Emma Lord has become one of my go-to YA authors. Her books are sweet but not saccharine, they’re romances but not *just* romances, and they focus on characters whose struggles are authentic and require some real growth.

I should say that I still—somehow—haven’t read Tweet Cute, but I’ve adored each of her other books, including this newest one, Begin Again.

Andie Rose has clawed her way into a mid-year transfer to Blue Ridge State, her dream school, the college where her parents met . . . and her boyfriend Connor’s school. In a moment of misplaced romance, she decides to make her transfer a surprise. And then she discovers, in a sort of Gift of the Magi twist, that her boyfriend has also made a surprise transfer to Andie’s much-less-prestigious college. Cue chaos and angst.

Despite the less-than-fortuitous start, Andie decides that her boyfriend can just transfer back after this current semester, and she resolves to make the best of the situation, as she often does. She and her new roommate, Shay, hit it off, and though she faces some academic challenges, she’s ready to dive into the traditions that her parents and, particularly, her deceased mom told her about.

I’m going to pause here to say that I absolutely loved this book. Lord captures Andie’s college experience so well, the promise and peril of seeking a promised fresh start when you know that you’re still just the same person you’ve always been. Andie is an amazing character who is strong and inspiring and always willing to help her friends, yet she’s simultaneously fragile and all too willing to avoid conflict, even if it means sacrificing something that means a lot to her.

The development of Andie’s formative relationships is clearly a huge part of Andie’s identity. Lord shows us the grandmas who dropped everything to raise her after her mom’s death, the father who became distant in his grief, Connor who has been her friend since childhood and whose family became a second sort of family for her, and of course the mother she lost who has become such an inspiration—and someone to live up to—for her. Yet Lord balances the ways that her new relationships help to shape who she’s becoming. Those include Shay but also Milo, the RA who quickly becomes a source of support, and Valentina, who starts as her much-needed math tutor but quickly becomes another friend.

I’ve barely scratched the surface of this book. There’s so much here that it’s tough to cover it all in a review, but it doesn’t ever feel like there’s too much going on. Instead, Andie’s story feels like the real story of a college freshman who is both building a new life for herself and still working to figure out the life she has.

I read this one in as close to one sitting as I could because I just had to know what would happen next. I can’t recommend Emma Lord’s Begin Again enough.

This was a really sweet and cute YA read about. College and finding one’s way. I loved how the friendships and found family were developed and portrayed. Also, the hijinks from the friend group and secret societies were a lovely added bonus (and the cute non-swears used by the MC had me giggling often)

Cue the music, fellow Swifties. Begin Again is everything I thought it would be from the synopsis: the fun antics, anxiety-inducing identity crisis, and epic love affairs that can start and end within a school term.

Andie Rose was immediately a protagonist I recognized in myself. Having been abandoned by her father after the death of her mother (okay, that part I don’t relate to), Andie struggled with boundaries and pleasing those around her. While love should’ve been unconditional, it was hard to feel anything but the need to fix everything for those around her to earn the love and belonging she longed for. Boundary issues? Yep, got those in spades and I felt a little called out by Andie’s extreme antics.

Balancing Andie’s fix-it attitude are the plethora of fun secondary characters. I immediately fell in love with her two grandmas that came to live with her after her dad left. Grandma Maeve, the sassy and foul mouthed one, and Gammy Nell, the old fashioned and sweet one. They were polar opposites but loved Andie unconditionally. Every time they were on the page I couldn’t help but smile. Petition to have their own spinoff novella, anyone?

Andie’s roommate Shay and her tutor Valeria also weren’t your two-dimensional sidekick characters. I loved that Shay’s a bookstagrammer. #Relatable. And Valeria was a budding novelist who struggled to show her personal work to others. While these attributes could’ve defined them, I liked that Emma only used these elements as aspects of who they are and not relegating them to this sole interest as their whole personality.

But of course, this book isn’t without its romantic escapades. Enter Milo, a constantly sleep deprived, coffee-addicted RA. Their interactions were platonic (for far too long in this book, in my opinion) as Andie had a long distance boyfriend, but you can FEEL the romantic tension between them through the pages. That’s the mark of excellent writing, if you ask me. I loved how they built a solid friendship foundation but allowed room for it to become romantic if given the chance.

There were several messages and themes of the book, but it largely focused on Andie’s almost impulsive need to hunt as many ribbons possible to feel closer to her mom who created the pirate radio show and associated ribbon events when she went to school here. Trying to figure out how to live up to her mom’s huge legacy left no room for anything else, especially studies. Also, what is self-esteem if everything you do is not as great in relation to said legacy?

Identity is a big thing, not only for Andie but also her friends. I mean, college is the time to really figure yourself out and see who you are outside of your family and hometown. Not to say they aren’t factors in making us who we are, but it helps to be away from it a little to make such personal decisions. I feel this setting and the way Emma told Andie’s story was done superbly for this theme. It was a little slow, however, in places, but once I powered through those slow bits in the middle, the last 25% were well worth reaching.

Overall Recommendation:

As college stories go with a coming-of-age trope, Begin Again made itself unique with its fun, personable characters that feel like your friends and an intriguing ribbon hunt organized for freshmans in their second term only. It made me reminiscent of my own college days (though with not quite so much drama). I thought the themes and message were great, but the pacing sometimes was a little slow to the point it became a struggle to push to the end. Otherwise, a solid book by Emma Lord although not what I consider her finest.

When Andie Rose transfers to her parents’ alma mater midyear during her first year of college, she expects everything to go according to plan. She’ll be there with her boyfriend. They’ll work together to get into the same club that her mother belonged to in college. Life will follow her step-by-step outline.

But it turns out her boyfriend has transferred to the community college back home. And now Andie goes into fix-it mode—not just for him but for those around her, too. Like for Milo, her always exhausted R.A.: Andie’s sure she can fix his caffeine addiction (among other things). And her roommate, Shay, who is undeclared? No problem—Andie can help nail down that major. And maybe she’ll go ahead and give anonymous advice to some other members of the student body? Why not? She did it in high school, too.

What happens when you spend so much time focusing on others' wants and needs instead of taking care of yourself? What happens when your plans get derailed?

This is a sweet college level coming-of-age story. We see relationships repaired, a reframing of the past, what happens when someone finds their confidence again, and the process of redefining oneself and one’s goals.

Lord does a fantastic job capturing those fierce bonds that form when college students spend—what seems like—all their time together. She captures how overwhelming the entire college experience can be, how easy it is to lose your feet in all of that change and all of that pressure, and how important it is to find, forge, and lean on connections along the way.

She also carefully handles how people are impacted by and deal with grief longterm.

And on top of all the character growth, emotional journeys, and coming into one’s own, Lord gifts us with a charming insider’s view into two new friends falling in love. Sometimes what you really need is not what you had planned.

I received an advance copy from Wednesday Books, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

I felt this one was a bit all over the place and a bit unbelievable. One of those books where the main problem (and plot line) could have been fixed with a phone call

This is my second book from Emma Lord and I was so excited to be approved for this eARC. I was not disappointed! I loved this book.

Emma Lord writes genuine and realistic life situations with all the feelings! I loved the cast of characters, the flow and writing and appreciated this beautiful book after long days at work! The author has a way of bringing gentle light to real issues. Loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.

Solid 4-⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Wow, I should have read this the moment I was given the ARC, because it is exactly what my heart needed!

Andie transferred to Blue Ridge for winter semester during her freshman year to surprise her boyfriend and live out the legacy her parents left behind there years ago (especially her mom, who died years before). Andie does not expect that boyfriend Connor actually transferred to her community college to be with her, so now they're apart again, but Andie isn't giving this up. She is determined to make friends and submerge herself in the school culture that her mom helped to build years, boyfriend or not.

I don't want to give more away, but I will say that all of the characters are extremely lovable. There are some conflicting ones thrown in, but the lovable ones outweigh them many times over. Andie is the FMC you want to cheer for and be friends with, because she's fun but also open to growth. Absolutely loved.

CW: mentions death of parent/cancer/car accident

This was only my second book by Emma Lord — I still have TWEET CUTE and YOU HAVE A MATCH on my TBR! Out of the two I’ve read, I definitely liked WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE more; however, this one was a cute, quick read!

👱‍♀️ Andie is a perfectionist who likes to fix people’s problems & always wants to be in control
📚 I loved Andie’s roomie (she’s a bookstagrammer)!
🧑🏻 Milo the RA 🫶
🧡 lots of family dynamics (CW: loss of a parent)
📝 I love a good college campus setting!

