Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

"The Rival" by Emma Lord is a charming and engaging read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. Following "The Getaway List," I was eager to experience another of Lord's creations and was fortunate enough to receive an ARC. The audiobook, narrated by the talented Jesse Vilinsky, further enhanced the enjoyment.

This delightful rom-com centers around recent graduates, offering a relatable glimpse into post-university life. Sadie, the driven protagonist, is well-developed and avoids falling into the trap of being overly ambitious. Seb, her charming counterpart, adds a delightful sweetness to the narrative. The supporting cast is vibrant and memorable, enriching the overall story.

While the core concept is engaging, the pacing of the romantic development felt a bit rushed. The mutual attraction between Sadie and Seb was evident from the outset, diminishing the anticipation of the "will they/won't they" dynamic. Several scenes built palpable tension, only to have the potential kiss dissipate. When the eventual kiss does occur, it felt somewhat anticlimactic, as the tension had already subsided.

Despite this minor drawback, "The Rival" is a thoroughly enjoyable read with a lighthearted tone and some genuinely touching moments. Jesse Vilinsky's narration is superb, bringing the characters to life with distinct voices.

I highly recommend "The Rival" to students and fans of contemporary romance. It's a delightful escape.

4 stars

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I always enjoy Emma Lord's romances and this one didn't disappoint. This one had some really fun characters. I enjoyed the journalism side of this story as well. The life long prank war between the two main characters fed the fun comedic aspect to their forever battle. I really enjoyed it.

It was a perfect distraction from everything going on. The story of a college freshman who arrived at school only to find her lifelong nemesis competing against her for a coveted spot on the school paper. Enemies to lovers maxed out. And mixed in with hilarious supporting characters and college antics that reminded me of those days, many years ago. It was sweet, frothy fun. Thank you to @stmartinspress for my gifted copy and distracting me from everything going on right now.

I adore Emma Lord’s writing. It’s so descriptive and cohesive and keeps me turning pages but wanting to savor the story at the same time. This book was perfect for YA readers - it took me right back to freshman year of college (except i was not near as ambitious as Sadie and Seb).

Sadie and Seb were childhood friends turned rivals. Heading into college, Seb was supposed to be going to a different school but when he’s admitted off the waitlist and ready to compete for the same spot on the school “zine,” Sadie has to come to terms with more Seb and their rivalry. The tension between the two was so well done that you could feel the underlying romantic feelings they both had even from the start of the book. I loved the theme of growing up, coming into yourself outside of your family, and being who and what you want to be. Overall, a very well done story that I would absolutely recommend - especially to those that prefer no spice (only light kissing involved).

Once again, Emma Lord hits one out of the park. I loved the main characters, Sadie and Seb, and their intense rivalry with feelings brewing underneath. It was fun seeing how Sadie came into her own during her first semester of college and I loved the ways that chaos ensued. Also, I love how the author always manages to write her sweet tooth and love of food into her books with fun food descriptions. I now have a hundred different types of pancakes I’d love to try!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #WednesdayBooks for an eARC in exchange for honest feedback.

Sadie is ready to start her college career by getting some distance from her loud, crazy family, her long-time academic rival Seb, and the subdued version of herself she feels forced to be when she's with them. Except her dream position at the school's famous newspaper might be in jeopardy not just because it's about to be closed down by the university due to a lack of funds, but that dreaded rival somehow weaseled his way into the same school as her. Seb is the son of her parent's best friends, long-time neighbor, and childhood best friend turned enemy. They bring out the best and worst in each other all while being unable to stay away. When their competition leads them to discover that there's something wrong with the school's finances, they'll have to start working together and opening up to the possibility of everything that lies between them.

There seems to be an overabundance of neurotic overachievers arriving at college, finding their groove, and realizing that grades and accomplishments aren't the be-all/end-all. I am here for it, especially when it comes in the form of an Emma Lord story. She always creates characters you can empathize with even as you want to bash their heads together, and she does it once again with Seb and Sadie. All their little idiosyncracies and tics help them feel as real as any struggling teenager I've ever met, which makes rooting for everything they're striving for to turn out alright a big part of why I enjoyed this.

Delighted thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the fun read!

