Fun fact: I love Broadway musicals. I own the soundtracks to most of them, and I randomly burst into whatever song feels appropriate in the moment. So I knew I had to read this YA book about a musical theater kid. And I was even more excited to see the similarity to Mamma Mia and that it included song lyrics worked into conversations.

Millie is super extroverted and dramatic in a way that could feel like too much to her. But she was also quite self-aware, and that made her teen angst relatable (and sometimes memorable). I felt like I went on the journey with her.

This is such a sweet and joyous coming of age story. It has themes of helping others, abiding friendship, and pursuing dreams. It's a great take on Mamma Mia, and I am off to listen to all my ABBA now.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

This book was so much fun! This would have been a book I would have loved to read as a teenager. I was (and still am) so broadway obsessed! But alas… I’m almost the teenager’s dad’s age and have the live journal from my high school days to prove it. Sigh.

Millie Price is going to be a star. She already is in her own right, but one day, she’s going to make it big on broadway. She has dreams and plans to back those dreams. Unfortunately, even as supportive as her dad is, he’s not quite on board with her latest plan. Millie’s dad is a single dad. She’s never met her mother… but she’s on a quest to find her now.

This story had a huge family dynamic and I loved that, but it also had a fantastic romance. Talk about opposites attract romance- I couldn’t have loved Millie and Oliver together more. They were less enemies and more rivals, but I had a blast watching them fall for each other.

This book was such a win for me. I truly enjoyed it so much!

I adored this book! It had so much heart and was just the sweetest story about finding yourself, finding your people, and falling in love. There is a lot of musical theater talk, but even though that was never my thing and I didn’t get all of the references, it did not take away from the story for me. Millie and Oliver had great chemistry and witty banter. (Also, when an author can write a first kiss scene that makes me feel like I’m watching a movie, she wins, and Emma Lord did that here. 👏🏼) Every side character was enjoyable in their own way, and Millie’s relationship with her dad warmed my heart. Honestly, the last quarter of this book was just precious! I can’t say enough good things about this book.

What the Story is About (in a nutshell):

When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord is the story about Millie Price’s own Mamma Mia-inspired journey. It is a journey that sets her on a path toward her ultimate goal and develops in unexpected and sometimes surprising ways.

What I Enjoyed:

The first, middle and last thing I enjoyed about this story is the main character, Millie Price. She did not win me over right away, but I was hooked once she charmed me like she does everyone else in her life. She is an unusually confident teen who is on top of the world. She excels at her passion and has even landed a spot in a prestigious performing arts boarding school for her senior year. But there’s only one problem – her father said no. She is a determined young woman who would never let a simple no deter her from her dreams. But, it wasn’t until the cracks started showing in her armor that I began to adore this seemingly precocious teen. She is so much more than she presents to the world, and her journey to find her birth mom made me well up with emotion.

I loved that Millie isn’t your typical quirky and awkward teen, even though I do love those types of YA main characters. But Millie is a surprise and a refreshing look at a different kind of character that ultimately endears like her awkward and quirky counterparts. She is a force of nature but with flaws that eventually touched me in unexpected ways.

I also was more than willing to take a leap of faith and accept that the girl who wanted to star in a high school stage adaptation of Mamma Mia found herself in a similar plot as the movie, just at a different stage in her life. She never knew her birth mom. Having been left on her dad’s doorstep as a baby, she was raised by her father and Aunt. But when she unwittingly finds clues about her mother’s identity, she forms a plan that ultimately shapes her life and all those around her.

And, the ever-present mystery-lover that I am, enjoyed the puzzle of which woman is Millie’s birth mom. To be completely honest, I figured it out halfway, though, but that did not deter from the enjoyment of the big reveal at all. And I was moved to my very core by how it all came out.

Characters:
Even though I’ve talked extensively about Millie, the main character, there are always many support characters of note:

Oliver is Millie’s rival in the drama department. Still, you can cut the romantic tension between the two of them with a knife. He is every bit as determined as she is, and the two together provide many of the story’s laughs.

