Begin Again by Emma Lord

With Taylor Swift lyrics running through my head and having loved When you get the Chance, I picked up Begin Again wanting a cute and breezy ya read and this did not disappoint.

Andie has a plan. Work hard, transfer to Blue Ridge State from community college to be with her boyfriend, Connor, and experience the place and traditions where her parents fell in love. Once she arrives, things aren’t going exactly to plan but she makes a group of new friends including her RA Milo, roommate Shay and tutor Valeria. In avoidance of her own relationship problems and struggling with classes, she sets out to fix all her friends’ problems and mostly makes things worse for everyone. This was such a cute coming of age story - her sweet and sassy grandparents, her work study at the bagel shop, her quest to get ribbons to join a secret society, her stumbling upon and then participating in an underground broadcast where she gives advice - it all was just a lovely path on discovering who she wants to be and to spend her time with. When Andie sets out to face her own issues instead of focusing on her friends’, she really finds herself. It is a bit cutesy and the way Andie “curses” is a bit over the top, but Emma Lord does well with quirky and it’s mostly endearing.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the arc in exchange for my feedback!

This is cute and full of that EL charm that I have come to know and adore. This is book #4 for EL and she has come to proven herself as a reliable and consistent creator of warm YA stories that are full of heart and personality.

And this one has every page filled with new college adventures, making the most of dorm living, creating a found family, finding new hobbies, personal growth and forgiving the past. So much good content wrapped up in a fun story.

However, this book commits one of my greatest pet-peeves when it comes to characterisation and that's when a MC uses “cute” language as a substitute for swearing. In this case, Andie uses her favourite food. And let me tell you what - it's obnoxious. I didn't find it endearing or quirky, I actually found it really annoying.

But beyond those eye rolls, this actually is a really sweet story and a great addition to EL's bibliography!

"I've never believed in fairy tales; I've only ever believed I our power over our own fates.But whatever happens next, we'll always have this-the kind of moment that proves magic isn't just for pages in a story but something you can fine all on your own."

Emma Lord has done it again. Perfection. I want to hug this book for all of eternity. I can't even put into words how much I loved this story. Emma Lord has the ability to perfectly balance humor, heart and emotions. I was laughing, crying and cheering through out this story. You will root for Andie every step of the way and you will fall head over heels in love with Milo. Honestly the characters in the this book are so well developed and relatable you'll feel like you've known them forever. Begin Again is a wonderful coming of age story full of heart, laughs and great characters.

As per usual, I’m always excited for a new Emma Lord book! While this wasn’t quite the story I was expecting, I still really enjoyed it. Heartfelt and profound, Begin Again shows us all the ways that a new day can be a new beginning.

Andie Rose has everything figured out: she’s just transferred to Blue Ridge State, where her parents attended, to major in psychology and plans to surprise her boyfriend. Her plans go awry almost immediately when she finds out that he transferred to her previous college and her first day of class goes horribly. All of her ideas to help her new roommate Shay figure out her major don’t work, and her R.A. Milo keeps pointing out flaws in her ironclad plans. Over time, however, she has to realize that life doesn’t always go the way you expect it to, but sometimes that works out for the better.

I really liked the characters! Andie is a fixer, which ultimately stems from her desire to fit into people’s lives. She’s always scared of people leaving her, so she thinks that people will like her more if she can help them in any way. I like that she gradually realizes that she can’t help everyone though; at some point, she has to put herself first. Milo tells her this often, and in turn, she helps him with some family issues that he refuses to face.

There was also a subplot where Andie tries to help her roommate Shay and her tutor Valeria get together. It was good to see that her meddling doesn’t always end well and that people’s lives are more complex than she accounts for.

I liked Andie’s character arc! While dealing with her inability to say no, she also faces her memories of her deceased mother and how the fear of losing a loved one has led her to stick with what’s comfortable. Her boyfriend’s family has become hers, even though it’s clear that their love for her is conditional. She also doesn’t want to take on the chance to be a host on the radio show her mother created because she doesn’t want to tarnish her memory. Overall, I just enjoyed seeing her growth throughout the story.

The romance was so sweet, and I just really liked seeing how Andie and Milo support and help each other grow. There’s a lot to their relationship but I think it was just really nice to see how they befriend each other first.

Begin Again was a sweet, heartwarming story with clear character growth. I liked the characters and found the romance to be very cute. If you’re a fan of Lord’s other books, particularly You Have a Match, I think you’ll enjoy Begin Again!

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.