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As a woman who lost her mom at 18, I'm always drawn to stories of girls finding themselves and their independence in the midst of grief and missing their mom. I loved the mix of Andie holding on to her past and building her future. Her new found family were my favorite, quirky and loving, really there for each other. Milo and Andie really supported each other, challenged each other and grew together in a mature way and I just love them together. All that being said, the whole Connor bit was very predictable and I could have done with that story line coming to a head earlier in the book.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Andie Rose, our main character, is the definition of type A. She goes into her first year as a transfer at Blue Ridge State with a plan, a legacy to uphold, and a boyfriend back home. With ribbons to win to earn her place in a secret society, family problems to mend, and the troubles of being a transfer, Andie has a lot on her plate. It takes a little bit of loosening up, a whole lot of love, and some things you just can’t plan for to help Andie Rose feel like she’s somewhere she can be herself.

Andie is a mildly annoying main character, but she definitely gets better over the course of the book.

The author’s perception of college life is interesting (y’all if I tried to get my whole floor to play a game of werewolf in undergrad, I would’ve simply gotten roasted )(not that this isn’t a nice thing!) Lord portrays a very optimistic idea of college, but it overall doesn’t take me too far out of the story.

As a college DJ myself, I love the radio concept, and this storyline was a lot of fun to follow and unravel with Andie! While sometimes we must suspend disbelief (transferring schools to be with your high school bf), I think this is a great YA book, especially for older teens about to head to college and for those finding their footing at university.

The ultimate romance plot line is a deeply slow burn that is so satisfying and well worth the wait. I really love the idea that And gets to make her own future and the Emma Lord deftly and tenderly handled issues around family, legacy, and choice.

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Andie has just transferred from community college to Blue Ridge State - the school her boyfriend currently attends, and the alma mater of her late mother. However, her well-thought out plan starts to crumble almost immediately upon arriving on campus when she finds out her boyfriend actually transferred to community college to be with her. But thanks to her roommate Shay and her RA, Milo, Andie starts to find her voice on the same radio-station her mom founded, and begins to really find herself.

Emma Lord can do no wrong when it comes to writing YA novels, and Begin Again is another example of why I love her books so much. This book is filled with charm and the magic and stress and mystery that the beginning of college holds. I loved Andie’s spunk, how deeply she cared for those she loved, and especially her version of cursing. I felt for her when she struggled to find her place within her new family dynamic and how the pain of losing her mother impacted her. Most importantly, I was rooting for her and was cheering her on as she found a love she deserved and began to learn her worth.

I switched between ebook and audiobook and really enjoyed the audio and how it brought this world to life.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

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I was pleasantly surprised with this book. Honestly im not a slow burn friends to lovers kind of gal but i really enjoyed this! I would have liked the main character to figure out her feelings a little sooner but overall her growth was amazing. She starts out as unsure of herself but throughout the story she becomes more comfortable at her dream college and with her friends and she really becomes her own person. This is DEFINITELY a coming of age story! I can definitely see this book turned into a young adult romance move on netflix, kind of like the kissing booth (i love that movie this is a compliment). I can’t wait to see where this story goes and I know it’s going to resonate with so many young readers also trying to find their place in this crazy world!!

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3.5*

Begin Again was an entertaining and endearing read. While the characters are in college, it definitely falls more in the YA category, rather than NA. It was a slow burn, and not in the romantic sense, as this was more of a coming of age tale than an out and out romance. Although it did have some romantic elements, that wasn't really the focus of the story.
While I enjoyed Andie's journey, the story did drag at times and I found myself skimming a bit in the middle. Andie tended to get bogged down in trying to almost relive her mother's legacy, instead of making her own mark, and that got a little frustrating. But I was very happy with how she did finally come into her own by the end of the book.
There was a really great supporting cast of characters in this book, and I really liked that they all had their own little side stories as well.