This was absolutely a perfect YA rivals to lovers. YA has been feeling different for me lately, but I know I can count on Emma Lord to write an engaging, fun story with depth. I loved how she focused on college freshmen and how this new phase of life is so life changing. I loved the exploration of friendship, rivalry, and discovering yourself. Sadie and Seb's growth was so much fun to witness. I think their characters showed how transitioning from being a kid and familial expectations can impact this new life experience.

The Rival is the perfect, swoony friends-to-rivals-to-lovers story. The tension between Sadie and Seb had me on my toes from the very beginning and I, along with the side characters, was yelling "just kiss already!!!!" the whole time. The story encapsulated not only a great romance, but also a lot of the best and worst things about college life, too. I absolutely fell in love with the characters, especially Christina and both of Sadie's sisters. I would highly recommend!

Emma Lord has done it again! The Rival is an absolute gem of a book that grabbed my attention from the first page and didn’t let go. With her signature witty writing, lovable characters, and a plot that kept me turning pages well into the night, it’s clear that Lord knows exactly how to craft a YA story that resonates.

The story follows Sadie, who finds herself in the middle of a high-stakes rivalry that tests her friendships, her heart, and her sense of self. What makes The Rival stand out is how Lord weaves themes of personal growth, complex relationships, and self-discovery into a fast-paced narrative full of both laugh-out-loud moments and tender, emotional beats.
The characters in this book are everything. They feel real, and their dynamics are both relatable and charming. The tension between the protagonist and the rival is palpable and adds so much depth to the story. The romantic subplot? Absolutely swoon-worthy, with the perfect balance of tension, chemistry, and humor.

But beyond the romance and rivalry, it’s the underlying messages of finding your own voice, confronting insecurities, and navigating the pressures of college that really stuck with me. Emma Lord has a magical way of tackling complex emotions with lightheartedness, making The Rival the perfect read for anyone looking for a story that’s as heartfelt as it is entertaining.

If you're a fan of Emma Lord's previous works, you'll adore The Rival—and if you’re new to her writing, this book is a perfect introduction to her style. A must-read for YA lovers, with just the right mix of humor, drama, and heart! Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've read every Emma Lord book I came across after reading "You Have a Match" desperate to find a book of the same level. I know it's possibly unfair to hold an author up to the standard of their previous books too harshly, but I felt this book came close to how enjoyable I found that book. The banter is beautifully written and I immediately fell in love with both characters. Their backstories and arcs make this such a delightful experience. I can't wait to get my hands on the audiobook version because I think that'll be something that just adds to the joy of this book. Highly recommended!

I love Emma lord. Her characters are always cute and quirky and the books are so fun to read. But enemies to… friends? Then lovers? Just didn’t pack the punch. I can get on board with the constant competition and one upping. But both characters seemed really sad throughout which made the emotion behind the competition feel flimsy. A fun read but not my fav of hers.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for the free book. These opinions are my own.

This may be my new favorite from Emma Lord. It features so much pining and childhood rivals who are so clearly meant to be together. After thinking she was finally rid of him, Sadie comes across Seb in their first week at college. And they are once again competing, this time for the one staff writing spot on the university's famous zine.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of the university and the students' work to encourage the administration to do better. I really love good chaos and would love to see more of it.

And I related to strongly to Sadie and her feeling that she had to be the good child who was perfect for her family. I found myself always wanting to know what Seb was thinking. But I didn't mind the single POV, because who he was came through so clearly in his actions and other people's observations of him.

This was just such fun. I already want to read it again and spend more time with Sadie, Seb, and all their friends. Plus cheesy pancakes!

4.5 stars rounded up

This was a little too corny and YA for me. The characters and dialogue were just not it at all. Super bummed because I loved her last book!!

This had much of Lord's signature quirk and charm, and the ending was lovely and heartwarming, but I had to push through the "enemies to lovers" set up that just didn't hit for me. I think the playfulness of the banter between the characters that we see in their interactions was jarringly antithetical to the deep and intense rivalry that we're just told about. But I'm a sucker for a thoughtful exploration of young adulthood and figuring out who you are and who you want to be in the world, even if I prefer the related inner conflicts to be a little smaller, and happen in front of us.

5 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for a complimentary copy of this book.

Emma Lord Does. Not. Miss.

