i would like to say that i didn’t pay attention to the book’s publisher house when i requested on netgalley. i requested the book because i enjoyed emma lord’s writing in the past. i hope st. martin’s press boycott keeps going as it should and due to the boycott i won’t be promoting the book. i didn’t purchase the book and don’t plan on it. i didn’t know wednesday books was part of st. martin’s press but i hope whoever is reading this learns it and pls don’t promote the books.

I love loved loved The Getaway List. The dynamic and interesting parental relationships,the way the main characters were finding themselves and growing and changing, Emma does a fabulous job of making the most realistic scenarios for young adults going out in their own.

i’m submitting the reviews for books by you that I already have, but I will never request another one. In October one of your employees made a horribly racist statement and you have chosen to do nothing about it. People have continuously asked you to say that you don’t stand with what the employee said, and you refuse to. This is not someone who I want to promote ever because you are sending the wrong message. These reviews will not be posted on social media because you don’t deserve the promotion. By not speaking out you are also not preventing your followers from stalking and harassing people who are participating in the boycott. Your silence speaks volumes. I hope that all of your authors move to other publishers because you are standing with a genocide. Watch this video for more information https://www.tiktok.com/@vivafalastinleen/video/7288407369313307947?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7211704101519296042

Emma Lord has done it again. This book is so cute and the perfect coming of age book.

Riley and Tom were childhood best friends, but they began to grow apart a few years ago when Tom moved to New York. They tried to remain close but life (and sometimes Riley’s mom) had other plans. They started to keep track of all their missed adventures in what would become known as “The Getaway List.”

On the day of Riley’s high school graduation, she’s feeling lost and unsure of her future. In an attempt to get away, she leaves to visit Tom in New York - a visit that was supposed to last a day turns into a week turns into the whole summer. In trying to complete The Getaway List, will Riley finally find where she belongs?

For the most part, the way we get to know Tom is through Riley’s memory of him when they were younger. We can see through some of Tom’s behavior and even hear from Mariella that Tom is not the same guy that Riley knew growing up. To me, this seemed like they need to reconnect and get to know each other again. Maybe the author tried to hit on this a little bit but it was never enough for me to feel invested in this relationship. In addition, the romance definitely was on the back burner the entire time.

On the other hand, I really enjoyed Jesse’s relationship with Riley. This felt like it had a similar tone where they were closer years ago and rekindled their friendship, but it was handled so much better.

I also liked Mariella and Luca. I loved the concept of New York being a place to start fresh and how Riley was able to put herself out there in a way she hadn’t been able to in years.

One thing that bothered me was the constant Taylor Swift references - felt like the author was trying too hard, especially when a couple of them didn’t even make logistical sense.

“The Getaway List” by Emma Lord is all about self discovery, becoming an adult and family dynamics. It tackles important issues in an easy to read and relaxing way; the story isn’t too heavy which I appreciated. I would recommend this to my friends and family.

Due to the ongoing marketing boycott of St. Martin’s Press because of their continued failure to address an employee’s harmful and offensive remarks on social media, I will be withholding from reviewing this title. I sincerely hope the company takes action soon so I may resume promoting the diverse stories that SMP ought to stand by,

I really wish I had read Emma Lord’s previous books before I read this one so I’d have something to compare it to. I actually thought this was a debut novel and was surprised to see two of her other books are on my TBR.
Sitting at her high school graduation, it occurs to 18 year old Riley that she’s spent the majority of high school being exactly who her Mom wanted her to be, that she has no idea who she actually is. On a whim she moves to NYC from VA to reconnect with her best friend and finally complete all of the items on the list they created years ago, their Getaway List, basically a mild bucket list. During the summer, Riley begins to live for herself discovering many joys and a few challenges along the way.
This is very much a Gen Z coming of age story. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that except that I’m Gen X. In addition to that, Riley and all of her friends are tremendous extroverts, and I’m very much not. I couldn’t relate to anything in this. Honestly, I didn’t like any of the character interactions and I really didn’t like Riley.
I can’t bring myself to give this less than 3 stars since I’m clearly not the audience Ms. Lord was trying to reach. I have read and loved young adult fiction in the past so maybe I should be rating this based on that, but I think someone who’s a younger Millennial or an older Gen Z who is quite extroverted will appreciate this a lot more than this introverted Gen Xer did.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press & Wednesday Books for an advanced copy of this book. This hits the shelves January 23rd.

