December 17, 2023
No one does YA like Emma Lord. This was a wonderful coming of age story that is so sweet and charming.
We meet Riley who has just graduated high school, and does not know what she wants to do next. She's enrolled on her local community college, but not for anything she is passionate about. What she does know is that she misses her best friend Tom, who moved to New York a couple of years ago. On a whim she decides to go visit him in New York. When there they decide to complete a Getaway List they came up with when he moved away. A set of adventures to do when they are reunited. What ensues is fun outings with new and old friends. Riley and Tom have to deal with their feelings for each other and their issues with their mothers.
Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy. The audiobook was great and Norma Butikofer did an amazing job narrating.

The Getaway List had loveable characters and I really enjoyed the found family aspect of the novel. Riley’s character arc was relatable being a teen and finding her own way without a meddlesome parent to dictate it. There were tender moments between best friends Tom and Riley that were sweet and I liked how supportive the new found friends were of each other.

Also, the narrator did a great job with keeping me engaged within the story.

3.5 rounded up to 4 based on the strength of the ending.

The Getaway List is a sweet coming of age story with a lot of heart. Riley graduates high school without a clear plan for her future. A spontaneous trip to NYC to see her best friend Tom might just be what she needs to jump start the next phase in her life. Having spent high school apart, the two friends added items to their getaway list to be completed when they were together again. As the being to work through the list, Riley finds her direction.

While I enjoyed this book, I did feel that the beginning was rather slow. I loved the concept of the getaway list and found the dynamic between Riley and Tom to be effortless and genuine, but much like Riley, I felt a lack of direction. I kept waiting for something that took a while to come. And when it finally did, it was so satisfying.

The book really picked up for me in the final third as secrets were revealed and Riley had honest conversations with multiple important people in her life. And then by the time the epilogue rolled around, my heart was full. The ending was so strong and satisfying. If you love a good coming of age story, this book is for you.

This was everything I wish I had when I was eighteen.

Riley's journey of self discovery as she grapples with her flawed relationship with a mother who had her way too young was something I related to deeply. The later revelations about Tom getting overwhelmed after moving to a big city and losing himself and his happiness were also massively relatable to my experiences at eighteen. There were so many quotes that resonated <i>hard</i> and I found myself wishing for a physical copy so I could highlight all of the lines I loved.

My favorite part of the whole novel, though, was the friendships. Riley, Tom, Mariella, Luca, and Jesse were a powerhouse found family and I squealed at each adorable interaction between members within this friendship circle.

Overall, this review is going to be unusually short for me because I have no notes. Emma Lord seriously knocked this one all the way out of the park. The plotting was perfectly paced and gripping, the characterization was strong, and the relationships between all of the characters were heartfelt and resonated greatly with me. This was the first book I read in 2024 and I really started the year out with a bang because this is already a favorite.


<b>Audiobook Review:</b> Norma Butikofer’s performance was amazing! Her voice is generally very pleasant, but her acting really brought this novel to life.


<b>OVERALL RATING:</b> 5 stars.


<i>A big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for providing me with an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!</i>

4.5 Stars, rounded up!

If you are looking for a sweet YA RomCom, pick up The Getaway List!
🚲 Coming of Age
🚲 Finding Yourself
🚲 Best Friend Banter
🚲 Will they or Won’t they?
🚲 Summer of Adventures
🚲 New York Setting

This book starts with Riley’s high school graduation - she’s ending one chapter, but is at a loss for what comes next. On an impulse, she jumps on a bus to visit her best friend Tom in NYC. And her summer adventure begins - reconnecting with Tom, meeting new friends, and finding who she is in this new stage of her life.

Ms. Lord creates characters that are easy to connect with from the first page. The pages flew by as Riley discovered herself in her first time away from home. And The Getaway List (a list of adventures for Tom and Riley to go on together) is the perfect background for a summer of discovery. I laughed and smiled a lot throughout the book, it’s just a great feel-good read.

I listened to the audio book, narrated by Norma Butikofer. She does a great job capturing Riley, especially her joy in exploring NYC and I loved the banter between Riley and Tom. This was a pleasure to listen to!

I loved it! Such a cute story about finding and making your own success, future and finding yourself. It was so well done and the characters were so relatable and likeable. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley, Emma Lord and the publishers for the arc!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Emma Lord for this delightful audiobook. The reader did a fabulous job and was so easy to listen to.
"The Getaway List" by Emma Lord is a delightful and heartwarming contemporary romance that takes readers on a journey filled with love, self-discovery, and unexpected adventures. The characters are well-developed, and readers will find themselves easily relating to Riley’s quirks and insecurities. As she embarks on the adventures outlined in the getaway list, the novel explores themes of personal growth and the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone.
The chemistry between Riley and Tom adds an extra layer of charm to the story. Lord skillfully builds the romantic tension, keeping readers eagerly turning the pages to see how the relationships unfold. The picturesque settings and vivid descriptions enhance the overall reading experience, making it easy to envision the characters' escapades.
One of the strengths of "The Getaway List" is its ability to balance lighthearted moments with deeper reflections on life and relationships. The novel is a perfect blend of feel-good moments and poignant insights, making it a satisfying read for fans of sweet contemporary romance.

Another great book by Emma Lord. It was fun and cute and had romance in all the right places. I thouroghly enjoyed listening and was sad when it ended.

This book was such a sweet, well-written YA coming of age novel. Tom and Riley were both very likeable characters who were each struggling to figure out what to do next after high school graduation. It had typical themes of expectations, both parental and self-imposed. Underneath it all was a lovely friendship and two people finally realizing that there might be more than just friendship involved.

I also loved the New York setting and the app that that played a big role in the plot of this book. I highly recommend this book both to a YA readers and older readers who want to be reminded of this time in their lives.

