Emma Lord has done it again! I read this book in one sitting; I couldn’t get enough of adorable Andie and her friends. Milo is truly a love interest after my heart, and his carefulness with Andie really got me. Andie’s slow understanding of herself in the midst of a complicated relationship, a complicated family, and a new school is gripping, funny, and sweet. August is my new favorite month of the year since it’s when I know I’ll get to read new Emma Lord!

This story was everything, all rolled into one. A study of grief, outgrowing old things, finding your own path through life, courage, love, the very topsy-turvy nature of life, and nature itself. This book was wonderful and was such an easy read without being boring or predictable. I love that it combined several different genres with several types of characters! The author did a phenomenal job on this and I will happily read it again!

Thank you NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Emma Lord for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I really enjoyed the author’s last book and decided to pick this one up because of that. This is a cute book and shows college in a really realistic light! I could definitely relate to a lot of the feelings that Andie has as she starts at Blue Ridge State. I also really enjoyed learning about her roommate Shay and how she’s a Bookstagrammer! I’m also on Bookstagram and it was super fun seeing it referenced in a YA book. Andie’s grief was also really well done and so was her relationships with Connor and Milo. Overall, this is a super fun YA book and I think people looking for an easy college read will enjoy this one!

Andie has worked her butt off to transfer to Blue Ridge, where her boyfriend currently attends and where her parents met and fell in love. She's so scared of not living up to her (deceased) mom's reputation, though, that she finds herself avoiding some of the things she loves most. One thing she's never struggled with, though, is making friends, and soon enough she's amassed a small army - Milo, her RA, Shay, her roommate, and Valeria, her math tutor. Andie is the rock holding their little group together, but she's also trying to fix everyone's problems, and of course, inadvertently makes things worse. Can she help turn things around, or was it a mistake to come here in the first place?

Begin Again by Emma Lord comes out January 24th and is a sweet coming of age story about Andie, a college freshman transferring mid year to an elite college, Blue Ridge State. Andie builds new friendships, including her roommate Shay and her grumpy RA, Milo. She becomes involved with the school’s private radio station as The Fixer, giving advice. At the same time Andie’s boyfriend, Connor, transferred from Blue Ridge State back to their hometown’s community college.

Andie is learning to adjust to school, her work study job at the bagel shop and working through family loss.

I especially enjoyed the humor. For example, Shay keeps Andie from being run over when a class lets out.

“Shay yanks me into the grass before we get caught in the maelstrom of elbows and bright blue coffee cups, and we watch them go by like Simba on the edge of a wildebeest herd.”

I struggled with Connor and Andie's lack of communication, especially in the beginning. I loved the theme of friendship and forgiveness.

Begin Again has a similar feel to her last book, Take a Chance on Me. I didn’t want to put the book down. I wanted to find out how it would all turn out, especially the romance.

Thank you Emma Lord, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advanced copy of the book.

The email inviting me to read this came at the perfect time, I was bored and looking for something lighthearted. I read “Begin Again” in basically two sittings (the only reason it wasn’t one was that it was 1 am and I had to get up early to pack with my mom). At her fourth book, Emma Lord seems to have found her niche as a YA writer—with each of her stories having similar themes of family (in all forms) and unexpected love.

This book follows Addie Rose as she navigates her first semester (as a mid-year transfer!) at her parents’ alma mater Blue Ridge State. As a reader it was easy to build a connection with Addie, and even when she made choices I wouldn’t agree with, I was still able to empathize with her because it fit with her characterization.

The small but rich group of supporting characters were also very endearing, and I almost wish that they were utilized more. I think that aside from Milo (and even him to an extent), it felt like they only existed to serve Addie’s personal growth. Speaking of Milo, his storyline was the best one aside from Addie’s and i think that his characterization and relationships were one of the highlights of this story.

I hadn’t read a YA book set in college yet and I really enjoyed this! I do have to say that I guessed the “plot twist” / big reveal at the end as soon as the second character involved was introduced, but that didn’t make reading about it any less satisfying.

Overall, I would say this book is most similar to Lord’s last release “When You Get Chance” and that anyone who enjoyed that one would like this just as much.

“Begin Again” by Emma Lord will be out on January 4th, 2023. I received this digital arc from Alexis Neuville at Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.

I've been searching for a young adult, coming-of-age story to get lost in, and Begin Again was just what I wanted.
This is fluffy and adorable Legally Blonde-inspired romcom!!
One of the book's strengths is its well-rounded cast of characters. Andie is relatable, and her love interest Milo is amazing. I loved watching their dynamic shift and their relationship is sweet and so romantic.
Emma Lord has done it again, and I’m beginning to wonder why I am even surprised at this point.I could keep gushing, but basically I think this book is really fantastic.

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

All my complaints are spoilery, so I’ll wait until publication date to write out my thoughts. Preview: this has that typical Emma Lord found family magic, but too many irksome plot points dulled the shine.


Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.