This was a really cute YA! I actually listened to this on audio and had a good time. I loved the friends to lovers storyline of this, and it felt super whimsical as it takes place in New York in the post-high school graduation time. Makes me wish I can have a lost in New York moment myself. Enjoyed the found family part of this and the slow burn romance between our two main characters. A fun one from Emma Lord!

Such a sweet read! It made me wistful for that time of life when you are trying to figure out who you are and what you want to do with the rest of your life. Everything feels big and shiny and important. The book is a love letter to NYC making any reader want to run away and make their own Getaway List of fun adventures to go on in the Big Apple.

Riley and Tom are adorable together as they try to figure out who they are and what they are to each other when they finally get to spend some face to face time now that Riley has made a big leap and hopped on the bus to NYC to visit...and maybe stay? I loved their connection through their favourite book and the list of adventures they made for themselves inspired by it. The walking tour/writing class was my favourite item. Sounds like the perfect way to spend a day! I also adored Jesse, Luca, and Mariella and how the romantic relationships weren't the only focus. Mariella was my favourite with her quick wit, no nonsense attitude and intelligence. She was the perfect friend for Riley and I loved reading about them bonding over the course of the book.

The wounded relationships between both Riley and her mom as well as Tom and his mom were hard to read as a parent. My heart broke for Tom especially dealing with an absent parent but I was happy in the end with the way it was dealt with and how it ended.

I would love to read more by Emma Lord in the future since this book felt like a sunny day filled with a soundtrack of all the best Taylor Swift songs wrapped up in the best romcom set in NYC.

I received an advanced digital copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars, perhaps closer to a 4.

I have read other books from Emma Lord and really loved them. And this book has so many amazing reviews. Don't take my slightly lower rating to mean I didn't like it, because I did. It was a great YA read and there were a lot of things about it that I really enjoyed. I felt like at times it was getting a little bit long winded and slightly repetitive. While it was fun, I wanted more to happen. I wanted less conversation and more action. There were also some instances of miscommunication that I felt slightly frustrated with. I found myself skimming through certain parts. But these are very minor issues and also, probably just me issues! There was plenty about this book that I adored!

NYC setting: This book was like a love letter to NYC and it's a city I love to read about. It made me want to go back so badly!

The actual Getaway list: I love the fun ideas/activities on it and it's such a great idea!

Friends to lovers: Tom and Riley were the perfect best friends to lovers. Their relationship felt very genuine and the way it grew slowly seemed authentic and relatable.

The friend group: such a fun group of characters! I loved the way they got along and each had their own unique personalities that blended well together.

The YA coming of age theme: this book took a good look at the decisions that people have to make as they come into adulthood. Also, stepping outside of your comfort zone, realizing what you want in life and learning from mistakes. Being open, honest and not afraid to be you. Loved it!

Overall, I'm glad I read this book and while it wasn't my favourite from Emma Lord is was still really great! If you're a fan of YA romance that isn't overly heavily on the romance, this would be a great addition to your shelf. Thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for my review copy!

I have enjoyed all of Emma Lord’s books. This one did not disappoint. I always enjoy books with strong friendships and Emma delivers.
Riley is graduating high school and feels like she has no direction and is being left behind by all her friends. She feels stifled by her mother who scheduled every minute of her days the last few years of high school. Riley assumed it was to keep her out of trouble but when she learns the truth, she hops on a bus to New York. Tom, Riley’s best friend moved to NY when they were freshman. Through this book you follow Riley and Tom check things off their Getaway List that they made both before and after Tom moved. Along the way they form a friendship with other just graduated kids. Their antics are so fun to read about.
This book is a love story to NY as much as it is a young love story.
Note of caution- while Tom is 18 years old, he has clearly been left alone by his mother a lot over his teenage years. There is def a feeling of neglect for him by his mother.

