This book was a fun read. I could definitely seeing it appeal to the college aged crowd but I found it good as well. Andie Rose was an interesting character. She stars out with not a a lot of self-esteem but you can sense the confidence that's brimming under the surface. She just needed to find people that believed in her & that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to do. Ironically she is very good at helping other people with their problems. Milo, Shay, Valeria, & Connor are great characters in her story of how she becomes the person she is by the end of the story. I felt like some of the book was somewhat predictable but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of reading it.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

A cute story with lots of drama that explore growing up, self-esteem and understanding the past. Acceptance and forgiveness. Easy read with a good voice.
However, the reason for the three stars is how long it took me to get into the book. Maybe it was the slow pace at the beginning or maybe my pet peeve with a love triangle, I guess.
I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have enjoyed all of Emma Lord's books, but I was slightly disappointed by "Begin Again". I had a difficult time connecting with Andie, she never felt real. Also, the plot had too many aspects making it feel bogged down at times. Plus, the characters' relationships lacked the charm in Lord's past book. There are aspects of this book that I enjoyed (Milo is the shining star in this novel), but it didn't live up to my expectations.

With each of her new releases, Emma Lord becomes a must-read author for me. Begin Again follows a college student with big shoes to fill as it relates to her mom’s legacy. This book had friendship, romance, and a lot of feel good moments (and some iffy ones, too!). I found myself relating to our main character Andie and how she carries herself. I couldn’t recommend this read more!

Special thanks to NetGally and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Emma Lord has fast become one of my favorite YA/NA authors, and Begin Again has further solidified that standing. Begin Again is full of rich, compelling language in a fun, quirky coming-of-age novel. True to Lord's style, the characters are vulnerable and authentic -- and the story overall very, very cute.

Begin Again by Emma Lord was a cute coming of age YA college romance. Andie is a college student transferring to the school where her dead mother went. Andie connects with a new group of friends and struggles with a long distance romance. I enjoyed the writing but this wasn't my favorite by Emma Lord. I will still continue to read her work because Tweet Cute will still be one of my favorite books. Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to receive an early copy. I will definitely recommend this novel to my students.

Another adorable book by Emma Lord! I really enjoyed the college setting, the podcast element and the fun ribbon events. The romance was super cute and the banter between Andie and Milo was perfection. Definitely a book I would recommend picking up!

Begin Again follows Andie Rose, an intrepid college student who is thrilled to finally be at her mom’s alma mater. To her dismay, her boyfriend has transferred schools and the stats class she needs for her major is super difficult. With the help of her roommate, her tutor, and her RA, can Andie get her plan back on track? Or will she choose to create a different plan- maybe even a better one?

I devoured Begin Again! Andie Rose is a charming character with lots of empathy and determination. She is always focused on helping as many people as she can. I think Andie is someone who many readers will relate to, as she has grown up finding immense satisfaction in helping others but then also must learn to choose to make herself a priority. The writing is friendly, filled with humor, and feels as relaxing as rewatching an old episode of Gilmore Girls. Andie has to balance the memory of her mom and familiar friends with the new adventure of being at Blue Ridge State and meeting people she couldn’t have predicted. I especially loved the found family and beautiful friendships between Andie, Milo, Shay and Val.

I love Emma Lord’s writing; it is fun and lighthearted but then manages to sneak in a deeper meaning along the way. As a former barista, I loved how Milo created a blend called Eternal Darkness and then Andie accidentally decaffeinated the campus! Begin Again is filled with tons of fun, joyful moments along with reflections on grief and loss. Andie has to come to terms with her memories of her mom, grief about the time stolen from them, and how she will choose what is best for her future without her mom there to help.

Begin Again is the perfect book for readers who enjoy sunshine/grump pairings, slow burn romance, and fans of Gilmore Girls (season three). Begin Again releases January 24, 2023. Thank you to Emma Lord, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, Wordpress blog, and Barnes & Noble etc

<b> <i>Begin Again</I> is another immensely enjoyable YA romance from Emma Lord.</b>

<b>Tropes:</b>
-Friends-to-Lovers
-Opposites-Attract
-Found Family
-Fresh Start

<b>CW:</b> Andie’s mom’s passing is mentioned in the book description but it’s worth noting that a lot of her personal journey is tied up in how she has/hasn’t grieved that loss.

