Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Take Me Home Tonight in exchange for a review.

Take Me Home Tonight was not a disappointment, not that Morgan Matson books ever are. The plot of this book kept me hooked throughout the entire novel and I just could not put it down. I love the friendship between Kat and Stevie and getting to read how their friendship evolves and grows. It was great how they both went on their own adventures and really grew into the adults they were turning into and definitely gave me a warm fuzzy feeling on the inside. This is a great read for anyone looking for a quick paced fun and upbeat YA contemporary read that you will quickly consume!

The opportunity arises for friends, and high school seniors, Kat and Stevie, to go into New York City for the evening and make it back home by their midnight curfew. It’s all kind of on the up and up - do their parents know the whole story? Not quite, but they have it all planned - what could go wrong?

Quite a lot, it turns out. Hijinks ensue, but it’s a fun ride. More than anything Take Me Home Tonight is a book about friendship, and where it can take you. It’s also a book about navigating the first forays away from your family and into adulthood, with ups and downs along the way.

It’s been almost a decade since I read Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour back in middle school, and while I don’t recall any of the plot points, I do remember very viscerally how it made me feel: like I was encapsulated in the perfect summer. (In fact, this was the book that turned me on to road trip stories.) A few years later, I read Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson and also loved this one; its themes of grief and healing really struck a chord with me.

These were the only books I’d ever read by Matson, which is to say that up until now I’d had very positive experiences with her books. When I saw Take Me Home Tonight, I was immediately intrigued—by its fun premise, but also by the thought of delving into what would surely be an enjoyable contemporary YA story (a genre I have been struggling with lately).

Unfortunately, this book was not. it. for. me. Unrelatable—if not outright obnoxious—characters, a messy and confusing plot, PLUS utterly lacklustre romantic arcs made for a thoroughly disappointing and sometimes painful read.

In other words, Take Me Home Tonight was a slog to get through.

One major thing that exacerbated this was the length of the novel. I really don’t think this book should’ve been over 400 pages. Its length did the story a disservice, because the story—which only takes place over the span of ONE EVENING—became belaboured with details and dialogue that felt overwrought and unnecessary. Instead of adding richness to a scene or character, these details only served to hinder my reading experience; I was bored! I don’t want to read about your overcomplicated Starbucks order word-for-word! I don’t want 20 pages dedicated to you walking down a hallway! (This latter point was actually the very first scene in the book.)

Secondly, I found it hard to connect to any of the characters, who only engaged me superficially. These are wealthy white kids who decide to gallivant for an evening in New York City, only to be met with a series of pitfalls and detours that, supposedly, thrust them into a night of transformative revelations and exciting spontaneous encounters and shiny love interests.

On paper, I guess it was that. In actuality, though, my lack of emotional investment sapped any opportunity for poignancy; the detours felt scattered and distracting. I also found Kat especially hard to understand and engage with—she was an obnoxious and self-centred friend whose redemption arc felt a little too didactic and predictable to be authentic for me personally.

The last thing I want to mention has been brought up by several reviewers already. Besides the chapters that alternate between Kat and Stevie’s POVs, there were also random chapters about Teri, their friend back in Connecticut, as she’s roped into an impromptu babysitting gig that involves stolen diamonds, mafia scions, undercover CIA agents, and a shootout in Canada??? It was absurd and utterly incongruous; Teri’s chapters made no sense to me and only heightened my disappointment with this novel. Not to mention, all the stereotypes about Canadians (that we’re polite, etc.) were so tired.

BOTTOM LINE: I’m massively disappointed by Take Me Home Tonight. This was nowhere close to the type of story I’ve grown used to reading from Morgan Matson; I came in expecting relatable and nuanced characters and believable yet still exciting storylines, and this book delivered on neither.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that if Morgan Matson writes a book, this Caryn will love it. I don’t make the rules. I did go in expecting to love it.

The “it happens in one night” type of book is hard to pull off and I’m so glad it delivered! These types of stories are few and far between, but it’s one of my favourite tropes. If you’re a fan of it like me, you’ll love this.

I think probably my favourite thing is that Matson is basically creating her own “Matsonverse”. All of her books are connected, even if it’s in some small way. Every cameo is a delight. It’s hard not to get into who we got to see (all grown up!!!) because I’m sure people reading this want to be surprised like I was.

