The Getaway List is a fun young adult coming- of- age story. There is a light romance trope of best friends to lovers. I loved reading about the story of Tom and Riley unfold all the way from childhood. I really enjoyed the other characters as well and the group of friends that formed. While definitely geared more towards young adults, I still really did enjoy this story. A great YA heartwarming story!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Getaway List", by Emma Lord, centers on best friends Riley and Tom. They've been best friends for years, but that friendship has slowed down a bit when Tom's mother moves them to New York City for her screenwriting career. While Riley and Tom try to keep connected through texts and calls, things become a little more difficult once they both enter their busy senior years of high school. However, Riley is feeling increasingly frustrated with her single mom's smothering, so she spontaneously decides to visit Tom after her high school graduation. Once they're back together, they fall back into their easy friendship but also start to realize there's some sparks between them. Will they just stay friends, or will they start to examine these new feelings they're experiencing?

I enjoyed this book, and the progression of the sweet relationship between Tom and Riley. I also really liked the side characters, and the way the author emphasized the importance of friendship. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

On the day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes that she has been so wrapped up in pleasing her single-parent mom, that she lost herself in the process. She cancels her summer plans and jumps on a bus to New York to reunite with her childhood best friend, Tom. They decide to spend the summer completing their Getaway List, a list of all the things they wanted to do together but didn’t because of distance and timing. As they work through the list, they make some new friends and reunite with old ones while carving their own place for themselves in a city of millions.

This is very similar to Emma Lord’s previous publications in the sense that the story centres around a young adult craving a sense of belonging and yet finding their identity, and what their journey to get there looks like Although sharing similar themes, Lord’s characters manage to differ vastly in tone and concept. My favourite part of any of her books is just the way her characters see others. Even when the characters are fighting with their parents or their friends, they still manage to view others with only their best qualities in mind. It results in feelings of warmth and heart that aren’t easily replicated.

And like all of her other books, they deal with an undertone of seriousness but are still mostly upbeat sunshine. It’s almost as if a Chip City cookie was stuffed with Bonne Maman’s finest and coloured Barbie Pink. That was basically my way of telling you I’m a fan of this author without telling you and will make zero sense to you unless you too are a big fan. If you aren’t you will still appreciate the scattering of pop culture references, particularly if you are a Swiftie. How many Taylor Swift references are too many? Don’t ask Emma Lord because she certainly hasn’t figured it out. It was perfect.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing an ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This falls into the "just okay" category for me. It took me a while to get into it, and then when I did finally sit down to finish it, I'd forgotten a lot. Like, where the winery is and other things like that. So while it's a really cute story and a wonderful love letter to New York City, I don't think it will make it to the top of my list of Emma Lord Favorites.

Riley is in a bit of a tailspin. She just graduated high school after receiving rejections from every college to which she replies. Then a seemingly inconsequential text from her childhood best friend who has since moved to New York City changes everything. She takes a spur of the moment trip intending on staying with Tom for a weekend, and ends up staying the whole summer. But Tom has his own beef with NYC and isn't sure how long he'll stay in town.

It was fine, but no Tweet Cute for sure.

(received an e-arc from netgalley in exchange for a honest review)

loved this book so much! it was so sweet yet heartfelt, and such a beautiful depiction of friends to lovers (one of my favorite tropes!). emma lord did such a wonderful job of showing the depth of tom and riley's friendship.

vibes were great (nyc in the summer! five friends just living their best life). unrealistic? of course. but i don't care :). and we got an epilogue!

This one made me really sad. It really didn't work for me the way other Emma Lord books did. I've really liked a lot of her previous books, and Tweet Cute is a five star read for me, but I just never got a sense of connection or fizziness that I do from her other books from these main characters. The chemistry was just lacking.

This was not my favorite Emma Lord book, but it was not the worst either. It would probably fall somewhere in the middle.

I think I was missing a lot of the joy that comes with her books. The Getaway List had a lot of more drama than I would have liked. I needed more fun and adventure. I mean the characters are completing a list, which is basically a setup for some crazy and hilarious moments, but I don’t think the book delivered on that.

I also wasn’t a fan of Riley or Tom. Their romance was underdeveloped and I still don’t understand why they like each other. I was much more invested in what was going on with the supporting characters.

All in all, it was a quick and easy read, but it just missed the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a coming of age YA with a “will they, won’t they” romance thrown into the mix.

Two best friends, Riley and Tom, were separated by a long distance move and have been slowly drifting apart.

