This book was such a sweet, well-written YA coming of age novel. Tom and Riley were both very likeable characters who were each struggling to figure out what to do next after high school graduation. It had typical themes of expectations, both parental and self-imposed. Underneath it all was a lovely friendship and two people finally realizing that there might be more than just friendship involved.

I also loved the New York setting and the app that that played a big role in the plot of this book. I highly recommend this book both to a YA readers and older readers who want to be reminded of this time in their lives.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book.

The Getaway List is my second book by Emma Lord, and while I enjoyed this young adult story about a recently graduated teen striking out on her own in New York City—along with some old and new friends—I didn’t quite enjoy it as much as Lord’s previous novel Tweet Cute.

There is plenty to enjoy about this story, though, so that’s what I’ll start with.

Lord is able to create unique characters with meaningful backstories, placing them in a setting that is appealing. I instantly liked Riley, her strong voice and desire to be her own person, and I liked all her friends—old and new. And I liked that their adventures took place during a summer in New York City.

Lord gives us plenty of emotional moments between friends AND their parents. And I found myself highlighting several quotes because I thought the story was written well, hence why this one still gets four stars from me.

Anchoring the story around a list that Riley created with her best friend Tom gives the story purpose and direction, but maybe I’ve read too many books with this formula lately because sometimes they start to feel a bit redundant for me. When authors provide a list our characters will be checking off as the story progresses, I prefer if they throw in some twists and even veer away from the list at times, which I feel like didn’t happen enough in The Getaway List.

One of my least favorite tropes is the miscommunication trope, and this story is almost drowning in it—between our main characters AND our side characters. Riley and Tom haven’t communicated well in years, Riley and ex-boyfriend Jesse never got closure, new friends Mariella and Luca are having some missed signals, Riley and her mom aren’t communicating, and Tom’s mom isn’t communicating with him. I just wanted everyone to talk and be honest already!

While I enjoyed Riley’s journey, I found the story mostly predictable and I just wanted a little… more. But I’d still recommend it to fans of Lord’s work. It’s written well and I know other fellow readers who have enjoyed it more than me. It could possibly just be a case of bad timing for this reader.

🗽 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩 🗽
𝖤𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝖫𝗈𝗋𝖽

Emma Lord has quickly become a young adult romance queen since her book Tweet Cute hit the shelves! I was so excited to get an early release of her newest book from @netgalley and I have no doubt this one will be just as popular as her previous titles!

On her high school graduation day, Riley realizes she's lost herself trying to be a Good Kid for her mom. Feeling directionless, she decides to spend the summer in New York with childhood best friend Tom. Together, they aim to complete The Getaway List, a compilation of their dream adventures. Despite Tom's distance due to his famous mom's career, their reconnection is seamless, except for an unexpected twist that alters Riley's feelings. As they navigate the chaotic items on The Getaway List with newfound friends, Riley discovers that the most significant adventure might be the one felt in the heart.

Emma Lord writes such feel good, heartfelt romances that are just a joy to read. This book serves as a heartfelt ode to New York City, but also digs into that time in life when you have to start to figure out your path. Tom and Riley have undeniable chemistry, but it's their strong friendship that is at the core of everything. The cast of characters in this book only add to an already great story!

Alert! Cheerful and charming YA romance coming your way! This sweet story of love, friendship, and finding your place is perfect for teens and readers who (like me) love YA as adults! Thank you @wednesdaybooks for the advance copy ❤️

The Getaway List
By: @dilemmalord
⭐️: 4
🌶️: 0
Pub date: January 23, 2024

The day of graduation, Riley realizes she’s spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid that she has no idea who she really is anymore. So she packs her bags and moves to NYC with her best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List (a list of adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away).

Tom’s been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives, their reconnection is effortless and oops they also secretly love each other. Riley, Tom, and their new friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List and gahhhh I just love this happy, supportive gang of friends!

Lord writes YA in that perfect spot between being a kid and becoming a full grown adult— right at the push-pull of our MCs starting their own independent lives while leaning on their upbringing, hopes and dreams, and relationships (good and bad).

