Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.


Tom has been living in NYC for a couple of years now since his mom uprooted him from his hometown to follow her writing dreams in the big city. When they moved, he left behind his best friend Riley…and a little bit of who he was. The pair made a list of all the things they wanted to do that summer, but never got a chance before the sudden relocation. He tries to fit in at his new school, but it’s just not the same. So when Riley shows up unannounced on his doorstep one day after graduation, he’s both excited and a little scared – is this their chance to do all the things on The Getaway List or is it an opportunity for more?

Emma Lord is known for her ability to weave young adult storylines with humor and romance. Her latest release The Getaway List is a shining example of her stellar creativity. The best friends and their cast of supporting characters will have readers laughing at the witty dialogue and planning their own trip to NYC to join in the fun. Written for the young adult audience, this book explores what it means to gain freedom to write your own destiny and the value of friends who really see who you are.

I give The Getaway List 4 out of 5 stars. The book is truly a young adult novel with vernacular and phrases I am used to hearing my own teens speak, which made it difficult for me to dive into at first. However, the amazing character development and tiny surprises throughout the novel kept me on my toes and drew me in – I didn’t want to put it down. I hope Lord plans a sequel to this book – I would love to read more about Riley and Tom, or any of these characters!

As with any coming-of-age story about young adults in their late teens, this book would be best directed to readers over the age of 13. There is minimal inclusion of underage alcohol use that is frowned on by the friend group, and no other overtly illegal actions included. I appreciated Lord’s inclusion of multiple romances that felt authentic and mature without the inclusion of physical sex between characters. I would love to see this book as a choice for my local independent bookshop’s young adult novel club! For the adults out there looking for a lighter RomCom read – if you liked Emily Henry’s Book Lovers, you’ll love this book, too!

I have followed Emma Lord on social media since the release of her previous book Begin Again launched earlier this year. When I saw The Getaway List available through NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to review it! Lord’s style of writing takes me back to my own college experience and leaves me wishing for those friendships again, too.

The Getaway List releases January 23, 2024 – preorder your copy today!

Another Emma Lord hit! A delightful YA read! I loved the care shown for each other by the main characters. The mother child relationships were complex and realistic. Buying!

The getaway List by Emma Lord was a well rounded cutesy romance of enemies to lovers that I would recommend to friends and family. It was a bit of a slow burner in my opinion but that is not negative in any way, for the book kept me interested and I especially enjoyed the characters throughout the story. I would read more books by this author.

Thank you Netgallery for this ARC!! As always, Emma Lord’s books are easy and fun reads and this one was no different. I loved the found family aspect and childhood best friends reuniting while also making new friends. Such a good read!

This teen/ya romance was so good. I highly enjoyed it and it kept me entertained. I liked the light romance that this offered and I read through this quickly. Riley and Tom are 2 very good characters and I loved they way that they were written and their adventures and love.
I just reviewed The Getaway List by Emma Lord. #NetGalley
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Riley has always kept in line and done the responsible things but this summer she decides to take her future into her own hands and dream big much to her mother's disappointment.

She heads to New York and meets up with her best friend Tom even though they haven't kept in touch very much since he moved. Once back to together they decide to finally complete their bucket list they created as kids!

I am a sucker for Emma Lord novels and she hooked me in again! This book was not only about a sweet best friends love story but truly finding yourself and having the courage to be out of your comfort zone.

Emma Lord does it again! I really enjoyed this book— it felt like the more thoughtful older sister of Tweet Cute, a longtime favorite of mine by Lord. I really liked how while this book had a romance, it was only one area of life for her main characters. They had careers and dreams and friends and family— all of those areas were just as important to them as the romance. Plus, who doesn’t love a book that feels like a love letter to New York?

I was excited to see a new Emma Lord book and "The Getaway List" did not disappear.

