Amy & Roger's Epic Detour

by Morgan Matson

After the death of her father, Amy, a high school student and Roger, a college freshman, set out on a carefully planned road trip from California to Connecticut, but wind up taking many detours, forcing Amy to face her worst fears and come to terms with her grief and guilt.

• ISBN10: 1416990666
• ISBN13: 9781416990666
• Publish Date: 3 May 2011 (first published 4 May 2010)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Simon & Schuster
• Edition: Reprint ed.
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 343
• Language: English

Reviews

[jnikkir]

★★★★½

I adored Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. I'm still sort of new to the contemporary romance genre (I've said that a lot lately, haven't I? I wonder when it will stop being true... I still feel new, lol). Anyway, I'd heard that this book was excellent, and it came out quite a while ago, so I figured I should read it while the genre still feels shiny and new to me. And oh boy, it didn't disappoint. I honestly think I could have read this after reading TONS of contemporaries, and this book still would've felt like a breath of fresh air.

Amy is dealing with a lot lately - the recent death of her father, her brother being sent to rehab - and she's had to deal with these things alone, in her empty house, because her mother moved to Connecticut ahead of her to get their new house ready. The story begins when Amy is asked to take her mom's car from their old home in California all the way to their new house in Connecticut. Since her father's death, Amy doesn't drive, so her mother has enlisted the help of an old neighbor and childhood friend of Amy's, Roger, to drive the car - and Amy - to Connecticut. Amy's mom has the trip all planned out - which highways to take, which hotels to stay at, and exactly how long it should take Amy and Roger to make the trip. What her mom didn't plan on was that Amy isn't ready to settle down in Connecticut - and Roger (with baggage of his own) is totally okay with taking a few detours as well.

First off, Amy, who is the main character and narrates the book, is fan-flipping-tastic. She's real and relatable and sympathetic and flawed and just... awesome. As surprising as this may sound, even with everything she's gone through recently - losing her dad, her brother going into rehab, living at home by herself with her grief for a month - it's really easy to be inside her head throughout the book. Even though the "epic detour"/road trip takes place over only a few days, I saw a real progression of character growth for Amy - especially with her acceptance of her grief for her father. More than anything, I felt like this book was about Amy's emotional journey, and her finally coming to terms with what has happened to her family. And this was extremely well done.

But this is also a romance, right? Well, that's one thing that took me by surprise... One of my favorite things about Amy & Roger is that Amy doesn't immediately fall for Roger. (Okay, yes, the book takes place over a matter of a few days, but bear with me.) I was expecting Amy to immediately confide in Roger about everything - for him to be her shoulder to cry on, and that their relationship would build from there. But that definitely isn't the case. She finds strength in herself first, which is amazing. Heck, the first time she even really talks about her father is with a total stranger, because she was ready to talk about it at that moment. I loved that.

Roger is awesome. To be honest, he was less obviously-swoon-worthy than I was expecting, but I actually thought this made him even more appealing and more realistic. He's a ridiculously decent guy, but he's also got a lot of baggage of his own. And it took me a while to fall for him, just like it takes Amy a while before she realizes she really likes him.

Even though the road trip only lasts a few days, and thus, Amy and Roger's relationship does happen pretty quickly, I felt like the emotional story-arcs were given the perfect amount of time to develop. Amy and Roger were put into a situation where they were often brutally honest and totally themselves around each other (being in a car together 24/7 will do that). And there was never a moment where I went, "Woah, she suddenly likes him, when/why/how did that happen?" The feelings develop so gradually that the relationship doesn't happen, so much as make sense by the end. And that was a distinction I really appreciated.

I can't write this review without talking about one of the most unique aspects of this book - the road trip scrapbook. Interspersed throughout the book, there are pages of pictures, notes, and playlists, which Amy and Roger have compiled on their journey cross-country. Also interspersed in these pages are receipts from stores and mini-marts and restaurants. At first, I thought this was a little weird - the pictures are one thing, but why should I pay attention to the receipts? But omg, guys. If When you read this book, pay attention to the receipts. Seriously, the whole receipt thing is one of the cutest things ever, and you will thank me when you reach the last page.

And speaking of the last page... even though we're not given a real concrete ending - the book ends immediately after the road trip ends, and we really have no indication of how long Amy and Roger last after the Epic Detour is over - I do think we're left in the right place. The book definitely does its job of telling Amy's story, and it leaves things on a very hopeful and totally adorable note between Amy and Roger. As much as I might want more, I appreciated this ending a lot.

