So this book was a lot heavier than I anticipated. Normally I go to Emma Lord for feel good, YA. This book was that but it also hit on a lot of tough topics: relationship with parents, communication issues, boundary issues, and growth as a young adult. It is a YA book so it’s not as heavy as some of the adult books would be; however, it was heavier than I’ve seen from Emma.

I gave it 4 stars because I was looking for a light, fun read. While some parts had this- I didn’t experience it throughout the whole book.

I was given an Advanced Reader Copy by NetGalley for an honest review.

It's me, hi, I'm just out here ugly crying at the absolute sweetness in this book. This book is everything I ever wanted from a childhood best friends (to sort of estranged but still bffs) to lovers. I also loved the arcs of Riley discovering her passion and her love of the city (NY) and her new friend group and navigating her complicated relationship with her mom (and the one between Tom and his mom) (I know I'm rambling, but this book had so much good subplots packed into it 😭)

TWs - negligent/absent parent, loneliness, teen pregnancy (mom of the MC)

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

4 🌟

Such a fun coming of age book!

I am a fan of Emma Lord's so I was so excited to get my hands on this book! This was such a cute YA book. I loved how bold Riley was in her decisions, even though she faced a lot of uncertainty. And while there certainly is a love interest in this book (a few of them!), my favorite part was watching the friendships grow.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

Wow. Emma Lord strikes again. I have loved her past works, so getting to read an advanced copy of this one has been very special. Thank you, NetGalley.

It was the perfect coming-of-age story and showed the reality of grappling with life after high school. When you graduate and your life is suddenly unstructured, it feels open and confusing, even if you’ve got a plan. Emma Lord managed to capture this feeling so well. Riley and Tom both had their unique struggles with this feeling. I found myself rooting so hard for them to figure things out.

Speaking of figuring things out, on top of learning to experience life outside of high school they also had to figure out their feelings for each other. This is an amazing friends-to-lovers romance. Their transition from friends to lovers wasn’t seamless, making it so much better. There were secrets and almost kisses, and a lot of adorable moments. Riley and Tom had a beautiful despite, and possibly because, of their life experiences.

Another great part of this book was the getaway list itself. Riley and Tom worked through a list of things that they missed the opportunity to do together. Through the journey of checking these off, they collect a little group of friends. There were all kinds of personalities represented that added much more to the plot. I loved the way they all interacted

I definitely recommend this book!

5.0

A million thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for providing me an ARC of this title! Emma Lord's books are quickly becoming fan-favorites of mine, from the way she creates her characters to her special knack for weaving humor into any situation, and The Getaway List is no exception. In fact, it's become my new favorite Lord work, with Begin Again taking a close second. The Getaway List is perfect for fans of Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist and Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, as Riley and Tom quickly evolved into incredible characters that perfected the art of the 'friends-to-lovers' trope. I empathized with Riley and her mom's relationship on a different level, as it reminded me of conversations with my own mother (and also called me out for needing to communicate better with her). This title is surely going to become a hit when it releases and I can't wait to see it shine.

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for a complimentary eARC of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

If you liked Emma Lord's Tweet Cute like I did, you might enjoy this coming-of-age story aimed at young adults. Riley is in Virginia, graduating from high school with no clear path ahead of her. She's been rejected from the colleges she's applied to and isn't sure what to do with her life. Her best friend from childhood, Tom, moved to NYC three years prior and they keep in touch via text. Except lately Tom hasn't been too responsive. The two share a bond that involves an old book series called Tides of Time and subsequent television show. Over the years, the two have created The Getaway List, sort of a bucket list for young adults; some of the locations are from scenes of the television show, others are just things they want to do together like go camping. So what does Riley do? She grabs a bus to New York City, despite the protests of her mother, who is afraid her daughter is going to make the same mistake she made (getting knocked up as a teen).

Soon Riley and Tom find their tribe in New York and have all sorts of adventures, crossing off events from The Getaway List. There's also a hint of romance as Riley realizes she has feelings for Tom beyond BFF but doesn't want to act on them and ruin their friendship. Both Riley and Tom have complicated relationships with their single mothers, so that's another dynamic in the book. I really liked how friends were all starting out and finding their way in the world. Highly recommend.

Really enjoyed this one. It’s a new adult—just graduated from high school story. It definitely felt like a YA book. Fun adventures in NYC, strong group of friends, friends with feelings type.

