Review: AMY AND ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR by Morgan Matson

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.

This book is one of those books where people talk about it all the time. Honestly, when I was looking at other people's Top Ten Fictional Crushes (in case I was forgetting someone important on mine), Roger popped up basically 1 in 3 times. You have to read it then, right? Who doesn't love a male character who makes girls put him in their Top Ten? 

Overall, let me say, the book was good. It wasn't one that made me go, "WOW, I need to buy this NOW." Honestly, not a lot of books do because I'm cheap. What I'm trying to say is that this book didn't give me goosebumps and didn't make me think about it for days. I even forgot to write a review for it until about a week later (so hopefully I remember everything). 

Throughout the book, we jump back either several years or just several months before. It all relates to Amy and her dad. In March, her dad died and all we know is that it was 1. Amy's fault and 2. it involved a car crash. That's it. Obviously, you can put the pieces together and get the gist of "how" it was Amy's fault. I felt for the poor girl though, because I would feel TERRIBLE. 

Amy's twin brother Charlie is in a rehab facility and her mother has already moved to Connecticut, leaving Amy alone in California. Because of the accident, Amy refuses to drive. Her mother needs the car back ASAP since she cannot share a car with her mother (Amy's grandmother) anymore. So that's where Roger comes in. Roger is the son of Amy's mother's friend. Read that again and I promise it makes sense. Of course, since Amy's mother needs the car back pronto, she made a very detailed trip to Connecticut. It supplies all the hotel reservations, highways, eating stops, everything. Honestly, I get why her mother is in a hurry, but CHILL, woman. Although, if you think about it and ignore she's doing it purely for selfish motives, it is nice of her. 

Instead, Roger isn't too thrilled with it and likes road trips more relaxed. Amy, for once in her life, goes against her mother's wishes and the two teens go on an "epic detour." 

There were moments that made me smile and moments where I connected with the characters. However, I wanted to slap Roger. Don't get me wrong, he's very sweet. I can picture him as a super cute, very sweet, lovable guy. BUT he is a horrible ex-boyfriend. I understand why he would act that way considering how he was dumped, I really do. Why, though, does he have to act so clingy? I want to tell him, "Move on, already!" Calling her nonstop, stalking her across the country, and staying at her parents' place? That would creep me out. Like I said, I understand, but at the same time I just want him to cross that bridge already and move on. Move. On. Dude.

The other thing is that was there really a point in sharing a bed? It provides cute scenes, but not realistic. She was obviously uncomfortable and there were ways around it. So why not get a different route? At first, I wasn't so against it because I thought of that ridiculously sweet scene in Leap Year where they pretend as a married couple. If you haven't seen that movie, you should! Slow beginning, but a wonderful movie. It also introduced me to the lovely song "Dream a Little Dream of Me." 

**

Anyways, I couldn't help but be confused about the fact that they were TEENAGERS sharing a BED because they "HAD" to. Uh huh, whatever. 

Amy also repeatedly said that while Charlie and her were twins, they weren't close. She was confused because it always seemed to be a competition for them. Well, what do you think, Amy? We were probably supposed to, but even I could tell that she was favored. Charlie was just harboring resentment and feeling bitter. Although Ms. Matson does create a conclusion for them, it didn't feel finished for me. I didn't feel like they resolved most things. 

I DID like quite a few things though. The games in the car were great, the loneliest highway was a very nice touch, and the people they met were even good minor (very minor) characters. Amy and Roger, while I didn't like aspects of them (that I mentioned above), they did feel real. It was great how Amy didn't instantly trust Roger. Sure, there was attraction, but she's not a zombie or anything. She felt normal attraction. But there was a process for them. 

Of course, I have to take away points for the process because they did not handle the ending of the process well for me. At all. It might be for some people, but it didn't feel realistic for me. And while I get why the ending was the way it was, I like to have a more concrete ending. I felt like I was just hanging in the balance. 

"Really, THAT'S the ending?" was my initial reaction. 

I do recommend you reading it for yourself. Lots of people (the majority) have all loved the book. Ms. Matson has great reviews on Goodreads and I push you to go see theirs. Form your own opinion. Maybe it wasn't the best thing for me to forget to write a review because I might have missed a couple things. 

While the characters can be lovable, there are great scenes and "quirks", and I loved the pictures and playlists, it just wasn't up to par for me. Sorry. 

**It would not let me link up the actual clip in the movie. I recommend looking at YouTube and hopefully it's  still there. Even better, WATCH THE MOVIE. 
Word to Parents: mild sex, I think language (but can't remember) 

What do you think of Amy and Roger's Epic Detour? 

Comment below!