Riley is graduating high school and really has no clue what's next. She is focused, though, on getting to see her best friend Tom and complete the Getaway List she and Tom filled out over the years. It just feels like the thing that will get her back on track even though Tom is also floundering and spiraling with his own set of problems. Can the two work toward helping each other get back on track while also realizing that they need to be more than friends? I enjoyed this book as a light read, but I just felt that Riley was way to unbelievable and that Tom was not relatable enough. I wanted way more from Tom because I really feel his character could be so relatable for teens especially teen boys. My favorite part: the friend group and the custom brownie batter!!

What beautiful love letter to New York this was! I have loved everything Emma Lord has written and this was no exception. Her way of writing these younger characters, but making them strong and wild and believable all at the same time can't be as easy as she makes it seem. I wanted to be a part of their motley crew and go on adventures right along side them. Also, the Dear Love concept is so fun!!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for sending me this ARC! I liked it very much!!

Emma Lord has done it again with another sweet coming of age story filled with a great cast of friends and a tender love story.

After graduating from high school under the microscope of her mom, Riley feels directionless. Unsure of what to do next, she packs her bags to visit her childhood best friend Tom - who has been weirdly distant for the past few months - in NYC for the summer. They set off on a quest to fulfill all the items of their “Getaway List” aka all the things they missed out on doing together since Tom moved away. Along the way, they build a strong friend group and become even closer than ever, maybe even becoming more than friends.

This heartwarming story about growing up was a light, fun read. I really enjoyed the mother/daughter relationship evolution over the course of the book. The tension between Riley and her mom felt real and relatable, especially as they navigate Riley’s newfound adulthood together. I also loved the cast of supporting characters - particularly Mariella and Luca. This friend group was seriously delightful and very likable. I also loved the slow burn development and depth of Riley and Tom’s relationship. Overall, did not enjoy it nearly as much as Tweet Cute, but still an enjoyable, lighthearted read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

Emma Lord's "The Getaway List" is a literary treasure for Young Adult readers. This enchanting novel weaves a tale of self-discovery, friendship, and romance with such finesse that I couldn't help but be drawn into the lives of Riley and Tom.

The characters are more than just words on a page; they are vessels of emotions, making their journey profoundly relatable. Lord's storytelling brilliance brings out a spectrum of feelings, from joy to nostalgia, and everything in between.

Calling it "cute" barely scratches the surface of the emotions this book evokes. It's a heartwarming, feel-good story that warms your soul. The adventures on The Getaway List are whimsical and delightful, mirroring the charm of the entire narrative.

"The Getaway List" stands out for its sincerity. Emma Lord's storytelling is a breath of fresh air for this golden fall. Without a doubt, I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking a heartwarming read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a lasting warmth in your heart. It's a journey that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page.

The sky is blue, the grass is green, and I will always love an Emma Lord novel. The Getaway List is no exception.

Reading this book made me want to visit NYC. Stat. Gallivanting around a new, exciting city, having adventures with your best friends, eating sweet treats--what more could a 18 year old girl ask for? I know for a fact that I'll never be as courageous as Riley, so I absolutely loved every second where I got to live vicariously through her.

Aside from being a beautiful love letter to NYC (Welcome to New York was playing in my head NONSTOP!!), The Getaway List truly is a poignant coming-of-age and self-discovery novel perfect for those older teens who are still questioning their life purpose and have their whole lives ahead of them. You simply cannot help but want to root for Riley--she has her flaws, yes, but it only makes her more relatable and realistic--and her character journey was a delight to read. It definitely hit me in the feels :')

Emma Lord excels at writing authentic relationships, and this novel was yet another smash hit. Riley's growing relationship with her mom was so heartwarming to read, and her slow burn relationship with Tom (I'm the biggest friends to lovers enthusiast so this book made my heart so!! happy!!), and the endearing friends she made along the way all have a special place in my heart. The characters are so well thought out and lovable--I want to be their best friend. I really don't know how Emma Lord is able to capture my heart with her words with every single book that she writes, but she's done it yet again.

