As someone who is slowly finding her groove with YA books, I have to say -- Emma Lord is it for me. I love her unique ideas, the evolution and maturity her characters experience, and the freshness in her writing style.

"Begin Again" themes of college romance, friends-to-lovers, and coming of age resonated with me as I followed our leading gal Andie's path of self-discovery and growth. With its blend of emotional depth and lighthearted moments, this binge-worthy YA is poised to capture your heart.

Kudos to Lord for completely taking me by surprised with the romantic twist at the end of the book. I never saw this connection coming and I ABSOLUTELY loved how it was handled.

Emma Lord is one of the few YA authors I still read. Her books are the perfect mix of sweet, fun, and angsty with a healthy dose of personal growth.

Andie is excited to attend the same college her parents did, and where her boyfriend attends now. Of course things do not go smoothly and she has to adapt. I liked watching her form friendships with people there to support her. She also learns so much about herself and what is important to her and why. I did like the sweet friendship turned more she had with Milo as well

“Anything worth doing starts with a mess.”

You guysssss, I have yet to meet an Emma Lord book and not love it. This is my third of hers? They are contemporary YA perfection.

Synopsis: Andie Rose is a planner with a checklist. Get into Blue Ridge State, major in psychology, become an iconic therapist and help people all over. But the moment Andie arrives at Blue Ridge, everything is thrown for a loop. Her boyfriend transferred to a different school, her roommate is aimlessly floating and desperate to discover her major, and her RA is throwing all of Andie’s notions of love out the window.

You’ll love:
+ ya friendship & romance
+ found family
+ finding your way
+ dramaaaaa
+ slooooow burn

From the very beginning I just loved and related to Andie. She only wants the best for her friends and she’s willing to sacrifice herself to help them succeed. She had so much positivity and determination, it was contagious.

Milo and Shay were the best side characters. I was so invested in their stories and was rooting for them too!!

The tension in this one, y’all!! (But like it’s ya so temper those expectations)

Andie’s roommate Shay is a bookstagrammer — reaffirming my love for books about bookish people!

I will continue to read anything from Emma Lord. 🫶🏼

**Disclaimer: I recieved a free eARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a cute romance.  I loved the coming of age elements, and Andie was such a great protagonist.  I really loved watching her come to terms with who she is and how she can't always fix everything.  The friendships that she gained throughout the novel were so special, and I loved their friend group as a whole.  This book made me cry a lot as she dealt with her grief.  It was handled in such a lovely way.  I cannot recommend this book enough.

This was a super cute story. I felt for Andie as she navigates the struggles of college, love, and family. I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good love story.

Just a solid, cute NA college romcom. Good character growth and development throughout the book, the plot was a bit predictable but I think that's part of the romcom appeal - you know you're getting a happy ending, there will be some kind of breakup scene in the last 25% of the book, and you can count on some humor and charm! I think this would be a relatable read for anyone currently in their undergrad phase of life - there are so many changes happening all at once, and I have felt Andie's inner turmoil myself many times.

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, and a great read. The author did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

A college romance, a coming of age, a reconciling with our personal faults, and decisions about how to live life and where to place priorities. Fun and fast, an enjoyable crew of characters, you can see how relationships develop over time. Also loved the coffee shop vibes.

This was my second book by Emma Lord and while I felt like I did enjoy it, Tweet Cute was such a great read that Emma's competing with herself here. I felt like as much as I enjoyed this, it still couldn't compare to how I felt with Tweet Cute and so for that reason, 3 stars for this one!

I feel like Andie lived the life I wish I had lived. Not that I had a dream school that was always in the back of my mind but more like I let a dream become a fantasy and she got to let hers come to life a little. ANYWAYSSSSS

I thought I'd like this more and I'm sad that I didn't. I just felt like the whole storyline with Connor was such a delayed confrontation and while I loved the friends she made, the romance definitely didn't feel like as much of a focus as I had expected. That also may just be me being used to adult romances and forgetting what a light contemporary YA book feels like.

Sadly this was just okay for me but I'm hopeful I'll find another Lord book I love.

Not going to lie, I wanted to read this one for two reasons. 1. Emma Lord has yet to let me down. 2. The title is also a Taylor Swift song title. I loved it. It was cute, it was sweet, it was quick, and I loved it. I will read anything Emma writes. 4 stars.

This fun YA romance was a great read about finding yourself, using your voice, and being willing to take a leap of faith.

Emma Lord is THE BEST. The college setting here was perfection. It's the slowest of burns. It's the Swiftiest of Taylor references.

Andie Rose's meticulous plan to transfer to Blue Ridge State and pursue psychology takes a sudden detour. Her boyfriend Connor's unexpected switch to her community college adds complexity to their relationship. Roommate Shay's academic dilemma baffles Andie, who's known as "The Fixer." Her R.A., Milo, disrupts her views on love. When her well-structured plans crumble, Andie finds her strength. She discovers her voice as the anonymous Squire on the pirate radio station founded by her late mother, revealing that sometimes, the most meaningful paths are those we didn't plan for.

This was such a wonderful college experience story! I loved Annie and her adventure, but what made the story exceptional were the side characters. The grandmas were my favorites. I love that Andie was raised by her parent’s mothers who are so different but moved in together for a common goal. The banter between the two of them is hilarious and makes the story in my opinion!

I love emma lord! she writes such fun YA stories. I absolutely recommend this book! the main character was interesting and the romance was adorable. thank you for the arc.

I don't know how Emma Lord keeps sucking me into her books but she's 4 for 4 so far on YA contemporary perfection. And you know, it would have been six stars if I actually enjoyed when characters cursed with phrases like "salted caramel peanut butter chips."

Such a fun quick read! I’ve already added more of Emma Lord’s books to my TBR list. Set in college, it was super relatable. I was rooting for Andie to find her self worth. Really enjoyed the character.

There is a magic in everything that Emma Lord writes. I have yet to read something by her that I did not enjoy. She has a special talent for writing characters that you desperately wish were real so you could be friends with them. I will always recommend her stories!

I enjoyed this story at the beginning. About half way through, I grew terribly bored. I knew they would end up together eventually, but it was as if I wasn’t really enjoying the journey there? Idk. I’ve read other books by this author and have felt similarly. Probably not for me!

I loved this romantic, will-they-won’t they slow burn romance. Equally lovable were their friends, and the fun-packed narrative. It was a pleasure to read.

Begin Again is a charming and fun read about love, self-discovery, finding your people/community, and new beginnings. The novel follows Andie Rose and her journey in her first semester at Blue Ridge State University - her dream school and the university her parents attended. I thoroughly enjoyed the whit, strong character development, and journey each of the characters embarked on.

This is my first Emma Lord novel and will definitely not be my last! I am excited to read her future works.

4 Stars!!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Emma Lord, and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.