I went into this book thinking it was going to be just a cute love story but boy was I wrong. This story packed a punch. Yes, it had its share of romance, even if the characters were stubborn and had their heads up their butts for the majority of the book. But that's not what the meat of this story was about. It was about family, relationships, lies and their power, and it was about forgiveness. I really enjoyed Lord's first book and feel this is a great follow up book that shows a little more depth. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC. I really enjoyed this book.

When Abby sends off a cheek swab DNA test with her best friends as part of a genealogy unit in science, she gets a lot more than she bargained for: a sister she never knew she had. Despite the fact that they came from the same bio parents, they couldn't be more different. Savvy is an Instagram influencer with a crazy number of followers, organized to the extreme, always in charge and on top of everything. Abby is something of a rule-breaking daredevil, and her frizzy hair and the holes in her jeans tell the tale of her always climbing things to get the perfect camera angle. The two girls agree to attend the same summer camp to see if they can get to know each other and figure out why their parents kept them apart. But with old friends and secret crushes in the mix, things get very complicated very quickly. And when their families eventually come together, will they get the answers they've been looking for or end up separated again...this time for good?

I love Emma Lord's writing so much. She has such a breezy style but somehow manages to say deep, poignant things that just get right to your heart. This one wasn't as light-hearted and fun as Tweet Cute, but I still really enjoyed it. I think there was just a more serious tone to this one, and there wasn't as much room for humor (although it was there in occasional places...Finn was hilarious and I kind of hope he gets his own book). There are a LOT of heavy and important things in this story: adoption, figuring out where you come from vs. who you are, family, divorce, grief and loss, Instagram vs. reality, learning what you want to do with your life, friendships changing with time, forgiveness, acceptance that parents aren't perfect, etc. etc. I mean, Lord covered a lot here. The characters are real and flawed but learning and trying and growing. Even the adults, thank goodness! As a parent of teenagers myself, I think it's SO vital to send the message that no one ever has all the answers or gets it 100% perfectly right. We're never "done." I loved that.

As a silly side note that is entirely a "me" thing and will not necessarily be the case for all readers, it drove me nuts that Abby gave her camera a name and referred to it as Kitty throughout the book. She and Kitty would climb a tree, Abby would run back to the cabin to grab Kitty...gah! I get that the point was that the camera was so real and important to Abby that it was like a person, but it really bugged me. I almost knocked off half a star for that, but the rest of the book was so great that I just couldn't bring myself to be that petty. :)

Anyway, no sophomore slump for Emma Lord! This was a great follow-up from her, and I can't wait to see what she does next.

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!**

A heartwarming story that examines what it really means to be family. You’ve probably seen stories of people who’ve unearthed family secrets via DNA tests (the tests have become quite popular lately!). In today’s world it’s becoming easier and easier to find genetic ties you might not have known you had. But how would you feel if you took one of these tests and found out about the existence of a (full) sister you never knew existed? That’s what happens to Abby, and it turns her world upside down. Now, from reading this description, you might expect this book to be dark and angsty, but Lord manages to explore issues of family (and friends who are as close as family) without making this feel like an “issue” book. I would say this reads more like a feel-good romance than a book about deep dark family secrets (though it manages to be a bit of both—the romance definitely takes a backseat to the family plotline). As Abby tries to unravel the mysteries of her sister’s very existence, she also deals with a crush on her best friend and all of the many hang-ups and insecurities that go along with being a teenager. In the end, she has to convince her conflict-avoiding self to fight for the relationships that mean the most to her, but she learns that it’s definitely worth the fight!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

This was a super fun book from the same author as Tweet Cute (which I also loved!). It has Parent Trap vibes and makes me desperately want to go to a summer camp in the Pacific Northwest.

With the rise in popularity of at home genetic tests, people are consistently finding relatives that they never knew existed. But what happens when that person is just up the road, is a match sharing both parents, and that this mystery sibling lives just a short distance away? That is the premise of You Have A Match by Emma Lord, in this parent trapesque adventure for the new, scientific age. If you are familiar with Tweet Cute, you should expect that Lord's smart, witty take on life as a modern teenager shines in You Have a Match as well.

What a feel good read! Its a feel good story that combines friendship, sisterhood and romance all into one.

With genuinely well built characters that are relatable and funny, You Have a Match is a heartwarming adventure.

I loved how the characters were able to face their challenges and grow from them, finding the meaning behind all the lessons. A light hearted read for both YA and Adults, super cute and recommended highly!

Taking the now so popular DNA testing and making it into a great story. A unique story that is light hearted and fast.

If students enjoyed Tweet Cute they will love this sophomore novel by Emma Lord. Smart and witty writing that is fun and relatable. Another great story to hand to students looking for complex sibling dynamics.

This book was AMAZING!
Last year, I read Tweet Cute and completely fell in love with it and Emma Lord's writing, so when I saw that this book existed I was so excited, and it did not disappoint!
The plot was so entertaining and it remained me a lot of the Parent Trap (which was one of my favorite movies when I was younger). I loved reading about Abby and Savvy building their sister bond and I loved the friendships in this book a lot too.
This book gave me all the feels.

4.25/5 stars

All the feels with this one. For real. I adore this book and what it taught me.

My Moodboard: https://www.pinterest.com/ashton_reads/you-have-a-match-aesthetic/

Goodreads summary:

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it’s mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie…although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front.

But she didn’t know she’s a younger sister.

When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents — especially considering Savannah, queen of green smoothies, is only a year and a half older than Abby herself.

The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything.

But part of life is showing up, leaning in, and learning to fit all your awkward pieces together. Because sometimes, the hardest things can also be the best ones.

Another hit!! Three in a row - I’m having to make the hard decisions early!! As in, what books will have a cherished place on my “2021 favorites” shelf 😄

First off, these characters!! They’re so relatable and complex, and as they form relationships with each other, it’s so interesting to watch as different personalities connect in ways you might not expect. As far as the secret-sister element goes, the book gives off major Parent Trap vibes! There’s a nice mix of pranking and challenges and clashing before they realize just how great of an opportunity they have to be sisters (although they are polar opposites), and there’s a small dose of mystery as to how they were separated and hidden from each other in the first place.

I went into this book expecting a light, adorable contemporary romance, but I think I often underestimate the power of cute covers to conceal deep stories. Yes, there is romance and sweetness and fluff in You Have a Match, but there is also conflict I did not expect going into this; there’s a deep push and pull between forgiveness and standing up for yourself, between planning and deciding life doesn’t decide your choices for you, between letting go and holding close. Abby and her friends all have to hurtle the walls they built for themselves as protection and decide how far they are willing to go for their families and for their own happiness. Abby’s journey in itself shoved all my fears for the future aside and replaced them with excitement, because the truth is, you have absolutely no idea where life will take you in five years, so you absolutely cannot play it safe for the rest of your life and let your plans dictate your choices when your heart tells you otherwise. You Have a Match is a sweet coming-of-age about family and first loves, but I will remember it for the perspective change that it gave me.

I recommend this book for contemporary readers who maybe, just like me, are afraid of their futures because they have no control over them. For You Have a Match taught me that a lack of control gives life the freedom to shift into beautiful things you couldn’t have even imagined for yourself.





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I loved You Have a Match! The secret sister was a fun storyline to follow and I liked that it introduced the sisters to each other quickly. The camp setting was great and added to the story! I liked the love interest, but also liked that it wasn’t the main storyline!

4.25

This book y'all!

I wasn't expecting this book to go where I did. I was expecting a light-hearted romance, much like Lord's debut. And while yes, this did include a romance (or two!) that I 100% support, this book was more about how families work and the secrets they keep.

Though to be fair, there was a bit of adult drama in Tweet Cute as well. This book followed up with the grownups having drama, but took it to a WHOLE OTHER LEVEL and I liked it.

There was the fun summer camp vibes, the insecure character coming into their own, friendships, found families (blood and otherwise), adventure, art, and so many heartfelt talks I found myself crying those ever so coveted happy tears on more than one occasion. I loved the characters and their interpersonal relationships and how everything came together.

This book really was a joy to read and I will consider Emma Lord an auto-buy author from here on out.

Alternate title I didn’t have the fortitude to go with: more like parentS trap

(I’m funnier in real life.)

As far as summer camp adventures go, hiding out at an academic grind sleepaway camp in order to get to know your SURPRISE FULL-BLOODED SISTER and avoid summer school is kind of… okay, I’m not sure it would have ever occurred to me to do it, but The Youth are better than me.

So there’s Abby. She’s having a bad year. Her beloved grandfather passed. Her grades are tanking–because grief. Her parents are on her case about it–because parents don’t connect grief to academic challenges? She made a move on her best friend, which her other best friend convinced her is no big because it’s not like he liked her anyway. And now, now a random DNA test reveals that she has a full sister she’d never heard of two towns over.

Girl, that’s a lot.

Savannah, the aforementioned secret sister, presses Abby to come to summer camp so they can try to piece together what happened. The girls, like so many siblings who unexpectedly meet at summer camp, strike sparks off one another. Savvy is an Instagram influencer in the “wellness space”. She’s tightly controlled and aware of the image she’s projecting on the world. Abby, on the other hand, is more of a free spirit, clumsy and artistic. She doesn’t want to be noticed. They might look alike, but they’re as different as can be.

The story here is mostly Abby’s, the way this discovery topples the uneasy holding pattern she’s been in following her grandfather’s passing and opens the door to the next phase of her life. Emma Lord does a deft job of illustrating the messy reaction a teenager might have in this type of situation. (Even as I say that, I wish we’d gotten a little more of Savannah’s side. Surely there’s a measure of mess in finding out that one’s parents went on to have several more children together, one immediately after relinquishing you. We get none of that in this book.)

A slightly heavier read than a lot of YA, but none of the adult content that would push this into the New Adult space. I read it twice with about a month in between reads, and both times I remember thinking that the book feels a little long. Still enjoyed it, but it’s one that you need to be able to stay with over time.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in order to facilitate this review.

This was a pretty average read, but an improvement from Lord’s debut, TWEET CUTE. Full review to come.

This was an absolutely delightful and sweet YA version of the Parent Trap. What would you do if you discovered, pretty much by accident, that you had a full sister that you had never met? The premise works better than I expected, and of course this is at heart a romance- so not only does our heroine Abby have to contend with family drama and learning to stand up for herself, she also is navigating how to handle her crush on her best friend. So much going on, but so neatly woven together! Highly recommended. I adore this author and this was, for me, even cuter than Tweet Cute.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review!

Abby never wanted to sign up for the DNA website. She already knew who she was. But when both her best friends sign up, she goes along with it. But she is the one who gets the jaw-dropping news: she has a secret sister. Abby decides to meet up with her Instagram famous sister and they hatch a plan to find out what happened. Emma Lord writes engaging characters and makes you wish you were at summer camp with them....although maybe without the secret sister mystery.

Summer camp setting
Older YA characters
A sweet romance, but not central to the story
For fans of The Parent Trap

Reese YA picks are my new favorites! I used to work at a summer camp and this one brought back so many memories. I thought this book was well-written with likable characters and an engaging coming of age story. I would 100 percent recommend this to teens and adult YA readers.

Loved this book as an option for independent reading for students. It was such a cute rom-com driven plot and the characters were goofy, yet very likeable. I know students will enjoy reading this as a self-selected text.

The Parent Trap has always been a favorite movie of mine and You Have A Match brought me right back to “the separated sisters who meet up at camp” vibe.

This was an excellent, updated new spin on a story! It was filled with DNA tests, Instagram influencers, college prep and modern day issues.

It was a cute story heartfelt story! This is the type of YA books I like- it’s not cheesy, has a strong plot and doesn’t ~feel~ YA!

3.5 stars

You Have a Match, the sophomoric novel by Emma Lord, is an interesting look at what happens when Abby’s friend, Leo, asks her and their other BFF, Connie, to take a DNA kit in the hopes of finding some biological family members other than his sister, Carla, with whom he was adopted. Why interesting? Because when Abby goes over to commiserate with Leo when he doesn’t find anyone, she gets a phone-cracking notification stating that she has a full blooded sister who not only lives pretty close to her, but also who is only a year and a half older than she is.

Abby and Savvy (aka Savannah), her new-to-her sister, decide to meet up in downtown Seattle where the mystery continues as they realize that this wasn't just some random adoption by a stranger. Their parents knew each other. Very well. Something big must’ve happened, something so big that not only were their parents no longer friends, but also Abby’s parents lied to her for sixteen years, never telling her about the older sister who they gave up for adoption. When Abby’s dad breaks up Abby and Savvy's first meeting with a text, they hastily agree to spend a summer together at Camp Reynolds—somewhere Abby’s parent’s were pushing her to go to anyway because of the SAT prep course—because they need to unravel the mystery of what happened between their parents.

I initially requested this book for review on NetGalley because I’d read and absolutely loved Tweet Cute last year. I listened to the audiobook of Lord's debut novel, and I was hooked. It was one of the cutest, fluffiest YA romances I read in 2020, so when I heard the author was publishing another book this year, I knew that I had to read it without really even knowing what it was about. Honestly, from the title, I assumed it would be somehow related to the match on a dating app, but boy was I ever wrong. I mean, it is cute and drama-filled, but it has nothing to do with a dating app and there is no great meet cute.

While You Have a Match is cute, it wasn’t quite as cute and fluffy as Tweet Cute was. It’s a lot more angsty and drama-filled, which makes sense for the circumstances of the novel, but it definitely wasn’t the kind of book I was expecting because the romance definitely takes a backseat to the family drama. Emma Lord does a good job of exploring the complications and questions that come up from finding full, and presumably half, siblings or other family members via a DNA test. Moreover, it’s a timely book because this kind of thing is happening more and more often as this kind of testing becomes ubiquitous in society. For example, I read a creative nonfiction piece last year in which the writer found other close family members through a testing kit, and I’m sure it is far from the only article out there on this topic. Seeing the complications through the POV of a teen through this novel, though, gave me a better understanding of the kinds of things one might think or feel in these circumstances. Especially as more of the story of Abby and Savvy’s parents unravels.

As for the romance, it is there, but it’s more about miscommunication and fear of breaking up a friend group after sharing one’s feelings for someone else than the cute, will they, won’t they vibe of Tweet Cute. In addition, I really don’t like the way jealousy pops up between Savvy and her girlfriend Jo over Savvy’s BFF, Mickey (aka McKayla) or between Leo and Abby over another camper, Finn. The only saving grace for me there is that Abby doesn’t suggest that the jealousy is romantic, but rather views it as a “why do you think it’s okay to jealous over Finn when you don’t even want to be with me” kind of vibe. There is more to the romance than this, and ultimately, it’s a really mature view of teenage love, but the jealousy did make the romance less fluffy than Lord’s previous book.

Beyond the family and romance drama, You Have a Match deals with friendship of the new and old kind. As mentioned above, the only reason that Abby even considered taking the DNA test was in support of one of her best friends, Leo. As an adopted kid, he had a vested interest in getting tested, but Abby's main concern was trying to get a higher percentage of Irish heritage than their other BFF, Connie. (To say that finding an older full blooded sister was a surprise is a vast understatement.) Since Abby had a crush on Leo, a big part of her concern—other than the possibility that he might not feel the same way as she did—was that telling Leo might ruin their friendship or make things weird between her group of three, ride or die friends. And she clearly wasn't the only one who thought this way as you'll see when you read what Connie told Abby just after Thanksgiving. When one of Leo's old camp friends (and new-to-her friends) tell Abby that he couldn't stop talking about her last summer and suggested that it was a sign he liked her, it doesn't take away any of the anxiety that she has because that might mean that her other BFF lied to her. At the same time, Abby's experience of going to camp opens her up to the experience of meeting and befriending a lot of new people: her Phoenix cabin mates, Finn, Mickey, and even her new-to-her sister, which lets Abby realize that while her old BFFs are great, she has room in her life for way more people and friends. It's something that a lot of people could stand to learn, but since Leo is a senior and won't be at her high school anymore next year and Connie is busy with school and her own extracurriculars, it's always a good idea for Abby to expand her friendship group.

Finally, while it's not fully explored and definitely doesn't suggest that it's dealt with through traditional approaches like therapy, a big part of Abby's character is text book issues with anxiety. She's shy and doesn't really seem to love the idea of making new friends, which both point to a bit of social anxiety. However, Abby repeatedly is described as pushing off difficult conversations and other hard-to-do things, which many people might not know is a key piece of the anxious people's behaviour. For example, she finds the overscheduling of tutoring that her parents have signed her up for stressful, but she avoids telling them because the conversation would be hard and in some way, it's easier to just go along with it. It's one part boundary issues, because she's putting her parents need to overschedule her over her own needs to have free time to explore her creativity, and another part procrastination, which is one of the lesser known symptoms of anxiety. Sometimes people with anxiety put off things that they need to do or should do because doing the thing itself causes them anxiety. And at the beginning of the book, this is textbook Abby. Personally, I would've preferred to see Abby go to therapy, even single session or short term, to deal with her anxiety, but I didn't write the book.

If you’re looking for a book that’s more about changing family dynamics than romance, you’ll definitely should pick up You Have a Match.

This book will be a definite purchase for our high school library! Thank you so much for allowing me to have access to the digital arc!