I think this book will resonate with a lot of teens. Andie is a likeable and relatable character for sure.

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I always love Emma Lord’s books and Begin Again was no exception.

Andie Rose, always a planner, has worked hard to be able to transfer from community college to hyper competitive Blue Ridge State where her boyfriend Connor goes. Their relationship has been rocky because of the long distance, and she decides to surprise him and not tell him she’ll be transferring, instead choosing to show up at his door. I was sure this would end up with her catching him cheating, but no. Instead, Connor doesn’t live there anymore and Andie finds out he transferred to their hometown community college to be with her. And so begins the trials and tribulations of Andie’s first semester at Blue Ridge State.

This book covers a lot of territory. Andie is still dealing with grief over the death of her larger-than-life radio host mother, and the subsequent abandonment of her father who didn’t seem to be able to handle being around her after her mom died. She was basically raised by her grandmothers, and now at school she’s dealing with a little bit of imposter syndrome trying worrying that she only got into the school because her parents were alumni. Ultimately Andie struggles a lot with both trying to live up to her mother’s memory and pave her own way.

Along the way she makes some great friends—an amazing roommate Shay who is so much better than any assigned roommate I ever had, a statistics tutor, and her seemingly grumpy RA, Milo who always seemed unbearably sweet to me. Milo is dealing with his own heartbreak and Andie connects with him almost immediately on a level she didn’t expect to.

I thought this was a wonderful coming of age book about a first year in college that will give a lot of insight and inspiration for teens about to leave the house for the first time. I loved the arc Andie had with her father and the understanding they came to in the book. He was a wonderful character and hats off to Emma Lord for making him so likeable when his actions could have made that a lot more challenging.

I wish we had a little more of the positive aspects of Andie’s relationship with Connor. It was always pretty clear she was going to end up with Milo (and have I mentioned I LOVED Milo), and I understand Andie’s attachment to Connor and his family after the way she grew up, but I wish he hadn’t been quite so awful. I also didn’t love the very end of the book. I didn’t need Andie to get the great guy and the great friends and figure out college and also get a national radio show opportunity as well. I wish it had been enough to just have her be happy at college, but that’s a small quibble in a book I really loved.

The audio was wonderful for this one as well. I think the narrator did a fabulous job with the different voices and I could absolutely distinguish who was talking throughout the book. As Andie, the narration was infused with her pep and optimism and really helped me get in the mindset of the book. I did think that the tutor’s voice sounded a little like Britany Murphy in Clueless, and I had to keep reminding myself she was not a clueless character.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers of YA romcoms!

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Andie Rose transferred from her community college to Blue Ridge State to major in Psychology. Her boyfriend, Connor goes there, and she views it as a chance to repair their rocky relationship. She was hoping to surprise him with her arrival but was the one getting surprised when Connor called her to inform her that he had transferred to her community college to be with her. Woops!

But Andie makes the best of it with her I-haven't-declared-a- major-yet roommate, Shay and her constantly drinking coffee RA, Milo. Andie also finds her voice at the college's pirate radio station.

Going away to college and making friends is a rite of passage for some. You have your family and then you have your family of friends who see you at your worst and best. You try new things, meet new people, and learn more about yourself.

This was an engaging book about finding yourself, finding your family, finding your community, beginning again, and personal growth. I enjoyed Andie, her grandmothers, her group of friends and of course, Milo.

This was a great YA romance book that was equal parts charming and engaging. It’s all about the journey and I enjoyed the journey that several characters in this book went on.

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As always Emma Lord delivers a book full of emotion, heartfelt plots and likeable characters. I immediately cared about the main character, Andie Rose. She has been through so much in her short life and now that she has transferred to her parent's alma mater her college life should be perfect....but all does not go as planned. Shay, Milo and the Grandmas are fun and amazing supporting characters.
This book tackles some tough topics with great sensitivity and in the perfect moments. The plot is not weighted down by these topics but they are worked in throughout to make the book much more lighthearted than it actually is at times.
From the brilliant cast of characters to the well-conceived plot I enjoyed this book very much. Although it is categorized as a YA book it is easily enjoyed as contemporary/realistic adult fiction.
I am extremely grateful to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this delightful book in exchange for an honest review.

