I love Emma Lord's books and this one did not disappoint. The writing was fresh, the characters were realistic and relatable, and the story was cute and fun. This is a definite buy for my HS library.

This one did not work for me, but because I am not fond of the enemies/rivals to lovers and miss communication tropes, although it really seemed very one sided from Sadie’s side. But good for her for finding herself.

4.5 Stars

Just like all of Emma Lord's books, this one hit the heart in the most perfect and cozy way. Emma adds depth to her stories with the perfect enemies-to-friends-to-lovers tropes, and The Rival is just as amazing as her previous stories.

Taking the plot to a college campus, full of young adults trying to figure out their place in the world while managing expectations and their own desires and feeling untethered for the first time was perfect for fans of YA, but wanting something a bit more high stakes. And the fact that our main characters really are the epitome of do we love each other, because our hate feels an awful lot like feelings? was *chef's kiss*.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book, and it is the perfect spring break read!

Lifelong academic rivals, Sadie and Seb, have spent years locked in a battle of wits and will. Sadie thinks she’s finally free of him in college—ready to reinvent herself—until he unexpectedly makes it off the waitlist and shows up on campus. Their competitive fire reignites as they both set their sights on the same coveted spot at the school’s zine, Newsbag, trading sharp banter and well-aimed zingers along the way.

But soon, their rivalry takes a backseat to a bigger issue: student-run organizations like Newsbag are struggling to stay funded while sports programs seem to have an endless cash flow. Suddenly, the two aren’t just competing for a position—they’re fighting to ensure the zine survives at all. Forced to work together, Sadie begins to realize that Seb is the one person who truly sees her, beyond the image she’s carefully curated for her boisterous family. He understands her humor, her love of writing, and the parts of herself she’s hidden for years.

The novel repeatedly underscores the pressures both Sadie and Seb face from their families—Sadie, expected to be the peacemaker, and Seb, expected to be the perfect student. And if you don’t catch this theme the first time, don’t worry—you’ll be reminded at least 50 more. Their so-called "rivalry" is also hammered home constantly, despite it being glaringly obvious to everyone (except them) that their animosity is fueled by something much deeper. When the story shifts focus to their slow-burn realization of feelings, Sadie’s personal growth, and the struggles of student-led organizations, it becomes far more engaging. Unfortunately, the forced antagonism and family dynamics start to feel repetitive and frustrating.

That said, the book shines in its side characters—like the lovable lesbian café owners, the Newsbag team, and Sadie’s roommate, Christina (to whom Sadie is, frankly, a terrible friend for much of the novel). While her self-actualization is central to the story, her selfishness makes it hard to root for her at times.

There are plenty of sweet and enjoyable moments here, but they’re sometimes weighed down by repetition and overused tropes. YA readers may find comfort in its exploration of parental expectations and the journey of self-discovery in college, but a little more nuance would have made this story truly stand out.

I loved this book. All of Emma Lord’s novels are delightful but I especially enjoyed The Rival. I liked the setting, with it being at college, as well as the main characters rivalry and chemistry. The Rival was a fun read, very sweet, and utterly charming.

A cute and easy YA read. These life long friends and enemies go off to college, with quirky characters and college activities. Fun, quick read!

I had read another book by Emma Lord and found it to be the pleasant amount of corny and sweet. This unfortunately was the annoying amount. While I know this is YA the writing seemed overly juvenile especially for characters who are college aged. The frenemies trope felt forced and all around overkill. I found the FMC to be overly dramatic. Her family "issues" seemed really far-fetched in an effort to try an make her parents seem quirky, but instead felt more confusing than anything. There were other very misplaced things like a one liner about the MMC being Bi and then it never having any purpose or development throughout the story. And don't forget the jocks vs. nerds dynamic that is in every "book set in a school" toolbox. I have an ARC for an adult novel from this author due out later this year, and hoping to find it more palatable.

