dissonances between now and then.
For this reason and more, I can’t wait to share We Loved to Run with friends of varying ages so that we can get together and dive into the nuances. I predict this sparkling book is going to incite a fascinating and important intergenerational conversation.
As the story propels these fast gals forward at a suspenseful cliip--will they make it to nationals?--we worry and root for them. The novel is intermittently told using a choral “we” that feels unforced and fitting, yet the main characters are distinct and on their own paths. Most of the time they support and spur each other on. “How many times has she run a little faster because she was surrounded by women who believed she could run a little faster, and about whom she also believed the same?”
When trouble bubbles up, these girls are on their own, discovering that college meant “no one was watching, at least no one who knew what to do." So they try out snatches of textbook Freud and streams of sports platitudes on one another's issues, often finding the abstractions useless against the depths of their roiling feelings. This can spark fun for the reader, like with Harriet perpetually uttering feminist bromides. “Marriage is the site of women’s oppression,” she volunteers. Her smart mates know when to roll their collective eyes.
Kristin’s harrowing experience in the woods is matched by an equally harrowing scene in the wrestling room, where the teammates are publicly weighed, measured with calipers, and critiqued by their male coaches. Arguably, the depiction of this more institutionally normalized ritual feels even more raw and excruciating than the surreal camping trip.
Always empathetic, to its huge credit the book never shies away from emotional complexity, brilliantly conveying the shifting dynamics of group friendship. Misunderstandings, gossip, judgment and self-image all play roles. “We were her best friends, and we wanted what was best for her, and she had a secret that she hadn’t shared with us. It stung a little.” These are sensitive, real, relatable humans.
Ultimately, though, these girls are bound together by talent, drive, and the fact that, yes, they love to run. Long runs can be "like dreaming with another person, or having a nightmare . . . It wasn’t only painful. It could be an ecstatic experience, too.” What a beautiful expression of the feeling of exhilaration, tenderness, and belonging that comes with being in this kind of intimate community.
Other reviewers have mentioned the novel as being pre-#me-too, which of course it is, but I wonder: are college age American girls and guys now so much more crystal clear on the lines than their predecessors? My guess is there are still times where lines feel blurry, where girls still blame themselves, where guys (mainly focusing on heterosexual encounters, here) think a girl just needs a little coaxing to get beyond her first “no.” I’m betting this novel raises some interesting resonances and dissonances between now and then.
For this reason and more, I can’t wait to share We Loved to Run with friends of varying ages so that we can get together and dive into the nuances. I predict this sparkling book is going to incite a fascinating and important intergenerational conversation.
August 16, 2025
I was initially drawn to this book because I ran cross country and there are so few fiction books that focus on girls’ cross country.
We Loved to Run follows a college women’s cross country team in the 1990s as they try to become the New England Division champions. The story revolves around the six best runners and gives each of their perspectives but mainly focuses on Kristin and Danielle. Kristin came back to the team after her summer with a big secret that affects both her mental state and her performance. Danielle, the team captain, is determined to lead her team to victory before she graduates, no matter what it takes. As Kristin is slowly falling apart Danielle is trying her best to keep every afloat and focused on the goal. Even though Danielle is also hiding from her own secrets. While the rest of the girls are also facing their own challenges.
I loved this story and the way it depicted the brutal reality that many girls face in both sports and life. All the girls were so dedicated to running and loved it deep down but also had so many struggles that came with it. I felt like overall the team was depicted really accurately for a girl’s cross country team and the competitiveness within the team and with their rival teams. I loved how even though the girls have animosity between them, at the end of the day they all were there to support each other when things got bad and empower each other.
It was fun to read about cross country as a runner because I really understood everything that was going on. But even if you're not a runner, the writing makes it easy to understand and connect with the characters. The college setting added another layer of realism, and Stephanie Reents did an excellent job portraying the stigma around eating that many female athletes face, including how coaches can sometimes reinforce harmful behaviors.
I felt so bad for Kristin and Danielle and all they had gone through and how each impacted them was so heartbreaking, but I loved how they came together and the beautiful friendship they had.
Although the focus was mainly on Kristin and Danielle, I greatly enjoyed the rest of the girls’ perspectives and how they were able to show the many different struggles that come with being a girl and a runner. I loved watching Harriet fall in love and fight for the other girls and be the face of reality when they were in denial. I liked how Chloe was able to show her true self and how Liv was able to separate herself from her boyfriend and Patricia was just trying to find her place on such a competitive team all added depth and diversity to the story.
Overall, We Loved to Run showed a powerful message about the strength of female athletes, the importance of support, and the enduring love of running.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth Books for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
We Loved to Run follows a college women’s cross country team in the 1990s as they try to become the New England Division champions. The story revolves around the six best runners and gives each of their perspectives but mainly focuses on Kristin and Danielle. Kristin came back to the team after her summer with a big secret that affects both her mental state and her performance. Danielle, the team captain, is determined to lead her team to victory before she graduates, no matter what it takes. As Kristin is slowly falling apart Danielle is trying her best to keep every afloat and focused on the goal. Even though Danielle is also hiding from her own secrets. While the rest of the girls are also facing their own challenges.
I loved this story and the way it depicted the brutal reality that many girls face in both sports and life. All the girls were so dedicated to running and loved it deep down but also had so many struggles that came with it. I felt like overall the team was depicted really accurately for a girl’s cross country team and the competitiveness within the team and with their rival teams. I loved how even though the girls have animosity between them, at the end of the day they all were there to support each other when things got bad and empower each other.
