This book was SO much fun.. It was nice to see a young adult book where the characters act like young adults and not immature. This book was sweet, funny, and heartfelt. It made me want to go explore NYC. 4 stars.

Thank you @wednesdaybooks @macmillan.audio for a copy of this book. This was a sweet coming of age story about Riley who graduates from high school and takes a day trip to visit her childhood best friend Tom.

The story is set in NYC and I enjoyed seeing Riley self discovery and developing friendships. Tom and Riley were cute together but I didn't really feel their love connection. I really appreciate the side characters and how much depth they added to the story.

Norma Butikofer did a great job and sounded believable as a teenager.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-arc!

Riley has just graduated high school and is struggling to find herself. She misses the version of herself that she was before her best friend, Tom, moved to New York City. Most importantly, she misses her very best friend. Acting on an impulse, Riley decides to visit Tom in NYC for the weekend, despite her mom’s vehement disapproval. While her mom is worried about Riley being in the city based on her own time there, she has no clue that Riley is on a mission.

Riley and Tom created The Getaway List, a bucket list of things they planned to do together but never got around to. Now, Riley is determined to at least check off a few of these things off the list over the weekend. Only, going through the items on The Getaway List ends up being a much bigger adventure than Riley could have imagined. While Tom and Riley reconnect and see each other in different ways than the past, Riley also finds herself falling in love with the city- and all of her new friends that she quickly made. Riley also begins to feel more herself, a goal perhaps more important than achieving than The Getaway List.

I really enjoyed this read and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light, fun book to read. The author is funny and this book had me smiling and laughing throughout, and the characters are each so unique and charming.

I wish that I had a book like this when I was a senior in high school, because I really love the messaging in this book about finding yourself, doing things on your own and going on adventures, even when they can be scary. I also thought acknowledgement that people change but friends can still grow together was important for younger readers to see, especially at an age where they may be worried about growing apart from their friends following high school.

Even for any young adult age and up, I think this would be a fun spring/summer read! especially if you’re a fan of New York City or have dreams of living there.

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 especially enjoyed Riley's joy in exploring NYC and I loved the banter between Riley and Tom. I laughed and smiled a lot throughout the book, it’s just a great feel-good read.

4.5 Stars

The Getaway List is a smart rom-com that focuses as much on personal growth and development as it does romance.

Riley is sort of the star of the show, but Tom is a close second. And he’s followed in quick succession by the duo’s collection of friends Jesse, Luca and Mariella. They’re all wonderfully explored with engaging and eclectic personalities that really make The Getaway List fun to read. It’s hard not to root for each and every one of them as they work through their own individual situations and developing relationships with others.

Author Emma Lord’s writing is warm and inviting. And the romance is a sweet, slow-burn that feels right for her characters. And as Lord takes readers through New York both for work and adventure, The Getaway List becomes an ode to the city.

It’s a lovely, heartfelt read that feels authentic.

As always, Emma Lord knows whats up. This was such a nice love letter to NYC bringing in elements of change in your life and accepting that maybe you might not know what you want but when you find it, you'll know. I enjoyed the characters and the banter. It was also fun seeing references to her previous books. All in all a fun little romcom with heart and friendship. Also the subtle found family *chefs kiss*.

there's so many things i love about Emma Lord's books: the unique characters, witty dialogue, and the way relationships between characters are explored so intricately.

i loved Riley and Tom in this book and the cast of characters comprising their friendship group. much of the story focused on the past between Riley and Tom (which makes sense since they have significant history together and then were forced to spend time apart) but i felt it kind of inhibited me from connecting with the story as much as i could with some of Emma Lord's other books.

it's still funny and sweet though, and i enjoyed reading this!

I have read every Emma Lord book that is out & I think I can unequivocally say that this one is my favorite.

The getaway List is a love letter to New York & to found families. Each side character in this book could be the star in their own book & I would read it so fast.

The premise of this one was really promising. A recent high school grad wants to spend some time with her best friend in New York City checking some items off their Getaway list, which is all the missed things they planned to do during visits they didn’t end up having since he moved away.

Tom is her best friend but he’s been distant lately. Riley is so used to being the good girl and following her mother’s plan she feels lost.

I love that they made sort of their own found family. They comfortably found their way back to each other and their friendship.

Tom melted my heart. While he struggled with his famous mother’s abandonment he was really there for Riley, even when it wasn’t always comfortable for him. I liked seeing Riley find herself though she wasn’t always perceptive to Tom and his needs. Overall the pacing was a bit slow in parts that made it a little less enjoyable but I did love both their journeys.

