Did I just stumble upon a new YA favorite? Honestly...I think so!

Something about this book was just so perfect and I ended up reading it in under 24 hours which considering I just got out of a reading slump is amazing! I feel like YA novels can be a hit or miss for me but I ended up really enjoying the characters in this story, their development, and the various story aspects that added a bit more depth which I appreciated

I was able to relate to the protagonist, Andie, so much and I liked getting to see her personal growth as she found her place at Blue Ridge State. As someone who also likes to plan ahead and has a idealized trajectory of her life, I could relate to her a lot and I liked that the story kind of stuck to her hopes and dreams rather than completely changing her identity. I think this book also just hit so close because I am also going into my second semester of college so it was just spot on

I thought that the romance in this book was so cute and I absolutely loved Milo's character and their interactions with each other. I also loved the emphasis on the new friendships she made (all of the side characters were so fun!) and how Andie traversed her big transition into this new environment whilst also dealing with and facing her own personal and familial struggles

Overall, I just thought this was such a wonderful read with fun characters, heartfelt relationships, and relatable issues that I really connected with! An amazing story that I highly recommend!

Beautiful story about a young college woman trying to find her way at a school that’s full of her family history. I enjoyed watching her grow and build new friendships while letting go of the past.

Begin Again is the first book of Emma Lord's I've read and I thought it was entertaining and sweet, though it was quite predictable. Andie, the protagonist is a college freshman on a mission to fix other people's problems, when in reality, she's been neglecting her own life.... But she has just made a major life change by transferring from her home town's community college to the state school a couple hours away. How will her need to fix things for others manifest itself on this new campus? And will she realize her own life needs help, too before it's too late?

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I've not read this author before, but this book appealed to me being set in college rather than high school. Emma Lord is a talented and thoughtful writer.

Andie Bell has managed to get herself in to the state university as a freshman transfer from community College. She gets brought to campus by her 2 grandma's who have helped raise her since her mom passed away. Her dad is in the picture but he moved for his job and Andie feels abandoned by him. Andie is looking forward to surprising her boyfriend Connor with showing up on campus, only he has returned home to their small town to attend community College for reasons that are not honest. Andie quickly makes friends w her roommate Shay, her RA Milo and the whole floor in her dorm. The description of the students as being studious and serious were kind of hard to believe at a state college. I am not disparaging the state college education itself, but most 18-19 yr olds away from home do like to party on occasion. Andie struggles with her stats class though, and her imposter syndrome of belonging there. It's understandable but the root of her insecurities seem tied to 2 factors- competing w the ghost of her mother, and the boyfriend Connor. I know Andie doesn't have the foresight to see it yet, but as an older reader, there were red flags everywhere and including his mother. He wasn't even deserving as a friend to Andie, even though they grew up together, apparently he didn't understand how important Blue Ridge State was to her. Some gaslighting behavior and other causes for concern- that were opposite from her growing friendship with Milo. I adored her personality and go getter attitude, although being on air didn't come naturally to her at first. I really think Connor discouraged her after an embarrassing incident in grade school- so Andie leaned on her new friends. I loved her new friend group, even when Connor messed up and tried guilting Andie in to giving up her dream for him- oh hell no- finding things out about the truth of Connor's first semester and why he left. I was patiently awaiting for the romance between Milo and Andie to bloom. This book is appropriate for teens and adults as its PG13- no sex discussion at all.

4/5☆, TW for death of a parent, grief, coffee addiction, cheating, gaslighting behavior. Releases 1/24/23.

Since her mother passed away when she was a child, Andie has only ever wanted one thing: to join the same secret society her mother did in college. Thankfully, Andie is accepted into the college of her dreams as a transfer student, but everything is not as ideal as she imagined. She must learn to cope with a long distance relationship, a previously absent father trying to connect again, schoolwork that is piling up, finding a place to fit in at her new school, and the huge pressure of living up to her mother’s legacy.