It was fun to read about cross country as a runner because I really understood everything that was going on. But even if you're not a runner, the writing makes it easy to understand and connect with the characters. The college setting added another layer of realism, and Stephanie Reents did an excellent job portraying the stigma around eating that many female athletes face, including how coaches can sometimes reinforce harmful behaviors.
I felt so bad for Kristin and Danielle and all they had gone through and how each impacted them was so heartbreaking, but I loved how they came together and the beautiful friendship they had.
Although the focus was mainly on Kristin and Danielle, I greatly enjoyed the rest of the girls’ perspectives and how they were able to show the many different struggles that come with being a girl and a runner. I loved watching Harriet fall in love and fight for the other girls and be the face of reality when they were in denial. I liked how Chloe was able to show her true self and how Liv was able to separate herself from her boyfriend and Patricia was just trying to find her place on such a competitive team all added depth and diversity to the story.
Overall, We Loved to Run showed a powerful message about the strength of female athletes, the importance of support, and the enduring love of running.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth Books for the arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 14, 2025
This is a wonderful book, a must-read for runners and non-runners alike. I was a collegiate runnner myself, and the running scenes were particularly engaging. This is not easy to do--you would think there are only so many ways to describe what is fundamentally a monotonous sport--but Reents keeps each scene fresh by mixing and remixing the physical dramas and the internal dialogues that many runners will recognize. Here's one example but there are so many:
I recall handing around running books with my teammates in college and we loved them in spite of their mediocre writing (Once a Runner, anyone?). It was a delight to read a book that both gets running but is also so confidently and beautifully written.
I also loved the non-running aspects of this book. I thought the middle section on Kristin's traumatic summer experience was very well done, handling a difficult topic with honesty and subtlety. It's a complex story with twists and turns that make it all the more affecting.
Some here have commented on the number of characters, and it's true that at first it can hard to tell them apart. But I ended up really liking this aspect of the book, how you are at first introduced to a team of somewhat interchangeable runner girls, who become richer and more individualized as you get to know them over the course of the book. There are not really any heroes in this book, just a group of young women who are trying to figure out how to live.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It is a fast-paced read that is hard to put down, but it has weight to it that will stick with you. Highly recommended.
"Be The Best becomes her mantra for a few strides until it reminds her of a waltz-- 1-2-3, left two three, right two three, and she's thinking about ballroom dancing in high school gym class, and her shoulders start to sway from side to side, gently, gently like a boat at anchor in a gentle breeze, Mr. Peters used to say, which sent them into giggles, as their palms grew sweaty and their eyes stayed glued to the floor, ostensibly to avoid stepping on each other's toes, but really because it was too embarassing to gaze into the eyes of a member of the opposite sex for the duration of a song at 11 a.m. in the brightly lit gymnasium. For a moment, she loses track of Chloe, her attention pulling her away, but now she is reeling it back in, and she casts her eyes forward to the man in a purple sweatsuit calling out numbers...."
I recall handing around running books with my teammates in college and we loved them in spite of their mediocre writing (Once a Runner, anyone?). It was a delight to read a book that both gets running but is also so confidently and beautifully written.
I also loved the non-running aspects of this book. I thought the middle section on Kristin's traumatic summer experience was very well done, handling a difficult topic with honesty and subtlety. It's a complex story with twists and turns that make it all the more affecting.
Some here have commented on the number of characters, and it's true that at first it can hard to tell them apart. But I ended up really liking this aspect of the book, how you are at first introduced to a team of somewhat interchangeable runner girls, who become richer and more individualized as you get to know them over the course of the book. There are not really any heroes in this book, just a group of young women who are trying to figure out how to live.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. It is a fast-paced read that is hard to put down, but it has weight to it that will stick with you. Highly recommended.
May 25, 2025
I understood the underlying point of We Loved to Run, but the story in general gave me whiplash. To start with, it reminded me of why I never had interest in competitive sports. It also reminded me of the dynamics of my sorority house when I was in college, and how when women were dealing with traumatic things they were just as likely to do to something that hurt someone else than they were to seek help in understanding the issue they were coping with. The book is about six women on a cross-country team, despite there being more women on the team that we never hear about, just the six best runners. The book is about six women, but it is mostly about two women, Kristin and Danielle, that have gone through traumatic experiences, with the other four popping in and out of orbit as secondary characters. The first and third part of the book are about a cross country season, where Kristin deals with her trauma by swinging between being uber-competitive and dropping off the grid. Danielle deals with hers by swinging between being the mother hen captain of the group and being black out drunk. It's probably fair to say that all of them have an unhealthy relationship with food, where they tend to eat hardly anything, a habit that is encouraged by at least their assistant coach. The second part of the book is one long chapter about what happened to Kristin the summer before the season. It gives the reader a sense of what she is dealing with, but feels incredibly bizarre, and the length of the chapter is so disproportionate to the others that it feels like the reader is reader a different book, before being dumped unceremoniously back into the one they were reading. It doesn't ever really feel like you know if Kristin and Danielle have come out the other side, the book ends with a moment that feels like it is supposed to be an opportunity to do so, but like the rest of the book it just feels like another moment where college students are doing something for the grand idea of it, and then are easily distracted by the next thing that comes along. This just felt all over the place. I wanted to know more about what the other women were coping with, but upon figuring out that wasn't really going to happen, I just really wanted it to be over with.
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