I loved this friend group— they were all so happy for each other’s success! Life IS happier when you can celebrate others, and this book did an incredible job showing what life can be when you’re surrounded by people who think you’re awesome. Riley’s relationship with her mother was very realistic, and reading about it will be a benefit to teens and their moms.

The love story was super sweet and appropriate. I liked how the friends had fun without excess partying, drinking, sex, etc. I’m not naive, but I do think a book about 18-year olds does have some responsibility to show what healthy (and legal!) social hangouts can look like. It did this well, without overtly commenting on what kids “should” do. Lord just showed them having fun without those things.

Keep in mind this is a book about TEENS so you can’t be annoyed with them for acting like teens/doing teen things! We were all there once! 😉 I enjoyed and recommend it!

THE GETAWAY LIST was fun, the banter was good, the characters were interesting, yet I didn't feel the same pull towards them as I have with Lord's previous books. I think it's a me problem, as I am not at all like Riley or Tom. They kind of felt like people I might have known in high school but wasn't great friends with. Acquaintances. I would love a book about Riley's mom though... I still love Emma Lord and her writing, so I'm definitely excited to read her upcoming novel!

This book has all the elements of an Emma Lord novel— witty banter, a will they / won’t they relationship, found family, and a New York City backdrop of course.

Though fun and easy to read, there was something about the book that didn’t work for me. The twists never felt all that shocking and the stakes didn’t feel high at all, even though they were supposed to. It all just felt kind of trite and unnecessarily dramatic, even for a YA book.

After graduating high school, Riley decides to spend the summer in New York City with her best friend Tom so they can complete The Getaway List - a list of adventures they wanted to do together since he moved away.

Emma Lord is one of my favorite YA authors so I was excited to get an advanced copy of The Getaway List. Riley’s spontaneity mixed with Tom’s mild manner really worked for me as they played nicely off each other. It was nice to read a YA novel where the FMC wasn’t perfect. Riley got herself into trouble so didn’t get into any colleges. She used her time in NYC not only to reconnect with Tom, but to find herself as well.

There was a fun cast of secondary characters in this story all dealing with different teenage issues. I adored Luca, Mariella, and Jesse, and how each of them brought something different to the story. I personally could have used a few less Swiftie references, but that’s just my personal opinion.

The list in the story was full of fun adventures, and I really enjoyed the setting of New York City to complete them in. The app they used to send gifts anonymously to each other was so creative and really unique. I found the romance between Tom and Riley a bit drawn out. I wish they would have just admitted they liked each other early in the story so the book would focus more on the getaway list rather than the romance between them.

Thank you Wednesday Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you ever find yourself at loose ends, with everything you think is certain shifting, and you're not sure what is going to happen next, you need to read an Emma Lord book. Suddenly you will find yourself full of hopeful possibilities. This one will do nicely! It opens with Riley at her high school graduation, her graduation cap papered with college rejections (all ten of her applications). She's not particularly sad to be leaving high school, which felt choked with all the activities her mom made her participate in, but she has no idea what she's doing next. Except her graduation cap has an inside too--the Getaway List she's made with her long-absent best friend Tom. And pretty soon she's on her way to New York City to check in with Tom and check off the list. It means fighting with her protective mom (whom she's always been very close to), digging into various secrets, and taking risks Riley's not sure she's up for. But the rewards are great.
This might be Lord's gentlest book yet, full of app developments and city explorations and anonymous deliveries of odd objects (sunscreen, a hunk of cheese) and lots of dessert as Riley and her friends figure out who they are and who they want to be and be with. The characters are delightful, and the book captures that shaky but exciting rush of the first brave summer of adulthood. I highly recommend it, whether you are about to take your own first brave steps into adulthood or you're much older and starting over.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc. My opinions are all my own.

Wow! This is the first book that I have read by Emma Lord and I am hooked! I will be going back and reading the rest of her books!

Riley and Tom met at a young age when their moms brought them to a play group. Tom was at the center of the group while Riley was quiet and stay off to the side. He suggested that she read his favorite book series and they have been best of friends ever since. They were always getting into some sort of trouble up until Tom had to move to New York when his mom's career took off. They kept in touch over the years, starting their Getaway (bucket) List but unfortunately things kept coming up and they were unable to tackle their list.

