The Getaway List
By: Emma Lord
Publication: January 23, 2024 by Macmillan Young Listeners
Duration: 9 Hours, 49 Minutes, 49 Seconds
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Source: Publisher via NetGalley (Thank you!!)
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Goodreads description--The day of her high school graduation, Riley realizes two things: One, that she has spent the last four years trying so hard to be a Good Kid for her mom that she has no idea who she really is anymore, and two, she has no idea what she wants because of it. The solution? Pack her bags and move to New York for the summer, where her childhood best friend Tom and co-creator of The Getaway List ― a list of all the adventures they’ve wanted to do together since he moved away ― 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 their way 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.
Inescapably romantic and brimming with Emma Lord’s signature cheer, The Getaway List is an uplifting and romantic read that will settle into your heart and never leave.
Have you guys ever had a book that was like a series of events that just seemed to keep you from the book or enjoying the book? That's what happened to me with The Getaway List. At first, I was listening to the audiobook and enjoying it. I was wrapping Christmas presents while listening. But then I decided to lie down in bed and listen one night. You'll be surprised to hear that I fell asleep. NetGalley's audiobooks aren't easy to navigate because the sections are all labeled the same. That made finding the place I stopped difficult. Then, if you can believe it, I decided to start over in case I missed too much, and the same thing happened to me again. No more lying in bed listening to audiobooks. Lesson learned. But then I kept having issues with the content of the book after that.
Okay, so Riley and Tom were best friends until Tom moved to New York, and Riley was left behind. Riley's mom has kept her busy with any and all extracurricular activities. Tom has stopped replying to text messages. And their relationship has dwindled. Riley and her mom had a falling out after graduation, and Riley decides to take a weekend trip to New York to visit Tom--which turns into a longer stay. Tom's mother is apparently in the film industry and is never home. Because apparently, no one could possibly dislike New York, Riley falls in love with the city, all the while realizing that she has feelings for her best friend.
Enter my issues. 1) Riley's a little whiny and self-centered. 2) The characters cuss all the time. But it's the type of cursing that seems like the characters feel cool for doing it. (This is a pet peeve of mine...people who drink because they think they look cool doing it. And people who curse because they think it makes them cool.) The excessive language just felt stupid and unnecessary to me. You won't find me complaining about cursing in most of my book reviews. I tend to only mention it when it's excessive. And The Getaway List was excessive and unnecessary. 3) LGBTQ+ agenda. I don't always mention this either, believe it or not. But when LGBTQ+ stuff is thrown in for the sake of checking a box, I mention it. 4) Mostly, I found that I couldn't connect to the characters in a way that I cared about any of them. I kept trying. I kept listening to push forward and make progress. I kept thinking I would get invested soon. And I just didn't. I ended up listening to 62% of the book, and by that point, I usually tell myself that I've come too far to stop now. But I felt so much relief when I finally made the decision to DNF that I knew I made the right choice.
I tried to like The Getaway List. I have enjoyed Emma Lord's books in the past. In fact, I did rate Tweet Cute as 5 Stars. I hate that I couldn't connect to the characters or the story, but this book was a series of unfortunate events for me. I was not the right reader for The Getaway List, and I ended up DNFing at 62%. Have you read The Getaway List? What did you think? Let me know!
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