I will admit that this book started out a little rough for me. Andie is a complicated main character to say the least, and I found her a little annoying towards the beginning of the novel. That being said, Andie’s character growth throughout the book ended up being my favorite part! Andie starts off as judgy, idealistic, and overly positive, to the point of being toxic. While these attributes weren’t very appealing, I think they ended up highlighting the ways in which Andie grows throughout the course of the novel.

Additionally, I enjoyed the depth of this book a lot! Andie’s grief for her mother plays a huge role in the novel, and I found that it added a lot to the story. She basically bases her entire life choices on what she thinks her mother would’ve done, and it was great to see her slowly realize that she does not have to be her mother to live up to her mother’s legacy. Similarly, I loved the way different characters connected with one another by sharing about loved ones they lost. At one point, Andie mentions that learning about things she didn’t previously know about her mother feels like discovering treasure. This, along with other sentiments she shares, were really relatable.

Furthermore, I thought the humor throughout the novel added a bit of lightheartedness to what would have otherwise been a somewhat depressing story. The characters all felt very three-dimensional and had a sense of humor unique to them.

Finally, I love a book that incorporates the title into the story in a meaningful way, and Emma Lord did this flawlessly in Begin Again. I won’t share details because it’s a feeling that is best experienced on your own while reading the book, but the way the title was tied into the story was perfect!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book! If you like YA Contemporary or Romance, I highly recommend it!

I screamed with delight when I received an approval for this book. This book is a powerhouse narrative! Every single character came alive. Lord did aggravate one of my pet peeves by introducing the only Black character in the book as "Black" when she did not introduce any of the other characters by their "race." But I appreciate that Shay (the Black girl) was as complicated, as beautifully fleshed out, and as unique as the rest of the cast.
This novel mixes coming of age with romance. But it’s also more friendship heavy than romance heavy. And very family oriented. I'd say it takes the best elements of MG, YA, and new adult and mashes them into a thing of beauty. While there is a lot of attraction, there isn’t that typical sexual tension/focus on lust you see in some YA and adult romances. More than anything, this novel explores relationships – family, friendship, romantic – and the ways personalities, mistakes, forgiveness, and determination play into the ups and downs of them

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC

This relatable story about a girl who loves to college to be with her boyfriend only to find out he moved back home has a great spin to it. The whole time you’re trying to decide what she’s going to do in the story and her relationship with her boyfriend. I find this story to be so relatable to so many young adults in a similar situation. The growth of the main character is fun to watch her go from doing things for her boyfriend to finding out what really matters. A discovery of self is so important at that age!

I haven’t read any of Emma Lord’s previous books so this was my first book by her. I enjoyed it a lot and always with YA there are going to be very annoying and cringe dialogue or actions but I didn’t really get bothered by them. This was a heartfelt novel and I’m so glad I read this because I related to Andie and her fear of fitting in at new places.

In the beginning, I wasn’t a big fan of Andie, she’s in people's business but as the story progresses we get to see her past and vulnerabilities that made her the way she is. I loved her relationship with her friends. Shay and Val are good friends for her and I loved that they created a tight-knit friendship.

Connor is the worst! I truly hated him and I wish Andie had a little bit more confidence in her to break it off right away. Andie likes to think through everything and that is totally where we’re different lol. I’m so glad her relationship with Milo was at a solid point to rely on him. I also liked how she started opening up to her dad.

This was a very cute novel and I loved the ending. The growth in each character as they were learning more about themselves and the lives they want. I do plan on checking out more of Emma Lord’s books because it was so easy for me to get wrapped up in Andie’s life.

Easily my favorite is Emma Lord's books so far!
Even with the heavy topics of grief and loss being a prominent plot point, Begin Again still manages to have an easy, wholesome quality to it that has what I consider the EL brand. Lord doesn't shy from hard topics, but weaves them into uplifting advice and laugh out loud dialogue that you can't help but have the pain softened.

You have the sunny overachiever with the 10-year plan trying to follow in her deceased mom's footsteps. Her dad is a figure in the rearview and she's basically spent the high school years being raised by two grandmas, and as her boyfriend's parents pet project. But now she's at her parents alma mater. There's an underground radio station and trying to join a secret society and making new friends. Surrounded by a found family that will always be there, no matter how messy life gets

Emma lord did it again! I can't get enough of her books. they are perfect for young adults and adults. I wasnt able to put it down. I loved the characters and the plot.

