The Getaway List by Emma Lord is a delightful and engaging read that combines adventure, friendship, and self-discovery in a heartwarming way. The novel follows the journey of a group of friends who embark on a spontaneous road trip to fulfill a list of dreams and aspirations before their lives change forever.

Lord’s writing is vibrant and full of energy, capturing the excitement and unpredictability of the road trip experience. The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own dreams, struggles, and growth throughout the journey. The dynamic between the friends adds depth to the story, making their adventures both entertaining and emotionally resonant.

The plot is filled with charming moments and unexpected twists that keep the reader invested. While some of the events might feel a bit predictable, the book’s warmth and genuine character interactions make it an enjoyable read. The themes of friendship, self-discovery, and chasing dreams are handled with sincerity and humor.

Overall, The Getaway List is a fun and uplifting novel that will appeal to readers looking for a feel-good story with a touch of adventure. It’s perfect for anyone who enjoys books about travel, personal growth, and the bonds that shape our lives.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. Review previously withheld as part of the St. Martin’s Press influencer boycott. All opinions are my own.

Emma Lord has become a very hit-or-miss author for me (her previous release was a DNF), but fortunately, The Getaway List hit the right spot for me. It had all the ingredients of things I love in a YA coming-of-age romance, and executed them wonderfully.

Riley is easy for me to relate to, even at almost twice her age, as I totally resonate with the idea of having spent all your life being a Good Kid, but not really knowing who you are as a result. I admire her daring in taking a chance with a gap year to move to New York with her best friend Tom to have all the adventures they’ve always wanted to do together. Given all the pressure on kids, both when I was growing up and now, to focus on one’s education, it’s great to see a book about a recently graduated teen focusing on finding herself and really figuring out what she wants to do with her life.

And the romance that grows amid the self-discovery is super cute. I’ve spoken ad nauseum about how I adore a well-done friends-to-lovers romance, and this delivers in that regard. The uncertainty about where they stand, and how their paths will diverge once this gap year inevitably concludes, amps up the tension, and I rooted for them to admit their feelings and get together.

I really enjoyed this one, and would recommend it to readers who enjoy YA contemporary romance.

thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

⭐️=4 | 😘=2.5 | 🤬=4 | 15+

summary: friends to lovers; recent high school graduate Riley runs away to New York to see her best friend after years of separation so they can check items off of their getaway list (basically a bucket list) and wait are they in love?? do they fall in love?????? who can say!!

thoughts: main critique is that the pacing slowed a lottttt from about 50-80% of the book. otherwise, this was really fun and funny with great banter and characters. I loved the MCs (and I looooooove a well-executed friends to lovers jam-packed with yearning), but it was also really impressive that Emma Lord had actually distinguishable side characters, since those often get blurred together in romcoms. anyway. this was super cute, there’s just some iffy pacing.

I usually love Emma Lord's books, but this one was just okay for me. I loved the NYC setting and the friendships. I found it a little repetitive. Miscommunication is one of my least favourite tropes. I liked the idea of Riley and Tom's "getaway list". My favourite books by Emma Lord are Tweet Cute, Begin Again, and When You Get The Chance.

This was so cute and fun!! Reading this book made me want to go travel! It's the perfect fluffy rom com set in a big city and I thought it was such a fun diversion!

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

This was a very fun book. Riley moves to New York to spend the summer with her childhood best friend Tom. She is hoping to rediscover her adventurous self, find out who she is now, and plan the future she chooses for herself. Thank you to Netgalley and St Marten’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a charming feel good YA romance and I really enjoyed it. I liked the friends to lovers trope. This was a clean romance with no spice. I loved the relationship development between the two and how they grew from friends into something more.

I also really enjoyed the side characters that made the story so good! I loved their friendships and how they all supported each other.

This was such a good book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this advanced copy. This was a cute ya story about friends that reconnect after years of friendship through their phones., finally spending time together now that they’re older. I thought this was a sweet story about a girl trying to find herself. She doesn’t know what she wants, but she knows she needs something new. Enter her best friend. But obviously there’s twists and turns before they end up together. I really rooted for them the whole time.

Emma Lord's YA romance novels are always a great escape from reality, especially the ones that take place in New York, her home city. I liked the romance tied to the story, but it felt a little unbelievable that Riley, the main character, would be able to live on her own in New York without her mother going absolutely ballistic.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me early access to this book, and thank you to Emma Lord for writing such a delightful book. I adore her writing and this book is every reason why.

I was super excited for this one and it really lived up to my expectations. the banter was adorable and I loved our Mcs. the plot was interested and kept me reading. highly recommend.

