Amy and Roger's Epic Detour- Morgan Matson- Lighthearted, Lively, The Perfect Summer Read

During the summer, I read six books, each with very different genres, yet all almost as good as each other. However, Amy & Roger’s Epic Detour has to be one of my favourite. With its lightheartedness and lively characters, it was the perfect summer read. The book, with its dominating genres of romance and adventure, was not only bright and happy but had its darker aspects which brought realism, and interested me further. Surprisingly, there was also a character called... KIKI, which made me like the book even more hehe :)

"There weren't enough tears to cry."

Amy Curry has been alone for months: spending most of the summer in her room, reluctantly welcoming potential house buyers and eating microwaved pizza off of the same plate. Every day. After the tragic accident, both her mother and brother have managed to escape, leaving her to grieve in solitude, with only her own thoughts of guilt and pain to keep her company. Her mother has moved across the country and has given Amy the responsibility of driving the car to their new house which offers a fresh start. However, since her father's death in the car accident, Amy hasn't been able to drive. 

But when Roger comes into the picture, Amy knows that things are about to change. With his good looks and charming personality comes the chance at actually having a good summer. Yet Amy doesn't believe that she deserves it as she's convinced that her father's blood is on her hands. Roger, the solution to her responsibility, but also a total stranger, whose presence doesn't seem all that appealing at first, is somewhat irresistible. And so their journey begins. 

"It's not about the destination. It's getting there that's the good part."

Unlike many other books I have read, Amy and Roger's relationship is a gradual process and Amy begins to feel her crush on him developing well into the novel. In contrast to other books, Amy doesn't immediately confide in Roger about the tragedy, as her strong sense of self-worth causes her to find herself first. So, as their journey advances so does Amy's course of coming into terms with the events that took place. What also made the book quite intriguing was all the truth and confessions that were shared between the two protagonists. By traveling to various places and exploring a handful of states,  they meet a variety of characters on the way. Along with the scrapbook theme and the pages of pictures, receipts and brochures, these short introductions to different characters also brought realism into the book.  

"The best discoveries always happened to the people who weren't looking for them."

While reading this book, my mother and I were continuously discussing where we should go on our Christmas holidays and thanks to it, I had the perfect idea: a road trip around California! It successfully sparked a desire for discovering new things and places in me. So those who are looking for a very satisfying future summer read, or those who just want to develop a yearning for an unpredictable journey, this is the perfect book.


Xo,

Kiki