The Getaway List is a cute, quirky coming of age story, with a side of (best childhood) friends to lovers. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Wednesday Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Lord’s witty writing in this love note to New York City. The found family is made up of a lovable cast of characters, who get up to some hilarious shenanigans together. My main issue, however, is that the pacing was off for me; at times it really felt like it dragged. I’m giving it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc!

If you have ever read and enjoyed any of Emma Lord's other books, you are bound to enjoy this book as well. While it is it's own very unique story, it shares common themes that appear in her other books, like a character who loves photography, almost-new-adult protagonists, creating an app, New York, family, etc. And while I predictably enjoyed this book, it wasn't quite as top tier as her other books, in my opinion.

This is mainly because of personal opinion. As I have gotten older, I'm slowly starting to realize that YA is not always an absolute hit for me anymore. Yet, one thing I do love about this book is the age of the characters. There needs to be more young adult novels that focus on what to do after high school. I know plenty of them exist, but rarely are they ones that really get pushed at young adult audiences. I think the most popular one I have seen is either Today Tonight Tomorrow or Again, but Better. But these books are crucial to readers and really can help those who are nearing or are this age to feel better about not knowing what happens next.

So, you may be wondering why this book missed a little for me, and I think the main thing is the lack of chemistry. Though Riley and Tom do have SOME chemistry, it isn't as off-the-page as the romance in Tweet Cute. I'm convinced that nothing can beat Emma Lord's debut, maybe because that's my expectation for all of her books to be like that now, and I'm no longer blown away when her books are just great YA novels instead of shockingly-great... I guess what I mean is that my high standards are really getting in the way. My favorite of her books, You Have A Match, is mainly a favorite due to personal reasons. For one, there was the setting, and secondly, the existence of an incredibly passionate main character.

Though I haven't yet read Begin Again, I did notice two things that were new within this book compared to the other three I have read: the existence of a friend group that really was at the forefront of the novel, and having characters who were writers. I think this was incrediblely done, and I hope to see more of her novels with these themes.

But, mostly, what I really want now is for Emma Lord to write a fantasy novel. Maybe something like the Tides of Time series mentioned in the novel? So, Emma, if you're reading this, or if your publisher or agent is, I have a pitch for you: write a fantasy or sci-fi novel. Keep the same chemistry levels between your characters, but the stakes will be so much higher, and you might even find yourself a new audience to bridge your contemporary books to fantasy books. It will be excellent! Think of the chemistry between the characters in The Lunar Chronicles! Emma, you could write that!! But you also have the humor that would keep it lighthearted. I just have the feeling that any fantasy or sci-fi you would write would have a vague Rick Riordan-esque feel to it, and I mean that in the absolute best way. So please consider it. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

This book is precious! I love a found family, friends to lovers, NYC adventure. The characters were distinct and likeable

This was my first book of Emma Lord’s, but i will definitely seek out more of her titles!

This was an entertaining read, but not one I'd likely revisit. It didn't have the normal Emma Lord sparkle. It felt like a weakened retelling of her other novel "If you get the chance." The characters didn't pop the same way as some of her others did.

That said, I still enjoy the story as the two main characters try to check off a list and discover their independence. It would be a great quick read for teens and those who love YA lit.

🚲ARC Review🚲

The Getaway List
Emma Lord
Release Date: January 23, 2024

The Getaway List: list of adventures that Tom and Riley have compiled over the years but have yet to complete

Riley is graduating high school and has no idea what her next step should be. The only two constants in her life are her mom and her long time best friend Tom. Tom moved away a few years earlier and they weren’t in touch as much as Riley would like. So what does Riley do when right after she graduates? Much to her mother’s dismay she boards a bus to go surprise Tom in NYC to complete the Getaway List they made together. What she finds there is much more than just reconnecting with Tom and finishing this list. She finds the start of the life she’s been dreaming of.
_________________________________________________
I feel like most of us can relate to Riley when she finished high school. Only a select few of us actually knew what career path we should pursue at that point of our lives and I sure was not one of them!

I really enjoyed the found family all throughout this book. The group of friends Riley finds make up such a great support system for each other. It was entertaining to listen to all the adventures they go on together.
The idea of a getaway list and living in NYC with my friends sounds like a fun idea. Not sure that at 18 I ever would have been brave enough for that though!
__________________________________________________
Thank you @netgalley and @macmillianusa for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was my first Emma Lord read and I loved it! The characters are so lovable and the story was great. I can't wait to go and devour her other books now.

