Emma Lord knocks it out of the park again! She is, hands down, my favorite YA author and BEGIN AGAIN might be my favorite book of her's yet? I love the warm, inviting, and funny universes she creates; she makes you want to crawl into the book and hang out with these lovable characters. Plus, no one writes about treats and snacks like Emma does! Lets just say for this story in particular, you will marvel at the sweet (and I mean SWEET) bagel concoctions that are being whipped up at the local bagel shop that I would kill to visit!

A college campus is the perfect setting for this cute and sweet story about a girl named Andie who is finally able to transfer into her dream college during the January of her freshman year. She meets a fantastic and funny group of friends, has an adorable RA who may or may not have her eyes on her, and falls into a school tradition that she's been obsessed with since her late mother started it a few decades earlier. It's a touching story that starts off with a miscommunication between Andie and her boyfriend that had me legit gasp out loud. If you're a fan of Emma's work, reading this is a no-brainer. If not, this might be a good place to start! The perfect antidote to January blues.

Begin Again started off slow for me but I’m glad I stuck with it. I ended up really enjoying the characters and their story.

It was a little predictable but that doesn’t bother me much when I read. I loved watching Andie find herself in college. And I swooned over Milo from the beginning.

Make sure to check Begin Again if Coming to Age YA is your thing.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press —Wednesday for a copy of Begin Again in exchange for an honest review

Begin Again is a cute and endearing YA novel by Emma Lord. I enjoyed this heartfelt story quite a bit!

Andie Rose is a fixer and a people pleaser. She's always wanting to make sure those in her life have the best of everything and things are going right, sometimes at her own expense. She's finally gotten in mid-semester to Blue Ridge, which is the college she originally wanted to go to. She has her own issues with her father, dealing with the loss of her mother and like any college student, navigating classes and relationships.

When she gets to Blue Ridge, she ends up forming relationships with her roommate, Shay, her RA, Milo, and her tutor and they become quite the hodge podge of a group, but a supportive one nonetheless. They navigate all the normal pitfalls of college life, along with interpersonal relationships, both at school and at home. I loved how Milo and Andie got one another when it seemed no one else quite understood. They had such an amazing friendship.

I really enjoyed this cast of characters and how this whole story unfolded. I was so happy to read an Emma Lord book again and look forward to when I can read another in the future!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Thank you so much @WednesdayBooks for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 24 January 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Andie transfers mid-semester to her first choice college (where both of her parents also attended), but she doesn't tell her boyfriend (Connor) who also goes there as she wants to surprise him. Except he has the exact same idea transferring out to her old college. Now Andie is at the school of her dreams, but it doesn't feel how she thought it would.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the cozy college setting was the perfect backdrop for this coming-of-age story
- the found family vibes of her college friendships
- the MCs roommate is a bookstagrammer

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- that the MC used "cute" foods as a substitute for swearing *eye roll*
- the pacing felt off throughout & I struggled to become invested in the drama
- the ribbon scavenger hunt had so much potential for us to learn the area, deepen relationships & further the story, but each event just fell flat & was quite repetitive
- another book where a radio show is mentioned but was actually very under-utilised in actually driving the story forward (it was mostly there as an obstacle for the MC to overcome)

I sit eating a bagel as I write out my review after reading about so many delicious bagels in the book.

This is a great YA read with a lovable cast of characters. I enjoyed seeing the sunshine that Andie, the main character, brings to campus as she undergoes her own transformation in understanding who she is. While I enjoyed the light youthful romance, I do wish Andie's previous relationship would have ended a sooner so her growing feelings for someone new didn't carry any cheating-adjacent vibes. There were also some predicable plot points, but that seems to be the case for YA and for romance novels.

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves coming of age stories, slow burn romances, and college-set books.

Thank you to the publisher, I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Begin Again by Emma Lord was truly fantastic. I absolutely loved and connected with Andie, our female protagonist as she goes through a time in her life where she must grow but no lose herself. I think this is a great book for everyone to read as it showcases the struggles that one must go through to find oneself. Although this was a slow burn romance, it did not disappoint. I enjoyed witnessing Milo and Andie's relationship and their meetings. This grumpy x sunshine relationship filled my heart with warmth and kept me wanting more. Also, did I mention the Taylor Swift references? Loved them!!

Overall, I absolutely love this novel and recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet book that takes you on a journey through the main character's personal development. I cannot wait to see what else Emma has in store for us, she can never disappoint!

Oh my freaking heck! I just finished the last 20% in public and that was such a bad idea because all of the beautiful storylines Emma Lord had been crafting all came together and I was left absolutely sobbing.

I first read Emma's debut Tweet Cute and loved every second of it but didn't realize that You've Got A Match and this one (haven't read When You Get the Chance yet but after having read oh so many top 12s of last year and seeing that one present I am feeling deep, deep FOMO that I need to redicate soon!!) would just make her depth and breadth oh so much wider.