Take Me Home Tonight was a fun book about two best friends, Kat and Stevie, and their adventures one night in New York City. I enjoyed how the story took place in many different places with the two meeting many different people. Some parts of the story felt a little wild and unrealistic, but it was still fun to read about what would happen next.

While most of the book was fairly enjoyable, there was a side plot with Kat and Stevie's friend, Teri, that didn't fit well and didn't add anything to the story. I also found that I enjoyed reading about the minor characters more than Kat and Stevie. Kat was a bit pushy and she wasn't a very good friend to Stevie, while Stevie was too much of a people-pleaser. Both were also a little immature and weirdly stubborn about some of their decisions. I liked reading parts involving Cary and Stevie's step-siblings, Matty, Margeaux, and Mallory. For fans who follow Morgan Matson's novels, Amy Curry from Matson's debut novel, Amy & Roger's Epic Detour, is also a minor character. I usually enjoy when characters from previous books make cameos, but I felt like this one left me with a lot of questions about Amy's story and distracted me from the rest of the novel.

I've been enjoying reading Matson's books for over a decade, but I think I've finally outgrown her stories. Take Me Home Tonight was a nice way to end it off. (Unless Matson decides to write another book about Amy.)

Let me first start off by saying, “phew, what a wild ride!” this book truly was. It took a little warming up to at first but by the end of the night, it was like we went down a very long journey with each girl. Take Me Home Tonight lives up to the Ferris Bueller theme as besties Stevie and Kat journey into the heart of the city on their own with hardly a soul knowing where they were up to. This is a story about friendship (the best of kinds), facing what is holding you back, and being able to grow from these things instead of letting it tear you back down. While it may focus on two teenage girls, I do think the themes here teach a great lesson for any age.

I will say it took a while to get into the story. We have a slower beginning as Morgan sets the stage for the girls’ trek into NYC. Both Stevie and Kat are theatre kids and they LOVEEE and live for this. When the list for the next play’s casting unexpectedly does NOT go up when it should have before the weekend, it particularly drives Kat insane who has her eye on a specific role she absolutely needs to land. I understood her drive although the lengths she goes to drag Stevie downtown for ulterior, self-serving motives drove me mad. Meanwhile, Stevie has family issues to deal with as her father has remarried, giving her 3 grown-up stepsiblings who all live in the city and get to hang with her father more than she could.

With each girl figuring out their future and what it is they want, they set off to have a quiet, fun night in NYC and then hopping back up to their suburbia home before anyone (aka their parents) know any better. Little do they know, things are about to get CRAZY.

Out of the two, I definitely connected with Stevie more. She was the quieter one while Kat was more spontaneous and wild. They balanced each other out, which can be a great thing when it comes to a dynamic duo friendship like theirs. But I definitely felt Kat had more growing up to do because…she really seemed like an immature teenage girl. Which is weird to say because these days, most YA protagonists do not sound or feel like teenagers. Yet Kat was a little self-absorbed, knowing Stevie didn’t have enough of a backbone to yell at her/fully disagree with her plans for them. She would always take Stevie’s phone – out of her hand – without asking to just use it. Her first inclination was to NOT take responsibility for things that were, well, her responsibility! Doesn’t this sound like a wonderful, full-blooded teenager figuring herself out?

However, Kat was right in the sense that Stevie really had no spine in the beginning. She would not tell anyone she was hurting, physically or emotionally, because she didn’t want to bring attention to that or make them uncomfortable. It’s oddly enough a character trait I see in Asian cultures, that sense of trying not to be a nuisance or bother to other people. It definitely requires some balance because self-care is important too.

Thankfully, these things each girl has to work with is something they have to come face to face with in one night. I won’t give away the crazy sequence of events that happen to them, but let’s just say their phones aren’t with them anymore at some point, there is a dog thrown into the mix somehow (see gorgeous cover!), a kiss or two with an interesting guy and some potential moments of danger (but you know, not too dangerous although you never know in the big, bad city!).

Oh, and the best part? Each of them have to face this alone. No distraction, no excuses, no friend to rely on for the things they usually avoid. Both Stevie and Kat go through some interesting things in one night – like, can someone go through such events in only several hours? – but perhaps only in the City that Never Sleeps, right?

One thing I wanted to note is that technically, there are 3 POVs in this story. While the majority is between Stevie and Kat on their respective adventures, their third, mutual friend Teri also has a strange adventure of her own back in their suburbia town.