<b>Plot at a glance:</b> Andie Rose has her heart set on becoming a beloved self-help figure. The first big step toward making that happen is transferring from community college to highly competitive Blue Ridge State. This should help revive her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend, but he ended up transferring to the community college to be closer to her. Unable to find a quick fix for her boyfriend, Andie tries to channel her problem-solving nature into helping her roommate Shay and their R.A. Milo with their respective problems. But spending more time with Milo stirs up all kinds of feelings Andie isn’t ready to deal with yet.

<b>Review:</b> Once again Emma Lord crafts relatable and endearing characters. I found myself wishing I could be part of Andie’s newfound friend group. I loved Milo – the grumpy, over-caffeinated cynic with a big heart – and adored Andie’s grandmothers.

Emma Lord also did an incredible job capturing the jitters of starting over, the struggles of letting go of the past, and the uncertainty of finding your place in the world. There were so many moments where my heart ached for Andie. I also loved the exploration of relationships. Through Andie and her friends, readers experience the many ups and downs of friendly, romantic and familial relationships.

<b>Overall, I highly recommend <i>Begin Again</I> for anyone seeking YA romances featuring thoughtful personal journeys for the MCs.</b>

Do yourself a favor and add Emma Lord to your list of auto-buy authors, you won’t be disappointed!

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (Wednesday Books) for the chance to read this digital ARC.</i>

This was definitely a cute and charming read. I thought it was a good coming-of-age story set on a college campus. At times, our main character, Andie, frustrated me - but that felt realistic for an 18-year-old. Overall, very sweet and fun read.

3.5 rounded up to a 4

** I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this one, but it missed the mark for me. I loved Emma Lord’s last book, but this just felt super corny and over the top. I think I may have grown completely out of YA, so it might just be a me thing. I might still try more of her books in the future, but this one just wasn’t for me.

Emma Lord has created a book filled with diverse and interesting characters and great friendships.

It felt like a true first semester away at college. Andie is trying to juggle it all..classes, relationships, family, collecting ribbons, work. The

I love that Andie and Milo developed a true friendship throughout the book. It made their relationship seem more lifelike.

Begin Again is a heartwarming YA novel that is sure to make you smile.

Thank you to the publishers via NetGalley for the arc!

Begin Again starts with Andie changing colleges between semesters freshman year. She makes the transfer in part because of her boyfriend, but also because this is the college her mom went to, and it's where she's always wanted to go. Right from the beginning things fall apart, her boyfriend transferred to the community college, her classes aren't going smoothly and her relationship with her father is further deteriorating. Andi knows she has to fix thing, but it's going to be quite the process.

Luckily she has an amazing roommate and a cute RA that are on her team. Milo, the cute RA shares some commonalities with Andie that get her to open up more about her dad (and his family in return). Her roommate Shay is amazing and the kind of roommate college students should dream about.

The highlight of Begin Again is Andie's journey to find her true self, and what she needs to do to make her own dreams come true. At the beginning there is a lot of self sacrificing, it was nice to see Andie gain her footing (even if there were some missteps along the way).

I wanted to read this book after reading Lords, Tweet Cute which I absolutely loved! I thought this book was cute and adorable. I thought Annie was relatable, but the way she curses didn’t seem as genuine for someone her age. I’m not sure if that is because of her upbringing or a way to add cheesiness to the character. I loved Milo! I’m a huge fan of grumpy first appearances.

I gave this book a three because compared to the authors other books, this one didn’t grip me as much and a times it felt like the conversations were dragging on.

