Emma Lord always writes sweet and fun novels, but I think this one might just be her best yet.

This book is for the type A girlies and celebrates them instead of trying to change them. I've never felt so loved for being a list maker. Andie, our protagonist, goes through a lot of personal growth and yet never loses this part of herself and I think that's so important. We can come to big revelations and changes in our lives but we don't lose integral parts of our identity on the way; we don't always need to change ourselves in large ways to grow.

I found the romance to be sweet and the slowest of slow burns, but that reveal was top notch. I was worried things were going to drag with the current boyfriend to ex boyfriend pipeline, but Lord pulled that together in a really satisfying way!

I think if you like:
-grumpy x sunshine
-perfectionist protagonists
-copious Taylor Swift references

then you'll love this book.

As always, thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book. I loved every single character! It was so good. I've been feeling antsy with life in general and this book became a safe haven for me! It was such a great read that tackled relatable issues. I enjoyed how light and sweet this book was. Would definitely recommend!

1 Sentence Summary: Andie Rose transfers to her dream college halfway through freshman year with a plan, but it all starts to fall apart; her long distance boyfriend is growing distant, she’s failing statistics, and her relationship with her dad isn’t so great, but when her RA Milo convinces her to do the school’s undercover radio show with him she might have finally found where she belongs.

My Thoughts: Emma Lord does it again! This was so cute!!! I loved all the characters, especially Milo. He was the most adorable coffee-addicted cinnamon roll ever. And of course it wouldn’t be an Emma Lord book without copious descriptions of delicious food, an appearance of Big League Burger, and an adorable epilogue.

One complaint I had was that even though Andie never cheats on her boyfriend, she also doesn’t break up with him until close to the end. So I felt like I couldn’t really ship her and Milo without feeling a little guilty.

Overall this was a well-written and very cute read with lots of charm and an engaging story!

(P.S. I’m craving bagels now why isn’t there a delicious bagel shop with quirky flavors near me???)

Recommend to: People looking for a cute college romance.

(Warnings: swearing)

📖 The details:
Begin Again by Emma Lord

⏱ Quick summary:
Andie has just transferred to her dream college mid-freshman year, trying to follow in her late mother’s footsteps, juggle a long distance relationship, and meet new friends.

🙋‍♀️ My take:
Such a sweet YA - just what Emma Lord does best. I give this 3.75 ⭐️
Andie and her friends were a joy to follow! She was sweet and her constant need to fix things and solve others problems was so relatable to my younger self (well, minus the radio show!). I so enjoyed the adventures along the way - with her roommate Shay, friend/tutor Valeria, and RA Milo. Parts were predictable and I wanted more details from certain parts (Connor…), but overall a good read. Would recommend for something quick and happy.

➰ Favorite Quote:
“Dancing isn’t a skill, it’s a goddamn right.”

Emma Lord has never disappointed me when it comes to her writing, so if you take one thing from this review: READ THIS BOOK.
I absolutely loved the whole ribbon-scavenger hunt idea. It’s unique and really clever, and I loved loved loved how it played out.
There’s so much to talk about with Milo and Andie’s relationship. I adored their first few meetings, and how Andie was set on making friends despite his rules. His family’s study room is actually genius, and their interactions together made my heart melt. Some might even call him a Knight in Shining Armor…(iykyk).
A fabulous read, and I can’t wait to see what Emma has next in store!

Whenever I feel like I'm in a book slump, I just pick up the newest Emma Lord book and all is suddenly right in the universe.

This book is perfect for fall - with all of the back to school vibes (even if it is set in the spring). But with spring comes the feeling of renewal and that's what Andie is focusing on. With a do-it-all attitude, she's taking her first semester at Blue Ridge State by storm. Between vying for membership in secret societies, trying to solve all of her friends' problems, and joining the university's pirate radio station, she has a LOT going on. (Oh and there's the crush on her RA and her terrible boyfriend, but let's be real... this is a story about Andie)

And don't get me STARTED on Bagelopolis... I want to live in a world that has cookie dough cream cheese. (It probably already exists, but I've never eaten it). This is another gorgeous novel from Emma Lord and I can't wait to snag a physical copy.

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

I loved this newest novel by Emma Lord! It’s about a young girl named Andie who follows in her parent’s footsteps to college; where she meets best friends, true loves, and grows into a wise and discerning young woman.

I loved her story as she worked through the loss of her mother and how it added distance between her and her father. Grief is such a hard topic to navigate and the author did a great job bringing light to a dark topic.

Unfortunately this book doesn’t come out until January, but you’re going to want to add it to your library holds or preorders!

Thanks to @netgalley @wednesdaybooks for letting me have an advance copy! I loved it!

This story was a heartfelt delight of a journey. Lord perfectly captured the feeling of being in college and trying to find yourself separate from the person you’ve always been at home. Andie’s journey to a place that makes her feel whole was both fun and inspiring.

This was a super cute and quick read! I seriously related to Andie since I went from a relatively small town to a very large university and that initial feeling of self doubt is definitely there for many people in that situation. The only reason I gave it 4 star instead of 5 was because of her substitutes for curse words. I find that a little childish but besides that I loved the book and loved seeing Andie as a person grow.

Thank you to St Martins Press for sending me an ARC of Emma Lord’s Begin Again on Net Galley! Keep an eye out for this one on January 24, 2023!
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Begin again was an endearing coming of age story following college freshman, Annie Rose as she starts her life at Blue Ridge State College (maybe University?).
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: None—It’s YA
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Read if you like:
📻 Secret radio shows
🌈 LGBTQ representation
🪅Quirky catchphrases
✅Overachiever FMC
☕️ Caffeine Addict RAs
🎤 Finding your own voice
💕 Friends to Lovers


This review will be posted to instagram.com/feelingthroughfiction on September 3, 2022

I simply loved this book. It was just the medicine I needed while cooped up in bed sick. It was cute, easy to follow, and kept me engaged with the story from start to finish. The chemistry was dynamic and the characters were just a joy to follow. Read this book in one sitting so I know I can recommend this to my friends.
Thank you for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you @wednesdaybooks for the e-arc of Emma Lord’s next romance, Begin Again!!

Here’s what I loved:
• the college setting
• Bagelopolis
• there are great messages in this one for
college students
• fun games
• friendship
• romance that will make you swoon

Emma Lord never fails to write a books filled with heart, laughs, learning, romance, and scenes that make me really hungry.

I highly recommend picking up one of her books and reading this one when it comes out.

★ ★ ★ ★/5
Steam: kissing
TW: past death of a mom, abandonment, cheating

This was so cute and I love Andie and Milo. Seeing them fall in love was such a treat. There is just something about Emma Lord's writing that so comforting. Seeing Andie grow in her confidence and discover how she fits in was a lot of fun.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This is a cute, sweet read about Andie, a bright eyed college girl with the need to plan and fix everything. Headed to college as a mid year transfer to surprise her boyfriend and follow in her mother’s footsteps, Andie comes to the realization that not all plans work out, you can’t fix everything and sometimes you just need to Begin Again!

I just reviewed Begin Again by Emma Lord. #NetGalley

Such a great read! This was one of the better romances I’ve read this year. The characters were so well written and the plot really sucked you in. Loved it!

Begin Again follows Andie as she navigates transferring to her dream school mid freshman year.

Emma lord again just knows how to woo us with her words. This book is filled with adventure, love, heartache, friendship and family.

Emma lord does it again with this super cute quick YA romance with multi-layered main characters.

This book is as much of a romance as It is a New Adult, finding yourself in college and letting go of your fears. I love this book. 10/10

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.
Emma Lord has quickly become one of my favorite contemporary writer but this book sadly wasn’t one of my favorites. Don’t get me wrong it was a good read and it’s a solid 3.5 stars but it started a little weak, got better and then I just didn’t enjoy the way of some problems were fixed. At some point it was a little too much, not every character needs a quirky personality and introduction and it lead to just being too overwhelming in the first quarter of the book.
I will definitely be reading more of her books but this will not be on the top 3 of hers for me.

I thought this story was so cute! Admittedly I requested the book because of the cover and the title being a Taylor Swift song, but I really enjoyed this! It was charming and was beautiful to read about the new adventures and found family. I'm not typically a YA girl, but I thought this was cute.

I love all of emma lord's books, but I think that begin again has taken over the top spot on my ranking. I absolutely loved everything about this book!

Andie is such a likable and relatable protagonist. I completely understood her motivations, wants, and needs, and I was rooting for her from the beginning. I loved her journey of growth and self-discovery as the book went on. It was wonderful to see her grow into the person that she always wanted to be.

Emma lord always writes fantastic friendship dynamics - I think it's one of her biggest strengths - and the "All Knighters" are my favorite friend group of hers to date. I loved how andie, milo, shay, and val all supported each other 100% and really created a little family.

This book made me laugh and cry and I know that I'll be revisiting it many many times