This book was a breath of fresh air! I can always count on Emma Lord for a great escape into a cute feel good story with every book she writes and this one was no different.
I actually loved that it dealt with DNA sites and that Abby has a sister! So she spends her summer at a camp with her best friend/huge crush Leo to get to know this secret sister more.
I honestly loved this book, just because it was easy to get lost and not think of anything for the duration of the book. Its a cute, fluffy emotion grabbing read and it was just what I needed!!

I loved Tweet Cute so I was super excited to read another book Emma Lord wrote and it did not disappoint. I thought there was a good balance between Abby and Savvy trying to figure out what happened with Savvy, and Abby and Leo figuring things out between them . I also really enjoyed the side characters especially Finn and Mickey and how they had their own stories but it didn’t detract from the two main plots. I also am a sucker for a story set at summer camp because I am a huge summer camp fan myself, and if I had one complaint it was that I felt the summer camp setting wasn’t used as much as it could be. But aside from that I really enjoyed the book and definitely recommend it!

Another winner form Emma Lord! You Have a Match was a YA delight. From social media commentary, to family drama, friendship, young love and, of course, plenty of food references, this book has it all. Overall, this is a story of family and belonging and it is done so well.

Another hit by Emma Lord!
This was so cute and fun and I love that it incorporated DNA testing which is so huge right now. Finding out you have a full blooded sister when you're not adopted would be crazy and I'm glad Abby and Savvy decided to meet up. They're pretty opposite personalities, but they gave each other some balance and perspective they desperately needed.

Abby has anxiety and feels like her parents are pushing her too hard. She just wants time to relax and take pictures, so camp is the perfect place for her. Savvy has let her Instagram image consume her and needs to just have fun for the summer. The girls don't get along right away, but they build their relationship over a month and I thought it seemed realistic and sweet.

There's also a slow burn romance between Abby and Leo that I adored. They both have feelings, they just struggle to communicate that to each other. I did hope for a bit more of them in the book, but what we got was pretty great. I want Leo to make me some pb&j cinnamon rolls!

This has good pacing and flows well. I enjoyed the side characters and watching people find their passions. I'm looking forward to everyone being able to read it!

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Truly, I do not know why I let this book sit in the black hole of kindle-land for months. It's amazing. Yet again, Emma Lord has hooked me with lovable characters, great humor, and yummy food. (seriously Emma, you owe me food now.)
What I really liked seeing was the sister relationship between Abby and Savvy. It felt so real, complex, and complicated. Their difficulties in understanding each other and their new connection were perfectly written and it felt like they were sitting next to me.
I also have to note that I ship Leo and Abby so much.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, Lord's books are addictive reads that are difficult to put down. I highly recommend this one for fans of emotional ya contemporary stories.

Rating: 5/5
Language: a**, d***, s*** f***, probably a few others that I missed
Romance: a few kisses, girls in relationships with girls
Spiritual: n/a
Violence: n/a

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

Review will be published one month from publication date on the blog and on retail sites on release day.

Another fantastic YA romance by Emma Lord! This story is one that starts with a DNA test, involves and an older sister and a secret crush on a best friend, all while being set at summer camp. Full of swoony moments and lots of heart, Lord takes the reader along for the ride as two sisters try and navigate their sudden relationship, as well as understand how the other even exists. This is the second book I've read by Lord and both have been a delight. I know some of my students will devour this right up! It gave me some Anna and the French Kiss romance vibes for sure! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Emma Lord takes "The Parent Trap" in a different direction for the YA rom-com. Abby and Savvy, biological sisters, find each other thanks to a fluke DNA test. They plan to meet at summer camp to uncover what happened in the past with their parents and Savvy's adoption.
This fun read was compelling enough and I really enjoyed the happy ending for all the characters involved.
Sure, it would have made a heck of a lot more sense for the girls to just ask their parents what happened and loop them in from the beginning, but then there wouldn't be a book, right?
The Abby-Leo love story got to be a little ridiculous, too. The insecurity and 'I don't know if he/she likes me" while they have been friends for life got a little tedious.
overall, a fun read!