This was super cute! Sadie and Seb started out as best friends and as they got older they turned into academic rivals that carried them to college. The banter between these two along with the side characters was great. Loved the LGBTQIA+ representation throughout!

I also loved how the author tied in the reality of being away from your parents for the first time. How to navigate this new found freedom and really discovering who you are/want to be in life.

Overall, I had a great time with this read. If you are looking for a cute frenemies, will-they-won’t-they romcom this one is for you!

4.25 Star!

I am the biggest fan of Emma Lord, she took me by storm in 2023 when I found her, and she is an instant auto buy author at this point. I got this to read early, and I still pre-ordered both the physical book and the audiobook. And I do not regret that.

I loved Sadie. I related to her so much with her pigeon-holed high school persona, and the way she fit in her family. I was really excited to see her grow in this college experience, and really figure out who she is, something that was almost instantly taken away when Seb showed up. To be frank, I didn't like Seb nearly as much as Sadie. Sadie was dynamic and vivid, and Seb just seemed to be there to be in her orbit, but the way he went about it was so off-putting and so annoying. The conflict in this story was really -that girl-. It drove the plot along and I was so desperate to see who came out on top of this rivalry that I could not put the book down.

However, my extreme competitiveness led to me not wanting the romance that was being pushed on me. Honestly, I really was voting for Joey in the first half of the book for Sadie, because I just wanted her to grow past the past, and Joey was a real cool guy who didn't infuriate me. It took me the majority of the book to get behind Seb, and he nearly ruined it by hiding things. But I do appreciate the slow realization of feelings that this book took me on.

As you might be able to tell, I had a rollercoaster ride of emotions throughout this book. I was happy, mad, laughing, nervous, and just feeling my feelings which is what ultimately led me to the high rating that I gave it but I will say, this was missing one of the core things that just takes Emma Lord books over the top for me. The satisfaction of every thread coming together at the end in the most cathartic, and wonderful ways. Every previous Emma Lord book (I can say this as I've read all of them) has the best endings. I depend really heavily on an ending, and I was seeing the building tension, and the threads getting taut, and the spiderweb around Sadie narrowing in, and I expected a banger of an ending, and this was just a sparkler. Not bad, but also not really what I wanted from it.

Overall, 4.25 stars and I am happy with it.

Another favorite read from Emma Lord!

I loved Sadie and Seb’s story. Rivals-to-friends-to-lovers was just too cute.

Sadie and Seb have been academic rivals since they can remember, always pushing each other and always wanting to beat the other. Now that they both have graduated, Sadie finally feels free from having to academically compete with Seb since they’ve ended up at different colleges. Except that they didn’t, and Seb is at the same college as she is…

I loved the banter between these two. You could tell they had so much history and besting each other was what gave them life. :) Seb is an absolute sweetheart and he has been so smitten with Sadie for so long. It’s so obvious, except for Sadie.

“Just so you know—if it ever seemed like I was the right person at the right time—it would be an honor to be your first kiss.”

I really enjoyed the family dynamics in this story and how that affected Sadie and Seb’s relationship and helped them connect as friends and then more. The Sunday pancake tradition was my absolute favorite and I swear I craved a huge stack of pancakes every time they had them - sprinkles and all!

This was such a fun rom-com. Pick this one up if you love witty banter and family traditions, and a sweet boy who will do anything for the girl. :)

“Wait—you said ‘all this time.’ Since when did you want to kiss me?” I ask, bewildered. Seb surprises me by laughing. “Only since we were fourteen.”

A huge thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for review. All thoughts are my own.

More college YA! I love that we are getting more books that are based in college but still feel truly YA, so many kids want to read about the college experience without the mature themes that many NA books have. Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read this early!

This is not my favourite Emma Lord, but still a really nice YA contemporary romance from a beloved author!