Now they are graduating and Riley hasn't been accepted to any of the colleges so she decides to take a weekend trip to NY to surprise Tom (who has decided to take a gap year himself). She finds out that her mother had been keeping them apart and so she decides to stay the whole summer which is perfect for them to start checking things off their list! They start out together and then it becomes a group effort as they pick up friends (old and new) along the way. Good friends, good food and even a road trip, these young adults have the time of their lives experiencing life in New York!

This book has got to be one of the most well written YA Romances. While I love YA, I often have to remember that the characters are kids (often immature). I didn't have to do that with this book. I absolutely loved all of these characters! I would love to read more books with this group of friends! They have such a great connection, I loved their individual stories included in this book.

Not only is this such a heartwarming story, the cover is just lovely! I can not say enough great things about this book! I highly recommend it!

𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℍ𝕒𝕤:
Best Friends to Lovers
YA Romance
Coming of Age/Self Discovery
NY Setting
Closed Door
Family Drama
Found Family
LGBTQIA rep

Thank you to @netgalley, @stmartinspress for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Riley is so ready to graduate high school and do something else. She doesn’t know what, but something. It’s not going to her first choice college, because they turned her down, as did her second choice and all her choices that came after. So she has no real plans for the future. And then she looks in her cap.

Her best friend Tom had moved to New York City from their small Virginia town a couple years back, when his mother had become a successful and popular screenwriter. They had kept in touch, but more importantly, they had kept added to their shared Getaway List through the years. The list was a compilation of things they had wanted to do together, like take a writing class based on their favorite fantasy series or go on the camping trip they’d had to miss sophomore year. Riley had put the list inside her graduation cap, to remind her of all the things she’d wanted to do. She’d kept the list close.

On a whim, Riley decides to take a trip to New York City to see Tom after all the years. She can take a bus and be there in hours, and they could do something from the list that weekend. Her mother isn’t very happy about the idea, and lets it slip that she’d purposefully been keeping Riley busy with extracurricular activities for the last couple of years to keep her distracted from Tom. Riley is hurt and angry, and takes a bus straight to New York.

When Riley and Tom see each other after all that time, their connection is still electric. They pick up where they left off, and though things are left unsaid between them, they start to plan adventures immediately. They are up early the next morning for the writing class, and they go from there, tackling things on the list and getting to know each other again. The weekend turns into longer, and before long, Riley is planning on spending the summer in the city. Its energy is infectious for Riley, awakening her creativity in new and exciting ways.

Almost immediately they find more friends, Riley’s friend Jesse who has just moved to the city with his band, Tom’s friend from Columbia Mariella, and their new friend from the writing class Lucas. As they make their way around the city together, crossing off things from the Getaway List and finding inspiration and enjoyment in everything, Riley and Tom also find the spark they’d both been missing.

The more Riley finds herself falling in love with the city and finding her voice again, the more she worries about telling her mother she wants to stay. But will her mother trust her enough to let her stay in the city that’s lighting her up? And how will she tell Tom what she wants for her future when he’s been so clearly unhappy living in New York? Once they finish up the list, will that be the end of their friendship, or the beginning of their futures?

Masterful storyteller Emma Lord is back with The Getaway List. She has a way of crafting these complex, fascinating characters with full lives and agendas, and these characters draw you into her stories like you’re hearing about your best friends. There is not a minute of boredom or confusion in her words, just a lovely composed novel filled with laughs and frustrations, friends and adventures, and sweet concoctions that make your stomach rumble and your teeth hurt just to read the descriptions.

I adored every page of this The Getaway List. I am a big fan of Lord’s, and this book is just as sumptuous as her other novels. I love her big characters and how they drive her stories, like the vibrant colors of a sunrise. Just try to read a few pages of one of her books, and see if you can walk away from the rest of the story. I know I can’t, and I can’t wait to see where she will be taking me next.

Egalleys for The Getaway List were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Happy pub day to The Getaway List by @dilemmalord, one of my favorite YA authors.

