When it comes to storytelling that is both sincere and saccharine in the best way, Emma Lord is truly the mastermind.

This was a fun, quick, and cute coming of age story. I don’t think it will be one I’ll think about a lot but I enjoyed my time reading it! I would recommend if you’re in the mood for a YA coming of age story that focuses on navigating friendships, the experience of finding yourself and what you want to do after graduating high school. The FMC is an aspiring writer and it focuses a lot on her finding her way down that career path. I would consider this a coming of age story with a tiny bit of romance in it! The New York setting was my favorite part and I enjoyed reading about all the adventures they went on in the city!

Emma Lord is carving out a space for New Adult literature as an emerging genre. I have been reading her books since Tweet Cute and loved the way she explores the growing pains we experience in our late teens and early twenties. I had fun jumping into Tom & Riley's world, exploring old memories and new cities with them. Also, Emma Lord does a great job of building strong supporting characters I can't help but become attached too. Luca, Mariella, and Jesse created such a fun dynamic. I liked the way that this book addressed child-mother relationships with both Riley and Tom. While I loved this book, I felt like I wanted more plot! Riley's time spent in New York seemed to blur together and I would have loved to see more side storylines take shape during that time. I also felt that the last 15% of the book dragged a bit. I was ready for a resolution and between Riley's reconciliation with her mother & tracking down Tom, it took a long time to get there. I am excited to see Emma Lord release another book and continue contributing to the new adult genre with thoughtfully crafted relationships & impeccable Taylor Swift references.

I didn't love this as much as the OG for me: Tweet Cute. I felt that this was difficult to get into and I just didn't relate to the characters or story as much as Emma's other books. Still good though!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this earc

This book was cute. But if you ask me, it was more about self discovery and coming of age than romance.

Don’t get me wrong. We got a few cute scenes better Riley and Tom. But most of the story really showed us Riley and her finding herself.

I like the found family Tom & Riley and their made and supported system they become for each other. How ever thought they were so different they all found one thing In common.

Overall, it was deeper and somehow less Hallmark than I thought it would be.

Emma Lord is an autobuy author for me and I always give her books five stars, but for some reason, this one just isn't hitting the mark so after reading half of it, I have to put it down. I think it's a major case of wrong time mixed with a bit of a reading slump as I know Emma's an incredible writer!

Thank you for the eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I love Emma Lord books, and while this one was not nearly as surface-sweet as Tweet Cute and Begin Again, I think I liked it more. Riley is an incredibly relatable character, and her struggle to figure out not only what she wants in life, but also who she is was really powerful to read about. It starts with her at her graduation ceremony, as one of two kids in her class that did not get accepted to go to college. The secrets that unfurl that night include the ultimate betrayal from her mother, that she has been purposely being kept away from her best friend, Tom, to keep her out of trouble.
Riley immediately rebels and runs to New York where Tom is dealing with his own issues. The story unfurls with a charming bucket list and a "will-they-wont-they" romance that makes you swoon and want to escape to the streets of New York

The Getaway List is an absolutely adorable coming-of-age and finding oneself story. With a sprinkle of romance and the signature touch of Emma Lord, reminiscent of New York and Taylor Swift vibes, it's a delightful read. I loved every bit of it – a charming journey that captures the essence of youth and self-discovery.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this eARC!!

This was really beautiful. A coming-of-age story to the nth degree, Riley is 18 and experiencing life (but in an innocent kind of way?). Her relationships are imperfect and beautiful and weighty enough that I got teary at times. And I think this is the best “found family” I’ve ever read about.

I received a copy of this book from Wednesday Books.

Although I think it’s a bit young for me, I thought this book was very cute! It’s definitely a good coming of age/romance book that I would’ve eaten up when I was in high school.

I agree with another review that I saw - this was a bit too many tropes all at once. I wished the author picked one or two and stuck with them instead of a mix mash all together.

Even though I don’t think I’m the target demographic, I think this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone who wants to be transported to their teenage self, remembering the times when the world seemed so vast and you felt so lost.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Thank you to St Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I will happily leave a review for this when the racist remarks by one of their employees is addressed. I want to support the author, but also want to know they don’t support this behavior.

This is absolutely a me thing. I love Emma Lord's books, but this is a pile of tropes layered together that are all not for me. Too much chaos and wild decisions and road trip vibes. I found myself clenching my teeth in stress while reading and hoping to love it and I just dont want to spend my reading minutes stressed out.

The Getaway List is a marvelous mashup of found family, self-discovery, and friends-to-lovers romance. I thought the side characters were just as captivating as our MCs and there were some A+ Taylor Swift references!

Emma’s books are like a warm cookie. They evoke a feeling of comfort, joy, and familiarity. I felt like I was right alongside Riley and Tom as they explored NYC, and I thought the development of their romantic relationship was perfectly balanced with their existing friendship.

There is some great banter in this book, and I think Emma is hilarious on and off the page. This book is an utter delight and I cannot recommend it enough to fans of YA. This is the book I needed at 18.

