‘The Getaway List’ review: Emma Lord takes us back to NYC in her newest rom-com

Emma Lord takes us back to New York City in The Getaway List. This newest novel delivers the characteristic charm and heart that I’ve grown to expect from Lord.

Adventure is Out There

In the four years since her best friend, Tom, moved away, Riley feels like she has lost herself. After she was caught charging people for sitting in their detentions for them, her mom has put her in every extracurricular activity under the sun to keep her out of trouble. But none of those activities have felt right, like something she wants to do for the rest of her life. Now she’s graduating high school with no clear goals for her future. What she does have is the Getaway List, a bucket list she and Tom have carefully crafted since he left. 

So Riley decides to visit Tom in New York City for the weekend, which then turns into the summer. She was worried that Tom would be different after four years apart, but they easily slip back into their old rhythm. Her mom views Tom as a bad influence, but Riley loves the version of herself that comes out when he’s around. But as he and his new crew of NYC friends help her work through the Getaway List, she starts to wonder if her feelings for him are more than friendship. And what happens once this summer is over?

Read More: Emma Lord Interview

Mother-daughter drama

Much of the story’s conflict stemmed from Riley’s complicated relationship with her mom. Like Riley, her mom moved to New York City right after high school, but moved back to Virginia when she got pregnant at 19. While they have the super close relationship that we always see in fiction about teen moms and their teen daughters, it’s not totally warm and fuzzy. Riley feels a constant pressure to be the Good Kid. In her mom’s eyes, moving to New York and spending time with Tom will lead to Riley ending up just like her. I loved watching a different type of mother-daughter relationship play out in this story. 

Sooo quirky!

Like every Emma Lord novel, this one bursts with color and quirkiness. Sci-fi themed creative writing walking tours! An anonymous delivery service app! A brownie shop where you can make your own brownies! It’s so cute it’ll make your teeth hurt. I love cruising through Lord’s version of NYC.

If you love the friends to lovers trope, a wide, quirky cast of characters, and coming-of-age stories, Lord’s newest offering is perfect for you!

The Getaway List by Emma Lord was published on January 23, 2024.