-emma lord has fully cemented herself as a favorite author with this one. she writes ✨girlhood✨ in a way few writers can, in my experience
-all of her main girls are sooo YOYOK-coded and riley is no exception. she is so emotionally mature and such a good character to read the story through
-tom is EVERYTHING and the ending had me swooning!
-their whole friend group was lovable and i could see all the adventures so vividly thanks to lord’s writing

I LOVED this. Emma Lord YA rom coms are always adorable and sweet and make you “aw”. This is a best friends to lovers characters just graduated high school. One of my favorites this year!

The Getaway List by Emma Lord is a sweet YA romance with an amazing friend group and the kind of found family I would love to be part of.

Riley and Tom have been best friends for a long time but ever since tom moved to NYC they've kept in touch but haven't seen one another in a while. Now Riley has graduated from High School and has no idea what todo with her life. She didn't get into any of the schools she applied to, she's tired of being the "good girl" doing everything to make her mom happy, and she misses her best friend, so she decides to go to NYC for a weekend. Tom has made the quintessential list of things to do and see in the city and while she's there, Riley decides to try out his Getaway List. And while she's in NYC, Riley finds herself (and some romance and other friends along the way).

This was a cute and charming story, even if there was a bit of repetition in the middle. I thought it was a fun story and while I'm not the typical YA demographic, I found myself smiling and enjoying the story a lot.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This is a cute YA/new adult friends to lovers romance. It’s very sweet with no spice. I love the found family friend group.

I consistently turn to Emma Lord for light-and-fluffy-but-also-well-written YA romances. And this one followed through! I loved the cast of characters in this one and the coming-of-age story of Riley in New York. Their adventures were fun to follow and this book came with a healthy dose of cute and funny as Riley and Tom came together.

This is the second book I've read by Emma Lord and I know I'll be devouring the rest of her works very soon. Lord has an amazing ability to write hilarious characters and dialogue. I enjoy her humor so much! Riley, Tom and the gang are just so innocently hilarious in this and their personalities and behaviours felt so true to their age.

The concept of a getaway list is so unique and made me feel so fond of the relationship Riley and Tom have. They're best friends in a long distance friendship who have missed each other so long they needed to write down all the things they'll do together to make up for it. I am an avid lover of the friends to lovers trop and Lord dic not miss with this one!

Riley and Tom may have loved each other always without knowing it or being able to express it respectively. However, not for one second did I think they weren't still at the core best friends. They love each other so much and are so intuitive to each other's feelings and needs. I was excited to see how their blossoming love would unfold but I knew they'd be safe under Emma Lord's skillful pen.

This was a quick and fun read! I enjoyed all the characters and all the shenanigans they got up to. Can't wait to read more by Emma Lord.

Thank you SMP for the opportunity to read and review!

In The Getaway List, Riley, fresh out of high school and looking to rediscover herself, heads to NYC for the summer to reconnect with her old friend Tom. Despite drifting apart over the years, they’re brought together by their childhood creation, the Getaway List—a collection of adventures they dreamed of experiencing together. As they tick off items from the list, Riley starts to grapple with emerging feelings for Tom and whether that could be an adventure worth pursuing.

Emma Lord excels at capturing the essence of young adulthood and the emotional turbulence that comes with it. Her novels often feature romance, but it’s just one layer of a much richer narrative. In this book, Lord delves into the complexities of the mother-child relationship and its influence on the characters’ lives and choices.

Throughout the story, we see both Riley and Tom grow and find their paths, with a strong theme of found family underscoring their journey. They lean on their close-knit circle of friends as they step into the next phase of their lives.

This book is perfect if you enjoy coming-of-age stories, tales of starting over, found family dynamics, friends-to-lovers romances, and a vibrant NYC setting.

I've been such a fan of Emma Lord's other work (Tweet Cute and You Have Match) and I adored her newest release, The Getaway List. Riley graduates high school after four years of being the rule-following perfect daughter who her mother wants her to be, and no she's feeling lost and unsure of her own identity and what she wants next in life. She decides to go to New York to stay with her childhood best friend and they decide to tackle their "getaway list" and all of the adventures they've wanted to go on together since he moved away, with hopes of reinvigorating her life and sense of wonder. This was an adorable YA romance and I loved riding along with Riley and Tom as they crossed items off their list. I can't wait for her adult novel, The Break Up Pact to come out this summer!

Such a cute, feel good book. I loved the premise. A predictable friend to lovers trope, but done in a refreshing way. I enjoyed the story immensely and it has the great characters you have come to expect from Ms. Lord. Makes me want to go out and have an adventure with friends.