I’ll leave you with some favorite quotes:
“Far as I know, I’m going to be stuck in Falls Creek until I Falls Croak”
“Does the blue of this graduation gown make my existential terror pop?”
“I’d rather be running toward the unknown here than standing still anywhere else”

Thank you to Wednesday Books for an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Riley graduates high school with loose threads and a sense of bewilderment for what's next. There's her mom's plan, the handful of college rejections, and a pull to visit her best friend of the past, Tom. A trip to New York City to reset for a weekend turns into more when life throws a couple of unexpected curveballs.
The way that Emma writes books for teenage me. Why do I have to be so old in this YA era?? At least my heart is young even if my face would say otherwise? I can see my younger self in Riley (minus the whole helicopter parent thing) through her toeing the line, joy for food, friendships, and adventure. I absolutely need an Emma curated tour through New York. Emma's enthusiasm for the city screams through her writing. I loved the found family, but most especially the opportunity for reconciliation on all fronts.
Thank you to Wednesday books for the traveling arc to read and pass on. All thoughts are my own.

The Getaway List is the story of two best friends who are reunited after high school graduation. Riley has never doubted Tom is her best friend, but they have somewhat fallen out of contact since he moved to New York City. When she graduates, she decides to take a trip to New York City and find Tom. The Tom she finds is a shadow of his former self. Riley resolves to reignite the connection they had and suggests they try to complete their “getaway list.” As they adventure through the city, Riley finds herself with strong feelings for Tom. Are Riley and Tom meant to be only best friends or something more?

The Getaway List is such a fun and sweet YA. It’s a slowburn friends-to-lovers romance. Riley and Tom have such a solid friendship, but have fallen out of touch in very understandable ways. I loved seeing the growth in Riley’s relationship with her mom. Riley and her mom start out on a very tumultuous note, because Riley travels to NYC despite her mom's fears. Throughout the book, they work towards a stronger bond with deeper understanding. Tom and Riley have a beautiful friendship and relationship; I loved how they really grew together. The cast of friends was incredible and the perfect complement to their adventures through NYC. The Getaway List is a love letter to the magic and delicious baked goods of NYC and readers will feel like they’ve taken a vacation there. The Getaway List is an adventurous and hopeful romance that would be perfect for anyone who loves contemporary YA.

Thank you to Emma Lord, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Emma Lord’s sparkling writing style never fails to make me grin, but she’s truly outdone herself this time. The Getaway List is a warm hug from a kindred spirit. It’s also the exact type of soul wandering, yet uplifting, romantic comedy I’ve been craving—not to mention the type of book that’s been difficult to find in the YA Contemporary genre, recently. I’m so very happy to have read it!

After high school graduation, Riley feels lost, so she packs her bags and moves to New York, staying with her childhood best friend, Tom, for the summer. As they rediscover their friendship, and make their way through a list of adventures, Riley embarks on a journey to find herself again and uncover what she values most in life.

Tom and Riley’s friendship crackles with chemistry and their romance unfolds with all the ache, pining, and high stakes risk that hovers between two people who share so much more than a surface level attraction. Tom is sweet, sensitive, bookish, and kind. Teenage me definitely would have fallen for him.

The novel is also a love letter to New York, taking the reader on a magical journey through the city, set to a Taylor Swift soundtrack. The writing captures the vibe of the 1989 album and, if you’re a Swiftie, you won’t be disappointed by the abundance of effortlessly woven in Taylor references.

Then, there are the friendships! Oh, the friendships! Mariella, Luca, and Jesse aren’t just sidekicks to Riley and Tom’s story. They live, breathe, and leap off the page with full lives of their own—enriching the plot and making you wish you could join their friend group, too.

Emma Lord’s books are total mood boosters, overflowing with lovable characters, quirky fun, and mouthwatering descriptions of decadent desserts! The Getaway List has all of the above and more. So much of this story is about being seen and accepted by friends who sincerely love you. It’s a must read for anyone in search of a romantic story overflowing with meaning and authentic human connection, similar to books by Jenny Han, Rainbow Rowell, Sarah Dessen, and Stephanie Perkins.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing an ARC copy of The Getaway List in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved a few of Emma Lord's books, but I think I might officially be too old for them. I couldn't relate to Riley as a chronic overachiever to a fault, but that's just a me problem. Aside from that, I found it just very gen-z and I couldn't get into it.

Emma Lord is an auto buy author for me whose YA books I am always eagerly anticipating. While THE GEATAWAY LIST isn’t my favorite of hers, it still had its enjoyable moments.

My thoughts:
-miscommunication and lack of communication is always a no go for me
-love NYC setting
-didn’t connect or feel invested in any of the characters
-deals with mother/daughter relationship issues

Pairing my least favorite trope of miscommunication with characters whose romance I didn’t believe in was what didn’t sell me on a really cute bucket list concept I thought I would love.

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the arc.

The Getaway List

3.75 ⭐️

This book made we want to plan another trip to New York and check my way through my own getaway list!

Riley is closing out her high school graduation with no set plans for the future. She sets off to NYC to visit her best friend and winds up finding a group of friends who really love and support each other. As they work through relationships with their parents, each of these young adults start to find themselves and grow in the process.

I enjoyed the growth and found family this book has. Parts of this felt a little slow just due to the inner monologue while Riley grew. There was quite a bit of repetition for the characters too, so it could have been tighter. Still a nice YA book for people who love young characters spreading their wings!

Queen Emma can do no wrong. There’s not a single book of hers that hasn’t immediately sucked me in and didn’t let me go, and this was no different. I ADORE Riley and Tom, and the theme of checking things off a list. This coming-of-age set against the backdrop of New York and navigating the minefield that is moving from friends to lovers, I highly recommend this to all YA romance readers.