Riley realizes at Graduation that she has been living to keep her mom happy by not causing her any trouble, and now has no idea what would make her happy anymore. Looking back at her Getaway list, she is thinking of everything sheissed out on that she wants to reclaim. After discovering her mom has been actively keeping her and Tom apart, she impulsively takes a bus to New York to visit her best friend Tom and reenact the getaway list. What follows is a beautiful friends-to-lovers YA story that gets to the heart of the joy and pain of growing up and finding yourself.

I couldn't help but love Riley and Tom, and their merry band of friends they make a long the way. If you like YA, friends to lovers, and a move to the big city plot this book is for you.

This is a cute coming of age story about not knowing what you want to do after high school. There’s emphasis on adventures in a new place, new friendships, being on your own, and navigating relationships with parents.

I found this to be enjoyable but not a favorite. I didn’t really love any of the characters and I especially find it difficult to enjoy a romance book if I don’t find myself rooting for the main couple to end up together. There was lots of adventure involved with checking things off of a bucket list, which was kind of fun but also just had a lot going on.

If you love NYC, I think you should check this one out because the love of the city was a big part of what drew Riley there.

There was also a lot more language than I expected which surprised me.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing me a copy in exchange for a review!

I always say yes to the latest Emma Lord YA read. Similar to her others, this is a sweet and just a bit angsty read. A love letter to the power of friendship and being young in NYC. I was a bigger fan of the side characters (Mariella & Luca) than Riley and Tom. Cute but maybe a bit too long in the middle. Great if you are looking for a lighter coming of age YA read.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy.

I remember getting an ARC for Emma Lord's first novel and can't believe I'm now this deep into her career.

This story takes place in New York and as always has a depth of emotion that feels so perfectly teen angst. I don't say that in a disrespectful way either. It just captures the conflict and turmoil of that time in life so well. There's parent conflict that feels so big. There's life choices that feel so big. And then there's a city that feels so big as well.

Full disclaimer, I've never been to New York. I often feel it's such an overhyped place. And yet, something about this book made it feel more authentic and exciting than I'd ever perceived it before.

The biggest thing I have to say, always have to say, about Emma Lord's novels is just how much they make me feel. I was drawn into the heartache and joy, I understood the quiet stakes of this story and her prose really tugged on my empathy. I think that's the best recommendation I can give about this one. It's going to make you feel. Which makes it so worth it.

Thanks as always to WednesdayBooks for the ARC!

I have read every book that Emma Lord has written. I've come to expect a well developed story with expertly crafted characters who experience a bit of sweetness amidst some growing pains. THE GETAWAY LIST,(PUB 01.23) a contemporary YA coming-of-age novel, is all these things, plus a love letter to NYC. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for the early copy.

Following high school graduation Riley is seeking adventure and shows up unannounced in NYC at her childhood best friend Tom's doorstep. They reconnect to the past easily while navigating some new complications (ahem- feelings). Along with a gaggle of misfit friends they spend a summer of freedom trying to finish their Getaway List. It's part coming-of-age with a bit of romance and a lot of complex family navigation. The characters are making big adult decisions while they're still on the cusp of being an adult. But they are smart, vulnerable and achingly tender.

𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝:
- This cover. Stunning!
- NYC setting.
- Secondary characters.
- Best friends-to-more
- Big emotions and big dreams.
- Delightfully funny and heartwarmingly charming.
- Adventure, shenanigans and a road trip
- All the teenagers felt authentic.

NOTE:
Please leave your NYC cost of living relatities at the door and lean into this work of fiction.

4.25 out of 5. This was adorable. I love lists and I love travelling so I’m going to need this getaway list app ASAP in my life. I love the sweet and wholesome development of Riley’s and Tom’s friendship. And their new found rag tag of friends are so precious. I think, even though it is a very YA book, and a lovely what should i do with my life questions at 18 feel, there are also very a many grown up topics in it. You have love, friendship, family drama, trauma, and self discovery in the (insert Hamilton music) Greatest city in the World! I did shed one or two tears, and my heart felt happy reading this which is always a good idea.