Riley should be celebrating on the day of her high school graduation. But instead, an uncertain future looms. After spending her high school years trying to be the good girl she thought her mother wanted, Riley isn’t sure what to do with her life. Add to that, rejections from all the colleges she applied to, and a weekend in New York with her best friend Tom, who she hasn’t seen in forever, to work on their “Getaway List”—a list of all the adventures they want to do together since he moved away—seems like the perfect tonic. Only her mother doesn’t want Riley to go. Riley defies her mother for the first time in a long time, and a weekend exploring the city turns into a summer of finding out who she really wants to be.

I loved this book so much. The NYC setting was idyllic, and Tom was the kind of best friend I would have killed to have as a teen (and honestly, I’d take an older version now). I loved the relationship between Riley and her mother, and I really respected the journey Riley took in the book. I think a lot of teens who don’t know exactly what they want to do with their lives will find comfort in a story like this one. The romance in this book was so sweet. It was a slow, but sure, burn. I think Emma Lord writes some of the very best love interests in the YA market and The Getaway List is no exception. There are also a lot of great side characters and I found myself routing for all of them.

I definitely loved the audiobook. I don’t think I’d heard the narrator, Norma Butikofer, before, but she did a fantastic job immersing me in Riley’s journey.

I would recommend this one to any lovers of YA romance or coming of age stories.

This was a book that had some deceivingly deep stories interwoven with a little bit of "summer after high school" romance thrown into it.

I have always enjoyed Emma Lord's work, so this was a no brainer for me. I knew that in the end I would have absolutely loved it, and I did.

3.5 stars.

A very sweet and fun read, the friend group is the best! They dynamics between everyone is really fun and the support of each other is perfect. It did slow down a little in the middle but overall a great coming of age, finding romance and finding yourself story.

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Emma Lord is a master when it comes to young adult rom-coms. This book was full of sweetness, love, and friendship. I loved it so much.

The Getaway List - Emma Lord

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Plenty of the same charm, wit, and snark of Emma Lord’s other YA books, but I especially liked the plot of this one.

After graduating high school without getting into any of the colleges she applied to, Riley decided to head to NYC to reunite with her long lost best friend, Tom, and work on their “Getaway List” which is a sort of bucket list they made in their early teen years. They haven’t seen each other for a few years and a lot has changed, but their adventures over the summer help them learn about themselves and what they really want in this cute coming-of-age romance.

There are also some fun callbacks to things from Emma Lord’s other books (like The Milkshake Club- which sounds like a dream!) as well as a ton of love for the magic of New York.

This book is out this today! Be sure to add it to your TBR!

Thank you to @netgalley, @wednesdaybooks, and @dilemmalord for the early read!

“It turns out I am not a royal burdened with ancient power or a knight infiltrating a distant realm with a dark secret, but just Riley. Powerless and ordinary and unsure of myself.”
Riley Larson has a record of mischief and is uncertain what her next steps will be after graduation. She was rejected from all the colleges she applied to and has been lost since her best friend Tom moved to Manhattan after freshman year. Before the move, the duo started building The Getaway List—a checklist of made-up adventures—to accomplish once reunited and make up for lost time. Riley’s first decision after the rejections is to visit Tom in New York, much to her mom’s disapproval. The pair tackles the list, everything from taking an immersive writing workshop to seeing a favorite band play live, forging a new group of friends along the way. Riley feels alive for the first time, but her mom urges her to return home to avoid repeating her past mistakes, leaving Riley to question what her future should look like and who should be a part of it.

Emma Lord has always been one of my favorite authors; however, her latest novel felt repetitive. Riley, in particular, reminded me of Lord’s past heroines: young, passionate women are looking to prove themselves and do not let anyone stand in their way. While I love a strong female lead, all of Lord’s heroines approach their self-growth journey in the same manner. They always experience fear about what they will do in the future, renounce the wisdom of their singular, present guardian, do something “reckless” or out of their ordinary life in an attempt to find themselves, and, in the end, fall for their best friend only for everything to be tied up a little too neatly by the last page. I would like to see Lord step out of this blueprint and experiment with flawed characters who are not perfect goody two-shoes or explore a love interest who makes mistakes. Currently, everything in the Lord universe is just a little too flawless and unrealistic. Nonetheless, I did appreciate the more mature themes Lord explored in The Getaway List, particularly the conflicts that arise when a child leaves the nest and how parents can become blinded by the fear their kid could repeat their past mistakes. Riley’s newfound independence in New York helps her to discover herself, and I loved watching her transformation into a writer as a writer myself. If you are looking for a familiar narrative, The Getaway List offers readers a repetitive but safe story.