This stunning novel allowed me to watch Andie all at once deal with her grief over her mother's passing, deal with her absent father, grow into herself AND fall in love... Does that sound like a lot? Yes., yes it does but Emma does a beautiful job of winding them all together.

Abnsolutely 1000% in awe and cannot wait for more of this beautifully gifted author, Ms Emma Lord!

I enjoyed this book but felt like it could have been “more.” It had a lot of the building blocks that could have made it wonderful (the university setting, the seasons, the school parties, etc.) but it was missing a bit of magic for me. Nevertheless, it was a fun, quick read with some good depth. Andie’s experience losing her mom, her tense relationship with her dad, and her complicated relationship with Connor all made this book less “fluffy” than it could have otherwise been. FYI it was squeaky clean - no more sexual activity than some very chaste kisses. Sex was barely hinted at and never mentioned (which honestly felt a little unrealistic for a bunch of 18-19 year olds).

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I flipped between the audiobook and ebook versions for this one and I have to say the audiobook narrator did a really wonderful job. The storyline overall was engaging and I thought Andie’s journey of finding her place in the world, putting herself first, and discovering her desired path was inspiring. Her friendships and found family at college was great and brought a lot to the story. The trivia nights and ribbon activities were cute along with the radio show aspects being fun to listen to throughout. I wanted a bit more of the budding romance but the parts we got were really sweet and mature later on in the story.

A few things that I didn’t love about this one… my biggest pet peeve in a YA/NA book is when the author puts in “cussing” but uses cutesy little words in place of it. Ugh, it seriously irks me and it really felt out of place in this one with the main characters being in college. The other thing that I didn’t love was that our main character, Andie, has never been single during her young adult life and, during that time, molded herself into the person she needed to be to fit in with Connor’s family or trying to live up to her mom’s legacy. I wish readers could have seen more independence from her earlier in the book while not tied to anyone else and really finding herself without any love interest overshadowing her journey. I did like Andie’s character and think we did get some of that discovery when she was with her girlfriends, but it would have been nice to see a little more of that. Overall, the audiobook helped make this is a pretty good NA read for me!

the character development in the story was well done. I really appreciated how Andie grew as a person and learned to not let others walk all over her. It was also fun to see Andie step into her calling as a radio advice-giver and gain confidence in her talent. Lastly, I enjoyed seeing the resolution of family issues between Andie and her father & between Milo and his brother. These aspects of the story were both uplifting and inspiring.

Unfortunately, what detracted from my enjoyment of the book was the heavy use of strong language in the last 25% of the book.

“Begin Again” is the first novel I’ve read by Emma Lord. Although I enjoyed it, there were some aspects that I had mixed feelings about…

“Begin Again” is a young adult contemporary romance about a college freshmen named Andie Rose. Andie is a people-pleaser who is known to put the needs of others above her own. She eagerly anticipates attending her parents’ alma mater (Blue Ridge State) and to participate in the famed “ribbon events” where student participate in activities to earn ribbons that eventually enable them to join various clubs on campus. Since her mother passed away, Blue Ridge State holds special sentimental value to Andie since she is walking in her mom’s footsteps.

On her first day Andie meets Milo, a grumpy R.A. whose coffee addiction, steady stream of sarcasm, and dismal view of life made for a hilarious time🤣 I really enjoyed the slow burn aspect of Andie and Milo’s relationship and thought they complemented each other well as a couple❤️

There were many aspects of this story that I enjoyed. First, the character development in the story was well done. I really appreciated how Andie grew as a person and learned to not let others walk all over her. It was also fun to see Andie step into her calling as a radio advice-giver and gain confidence in her talent. Lastly, I enjoyed seeing the resolution of family issues between Andie and her father & between Milo and his brother. These aspects of the story were both uplifting and inspiring.

Unfortunately, what detracted from my enjoyment of the book was the heavy use of strong language in the last 25% of the book. It particularly bothered me since this is a YA book. I was surprised that the language shifted so much at the end of the story since Andie’s character didn’t use profanity and instead substituted the names of her favorite foods in lieu of curse words (“salted caramel oreos!”)

Overall, this was a sweet story about a girl learning to become her own person and navigate the complications of college life. I just wish it hadn’t contained that language at the end😅

🚨TW: mentions of losing a parent & cheating

🚨CW: kissing only, mild & strong language.

Super adorable book by this author, she’s amazing by the way. We have some college vibes, sweet romance. I loved Andie, Milo, Shay and Valeria. They were literally the ultimate crew, and I love the podcasting and standing up to the injustices of their school system. Everything about this book was just fun and refreshing, give or a take a few issues that the characters face. But overall it was a fun read. Thanks NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

While this wasn't really a bad book, per se, it was too light and fluffy for my taste. Additionally, I disliked Andie as a character and didn't note any significant character growth. The writing seemed a bit juvenile for the target demographic, although I do think it would be a good pick for advanced juvenile readers.

