You know you love a book when you find yourself google mapping a trip to Graceland in the middle of reading it. YOU GUYS! The open road is SO transformative and I know I will forever love road trip book. Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson definitely holds a special place in my heart. Yes, I know I just read it, but it’s totally earned that spot.
Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour
Amy’s mom is in Connecticut. Amy is in California doing last minute things before the house is sold. Her mom has the brilliant plan of having Roger, a family friend, and Amy drive her car from Cali to Conn, because Roger has to go to Philly for the summer anyways. The two decide to take a detour to Yosemite, the first in a serious of unscheduled stop where both will see America and end up working through their issues along the way.
First, I came into Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson expecting a happy go lucky romantic comedy, NOT grief. But lately I just seem to be reading lots of books about people dealing with death. Amy’s father died in a car accident three months prior to the road trip. She’s really messed up from that. You see, Amy’s dad was awesome, he was a history professor and Elvis fan. I will say, go into Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour expecting some really sad parts, but be aware that there will be some parts that will make your heart sing with joy, especially if you are a weirdo like me.
So, the most important thing to me in the books I read are the characters. Friends, I was rooting my face off for Amy. She is SO likable. She’s nice, polite, growing herself a backbone and dealing with issues. We see that she has certainly made her mistakes, but nothing she can’t recover from. And then omg, ROGER! Roger! What a stud. Seriously, he is obsessed with the explorers which gives him like 37 cool points. He’s all hung up on a girl — which I think those of us who have been burned before have been there. Plus he has great taste in music, as I discovered by listening to his playlists on Spotify. (FYI the link will take you to a Spotify enabled playlist for Amy And Roger’s Epic Detour). And okay, I have to mention the minor characters, or rather the supporting players. First, there is Bronwyn, Roger’s college friend who doesn’t hide her light under a bushel. She is so so so so wonderful. Also, there is Lucien, who you will meet later in the book and whom I hope you end up loving as much as I did.
Friends, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson is one of the BEST contemps I’ve read all year. The plot is GREAT. It is inspiring. There is good music involved. In fact, I am such a nerd that during a kissing scene, I turned up the audio book in my car and was like, awww yeah that’s my jam!
The audiobook of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson is produced by Brilliance Audio and narrated by Suzy Jackson. She does a perfect Amy voice, it’s very youthful and captivated me for the entire 10 hours and 16 minutes. If you like Jenna Lamia and Sarah Drew, then you will like Suzy Jackson as a narrator. This audiobook is never boring. Also at no point did I zone out, which is huge, given my magpie-esque attention span. I didn’t love the male voices Jackson used, BUT it wasn’t horrible. If you haven’t read Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour yet or want to re-read, I cannot recommend the audiobook highly enough. It is a good one, also recommended for audiobook virgins.
Disclosure: Received for review.
Other reviews of Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour:
Books From Bleh To Basically Amazing
Ticket To Anywhere
Tahleen’s Mixed Up Files
I Eat Words
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I have really been meaning to read this book. Jennifer read and reviewed it a while back for us and had nothing but praise for it. It’s sitting on my shelf just waiting to be picked up, so this review just might’ve pushed me enough to pick it up soon
It is wonderful. I think you should totally take it off the shelf ASAP!
Ah! I read this one a while back and, even though I’m not such a contemp fan, I fell in lurve! I think this is my top two contemps, neck and neck with Anna and the French Kiss.
Awww, yes Amy And Roger is up there with Anna as well for me!
This was my #1 FAVORITE book last year — so glad you found and loved it too!
<3 It was so wonderful! It really made my drive wayyy better!
I waited forever to read this one, and when I finally did, I was just blown away – it was SO beautiful! Great review, April
Thank you Melissa!
I think it’s worth the wait, as someone who waited forever as well!
Yes! Right?! This book was seriously awesome! I liked it well enough that even the things I didn’t love about the book aren’t enough to take away from how much I DID enjoy it!
I totally recommend getting your hands on a hard copy though- It has pictures of receipts and the playlists and stuff and it just added another layer of awesome to the book because I totally keep stuff like that too, because I’m nerdy like that
(And thanks for linking to my review!
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I didn’t know the hard copy had all those bonus factors — I love pictures and playlists and things like that!
I’m glad to hear that the audio is equally as enjoyable as the print version I read. One of the best road trip books ever!
Yes, the audio is fantastic.
I loved, loved, LOVED this book! I couldn’t agree more with everything you said. This is one of my favorite contemps ever!
I think Amy And Roger is going to be on my list of favorite contemps ever as well.
This has been on my wishlist for awhile,(it was my ‘wishlist’ book this week) and I was debating using my upcoming Audible Credits for it… after your review, it’s decided! This is one I’ll HAVE to listen too.
Yay use it the audible credit for it
I loved this book but I had no idea that it was an audiobook! I will have to look for it. What a perfect way to experience the story!
Great review
It just came out on audio in November
I think the playlists in this book were such a cool addition! I was definitely sucked into this one and blasted through it in one day. However, I did not feel an emotional connection to the characters, so I don’t have as high opinions of the book as many others do.
- Alyssa of Redhead Heroines
Book Review of “Amy and Roger’s Epic Detour” by Morgan Matson
Awww, I wonder if I emotionally connected because listening to it felt like Amy was talking to me.
I totally loved this book too! It was one of my FAVORITE reads last year. I did the same Google map thing in the middle of reading it. I was totally jazzed to get out and start exploring!
I am glad I’m not the only person to have google mapped routes during Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour!