The Map from Here to There

The Start of Me and You #2

by Emery Lord

Acclaimed author Emery Lord crafts a gorgeous story of friendship and identity, daring to ask: What happens after happily ever after?

It's senior year, and Paige Hancock is finally living her best life. She has a fun summer job, great friends, and a super charming boyfriend who totally gets her. But senior year also means big decisions. Weighing "the rest of her life," Paige feels her anxiety begin to pervade every decision she makes. Everything is exactly how she always wanted it to be--how can she leave it all behind next year? In her head, she knows there is so much more to experience after high school. But in her heart, is it so terrible to want everything to stay the same forever?

Emery Lord's award-winning storytelling shines with lovable characters and heartfelt exploration of life's most important questions.

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Contemporary, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult Romance

368 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2020

About the author

I'm Emery, and I write books about flawed girls who are really trying, complicated families, friends who show up even when everything's going down in flames, and the moments that change everything.

I don't check my GR inbox, but feel free to get in touch via ways listed on my website!
http://www.emerylord.com/p/site-qs.html

Reviews

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

this story is so real that i feel personally attacked right now (in a good way).

wow. after the fluff that was ‘the start of me and you,’ i was not ready for the struggle and heartbreak that is so real when it comes to relationships. my emotions were all over the place with this during the second half of the book, which is really where the story shines.

the first half was almost boring. max was literally nowhere in sight, and hes the whole reason i picked up this sequel, so that was a little disappointing. but the second half is really something else. its raw and tender and so, so, so real. i dont know how else to say it.

its also obvious theres going to be another book in the series. if not, im very upset, because this story ends right in the middle of spring break. why on earth did they spend so much time talking about prom and graduation and choosing a college if we arent going to read about it? so hopefully the story will continue!

↠ 3.5 stars

[Melissa Veras · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really hope this book contains A LOT OF MAX.

edit. it did contained a lot of Max. 3.5 stars.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars




When I read The Start of Me and You earlier this month, I was obsessed. It's one of my favorite YA books I've ever read. This book was fantastic and a great conclusion to their story. It didn't give me quite the same feels as the first, but it was a solid read and I truly enjoyed it!

This is a book about self discovery. It's a book about making big choices, finding yourself, believing in love, and leaning on your friends. These characters mean so much to me and Paige and Max stole my heart. I was emotionally invested in their story. I laughed, I cried, and I felt so much. If you haven't read these books, you are missing out. They're truly exceptional!

[Madalyn (Novel Ink) · Rating 5 out of 5]

no one is allowed to talk to me for at least a week; I’m too fragile after finishing this book

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is:
- 99% fighting
- 1% graduation nostalgia
- 100% me not understanding why this couple wants to be together so bad

But I still...don't think I hated it?

I mean, death to all 17 year old couples who insist on pretending they're going to make it through college to the detriment of their friends and families. Death to all jealous boyfriends who don't let their girlfriends have male friends. Death to all who get to go to NYU due to a financial ignorance I was not permitted.

But.......somehow........this was kind of nice.

I love my high school friends still and so I love reading about groups of high school friends. Even if I have to grab for scraps of said groups amidst so much nonsense relationship drama and zero relief.

I don't even know what I'm going to rate this.

2.5?

Bottom line: I finally lost it.

---------------
pre-review

i can't tell if i liked this or hated it.

either way, it made me feel a lot of things.

review & rating to come

---------------
currently-reading updates

this book is about "what happens after happily ever after," which to me sounds frighteningly like "nothing, because the plot is over."

---------------

challenging myself to read as many review copies as possible this month because i'm addicted to projects!

