I geuinely had a fun time reading this book. I really enjoyed the book. Perfect for those looking for a fun and quick read

Ahhhh this was such a cute little book. I absolutely adore the sweet feels that Emery puts into her books. This one takes the serious subject of teen death and just manages to make it feel wholesome.

One year ago, Paige's boyfriend of a couple of months drowned. This has basically shaped the rest of her life since then. But this year, she has a new plan. She's going to begin to move past his death, with the amazing support structure of her three best friends, she's going to try to get the attention of her old crush Ryan Chase and she's going to start being more social again. Stop being that girl with the dead boyfriend.

The main two things that get in the way of this plan are her divorced parents starting to get back together again, and Ryan's cousin Max who is the cutest cinnamon bun there ever was.

The list that Paige puts together is very reminiscent of Jay's Gay Agenda, and comes up with a couple of the same issues because of it. I, however, enjoyed this book more because the list wasn't given quite so much focus in this one, and also I just liked Paige more as a character. Basically, she doesn't excuse bad decisions that are going to hurt those around her. When she does make a bad decision, it's something like grabbing her friend's car at 2am to bail another friend out of an underage drinking party. Which speaks beautiful things to the main character because this could have gotten her in a lot of trouble.

The main social group is just gorgeous together, and I loved seeing Ryan and Max folded into the rest of Paige's social group and becoming something better than they'd been before. A side story is that one of Paige's friends ends up realising that she's not been in a very good romantic relationship and it shows the rest of the group banding around her in support. They all talk aloud about feeling like they are the one who is taking the most from the rest of them in terms of support and, in general, I really just loved the way communication happens in this book.

Only one thing had me thinking it was a less than perfect book, and that's just because it's a bit of a slow starter.

My favourite Emery Lord book! This book made me long to back in an english classroom. This is a cute and heartfelt YA book and will have you falling in love with Max Watson

This was an enjoyable, cute, predictable story of two teenagers falling in love. I really enjoyed Paige’s character and I was invested in her journey.

Opps!! I've been updating the blog recently and noticed this post stuck in drafts! Sorry it is late but here it is released to the world 

Paige's boyfriend died a year ago, they hadn't been together very long but his death touched all areas of her life, known as the girl who's boyfriend is not a label that is easy to shake off, people still treat her differently.

The book is about ways Paige can rebuild her life, setting out goals. One of these being Ryan Chase, one way to get to him is through in cousin Max spending time with both of them she develops a friendship with Max naturally developing into something more. 

One of the main things I adored is the friendship between the girls how much they stick together. I admire the way Lord developed each of the characters, none of them felt any less than another, each strong but different. 

I was left feeling everything was wrapped up nicely, not in a super cute way of some novels but satisfying. Certainly one to pick up if you like a contemporary YA.

One last note I would like to say is grieving a friend is hard, it never leaves you.

Enjoyed reading but felt that there was not a strong premise. Definitely had mixed feelings about this book!

EDIT: reread March 2020 - just as completely perfect as the first time. I hope the sequel lives up to it.

Open Road Summer bowled me over when I read it a few weeks ago so I practically ran to Barnes and Noble to grab The Start of Me and You on release day. It was perfect.

Paige’s grief over Aaron is all jumbled up. It’s been a year and she still freezes with guilt and shame every time she feels a shred of happiness. A few month relationship has resulted in a broken heart in the most unexpected way possible and she’s still struggling to move on from the grief of it. I love how complexly her emotions are portrayed, how realistically. Everything about her grief rang true, especially the resulting grief of moving on, and it made Paige’s discoveries even more poignant.

Friendship is the blood that runs through this novel just like in Open Road Summer. Following Aaron’s death it was Tessa, Morgan and Kayleigh that held her together. They gave her space, a shoulder to cry on, provided a distraction or whatever it is that she needed, regardless of what it is. They’re exactly the type of friends everyone needs through the bad times, but also through the good. All four girls are very different in personalities, appearance and situation and that brings so many different dimensions to their friendship; it just works. The significance of the friendship to all four girls is so important to each of them as well as to the novel and I was so glad.