In conclusion...
Can you tell that I liked this book? Yeah, I thought so. It took me long enough to get into contemporary and then finally pick this one up, but I loved every minute of it. Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is just that - epic - and emotional, and moving, and adorable, and real. Contemporary fans, this is one book that you should not pass up.
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{ Find this and other reviews at my blog, There were books involved... }

[Jyc]

★★ // feels closed-off most of the time. interesting ending. using the word “epic” to describe this detour is quite a reach, huh.

[ellieroth]

“Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour”, es un libro fascinante, entra en la categoría On-Road, así que si te gustan los libros de viajes, como a mí, lo vas a amar. Está acompañado de una más que excelente banda sonora: Elvis, Wicked, Mika, RENT, entre musicales, oldies, Rock&Roll e Indies. Lo interesante es que la misma Morgan tiene los playlist armados para nosotros.

Ahora sí el libro.

Recuerdo empezarlo temprano en la tarde, iba a leer una par de capítulos y dejarlo para después, tenía pensado que duraría dos o tres días. Solo me duró uno, con descanso para comer y otras necesidades humanas como respirar.

El libro es atrapante desde el primer capítulo, tiene un comienzo un tanto existencialista muy bonito, seré sincera, pensé que sería un libro triste, ya me veía llorando a mares u odiando a la protagonista por llorona. Pero no. Es muy entretenido. Nos encontramos con una Amy que ha estado llevando la muerte de su padre de manera sombría, su familia tomó cambios radicales que no la dejaban procesar su dolor. Al contrario, lo empaquetaba y la consumía por hacer las cosas bien y más fáciles para su mamá. Uno de los grandes cambios es la mudanza, hecho que la hace sentirse vacía al no tener Hogar al cual regresar, todos estos cambios dolorosos son demasiados. Su nueva casa se encuentra en Connecticut, un viaje de aproximadamente tres días manejando, eso siguiendo el itinerario de mamá. Roger, hijo de un conocido, es el chofer, casi no se conocen, pero por ahora tendrán que soportarse durante tres largos días. En el camino, cada quién por sus propias razones, toman un pequeño e inocente desvío. Que va bien, pero despierta en Amy poco a poco, y con la ayuda de Roger, la persona que era.

Lee la reseña completa: El Extraño Gato del Cuento

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

After really enjoying reading Saving June by Hannah Harrington, and loving the road trip aspect of it, I was keen to start reading another road trip book. So I picked up Amy and Roger's Epic Detour hoping for another brilliant road trip story - and that's exactly what I got!

After the death of her father, Amy's mother decides to pack up and leave California. As her mother headed to Connecticut early while Amy finished the school year, Amy has to road trip it down with Roger, the son of a friend of the family. After the car accident her father died in, Amy is no longer able to drive, and finding it difficult to cope with his absence and all the change. But a road trip with Roger, who has problems of his own, might just be what they both need.

Amy & Roger's Epic Detour is a fantastic book! There are so many issues Amy is having to deal with; not only her father's death, but the fact that she blames herself for it, that no-one seems to want to talk about it and her mother has practically abandoned her, and her stoner brother is in rehab after going off the rails with his partying after their father's death. Then her mother expects her to spend several days in a car - knowing her father died in one - in the company of someone who is practically a stranger, no matter how hot.

The route Amy's mum planned out for them is boring. Nothing to see along the way, just hours of relentless boredom So Roger suggests a detour - as long as they make it to Connecticut in time, what does it matter what route they take? So that's what they do. The places they go, the people they see - it's one hell of a journey, with things for both of them to learn along the way, about each other and about themselves, and take a step closer to learning how to heal.

The romance is a slow burner, but one that is all the sweeter for their issues. Both have things weighing heavily on their hearts that is takes a while to see what's right in front of them, but once they do, oh, it's just awesome! You're rooting for them both to open their eyes the whole time, and you can't help cheering once they see what you have from the beginning.

Not only is it beautifully moving and uplifting, there are awesome extras! Before the trip started, Amy was sent a travel scrap book from her mother, and she fills it with things she picks up along the way - and we get to see them; photos, receipts, postcards, etc. making the story feel that much more credible. My only problem is that I wish they were colour photos! There are some really beautiful photos there - ones that Matson actually took herself when she took the road trip Amy & Roger go on for research - and I would have loved to have see them in colour! Fortunately, we can do that on Matson's tumblr, but I would have preferred them in the book. There are also playlists for every state they drive through, though music isn't a huge influence on the story.

The only I problem I have with the book is how it ended - yet, it's also one of the great things about the book. I know that doesn't make sense, but I can't explain without spoiling it for you. However, I can say that the ending feels very true. Life isn't certain, and so there was no better way to end the book. Sorry to be cryptic, but you'll know what I mean you read it. It's an awesome ending!

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour is an amazing story and one that will stay with you, leaving it's impact on your heart. An emotional, brilliant story, and I'm so looking forward to reading more by Matson!