ARC 1: spaceman of bohemia
ARC 2: in search of us
ARC 3: aerialists
ARC 4: the sound of drowning
ARC 5: unleaving
ARC 6: the other side of luck
ARC 7: romanov
ARC 8: the storm keeper's island
ARC 9: gut check
ARC 10: when force meets fate
ARC 11: sisters in hate
ARC 12: before i disappear
ARC 13: big time
ARC 14: stolen science
ARC 15: have a little faith in me
ARC 16: invitation to a bonfire
ARC 17: the splendor
ARC 18: how to be luminous
ARC 19: the little women cookbook
ARC 20: while we were dating
ARC 21: the lost girls
ARC 22: wait for it
ARC 23: your life has been delayed
ARC 24: a million things
ARC 25: the royals next door
ARC 26: the love hypothesis
ARC 27: we light up the sky
ARC 28: the printed letter bookshop
ARC 29: on location
ARC 30: how rory thorne destroyed the multiverse
ARC 31: the map from here to there

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big Emery Lord fan, and The Start of Me and You is my favorite of her novels. So, I was experiencing a mix of anticipation and nerves when The Map From Here to There, which is the long-awaited follow-up story, was announced. It didn’t help that, upon picking up this sequel, I was coming off a reread of its predecessor that had left me perfectly content with that lovely ending. I knew going into it that my beloved characters wouldn’t be staying happy, simply because 1) this is a sequel and there would be no plot (but plenty of fluff) if everyone was still happy and 2) life isn’t always that simple especially if you’re a teen on the brink of a big life change.

True enough, Paige and her friends are all navigating their senior year experiences and the future that lies ahead of them. The story highlights all the best parts and difficult bits of being a high school senior, as well as capturing the maelstrom of both nostalgia for the present and excitement or trepidation for the future. And, in every aspect, it was entirely relatable! It might have been years since I was in the same position as these teens, but man, did this story bring me right back to when I was a high school senior. Lord’s portrayal of this period in most of our lives felt realistic, as she does cover the highlights reel, the complicated growth relationships can get pushed into and the hard choices that need to be made sometimes with her storytelling. Through the ups and the downs, I was thoroughly immersed in the outcome of this chapter in Paige’s life. I loved the authenticity that rang throughout this story, and I would highly recommend checking out The Map From Here To There.

(You can technically read this without reading The Start of Me and You, but the emotional impact is much greater if you read the first part of Paige’s story prior to checking this one out.)

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[h o l l i s · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE START OF ME AND YOU was published back in 2015 but, unlike so many readers, I only read it a few months ago. And I only picked it up after hearing that there was a much-anticipated (or was it unexpected?) sequel to be released. I'll admit that it was a little rocky for me at times but everything that didn't quite work.. eventually did. It was such an interesting, and eventually enjoyable, evolution. But the romance is where it didn't quite ever shine for me.

This time, everything from before is still in play, but different. Things feel bigger in this final year of highschool transition into college, and futures, and being away from family, friends, and loved ones. And particularly for Paige and Max who, in the final pages of book one, admit their feelings, only to then be facing a summer apart.

It's in the early chapters of THE MAP FROM HERE TO THERE that they are reunited, and in the first real blush of in-person-boyfriend-and-girlfriend, post-all the months where the heart grew fonder, everything is great. Until it isn't.

I actually so appreciated this approach. It finally sold me on the romance, without making it seem like an excuse to a) have a second book and b) just drag out the real payoff, because I felt so much of what they were both going through to be completely reasonable. But though the romance and angst does take a slightly bigger focus than it did in book one, this is still mainly about friendships. And, wow, the friend group? Amazing. The dynamics are beautiful, the heartbreaks, even the fights, it's all so great.

Despite this praise, I wouldn't say this book ever really hit that wow factor moment for me, even though so much of it just.. worked, and it moved me enough to make me weepy. More than once. But it's in the aftermath, the quiet, the pause for reflection, that I realize just how much I enjoyed this. This really felt like such a great, healthy, realistic, and delightful, portrayal of this time period of one’s life, while still being fun and grounded, and tackling very real emotional struggles and worries. Everything you want for YA audiences (and above!).

Would recommend.

** I received an ARC from Edelweiss and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **

---

This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pre-review:
New Emery Lord novel and new Taylor Swift music announced on the same day. We must truly be blessed if these queens are creating more masterpieces. HERE FOR ALL THINGS EMERY!

[Zaynab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn’t want a peek into the unknown as the last page is turned and a soft sigh escapes the reader to wish the book characters a happily ever after? What really happens in the bittersweet odyssey from here to there? A beautiful tale of coming to terms with individuality, anxiety, substantiality of existence and the crucial impact of earnest company in life altering decisions.