But the friendship doesn’t get in the way of Paige and Max. Cute, nerdy, adorable Max became Paige’s life raft; someone to hold her secrets and listen to her fall apart and put her back together again. I loved the banter, the teasing and the bond between them that built without Paige even realising. I love it when a romance develops from a friendship; it has another level of depth and intimacy that a straight-to-love one does sometimes.

Paige’s story is the type that she herself would write. She’s a budding screenwriter who has spent years analysing and decoding her favourite episodes of TV shows and working out what makes the bad ones bad. I really enjoyed seeing her process and how thoroughly she loved it. Her determination to get on the NYU summer course and take a step towards doing something for herself and her career. The fact that Paige managed to put so much effort into it while dealing with her incredibly strange parental situation, her grammy’s Alzheimer’s and trying to complete her get-back-on-track list made her all the more amazing.

With only two books Emery Lord has become a favourite author. Her novels are full of warmth, friendship, heart-ache and a love story that gives me goosebumps. Utter perfection.

This is a lovely book about finding youself, and about family dynamics. I found this book to be very uplifting and will be purchasing so I can re read

I’ve been procrastinating reviewing this book because I just wasn’t sure where to start. Pun totally intended.
A piece of pure emotion about beginnings that ended too quickly and more beginnings that don’t go the way you intend them too, it’s the perfect read to remind everyone that love can never be planned.
I loved that Paige wasn’t perfect and that she surprises even herself. She’s the kind of character you evolve to enjoy. The male lead is also a perfect complement to her character too (I mean, they fall in love, duh)...
What really stood out for me in this book was the really thoughtful manner of writing that expressed Paige’s emotions about the passing of her boyfriend.
Definitely looking forward to reading more by Emory Lord.

Paige is known at school as ‘the girl who’s boyfriend died’. She makes a pact at the start of the school year to have fun. She writes a list of all she wants to achieve along the way. Join clubs, make new friends, fall in love...

This book may be aimed at teens and YA but as someone approaching thirty, I loved it. I devoured it in one sitting. The chemistry between Paige and Max left me wanting more and desperate to find out what happened. Delighted to find out there’s a sequel out next year!

Emery Lord has done it again! 'The Start of Me and You' is a perfect YA romance with a strong female main character. It is one of those warm, fuzzy reads and I was 100% here for it. I loved Paige and Max - they were both so proudly nerdy and I thought that was great! I finished the book in one day and I could not put it down and it was so easy to just binge.

The only minor thing was that I didn't like how the letters left it at the end. I think I would have preferred it to have ended before the letters bit but I still really enjoyed the book so it wasn't that much of an issue.

Thanks for the copy!

This book was very YA, however since I don't mind that aspect, I did enjoy it!

Paige is dealing with her own personal dilemma as she tries to come to terms after her boyfriend passes away. This is always a sensitive topic but the writing managed to curve around too much grief. The reader sees Paige become more confident and happy over a course of a year. Along with a bit of family drama, romance and the bestest of friends, it's all you need!

Thanks for letting me read this and Netgalley!

My first book by emery Lord and I was delighted with her writing, Paige is so well developed, from the very first page you are rooting for her, empathising and just with her every step of the way. It’s such a lovely read, touching on many serious issues like the grieving, but also dementia and divorce. Everything is handled so sensitively and with such tact. I really enjoyed this and I will be looking to read more now.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I thought that this book had a really solid start. I liked that the author was exploring a slightly different take on the YA tragedy - that Paige didn't really know her boyfriend that well when he drowned, and therefore feels sad but also guilty at not feeling that sad and receiving pity she feels is due others. The writing was quite promising early on too.

After a little bit, however, it all fell apart for me. The romance is uninspired. The conversation was very pedestrian, and the main character attempts to be some cutesy Pride and Prejudice come Mean Girls character were a little tired. Frankly it was lame, and boring, and I skimmed to get myself through to the end.

Good things: I liked Paige's relationship with her grandma. I also didn't mind the whole divorced parents dating each other thing. I thought that was different.

Well, what can I say.. this book was just lovely! Once I started, I could not put it down!
I instantly warmed to every single character, which is rare for me. I particularly loved the friendship between Paige and her three best friends, they were such a strong, supportive group (which every girl should have!) but I also really enjoyed the new friendships that were forged throughout.
Overall, with its humour, wonderful friendships, family dynamics, the cutest romance and a well done narrative around grief, The start of you and me is the perfect summer read!

This YA novel is an optimistic, but moving and well-written story which doesn't shy away from serious issues, such as divorce and Alzheimer's disease. I was a bit surprised that I enjoyed every minute of it and didn't want to finish it, even though I am much older than Paige, the heroine, and she was much more mature and also cleverer than I was at her age. She is so likable, that I doubt that any reader could dislike her!



At the beginning of the book, Paige, a young high-school student, is known as the Girl Whose Boyfriend Drowned, and she feels that everyone pities her. She suffers from bad dreams, but she also thinks that she is ready to date again, so she makes a plan. This plan, of course, includes Ryan Chase, the boy she has had a crush on for a long time, but what are her feelings about his cousin Max, who actually reads Jane Austen?.Paige has great friends, but she has to cope with seeing her beloved grandmother declining, applying to college, and the puzzling sight of her divorced parents dating...each other.



I think that most 15 year-olds would find it easy to identify with Paige's problems, and her positive and resilient attitude toward life. Most of the characters are easy to like, and I enjoyed reading how Paige gains sinner strength in the novel. Emery Lord writes about Paige's grandmother's disease especially well.



It's a minor point, but I was delighted to find a main character who actually dislikes The Rocky Horror Show! I hate what I've seen of it, and I have never watched the movie - I won't watch it any time soon.



I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book.
Paige was a fully realised character that from the opening of the novel you are fully rooting for her.
Her grief for her boyfriend and the longer term impact it has on her life and how she is treated by others seemed both realistic and sensitive.
I will definitely recommend this to the students I teach and will be buying a copy for my classroom library.
Thank you Netgalley for the digital copy in return for an honest review.

This is one of those feel-good romances that is just sweet enough.
Paige Hancock is pretty well-versed in The Look. She is used to everyone around her - apart from her friends - giving it to her when they realise Paige was the one whose boyfriend died a year ago.
I felt rather awful when I started reading this, because Paige had only been going out with Aaron for a couple of months before he died. I couldn’t understand how you’d let such an event define you in the way Paige does.
That minor gripe aside, Paige is determined to plan a way to move her life on. So, at the start of the new academic year she comes up with a plan to push herself to try new experiences.
I couldn’t help but think the activities she resolves to try were rather formulaic, but - of course - things wouldn’t be good to read about if they went exactly to plan.
We watch Paige grow in confidence, and her group of friends - old and new alike - were fun to watch. They had a close bond and seemed so mature in their approach, particularly with regard to support offered.
I spotted the romance a mile off and it was more about watching how Paige and her new love interest finally get to this stage. Books featured highly in the novel so it had definite appeal.

I've been lucky to read a run of super cute contemporary YA romances recently, and this one was another perfect summery read.

Paige is looking to restart her life after the death of her first boyfriend a year ago, and does so in a typical naive teenage fashion - writing out a list of things to achieve, including who she's going to date in order to no longer be 'the girl with the dead boyfriend'. Of course her choice isn't the right one, and of course in the pursuit of him she meets the right one, but is too blinkered to see it. There's nothing that isn't familiar, even well worn, here. But Lord puts all these almost cliched ingredients together in such a delightful package, it really doesn't matter.

There are tons of positive relationships in this - particularly female friendships. Paige's friendship group are serious squad goals, and they always have each other's backs. There are positive male-female platonic relationships, too, which is another thing we don't see enough of in YA books. So often the focus is on the romantic relationships, forgetting that people are multifaceted, and need more than just their romantic partner to be happy.

Overall, a delightful, easy read. While it deals with some difficult themes around loss, it also has the comfortable familiarity of the YA romance tropes holding your hand and promising a happy ending. Really cute and recommended for fans of the genre.

(I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

This is my first Emery Lord book and I absolutely loved it. This story is incredibly beautiful and I can't recommend it enough!