I just want to say that I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did, but wow was I throughly impressed. I loved seeing a YA book set in college and could really relate as I am also a freshman. I loved all the characters and all the sub plots that were going on in the book. I also loved the romance, this was such a cute friends to lovers and I really loved the dynamic between the two. I recommended this book to anyone who wants to have a good time, it was so cute and a great fun read. I will definitely be buying the physical book when it comes out!

For a long time YA reads (and particularly Contemporary YA reads) were my jam - the majority of what I bought, read, and enjoyed. For the last several years, I’ve found myself spending more time within other genres and sub genres - all this to say Emma Lord pulls me back in every time.

I cannot resist her the pull of her books - the writing, the plots, the characters and the feels all exemplify what I love best about the genre and what has always grabbed me.

Begin Again is no exception - I devoured this read. I loved the world and characters she created, it feels so comfortable and familiar - as though I’m there living and experiencing it along with them. She has a knack for writing experiences in a way that really brings you back to that time in your life and also makes you feel like her characters are friends.

I felt there was so much to love here - the take on the college experience. The struggles that are all to real of acceptance, work life balance, finding who we are and a sense of belonging. I loved the weave in of the campus events and experiences (Werewolf, trivia nights, ribbon adventures), it just made for such a fun reading experience.

As always some heavier topics were woven in, as with life, and I loved seeing the challenges these posed. I’d also be remiss to not mention my happiness at the found family / strong friend group and romantic vibes interspersed throughout the story.

This book charmed me as I blazed through it and it left me with lots of feels and smiles. I’ll continue to pick up anything Emma Lord writes and definitely recommend this one for others. A great read for fans of YA writers like Lynn Painter and Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Thank you to Wednesday Books, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and freely offered.

This is a heartwarming story about when life does not go according to plan. Andie Rose is ready to get started with the next phase of her life. After transferring to Blue Ridge State, she is excited to reunite with Connor, her boyfriend who has been distant in the semester they have been apart, and explore the traditions of the college where her mom, who passed away, made her mark. But from her first day on campus, nothing goes as Andie envisioned it. It turns out Connor transferred to the community college Andie had been attending and it is much harder to live up to her mom's memory than she expected. As she spends more time with her roommate, Shay, and her RA, Milo, who it turns out are the anonymous students behind the school's famous pirate radio program (which, incidentally, her mom had started), Andie finds a path, and a found family, that is much different -- and maybe better? -- than she could have imagined when she was planning out her whole future.

This is a highly engaging story, as Andie finds her way, and her voice, in ways that she least expected. Touching on themes of family, grief, love, and second chances, this is a terrific novel from a great author.

Highly recommended!

4/5 Stars!

Emma Lord brings us yet again her charm and solid story writing ability to a new and fantastic read! She is 100% my favourite YA contemporary romance writer to date. She knows how to create a story that will charm you from start to finish from the plot to the characters! What is not to love about an Emma Lord book?

But in this one we've moved up to college adventures! In the past it has always been usually high schoolers pushing graduation age but we finally get a peek into the college world with these characters. This gave Lord lots of opportunity to perfect tropes she's presented in the past (found family, personal growth etc.).

There's not much more I can say about this book other than it is truly a book that anyone can read! :)

Big thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I like YA novels with an empowering message. The journey of self-discovery that Andie goes on and the maturing she does throughout the book (which spans a semester of her freshman year of college) adds some depth to this book, as do the theme of parental death.

Andie read as more naive than a typical 18/19 year old. Some of this could be chalked up to being from a small town and her mother’s death but this was definitely on the young side even for a YA book. Andie and her classmates were nothing like anyone I knew my freshman year of college. I’m not suggesting every college freshman is partying but there was a noticeable absence of it in this book. I wish that the author had made the fictional Blue Ridge State a small school instead of a large state school as I think that was part of my problem while reading.

Milo is a sweet and, quite frankly, perfect male lead. He was maybe a little too perfect to pass as a 20 year old male. Once again, I don’t think I knew anyone like him when I was that age.