[Stacee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve had my hands on this arc for what seems like forever and I don’t know how it took me so long to get here.

I really liked Paige. She’s struggling and anxious and just being a teenager and at times it was hard to be in her head. Not for any of those reasons specifically, but also, it was those reasons exactly. Everything was heightened and emotional and maybe a little nonsensical.

Plot wise it was just okay. Scenes did feel repetitive and the constant push and pull with Max made me want to rip out my hair. {And don’t get me started on the nearly entire book-long implication of a love triangle} I will say that Emery knows how to write a group of friends, especially female friends, and as always, she delivers in that aspect.

Overall, it was perfectly messy slice of time. I wanted more answers and sweetness and togetherness. There was a quiet settling when I finished and I realized even though I didn’t get them, it all worked beautifully.

This review isn’t even close to what I want to say and I feel like it’s sort of perfect for this book. There were loads of things I loved and several things I didn’t care for. And while, I wasn’t ever captivated by the story, I did want to know how it all turned out.

**Huge thanks to Bloomsbury for providing the arc free of charge**

[Brooke | brookesreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I N E E D this book!!!
Like,
ASAP!!!!!!
I LOVED The Start of Me and You; there’d better be lots of Max in this

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this title via NetGalley. It does not impact my review.

I noticed that I shelved The Map from Here to There as “To-Read” on Goodreads back in September 2017. I was lucky enough to get an ARC and read this in September 2019. That is a long time to anticipate the book and hype it up. I wish I could say it met my very high expectations, but, unfortunately, it did not. Don’t get me wrong, there were still plenty of enjoyable moments. One of the things I loved about The Start of Me and You were the strong friendships and they were still on display here. Yes, there was some drama and fights, but they worked through them and were always there for each other. There were several funny, bantery moments that I enjoyed, as well. I also liked that Paige’s parents were a strong presence in the book.

There was a lot in this book that didn’t work for me, though. Paige had a lot of issues to work through in the first book and by the end she was starting to figure it out. Instead of her continuing to progress, she had a major relapse back into anxiety and it kind of made all the lessons learned in the first book obsolete. I did find the anxiety stuff relatable, but I would have rather seen Paige continue to grow, instead of spending the majority of yet another book as a mess (and still not communicating it) and then finally growing in the final couple chapters.

Some of the problems I had with this book are probably more my fault than the books, though. I wanted a cute book of Max and Paige being adorable together. Yes, I knew there would have to be some strife, but I thought (hoped) it would be a small part of the plot. Instead, we got very few scenes with them together, unless they were fighting. Paige treated him so, so unfairly and it drove me crazy. He was patient and understanding for awhile, but eventually reached a breaking point where he didn’t handle things well. There is a new character introduced – Paige’s co-worker at the movie theater – that Paige hung out with and talked to like she did Max in the first book. He was also there to stir some jealousy and insecurity in Max. And once that role was played out, we don’t really hear any more about him. Which annoyed me because even though I didn’t like his purpose in the story, he was sweet and funny and I liked him. But back to my original point, the story was much more about the anxiety about growing up and making hard decisions and dealing with change. And this made me feel a little too old for the story. As a cynical adult who has never had a job that utilized her college degree, nor is no longer friends with any of the people she was close to in high school and college, these major crises the characters faced felt a little trivial. I do remember being in high school and thinking these decisions were life and death, so I get it, but I’m just so far past that, that it was kind of hard to take so seriously. I also am not a fan of open-ended conclusions. The biggest focus of the book is where Paige will go to college and the story ends without a definitive answer and that kind of pissed me off.

Another thing that bugged me is that Tess and Ryan aren’t together. I felt it was very heavily implied in the first book that they would get together. I thought her whole arc in the story was how she was all closed off due to her abandonment issues with her parents, but Ryan slowly won her over. Instead, the author decided to fix the lack of LGBT+ diversity from the first book by giving Tessa a girlfriend instead. Not only did I not even get a hint of this in the first book, but it basically skips over the whole coming out part of the book by referencing how it happened in the summer, conveniently between the end of book one and start of book two. Don’t misunderstand, I support a more diverse cast of characters, but it annoyed me to see Tessa with anyone but Ryan.

Overall, The Map from Here to There was just ok for me. I enjoyed parts of it, but had a lot of issues with it, as well. I liked the first book much more, but I think people in the actual target audience age range will appreciate this book much more than I did.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3 Stars

[Kerri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so glad this book is OVER! It’s so long, and it felt like one giant field trip through angstville. I read the first book in the series and thought it was okay, so I gave the second one a shot and really wish I hadn’t wasted my time. All the forward strides Paige makes in book one are backpedaled, and she’s a fairly unlikable person in his book. She says mean things, she does some mean things, and then she’s like, “Hey, anxiety,” like that should forgive all. It took WAAAAAY too long for her to own up to her own mistakes. And once she finally did, the book felt readable. Too bad that was basically the end.

It was also pretty irritating that the relationship we all waited for through book one was barely present in book two. It starts out with Paige feeling nonsensically self conscious, and then the author skips over all the cute new-couple moments, and speeds straight into Majorproblemville. It was disappointing, it was exhausting, and it was tedious. I got so tired of being inside Paige’s head. I’ve read books where the main character has anxiety before, and felt like it was handled much better. Kasie West's By Your Side comes to mind. This just felt like so many things going wrong that could’ve easily been avoided, and again, so much drama. My 15 year old, the target audience for this book I might add, was put off. Her thoughts? “There’s already so much angst and negativity and anxiety in real life. Why would I want to read about more?” Pretty much.

I get wanting people to be able to find themselves in a book, finding relatable characters and so forth, but that shouldn’t mean the book itself should be a total downer.

[Danielle (Life of a Literary Nerd) · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I often had the distinct feeling that strangers watched us with annoyance, teenage girls with cotton candy lives. They could think that— that we were frothy and carefree. 
Would they ever guess how strong we were from carrying each other?"

3.5 stars

I wasn’t expecting to become so emotionally invested in this story. I was expecting a typical finding yourself/growing up story about moving on and college, but there was so much heart! I loved the strong friendships in the story so much - there was just so many great moments of happiness amid Paige’s anxiety. And as always, I loved the little family moments we got -Paige and her father are so sweet together. The romance was sweet and realistic, but not my new favorite couple. But I felt like they were both mature and I appreciated the communication, even if it was hard for them to find the right words at times. My biggest gripe would probably be the pacing. It was kinda wonky at times and some storylines are introduced near the beginning to not come up again until the end. But it wasn’t a big issue, but could have been better. Overall this was a great story that packed more of a punch than I expected, butI don’t know if it will stick with me.

I received a copy of the book from the pulisher in exchange for an honest review.

[. (not active on this account stop adding me) · Rating 4 out of 5]

representation: side f/f couple, minor lgbt characters

content warnings: anxiety and panic attacks, car accidents

✨ ARC kindly provided by Bloomsbury YA in exchange for an honest review ✨

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm so disappointed. I absolutely loved The Start of Me and You when I read it a few years ago. It just felt like high school to me, and I loved Paige and Max and seeing their growth throughout the novel ... well, seeing Paige's growth. I re-read that book before starting this one to remind myself who everyone was, and I didn't have the same glowing feelings about it, but I still enjoyed it. But I was a bit worried about this sequel. The first book ended practically perfectly. Sure, I wanted to see more of Max and Paige. I felt like I didn't really get to know them as a couple since they didn't declare their true feelings until the very end of that book. I wanted more ... but I didn't want to ruin things.

Sad to say, but ... this book ruined things. I spent so much of this book irritated with Paige and her actions. She and Max were such a good match in book one. They clicked together. They didn't have to work at their relationship because they just fit. And Max was super patient with all of Paige's neuroses. He was the perfect match for her. WHAT HAPPENED TO THESE TWO? First of all, Max is pretty much gone for most of this book. He's not gone away on a trip or anything like that. No. He's at the same school and in the same town. But it's like he and Paige are living completely different lives, never spending any time together at all. And when they do get together Paige immediately goes into freak-out mode, pushing Max away because they are too close. Too close? They hardly speak to each other. I'm sorry, but I've hung out with enough high school couples to know that this is completely unrealistic for high school relationships. They are normally hyper-into each other, spending a ridiculous amount of time talking, texting, hanging out, making out, etc. But Paige and Max? Not so much. They are two ships passing in the night, and one of those ships is constantly working to sink the other. It was sooooo irritating. I wanted way more Max and way less angst.