Can I please have pancakes with Seb and Sadie??? Their on-campus hijinks were wild and made me woner if I was just not clued into all the club options at my university? Can I get a redo? I loved watching them go from bitter rivals to reluctant co-cospirators to more.

Sadie and Seb have spent their entire lives competing with one another, and when they're accepted into different colleges, Sadie thinks the rivalry is finally over. Imagine her surprise when, during her first week at college, she quite literally bumps into Seb as they're both on their way to the first meeting of Newsbag, the college magazine they both want to write for. Unfortunately, only one spot is open, which means it's back to competing against one another. Along the way, Sadie is forced to grow and change, finally blossoming into her true self, one that's she kept hidden from her family and friends back home. And if that wasn't complicated enough, the school is also trying to shut down all the non-athletic organizations.

The romance was sweet, but I enjoyed reading about Sadie's unique college experiences more (the Dorm Food Off was a lot of fun) and how she was able to write her magazine articles based on them. She showed everyone that she was exactly where she was meant to be, and you can't help rooting for her as she competes against Seb and also uses her "big brain" to fight back against the college.

Also, this book made me crave pancakes, although I don't think I need them covered in rainbow sprinkles.

Emma has such a knack for writing engaging characters, found family, and banter, and I applaud her ability to get a new dessert into every novel. I'll never be able to look at pancakes without thinking of rainbow sprinkles and Betty.

I think Emma's writing really shines in The Rival, which features a college setting and two students vying for the same coveted position on the campus newspaper. It gave me nostalgia for that uncertain time in your young adult years where you’re trying to decide who and what you want to be, and I loved the banter and open conversations. Seb and Sadie were so sweet, and I loved how their friendship developed from rivals to friends to more.

The friend relationships were also so good! I loved seeing Sadie interact with her roommate, the Newsbag writers, and the college clubs. There were some great laugh out loud moments and some really sweet moments. I’m glad I preordered this one because I will definitely be re-reading it!

Read for:
- An academic setting
- Nemesis to love interests
- A+ banter
- Coming of age
- Pranks
- Pancakes with rainbow sprinkles
- Positive depiction of friend and family relationships

Thank you to Wednesday books for the eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Emma Lord can do no wrong in my eyes. All of her books make me want to know the characters and give me the blues when they are over. The Rival is no different and I adored the friends to frenemies to enemies to lovers aspect

Thank you St. Martins press and Wednesday books for a free advanced reader copy of this book.

Emma Lord does a great job with man characters that pretend to hate each other but are actually in love with each other. This was a cute little academic rivals/frenemies coming of age story. I loved Sadie and Seb’s chemistry and banter. Pacing was great and conclusion was well done. I slightly wish we could get Seb’s POV, though.

Cute, quick read. Nothing earth-shattering, but a reliable romance. I hadn't read anything from this author before, but I will look for more of her books in the future.

The Rival follows Sadie, a freshman eager to make her mark at Maple Ridge University by securing a coveted spot on the prestigious zine, Newsbag. Just as she thinks she’s left her high school rival—and next-door neighbor—Seb behind, he unexpectedly gets off the waitlist and joins her at Maple Ridge. Now, they’re not only competing for the same position but also navigating their complex feelings for each other. As they delve deeper into campus life, they uncover systemic issues within the university, prompting them to collaborate despite their rivalry.

MUST READ for:
🥞 A cozy, heartwarming Sunday pancake tradition
🏆 Witty banter and competitive spirit
📰 Behind-the-scenes look at college journalism for the gen z generation

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! All opinions are my own. 😊

Emma Lord has once again wrote a charming and heartfelt enemies to lovers stories that you will be obsessed with long after you finish. Sadie and Seb have been rivals for as long as they can remember but high school especially though. They battled for everything. Sadie thought she could finally breathe without Seb around because he didn’t get into her school. However, she runs into him only to find out he got off the waitlist and they were doomed to be rivals again. Tension grows as these two navigate college and their new relationship. This was such a fun read!