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Since her incredibly, well … cute … and fun debut, Tweet Cute, I’ve read every one of Emma Lord’s new books. I admit I’ve hoped each would be as hugely entertaining as that first one, but I’ve been a bit disappointed. That’s not to say each hasn’t been a good book on its own merits, but it’s hard not to compare. This latest young adult book (really a new adult book, with its college freshmen and sophomores) is the same: a fine story with depth and good characters but just not quite as full of the charm and chuckles as TC.

In Begin Again, Andie has managed to transfer to her dream college in the middle of her freshman year. She is surprising her longtime best friend and boyfriend from her small hometown, who has been there since the beginning of the school year. The school is also where her parents met and her late mother was the first host of its underground radio show, “The Knights’ Watch.” Being here is a way for Andie to feel closer to her mom, who died when she was 11. Since then, she’s been raised primarily by her two grandmothers. Her father took a job out of town and only visited. The grief they both have felt at their loss has not drawn them together; rather, it’s kept them at a distance.

Now is where her meticulous and thorough plans for her life will really take off, too. Andie will get her psychology degree to help advise other people, as she has been doing in a column for her high school paper. She’ll eventually marry Connor. They will collect ribbons at the famous activities held for freshmen throughout the year for the secret groups they can be part of during their whole college experience.

It’s all coming together.

But then Connor isn’t there: he’s transferred back to their town’s community college, where Andie went for a semester (to surprise her!). School is hard, particularly statistics. And Andie keeps bumping up against some painful truths she’s been able to kind of suppress. Plus, her hall’s RA becomes a good friend — and has the potential to become something more. But there’s Connor to think about back home.

Begin Again follows a young adult who is trying to find out who she really is and what she really wants, much as most people her age. Andie has the added concerns of her distant father to deal with and grief for a mother she lost young — and expectations she’s set for herself based on those gaps in her life. As she makes new friends and slowly faces her fears, Andie begins intentionally creating a life that truly fits her. It is a young adult romance book on its face, but it’s fully a lovely story of blossoming into adulthood.

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Begin Again was such a charming, heartwarming young adult story that had me hooked from the beginning. It does cover some heavier topics but still left me with such a warm feeling. This was my first book by Emma Lord and I just loved her writing style. I’m definitely going to need a physical copy of this book for my shelves!

Andie is a planner and is always out to fix everyone’s “problems”. She’s a freshman in college and has just transferred mid-year from her local community college to Blue Ridge State (where her parents went to college and met) with a fail-proof plan to study psychology and become a self-help icon. But as soon as she transfers to BRS her big plans begin to go off the rails.

The character development was amazing in this story. I loved seeing the characters grow and confront things in order to continue developing into their best selves. I absolutely love a good “found family” friend group and this one was top notch – the love and support between all of them was outstanding.

All in all, this was such a moving coming of age story. Just do yourself a favor and go read this if you enjoy young adult contemporary fiction/romance! Now I need to go back and devour Emma’s backlist!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy!

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I am a huge fan of Emma Lord's writing—her voice is fun, quippy, and upbeat. In particular, Tweet Cute and When You Get the Chance were standout reads, making Emma Lord an auto-read author. I was excited to see this new release featured a (slightly) older main character and set at college, as I've been reading less and less YA. Unfortunately, while this wasn't a total miss for me, there were a lot of elements that just didn't click.