And speaking of angst ... this book was a total angst-fest. Goodnight, Paige! Take two seconds to get over yourself? Yeah, I know ... at the end of the book (spoiler alert) Paige realizes that she has a diagnosed anxiety issue. But that was true in book one as well. In this one I was REALLY tired of being inside the head of this Negative Nelly. Book one worked because Max was there to counterbalance Paige's angst. He was there to help her see the positives and live her best life. But in this book it is just Paige sabotaging every single thing in her life with nothing to push back against that. And I hate to say it, but I felt like I agreed more with Paige's mom, Max, and Tessa in this book than I did with Paige. They all seemed to have their heads screwed on straight, but somehow at the end of the book I was supposed to think that there was enough guilt to go around. Nope. Paige was the drama queen in this one. Everyone else was just trying to figure out how to avoid her tornadoes of emotions.

Maybe I was already grumpy about things, so I noticed this in a way I wouldn't have in other books, but I felt like Emery Lord must have had a checklist of "YA themes and issues" that she wanted to throw into this book. These are the same characters who were in book one for the most part, but now suddenly everyone has a new identity or issue that I guess makes this book seem more inclusive. I don't know. I love books that have lots of diversity and where YA characters are dealing with real life issues, but I hate it when I feel like an author has thrown them all together into a book just to seem "woke." Throw in a few of these issues, but when every other page introduces something else and doesn't expand on it, it sure feels like it is only there to check off a box instead of enhancing the characters or the plot.

And finally, the ending was stinky. Where book one ended perfectly, this one just fell flat. No warm fuzzy feelings here. No wishing that it hadn't ended. No sadness to see these characters' stories over. It didn't work for me at all. But, again, I was already feeling grumpy about the book, so I wasn't leaning toward being happy with the ending anyway.

I will say this ... I gave this book three stars because I do think that those who are in their final years of high school might find much to enjoy in this book. I would imagine that they might relate to it in a way that I did not, and ultimately they are the target audience for this story. I am actually a mom of a senior in high school this year who stresses about her future almost as much as Paige does. While Paige's relationship angst doesn't feel realistic when compared to my daughter's experiences, her senior year stuff does. Seniors do tend to stress out about things that older adults know are not worth the anxiety. They do think about a world where they are leaving lifelong friends. Paige and her friends did seem realistic in that way. I was just reading this as a parent and not a teenager, so I didn't have the same level of patience with it. Despite my rambling review, I didn't hate the book. I liked it well enough. It was just a let-down after what I thought was an amazing first book in this series.

[Alisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 🌟

"He was learning to wait—learning that I wouldn’t always keep perfect pace with him and he couldn’t assume"

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

friends to lovers never fails

so cute & wholesome

cw: anxiety, panic attacks, vomit, death of loved one (in the past, mentioned)

[Michelle Yang]

Am I reading this right.









Am I.....

A sequel for THE START OF ME AND YOU? MY FAVOURITE BOOK EVER?

MORE PAIGE AND MAX??? MORE OF EVERYONE?????????????


I CANT RIGHT NOW. I NEVER THOUGHT ID WANT A SEQUEL FOR THIS BUT OMG.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooof. What a book. About friendship and growing up and handling big life changes and being a mess. I also loved, having just reread THE START OF ME AND YOU, the ways Emery's growth as a writer has really focused on writing more inclusive stories and I feel like she did that so well.

[K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trigger warnings: car accident, anxiety, death of a loved one (in the past).

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "bittersweet". I LOVE the first book in this series, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one, even though it wasn't quite what I would have wanted a sequel to be. It's essentially a book about senior year and all the decisions that go along with that. It's a book about changing friendships, changing relationships, changing family situations, and the fact that all three of them require work.

