Amy and Roger's Epic Detour

Title: Amy and Roger's Epic Detour
Author: Morgan Matson
Published: May 2010
Pages: 344 (hardback)

Summary: Amy Curry is not looking forward to her summer. Her mother decided to move across the country and now it's Amy's responsibility to get their car from California to Connecticut. The only problem is, since her father died in a car accident, she isn't ready to get behind the wheel. Enter Roger. An old family friend, he also has to make the cross-country trip - and has plenty of baggage of his own. The road home may be unfamiliar - especially with their friendship venturing into uncharted territory - but together, Amy and Roger will figure out how to map their way.

My Thoughts: What a perfect summery contemporary read, am I right? Road trip? Check. A meet-cute situation? Check. Summery, sugary goodness? Check. Amazing characters that make your heart sing? Double check.

I cannot praise these characters enough, though. This is not just your run of the mill road trip story where "the road reveals everyone's true nature." No, this is a very character and character development driven story (which is in my opinion, the best kind).

And I'm not just talking about the Amy and Roger. It was like every time Amy met someone new, she discovered grew a little bit more as a person and came out of the shell she'd created since her father's death. Each new face and new personality had something to add to the mix in a way that seemed so natural and not at all forced, it was so beautiful and wonderful to experience as a reader.

Not only were the secondary characters great, but so were Amy and Roger.  I mean, I was a little frustrated with Amy near the beginning and some of the flashbacks felt a little long to me, but she grew so much throughout the story.

And as Amy's character development took off during their "Epic Detour," so did Roger's, who was at the beginning of this quest just a love sick puppy still licking his wounds from a past relationship. I honestly thought he would end up being a Mary Sue, practically perfect in every way, kind of dude, and I was glad when he proved me wrong by (finally) being the one to coax Amy out of her shell. Also, can you tell I enjoyed this book?

Side note: immediate side effects include wistful giant smiles whilst reading and a sudden urge to plan a road trip. In the summer time. Across the US. In a Liberty. You have been warned.
My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars