This was a really cute and fun book. I did identify with the main character some! I would definitely recommend this book! A must read!

You Have A Match is a YA novel written by Emma Lord, the author of Tweet Cute. Abby Day and her two best friends sign up for a DNA service, and all Abby expects is for it to confirm that she is indeed more Irish than Connie. She is not expecting the results to show that she has a full sibling, or for that sibling to live a few suburbs away. Savvy, her newly-discovered older sister, invites her to come to the summer camp where she works so they can get to the bottom of what happened and why they didn’t know the other existed for the past 16 years.

Abby and Savvy are excellent foils of each other. Abby is a photographer and risk-taker who has the scars to prove it, and Savvy manages a very popular Instagram feed full of yoga poses, wellness tips, and green juice. They may look alike, but Abby thinks they couldn’t be more different.

You Have A Match strikes a great balance between focusing on Abby’s newfound relationship and her not-so-secret-crush. The romance complemented rather than overwhelmed the core story, which is about family and personal growth.

This is one of the best YA books I have ever read. The characters are fully developed while also acting and speaking like teenagers. There were sweet, touching moments and also scenes where I laughed out loud. Lord writes books that warm my heart and make my stomach growl. I highly recommend You Have A Match and can’t wait to see what Lord writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

You Have a Match is a fun read full of pop culture references. So if that's your thing than this the read for you. It 's a lovely story about following your dreams, love and friendship.

This is a book that I think teenagers would enjoy. I was a bit lost when it came to many pop culture references, and there was a lot of teenage angst ... too much for me. That being said, it was an okay read for me, but probably better for a younger audience.

Thanks NetGalley for the advance read.

Heartfelt story of friendships and family. Lessons of bravery and chasing your dreams. I enjoy a good epilogue, and this delivers.

I really adored Lord’s debut, Tweet Cute, so I was so excited for her sophomore novel! This book was a bit heavier than I was expecting, but it was still so good. I was tearing up towards the end! You Have a Match navigates complex sibling relationships and family secrets with heart and wit.

To support her best friend and secret crush Leo, Abby signs up for a DNA service. She doesn’t really think of anything of it until the results come back, telling her that she has a full sister named Savvy who messages her immediately. After they discover that they live very close, Savvy convinces Abby to go to the camp she’s a counselor for so they can get to know each other better. Once she arrives, she realizes that this is same camp that Leo has been working at. They, along with their friends, try to figure out why their parents have been hiding this big a secret.

I suppose I expected this book to have more hijinks than it did because of the author’s previous book. It does have the level of memes and laughs, just not as often. Also, the romance was a touch more secondary to the “surprise! you have an older sister!” plot although that’s not a bad thing. Honestly, though, comparing You Have a Match to Tweet Cute is a bit like comparing Abby to Savvy: they’re fundamentally different, but at their core, they have the same heart. Both books feature lovable characters who are trying to figure their lives out, as well as navigating complex family dynamics.

I loved all of the characters! I really related to Abby and how she keeps her photography close to her because she doesn’t want to reveal too much of herself. Her best friends Leo and Connie are so great as well, and I really loved their friendship. For me, Savvy was a character I had to grow a little used to at first, much like Abby has to. She appears abrasive and a stickler for the rules, but really she just seeks control. Her best friend, Mickey, is also so fun and adds a lot of humor to the story, as well as their friend Leo.

Maybe the best thing about this book was Abby and Savvy’s relationship. At first, they’re at odds because they’re so different. However, in reality, they’re eerily similar to each other; I loved their dynamic, especially as they grow closer to one another.

The plot is interesting; it was a bit like the movie Parent Trap, in that it takes place at a summer camp and that Abby and Savvy plot to get their parents in the same room. Again, this book didn’t have as many Antics as I thought it would, but it was still really funny. I love Lord’s humor and her pop culture references!

The romance follows the best-friends-to-lovers trope. There’s tension between Abby and Leo after they almost kissed six months ago, but they’re also too close to each other to not be around each other all the time. They’re both so encouraging to both of their interests, which I loved! Also, although she’s dating someone, Savvy is in a somewhat similar situation with Mickey (wlw rep!).

One side plot line that I really liked was that Leo trying to learn more about his culture. He and his sister were adopted from the Philippines, and he’s the reason Abby takes the DNA test because he wanted to see if he could find any blood family. Mickey is also Filipino-American, and she helps him learn more about their shared culture through food since they’re both avid chefs. I really liked seeing this, especially because my biggest tie to my own Vietnamese culture is food (although I am not adopted).

Overall, You Have a Match was a heartwarming read. I laughed, I cried, and most of all, I loved it! I definitely recommend You Have a Match if you enjoyed Tweet Cute or you like complex sibling relationships or friends-to-lovers romances.

You guys aren't ready for this ridiculously adorable smiley book. This will be the reward for surviving 2020. It's not just about sisters finding each other - it's about friendship and how some bonds can be bent or changed but never fully broken, and I just love this story SO MUCH. If you loved "Tweet Cute," you'll love this one too, maybe even more!

I read Tweet Cute earlier this year, and while I liked it, I didn't love it, which was disappointing considering how my friends were all gushing over it. But it was good enough that I was determined to give Emma Lord another try, and requested a copy of You Have a Match on NetGalley.
I am so glad I received the ARC! I ignored all of my responsibilities to devour it in a few sittings. It had all the bright spots of Tweet Cute: humorous dialogue, a compelling plotline, fleshed-out teenaged characters with real flaws that they work through in realistic ways (teenagers who act like teenagers, essentially, which is lovely to see in YA lit). And where the more serious moments in Tweet Cute felt jarring in response to the overall lighthearted tone, here they complemented each other perfectly. It wasn't rare for me to go from laughing to crying in the span of two chapters, and the transitions were smooth.
But mainly, I loved these characters. Seeing the way that Abby and Savvy brought out the life in each other, the strong group of female friends Abby finds in camp, how several characters in the story are gay, not as plot points, but just because. The will they / won't they with Abby and Leo had me so frustrated at times (their missed opportunities are too much to be classified as something as simple as 'miscommunications') but the buildup is satisfying and the ending wraps up all the loose ends quite nicely.

I have to remind myself that reading YA Literature is not the same as reading literary fiction: they are apples and oranges. However, as a hesitant YA reader, I need to continue to read books like this in order for me to be able to recommend books to my students. I know that I can't expect to be reading John Boyne or other literary geniuses.

But for YA, this novel was cute. It was about a young girl, 16, who finds out a huge shocking secret, one that would rock anyone's world, and must try to make sense of the secret how any 16 year old would: by investigating rather than asking questions.

The had "Parent Trap" vibes, especially because of the camp setting, which was really fun, but it was also a YA Rom-com because of Abby's supressed love for her bestie Leo.

When I began to think that some of the dialogue or plot was juvenile, I reminded myself that these characters are in high school, and as a high school teacher, I understand the juvenile mindset very well.

It was cute, and definitely one I will recommend to students! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This is my first Emma Lord book, and now I’m very eager to go back and read Tweet Cute to make up for lost time. What a sweet and fun book, with some really important deeper messages. Leo, Abby, and Connie have been best friends forever, but after a weird incident between Abby and Leo things have been kind of rocky for the three of them. Then, Abby discovers she has a secret sister and they plan to spend the summer at camp to learn more about their history. What ensues is just a really fun teen camp read full of heart and laughs. There’s teen romance, but at the heart of this story is sisterhood, forgiveness, and second chances. I really loved this book and by the second half I couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend!

This book was so cute, and exceeded my expectations. I will definitely be reading more by Emma Lord!

**Links will be available January 4th!!**

ADORED THIS.

You Have a Match is the parent trap, found family, summer camp mash-up I didn’t know I needed. I loved this so much. Emma Lord is cementing herself as an auto-buy author for me. After loving Tweet Cute, I’m so happy I got a chance to read her next book!

I absolutely loved all of these characters. There were weaknesses and strengths. So much growth, and seizing opportunities and finding your future path. It was such a perfect young adult book. Watching Abby cope with learning about her new sister felt raw and real. Abby and Savannah conquered a lot because they realized they truly wanted to be in each other’s lives. Trapping their parents together was such a gem and seeing how the adults worked out their prior conflicts enhanced everything. I honestly couldn’t peg down the full story until it was revealed and I love that it remained a well-timed mystery.

The side story romance between Leo and Abby was PRECIOUS. Such a sweet friends to lovers that definitely had me shipping them from the beginning. I love where it fit in because it never over shadowed the main plot. It clearly was meant to be on the side and it appropriately remained there.

There was just so many little things that added together to make this story what it was. I felt like I learned more about myself just from reading it. Wanting a place to belong, understanding that our parents aren’t perfect, finding that sister you didn’t know you had, and falling in love. Incredibly heart-warming and intensely charming, You Had a Match needs to be on your TBR ASAP.

Overall audience notes:

Young adult contemporary
Language: some strong
Romance: kisses / make-outs

DNF. The characters are beyond boring, and the book is just trying too hard to be something it isn't.

There's an unfortunate trope in romance novels wherein two parties fancy one another but both assume the feelings aren't mutual and so descend into a great deal of angst that could have easily been resolved had one or the other at any point decided to, you know, ASK A QUESTION. This book has that trope in spades between multiple would-be teen romances, between children and parents, and between (newly discovered) siblings. The author attempts to explain these unnecessary dramas by continually asserting that Abby, the MC, struggles with confrontation but this excuse tends to wear thin as unnecessary situation after unnecessary situation slowly pile up on top of each other. It makes for a read that is more annoying than enjoyable, quickly overshadowing the otherwise playful writing style and interesting characters (moreso the interesting secondary characters, to be fair). I'm sure this book will have it's champions, but I am not one of them

You Have a Match is a fun, entertaining read with The Parent Trap vibes that had me feeling nostalgic and all the feels.

The story follows Abby, who takes a DNA test and finds out she has an older sister. She's completely shocked, and becomes surprised when she gets to know her. Savannah is the complete opposite of her. She's an instagram influencer, queen of green smoothies, and only a year and a half older than her.

They meet up at summer camp to discover the truth as to why Abby's parents gave Savvy up for adoption. Her best friend, and crush, Leo is working in the kitchen at camp, putting her love interest on blast. She's trying to figure out their relationship before he goes away to college in the fall. Can she figure out her feelings, and the truth about her sister in a month?

You Have a Match is a wholesome story about sisterhood, first love, and finding yourself. I loved how complex certain subjects in this story were, making it very realistic. The romance was super cute, and I was rooting for Abby and Leo.

Overall, a charming and heartwarming read that I recommend to readers who love YA. I think this would also be a perfect summertime read!

RATING: 3/5 STARS

YOU HAVE A MATCH is a cute novel about Abby who realizes she has a sister, Savannah, her parents never told her about. The story reminded me a lot of The Parent Trap (one of my favorite childhood movies) - two sisters discover each other and shenanigans ensue at summer camp. But instead of setting their parents up they try to understand what happened between Savannah's adoptive parents and their biological parents. The premise and resolution are not the most realistic, but the story was unique and interesting to read. Mixed in with the plot is Abby's relationship with Leo, her childhood best friend.

This book is really well written. As usual, Emma Lord has a delicious way of describing food and there are many cool dishes included, since Leo wants to become a chef. What ended up lowering my rating a little was that the drama between Abby and Leo was drawn out due to poor communication. Usually I don't mind this too much, but in this case it caused my attention to falter while reading. The development of Abby and Savannah's sibling relationship was the true highlight of this novel. Overall, I'd recommend this book as a fun and heartwarming summer read with well-rounded characters.

A sincere thanks to Wednesday Books for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

You Have A Match was an amazing coming of age story that even without the secret sister, we can all relate to. The feelings of not being what your parents wanted, of your friendships shifting as post high school looms, and most assuredly the uncertainty of what comes next.

Abby and Leo are an undercurrent through the book, but the real goal is the sisterhood Abby and Savvy are building together. It was great to see that inherent bond form even before Abby realized it was there

Okay, I loved You Have a Match by Emma Lord! The unique premise, endearing characters, and great writing style make it a 5-star read that I highly recommend.

Abby's life gets turned upside down when a DNA test reveals she has an older sister. Too hurt and confused to confront their parents, Abby and her sister Savvy set out to discover the truth behind the secret adoption while spending a month together at summer camp. But figuring out why her parents kept Savvy a secret is only part of what Abby's trying to figure out this summer. Upon boarding the ferry to camp, Abby finds her best friend and crush Leo headed to work in the kitchen at the same camp. Abby and Leo's friendship has been off ever since the Big Embarrassing Incident happened a few months ago and she's determined to figure out where she stands with Leo before he heads off to college in the fall. Will one month give Abby enough time to get the truth from her parents and see if she and Leo could ever be more than friends?

I read You Have a Match in one day, it's that good! I was completely absorbed and invested in Abby's story. Emma Lord did a wonderful job balancing the secret sister plotline with the budding romance plotline to show that both were important to Abby's coming of age story. I thoroughly enjoyed the side characters of Mickey, Finn and the other campers who welcome Abby with open arms.

I know You Have a Match is releasing in January but it delivered all the summertime feels and I have a feeling it's going to be one of the must-reads for summer 2021!

This was my first time reading Emma Lord but I've already added Tweet Cute to my TBR pile and look forward to whatever else Emma Lord releases next.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author for the digital ARC.

I have never read anything like this before!! This book was truly fascinating, and to read about two sisters uniting and bonding was so intriguing. This books shows that it does not matter what family you are born into or where you come from, it's the people you surround yourself with that make you who you are. The importance of friendships and strong relationships with special people is emphasized throughout the story. I loved reading the character development of Abby, where she gathers the bravery needed to achieve her dreams. I will definitely recommend this book!

This was a delightful read that brought back great memories from my own time at a summer camp, but with much less drama!

I loved the mystery element that this book had - a secret that her parents had been hiding for years. The author did a great job of bringing the whole drama full circle and I didnt feel like there were plot holes regarding it all.

From the beginning I could feel the feelings that Leo had for Abby, even though they were unknown to her! Savvy the secret sister was a delight to read as she navigates who she is and how this whole drama fits into her seemingly perfect life (well one that is on insta at least).

I loved that Abby while mad at her parents didn't waiver in loyalty to them either - she just wanted to know the truth!

Another excellent book from Emma Lord.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for the ARC!