*When You Get the Chance* by Emma Lord follows Millie Price, a spirited teen with Broadway dreams, as she embarks on a journey to find her mother. The novel combines elements of family discovery and coming-of-age with plenty of theater references and humor. While lighthearted and engaging, it’s also a thoughtful look at identity and self-acceptance.

Let me start off by saying I love Emma Lords writing.

That said I didn't care for this. I didn't realize it was a Mamma Mia retelling but with finding her mom. This bothered me because she could have communicated and asked her dad who of the three it was, it's not like he didn't know.

Also LiveJournal.....I feel old

Millie has been raised by her dad; never knowing her mom. Thoughts of her are in the back of her mind. As a 17-year-old, getting ready for senior year, and graduation, then college. Millie loves theater, and has been accepted into a prestige program; but dad has other ideas. Millie wants to star on Broadway. Millie and Oliver have been rivals in the school theater. They are constantly bickering about something. Millie wants to find her mom, and after accidentally getting hired into an intern position, feels that she has a couple of possible mom candidates. Follow Millie as she navigates her dad, her job, Oliver, and figuring out the mom possibility. What she finds is surprising! Another great Emma Lord book! Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (Wednesday Books) for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

This book was so cute and fun and yet so layered and covered so many topics relevant to those on high school (age of the main character) but also just everyone. I thought the nods to Mamma Mia were just enough without being heavy handed and I loved the way that all of these characters communicated so openly and honestly, there was no miscommunication which I think really showcased how to honestly express your feelings in many different kinds of relationships. I was so endeared toward this main character and invested in her journey and I loved the fleshed out characters around her that we also got to know. I have loved Emma lords previous books and this one is no different!

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

I had a little trouble with the beginning of this book. I really couldn’t get hooked. But the ending was awesome! I really loved the twist with the mother search. And the multiple happily ever afters was a great way to end the story.

This was such a fun read! Emma Lord always delivers high energy and lively heroines. This story is a YA Mama Mia retelling and what could be more fun than that?!

Shame on me for the second time. Honestly, I’m just dumb at this point and I can’t BELIEVE I held off on reading this because I thought I wouldn’t adore it to shreds. My sincerest apology to the queen that is Emma Lord aka a force to be reckoned with and if I go missing one day, I won’t blame her.

But hey, at least we’re starting the year off strong with a book that I’ve had on my shelf for ages,,, and I am deeply sorry to the publishers,,,

Okay enough of that, it’s time to yell!

I was never a theatre kid, absolutely no idea what that world looks like. But every single time I fall in love with them and wish I got the chance to be one. Ha, get it? Lol, I didn’t even try there. Anyways, these geeks are my new besties and I’m transporting myself onto a Broadway stage so we can sing to our heart’s content. Stop laughing, I’m dead serious. Ms Lord brought this out in me because I was always a theatre gal to my core *sighs*

I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again: Emma Lord’s witty writing is UNMATCHED. I know it’s because she is experienced in Buzzfeed writing but I’m cackling every few pages at her pop culture references that, written by anybody else could be cringey, but she hits the nail on its head EVERY SINGLE TIME. Her integration is seamless and oh-so natural and I love it so much. Also, this is somehow both very quiet and very loud about being a Mammia Mia retelling and I love it??? Like it doesn’t feel like one but then every few pages it makes a very clear reference and I loved it so much.

Speaking of writing, this book had my heart in its hands and kept on squeezing and GOSH DANG IT I’M IN LOVE. I just forgot how hard I could relate to the characters Lord creates and they’re literally teenagers? I’m 22 now but I felt so deeply for Millie and her journey and ahhhh!!! But she managed to craft these completely multi-faceted characters that are simultaneously hardcore relatable and uniquely loveable and it hits me in the chest. Literally. Frankly, Millie is insufferable but it doesn’t bother me at all because at her core she is loud and boisterous and feels her emotions so deeply and I,,, gah family insecurity gets me every time.

Seriously what the heck? I didn’t sign up for an emotional rollercoaster and Ms Millie reminded me that sometimes we don’t feel good enough or that we don’t know why we’re chasing a dream so hard and forget about why. I didn’t ask for any of that,,,,

Emma Lord is really good at her job, just saying.

Okay, let’s chat about the side-characters because yes I love Teddy and Chloe and Heather and all the moms. They made this lil book feel so well-rounded we love a fleshed-out set of characters.

Also yes I did catch ALL of the Tweet Cute references and I was living my best life.

Don’t even get me started on the romance!!! Gosh dang it they’re adorable. Out of all the Lord books I’ve read, this one is actually the least romance-y of them and she kinda took the backseat. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t shipping them so hard and smiling my teeth away. Oliver um hi I LOVE YOU. They’re adorable and I’m obsessed.

Last but certainly not least, and possibly my favourite part, was the almost mystery element to this? It’s literally Mamma Mia in the sense that it’s contemporary but you’re also being a detective to figure out who the mom is. And I’m a genius and I picked up on ALL the subtle clues that we were left and oooohhhhh Ms Lord was clever. But it’s worth it, I promise!!!!
Before I go, let’s just take another moment to yell… THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD WHAT THE HECK I LOVED IT SO MUCH GO READ IT NOW!!!!!!