What is something that you would put on your getaway list? A place to visit or even a local event to go to?

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 St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book.

The Getaway List is my second book by Emma Lord, and while I enjoyed this young adult story about a recently graduated teen striking out on her own in New York City—along with some old and new friends—I didn’t quite enjoy it as much as Lord’s previous novel Tweet Cute.

There is plenty to enjoy about this story, though, so that’s what I’ll start with.

Lord is able to create unique characters with meaningful backstories, placing them in a setting that is appealing. I instantly liked Riley, her strong voice and desire to be her own person, and I liked all her friends—old and new. And I liked that their adventures took place during a summer in New York City.

Lord gives us plenty of emotional moments between friends AND their parents. And I found myself highlighting several quotes because I thought the story was written well, hence why this one still gets four stars from me.

Anchoring the story around a list that Riley created with her best friend Tom gives the story purpose and direction, but maybe I’ve read too many books with this formula lately because sometimes they start to feel a bit redundant for me. When authors provide a list our characters will be checking off as the story progresses, I prefer if they throw in some twists and even veer away from the list at times, which I feel like didn’t happen enough in The Getaway List.

One of my least favorite tropes is the miscommunication trope, and this story is almost drowning in it—between our main characters AND our side characters. Riley and Tom haven’t communicated well in years, Riley and ex-boyfriend Jesse never got closure, new friends Mariella and Luca are having some missed signals, Riley and her mom aren’t communicating, and Tom’s mom isn’t communicating with him. I just wanted everyone to talk and be honest already!

While I enjoyed Riley’s journey, I found the story mostly predictable and I just wanted a little… more. But I’d still recommend it to fans of Lord’s work. It’s written well and I know other fellow readers who have enjoyed it more than me. It could possibly just be a case of bad timing for this reader.

🗽 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙇𝙞𝙨𝙩 🗽
𝖤𝗆𝗆𝖺 𝖫𝗈𝗋𝖽

Emma Lord has quickly become a young adult romance queen since her book Tweet Cute hit the shelves! I was so excited to get an early release of her newest book from @netgalley and I have no doubt this one will be just as popular as her previous titles!

On her high school graduation day, Riley realizes she's lost herself trying to be a Good Kid for her mom. Feeling directionless, she decides to spend the summer in New York with childhood best friend Tom. Together, they aim to complete The Getaway List, a compilation of their dream adventures. Despite Tom's distance due to his famous mom's career, their reconnection is seamless, except for an unexpected twist that alters Riley's feelings. As they navigate the chaotic items on The Getaway List with newfound friends, Riley discovers that the most significant adventure might be the one felt in the heart.

Emma Lord writes such feel good, heartfelt romances that are just a joy to read. This book serves as a heartfelt ode to New York City, but also digs into that time in life when you have to start to figure out your path. Tom and Riley have undeniable chemistry, but it's their strong friendship that is at the core of everything. The cast of characters in this book only add to an already great story!

Alert! Cheerful and charming YA romance coming your way! This sweet story of love, friendship, and finding your place is perfect for teens and readers who (like me) love YA as adults! Thank you @wednesdaybooks for the advance copy ❤️

The Getaway List
By: @dilemmalord
⭐️: 4
🌶️: 0
Pub date: January 23, 2024

The day of graduation, Riley realizes she’s spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid that she has no idea who she really is anymore. So she packs her bags and moves to NYC with her best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List (a list of adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away).

Tom’s been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives, their reconnection is effortless and oops they also secretly love each other. Riley, Tom, and their new friends work their way through the delightfully chaotic items on The Getaway List and gahhhh I just love this happy, supportive gang of friends!

Lord writes YA in that perfect spot between being a kid and becoming a full grown adult— right at the push-pull of our MCs starting their own independent lives while leaning on their upbringing, hopes and dreams, and relationships (good and bad).

I loved this friend group— they were all so happy for each other’s success! Life IS happier when you can celebrate others, and this book did an incredible job showing what life can be when you’re surrounded by people who think you’re awesome. Riley’s relationship with her mother was very realistic, and reading about it will be a benefit to teens and their moms.

The love story was super sweet and appropriate. I liked how the friends had fun without excess partying, drinking, sex, etc. I’m not naive, but I do think a book about 18-year olds does have some responsibility to show what healthy (and legal!) social hangouts can look like. It did this well, without overtly commenting on what kids “should” do. Lord just showed them having fun without those things.