Besides the impeccable writing, and the laugh-out-loud snappy one-liners, and the profound character interiority, what leaves me in awe about this book is the sheer creativity. The Dear, Love dispatch? Sign me up! The items on The Getaway List? Genius. The plot twists? Had me on the floor.

I loved the whirlwind romance and emotional rollercoaster. There was never a dull moment--there never is with an Emma Lord book. I cannot wait to hold the physical copy in January 2024!!!!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's press for the eARC!

I loved this book! I will definitely recommend it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Emma Lord is one of those authors that I always look forward to reading!!! She writes achingly tender coming of age stories, and The Getaway List is another great one of hers.

I know from her previous books that Lord like to jam pack her stories with multiple elements: getting to know oneself better (the obvious coming of age bit), familial relationships, budding new friendships, romance between the main characters, some flirty vibes between some side characters, nerdy or goofy concepts close to our main character’s heart to tie the life metaphors together.

She never fails to add in moments that make me laugh out loud. I love how easy going the character dynamic plays out with this new friendship group, it’s a joy!! Riley is eighteen in the Big Apple and so wide eyed about what’s to come for her that you can’t help but root for her. I think all the characters were well written and easily likable, and the pacing felt really natural.

The Getaway List was such an enjoyable read for me, big thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

This was a sweet story of high school friends Riley and Tom. I enjoyed their story. While a bit unbelievable at times, it was a fun light read. 3.5 stars. Thanks for the ARC.

The cover was so pretty and the book was so special. I loved getting a glimpse into the characters and reading what the author comes up with next.

In the past year or two, I've become a huge Emma Lord fan. I obsessively check NetGalley for her new books around the time I expected them to appear. While a couple things were off to me, I still really enjoyed this book.

Some of the writing felt a bit off for YA - I think there were at least two uses of the word "teenybopper" and I've truly only heard that word from people 50 and up. I also tend to struggle with books that make a city "a character." However, the intense focus on NYC mostly worked for me in this case.

As usual with an Emma Lord book, The Getaway List has sparkling writing and some really fun, creative ideas. I loved "Dear, Love" Dispatch and all the thought that went into it. I loved pretty much every character - Tom, Riley, Mariella, Jesse, and Luca were a lovely crew. I liked the focus on mother/child relationships and the difference explored between Riley/her mom and Tom/his mom.

I will never tire of Emma Lord's boundless enthusiasm. This book is a love letter to New York City and the people that you gather as a family. I loved the adventures, the all-in-this-together vibe, and the growth every character found. There was more swearing in this book than in Lord's others, which would make me pause before recommending to younger readers. The characters are just as charming and loveable as you'd expect. So glad Emma Lord continues to write!

another perfect little gem of a book from emma lord! the getaway list made me laugh, cry, and smile the entire time. lord has a style of writing that makes the reader feel so at home, and like they're part of the story. i loved my adventures with this group of characters and i never wanted to leave. if you've loved lord's previous work, you'll love this one as well!

This book filled my heart with so much joy I'm going to SCREAM.

THE GETAWAY LIST follows Riley, a recent high school graduate who didn't get into any of the colleges she applied to and is trying to find her place in the world. In her journey of self-discovery, she decides to spend the summer in New York with her best friend Tom, who she's been separated from for years. This summer gives them a chance to reconnect and cross off items on their Getaway List with their new group of friends, which is a list Tom and Riley created during their separation as a list of things to do when they reunited.

I don't even know where to begin--the way Emma Lord writes friendships will always be something I adore. The dynamics between each of the characters are done so well, and they all feel so real that you want to be friends with them, too. Both Riley and Tom have complicated relationships with their mothers as well, though in different ways, and those relationships felt so painfully honest as well.

I wish I had this book when I was finishing high school because the way Riley and Tom are struggling to find where they fit in the world and rediscover who they are hit so hard. I rooted for them the entire way and loved every victory and mistake that came with their journeys.

I also love books that make me want to go and create things, and this book definitely did that. Between Riley and Luca being writers and brainstorming story ideas to the friend group having a shared love of a fictional book series--I can't wait to go and work on my own projects with the same enthusiasm they all had.