This one got me with the nostalgia. This book is about the female MC’s freshman year of college and well, like, duh, that’s such a warm and fuzzy time. A year of so much self-discovery and newfound independence. Many of my best friends today are friends I made during that year — so yeah, this one got me in the feels.

That said, as far as the story itself, I liked it, I didn’t love it. Mostly there was a ton going on and it just drug a bit. I feel like at 90% there are two types of books— books you’re sad are almost over, and books you just wanna’ finish so you can move on. This one unfortunately fell in the latter category for me.

What I DID love…
- the college nostalgia
- campus shenanigans
- finding your forever friends
- found family

What I Didn’t Love…
- I predicted the big twist which is always a bummer
- the slow, dragging pace
- some of the decision making was frustrating

Read this if your jam is…
- YA romance
- campus love stories
- previous Emma Lord books

Overall, this was cute, but I was hoping for more. It goes in the ‘like’ column.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC of this!

I've really enjoyed the author's books in the past and this one fits in with them perfectly. A cute story full of family, friends, and fun, I had such a great time from start to finish rooting for the couples that I wanted to work out, the friendships I wanted built and the reconciliations I was hoping for. I will say, one "twist", felt *really* obvious to me, I'm not sure whether just from knowing the author's other books or from other YA, but I was ok with the bit of predictability. I wish Andie's previous relationship might've ended a little sooner and given more space for her feelings for someone new to grow without feeling cheating-adjacent, but overall, this was sweet and easy both to read and to enjoy. I ended it feeling pleased with the outcome, and smiling until the last page.

Let me just say, this book had me in my feels!! I loved everything about it. I could go on and on about it, but I will just say that I started and finished it in the same day. I couldn't stop reading it!!

I didn't think a YA book would make me feel every single emotion.

Andie starts her freshman year at a community college after letting her grades slip in high school to help her boyfriend Connor get his grades up. Because of this, Connor went to Blue Ridge State, and Andie ended up at community college. Well, surprise! Andie transfers to Blue Ridge for her spring semester, and Connor also transfers, but to community college. Blue Ridge is a big deal for Andie, as her parents met there. Andie's mom passed away when she was younger, so she wanted to do the things her mom did. Like the ribbon scavenger hunt and the Knight Talk radio show.

Andie goes through the semester trying to solve her friends and classmates problems over her own. This comes with boy troubles, girl troubles, class troubles, home troubles, you name it. With these troubles, Andie learns lots of lessons.

As someone who loved their college experience and learned a lot from mistakes I made, I related to Andie in trying to find herself and believe in herself. Looking back on the experience, I think that this would be a WONDERFUL book for college students (especially females) to read. I laughed, I cried, and it warmed my heart. I will be buying myself a physical copy, because I will definitely want to keep this in my office!

Thank you to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Emma Lord for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

“Go make the most out of it, because every day is a chance to begin again.”

I will forever live by that quote. I absolutely love it.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked all the characters. I liked the descriptions. I just liked it all.

Emma Lord is fast becoming one of my favorite YA contemporary writers. Andi and Milo are so cute as friends and this book left me wanting a bagel REALLY BAD. Will definitely be picking this one up for my collection.

Begin Again is another sweet, funny, and relatable read from Emma Lord. Following Andie, a college freshman who just transferred to her dream school, eager to trace her mother's young adulthood at Blue Ridge State and jumpstart her 10-year plan. But the thing about plans, is they almost always go wrong. Joined by a charming cast of characters, Andie throws herself into college life and finds lots of shenanigans along the way.

I really enjoyed the growth of Andie's character in this book. Her compulsion to fix everyone else's problems but her own, and her steadfast grip on the future she thought she wanted fell away and it was really great to see her find her way. I loved the side plots and characters and there were plenty of laughs, a few healthy cringes, and so many sweet, nostalgic moments in between. Definitely a great read.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for my eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Emma Lord is queen of Young/New Adult books. She writes characters that are flawed and quirky, but bright, strong, and that you truly are rooting for. Andie is not exception to this. I loved watching Andie develop as her own person and grapple with a huge transition and grief. I related to her and she just felt really real.

I also laughed several times, and teared up a few times. I love Emma Lord's commitment to obnoxious food,

I highlighted some quotes that made me laugh/think/feel seen. I've decided to include them because they are pure gold.
-"But only because I'm a Cosmic Brownie bitch." I too, am a cosmic brownie bitch. Don't get me started on the Crumbl Cookie version.
-"I want to love and be loved without ever having to wonder if it's conditional. I want a life that sometimes is just my own, without feeling like I'm responsible for anyone or anyone is burdened with being responsible for me." SAME.
-"Dancing isn't a skill, it's a goddamn right." PREACH!
-"Go make the most of it, because every day is a chance to begin again."

While this book took me a while to get through (I started it in October, and am just now finishing it), it held my attention while I was reading it, and I blame starting a new job and the holidays for my reading slump, not this book.

I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who loves coming of age stories, slow burn romances, and college-set books.