Graduation happens and Riley decides to visit Tom in New York for an adventure. When they were younger they created a Getaway List with random tasks they felt they needed to accomplish together. It leads them all over the city and develops a new friend group.

There is a lot of self reflection along the way and some growth. They both have regrets and secrets. Will they drift apart after the list is completed or will it bring them closer together…OR will they become more than just friends?

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC. I will always and forever be a YA reader!

I will start by saying that this is another winner from Emma Lord! Now, let me descend into some Swift love.

The title of this book made me think of the Taylor Swift song, Getaway Car.. Then, within the novel, we talk about evermore, and we talk about the 10 minute version of All Too Well, and listen to the Taylor Swift discography on a road trip. Finally, the titular track is mentioned - Tom looks like he’s going to get into a getaway car. Get your favorite Taylor Spotify playlist queued up and enjoy this read! (Note: This novel was written in summer 2022, so we are not blessed with any Midnights tracks. This is a bummer as a few would have really fit with the plot.)

The story revolves around five teenagers who have just finished high school and found themselves together in New York City. What starts as a quick weekend jaunt by Riley to visit her friend Tom turns into a summer of adventure for a bunch of kids on the cusp of early adulthood who decide to tackle The Getaway List. We get introduced to Jesse, whose band has its own place on the List, Luca, a slightly awkward writer with a secret Brownie identify, and Mariella, a tech genius with a little air of mischief. What was nice about this group is that their new friendship seemed to bring out the best in each of them, especially as they worked together to bring a couple of lovebirds together.

Clearly, the author is a Taylor Swift fan, so I will forgive some of the seemingly unrealistic things that the characters get up to. Examples: I am not a parent, but am I supposed to believe that one would let their child walk out of the house with no belongings, no plan, and no money to spend a weekend in NYC? That turns into a summer? And, would a group of four sets of parents really let their kids take a road trip to North Carolina after only knowing each other for a few weeks, with no adult supervision, and no clear plan? Am I living in an alternate dimension, or has the expectation of parenting really gone that downhill?

Ok, rant over. While I do feel like I had to suspend belief in some areas of this book (if Tom and Riley barely spoke for three years, how are they magically in love?), and some of the app shenanigans seemed superfluous, this was a fun read overall! Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advanced copy!

I’m finding it hard to put how much I loved this book into words. As with all Emma Lord books, I feel as if The Getaway List was written exactly for me. Emma Lord has this way of reaching into my mind, pulling out the tropes and references I love the most, and combining them into an emotional masterpiece that makes me cry, scream, and laugh in equal parts.

There are three main threads in this novel: a just-kiss-already romance, the power of friendship, and the desire to be known and to know yourself. If you love the friends to lovers trope and found family, The Getaway List will be candy for you.

Thank you for Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. As always, it’s a delight.

ANY BOOK THAT WILL BE WRITTEN BY EMMA LORD CANNOT BE FORGOTTEN.

Firstly, a HUGE thank you to the Author, the Publisher and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read and review this book before its release and provide my honest opinion.

Now, the fun part.

Such a heartwarming, sunshine, light read. Two (very mature, may I add) best friends on the path of reunion.
It was such a pleasure reading about them. The characters-so well crafted-fitted to perfection in New York.

I am the absolute BIGGEST fan of Riley Larson. Like, what? How can a fictional character like her even exist??? Emma Lord, we need clarification about this. Like, for real, I would DIE to be her friend. She's so cool.
And all her friends?? And the nerd Tom??? Yeah, that's the life, baby!!!

All in all, it's very fun and cute and romantic and cool, I urge EVERYONE to read it!!!

I know I’m technically part of the ideal demographic for this book anymore (hello, mid-20s), I still feel like Emma Lord crawled inside my brain to write it. I loved every chaotic minute of it.

The romance was so sweet. I loved the easy dynamic between Tom and Riley and how the will-they-won’t-they reminded me of People We Meet On Vacation.

Also, the friendship!! Between Tom and Riley, and with the rest of the cast was so refreshing. I always love a good YA rom-com, but themes of friendship are always so nice to see.

I’m such a big fan of the way that Lord incorporates herself into the heart of her stories. In The Getaway List you see it in this love letter to New York, and the Taylor Swift references, and the little moments of chaos throughout the book (and I’m sure many other small things that I’m missing because I don’t know her personally) and I really love that. I feel like with every book I get to know Emma Lord just a little bit better and it feels special and in a way like she’s a friend. (I do understand boundaries though and I know this is not a person I actually know, but the sentiment still stands)

I hope that when January rolls around you’ll give Tom and Riley a chance to worm their way into your heart.

