The Map from Here to There by Emery Lord

Title: The Map from Here to There
Author: Emery Lord
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Publication date: January 7, 2020
Pages: 386
Source/format: Paperback//Library

Rating: ☆☆☆☆1/2

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

Acclaimed author Emery Lord crafts a gorgeous story of friendship and identity, daring to ask: What happens afterhappily 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.

M Y  T H O U G H T S

The Map from Here to There starts a couple of months from where The Start of Me and You left off. Paige Hancock is in her senior year and works at the movie theater in a suburban Indiana town. She finished a screenwriting program earlier during the summer. Paige has aspirations to study film in college and she wants to go to NYC or LA to study.

Max Watson, Paige's boyfriend, surprises Paige with an early arrival from Italy due to a canceled excursion. For those who need a refresher, Paige lost her ex-boyfriend in The Start of Me and You and it was a very rough junior year processing grief. Through an amazing support system, Paige has been able to live her life even during the hard times. She met Max through QuizBowl and ended up opening her heart even though she is healing.

In The Map from Here to There, Emery Lord hones in on the different relationships Paige has, just like in The Start of Me and You. It's not all about romantic relationships but friendships are also important. Lord puts a spotlight on female friendships which is rare in most young adult novels. Kayleigh, Morgan and Tess really care about Paige. Senior year is a big year for many and everyone has their own path to forge. Through college applications to partying to different family dynamics, Max's and Paige's friends are very supportive and help Paige at times when her anxiety peaks. Senior year is about wondering if relationships will be fragmented due to the distance. It's about finding who you are and doing what is best for you.

Although I love how Lord continues Paige's and Max's story, it was a slow first hundred pages with very little happening in the plot. Paige became frustrating in this novel compared to in The Start of Me and You. However, I am happy that Paige and her friends are responsible when they are drinking and they either have a designated driver or they call someone to pick them up at a party. Paige's parents are supportive of Paige when she wanted to resume sessions with her therapist. And Paige overcomes her fears. I find it odd that the book ended right when Paige goes on spring break with her group of friends. I was hoping to see at least high school graduation or the summer before college.

If you are looking for a continuation of Paige's and Max's romance story, this is not the book to find it. The Map from Here to There is focused more on Paige's journey through her senior year and how she deals with loss, a car accident, separation, finances, anxiety, etc. I do have to give Lord credit for adding a super lovable new character. Hunter Chen works with Paige at the movie theater and he adds just the right amount of humor to the novel.

Lord writes contemporary novels about real-life teen issues like losing loved ones or how to navigate life when having mental health issues. Lord discusses how teens cope with having mental health issues as well as addressing how to help those who have mental health issues through her novels. Many readers will be able to relate to Paige and what she endures every day. It's important to forge strong support systems and Lord guides readers to do just that through her characters. I highly suggest reading The Map from Here to There after reading The Start of Me and You even though some readers mention how it's fine just reading this novel as a standalone. Also, check out When We Collided by Lord.