Okay, I’m done.

So yeah you need to go read this little contemporary romance full of spunk and guts and a big heart. Plus I mean all the theatre kid chaos, rivals-to-lovers romance and gut-wrenching deep feelings that’ll have you by the neck. Now go forth and cry and thank me later <3<3<3

“When You Get The Chance” is a sweet and fun YA novel about Millie Price, a theatre nerd living in NYC on a hunt to find out who her birth mom is. (Yes, major Mamma Mia vibes)

I found the book to be a tad predictable, the characters a smidge annoying as all high schoolers are, but overall this was a good read.

I’ve already read several Emma Lord books and liked this more than You Have A Match and less than Tweet Cute. Any fans of YA, Emma Lord, and musical theatre will enjoy this book!

(3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars)

"When You Get the Chance" by Emma Lord offers a heartwarming exploration of family, friendship, and self-discovery set against the backdrop of a small town summer festival. The characters in the novel are endearing and relatable, each grappling with their own dreams and insecurities. Lord excels at creating a nostalgic atmosphere that transports readers to the idyllic setting of Cherry Lake, where the bonds of friendship are forged and tested amidst the backdrop of fireworks and ferris wheels.

Lord's writing style is engaging and accessible, with witty dialogue and vivid descriptions that bring the story to life. The plot of "When You Get the Chance" unfolds with a perfect blend of humor and heart, as the protagonist Millie navigates the challenges of returning to her hometown and confronting the ghosts of her past. While the intrigue may not be as high-stakes as in other novels, the novel still manages to keep readers invested in the outcome of Millie's journey. The logic behind the relationships and decisions of the characters feels authentic, adding depth and resonance to the narrative.

Overall, "When You Get the Chance" is a charming and enjoyable read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance and coming-of-age stories. Lord's warm and witty storytelling makes for a delightful reading experience that is sure to leave readers smiling. While it may not break new ground in the genre, "When You Get the Chance" offers a comforting escape into a world of friendship, love, and second chances.

I LOVE EMMA LORD SO MUCH IT'S RIDICULOUS. MILLY IS ONE OF HER MOST MEMORABLE HEROINES AND THIS PINK COVER WILL NEVER NOT BE MY FAVE.

I went into this book completely blind and honestly had no idea what to expect. I did get through 32% in the first two days so that is always a good sign. I was also listening to the audiobook for this one so that did help. The narrator for this book was phenomenal.

There have been times when I did find the main character a bit annoying. I did like the storyline though, and was excited to see how the story would play out. However, there were some times I did have to put the book down which was more personal preference.

Overall, I did love the ending of the book and enjoyed it.

I enjoyed this story, it was a cute refreshing read. It read a bit like Rachel Berry trying to find her way in Broadway and meeting her mom if Rachel Berry wasn't a complete nightmare. I thought it was an interesting read and kept you on your toes. I also enjoyed the relationship between Millie and her dad. I thought Oliver was an interesting character, there dynamic was fun to read (definitely not cringe-y which I feel like a lot of Contemporary Romance books tend to lean towards for me).

This book definitely made me want to read another Emma Lord book!

The first thing that drew me to this book was the beautiful cover! I'm glad I requested it because it was such a sweet love story!

Emma Lord got me again 🥲 This was so cute and fun! I loved the characters and I loved Millie as the protagonist. She had such a strong voice and her development over the course of the story was wonderful. The book was heavily focused on family and friendship themes, which was enjoyable, and the romance between Millie and Oliver was adorable. I definitely felt old at certain points reading this but that just means that Emma Lord was truly embracing the Teen Experience™️ of making people in the twenties realize their age!

WYGTC was an absolute delight and I highly recommend for fans of YA, Broadway, Mamma Mia, and/or Emma Lord’s other books!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

I love that Millie goes after her dreams. I think the story was done well. I love the dad/daughter interactions. It was a really fun book. I loved the NYC adventure and coming of age.

This is a YA Contemporary fiction set in NYC. Millie is a dramatic theater kid that wants to be a Broadway star. She lives with her dorky single dad and has never known her mom. Tracking down her mom ends up being a large part of this story. Similar to You Have A Match this story focuses on family. However there was a tiny bit of romance towards the end of the book.

I really enjoy Emma Lord's writing style and her use of pop culture references. I'm eager to pick up Tweet Cute and anything else she may put out on in the future.

This book was just not for me. The main character was incredibly self centered and had serious main character syndrome (in the worst kind of way). I ended up switching to audio at 3x just to finish this.

Millie has dreams of becoming an actress and wants to attend a theatre precollege program for her senior year of high school. However, her Dad isn’t thrilled with the idea of her going across the country, so Millie decides to find her Mom, who she has never met. In the process, she ends up on a journey of self-discovery she hadn’t anticipated.

This was a sweet story that had a lot of layers. The characters were well written and easy to like. There were a lot of references to musical theatre, which I loved. As usual, the author, Emma Lord, wove a variety of sweets throughout the story. I’m always hungry after I read one of her novels. 😂

Thank you to #NetGalley and #WednesdayBooks for an eARC of #WhenYouGettheChance by #EmmaLord - 4 stars

I just couldn't get into When You Get the Chance. I really didn't like Millie and wasn't invested in her journey at all.