*slow clap for this wickedly adorable book*

Stories about friendship groups? Just slap me in the face with sparkles of happiness & cheer! Emma Lord really did that with "The Getaway List" and I am still living rent free in the pages. *happy sigh*

Thank you Wednesday Books and Talking to My Books for the advanced reader copy of Emma's latest young adult beauty.

This books message can hit just as hard for a 30 year old...yup, I said it. "The Getaway List" fell into my life at the right time. Riley experiences a big transition in her life following high school graduation in the hopes that it will lead her to figure out her deep inner self. I found comfort in this book experiencing a big change myself. I really appreciated the entire plot of this book. I loved that Riley decided to take the leap to move to New York City.

Change is hard at any age.

I found it incredibly bold of Riley to drop everything to find herself. It's really inspiring and comforting reading a plot where a big transition ends up in a positive & happy place.

Seriously, there is a lot to swoon about from these beautiful pages that Lord wrote. Between the Big Apple adventures to the decadent deserts littered throughout the prose I never wanted the book to end. My favorite part had to be the friend group. I want to be officially adopted into this pack of pals immediately. I could get used to checking off fun adventures from a getaway list and building fun apps or write short stories with my nerdy buds for the rest of my life. Truly, it sounded like the most fun any semi-adult person could have in their year following graduation.

Oh...don't even get me started with how incredible sweet beau Tom is. EEEE! Love his sweet lil soul! I just wanna pinch his face cheeks forever. Tehehe!!!

Here's to all of us channeling the unmitigated chaos that Riley & Tom had into our 2024!!!

- NYC Whimsy
- Bucket Lists
- Friends to Lovers
- Living Your Fullest List
- Value of Friendship
- Mom & Daughter
- Summer Vibes
- SWIFTIES!!!

I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this book but everything has been a nice surprise so far. This felt like a YA rather than a romance novel. I honestly don’t know the specific genre but it doesn’t matter because I enjoyed reading it. I loved Tom and Riley’s friendship. In fact, I envy it. Even though it was a little rocky when Tom moved to New York. Not only that, their friendships with Mariella, Luca, and Jesse were heartwarming as well. Do you have any idea how hard it is to make new friends after high school? Very. But Riley did it so seamlessly. This book was a nice, heartwarming read. I wished there was more of Tom and Riley’s relationship after they admitted they were in love with each other.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Not me over here drying my tears and feeling like I just finished a therapy session about things I couldn't comprehend or understand in my early 20s.

The Getaway List captures the awkward stage for many of us where we feel old enough to make our own decisions, want to be independent, and feel as though we should know what we want to do with the rest of our life....when really we don't even know who we are. It beautifully navigates changes in not only friendships, but also in a familial bonds that often adapt and change with time. I adored the way young love and new relationships developed and it made me nostalgic for my early 20s.

I really wish this book would have existed for me then, but the reflection it gave me and insight into things I didn't understand then really hit home.

After Riley’s high school graduation, she decides to stop being the obedient daughter her mother expects, and move to New York City for the summer to see her friend, Tom. They plan to finally finish their “Getaway List”—a list of all the things they wanted to do together since he moved away. Riley embarks on an adventure through the city with Tom and her other newfound friends, finding herself in the process.

Emma Lord consistently delivers wholesome young adult books that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to my middle school students, but are enjoyed just as much by older teens and adults. This feel-good story combines friendship and coming-of-age on the cusp of adulthood as the group tackles this “getaway list” bucket list of sorts on adventures throughout New York City. The novel paints a beautiful picture of NYC, embracing the setting almost as another character in the story. I’d definitely recommend this YA book to teens and adults alike.

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy + e-ARC!