The Conversations I Wish I Could Have in Relief Society
It’s rare to find a book that invites you in as a fellow traveler. At Last She Said It: Honest Conversations about Faith, Church, and Everything in Between (Signature Books, 2025) by Susan Hinckley and Cynthia Winward does just that, offering readers a window into the heartfelt conversations of two women navigating the complexities of faith, church, and personal growth.
As someone who is deeply engaged in Exponent II history, I felt immediately at home in this book’s pages. It aligns perfectly with the mission of our community—centering thoughtful personal experience over polished expertise.
That should come as no surprise, as the most recent issue of Exponent II magazine was a collaboration with At Last She Said It. Exponent II participants have been guests on the podcast, including this recent conversation with blogger Linda Hamilton’s journey and this one about the spiritual nature of all things with blogger Kaylee. ALSSI listeners will find the style of the book familiar, but the essays invite listeners and readers to engage more deeply.
Susan and Cynthia don’t just ask difficult questions—they seem to ask the right ones to spark honest reflection. Their goal is simple yet profound: to challenge readers to think about familiar topics in new ways, even when that stretching feels uncomfortable. As they put it, “We call it ‘holy discomfort.’”
The questions they tackle aren’t new—a “feminist awakening” is a rite of passage for generations of Mormon women—but they are still vitally important. Can church leaders recognize that the Church is a patriarchy? What does nuanced church membership look like in practice? How do we reconcile the complexities of our spiritual journeys with the experiences and challenges of being women in the LDS faith? These are questions we’ve all likely asked ourselves, and yet, they remain difficult to answer in a way that respects our individuality and the diversity of perspectives along the spectrum of faith.
One of the more poignant reflections comes from the recognition that, historically, women in the Church have not had the institutional power to implement change for their own betterment. As the authors note, every positive change for women has been because a man decided to make it happen. This stark reality serves as an invitation for men in leadership to not only recognize the inequalities women face but to actively work toward changing them.
The book offers a blend of personal essays and candid conversation. Along with quotes from male and female church leaders, it is peppered with quotes from thinkers and writers who, like Beth Allison Barr, Rachel Held Evans, and Richard Rohr, offer new perspectives that challenge and inspire.
Perhaps most importantly, this book models the kinds of discussions we often wish to have but don’t always have the space for. It felt like a mix of the conversations I longed for in Relief Society and the conversations I actually do have on girls’ trips.
At Last She Said It, which comes out in May, is more than just a book; it’s a conversation, a challenge, and an invitation to explore what it means to be a woman of faith in a complex and changing world. If you’ve ever asked yourself questions like, “What is faith?” “What is repentance?” or “How do I reconcile my own experiences with church teachings?”—this book is for you.
*Disclosure: I received an advanced digital copy from Signature Books in exchange for an honest review.