Emma Lord has knocked it out of the park with #thegetawaylist and it is the perfect read! Riley, Tom, Luca, Mariella, and Jesse are wonderful characters who make me want to go back to my younger self and run away to New York City! Haven’t we all felt the pull? Read this wonderful book about love, friendship, family, adventures, nerdy pursuits, and secrets. Thank you to #netgalley and #wednesdaybooks for this arc to read and review, all opinions are my own.

I got an ARC of this title from NetGalley and I’m delighted that I did. I thought it was just going to be a sweet, fun, fluffy read. And it was sweet. And it was fun. But it was much more than fluffy. While there is a romance in the story, it’s really more of a story about friends finding one another and teens finding themselves and those teens finding some level of peace with parents. I really really enjoyed the humor at the heart of the book, too. 💜📚

Riley realizes on the day of her high school graduation that she she has spent the last 4 yrs trying to please her mom. She decides to move to NY for the summer and sees her childhood bff Tom again. Their connection is still there and she actually falls for him...

Love the friendship between Tom and Riley. Love the rest of the cast as well. Lots of funny banter and LOL situations. Really enjoy it.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Emma Lord is the queen of YA romance and coming-of-age stories! The Getaway List might be favorite story of hers to date! I loved the characters, especially the side characters like Mariella and Luca. Lord manages to perfectly capture the emotional experience of change, new beginnings, first love, and growing up. All the relationships were perfectly written - the mom/child relationships, new friendships, old friendships, new and old loves. I’m amazed by how much is packed into the plot while still being easy-to-follow and entirely readable. These are the types of books I know I’ll share with my own daughters someday - the ones that show it’s okay to not have everything figured out, to try new things, to be scared, to question your relationships, to want more from the people who love you. Emma Lord is easily an auto-buy author and I can’t wait to see what she has planned next. Highly recommend this and all her books!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

2 things I know for certain:
1. I will always read anything Emma Lord writes.
2. I think her writing best friends to lovers might be my favorite trope she writes (or you know, best friends to more cuz lovers feels weird for a YA book).

The Getaway List was so fun, adventurous & filled with our sweet characters figuring out who they are and trying to be honest with those around them about that. But also like lots of New York adventures, shenanigans, a tinyyyy bit of mystery & a whole lot of swoon worthy moments. If you love Emma Lord, New York, leaving sweet treasures anonymously for friends to find or watching two best friends fight their sweet feelings for one another, pick this one up as I'm pretty sure it's my favorite of hers yet!

Easily a 4⭐ read! I adored it & would definitely think about reading it again in the future.

Huge thanks to Netgalley, Wednesday Books & Emma Lord for the arc - all thoughts & opinions are my own.

This story is syrupy-sweet and exactly the kind of adventure that I would've dreamed of going on as a teenager.

The friendship shared by Rylie and Tom is so pure, and in this story we're given front row seats to watch them develop and realize their feelings for each other.

For anyone that's been a teenager before (ha!), the plot is so relatable. There's that teensy little space in time between High School and what comes next that has us all excited, terrified, elated and feeling a little lost. This story hits all of those feelings from the get go.

TL;DR: this is a wonderful story to read if you're like me and need a reminder of the "good old days". It's a great way to reminisce that season of making mistakes, figuring out who you are and learning your place in the world.

NOTE: ARC received in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I'm usually a huge fan of Emma Lord's writing so I was very excited to dive into this book. The bad news: There were a few places where the story just felt a little slow for me. The good news: it's Emma Lord, so there is still totally solid character development, interesting relationships, and great world-building. And the end/epilogue was super cute and tied everything together really nicely. A good book for a lazy weekend. I continue to be a huge fan of hers and will certainly look forward to her next release!

No one is more surprised than me that this was only a 3 star read for me. I love Emma Lord. I stan Emma Lord. Tweet Cute is one of the few books that I've read multiple times. BUT. There's just something missing in this book for me.

I'm not sure if it's the fact that this book seems too similar to Tweet Cute in a lot of ways (girl moves out of Virginia, ends up getting involved in food/delivery related shenanigans, has an occasional tense relationship with family, etc.). I'm not sure if it's just that this book beyond stretches my ability to suspend my disbelief (evidently these kids are all secretly billionaires, judging by the way they spend money). It just seems to be missing a spark - to me, there really wasn't any of the witty Emma Lord dialogue that I'm used to.

Don't get me wrong; it's a good book. But that's just it. It's good. From Emma Lord, I'm used to great. And this one just fails to deliver.