I always say yes to the latest Emma Lord YA read. Similar to her others, this is a sweet and just a bit angsty read. A love letter to the power of friendship and being young in NYC. I was a bigger fan of the side characters (Mariella & Luca) than Riley and Tom. Cute but maybe a bit too long in the middle. Great if you are looking for a lighter coming of age YA read.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for the advanced reader copy.

I remember getting an ARC for Emma Lord's first novel and can't believe I'm now this deep into her career.

This story takes place in New York and as always has a depth of emotion that feels so perfectly teen angst. I don't say that in a disrespectful way either. It just captures the conflict and turmoil of that time in life so well. There's parent conflict that feels so big. There's life choices that feel so big. And then there's a city that feels so big as well.

Full disclaimer, I've never been to New York. I often feel it's such an overhyped place. And yet, something about this book made it feel more authentic and exciting than I'd ever perceived it before.

The biggest thing I have to say, always have to say, about Emma Lord's novels is just how much they make me feel. I was drawn into the heartache and joy, I understood the quiet stakes of this story and her prose really tugged on my empathy. I think that's the best recommendation I can give about this one. It's going to make you feel. Which makes it so worth it.

Thanks as always to WednesdayBooks for the ARC!

I have read every book that Emma Lord has written. I've come to expect a well developed story with expertly crafted characters who experience a bit of sweetness amidst some growing pains. THE GETAWAY LIST,(PUB 01.23) a contemporary YA coming-of-age novel, is all these things, plus a love letter to NYC. Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for the early copy.

Following high school graduation Riley is seeking adventure and shows up unannounced in NYC at her childhood best friend Tom's doorstep. They reconnect to the past easily while navigating some new complications (ahem- feelings). Along with a gaggle of misfit friends they spend a summer of freedom trying to finish their Getaway List. It's part coming-of-age with a bit of romance and a lot of complex family navigation. The characters are making big adult decisions while they're still on the cusp of being an adult. But they are smart, vulnerable and achingly tender.

𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝:
- This cover. Stunning!
- NYC setting.
- Secondary characters.
- Best friends-to-more
- Big emotions and big dreams.
- Delightfully funny and heartwarmingly charming.
- Adventure, shenanigans and a road trip
- All the teenagers felt authentic.

NOTE:
Please leave your NYC cost of living relatities at the door and lean into this work of fiction.

4.25 out of 5. This was adorable. I love lists and I love travelling so I’m going to need this getaway list app ASAP in my life. I love the sweet and wholesome development of Riley’s and Tom’s friendship. And their new found rag tag of friends are so precious. I think, even though it is a very YA book, and a lovely what should i do with my life questions at 18 feel, there are also very a many grown up topics in it. You have love, friendship, family drama, trauma, and self discovery in the (insert Hamilton music) Greatest city in the World! I did shed one or two tears, and my heart felt happy reading this which is always a good idea.

🗽 The Getaway List 🗽

Y’all, Emma Lord did it again! This one is absolutely precious. I loved following along with Tom and Riley on their journey! Having just graduated high school, Riley decides to go visit her best friend, Tom, who moved to NYC three years ago. In a whirlwind weekend with new and old friends, Riley decides to stay in New York for the summer to complete her and Tom’s “The Getaway List”. Compiled of activities they missed out on completing together in their time living apart, they decide to recreate the adventures with their friend group over the course of the summer. A delightful journey of self-discovery and being who you are. I highly recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday books for the ARC! My opinions are my own. The Getaway List is on shelves January 23, 2024!

4 stars!

What a cute and fun book. I found myself relating to the characters in this book a lot, it definitely transported me back to high school and all of the feelings/experiences related to it.

I loved the relationship between Riley and Tom and also enjoyed their friends we get to meet throughout the book.

This was my first Emma Lord book and I will definitely be on the look out for more :)

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This was a fun YA book. I really appreciated the found family and liked the premise. I enjoyed the complexity of the character dynamics, especially with the fmc and her mother.

All in all in enjoyed this book.

I have read all of Emma Lord’s novels and this is definitely near the top! Tweet Cute is still my favorite, but The Getaway List has equally charming and memorable characters. When Riley gets rejected from all 10 colleges she applied to, she’s unsure what her future looks like. She doesn’t want to work in the coffee shop forever. Her best friend Tom lives in NYC and shes just a bus ride from reuniting with him and going on an incredible adventure.