This was an adorable friends to lovers romance. It was more young adult or maybe new adult than I expected but the audio definitely helped when reading. I enjoyed the narrator and it was an easy listen. I loved Riley and Tom’s friendship and how they were there for each other. The way they fell quickly back instep with each other after being apart for awhile was really cute. I also loved the side characters with Luca definitely being my favorite. I also enjoyed the found family vibes. You could tell Tom struggled with some mental health issues but his friends were extremely supportive. What more could a bunch of brand new high school graduates want other than a summer free of parents, galavanting around New York City?

I have read all of this author’s YA contemporaries and enjoyed them, so I was excited to get an ARC of her newest book, releasing in January.

This book follows Riley, who, after being rejected from every college she applied to, runs off to NYC for the summer after graduation to meet up with Tom, her best friend growing up.

This is very much a story about self discovery and finding yourself, and while I did enjoy those aspects, there was some major suspension of disbelief required. A lot of the book felt completely unrealistic, especially the ending.

There’s also a lot of instances of people not communicating with each other, which is a pet peeve of mine in books. A lot of the conflicts (particularly with Riley and her mother) could have been resolved with a single conversation. There was a lot of stuff done in secret or cases where secrets were kept from the main character as well.

The friend group was fun, particularly Luca. I also wished that brownie bakery was a real place. It sounded so fun! This book is truly a love letter to NYC and the author’s love of the place really came through in her writing.

This was a cute little contemporary, but the romance aspects fell a little flat for me.

Emma Lord NEVER disappoints. This book is no exception.

From the friend group, to the Taylor Swift references, to the gaining of independence, to all the New York love: I loved this book!

Riley and Tom! Totally stealing your heart and then breaking it a little. While I love that this was Riley’s adventure and self discovery trip Tom had to be set free. While crushing the soul it had to be done.

Love every moment of this adventure.

This book was so precious. So many feels. The perfect love letter to friendship and New York. Nods to her other books and the sweetest slow burn. Made me nostalgic. Love everything Emma. @emmalord makes me want to listen to the entire Taylor discography!
Thanks to @WednesdayBooks, and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

All I can say about this book is WOW. I absolutely loved this book and I would definitely recommend it to EVERYONE. Emma Lord knocked this one out of the park and then some. Wow, what a fantastic read!

I was so happy to have had the opportunity to read another Emma Lord book, but I DNF this one. I realized this is a young adult book, and this genre is not interesting to me.

📖 ARC REVIEW 📖

Thank you @wednesdaybooks @stmartinspress for an early copy of The Getaway List by @dilemmalord. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. 🤍

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
Release date: January 23rd, 2024

Blurb: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

🛑Read on with caution; review may contain spoilers🛑

The Getaway List is a beautiful friends-to-lovers novel about Tom and Riley, but more importantly, it’s about both rediscovering themselves and building new and lasting friendships within the Big Apple.

Tom and Riley have been best friends since they were kids, but things got rocky with their friendship when Tom moved to New York and left Riley in Virginia. Their friendship was mostly alright during their time apart. Still, Tom hasn’t been very responsive with communications with Riley, until on her graduation day, she impulsively decides to visit NY for the weekend, only to find herself wanting to stay and figure out what she wants to do with her career and life, and rediscover the self she has lost with her mom controlling her free time during high school. With them together again, their dynamic friendship is back on track, it seems like no time has passed, but a lot has changed for them individually, especially with Tom and his relationship with his mostly absent mother.

It has been their goal to cross out all the items they have written on their Getaway List, and with their new friends Mariella and Luca, along with Jesse, their old friend from Virginia, both Tom and Riley not only found lasting friendships and new people who cares about them deeply, they also found their roots and their support within New York through these people. I enjoyed the friendship they created with this group. I mean, Tom and Riley’s friendship turned to love is just so powerful and heartwarming, but finding friends within the other three was just as dynamic as their friendship with just the two of them.

With Tom and Riley having many things to discover about themselves and their relationships with their mothers needing mending, I was happy with how the resolutions wrapped up. It was an open-ended ending that I didn’t mind. I loved every bit of this novel, especially how much it captures the beauty of lasting friendships and of course, New York (not that I have been there, but hopefully soon!).