I think the YA crowd will like this and I’m sure a lot of it will resonate better with them than myself. I would be fine with my kids reading this as young teens and I think that is more the age this book is geared towards.

I generally really enjoy books by Emma Lord, so I was really excited to get an arc of this. It started off entertaining and engaging and then just kind of fell flat. So much of it seemed implausible while also being beyond predictable. Just wasn't for me

4.5/5 - Wow, this was a book that really was an emotional punch. It is about grief, loss, figuring out where you fit in and who you are. This book has fresh perspective of college life, but as a YA rather than New Adult.

4.5/5 - Andie is a high achiever who focusses on fixing other people's problems around her. She does this, as it helps her avoid her own problems and worries. She has grief for her mom, misses her dad who checked out after her mom's death, and is struggling with a long distance relationship with her boyfriend. She lucked out and got a mid-year transfer to the college her parents went to and hopes this helps her feel closer to her mom. She works hard to collect ribbons for her and her boyfriend (when he transfers to college next year) to join a secret society together. She does this even to the detriment of her grades. She meets Shay, her sassy roommate, her RA, Milo and tutor, Valeria and forms an friend groups that she feels she has been missing. They help her get to look a bit at what she wants and where she is going, rather than focussing on fixing everyone else.

This book was truly wonderful. I saw so much growth for Andie throughout this book and really feel that she had learned something by the end of this book. Andie not only finds her purpose, but she also tackles a lot of her past in a healing way.

I also loved the friend group that Andie creates. It reminded me of the friendships that develop in college and can take hold for life. Shay, Milo and Valeria are all well developed characters with lots of their own wit and charm. They seemed multi-layered and helped Andie work through the things she needed to tackle in different ways.

The romance here is extremely slow burn, but I don't think it is the romance that this book should be read for. It is the relationships that Andie makes with her friends and herself. One thing I did find a bit dragging was the relationship with the boyfriend. We knew all along things weren't going well, but I felt it dragged for 80% of the book, especially since he wasn't on page all that much.

I loved this book! Emma Lord seems to always write books I want to read and this one was no exception! Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

This story was a lot deeper than I expected, but I really enjoyed it. Watching Andie grow into the person she was meant to be was a delight. And the banter between the love interests was perfect. I love good banter. Bonus points for the roommate/best friend. I loved her character.

Emma Lord does it again.
I receive this book as an ARC (after doing a sacrifice to the book gods to get my hands on this because I love the authors work).

Lord has become an automatic buy type of author for me. While her books are more YA, they give me the feel that every Dessen novel leaves me with: a warm heart, a crush on the leading lad, and a connection to my younger self.

This book was no different. I loved Andie. I see a lot of complaints about her no cussing stance and how she uses desserts as swear words, but who didn’t have a weird thing they did as a teenager? I was awkward and lived through the RAWR era on MySpace. As usual, her stories focus less on romance and more about finding yourself in new situations and taking the path to find out who you are as a person. Andie’s journey was a good one. The friendships she made are those lifelong type of friends that’ll be there forever. I think all of us reviewers can relate to Shay’s want to only read books and get paid for it! This book had me hooked, and I’ll definitely be buying it when it comes out.

Wonderful, heart filled book. 5/5 recommend!

Emma Lord does it again! She does it again!
I'm telling ya, I'm convinced she can't write anything bad! She just can't!
I might have jumped up and down.... Squealed, had a touch of happy feet and squealed some more, when I seen this little beauty on my shelf! @WednesdayBooks I love you!

Begin Again by Emma Lord is another unforgettable, engaging YA contemporary!
Emma always creates fun, loveable and down right remarkable characters.
And the same goes for her newest novel.
Andie and Milo are extremely entertaining characters and it was such fun getting to know them.
A sweet and very entertaining read. The characters were well developed and liked.
This one did not disappoint. I loved everything it had to offer.... the story it's amazingly written, the characters, the storytelling and style. Every single thing was pure perfection!
Begin Again is one of my favorite YA contemporary reads...... Ever!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.