I love Paige as a protagonist and I love Emery Lord's writing. I just...kind of missed Quiz Bowl, to be perfectly honest. (It's great though, it really is)

[Andi (Andi's ABCs) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Andi's ABCs


I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I admit I was nervous when I learned there was going to be a sequel to The Start of Me and You. I was so happy with how things ended with Paige and Max I was terrified where it would go. But I am also an Emery Lord fangirl so there was no way I wouldn’t read it. That being said it is safe to say that The Map from Here to There demolished my feelings and added a whole new level to Paige and Max’s relationship that just deepened my love for them.

The Map from Here to There was a tough read for me. Paige was driving me a crazy for a lot of the book because she refused to talk to people. But the more I read the more I understood where she was coming from and what she was feeling. Being 17/18 is hard. Things are going to change no matter what and you have to come to terms with that. You have to make a decision that could effect the rest of your life and that is no easy task. So as much as she was bugging me, I also related to her. And then there was Max. The poor boy didn’t know which end was up. He was confused by everything going on with him and Paige, about picking a college, of building a relationship he thought he had let go of.

Everything about these two was emotional and messy and honestly I think the beauty of Paige and Max was how messy things got and how wonderful they both were. I basically cried the last 25% of the book because of how messy and wonderful Emery Lord made these two characters. What started out as a tough read (admittedly out of my own fear) because this gorgeous story of two young people just trying to find their way under all kinds of pressure from everything around them.

If you haven’t picked up an Emery Lord book yet you are missing out on her masterful story telling. Will you need tissues reading this one? Absolutely. Is it worth the ugly crying? 1000% yes. Just do yourself a favor and read The Start of Me and You and The Map from Here to There. You won’t be disappointed.

[A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book, and I read it not realizing it was a sequel. Man, was it good!
"Would they ever guess how strong we were from carrying each other?"
The friendships, the families, the romance...so real and relatable, excellent representation of anxiety, many misty-eyed moments. How I have not heard of this author until now? Adding all of her books to the TBR.

[Tiff · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS BOOK IS EVERYTHING. I am in shambles right now trying to piece together my thoughts. It’s so friggin realistic and so gorgeously written and so thoughtfully plotted and I cannot with these adorable characters and the friendships and omg.

Review when I’ve recovered. Or possibly reread and begged for a sequel.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paige felt she was ready to take on senior year after spending the previous year re-introducing herself to high school society and with an amazing summer under her belt. She was ready for anything, or so she thought. As senior year began to unfold, she was faced with major decisions, evolving relationships, and suddenly, her future didn't seem so clear cut any longer.

I will start by saying, this was not what I had anticipated. I just recently read The Start of Me and You, and had expected this book to focus more on Paige's romance with Max. It seems that Paige's journey wasn't finished, and I was perfectly ok with that, because this was utterly beautiful story of beginnings and endings and everything in-between.

Senior year can often be a crossroads year for many, and I think Lord captured that quite well. A big issue facing Paige was being separated from her loved ones, her family, her support system. All her friends seemed to be going in different directions for school, as well as her boyfriend, Max, and her interests were in universities on the coasts. Her struggle and anxiety with this was understandable and conveyed so well.

As much as I had hoped for this to be a gooey romance, I loved that Lord focused on friendship, especially the strong female friendship which existed between Paige and her three besties. Not only was Paige experiencing some reservations about her future plans, which were morphing, but so were those of her friends, and this caused a bit of a change in their dynamic, though, the friendship still remained strong. The conscience effort they made to nurture their relationship during this tumultuous time period gave me hope that they would be ok, should they be geographically separated.

We also saw the reemergence of Paige's anxiety. As with the previous book, Lord depicted mental health issues in a real and sensitive way. I spent many years in treatment for anxiety, and I always appreciate when it is handled well.

I don't know if I should be surprised or not, because Lord never fails to make me feel, but this book hit me harder than I thought it would. I am over here, tears running down my cheeks, as I write this review, because I just have so many emotions about this story. It wasn't tragic, but endings of any sort seem to evoke such a strong response from me. It's quite a testament to Lord's skills, that I am sitting here, reliving the emotions of this book, one week later, and still shedding tears.

