Emma Lord is an auto-read for me. Her books feel like a warm hug. This one was no difference. A cute rom-com with friends to enemies to lovers. If you are looking for a fun YA Rom-Com...this is a fantastic option for you!

Emma Lord is the undeniable queen of sweet romcoms and coming-of-age stories.

Sadie and Seb have known each other their entire lives, the by product of being born to parents who are best friends and growing up next door to each other. The last decade has been a series of never ending one-upping each other, but Sadie has finally rid herself of her longtime rival by being accepted into her dream college. That is, until she gets there only to realize Seb has made it off the waitlist and isn't only also on campus, but he will be competing against her for the open writing spot for the school's magazine. Launched into another one of their ruthless competitions, their precarious balance of mortal enemies and polite adversaries just might reach its breaking point.

I don't know how Emma Lord consistently, perfectly captures the feelings that come along with being on the edge of adulthood, but she does. This just might be my favorite book by her yet!

The banter between Sadie and Seb was top tier, I was literally laughing out loud at all of their quips and one-liners. I was also smiling and, metaphorically, giggling, kicking my feet at all of the adorable, sweet, first love feelings flying around. A lot of the time when an author writes two characters that have known each other their whole lives, I feel a little cheated in not being able to see what their dynamic was like before the beginning of the book. However, I thought Lord did an excellent job of giving us well-developed characters, with enough backstory and anecdotes that I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. My favorite part of Lord's books is always the personal growth that her characters go through, and oh did she deliver in this one. Even though I don't come from a loud, chaotic family, nor am I the overlooked middle child, the eldest daughter in me could really relate to Sadie's feelings of having to be the peace-keeper and fixer of the family. I also related to her and Seb's feelings of not wanting to disappoint their parents by being something different than their parents' idea of them, as I am sure a lot of us can.

Clearly, I cannot say enough good things about this book. I highly recommend you give it a read, and maybe do so with a stack of pancakes covered in sprinkles.

The audiobook was well produced and the narrator did a fantastic job. Her voice acting made me feel like I was actually inside Sadie's head and added another layer of depth to the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favorite tropes is academic rivals and The Rival by Emma Lord perfectly fit the bill! This was such a fun read. Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the advance copy!

I tend to listen to my audios when I am doing work around the house. I have little children in the house. When I grabbed this “sweet, young adult, romcom,” I was not expecting there to be multiple swears within the first few minutes. And it continues. This author has an obsession with the S word (and uses other swears too, including the F word). And it’s not just an occasional usage, as it can be said multiple times in a row as a complete response to things.

There is an inclusivity theme as characters in this book introduce themselves with their pronouns.

I wanted to continue this book to see if things would even out, but I just couldn’t justify wasting my time. I made it through a few chapters, but the cons vastly outweighed the pros. After a few chapters, I did DNF. I did not make it far enough to determine if this was truly the no spice, sweet romance it was marketed as.

It’s sad because I was really enjoying our main characters and their enemies to sweethearts, grown up together, rivals. I just didn’t want to listen to swear words every couple of minutes. That, coupled with drinking references and pronouns, made me worry about what other content it would contain.

The narrator was amazing! 5 stars for her.

Sadie went off to college with one goal in mind: write for the schools famous zine. Another perk to going away meant escaping her frenemy and neighbor, Seb. For years Seb and Sadie have been competing in everything imaginable and Sadie is glad to be rid of him. That is until he shows up on campus too and is going out for the same writers position as Sadie. Will they continue their power struggle to end up on top or will the lines between enemies and friends blur into something more?

I have been a fan of everything else I’ve read by Emma Lord so I figured I would like this one too and I wasn’t disappointed. I was pulled in from the first chapter and fell in love with Sadie and Seb instantly. I enjoyed seeing their stories play out on the page and see how they found themselves and each other. The enemies to lovers trope was well done in this book and I could feel the chemistry between Sadie and Seb instantly. This college romance was cute and sweet and I didn’t want to put it down. This book is perfect for anyone looking for a cute enemies to lovers romance!

The Rival is my second Emma Lord book & I was thrilled to receive an ARC from NetGalley to get a sneak peek!

The Rival by Emma Lord is a charming, fast-paced YA novel that explores themes of rivalry, personal growth, and friendship. Sadie (FMC) is your typical high-achieving and extremely motivated freshman at a prestigious college. Self-described as her family’s keeper, Sadie she gives a good deal of “eldest daughter” energy. This opportunity to finally find herself and move past the persona she created to stay the pace and never be a bother can finally be shed. Until, Seb.

Seb was her childhood best friend turned rival for every opportunity in high school and the one person she knew she wouldn’t have to compete with again. Cue a spiral on how she’s going to win a competition against the people’s person - hot, charismatic, and a genuinely good human. Now, they’re both competing for a prestigious spot for the school zine, both vying for the opportunity to kickstart their dreams of writing.

The dynamic between Sadie and Seb shifts as they relearn each other’s backgrounds and motivations, and their rivalry turns into the friendship both angst teens clearly missed. The narrative is filled with plenty of hilarious, witty banter, (so many) emotional moments, and the right amount of drama, which keeps the pages turning. The pacing is swift, and Lord’s writing is engaging, making it easy to become immersed in the story.

Ultimately, the storyline was great. There’s a great mix of characters who help propel the story forward and really helped solidify my 4/5 rating.

Tropes:
* Enemies to Lovers
* Childhood Besties (but *le gasp* miscommunication)
* LGBTQIA+ Representation
* MMC Falls First

Special thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

I listened to the audiobook and it was excellent. The narrators were great, and the book was just fun.

This was a very sweet rivals-to-lovers romance. I love reading Emma Lord's YA novels and will definitely purchase this one for our school library. I enjoyed the main characters’ banter and the cast of supporting characters. I found this read to be enjoyable as an adult, but it’s also not something I would hesitate to recommend to an actual teenager—especially because there is virtually zero spice. Things between the main characters never go beyond kissing, so clean romance readers will like this one. The chemistry and banter will definitely make this book a hit with all romance readers as well.
The plot and storyline around the romance was really good and something I think students will enjoy. I thought this was overall a very fun and cute read.
Thank you to NetGalley for the audioarc to preview.

Another Emma Lord book that has so much potential, but is too long. I found myself drifting off and not caring about the rivalry. We all know how it’s going to end…just make it there!

Very cute read! At first I thought it was going to be too YA for my taste, but after a few chapters I got really into the story and loved the character development. The little jokes throughout the book were great and I absolutely loved the pancake meet ups. Joey is adorable and I’d definitely read a stand alone focusing on him in the future!

Emma Lord does it again! (She will never fail me.) This book was the perfect mix of funny and serious, with great romance, and great depth. I particularly liked how it was about the tough transition from highschool to college, and balancing who you want to be with who you were known as before you go to college.

The author also hit on some great (and slightly painful) points about burnt out athletes with funding they can’t control and student organizations with control over where their funding goes, but only if they can get the money. It was great to see both these groups come together through the various antics of Seb and Sadie.

Sadie and Seb’s relationship was also so great, as they pretended not to hate each other around other people until they finally realized they never actually did. Also, just with their little competition for the spot on the paper.

PS, I really want pancakes with sprinkles now.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I honestly think I liked it more as an audio than I would have in print.

This is a true YA book with only limited kissing.

Childhood friends to rivals to frenemies to lovers.

Sadie and Seb were childhood friends. Their parents were great friends and ended up living next door to each other. Their lives were entangled their whole childhood, but they ended up spending many of their years as rivals after a prank goes wrong and Sadie decides they’re enemies.

Sadie thinks she’s finally going to get rid of Seb when she goes to a college he was not accepted to, but on her way to a newspaper interest meeting they literally run into each other. Seb got off the waitlist and is now also going out for the single spot on the paper.

The two of them have to navigate being away from home, changes in friendship, and competing for the spot on the paper. They join a fight regarding funding at the school and put it all on the line in hopes of making change. We watch them learn about themselves, their families, their friendships, and their future.

It is single POV, so we learn about the details from Sadie’s side. She felt relatable and vulnerable, and it was great to see her evolving throughout the book. It really did feel like that transition time I often see in my college freshmen (the age they are in the book). I also loved in inclusion of school and family.

4.5⭐️

Emma Lord is one of my favorite YA authors and I love how I can always count on her to deliver a heartwarming coming of age story that is brimming with wit, theatre references, sugary treats and snacks, adorable friend groups, and characters that are striking out on their own and pursuing their dreams, while discovering themselves in the process.

I love how Lord’s stories center around creative pursuits - writing, podcasts, art - and passions of the main characters, and how the characters discover how to use their voices outside of the familiar comfort and safety of home and high school. These books are a beautiful blueprint for YA readers on how to build community, foster friendships, to give yourself grace and take a chance on your dreams, and to use your voice to help others.

I absolutely loved the recurring conversation between Sadie and Seb where they discussed relationships and emotional health, speaking on how relationships and “firsts” are up to you and there is no checklist or timeline. I think this was such a fantastic conversation to have and I adore Seb for reminding Sadie that relationships and all they entail are completely personal - there should never be any pressure to have those firsts and that it’s perfectly acceptable take your time and wait for that right person. I love the younger generations for normalizing conversations around emotional health.

I just love Jesse Vilinsky’s narration and their vocal performance bringing Sadie and Seb to life was fantastic!

Gosh, this story was abundantly charming, so heartwarming, and an overall delight to read!

4.5 rounded up

Narration: I enjoyed the narration. The narrator chosen for this story fit the character I would have pictured and brought the story to life.

Story: Emma Lord never disappoints and I loved this one just as much as her previous books. While I am out of the age range this books are meant for, I find her stories are still relatable. I was brought back to my college days and trying to find my place just as our main character is doing. Granted, I did not have a cute boy vying for the same things as me.

The characters were enjoyable and I loved how our main character found herself.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Rival was my second book by Emma Lord- after receiving an ARC for The Getaway List, I knew I had to get one for this book too. Jesse Vilinsky narrating was just icing on the cake.
The Rival is a fun romcom for recent graduates (or anyone curious about university) and is perfect for fans of Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach. I really liked the characters. Sadie was driven but not to the point of being insufferable, Seb was sweet and charming, and all of the side characters that popped up along the way were memorable and enriched the story.
One thing I took issue with was the progression of their relationship. It was pretty clear that they both had romantic feelings for one another from the jump, which really cut the tension for the will they/won’t they of it all. And there were so many scenes with good tension where I was certain that they would kiss, so when they did eventually kiss it was during a scene where there was no tension. It probably took place in the healthiest point for the two of them, but it was underwhelming to say the least.
The audiobook was great. Jesse Vilinsky’s narration was excellent (it usually is!) and I was able to tell all of the characters apart with her natural sounding portrayals.
Overall, The Rival is a light, fun time with some emotional beats woven in. I will buy it for my library and recommend it to students. I give it a 4 out of 5.

3.25 stars

Sweet young adult novel about two childhood rivals who unexpectedly end up at the same college. Explores first relationships, friendships, sexuality, homesickness and family expectations as well as competition and the age old college debate between student athletes and other student organizations.

Was able to reminisce a bit about undergrad, from ABC parties to bad dining hall food to navigating living with a roommate and the freedom that comes from not living at home. It slightly gives sex lives of college girls vibes, minus the sex lives. Cute read and would feel comfortable recommending it to my nieces/nephews.

This was such an adorable romantic comedy set during the first few weeks of college! This rivals to lovers story of Sadie and Seb was a sweet coming of age and finding your own voice journey.

The relationship between childhood friends turned rivals was so well written that the banter had me laughing and cheering them on! I found the struggles that Seb and Sadie face while starting college was very relatable.

I listened to the audiobook and thought it was well performed.

I love everything that Emma Lord has written and this book is no different. Sadie and Seb are high school rivals who have now moved on to college. While they once again are pit against each other for the one available staff spot for the zine they discover what all public school librarians have known for years, the athletics program is the root of all evil. Will they join forces to make changes, will they remain rivals or will they become something more? I enjoyed every minute of this read and the narrator was perfect for this book. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced listen.

This was not my favorite Emma Lord book, but there was still a lot I really enjoyed. This is a very sweet, clean college book, which is nice to see. I loved the rivalry, the shenanigans, the silly characters, and love of food! My biggest complaint is that a feel like it dragged, both the slow burn romance and the plot. Narration is good, as well.

4⭐

I want to be so critical of the characters in this book, but as I was listening I did a little reflecting and thought back to how I was at 18 and everything tracks. 😂

Your first year in college, the change feels so dramatic and everything is elevated.

I didn't love the narrator, her voice came across a little whiny to me, but again, I think it was mostly appropriate for the overall tone of the book.

A dramatic, angsty, cute little YA read.

📖+🎧: The Rival, a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Emma Lord- I read The Getaway List and gave it 5⭐

🗣️ Narrator: Jesse Vilinsky voices all the characters with standouts from Sadie and Seb. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 11:16

📅Publication date: 1-21-25 | Read 1-10-25

📃 # of pages: 320 e-book

Genre:
* YA/College
*Rom-Com
*Contemporary

Tropes:
*enemies to lovers
*academic rivals
*coming of age
*family drama
*1st love
* LGBTQIA+rep

👆🏾POV: 1st person

🌎 Setting: Maple Ride, VA

Summary: Sadie has finally beaten Seb getting into Maple Ride University, while he is wait-listed. They have been academic rivals since 3rd grade but are forced to be around each other because their parents are BFFs. Sadie is surprised to find Seb has been accepted to MRU and they compete for a staff writing position on the college zine Newsbag-one of the most prestigious in the country.


👩🏾 Heroine: Sadie Brighton- communication major, family is dramatic, and she is the peacekeeper.

👨🏾 Hero: Sebastian "Seb" Anderson-engineering major, has popular Instagram channel "Adam's Apple"

🎭 Other Characters:
* Christina-Sadie's BFF and roommate-cross country track star
* Amara and Rowan-co staff writers for "Newsbag" magazine.
* Joey-baseball scholarship, entertainment writer, a sophomore
*Marley(oldest) + Hadley (youngest)- Sadie's sisters
*Colby-Seb's father

🤔 My Thoughts: This was a little nostalgic thinking about my first year away at college. I was extremely shy and cried when my mom and sister pulled off and left me. I went home every weekend for months until I found my place as a staff writer on my school paper- The Quad. I loved the competitive spirit between Seb and Sadie and how it evolved. The student activism added a bigger scope to the story-funding for athletes, scholarships, and the magazine. Christina was the MVP arguing with Sadie about her experience at college.

Rating: 4/5⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice level 1/5🔥 kissing only

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books, Macmillan Audio, and Emma Lord for this ARC and ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.