So so so good!!! I’m not sure I can put into words how much I loved this book. Abby and her friends send off DNA tests. She finds out she has a secret sister. On top of that she’s had an awkward time with her best friend Leo ever since the BEI (big embarrassing incident). All of this is in the first chapter. I loved watching Abby grow and change. I loved Savvy and her relationship with Abby. I loved the fun Finn brought. And I loved Mickey’s temporary tattoos.

Complex, likable characters; a plot that keeps you reading; and beautiful insights about what it means to grow into yourself. I loved this book, and I will definitely read whatever Lord writes next.

"The space I come back to, whether I want it to be or not, won’t be Abby-shaped anymore— or maybe I won’t be the shape of the Abby who left."

I look back on the time after reading Tweet Cute when I believed I found my new favorite YA author in Emma Lord and I feel sorry for my past self because of disappointment she's about the experience.
Because You Have a Match was nowhere near as good as Emma Lord's debut.
Yes, great writing and humor were still there, but I had quite a few issues with it.
Too many events were unrealistic aka Disney-like; characters were always in the right place at the right time to overhear/witness something important; too many things were going on at the same time, it was slowing the plot I really cared about down.
And yes, I did get emotional a couple of times, but this story simply didn't deliver what I expected from it.

3.5 stars

"I wish my life could be as orderly as their oatmeal aesthetic, but it's a hell of a lot more like whatever remains of the poor Nutella vat half the camp is abusing in the corner."

After reading Emma Lord's Tweet Cute, I was excited to get my paws on her next foray into YA land titled You Have a Match. Whereas Tweet Cute is a reboot of the movie You've Got Mail, this installment is a reboot of the movie The Parent Trap. When teenager Abby signs up for 23andMe (or some knockoff) because her besties are doing it, she never expects to receive results telling her she has a full blooded (adopted) sis living just 15 miles away from her. What the what? She meets her (semi) insta-famous sis Savvy in the flesh without their respective parental units knowing and then they hatch a plan to spend the six weeks together at summer camp. Neither knows or understands why Savvy was given up for adoption many moons ago, but they're going to figure it out together at camp... instead of just asking either of their sets of parents... because then there would be no book. Throw in Abby's secret crush Leo, Abby's secret crush Mickey, and some other supporting characters (parental units, siblings, fellow campers) and you have this here story.

Everything I loved about Tweet Cute was reincarnated with You Have a Match. It's well written, cute-as-a-button, and awwww-inducing. Much like with Tweet Cute, there are hard to swallow plot holes: Why not just ask your parents (this goes for both Abby and Savvy) about the adoption? If these two teens look SO MUCH ALIKE that rando strangers mistake them for siblings, how did Leo - who has known them both for years and years - never put it together? ESPECIALLY since he knew Savvy was adopted? And c'mon - it was oh so obvious that Leo and Abby liked each other. No need for the "welp, I'm just not sure" on both sides.

But I dunno - I love me a totes adorbs YA book and this is one of 'em. I feel like you could Ctrl+C my review of Tweet Cute for this one and you'd essentially have the same overarching idea.

Oh! How did I forget that much like Tweet Cute, this one also mentioned mouth watering foodstuffs. I don't know what lasagna balls are, but I know I want one in my mouth, stat! If Lord is going to keep mentioning these amazeballs culinary concoctions in her books... can she publish some recipes to accompany them? Pretty please??

Also, shout out to this being set in and around my city of Seattle! 206 represent.

This book was so cute! It had a very slow burn romance between best friends and family drama that kept me interested through this entire book. I was living for the romance and I was shipping Abby and Leo so badly. Ugh, I kind of don't want it to be over but I have to say goodbye and move on with another book.

Anyway, You have a match follows Abby as she learns that she has a full-blooded sister a year and half older than her and surprise... she lives nearby and wants to meet up! She didn't expect her DNA test to turn out this way and she mostly did it for her best friend Leo who actually wanted to learn more about his birth parents. So when Abby finds out, she doesn't immediately tell him about it because she doesn't want to hurt him. Long story short, they all end up at the same summer camp and the girls will try and find out what happened. We also see Abby as she tries to suppress her feelings for Leo since her other best friend told her he didn't love her & see her that way after an almost-kiss a few months ago... I was a little mad at that "friend" but everything got resolved and I was pretty happy about everything that happened.

I haven't read Emma Lord's debut, Tweet Cute, but you can be sure I'm going to read it as soon as possible. I just have a few arcs to read before I can get to my tbr pile so we'll see when that actually happens!

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

*Review will be posted on my blog on 12/14/20*

My Attention: read in one day

World Building: Washington State – mostly at camp

Writing Style: easy to read and relatable

Crazy in Love: friends to lovers

Creativity: Abby’s life gets a bit tangled and she learns to unravel some of the things tying her up in knots.

Triggers: adoption

My Takeaway: Sometimes when you try to find yourself…you find a sister along the way.

Likes:
*Emma Lord is becoming a must-read author for me. I love how she writes young adult contemporary that is filled with relationship problems, whether it be between a romantic interest or issues that arise with family and friends.

*Abby’s not doing so well in school, her parents have her scheduled with tutoring. But her grandpa passed away, and she’s in love with her best friend – then on top of that she finds out her parents have been hiding a secret all her life. Talk about trying to manage all her emotions at once! It’s rough and she isn’t one to confront things happening in her life, but she learns how to when Savvy comes into her life, since Savvy is all about putting herself out there.

*The story is heart-warming. I love her friendship with Leo but she wants more and she doesn’t know what he wants. And when Abby and Savvy get to know each other, watching their relationship grow after a few rough spots…I wanted them to be in each other’s lives forever by the end of the story.

*The secret that Savvy and Abby’s parents share and hide is just so unfortunate, but I can see it as being totally realistic in adoption cases. I felt Abby’s mother’s pain and Savvy’s adopted mother’s as well.

*Not only is Savvy adopted but Leo is adopted too. He and his sister was adopted from the Philippines (love the rep!) – and he starts to open up about wanting to know his roots, and his people, through food dishes. I thought that was so fitting because as a Filipino myself…food is everything, it’s so connected to our family/history/culture/memories.

Random Notes:
*It takes awhile for Leo and Abby to get together haha – lots of back and forth of not knowing where the other stands, but I did adore their friendship. Abby is a Junior so the angst is expected.

Final Thoughts:
You Have a Match is a heartwarming story about finding yourself and family and friends along the way. Abby is grieving her grandpa, wishing she was “better” at everything so her parents could stop trying to fix her, and she’s in love with her best friend. In the end, she realizes her parents support her, and that the boy she loves, loves her back – she just had to open up and tell them what she felt. I enjoyed this story about Abby Day finding herself and also finding a sister.

You Have a Match was cute and quirky, and also a little angsty. I enjoyed the way the relationships developed between the characters, even if they seemed a little too perfect and unrealistic at times. It was refreshing however, to see flawed but still likeable teen characters - it makes them more relatable. Aside from the whole 'Instagram famous' thing of course. Overall, it's a cute contemporary, fun summer read.

This was such a heartwarming and sweet YA novel. I loved the setting in Washington and that most of that setting happened at a summer camp. I can't even imagine going through something like this and I think the author captured all of the teenage emotions perfectly. Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC.

A cute and uplifting story of family drama, friendship, and sisterhood. Abby spends most of her time with her best friends, Connie and Leo, but things have been strained ever since she made a move on Leo, her long time crush. Her life is further rocked when she signs up for a DNA service and learns she has a biological sister, named Savannah (AKA Savvy), who also happens to be an Instagram star. Together, they decide to head to camp to uncover the mystery behind their parents’ deceit. This story has plenty of secrets and surprises that keep it interesting and engaging. The characters are also relatable and realistic. You Have A Match is a heartfelt read that is sure to appeal to teenage and young adult readers. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this delightful book in exchange for an honest review!

You Have a Match, by Emma Lord, is a fun, often touching exploration of family, friendship, and first love.