Firstly, I have mad respect for Teri. How does a girl slot herself into a tight friendship like Kat and Stevie’s without feeling like you’re the constant third wheel that is always second thought? I’m not sure I could do that. But here she was, being the “lie” the girls gave their parents for what their evening was going to be. When a parent calls Kat for last minute babysitting, who has to cancel their night to ensure Kat doesn’t get into trouble for not being where she’s supposed to be? Uh, Teri of course. What a great friend! I would love to have a girl like that in my corner.

Okay, so babysitting sounds like nothing super special. Maybe a diversion from a nice evening planned at home but still, how exciting can this POV be, you ask? Well, let’s just say these kids are ridiculously smart (are 11 year olds actually that brilliant?) and hilarious. The (mis)adventure they find themselves on with Teri is perhaps wilder than anything Stevie OR Kat faced. The only thing was that I wished there was more of this. These POVs were only snippets in between chapters or at the end of one of the other POV chapters, like a little tension reliever from all that was going on emotionally with either girl.

Also, it’s in Teri’s POV where we encounter the ever lovely Canadian stereotype. What is that, you ask? Well, you know, the idea that every Canadian is super polite and our police force is ALWAYS the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (also, no one says the whole thing, you shorten it…because it’s long). I always find it fascinating seeing Canadian representation in literature from non-Canadians. I mean, it could be a worse stereotype so I can’t complain.

To conclude, the beginning definitely was a little longer than I wanted it to be to get to the adventure in New York but it was worth the wait. The lessons learned along the way and the adventures all THREE girls go on in one evening was super fun to follow along. The protagonists definitely act like teenage girls so it’s understandable I was quite annoyed with them for a good 45% of the book for doing dumb things. But, like some things that take time to get good, Take Me Home Tonight is one of those stories that do get good, even great, if you are willing to push through the parts that may not be what you’re looking for.

Overall Recommendation:

Take Me Home Tonight is a story of friendship that is tested and growing from the things we avoid, all against the backdrop of an evening adventure in New York City. Split across 2 (technically 3) POVs, we follow besties Stevie and Kat as they each encounter interesting individuals, places/sights they have never seen and a new perspective of who they want to be. While the beginning was a little slow to get the pieces laid out for this wonderful evening, and the girls definitely acted like their teenage years, it was surely balanced out with wonder, reflection and even some romance. Who said one night can’t change you forever?

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson was one of my most anticipated reads this spring since I love books with both chaos and companionship. This book delivers on both aspects, as the main characters spend a wild night in New York City and discover more about themselves and each other during their adventures. However, too much of the story is far-fetched, and some of the plot is unnecessary, especially considering the length of the book. This may not be my favourite of Morgan Matson’s books, but I can’t deny that it is so much fun.

When best friends Stevie and Kat sneak out to spend a night in New York City, their adventure ends up wilder than they anticipated. Over the course of a few hours, they get separated without their phones, acquire a Pomeranian, and learn more about themselves in the process. New York City itself comes to life, and I loved getting to experience the vibrant city at night along with Stevie and Kat.

❀ FOCUS ON FRIENDSHIP

What I especially enjoyed about the book is its focus on friendship. Stevie and Kat are opposites–Stevie is quieter and Kat is the more adventurous one–but this is what balances them out. Through the dual perspectives, it is easy to feel their closeness, and this makes it easy to root for them. Both characters also have their flaws, and while I didn’t like all of their decisions, it makes them more realistic.

❀ SOME FAR-FETCHED PLOT LINES

While I always love a story about friendship, much of this book is a little too ridiculous, which negatively impacted my enjoyment of it as a whole. Most of the plot is based on weird coincidences and outrageous twists, which become too much at times. At first, these are amusing, but I quickly got tired of the far-fetched plot lines and was wishing for a little more realism. Teri’s POV in particular is way too unbelievable to be entertaining, and it could have been cut without affecting the story at all.

❀ UPBEAT READ

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson is a story of spontaneity and friendship. I loved the New York setting, and both main characters complement each other well. Unfortunately, too much of the book is unbelievable, which took away from my overall enjoyment. While some of the book wasn’t for me, I would still recommend this one to those looking for an upbeat read about female friendship.