This one has all the makings of a swoony YA, I just never found myself super invested in the story. Andie and her boyfriend both surprise each other by transferring to each other’s school so they can be together, which results in them still being on opposite campuses. This just seemed too unrealistic 😂 I loved some of the characters and really enjoyed the mysterious college radio station element.

I liked this one, it just left me wanting a little more!

This was my first Emma Lord book, and my first YA book in a long time. I loved reading about Andie’s transfer experience at her dream school, as well as the behind the scenes life of the secret Knight society. The element of found family and reconciling her strained relationship with her dad were extremely heartwarming to read. The audiobook was also well performed by a new-to-me narrator, Georgina Sadler.

Unfortunately, several elements of this story really bugged me. First, the miscommunication between Andie and Connor that started the whole situation was really unbelievable – why wouldn’t you tell your boyfriend/lifelong best friend you were transferring schools? That’s a really big deal. Second, I know it’s part of her “charm” but being the perpetual “fixer” of the group while not taking stock of her own grief and relationship challenges made me want to scream at her to go to therapy. I really liked Milo, but I didn’t really feel any of their chemistry until they were somehow miraculously kissing at the end of the book.

While this one wasn’t for me, I think it reads like a teen rom-com movie I might watch on Netflix with my teenager. Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press) for the ARC, and Macmillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

This book was so cute! I love everything Emma Lord writes, but I think this is my favourite of hers so far. The characters were relatable, the romance was adorable, the friendships were great, and the side characters were amazing! I love how the side characters loved books (relatable), and I also really enjoyed the plot. It was fast-paced, and a super enjoyable read over all! Another win from Emma Lord by far.

Emma Lord is the queen of sweet YA books that appeal to adults as well. Her books are always sickly cute, heartfelt, and well written. The storylines are always innocent and cutesy, but I always think they are a breath of fresh air. After Tweet Cute, Emma Lord can really do no wrong in my opinion and if you want a comfort book hers will always be a go-to.

I would rate a 3.5 only because SOMETIMES the cuteness can be a bit corny for me (a cynic) 😛

Andie is finally living her dream when she transfers to a competitive college from community college mid-year. She will finally have it all—her long-term boyfriend, a psychology degree, and the ability to follow in her late mother’s footsteps as she dives into radio on her way to becoming a self-help expert. Of course, not a single thing goes as planned. As Andie adjusts to the changes, she re-evaluates what it is she actually wants and whether it’s actually her goal or whether she’s just trying to live up to her mom’s legacy.

I’ve read all of Emma Lord’s YA books and they are all delightful. Her characters seem to be aging up—this is our first in college. The chaotic feeling of freshman year, when you’re distracted by all of the new shiny things and academics take a hit, was written perfectly. I found myself getting sympathetic anxiety. Yes, there is romance, but it’s secondary—Andie’s growth as a person and the development of new friendships and mentorships are far more important. Available 1/24/23. Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the eARC.

First I want to thank St. Martin's Press for providing me an advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Begin Again is a story of Andie who has a plan to transfer to a new school to be with her boyfriend, retrace her mothers steps, graduate and become an iconic self-help figure. When she arrives on campus the plan goes off the rails and Andie has to learn to adapt and figure out a new plan for her life with the help of her new friends.

Being Again
Pub Date: 1/24/2023
What I Loved:
Milo - This is the type of person you are lucky to meet in college. Helping as many people as possible, pushing Andie to be the best version of herself, being an all around good guy and an "alter-ego" to boot
The Knights Watch - Who doesn't love a college pirate radio station/show?! This aspect of the story was fun to experience and watch grow
The All-Knighters - Who doesn't love a punny trivia team name? Also I enjoyed how the people on the team became the core of Andie's support system in school and they all supported each other.
Shay - I had some great roommates in college but Andie absolutely lucked out with someone like Shay. She is fun, supportive, and becomes a true friend to Andie.
Family - Family both real and chosen play a huge role in this book and I loved hearing about Milo's huge family and Andie's grandmas, they had a small part but made a BIG impact.
Ribbons - Different activities to get ribbons to join a secret society!?! If only my college had something like this cause I would have been ALL ABOUT IT!

I just loved this book! I had such a great college experience and I feel like this book encompassed that feeling perfectly. Even though Andie has a lot to learn when she gets to college I love how she is able to rely on trusted friends to help her become the best version of herself and get her out of her comfort zone. If you are looking for a sweet college romance with pirate radio, secret societies and general college shenanigans I would recommend this book to you. Also anyone who has read and loved Emma Lord's other books, you will not be disappointed!