When Abby Day takes a mail-in DNA test, she is just trying to support her friend Leo and prove her Irishness to other BFF Connie. What Abby finds instead is a secret older sister and a whole lifetime of secrets.

Fans of Lord’s debut, Tweet Cute, will be pleased to see her writing remains sharp and clever, with puns and jokes peppered throughout, although You Have a Match is at times a bit of a tear jerker as well.

The adults portrayed in the novel are at times a bit one-dimensional, but the teenagers are fleshed out and flawed, even those who get relatively little on-screen time.

If you are looking for an older teen romcom that will make you giggle AND tear up, look no further!

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!

This is a sweet coming of age, love story. It’s so well-written that it just skips along as you’re embedded in the lives of childhood friends Abby, Leo and Connie and work to unravel the long-protected secrets of Abby and Savvy’s family histories.

I loved the depth of characters in this book. Even more peripheral characters like Mickey and Finn are authentic and well-rounded. And Leo? He’s so loving and lovable and confused, the perfect portrait of a lovestruck teen and romantic interest. And a crazy-creative chef to boot? Swoon.

This book showcases the ambiguities and surprising depths of teen relationships, romantic, friend and family, in poignant, but believable, detail. It has a number of twists and turns that keep the story burning along and, while occasionally predictable, the story line is enticing and engaging.

This is a quick, heart-warming, feel-good read.

* I received a copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

This was so fun but it had a lot of the hard things too. Savvy and Abby felt so real and honest. It is always fun to read characters and be able to tell how similar they are without the characters themselves realizing. Savvy had the whole Instragram personality down but only online. I loved the relationship that she had with Mickey and how it mirrored Abby and Leo's. Speaking of Abby, she was by far my favorite. I felt a little of myself in her shoes. The need to show her parents that she was doing fine with the fear of not being enough. Abby's story captured my heart.

The bulk of the novel takes place at a camp. I for one always wanted to attend a summer camp, but my parents weren't so sure. I loved the setting of the book. It was so timely and lovely for what Savvy and Abby needed. The relationship between their parents felt so true that it was hard to read. I felt their pain and their confusion about where their relationship could go from there. I would say that it made it even more true to life than if we hadn't really heard their story at all.

I loved this slice of life novel about two sisters who didn't know each other existed. I have a feeling the readers in my library will feel the same.

I absolutely adored TWEET CUTE (and pestered my sister endlessly until she finally read it and loved it as much as me). I was a huge fan of the ship, the characters, the setting, and the unique plot. I compared YOU HAVE A MATCH a lot while reading it because it’s always hard to bring a sophomore novel to top the debut, which was a five-star read. Both books are kind of complicated, to be honest – there are so many different story threads to follow along with, yet it never feels like the author is taking on too much.

YOU HAVE A MATCH follows Abby as she deals with the fallout from finding out that she has an older sister who was clearly adopted about a year and a half before she was born. How could her parents keep this kind of secret? What happened!? Savvy, her newfound sister, and Abby go to the same summer camp to get to know each other and try to determine how this all went down. Abby’s best-friend-turned-crush Leo is there working in the cafeteria, while Savvy is dealing with relationship drama of her own.

I loved learning about Abby’s friendship with Connie and Leo, while also seeing her sisterhood/friendship develop with Savvy (after some very rocky patches and fights at the start!).The camp setting was a lot of fun and led to some great moments with Abby’s photography. I loved that she was exploring different options instead of college, or considered community college instead of rushing into a four-year school.

I’m a sucker for best-friends-turned-to-more storylines so her whole thing with Leo was right up my alley. Big fan. There was a TON of miscommunication (or lack of communication) to push the drama out further, which is usually not my favorite way to handle a romance, but parts of it made sense. I wasn’t overly frustrated with it but there were plenty of moments I wanted to make them just talk. It was so obvious to the reader what was happening between them!

The resolution on the whole “what the hell happened with this adoption” was really intriguing and satisfying. I enjoyed learning about the relationships of all people involved, adults included, and seeing how everyone chose to move forward in the end.

There are honestly a ton of things I could touch on with this story and all of the characters but I think I’ll let you read it yourself 🙂