Excited to say I got this as an ARC from Simon and Schuster (hehehe) If you know me you know I've always enjoyed Morgan Matson's books! I've always enjoyed reading every single one of her books since they're so light hearted and easy to read. I think this book is going to be added to my top 5 Morgan Matson books, I think this one definitely it home considering I can relate to Kat and Stevie since I too was a drama student (barf.) But I really did enjoy this book I always love how MM's books are centered around friendship and family and while ofc there is a presence of romance it doesn't over shadow a lot of the main messages. I loved the different perspectives in the book (seeing Stevie and Kat's different storylines progress) and the overall just fun the book has. For sure a recommend if you're looking for something fun and light hearted to read!!!

I love stories about theater kids, new york city, and friendships, so this was right up my alley. i haven't finished it yet, but decided to post a review of my thoughts so far because i know im going to enjoy it and i don't want to keep reading this arc as it is really badly formatted (sentences cut halfway, etc.).

i love the friendship between kat and stevie! i think this is just a classic YA contemporary book and will be perfect for anyone who wants a quick-ish (it's still 400 pages lmao so not that quick), well paced book!

I absolutely loved this book, it kept me up late almost every night that I was able to read it. It was so interesting to see something different from this book through Teri, than it has been in her other books, there was crime, and mystery, and I lived for those few chapters that kept me on the edge of my seat. Having Stevie and Kat be seperated and learn about themselves was also great, and as teenagers they are growing, and I totally loved it. I especially loved how Stevie talked to her dad finally, got reacquinated with her step-siblings, and how she grew from that one night. I loved Cary and Kat and how they fell in love, it was absolutely adorable, and so well done.

I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone. Morgan Matson's work never disappoints, and I have already preordered the physical copy to have in my library, as I need every book she has written.

5/5 stars.

I loved, loved, loved this book. Of all the Morgan Matson books I've read, I think this one stands at a tie for my favourite. I have been anticipating this book since it was announced that Morgan was writing another book about best friends, especially when it was compared to Ferris Bueller. There's something about the way Morgan writes her books that I just love, and they're so easy to read. Her characters are so well-rounded and have a realistic plot that allows them to grow, and Kat, Stevie and even Teri are no exception. Their friendship was also something relatable, and I admire someone who can write people so honest and raw, and weave it back together when it gets turned on its head. Kat and Stevie are both great characters, with strong points, flaws and issues, that they learn from and grow from by the end of the book. I don't think I have a favourite between the two, and I could easily see myself in both of them, which is always great as a reader.
I love that this book primarily takes place over the course of 24 hours. It allows the author to really delve into the story. The book is set up in time chunks, which was a great addition to the story. I was a little confused at the addition of Teri's night in the book, but overall it was interesting and added some fun espionage to the otherwise crazy but still mundane enough to be relatable night. While it did seem a little out of place, I liked that Teri didn't get forgotten in the story as the "third friend".
Another thing Morgan Matson always does so well is romance. Especially in books like this one and Since You've Been Gone, when romance is not the main focus of the story, there's just enough to satisfy the reader, while keeping the story in line with the friendship plot. Kat and Cary's story is so cute that I'm jealous, and I also liked the fact that Stevie and Beckett did not get back together, which I initially thought might happen.
Basically what I'm saying, is everyone should read this book, and every book by Morgan Matson. They just get better and better.

DNF at 30%, skimmed a bit. Honestly this isn’t for me. Not a bad read necessarily but it felt too young. I couldn’t get into the problems the characters had and I didn’t like Kat. She was way too much, she seemed obsessed with Stevie, who didn’t seem into their friendship and fell flat. Also, why bring in another point of view a quarter of the way in? I didn’t find the story interesting and it spent too long on certain parts like the dog.

Kat and Stevie could have had a boring night in. Instead, Kat convinces Stevie to go with her to New York City, where they can grab dinner, and maybe secretly go see their teacher’s play? What could possibly go wrong?

Apparently, a lot. With twists and turns that never stop coming, this comedic story brings you into the chaos of one Friday night that they will never forget.

I really don’t want to ruin anything, so I’m going to leave it at that. Morgan Matson has crafted a story where everything has a purpose, no matter how small. Be on the lookout for old faves, and be ready to laugh, because when you think nothing else can possibly go awry, you learn exactly how wrong you were.

Matson’s writing was captivating as always, and managed to be both full of heart and laugh out loud funny. I had to put my phone down at moments because I had to update my husband on the latest antics.