Keep in mind this is a book about TEENS so you can’t be annoyed with them for acting like teens/doing teen things! We were all there once! 😉 I enjoyed and recommend it!

THE GETAWAY LIST was fun, the banter was good, the characters were interesting, yet I didn't feel the same pull towards them as I have with Lord's previous books. I think it's a me problem, as I am not at all like Riley or Tom. They kind of felt like people I might have known in high school but wasn't great friends with. Acquaintances. I would love a book about Riley's mom though... I still love Emma Lord and her writing, so I'm definitely excited to read her upcoming novel!

This book has all the elements of an Emma Lord novel— witty banter, a will they / won’t they relationship, found family, and a New York City backdrop of course.

Though fun and easy to read, there was something about the book that didn’t work for me. The twists never felt all that shocking and the stakes didn’t feel high at all, even though they were supposed to. It all just felt kind of trite and unnecessarily dramatic, even for a YA book.

After graduating high school, Riley decides to spend the summer in New York City with her best friend Tom so they can complete The Getaway List - a list of adventures they wanted to do together since he moved away.

Emma Lord is one of my favorite YA authors so I was excited to get an advanced copy of The Getaway List. Riley’s spontaneity mixed with Tom’s mild manner really worked for me as they played nicely off each other. It was nice to read a YA novel where the FMC wasn’t perfect. Riley got herself into trouble so didn’t get into any colleges. She used her time in NYC not only to reconnect with Tom, but to find herself as well.

There was a fun cast of secondary characters in this story all dealing with different teenage issues. I adored Luca, Mariella, and Jesse, and how each of them brought something different to the story. I personally could have used a few less Swiftie references, but that’s just my personal opinion.

The list in the story was full of fun adventures, and I really enjoyed the setting of New York City to complete them in. The app they used to send gifts anonymously to each other was so creative and really unique. I found the romance between Tom and Riley a bit drawn out. I wish they would have just admitted they liked each other early in the story so the book would focus more on the getaway list rather than the romance between them.

Thank you Wednesday Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you ever find yourself at loose ends, with everything you think is certain shifting, and you're not sure what is going to happen next, you need to read an Emma Lord book. Suddenly you will find yourself full of hopeful possibilities. This one will do nicely! It opens with Riley at her high school graduation, her graduation cap papered with college rejections (all ten of her applications). She's not particularly sad to be leaving high school, which felt choked with all the activities her mom made her participate in, but she has no idea what she's doing next. Except her graduation cap has an inside too--the Getaway List she's made with her long-absent best friend Tom. And pretty soon she's on her way to New York City to check in with Tom and check off the list. It means fighting with her protective mom (whom she's always been very close to), digging into various secrets, and taking risks Riley's not sure she's up for. But the rewards are great.
This might be Lord's gentlest book yet, full of app developments and city explorations and anonymous deliveries of odd objects (sunscreen, a hunk of cheese) and lots of dessert as Riley and her friends figure out who they are and who they want to be and be with. The characters are delightful, and the book captures that shaky but exciting rush of the first brave summer of adulthood. I highly recommend it, whether you are about to take your own first brave steps into adulthood or you're much older and starting over.

Thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my free earc. My opinions are all my own.

Wow! This is the first book that I have read by Emma Lord and I am hooked! I will be going back and reading the rest of her books!

Riley and Tom met at a young age when their moms brought them to a play group. Tom was at the center of the group while Riley was quiet and stay off to the side. He suggested that she read his favorite book series and they have been best of friends ever since. They were always getting into some sort of trouble up until Tom had to move to New York when his mom's career took off. They kept in touch over the years, starting their Getaway (bucket) List but unfortunately things kept coming up and they were unable to tackle their list.

Now they are graduating and Riley hasn't been accepted to any of the colleges so she decides to take a weekend trip to NY to surprise Tom (who has decided to take a gap year himself). She finds out that her mother had been keeping them apart and so she decides to stay the whole summer which is perfect for them to start checking things off their list! They start out together and then it becomes a group effort as they pick up friends (old and new) along the way. Good friends, good food and even a road trip, these young adults have the time of their lives experiencing life in New York!

This book has got to be one of the most well written YA Romances. While I love YA, I often have to remember that the characters are kids (often immature). I didn't have to do that with this book. I absolutely loved all of these characters! I would love to read more books with this group of friends! They have such a great connection, I loved their individual stories included in this book.

Not only is this such a heartwarming story, the cover is just lovely! I can not say enough great things about this book! I highly recommend it!

𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℍ𝕒𝕤:
Best Friends to Lovers
YA Romance
Coming of Age/Self Discovery
NY Setting
Closed Door
Family Drama
Found Family
LGBTQIA rep

Thank you to @netgalley, @stmartinspress for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Riley is so ready to graduate high school and do something else. She doesn’t know what, but something. It’s not going to her first choice college, because they turned her down, as did her second choice and all her choices that came after. So she has no real plans for the future. And then she looks in her cap.

Her best friend Tom had moved to New York City from their small Virginia town a couple years back, when his mother had become a successful and popular screenwriter. They had kept in touch, but more importantly, they had kept added to their shared Getaway List through the years. The list was a compilation of things they had wanted to do together, like take a writing class based on their favorite fantasy series or go on the camping trip they’d had to miss sophomore year. Riley had put the list inside her graduation cap, to remind her of all the things she’d wanted to do. She’d kept the list close.

On a whim, Riley decides to take a trip to New York City to see Tom after all the years. She can take a bus and be there in hours, and they could do something from the list that weekend. Her mother isn’t very happy about the idea, and lets it slip that she’d purposefully been keeping Riley busy with extracurricular activities for the last couple of years to keep her distracted from Tom. Riley is hurt and angry, and takes a bus straight to New York.

When Riley and Tom see each other after all that time, their connection is still electric. They pick up where they left off, and though things are left unsaid between them, they start to plan adventures immediately. They are up early the next morning for the writing class, and they go from there, tackling things on the list and getting to know each other again. The weekend turns into longer, and before long, Riley is planning on spending the summer in the city. Its energy is infectious for Riley, awakening her creativity in new and exciting ways.

Almost immediately they find more friends, Riley’s friend Jesse who has just moved to the city with his band, Tom’s friend from Columbia Mariella, and their new friend from the writing class Lucas. As they make their way around the city together, crossing off things from the Getaway List and finding inspiration and enjoyment in everything, Riley and Tom also find the spark they’d both been missing.

The more Riley finds herself falling in love with the city and finding her voice again, the more she worries about telling her mother she wants to stay. But will her mother trust her enough to let her stay in the city that’s lighting her up? And how will she tell Tom what she wants for her future when he’s been so clearly unhappy living in New York? Once they finish up the list, will that be the end of their friendship, or the beginning of their futures?

Masterful storyteller Emma Lord is back with The Getaway List. She has a way of crafting these complex, fascinating characters with full lives and agendas, and these characters draw you into her stories like you’re hearing about your best friends. There is not a minute of boredom or confusion in her words, just a lovely composed novel filled with laughs and frustrations, friends and adventures, and sweet concoctions that make your stomach rumble and your teeth hurt just to read the descriptions.

I adored every page of this The Getaway List. I am a big fan of Lord’s, and this book is just as sumptuous as her other novels. I love her big characters and how they drive her stories, like the vibrant colors of a sunrise. Just try to read a few pages of one of her books, and see if you can walk away from the rest of the story. I know I can’t, and I can’t wait to see where she will be taking me next.

Egalleys for The Getaway List were provided by Wednesday Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Happy pub day to The Getaway List by @dilemmalord, one of my favorite YA authors.

Riley should be celebrating on the day of her high school graduation. But instead, an uncertain future looms. After spending her high school years trying to be the good girl she thought her mother wanted, Riley isn’t sure what to do with her life. Add to that, rejections from all the colleges she applied to, and a weekend in New York with her best friend Tom, who she hasn’t seen in forever, to work on their “Getaway List”—a list of all the adventures they want to do together since he moved away—seems like the perfect tonic. Only her mother doesn’t want Riley to go. Riley defies her mother for the first time in a long time, and a weekend exploring the city turns into a summer of finding out who she really wants to be.

I loved this book so much. The NYC setting was idyllic, and Tom was the kind of best friend I would have killed to have as a teen (and honestly, I’d take an older version now). I loved the relationship between Riley and her mother, and I really respected the journey Riley took in the book. I think a lot of teens who don’t know exactly what they want to do with their lives will find comfort in a story like this one. The romance in this book was so sweet. It was a slow, but sure, burn. I think Emma Lord writes some of the very best love interests in the YA market and The Getaway List is no exception. There are also a lot of great side characters and I found myself routing for all of them.

I definitely loved the audiobook. I don’t think I’d heard the narrator, Norma Butikofer, before, but she did a fantastic job immersing me in Riley’s journey.

I would recommend this one to any lovers of YA romance or coming of age stories.