Audio Review: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Release Date: May 4, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 344
Genre: YA Contemporary Road Trip Romance
Source: Library
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository
Haunt Author: Website | Facebook | Twitter

Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

ADD TO GOODREADS

I love audiobooks but sadly it always takes me a little while to get used to the new voice. That is often why I like to listen to a whole series at a time because then I am already adjusted to the voice. I had that problem at the beginning of this book. I was kind of lost for the first couple of discs. But then eventually I was really into it and not wanting to get out of my car when I got home.

Amy's mom is having her and Roger drive her car across country. They are moving from California to Connecticut. Amy is not thrilled at first but needs Roger to drive since she no longer drives after her dad's accident. Her mom had the whole trip planned out but Roger talks Amy into ditching the plan for an adventure and a chance to see America. A road trip with playlists, meeting new friends, seeing new places, getting to know each other and Amy slowly letting herself go and having fun again.

Amy used to be a different person. There are flashbacks where she explains how she used to be fun and how things changed. Now that her dad is gone and her brother is in rehab she has been closed off. During the trip it takes a lot for her to try some things that didn't seem all that adventurous to me but were a big step for her. She slowly begins to trust Roger but it takes her a really long time to open up about what happened with her dad. Roger opens up first and eventually Amy feels comfortable enough to confide in him back.

Roger was actually really annoying to me at first. He is caught up on his ex-girlfriend, Hadley, who is very obviously just not that into him. He constantly talks about her, calls her, and wants to go see her even though she never answers him back! Once he finally sees her I think that was the closure he needed to finally see that he could do better. After that I really began to like Roger. He was sweet to Amy and he only slightly nudged her into talking and never pushed too hard. He just let her know he was there when she was ready.

I was dying the whole book for them to finally kiss! LOL Of course I am a huge fan of relationships developing into friendship first so I enjoyed the build and seeing them get to know each other first. I think spending days together in a car and motel is a quick way to get real with someone. I was really proud the way Amy who had been so shy and scared made the first move. It was a sweet ending showing how much Amy has changed and how she is going to work to keep changing. The romance was left a bit open but as Roger said nothing is ever for certain. We just have to see how things go and hope for the best.




"Tomorrow will be better.”
“But what if it’s not?” I asked.
“Then you say it again tomorrow. Because it might be. You never know, right? At some point, tomorrow will be better."

"The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren't looking for it. Columbus and America. Pinzon, who stumbled on Brazil while looking for the West Indies. Stanley happening on Victoria Falls. And you. Amy Curry, when I was least expecting her."

 "We can’t know what’s going to happen. We can just try to figure it out as we go along."

"Hey," he said smiling at me pulling off his sunglasses. "Did you get me something good?"
"I think so," I said trying to ignore how hard my heart was beating. Then before I could think about it or analyze or consider what I was doing I leaned over and kissed him. 

Rating: 4/5