Book Review and Giveaway: Maps for the Getaway

By Melissa Amster

It was the road trip of their lives . . . and they did it without a map.

When they posed for a photo at their high school graduation, they vowed they’d be friends forever, but teenage promises are so easily broken, and now, thirty years later, they’re practically strangers.

Cici—stuck in a rut, married to a cheating husband.

Genie—caring for her ailing father but never getting any thanks.

Kate—everyone knows people who look perfect on Instagram are not.

And Laurie—the most successful of them all—now tragically gone.

So, to celebrate Laurie’s life,  three former friends in a 1962 red Lincoln Continental convertible take the road trip of their lives—encountering male strippers, a boy band that has seen better days, crazy motel rooms, adopting a so-ugly-it’s-cute stray dog…and discovering that it’s never too late to live the wild life.

Because, sometimes, to find yourself you have to get away. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

Maps for the Getaway is a sweet story about friendship and navigating through grief. It's perfect for fans of Kristan Higgins and Jill Shalvis. I loved the idea of a road trip to see a favorite boy band. I met up with my best friend one year to see a NKOTB reunion tour and this novel reminded me of that experience. (However, ours was much less chaotic!) I liked all three women and found them relatable in different ways, even if I wasn't experiencing what they were. 

The story had a comforting feel to it, even when everything was going wrong for the women. There was a lot of humor as well as some emotionally powerful moments. The descriptions made it easy to visualize people and places throughout the story, without taking away from the narrative. The dogs in the story were so cute and I love how they picked their own names.

My only concern was that I felt like some things came too easy for the women. If something went wrong on the trip, suddenly a solution was right in front of them. I would love to have Kate's skills for getting what I want all the time! 

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and it was a fun, escapist read. 

Movie casting suggestions:

Genie: Kether Donohue
Kate: Jaimie Alexander
Cici: Emily Wickersham
Troy: Luke Benward
Ben: Michiel Huisman
Wade: Paul Wesley

Thanks to HarperCollins for the book in exchange for an honest review. And special thanks to Annie England Noblin for sharing TWO copies with some lucky readers!

How to win: Use Rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. If you have trouble using Rafflecopter on our blog, enter the giveaway here. 

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Giveaway ends December 26th at midnight EST.

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