Quick list of things I LOVED!

❤️ Friends bucket list
❤️ Life in the theatre
❤️ Paige's sappy dad
❤️ Max's Christmas gift
❤️ Honest and open discourse
❤️ Friendship!
❤️ Family time

Though I still have questions and wonder about what will happen next, I am very hopeful for Paige and everyone else I grew to love in this book. Paige's journey was not an easy one, but I do think it was well worth the trip.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well this was angsty and also not romantic :(

[Kelly (Diva Booknerd) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paige Hancock's world fell apart after her boyfriend Aaron drowned in a tragic accident, her steadfast friends were there to support her through the trauma and anxiety, including Max, Paige's friend and now boyfriend. Paige and Max have just spent the last few months apart, Paige exploring New York City and her dream of one day becoming a screen writer, while Max has been holidaying in Italy. Reuniting before embarking on their final year of school and together with their group of friends, their final year before scattering across the country for collage.

Paige is a planner, she likes to know where she's going before she begins her journey, to schedule her time and organise her life in an orderly manner, so collage applications are especially stressful, the fear of the unknown. Beneath Paige's anxiety is a brave and fiercely determined young woman wanting to pursue her dreams of becoming a screenwriter, although lately she isn't so sure. The eldest daughter of her journalist father and mother, her parents understand the pressure Paige places upon herself and remind her of the importance of caring for herself, even if Paige herself doesn't quite realise how debilitating her anxiety is becoming. Her parents are in a precarious situation, separated but continue to date one another, her mother placing stability and the emotional welfare of Paige and her younger sister before her own needs. Their family unit might be a little unconventional but it works, the Hancock girls giving their blessing for their parents to remarry again.

In her final year, Paige is determined to shake things up, on the cusp of adulthood, deciding on colleges, careers and finding her feet as Paige, not as Max and Paige. Throwing away her planner to become carefree and spontaneous, creating a final year bucket list of all the cheesy and typical teen experiences before college. Paige is a wonderful character as an individual but she seemingly lost her sense of identity within her relationship with Max. Although Max is supportive, Paige needed to be challenged and trusted, Max all but accusing Paige of being unfaithful for spending time with the delightful Hunter Chan, workmate and friend. A double standard considering how often Max speaks to Tessa, Paige's best friend. I didn't dislike Max, I just didn't like who Paige was in her relationship with him.

Although I enjoyed The Map from Here to There, it wasn't nearly as enchanting as The Start of Me and You which was fun, lighthearted and a feel great read. Paige and Max seemed entirely too serious for two teens on the cusp of adulthood. I appreciated that Paige wanted to spread her wings and shake up her routine, Many young adults will relate to the pressure she places upon herself and the daily struggle of balancing her education, life, family, friendships and also working part time.

There's something just so incredibly lovely and gentle about an Emery Lord novel and although I didn't love it as much as The Start of Me and You, still a wonderful, feel great read.

[Haley • Fangirl Fury • · Rating 4 out of 5]

My full review for The Map from Here to There (including my The Start of Me & You reread thoughts) can be found on Fangirl Fury.

7/3/19:
I'm writing my full review for The Map from Here to There right now (which will be published on the blog closer to release date) and I've come to realize that while I did enjoy this one, I didn't love it as much as I had hoped for?? It was definitely such an addicting read and solid story from Emery Lord, but I experienced such as disconnect from Paige and I was expecting more from her relationship with Max. Please continue to give me all the hot chocolate and reading dates at Alcott's though.

[Kari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This is hard because I loved The Start of Me and You, and because I loved it, I enjoyed many aspects of this book. I liked seeing these characters I grew to love again. Unfortunately, the plot didn't really do much for me. Or the lack thereof. Paige annoyed me in this one. I didn't feel satisfied with this one.

[Jodie- Readthewriteact · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Start of Me and You so I was excited from The Map from Here to There. Paige and Max were so cute. This book had the same vibe but I definitely didn't find it as good as the first book. I found Max and Paige both annoying at stages. For smart people they can be very stupid. I did enjoy the heart of the story, doing what's right for you but I don't see Max and Paige lasting. I don't think they should to be honest. They don't relationship well.