While I haven’t read TWEET CUTE yet, I’ve adored Emma Lord’s other two books, WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE and YOU HAVE A MATCH. When I was approved for BEGIN AGAIN, I was thrilled. In her newest book, we have a college freshman who transferred to a new school, eager to end her long-distance relationship and be with her boyfriend, and eager to make her mark on a school that also meant so much to her mom. There are secret societies, a scavenger hunt, a cute RA, and a fun group of friends.

This was such a cute coming-of-age story, with a dash of YA romance. I was so rooting for our main character, Andie - you just want her to believe in herself as much as you do. And, it just took me back to college - late night junk food and venting sessions, struggling with particular classes, and just learning about yourself.

BEGIN AGAIN is out Jan. 24!

This was a cool concept!! I do think the ending felt rushed and parts (long distance boyfriend) were a bit dragged out. Overall a decent YA read

Thank you netgalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review

Emma Lord has done it again! I laughed, I cried, I swooned. Begin Again is a coming of age YA about Andie as she deals with her grief over losing a loved one, finding her confidence in a new school, and learning to love herself for who she is. I recently went through some rough times and I was able to deeply relate with Andie. She was able to narrate her insecurities without being whiny or annoying. A very likable and relatable character. I also thought the romance between her and Milo was very sweet. My only critique was that parts of the book are rather predictable. I instantly predicted the love triangle and I was able to guess how it would be resolved.

3.25 stars - Firstly, thank you NetGalley for sending me a copy of this arc to read and review! Begin Again was my first read from author Emma Lord, and I thought it was a cute, playful, and overall fun story that is perfect for teens and young adults.

While it took me a while to get invested in the story, I still felt very comfortable reading about the characters in a way where getting through this book didn't feel like a tedious job at all. I admire the strong cast of characters in this book, with great representation in Andie's friend group. I especially loved Shay's character (her room full of books is so relatable).

I felt a little misled by the description and cover, thinking this would have more romance involved, but really this is a story of self growth and discovery for Andie, the protagonist. I still really enjoyed the sprinkles of romance between Andie and Milo, where even the little moments that most people would look over gave me butterflies. I did think their relationship escalated too quickly near the end where it felt like the two skipped many stages of a relationship and sort of just jumped to declarations. This was mainly due to the conflict with Andie and her long-distance boyfriend. This of course just felt like something that was being dragged on for most of the book, and the ending of them felt inevitable to satisfy the relationship with Milo, so there was really no surprise for the reader.

I wasn't quite sold by the concept of the school's ribbon hunt and radio show, but I could appreciate how they were important to make Andie's character relatable as a freshman in this new setting. I think many young readers would relate to Andie, who feels an immense pressure to always help those close to her while carrying the weight of everyone's responsibilities. The progression of her character as she slowly learns to focus on helping herself is pleasing, and Emma Lord's writing is quite humourous at times, with lighthearted and touching moments. Overall, I'd say if you're a teen preparing for college or just starting your college/university years, then this book would be a fantastic read for you.

4 stars

Emma Lord will be hitting the ground running in 2023 with a slight departure from her previous three YA books: a venture into New Adult territory! While this book is (in my opinion MIS-) labeled as YA across platforms, for me, it falls squarely in the New Adult camp, and there are no resulting losses.

Andie, the m.c., is in the middle of her undergraduate experience, which means that she has the opportunity to learn SO MUCH about nearly every aspect of her life. Early on, readers learn that Andie is grappling with the loss of her mother and that her mother's death plays a complex role in her current major life decisions. This is an absolutely gripping part of the novel and Andie's development, and folks who enjoyed this element of an absent mom in _When You Get the Chance_ will be hard pressed not to find some parallels here (though there are also some clear distinctions). Andie also has a partner who seems sketchy from the jump, but how is one to feel otherwise about a certain type of fella of this age and stage? Her life decisions also seem a little too closely tied to this individual for more experienced readers' comfort. But Andie is not just shaped by her relationship to her past; she also has important lessons to learn about prioritizing herself, creating an individual sense of self based her interests and merits, and keeping her own best interests in mind.

Incoming fans of Lord's (raises hand here) and readers who appreciate a solid coming of age story will find much to love here. To be transparent, I adore YA and often feel the opposite about New Adult, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed this NA from Lord as much as (and in some cases more than) I've enjoyed her YA novels (which is quite a lot overall). Readers who have similar hesitations should definitely give this one a go.

I started the book excited to read more from this author and am ending it feeling the same!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I'm so impressed with Emma Lord's writing and she's definitely one of my favorite YA authors. This book took me right back to college and hit me with all the feels. I would go back to college in a heartbeat! I loved the perspective of being a transfer student, the struggles of being at a competitive school, choosing a major - essentially finding your place and people during a very vulnerable and scary time of your life.

This is a very sweet book, perfect for lovers of YA and romance books. The characters are very endearing. You follow Andie, a young college freshman as she navigates life on her new college campus. She loves to "help people", so she instantly bonds with her new roommate and RA. She has some trouble with her classes, learns how to be a part of a broadcast program, and deals with her long distance boyfriend. If you need a sweet read, this is the book for you!

4.75 stars

“Anything worth doing starts with a mess.”

Begin Again is another great example of author Emma Lord’s thorough understanding and command of the YA genre. It’s sweet, affecting, and perfectly encapsulates the growing pains that come during that unique sliver of time between adolescence and full-blown adulthood.

Andie Rose is a woman with a plan. First on her list? Transferring to her dream college to fulfill her dreams of becoming a self-help maven and also to understand to her dead mother’s past. Second? To reconnect with her longtime boyfriend, as they’ve both felt the toll of a long-distance relationship. The moment Andie gets to Blue Ridge State, however, her plans go off the rails. Starting with the fact that said boyfriend transferred to the community college she just left. Add in new friends whose problems she wants to solve, and an RA named Milo with impossibly green eyes, and things are about to get a whole lot more complicated for Andie Rose.

From the beginning, this book grabbed me. Sure, Andie’s journey to self-discovery is a little bit bumpy, and there were times I wanted to shake her, the story felt super relatable and real. Life is messy, and that particular stage of life is fraught with missteps and mistakes. I loved the way that Lord sort of builds a slow burning tension that has a satisfying payoff in the end. It’s romantic and sweet and an absolute joy to read.

I’m already counting down the days when I can get a hard copy of this book on my shelf.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Reviews Posted: December 16, 2022
Storygraph
Goodreads


I promise I tried really hard to get through this book, but I just could not do it. Not even 20% in, and I had to DNF. I would read a page or two and have to put the book down to get from throwing it across the room.

One the main character Andie was so incredibly insufferable. While there are plenty of characters out there that I don’t like or am not a big fan of, Andie made me want to rip all the hair from my head. Like, I truly don’t think I have ever hated or been annoyed with a character more.

Also, the little I saw of the writing was not for me, and that also played a big role in pulling me out of the story.

Maybe this is a sign that Emma Lord books are just not for me.

Begin Again by Emma Lord is a heartwarming and inspiring story about second chances, love, and ambition. The protagonist of this novel is Andie Rose, a young woman who transfers from community college to the prestigious Blue Ridge State University with the goal of becoming an iconic self-help figure. She brings her dreams and her turbulent relationship with Connor along for the ride. But when she learns that he has transferred to the same college as her, things get even more complicated. Meanwhile, Andie’s roommate Shay needs help finding a major and despite being known as “The Fixer” on campus, Andie isn’t sure how best to help her out.

However, all these complications lead Andie to discover something important about herself and the power of her own voice: through the school’s pirate radio station “the Squire” – created by her mother years before – she begins to realize that not all well-prepared ideas are necessarily good ones. Begin Again is an uplifting story about learning from mistakes, pushing past boundaries and trusting in yourself even when things seem difficult.

• Gilmore Girls-esque vibes: Begin Again is like a modern day take on those beloved seasons in Stars Hollow, but with its own unique twist.
• A gorgeous slow burn romance
• Bookstagrammer roommate vibes: Shay's passion for books is so incredibly relatable
• Queer representation done right: In addition to exploring themes of class and privilege, Begin Again also gives us a nuanced look into the struggles faced by queer characters. It touches on important topics without feeling preachy or heavy-handed.
• The perfect rom com read: With its witty dialogue, unforgettable characters, and heartfelt moments, this book is sure to delight any romantic comedy fan - it's got everything you're looking for!

Warning you will feel all the feels!

This was a cute YA read - I loved the characters and the quirky/unique take on a college/university experience.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc!

Something about me is that I am always going to enjoy a ya-contemporary romance book. There's something just so incredibly wholesome about them that will never get old. This one is no exception! Our main character Andie Rose has just finished her first semester at one of her hometown colleges when she gets accepted to transfer into the university where her parents met. She hopes to surprise her boyfriend who's attending that same university but when the semester starts Andie learns he transferred to the college where she previously attended to be together...Already off to a great start, Andie hopes to follow in the steps of her mom, starting with joining the school's ribbon competition. All the while, Andie's R.A., Miles, proves to be one of her biggest distractions although she can't really tell whether it's a good or bad thing.

Overall, I think this was a super cute and easy read and the slow burn between Andie and her love interest was so so good. Although I will always enjoy a good enemies to lovers, friends to lovers never fails to make my heart warm.

Rating: 3.75 !!

The quintessential college coming of age story with just the right amount of romance. Author Emma Lord gives Andie such a relatable voice that so many readers can find aspects of their own college experience in hers.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

Overall this was a pleasant surprise for me. All four of the main characters were fantastic and their relationships and the setting really captured the college experience brilliantly. I rate books on a set of ten criteria, and this got an 89 overall from me, including 10s for Atmosphere, Main Characters, Relationships, and Successful Fulfillment of the Premise.
I will say, though, that I was concerned at the start by just how high (an unnecessarily so) the concept was: we had a long-distance relationship, shame at not getting into the college at first chance, trying to live up to her mother's legacy, dad drama, and the ribbon thing ... any two of those would have been plenty to explore in a single book and the beginning from felt too clogged to me. BUT, Emma Lord is a talented author and she made it work. There were also so minor quibbles with the internal timing within the book for me, but nothing that took me out of the story.
Despite these quibbles, this was a genuine treat for me.
A favorable review will be posted on my blog the week before the release date.