The way Lord writes about New York City makes it hard to not fall in love with it alongside Riley. While reading, I was reminiscing about my own trip there and fantasizing about my next one.

And, of course, we need to discuss the romance. The chemistry between Riley and Tom was impeccable and undeniable, and the slow burn between them made it incredibly satisfying when they finally revealed their feelings to each other. It's safe to say I will definitely be picking up a physical copy of this book when it comes out next year.

Brb, I'm off to book a ticket to New York.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Emma Lord never disappoints. She consistently delivers feel-good, heartfelt YA with an important message (or two, or three). And the NYC setting! It’s magic all on its own, but it’s so clear that Lord loves NYC, and that love brings something extra to an already wonderful story.

UGH I am so sad that this one just didn't hit me like all of Emma Lord's other books.

Riley and Tom were sweet and the story was sweet and the relationships/friendships were sweet... but this one just fell a bit flat for me in comparison to all her other stories. It very much felt like a love letter to NYC which is awesome but some of it just didn't feel realistic.

I will still religiously grab every Emma Lord book she ever writes and I appreciate the early opportunity to read!

Thank you

3.5/5
“All right. We need a game plan. Do we try to do these in order, or go into full chaos mode for as many as we can in one weekend?” Tom doesn’t bother looking at the list, staring at me with the beginnings of a smirk on his face. “Is that even a question?” “Unmitigated chaos it is.”
One thing to know is that I love books that have bucket/closs off lists. I had a blast reading this! I loved the comedy in it, Lord did a great job at writing this YA Rom-Com. The ending was so sweet and satisfying. The best way I could describe it is a toasted marshmallow.

It's better to not know to much about the plot going in, but I assure you that while you think you know what you're getting when you dive it, what comes has so much more charm and friendship and big-heartedness that you would have imagined. Emma Lord does such a wonderful job at capturing that moment between childhood and adulthood, and does it with a warmth and compassion that is often missing from these tales.

This one moved right up the TBR! Emma Lord is my fav YA author so when I got approved of her newest novel I was ready!

I loved the premise—sort of a second chance romance. Throw in some friends to lovers and we have a fun set up.

Tom and Riley were childhood besties who fell out of touch after Tom moved to NY. After Riley graduates she decides to go to visit him.

I loved seeing the development and how easily they fell into their old friendship—while figuring out if they could have something more.

Both Riley and Tom had hard relationships with their moms and I liked how that was explored too. I thought things cleaned up too nicely in those aspects, but hey it’s YA 🤷🏻‍♀️

This one is out in January! And Emma Lord just announced her first adult rom com! Can’t wait!

4/5⭐️

I absolutely love everything about Emma Lord’s books—the writing, the characters, the food, the settings. The Getaway List was perfectly on brand for her, and I absolutely adored it.

The story follows Riley, a recent high school grad with several college rejections and no idea where her life is going. She could be unbearably angsty sometimes, and incredibly thick-headed, but I absolutely loved her character development in the end.

I will say, I think the side characters all stood out to me more than Riley (which is unusual for me). Tom was shy and guarded and incredibly kind, Mariella was bubbly and written with so much depth, and Jesse and Dai were literally everything. I said it at the beginning of my review but it is worth saying again: I adore the way Emma Lord writes her characters.

I think this book, much like her previous books (specifically You Have a Match and When You Get the Chance) felt more like a contemporary than it did a romance. It centered on found family, and it was more about friendships forged than it was about the romance. There’s nothing wrong with this—but I honestly did feel like it fell short in the romance department for me. I liked Tom and Riley well enough together. But it didn’t feel like a true romance.

Overall, I highly recommend this book.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC! All views reflected are my own.

The Getaway List by Emma Lord, is the perfect YA summer read. Riley, a recent graduate who does not know what she wants next from life, heads to New York City for a last minute weekend trip to reunite with her childhood best friend Tom and ends up staying through the summer. A great cast of both main and side characters, Taylor Swift references and adventures throughout New York City are just a few of the things that make this book worth reading.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books, NetGalley and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.