The Getaway List is the title of the list of activities Riley and her best friend Tom want to do, started a few years before, prior to Tom leaving their small town for NYC. Now that Riley has graduated high school, without getting into any of the schools to which she applied, she is struggling to figure out what comes next. She decides to surprise Tom by showing up in NYC, even though he’s been a bit distant and they haven’t seen each other in the years since he and his mom left town. Once Riley arrives, she and Tom spend time exploring the city - balancing touristy things while also meeting up with a found family of friends.
Emma Lord’s YA books are sweet, and this one is no exception. There are plenty of Taylor Swift references for Swifties to enjoy. And if you love NYC, I think you’ll love how the city is treated as one of the main characters. As a frequent visitor, I love reading about places in NYC I’ve been (or haven’t yet visited!). Last October, while in the city with my parents, we walked the High Line and visited Little Island, one of the spots the friends visit in the book.
I alternated reading a digital copy and listening to an audio copy, and both formats were great. New-to-me (I think) narrator Norma Butikofer does a great job bringing the story to life. Thank you to Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for NetGalley advanced copies in exchange for my honest review. I will be recommending this book to my students - I think they will identify with Riley’s uncertainty about her future, and I love that taking a gap year is encouraged in the book (something I think more people should take advantage of after finishing high school!)

A delightful look at teens finding themselves. I suspect I'm not the only one who can relate to Riley and who wishes they had the opportunity to move to NYC to spend time with a pal like Tom. And who meets friends like Mariella and Luca. There's a bit of romance but it's more about coming of age and coming into your best self. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. It might be YA but it's a delightful read regardless of your age.

This is everything I love in an Emma Lord book. This had a lot of heart and made me smile a lot. Highly recommend if you’re a fan of hers or not.

I discovered Emma last year and I absolutely love her. She is definitely an auto buy author.

This read definitely reinforces that. This read was so fun. It says for the fans of “Welcome to New York”- Taylor Swift. But a band of friends like this also always remind me of “New Romantics”.

Emma’s book just made me want to jet set off to New York. I loved the atmosphere of the book. I loved the themes of growing up, and finding yourself. And I loved the romantic undertones. Romance of life, and romance of a SO.

This is a book I would scream to people for. Definitely my favorite book I’ve started 2024 with. I cannot wait to have a hard copy in my hands.

This book was such a delightful break from all the thrillers/ mysteries I’ve been reading this month! I’ve been dipping my toes a bit more into YA novels as of lately and it’s been refreshing! The premises of this one created such a fun and quick read. When Riley graduates high school, with nothing but rejection letters from all the school she’s applied to, she feels lost. She comes up with the idea to head to New York for the weekend to visit her best friend and work on their getaway list. Her mother doesn’t think that’s the best of ideas but with Riley being freshly 18, it really doesn’t matter if her mom okays it or not.

I found the book to be such a fun one. It made me think of when I turned 18 and I thought I knew everything and felt like I didn’t need my mom to tell me if my choices were good or not. Being 32 now, I definitely value my mom’s opinion the most but also had to learn that (sometimes) the hard way(love you mom!). At 18, you are technically an adult but you still have so much to figure out in life. What a great way this novel approached subjects such as the transition between adolescence and adulthood, the meaning of family, education and career choices. Now I want to make my own getaway list!

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

✵𝖬𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖲𝗍. 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇’𝗌 𝖯𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗌, 𝖤𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝖫𝗈𝗋𝖽 ＆ 𝖭𝖾𝗍𝖦𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖠𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋’𝗌 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐.✵

This was definitely a cute YA read. Riley and Tom recently graduated high school and spend the weekend catching up after being years apart and run around NYC. Adventure and hijinks ensue. It was so cute getting to see them reconnect and just be kids. We felt young again and nostalgic for our teen years. Loved watching the characters grow and become confident in themselves. If you enjoy YA, this one is for you.

This book was amazing! I love the setting and the characters! I would definitely recommend this book to another romance lover.

So cute!!!! Such a fun book!! I really enjoyed the story and the character growth. I really liked the story between Riley and Tom.

A cute rom com, coming of age story. Riley is struggling to decide what she wants to do since graduating from high school and not getting accepted to any of the colleges she applied to. Her childhood friend has been living in NYC so she decides visiting him may help her figure some things out. Afterall, they have a bucket list of things to do that they never were able to check off before he moved away. I will say I thought the story fun and cute but I do believe I may have been a few years older than the target age. Parts were a little juvenile and I struggled connecting to the main character at times. Honestly though, had there been a point of view from Riley's mom I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more. Perfect for young teens, especially those trying to find there way into adulthood. Cute clean romance.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review honestly an advanced digital copy.