Five Favorite Things: Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour

In this installment of Five Favorite Things, a book that I have reread at least once a year since it came out in 2010, and one of my very favorite YA contemps EVER:

Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

Friends, there isn’t really anything even REMOTELY negative that I can say about Roger Sullivan. Not even close. There are some YA boys who are stinky, flat out. There are others who are just ok. Still others are wonderful but flawed, as most YA boys tend to be. But there are nearly none who are as inherently GOOD as Roger Sullivan without seeming unrealistic and dull. Morgan Matson has created a guy who is both heart-warmingly DECENT while still engaging and full of his own personality. There’s no doubt about it: Roger is one of the good boys. Perhaps his only fault is that he still has feelings for his ex-girlfriend and asks Amy to go with him a couple of times to try and find her. Other than that, I honestly, HONESTLY am at a loss. I can’t think anything BAD about him. He’s friendly, warm, sensitive, confident, supportive, and patient with Amy as she grieves the death of her father, and their relationship.

Also, he’s got that blond hair, brown eyes combo. KILLER. Even though he basically is a radio hog. And, ok fine, he gets a TEENSY bit jealous, like, ONE TIME. So there you go, skeptics. That’s three things.

This book–which I read for the first time right after it was released and I graduated from library school–was one of my first road trip books, and it remains, at least to me, the standard to which I hold most others. The literal journey that Amy and Roger take together from California to Connecticut, and the way they make their own path from point A to point B, is the perfect metaphor for the growth they both experience. Plus, they visit some amazing places together.

I always thought that Morgan Matson did such an awesome job describing the freedom of being on the road, and of visiting new places. There’s so much magic in those things, and she captured it so well and really romanticized it in the best way.

Seriously, the fact that Amy and Roger visit Yosemite, even though it’s only one stop at the very beginning of their trip, just makes me both giddy and jealous. Visiting the national parks out west is one of my bucket list trips. I just think it’s so damn gorgeous there!

Are you kidding me?

I’ve listened to the audio of AMY & ROGER’S EPIC DETOUR (narrated by Suzy Jackson, who is legit), and I’d definitely recommend it, but one of the coolest things about the print version of this book that the audio doesn’t have, is Amy’s scrapbook. Her mom gives her one of those travel journals to take on her trip and Amy, despite being a little too cool for school about it, uses it.

Also, there’s playlists. Like, full of songs. I love these. They’re both such fun audio and visual enhancements to the reading. The one thing that I need to do soon on one of my many rereads of this book is actually listen to all the playlists while reading. (I don’t need total silence to focus on books.) SOON.

I know that I’ve told you all before how much I love slow-burning romances. For one thing, they’re infinitely more realistic than instant true love, and the realism appeals to me hugely. For another thing, I find them generally more satisfying. Seeing two people grow together slowly and organically, with the hesitancy and the back-and-forth and the friendly flirting–it doesn’t get much better. For all that Amy and Roger only spend about two weeks together, I think Morgan Matson does this slow burn perfectly. I mean, sure it’s only two weeks, but they’re together LITERALLY 24/7, and it’s not like they’re professing their UNDYING love at the end (even though, HELLO, they totally do. It is known). Trust me: their relationship is brilliant.

Umm, YES I WENT THERE. Road trip food is meant to be crazy delicious and also CRAP. But getting to travel to different places and experience different cuisines is a HUGE part of road tripping, and Amy and Roger dive into some local delicacies like Kentucky hot browns, derby pie, Philly cheese steaks, crumbly burgers, and frozen custard. It makes me hungry. But I’m not one of those people who only eats what she needs to survive. Food is more than just fuel for me, so when I read about all these YUMMY things Amy and Roger are eating–In n’ Out burgers, huge diner breakfasts–it’s all I can do to not run out my door and shove food in my face.