In “The Getaway List,” Riley and Tom, two best friends, reunite in New York City after being apart for years and decide to finish their “getaway list,” a list of things they planned to do once they were reunited.
On the day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, she worked diligently during high school to be such a good kid for her mom that she lost her sense of identity, and two, she has no idea what she truly wants for herself. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend and co-creator of the Getaway List Tom will hopefully help her get in touch with her old adventurous self and pave the road to a new future.
Riley isn’t sure what to expect from Tom, who has been distant since his famous mom’s scriptwriting career pulled him away. But when Riley arrives in the city, their reconnection is as effortless as it was when they were young – except with one, unexpected complication that will pull Riley’s feelings in a direction she didn’t know they could take. As she, Tom and their newfound friends work through the delightfully chaotic items on the Getaway List, Riley learns that sometimes the biggest adventure is not one you take, but one you feel in your heart.
The bustling city is their playground as they explore the city and each other. While their friendship blossoms, Riley and Tom grapple with who they are and who they want to be. Their short summer together is nothing short of love and happiness as they try to rekindle what once was before.
Author Emma Lord is no stranger to the world of young adult romance. She has written eight books, from her most notable “Tweet Cute,” a retelling of the classic movie “You’ve Got Mail,” to her latest, “The Getaway List.”
The book perfectly combines YA romance novels “Love & Gelato” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” Protagonists Riley and Tom co-run through the city as if it were their own, just as Ren and Lina, the protagonists of “Love & Gelato,” ran through Florence. Riley and Tom’s relationship has the classic lingering, undeniable friends-to-lovers romance.
Riley and Tom’s adventure wouldn’t have been the same without their lovable friend group. Luca is a shy, aspiring writer. Mariella is an eccentric old classmate of Tom’s who decides to take up photography despite her love for coding. Jesse, the Taylor Swift-loving punk who also happens to be Riley’s only ex, rounds out their group. The diverse group is sweet and touching. Each teen is learning who they truly want to be in life.
New York is the perfect place for the characters to find themselves. The non-stop city is a walking tour of their favorite series, “Tides of Time.” Tom introduced the series first when they were kids; since then, it has kept them intertwined.
More touristy locations like the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty are avoided in this novel. Instead, Riley and her new friends explore made-up places created by the author, such as the Brownie Bonanza and Milkshake Bar, which makes the reader feel like they’re exploring New York afresh as they did for the first time.
Tom acts like a perfect gentleman towards Riley. He is selfless and the epitome of a mom friend. Tom allows Riley to grow and find herself, giving her the space she needs while he develops feelings for her. His love for her is so apparent and pure, it’s simply adorable. Generally, love interests in romance novels tend to be very selfish and don’t want their love interest to grow away from them. It was refreshing for Tom to be so supportive of Riley.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of YA and romance novels. “The Getaway List” had everything a good romance novel needs. It was filled with many sweet moments between Riley and Tom, yet allowed them to grow and develop as separate people.
Tom and Riley’s relationship matures steadily, keeping you on your toes until the end. Their lifelong friendship acts as the perfect base from which they advance their relationship.
Emma Lord successfully captured the looming feeling of the unknown after high school and how finding your place in life truly feels.