The Getaway List has the humor and whimsy I love in a Lord novel. Riley and Tom’s adorable banter had me rooting for them from the start. I am looking forward to reading her adult debut next year!

Friends to lovers, summer in NYC, rediscovering yourself, and eccentric group of friends. Emma Lord brings to life a disbanded popular girl, a nerdy writer, an upcoming lead singer, a famous writer's son, and a curious extrovert in this charming contemporary romance. A story of transition, it was the embodiment of realizing where we came from, what happened to us, and where we want to go from there. There was biking around the city, Milkshake Club concerts, time-traveling stories, and so many brownies, and I couldn't get enough of the energy of these characters and this city!

The story revolves around the dynamic duo of Riley and Tom who have been separated for far too long. So of course, when Riley graduates high school and doesn't have a plan for the future, she decides to hop on a bus to NYC to reconnect with Tom and hopefully figure out what she wants to do with her life. The plot overall was a sort of treasure hunt as they attempt to check off all the boxes on the Getaway List, which involved brownie making, camping, and something so wholesome called the Dear Love dispatch. Their adventures start with spontaneous decisions and dive head first into tackling the pressures of parental expectations, finding your forever friends, and figuring out who you want to be. In places where the pace of the story started to lag, these characters felt so wholesome and I never wanted to stop reading.

There were some moments that lacked important lead ins and felt thrown in to the point that I struggled to feel the intended emotions. This affected some major plot points and that is why I cannot give this book 5 stars. However, I loved all the themes overall. Riley was the perfect chaotic and enthusiastic main character, but I have to mention Tom! First, he was a tall dorky man who wore his heart on his sleeve and wasn't afraid to cry. The tension between him and Riley was there the entire time, but there was also just so much genuine love between them that was so beautiful and I ate up every scene they were together (which was like EVERY single one)! Second, can we talk about that first kiss? I can't remember the last time a kiss made me shed a tear, but it was such a vulnerable moment, I simply couldn't control myself! The friends to lovers in this one did not disappoint.

Emma Lord always provides a good time, but expect deep and meaningful conversations and some sneaky tear jerker moments. That being said, after writing three of my favorite YA romances, I will never not recommend her books. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for a free digital advanced reader copy for an honest review.

THE GETAWAY LIST is chock full of all my favorite things about an Emma Lord book -- lovable side characters, a grounded yet compelling plot, complex romantic, platonic, and familial relationships, and vibrant prose. This book felt especially like a love letter to New York City, and I loved hop-scotching across the city with Riley, Tom, and their new band of lovable sidekicks.

Firstly, thanks to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This novel is great because SO many students don't know what comes next for them after graduation. I think the story will resonate with them well. To me, the romance in the story is secondary to the young people learning more about who they are as humans and figuring out what they want from life, as well as the importance of friendship and a sense of belonging.

Part coming-of-age story, part friends-to-lovers tale, part found family adventure—this one is another YA hit for Emma Lord. Right after high school graduation, Riley heads to New York to visit her longtime best friend, Tom. He’s been living there for a few years and things just haven’t been the same for either of them since he moved. What begins as a visit turns into finding home, purpose, and love for the recent grads.

Riley is full of life. Tom is the sweetheart who takes care of everyone else. Together, along with friends new and old, they work their way through The Getaway List that they started when Tom moved away. From recreating missed birthdays to touring the spots from their favorite book and TV show, the friend group grows closer together with each adventure. Along the way, Riley of RileyandTom/TomandRiley begins to realize that she feels more than friendship for her best friend.

Many parts of this book are just plain fun, and I mean that in the best way. This is a young group full of energy in New York City, where there is always something to do. In some ways, the book is a love letter to New York, and fans of Emma Lord will appreciate her nods to previous books set in the city. We get banter and exuberance, but we also get character growth and depth, too.

I received an advance copy from Wednesday Books and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

I'm waaayyyy out of the target demographic for this book, but I simply loved it from beginning to end. It's not a particularly unique concept as we've seen it in other books and movies, but it was still fun and kept my attention anyway. I think I also loved it more than other people because of the New York references and even the Taylor Swift ones, too! I became super invested in Tom and Riley, and I can't wait for other people to discover them, too!

ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback.

This was a fun book. I tend to enjoy the author’s stories because they’re entertaining, fast paced, and not too predictable.

Omg! This book was great!

It captures those feelings that run through a lot of people after highschool and they're entering the adult world perfectly.

Loved the relationship between the MC and her friends. Seeing them grow together and figuring things out about their futures was great.

The romance was so cute! It had me swooning for sure.

Thanks netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

A coming of age story that celebrates the friendships, adventures, and books that both shape and help us build connections with others, while doubling as a love letter to New York City and its magic and endless world of possibilities.

Lord writes the most endearing characters and heartwarming stories of friendship, family, and the magic, possibility, and growing pains that accompany the transition into adulthood. Equal parts endearing and heart aching, The Getaway List follows a group of lifelong friends and the budding new friendships they forge as they embark on a new journeys in NYC. Recent high school graduates, these young adults are seizing the excitement of new hopes and dreams while navigating their new adulthood and finding balance with their parents and newfound freedom and space.

As a parent, I felt a pang of sadness for Tom and Riley as they struggled communicating their emotional needs with their moms and the grief they felt over missed opportunities of connection and support from their mothers. It’s such a conflicting time wanting to be seen as a young adult with the ability to make big life changes, while also desiring validation and support from parental figures. When Tom and Riley’s moms were lacking in support and encouragement, these friends didn’t hesitate to step in and be an emotional pillar.

I simply adored this tender story about finding your people, love in its many forms, the magic of new beginnings, and the family you make.

**Review will be published January 18th on my blog and socials!**

WELCOME TO NEW YORK.

Every time I read an Emma Lord book I think about how much I would have loved reading these when I was the characters age (18/19). There’s so many good themes about growing up, finding your path and making those life long connections that will hold you up when things get rough.

I was very much smitten with the friends to lovers romance. It was reallllly sweet and the clear chemistry between them is there from the GET GO. While this is not full romance (more sub plotish), there’s a lot to learn from Riley and Tom. I loved the dynamic between them and also how you could see both growing up, making mistakes and learning to communicate.

And I adored the friend group. This found family of new and old friends that just accepted everyone as they were, but yet found ways to push each other into new things when the time was right. I love these kind of powerful friendships and there’s even cute side romances between them too.

Filled with all the New York things, some good Taylor Swift references and those hard but necessary conversations with your parents, I highly recommend to pick this one up.

Overall audience notes:
- YA Contemporary Romance
- Language: strong (I will say this was the only issue I had for the YA audience)
- Romance: kisses

Oh man, I really love Emma Lord and she did not disappoint with this one. This was such a great story about finding yourself away from your single parent who keeps seeing herself in you and trying so hard to stop history from repeating itself also trying to reconnect with her childhood best friend Tom who she hasn’t seen in 4 years since he and his mom moved to New York. When Riley graduates high school she decides throw caution in the wind and go up for the weekend to visit Tom against her mother’s wishes and ends up staying for the summer to try to figure out who she wants to be and what is going on with Tom and why he barely kept in touch all these years. They make some fun new friends, do some fun things in the city and get everything checked off on their Getaway list they started when tom first moved that they were supposed to do together as they visited each other during school which never happened. Just so good and I loved the evolution of Riley and Toms relationship and how they both worked on their relationships with their single mothers and I can’t wait to read her next book.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Riley heads to New York to visit her best friend Tom after high school graduation. Riley is feeling a little lost after failing to get accepted into college.., I found this plot point a bit hard to believe.

Riley and Tom had created a Getaway list during their childhood. When Riley visits, it seems like a great time for them to complete these items. Riley is feeling lost and eventually starts to question if she wants a relationship more than a friendship with Tom.
Wacky hijinks ensue as Tom and Riley and friends complete the list. This is a bit of a coming of age story.
Unfortunately I just didn’t connect to the characters. Perhaps it is because I am not the target audience. It felt very young and YA to me which is exactly what it is. I think many young readers will really like Riley. She is strong and funny and loves her friends. She also had to stand up to her mother. This certainly shows resilience and learning to stand on your own feet.

Had a great setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.