My biggest issue with the book was the sheer number of storylines and themes this book attempted to include—radio broadcast, college life/extracurricular activities, academic pressure, family relationships, friend dynamics, romantic relationships, workstudy, career path decisions, and sooooo much moooore. And because of that, the things I was excited to read about—the fun stuff—seemed to happen off-page between chapters. Perhaps this was supposed to mimic Andie's (our main character) struggle to keep up in the college environment, but it just left me exhausted from trying to be invested in all the different pieces.

So, alas, it wasn't a hit for me, but I'm still a big fan of Emma Lord's work and can't wait to read her next release.

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ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"It smells like death."
"It smells like resurrection," Milo corrects me.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me a copy of this ARC. I read this in 7 hours. it was that amazing. It had me smiling and laughing to the point that my partner asked me to start reading things out loud because he wanted to be in on the jokes.

This book felt like I got to revisit my freshman year in college and I adored it. As a fellow Andi(e) Rose, it gave me an instant connection to the character even though we were nothing alike. But what I didn't find similar in Andie, I found in Shay, as I too had a roommate who refused to swear and had a multitude of expletives that sounded out of a nursery rhyme. I found myself in Milo, due to being an architecture major with a pension for all-nighters and a coffee addiction that would have rivaled Milo's. But as the story progressed I did find where I connected with Andie. I too was a freshman who tried to do too much in hopes of joining an organization that ended up being an weight pulling my grades down.

This book has endless humor, a slow burn romance, found family, and lessons of forgiveness and finding yourself by losing yourself. I adore this book with my entire heart and wish there were more to the story. I want to pull more quotes out desperately, but I want everyone to be able to explore the humor on their own.

After finishing the book I went and looked at the 1 star reviews because I couldn't understand how people didn't love this book. I found that many comments were about finding Andie annoying as a character for her quirks, as well as a some of the university aspects "not being realistic". What I would like to remind readers is that everyone's college experience is different, and just because it was unrealistic to these reviewers, doesn't mean someone else couldn't have had a similar experience as these characters. As for finding Andie annoying? That was the best thing about college. It was a new start and we got to pick who our friends were. Andie may not have been a friend they would choose, but I personally think that Shay, Milo and Valerie were very lucky to have her, and I feel lucky to have followed her story as though she was my own friend.

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I adored this sweet romance and all the young adult angst that came with it. The characters were well-written and experienced a lot of growth, and I loved that they had each other's backs when needed. The ribbons and mystery radio host added an intriguing vibe and came together so perfectly at the end. I need to check out this author's back list now!

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Begin Again by Emma Lord is a YA romance set at college. This is a no sex, a some swearing, a little drinking, but an innocent read for the young adult audience. The book follows Andie on her adventure at a new college as she transferred in. I love how this story is more about finding one’s way. I loved the friend group Andie made and how they developed. Can we talk about the fun the friend group found themselves in? Such a fun part of the book! I really enjoyed this read from this author who I already love. Looking forward to many more reads from Emma Lord!

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I haven't picked up a YA novel in quite a while, but when I was offered Emma Lord's most recent YA as an ARC, I couldn't say no. I thought I was no longer at a point in my life where I could enjoy YA, but Lord proved me wrong. Her tale quickly sucked me back into the world of YA. At times I felt like I was back at my small town university and it filled my heart with a warm glow.

I love that I just happened to start reading this book on national bagel day. I also love how food is integrated into all of Lord's stories. She definitely speaks more than one of my love languages.

I enjoyed this almost as much as I enjoyed Tweet Cute and y'all know I loved Tweet Cute. If you've read Lord's work before, I highly encourage you to pick this one up too, and if you haven't I highly recommend her work. Now quick, grab yourself a bagel and some coffee and read this book. Once you're done reading, I want to know, are you team Milo or team Connor?

Thank you Emma Lord, Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press for this eGalley!

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Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for this read of Begin Again by Emma Lord. Emma Lord never fails to give you a book that is going to be a good read, entertaining as well as full of life lessons. This one did not fail to provide and I had a great time reading about Andie and her friends. This book was full of good characters! Entertaining! I do not like to give too much away as it almost prevents you from going out to read it, I suggest having a read on your own with this one.