When life gives you a fresh start, you have no choice but to begin again. College freshman, Andie, has to learn this the hard way after transferring to her dream university mid-semester. Andie struggles to adjust to university life, make new friends, handle a rocky stage with her long-term boyfriend, Connor, live up to her late mother's legacy as the college radio host, and her pesky new feelings for her caffeine-obsessed RA, Milo.
Andie continues to handle these stressful situations the only way she knows. Ignore her problems and give other people advice.
As someone who doesn't read many young adult novels nowadays, I enjoyed this story more than I expected. I liked the main character, Andie, because I could see my younger self in her. I related to her desire to keep her life plan on track at all costs, even when it stopped benefitting her. Throughout the book, we see Andie grow into a more self-confident adult as she navigates the challenges of young adulthood and college. Additionally, the author does a great job describing the pain and struggles that come with losing a parent at a young age. The story manages to stay lighthearted, but it adds depth to the characters and the plotlines. Finally, we have to discuss Andie and Milo. It's sweet watching the two characters overcome their struggles and learn to lean on each other. I wish the characters had gotten together sooner, but a later start to relationships is the norm in YA novels. Now, for the critiques of the book. There were many subplots throughout the book, and not all needed to be there. Andie wanting to collect ribbons to join her school's club like her parents did was sweet, but I kept forgetting about the ribbon hunt until it was mentioned again in the book. Second, I honestly kept forgetting Conner existed, which was pleasant. I feel if Andie had dumped him a little sooner, like halfway through the book, we could've focused on more essential parts of the story. Finally, there were some lulls in the book. As my previous point stated, the middle of the book was slow. A much-needed breakup may have helped.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would consider reading something else by this author.

I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Begin Again felt like stepping back onto a college campus, and I felt the nostalgia in waves. As someone who had their entire college career uprooted by COVID, this book made me feel welcomed in the arms of Blue Ridge State. Andie Rose is everything a second semester freshman is: anxious, unsure, and ready to take college on. As “The Fixer”, Andie works to help those around her without putting her own needs first. As the book continues, Andie becomes more sure of herself and more confident in who she is (with the help of other characters). Her relationship with others in the novel brought me to tears, and this novel makes everything feel like it can be righted. This was a 5-star read, and it will certainly be a reread for me.

I can’t tell if this is my favorite book by her yet, but this was a great read. I loved the character development and plot. I had a great time reading! The perfect snowy read!

Emma Lord has perfected the coming-of-age story with a missing mom trope, in my opinion. This is the second one I've read from her, and she does it rather well. Andie goes to the same college her late mom went to hoping to get some answers and to fulfill her mom's legacy. She also has the attitude that she needs to fix everyone's problems without realizing that there are problems within her own life that need fixing. At the beginning of the story, you can clearly tell which are the problems that need fixing, her troubled relationship, her late mother that was never properly grieved, her extremely lack boundaries, and her relationship, or lack thereof, with her father.

Throughout the story as Andie continues to solve her friends' problems her own come to surface and are faced to be solved. She discovers secrets her parents had and makes her own legacy.

I received and ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

A charming YA book about a girl who is determined to follow in her mother's footsteps as she attends the same college. Begin Again incorporated a lot of issues very seamlessly and was really a pleasure to read.

Andie is thrilled to be a new transfer student at Blue Ridge State. First, it's the school her boyfriend attends. Second, its the school her mother attended as well. After Andie's mother's tragic death, Andie hopes that being in this place so important to her mom will help her feel closer to her.

But the course of true love does not run smoothly (or however the saying goes.) Begin Again was a long book, which is often an issue for me, but I didn't want it to end. It was obvious that some of Andie's plans weren't in her best interest, but it was really a joy to watch her navigate college and have the courage to forge her own path.

Andie Rose is eager to pursue a degree in Psychology at her mother’s alma mater, Blue Ridge State, after transferring from her community college. However, she soon learns her long-term boyfriend transferred from Blue Ridge State to the community college to be with her. On her own, Andie connects with her roommate, Bookstagrammer Shay, and her R.A. Milo as she finds her way on her college-life journey.

This was a sweet, wholesome YA story that was an enjoyable book. I absolutely LOVED all the Bookstagram references with one of the main characters being a Bookstagrammer, and the bagel shop the characters work at, Bagelopolis, will make you hungry while reading {a pretzel bagel sounds AMAZING}. Check this one out for a feel-good story when you need a light, easy read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an e-ARC!