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.

Reading an Emma Lord book is always comforting. I think I loved this book more than her previous works! I enjoyed to read the fresh perspective to the college life!

For sure picked this book just because of the name. Anything that has to do with Taylor I will most likely read it. Plus it is always a good time for a romance book.

I was hooked from the very beginning and in love with the characters. I know this is not a thriller, but the twists and turns this book has sometimes is amazing. The shock it gave me made it hard for me to put the book down.

I don't know why it took me so long to read this, but I loved every minute of it.

Emma Lord is one of my favorite YA authors, so I"m always looking forward to reading her next book. "Begin Again" was more NA than YA, which was a fun departure for Lord. Her stories always have so much heart and fun from start to finish.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy Emma Lord! My first book by her was Tweet Cute which was just such an adorable quintessential YA romance, loved it.

And then I read You’ve Have a Match which seemed to veer away from like 100% romance and lean more into family dynamics, which is similar to Begin Again.

In Begin Again, we get a lot more than just YA romance. It’s about a girl who gets into her dream college and is able to transfer mid-year and what that adjustment process is like for her.

It explored what we owe to other people (relationships, parents, and friends) vs. what we owe to ourselves. I liked this one and it was a quick easy lil read with some fun characters and beautiful messages for the ~youths~🫶🏻

This story was so stinking cute. I loved everything about it - I did find it to be a little predictable, I called just about every "twist" but still really enjoyed it. I also felt Andie was so relatable, especially to me on a personal level. I went through almost this exact scenario when I went off to college. (Realizing that the person you thought was going to be spending the rest of your life with was only meant to be there for a time, and that a lot of growing can happen over the course of a few months)

Loved the grumpy / sunshine aspect of this story - Loved Milo from the first second he came into the story. And I loved the friendships in this book - so many times in books there is a catty female character and I was so pleased to see the drama without it being because of a woman.

Emma Lord always delivers realistic and likable characters and an engaging plot. I loved and related to Andie and her organization/plans. The college campus setting was great. Emma Lord is a must-read author for me!

I love nothing more than an Emma Lord book. I’m so proud to share a name with her 😂 I was immediately hooked by this book and finished it in one sitting. I appreciate that it’s a fresh story and doesn’t mimic any of her other books.

4.5 stars

I really like Emma Lord’s writing style. Her books are for those times when you just want a good, fun, feel-good read. She knows how to include real world problems and issues without making her characters the victim in a situation. They come out stronger and better people. Her characters are relatable on so many levels. Although this book takes place on the college level, (I’m definitely not college age) I could still relate to Andi’s dad in the book. I think this book is great for so many different age groups.

Overall I loved Begin Again. The writing was wonderful and the story just left me feeling good!

***Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC copy in return for an honest review***

I love Emma Lord and I don't usually read YA, but I couldn't pass this one up. I really loved the romance and the world-building that Emma did.

I really loved this book! I loved how it reflected a (mostly) realistic view of your freshman year of college and how it can be challenging to find your place. It felt very real and the layers to it was so well done. I like the element of mystery as well, and I REALLY want to go to Bagelopolis!

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Maybe Emma Lord is publishing too many books too quickly? 😬 Regardless, here are my thoughts:

What I Liked:
-Andie is very easy to like. She's motivated (I mean, transferring from community college so quickly?! yes girl) and she is willing to do what it takes to be successful
-Andie's relationship with her roommate, Shay. As with most roommate situations, it took them a bit to warm up to each other but when they did, it was a beautiful relationship.
-The cute little radio show where Andie was able to connect with her mom? Loved this. Andie is a beast at giving good advice.
-Donuts


What I Didn't Like:
-While it was easy to like Andie and her motivation, I also found myself screaming at her to open her eyes and mind to other things than just the few things she was focused on. I mean, girl. There's more to life than Connor and getting back to him. (Though I would have behaved the exact same way). Andie really kind of bothered me at times and I wanted better for her.

Begin Again was a great story about starting over, or really just starting at all. Andre Rose is a mid year transfer to her dream college, the one where her parents met and her mom, who passed away when Andie was 11, left a legacy.

It’s heartwarming to watch Andie recognize that her dreams need to be her own if she wants to really enjoy life. She meets a great group of friends who are there to support her as much as she supports them.

Lord’s writing is funny, believable, and quickly paced.

I am definitely going to check out Lord’s other books!

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Begin Again

A Novel

By: Emma Lord

Publish Date: 24 January 2023

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Wednesday Books

Teens and YA

100 Book ReviewsProfessional Reader

I would like to thank both NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

Book Review:

This was a cute story, and I gave the book 3 stars. Andie has a plan to transfer from the community college to a state university. She plans on majoring in psychology. Once she gets there things don’t go as planned. Her relationship with her boyfriend is rocky. He was at the state university but is now at the community college. Her roommate needs a major and Andie has no ideas to help her. She is not used to not being able to help those around her. This is making her realize what she is truly made of. I really enjoy the friendship in this book and how they help each other out.

Emma Lord writes great, interesting, and fully developed characters who you love rooting for in their relationships but also all the other aspects of their journey.

Missed the mark. The story skips from issue to issue and if feels like the MC never stops complaining. Pacing of story also felt slightly off.