3.5 stars!

this was a really fun read about how difficult it can be to figure out who you want to be in life as a young adult. freshman transfer student andie rose thinks she has her whole life planned, down to the very last detail. she even transferred to her dream school to surprise her boyfriend! but when she arrives on campus, things quickly fall apart--her boyfriend has transferred back to her old school, work-study opportunities are rare, her statistics class is near impossible, and getting into the on-campus secret societies are more work than she thought. eventually andie has to decide if she wants to continue planning every part of her life out, or if she can learn to be content to change the plan or go without one entirely.
it's difficult to summarize this book because there is A LOT going on, which is probably my main complaint. it felt like there were so many plot lines and for the first third of the book i wasn't sure which one was going to be at the forefront. i thought we'd have more emphasis on the ribbon-getting and secret societies, but that faded to the background pretty quickly. once i figured out which plot threads were going to be more important, the book got much more enjoyable.
it still felt like a bit too much by the end of the book, there were a lot of things happening and lots to resolve, but overall i liked the characters, the journeys they went on, and the things they learned. i was reminded of the exciting yet scary uncertainty of having your whole adult life in front of you as a young college student, and it was fun to relive those days in a way.

thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!!

I love Emma Lord and have read several of her books now. When I saw that she was coming out with a new book I had to read it immediately.

Andie wants to go to Blue Ridge State so badly that she manages to get a transfer from her community college in the middle of her freshman year. She wants to change schools because her boyfriend, Connor, attends Blue Ridge and so did Andie's parents. Upon arriving at Blue Ridge Andie discovers that Connor has transferred to her community college and she's now alone. The school has contests to earn ribbons so that students can join secret societies and Andie is determined to earn a place for her and Connor in one of the societies. Andie begins meeting other students at Blue Ridge including her new RA, Milo, and her roommate, Shay. Before Andie knows it she's caught up in daily life at Blue Ridge and navigating some tricky situations.

I thought this was adorable but both Andie and Connor transferring schools to surprise the other seemed a little far fetched. I did enjoy the characters and Andie's connection to Blue Ridge with her parents having attended the school. The friend group that Andie finds comes together immediately and there's also a romance beginning. I thought the dynamics in the friend group were great and liked the instant chemistry between Andie and Milo. There were some very heartwarming moments as Andie learns to adjust to her new school and re-connect with her dad. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a good YA novel!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

“Anything worth doing starts with a mess.”

Another delightful story from Emma Lord!

Andie transfers to her dream college, working to follow in her mother’s footsteps and be closer to her long term boyfriend. Unfortunately, things don’t go to plan and Andie has her work cut out for her - settling in, getting up to speed on the course work, and finding her own footing outside of her mom’s legacy. This does involve processing the grief of a parent’s passing due to cancer and cheating.

Check this one out if you’re looking for:
🎙️YA romance
🎙️ MC growing into her own
🎙️ An adorable, caffeine addicted hero
🎙️ Delightful, supportive friend group

Thank you to Wednesday books and Netgalley for this ARC! Begin Again is on shelves January 24, 2023

Unfortunately, I couldn’t get into this one. I stopped reading at about 25% and never convinced myself to return to it.

The premise of this story is sweet and relatable, and I can always appreciate a mix of Legally Blonde and Taylor Swift inspiration, but I found the relationship between Andie and her boyfriend to be a bit absurd from the beginning. My main problem in this book was Andie, who was a bit too obnoxious and corny of a character for me. I’m sure I could appreciate this as a younger reader, though, so I think this was a “just not for me” situation.

I might not have liked this book, but Emma Lord is still definitely an auto-read author for me.

Emma Lord has done it again 5 stars all the way I have loved everything she has written
I could easily have been read in an afternoon but of course life happens.

I loved this story from the bookstagram talk to the bagel shop I loved all the characters
Even though it is set in the college setting I think this was pretty clean and pre-teen would love it.

Make sure to pick up your copy next month Jan 2023

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would give 10 stars if I was aloud

What a cute fun read! I am definitely going to read more by this author…

With lots of hard work, Andie Rose manages to transfer to Blue Ridge State halfway during freshman year. Her life seems to be back on track, according to the incredibly detailed plan she has mapped out. Blue Ridge State is her dream college, and reunited with her boyfriend Connor. However, her plan quickly goes off track as it turns out that Connor has failed out of Blue Ridge State.

She tries to keep their failing relationship going, while also participating in the work study, trying to keep up with her classes and trying to participate in events to get into a sorority.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There were lots of fun characters, witty banter, and fun plot twists. Andie had a lot of emotional growth through this novel, which I really enjoyed.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for this eARC to read and review.