I really resonated with this one. Remembering how lost you feel at the beginning of college and finding yourself along the way is something that felt so raw and real about this story, While most of the story was filled with joy, laughter and competition, there were some real moments that exhibited the true feelings of college from the community, to finding yourself, to coping with stress and so much more. I loved those aspects of the book. I loved the rivals to lovers aspect to this story. The tension between the two characters was great and didn't feel forced. I thought Sadie and Seb's back story of growing up together made it easy to believe their tension without seeing them for very long on the page. The only thing I wanted to make note of is that this book has a lot of language in it and I would suggest this for older teens rather than younger teens.

In this book you'll find:
Enemies/Rivals to lovers
He falls first
Slow Burn
College Shenanigans

You will always, always catch me reading rivals to lovers. This book was absolutely adorable and I think it perfectly embodies all of the feelings of navigating college and young love.

This is a delightful and charming read that will captivate fans of lighthearted, humorous, and hopeful stories about overcoming self-doubt, embracing one's true passions, and discovering the joy of love and friendship in the midst of academic competition.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It’s really hard to give a review of this book without spoiling it, but I can tell you that it is adorable, funny, full of great characters, and just the right amount of plot twists.

I loved watching Sadie and Seb’s relationship as it transformed through these pages almost as much as I loved watching Sadie come into her own as she navigates college for the first time. Throw in some quirky family dynamics and it was GOLD. Kept me up late and made me laugh (not the best combination for my sleeping family members).

My one and only critique was that this book seemed to glorify college drinking. Does it happen? Of course, I’m not naive about that. But with glorifying something like this, there needs to be the realization that college age drinking can also be incredibly harmful and even fatal. The more we accept something in fiction, the more it might happen in reality. So if the author is going to talk about one aspect heavily, let’s at least glance at the other side of things too.

All in all, if you love rom-coms, slow burn, frenemies to lovers, pranks and hijinks mixed with journalism, you’ll love this book!

Emma Lord’s The Rival offers a promising premise with its blend of rivals-to-lovers romance and academic competition, but while the book has its charming moments, it doesn’t quite reach the heights of Lord’s previous works.

Sadie and Seb’s rivalry is set up as the cornerstone of the story, and their dynamic is filled with witty banter and a shared history that gives their interactions some spark. Sadie’s ambition and determination are relatable, as is her struggle with imposter syndrome and her desire to prove herself both academically and personally. Seb, on the other hand, is effortlessly likable, with just the right mix of confidence and vulnerability. Their slow-burn transition from rivals to allies to something more is engaging, though at times predictable.

The setting—a prestigious college with a cutthroat application to its famous zine—provides a fun, unique backdrop. The inclusion of flaws within the school’s competitive system adds an interesting layer to the story, giving Sadie and Seb a shared goal that forces them to reevaluate their priorities. However, the exploration of these systemic issues feels superficial, and the resolution comes across as rushed and overly simplistic.

One of the book’s strengths is its depiction of family dynamics. Sadie’s chaotic, supportive family brings warmth and humor to the narrative, and her struggle to share her writing talents with them is a touching subplot. However, the focus on family sometimes overshadows the romantic tension between Sadie and Seb, which can make the central romance feel underdeveloped.

While The Rival has its charm, it doesn’t quite hit the mark in balancing its various elements. The pacing can feel uneven, and some of the emotional beats don’t land as strongly as they could. Fans of Emma Lord’s earlier works might find this one enjoyable but not quite as memorable.

Thanks to Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for early access to The Rival in exchange for my honest opinion. The way Emma Lord writes YA is such a treat! And this book also includes a focus on the treat of pancakes 🥞 I’m not a pancake fan (but give me a waffle any day) but I really enjoyed their place in this book. Yes I know pancake and waffle batter is almost identical - I guess I’ve just had too many dry pancakes in my life to want to take the chance on one. But I have done my share of splitting a pancake for the table at a brunch spot - I'm willing to have a few bites!
I really enjoyed this book, and I'm excited it comes out 1/21. The tension and banter are so fun, and it reads with the best mix of reality and hilarious coincidence that you'd never want to actually be real. It rivals Begin Again for my favorite Emma Lord book! If you liked Begin Again and Emma Lord’s other YA/NA books, I think you'll love this book, too.

This was a such an enjoyable book. I really liked the love/hate relationship between Sadie and Seb. My favorite character in this book was Betty, the owner of the pancake place. She was such a grump, but deep down she had a heart of gold! :)