🗽 The Getaway List 🗽

Y’all, Emma Lord did it again! This one is absolutely precious. I loved following along with Tom and Riley on their journey! Having just graduated high school, Riley decides to go visit her best friend, Tom, who moved to NYC three years ago. In a whirlwind weekend with new and old friends, Riley decides to stay in New York for the summer to complete her and Tom’s “The Getaway List”. Compiled of activities they missed out on completing together in their time living apart, they decide to recreate the adventures with their friend group over the course of the summer. A delightful journey of self-discovery and being who you are. I highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC! My opinions are my own. The Getaway List is on shelves January 23, 2024!

4 stars!

What a cute and fun book. I found myself relating to the characters in this book a lot, it definitely transported me back to high school and all of the feelings/experiences related to it.

I loved the relationship between Riley and Tom and also enjoyed their friends we get to meet throughout the book.

This was my first Emma Lord book and I will definitely be on the look out for more :)

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was a fun YA book. I really appreciated the found family and liked the premise. I enjoyed the complexity of the character dynamics, especially with the fmc and her mother.

All in all in enjoyed this book.

I have read all of Emma Lord’s novels and this is definitely near the top! Tweet Cute is still my favorite, but The Getaway List has equally charming and memorable characters. When Riley gets rejected from all 10 colleges she applied to, she’s unsure what her future looks like. She doesn’t want to work in the coffee shop forever. Her best friend Tom lives in NYC and shes just a bus ride from reuniting with him and going on an incredible adventure.

The Getaway List has the humor and whimsy I love in a Lord novel. Riley and Tom’s adorable banter had me rooting for them from the start. I am looking forward to reading her adult debut next year!

Friends to lovers, summer in NYC, rediscovering yourself, and eccentric group of friends. Emma Lord brings to life a disbanded popular girl, a nerdy writer, an upcoming lead singer, a famous writer's son, and a curious extrovert in this charming contemporary romance. A story of transition, it was the embodiment of realizing where we came from, what happened to us, and where we want to go from there. There was biking around the city, Milkshake Club concerts, time-traveling stories, and so many brownies, and I couldn't get enough of the energy of these characters and this city!

The story revolves around the dynamic duo of Riley and Tom who have been separated for far too long. So of course, when Riley graduates high school and doesn't have a plan for the future, she decides to hop on a bus to NYC to reconnect with Tom and hopefully figure out what she wants to do with her life. The plot overall was a sort of treasure hunt as they attempt to check off all the boxes on the Getaway List, which involved brownie making, camping, and something so wholesome called the Dear Love dispatch. Their adventures start with spontaneous decisions and dive head first into tackling the pressures of parental expectations, finding your forever friends, and figuring out who you want to be. In places where the pace of the story started to lag, these characters felt so wholesome and I never wanted to stop reading.

There were some moments that lacked important lead ins and felt thrown in to the point that I struggled to feel the intended emotions. This affected some major plot points and that is why I cannot give this book 5 stars. However, I loved all the themes overall. Riley was the perfect chaotic and enthusiastic main character, but I have to mention Tom! First, he was a tall dorky man who wore his heart on his sleeve and wasn't afraid to cry. The tension between him and Riley was there the entire time, but there was also just so much genuine love between them that was so beautiful and I ate up every scene they were together (which was like EVERY single one)! Second, can we talk about that first kiss? I can't remember the last time a kiss made me shed a tear, but it was such a vulnerable moment, I simply couldn't control myself! The friends to lovers in this one did not disappoint.

Emma Lord always provides a good time, but expect deep and meaningful conversations and some sneaky tear jerker moments. That being said, after writing three of my favorite YA romances, I will never not recommend her books. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for a free digital advanced reader copy for an honest review.

THE GETAWAY LIST is chock full of all my favorite things about an Emma Lord book -- lovable side characters, a grounded yet compelling plot, complex romantic, platonic, and familial relationships, and vibrant prose. This book felt especially like a love letter to New York City, and I loved hop-scotching across the city with Riley, Tom, and their new band of lovable sidekicks.