Most importantly, I loved Kat and Stevie’s friendship, and their growth throughout the novel. Romance will always get me, but when you do friendship right, it just hits different.

As a theater kid myself, I always adore when characters are as passionate on the subject as I am! New York is also one of my favorite settings so I had to pick this up! Starting off with discussing the main characters of this story, I thought they were both characters that we got to see their good and bad side quite well. They both grow together and individually in this tale is a true coming of age fashion. But I did find Kat a harder character to love because I found her really selfish multiples times in the story and it really irritated me. She does get better further down the story.

Plot-wise, I thought the story constantly got better the more I was reading and I was entertained. The constant coincidences and mishaps keep the story going. But I really found Teri's side-plot unnecessary. It just didn't fit in with the rest of the book.

Due to Kat's initial personality and Teri's side adventure bothering me, I couldn't rate this higher than 3,5. But I can definitely see an audience that could fall in love in love with this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Morgan Matson for the arc!

How much chaos can two high school seniors cause during a wild night in New York City? Turns out, a lot. - lost phones, night jobs, parties, museums, rogue Pomeranians, the list goes on. Parts of this were a little unbelievable (the B plot came out of left field), but it was a fun and wild ride from start to finish, and fully captures the intense need for freedom during your last year of high school.

Take Me Home Tonight by Morgan Matson is a novel that takes place throughout one adventure-filled day. It follows best friends Kat and Stevie, theatre kids who decide to sneak out of their suburban town and into New York City for the night. They plan to see a play and eat at a fancy restaurant. Things turn bad when Stevie’s phone is destroyed and the girls are left with no phone, and then they get separated. Stevie, with a Pomeranian named Brad who is not hers, and Kat, with a $100 bill no one wants to break being the only money she has. Throughout the eventful night, many things go different than expected. Things don’t all go bad, though. Kat and Stevie have monumental revelations about their friendship and choices in life.

This is such a fun read! I definitely need to read more of Morgan Matson’s books. Without spoiling too much, I just have to say that Kat and Stevie’s friend Teri has a wild time in this book. I definitely enjoyed reading her perspective!

I will always love Morgan Matson's books. The way she writes draws you into the characters right from the start. I think though that given that I'm now a woman in my thirties, it's getting harder to relate to the characters and their issues. But on the flip side, it's why I love Morgan Matson's books and why no matter my age, I'll read them. The main reason for that is her writing is fun and easy to read. I also love that she always includes characters from her previous books so subtlety that if you haven't read her books then you wouldn't notice it, but if you have, it's a nice nod to her readers. I also love reading her books and knowing that I can confidently recommend them for early teen readers (13-15 years of age). It is comforting to be able to recommend any one of her books and to know that it's age-appropriate and a fun read to sell.

I ended up loving this one for the friendship of Kat and Stevie. I like that they had their issues that were clear from the start, and how they each needed to take their own separate journeys to see where the other was coming from. I enjoyed the side stories as well with Kat and Cary, and with Stevie and her step-siblings. All around this book teaches a lot of great lessons, and I loved every moment of it.

I struggled with this book because I am a lot older now than I was when I originally read Morgans books. I’ve loved a lot of her other books, but this one wasn’t it for me. I am now 27 and reading about high school was not something I wanted to do. I also didn’t love the drama department setting. As a former drama kid I didn’t care for Kat, she was not super likeable for me because I knew kids like her in high school.

I think this book is targeted towards a different demographic. I grabbed it because like I said earlier I loved her books when I was younger. Unfortunately it wasn’t a great fit this time around.

The concept is fun and I liked Kat and Stevie’s friendship a lot, I just couldn’t get through this one.

I was super excited to be approved for this one as I've loved some of Matson's other works in the past (Amy and Roger's, Second Chance Summer, Since You've Been Gone), but this one just wasn't for me. It felt too long and it didn't have the emotion that I found her other books to have. I really wish I liked this one more but I think if you like Matson's other works, you'll like this one too!

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of Take Me Home Tonight in exchange for an honest review.

Take Me Home Tonight is full of off the wall plot twists, massive coincidences, and a whole lot of zany coincidences. While it was well written, I couldn't help but spend most of the book thinking about how much better the story and pacing would have felt in a film format instead of a book one. It's a fun read, but something about it always felt that little bit off.