4/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC of this book.

Emma Lord's book are always a delightful change of pace. As a reader of mostly adult romance, it's nice to dip my toes back into YA from time to time, and Lord's books are wonderful.

The Getaway List is about two best friends who haven't seen each other in three years, since Tom moved away from their small town. The story starts the day of Riley's graduation, and a combination of nostalgia and spontaneity lead to her getting on a bus and traveling to NYC to finally FINALLY see her friend Tom in person again--and hopefully together they can check some items off their Getaway List, a list they've added to over the years as a someday bucket list.

Her visit was originally for the weekend but it stretches into a summer-long adventure, as they get to know each other as the people they are now. Their friendship is wonderful to watch, as their connection deepens and grows into more. I loved the side-characters, too--their friendship group is a hoot and a half.

The tension between Riley and her mom, and Tom's distance, emotionally and physically, from his provided the conflict for the story, and it felt very relatable and real--the growing pains you go through as the old parent-child relationship begins to change.

I'm so glad I listened to this one. Norma Butikofer delivered a great narration. She really captured the energy of a young girl at the cusp of adulthood.

Loved the story! The narrator is really good. The story flowed easily and kept me interested. I'd recommend it.

The Getaway List is a list of the adventures that are missed opportunities - kind of like a bucket list. While the idea of this novel was intriguing to me - two best friends that grew apart after high school, move to New York on a whim to reconnect with him and complete their "Getaway List"

This book was a little all over the place for me. There were many characters and many things going on, and it seemed a little disjointed. The book did conclude nicely and made it worth it in the end bumped my rating back up to a 4 star. I've read all of Emma Lord's books, this one is just not my favorite.

A cute, clean, and uplifting young-adult rom-com.

At her high school graduation, Riley realizes that she does not know who she is or what she wants for her future. During graduation, Riley reconnects with Tom, her childhood best friend who moved to NYC a few years earlier. When they were younger, Riley and Tom wrote "The Getaway List" - a list of adventures that they wanted to do together. After reconnecting at graduation, Riley decides to visit Tom in NYC for a weekend. This weekend leads them to embark on completing the Getaway List together, reconnecting with each other and discovering who they are along the way.

The audio narrator was perfect for this!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Emma Lord for an eARC copy of this audiobook via NetGalley.

Riley and Tom were best friends since they were young, and spent all their free time with one another, well at least they did until Tom and his mom moved to New York City to further his Mom's Career. Since then, their communication has gradually dissipated and Riley no longer feels like she knows who she is. But that's all about to change. Riley has now graduated high school and all she wants to do is go visit Tom and complete their Getaway List they compiled together. Have things changed too much, or can Riley and Tom feel like no time has passed?

The Getaway list was a sweet YA Summer Bucket List Romance that also has our main characters developing their found family along the way. I love the simplicity of YA novels, but did feel like for the length of the book, the days stretched on and on, and often felt the pacing was very slow. I think Lord did a great job of foreshadowing conflicts the characters come upon, without being too explicit, and it kept me guessing. The delivery service was such a cute idea, and I loved how nerdy the whole group of friends are, each had special interests they celebrate with one another.

Overall, it was a cute read. It would be the perfect read for a young adult.

Emma Lord is definitely one of my auto-buy authors. And, while I didn’t need to read the description before picking The Getaway List from Netgalley, a coming age story, where after her high school graduation, Riley decides to move to New York City to spend the summer with her childhood best friend, Tom. They spend the summer exploring the city and competing their “Getaway List.”

I really enjoyed The Getaway List as an audiobook. It felt like I was spending time with friends; and this was such a love letter to New York. Seriously, Emma Lord should write sightseeing guides for the city (or, someone please tell me she already does!).

Oh! And the epilogue in this book I actually liked and thought it made sense to be included! Yay for authors using this space properly.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the audio review copy of this book.

Emma Lord is a master when it comes to young adult rom-coms. This book was full of sweetness, love, and friendship. I loved it so much

Riley has just graduated high school but she is unsure of her next move as her college applications were all rejections. So, she decides on a whim to go and visit her childhood best friend Tom in New York City. They have created The Getaway List (all of the things that they would like to do together since Tom left to live in NYC). Will she find love? Will she find her calling? This light hearted read (or listen) has a great cast of characters for you to meet. The narrator, Norma Butikofer, is pleasing to the ear and is able to capture the essence of each character.

Thank you #NetGalley, #EmmaLord and #MacmillianAudio for allowing me to listen to this ARC.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6199139782

Happy publication day to this awesome book! I really enjoyed listening to this one while at work. It's definitely a captivating story and I cannot wait to share it with my patrons at the library!

🅐🅡🅒 🅑🅞🅞🅚 🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦

the getaway list by emma lord
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

personally I love a ya coming of age/rom com. so this was a fun read for me. I loved all the characters and new friends along the way. Reilly and Tom were so cute together and the will they/wont they slow burn of it all was perfect. Watching them discover themselves throughout the book and also realize they want to be more than friends was so sweet.

I also loved that this was a love story in many ways, not only was it a friends to lovers story, but it was a story of mother/child love and navigating that as you grow up, and it also was a story of learning to love yourself. Almost all the characters had moments of learning to love themselves throughout the book and it was amazing watching them all find themselves.

It was lighthearted, quirky and cute. Definitely an easy read.

*I received an advanced copy of the audiobook through Netgalley in return for an honest review.*

I really enjoyed this story overall. It was sweet and cozy even though the characters are dealing with life. I felt like I was hanging out with friends. I didn’t like some of the language but other than that it was a clean read. Some of the content was not for me but it was a sweet read.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook early.