This is definitely YA for teens, not adults - it was very cheesy (even for YA). The main character Andie was just annoying and not relatable. I felt like they were in high school, not college. would recommend it to teens only.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Andie knows what she wants and has the plan to execute it. But when you're 18. you still have a lot to learn about life and how to roll with the unexpected.

***

Such a cute novel for any young adult who doesn't know where life will take them just yet. Major bonus for any Taylor Swift fan and loves to find references!

This was a solid 4.5-5 star read or me. I loved this book. It made me nostalgic for the beginning of college.
I thought that Emma's writing style was really good. I enjoyed reading her book and I would love to read more of them. I think they are really strong YA books.
I especially liked this book because one of the main parts of this book was about Andie finding herself, finding her place and found family, and reflecting on her position within her relationships.
I enjoyed the friendships and really the romance aspect was background. It was an enjoyable read.

A cute heartfelt YA read!

I loved that this book focused a lot on personal growth, finding who you are and friendships. I did not like the agonizing relationship between Conner and Andie.

Overall Begin again was an enjoyable read! I loved Andie’s growth and the friendships she made and think this book will be really popular for younger teens!

This is a sweet 𝐘𝐀 𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 book about 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐎𝐖𝐍 and 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 which MC Andie does when she starts university.

I am a huge fan of Lord and her writings; her books have historically had a hook- 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐂𝐔𝐓𝐄 had a hilarious Twitter feud and a bakery with mouth watering recipes, 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐀 𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇 had a secret insta influencer sibling and a stint at summer camp and 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 had a Broadway loving teen with a Mamma Mia like plot to find her birth mother. All are set in New York, which acts as a character in itself. All heavily feature LGBTQ characters. All are loud, vibrant, and attention-grabbing. In comparison, 𝐁𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐍 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍 feels tame and more mature, as if Lord is shedding her sequined animal print onesie and putting on some big girl corduroys instead. Some mature topics but also lots of pop culture (and Taylor Swift) references.

I did feel it missed the mark for me as an adult (it was much too YA), but this is a good recommendation for the YA reader in your life.

New Adult

Emma Lord has found the sweet spot! She captures the time in life when a person is on the cusp of becoming - becoming an adult, forging their own path, entering into relationships, and figuring themselves out.

Andie Rose lost her mother at a young age. Her dream has been to go to the college her mom did and follow in her footsteps. She didn't get in on her first try, but was allowed to transfer at the semester break. Her boyfriend Connor did get in on his first try and she is going to surprise him with her transfer.

The surprise is on her, when Connor transferred back home. She puts tremendous pressure on herself to earn ribbons from events the school holds. She wants to earn enough for herself and Connor. These ribbons earn entry into the choice of a secret society and she cannot find out which one her mother belonged to, until she enters one herself. These ribbon events are only offered the 2nd semester of freshman year.

Nothing at school is what she expected, but she quickly becomes friendly with her roommate Shay and their RA Milo. Shay and Milo work on a pirate radio program that was actually begun by Andie's mother back in the day. Andie ends up helping them with the program, doing her work study with Milo's family, going to these ribbon events, all while struggling to study and maintain a long distance relationship. After her mother died, she and her father drifted apart. While she is very close to her grandmothers, she doesn't feel like she can really talk to them about what is going on at college. Inevitably, she and Milo are drawn closer together.

Milo, Andie, Shay and other main characters tackle their issues and find manageable solutions with the help of each other and by having meaningful conversations. Did everything get tied up in a pretty bow - yes, but that doesn't mean this wasn't a lovely story worth reading.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC of this novel.

This book was absolutely adorable! I usually don't pick up romcoms because I tend to think they all blend together, this one was the exception! We follow our main character, Andie, who just transfered to her dream college and is ready to tackle the infamous ribbons competition, just like her mom before. But everything goes off plan as soon as she arrives and she has to come up with a new plan for her semester.
There is found family, friends to lover, queer romance, dysfunctional families, and all of these tropes are done so well!
I loved how the book was not focused on the romance part and more on the self development of Andie. It was funny and just a fun and quick read!
I would definetly recommend to anyone that loves college setting and a group of friend that would do anything for eachothers.
Thanks again to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-ARC!