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Begin Again was easily my favorite Emma Lord book yet, and that's a high bar because I've loved them all! It was such a fun read. Andie was relatable in a lot of ways, even for me as a YA reader in her 30s. I loved the idyllic college setting and the just kiss already romance, the friends/secondary characters were great, and they had me craving a really good bagel (cookie dough cream cheese?! 🤯). Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for early access.

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There was the obvious plot hiccup at the start of the book when Andie got to Blue Ridge State to surprise her boyfriend and he no longer lived there, but I knew at that moment that this wasn’t going to be a book where Andie and her childhood boyfriend went through college together. Andie’s life was on a different trajectory of self-discovery, and the more I found out about her boyfriend the less I liked him for her. Since her mom died, Andie is determined to fix things. She is generous in her heart and with her time, to the detriment of her own wants and needs. Her roommate needs to determine a major and Andie is there to help! Here RA is addicted to very strong coffee and Andie is going to help him cut back. She is fixing all of the problems around her but pretty much ignores her own. As a reader I was both admiring of her need to help and cringing that she wasn’t looking after herself. Luckily her group of friends is there to help her out!

I really liked Milo- as her budding love interest but also because he was a contradictory character. He was a grump who drank too much coffee and didn’t get much sleep, but he always seemed to be there to give sage advice. Their friendship was slow moving until it finally changed to something more. If you like quick romances, this is not the book for you. This was definitely a slow burn romance. They both had a lot of personal angst to work through before they could be there for each other. I kind of liked that though! You really got to know each character and care about where their story arc was moving, allowing the reader to totally buy in to the change in direction.

Begin Again was a sweet, slow moving, coming of age (yet in college) young adult novel. For those of you who want to know the heat level in the romance, this was definitely on the tepid side. It really was more a self-discovery novel with a side of romance. I enjoyed the pace and all of the diverse characters. If you’re in the mood for a slow moving story that is heavy on the sweet, this might be the book for you!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

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Begin Again by Emma Lord
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

When Andie transfers to the college her mom went to years before she died, she has a plan to make everything perfect. She'll be with her boyfriend again (hopefully to fix their strained relationship since he started there a term before her), she'll figure out how to be part of the secret radio station her mom started, and will be on track to becoming a self-help icon. But then everything goes awry and she has to figure out who she is and what she'd going to do now that her plan has failed. Thankfully, she has her roomie and her grumpy, sarcastic RA Milo to help her a bit by challenging her beliefs.

This is a story all about self-discovery, family issues and found family, finding your place in the world, college pirate radio, and "Just Kiss Already" romance. I was already a fan of @dilemmalord books and this one did not disappoint!

Thank you to @netgalley and @wednesdaybooks for the ARC! The book is released a week from tomorrow on Jan 24/23 and you should definitely check it out!

#BeginAgain #EmmaLord #YABooks #AmReading #ARC #NetGalley #College #Romance #BookReview #BookRelease #NewBook

ID: black eReader with book cover on it, leaning against a grey backpack

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Emma Lords books always feel like a hug, and Begin Again is no different. Begin Again follows Andie on her journey at a new school, a school she transfers to in order to surprise her boyfriend Connor. Little does she know, Connor transferred back home to be with her. Although inconvenient, Andie takes this time to make a name for herself, follow in the footsteps of her late moms legacy, and form amazing friendships that turned into another family. Andie has felt alone for a long time, always being the helper and never tending to her own wounds. With a little help from her friends (and an adorable RA), Andie realizes she’s much more than her mothers daughter. She is independent, she is brave, she is kind. She is someone her mom would be very proud of. A book filled with finding yourself, finding your tribe, chickens named Samantha, cheesy garlic bagels with strawberry cream cheese, friends to lovers trope, and so much more. It is guaranteed to make you smile! Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

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