Millie’s three potential moms – Beth, Farrah, and Steph each bring their own individual charm to the story as they reflect pieces of an adult version of Millie.

And, lastly, Millie’s dad and Aunt who provide the most heartwarming aspects of the story, especially, I think, to adult readers who can understand their plight as only another parent can.

What I Wish:
I would have loved to read more about Millie’s relationships with her aunt and dad as she grew up. They are such important figures in the story, but the details aren’t explored very much.

To Read or Not to Read:
Quite simply, I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a story that is sure to put a smile on their face.

I loved this book. I loved the story line. I love the mother drama part of the story too. It added a lovely mystery to the story. I appreciated all the theater references too!!

I loved Tweet Cute but this one just made me so upset most of the time. Millie just came off as one of those characters you hate. She's well off, beautiful, and full of herself. Within the first few pages she is telling the reader that she always has to be perfect because you never know when your big break is going to come around the corner. With this being for young adult readers it just made me feel like it set unrealistic expectations for teens of this day and age.

This is such a fun Mamma Mia retelling! Millie Price has BIG DREAMS and absolutely nothing is going to get in her way. The summer before senior year, she decides to look for her mom in an effort to make one of those big dreams happen. Overall, a delightful coming-of-age story!

What I loved:
-Her BFF, Teddy (he's dorky, adorable, super into geocaching, and totally sweet)
-Millie's relationships with her dad and Aunt Heather
-The new friendships that form
-There are LOADS of Broadway references
-Millie grows and learns a lot about herself and her relationships with others
-The ending is perfection and is exactly what Millie needs

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book. All opinions here are my own.

I LOVE Emma Lord, and "When You Get the Chance" is the perfect YA novel. Millie is a wonderful protagonist, the theater references are spot on, and the tension between her and Oliver is spot on. Highly recommend!

This was a really enjoyable YA novel. I enjoyed Millie & her development throughout the story. Teddy (her best friend), Oliver (her "arch nemesis"), her dad, her aunt, & all of the other characters really enriched the story. I thought this was a refreshing take on the complexities of a baby being left by one of the parents & what happens when you try to seek them out.

Thanks to publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Thoughts

I definitely didn't think I would like this one, but I gave it a shot, considering I have liked Lord's work in the past. I'm glad I did, because this book, while not perfect, is pretty solid. And fans of Mamma Mia! (of which I am not one) are likely to enjoy it even more than I did.

Pros
Father-Daughter Love: It's not often that the father-daughter relationship gets some love, especially in YA were parent relationships in general are fraught with tension. So it is really great to see a father and daughter bond so strong here. Even though a big part of this book is Millie seeking someone to help her stand against her father's wishes, this isn't because she is being willful, spiteful, or obstinate. She's stubborn, something that her father respects and expects--and not in a "oh, she's an angsty teenager" way. This father-daughter duo loves each other. That's a fact.

Embracing Angst: Angst features heavily in YA books, especially contemporary YA like this one. That's true, and that's unavoidable. And I'm not generally a fan of that type of angst, but the particular brand of angst featured here is very refreshing. I'm here for it. It's not I'm-a-teenager-leave-me-alone angst but spiraling emotion, mood swings, and bouts of passion--all of which is ultimately tied up in the teenage experience as much as the regular type of angst is. Millie and her "Millie Moods" show more facets of the teenage experience for sure. Her angsty nature is a part of the plot without being a part of the problem.

Mamma Mia! Overload: Now, I'm not a particular fan of Mamma Mia. I've said it, and I won't apologize for it. I don't particularly like it. But this book made me appreciate the fandom, at least. Millie is a very big fan of Mamma Mia, and her plot in many ways revolves around that. And somehow, Lord makes this reverse-Mamma-Mia work. It mostly makes sense for Millie to be doing a secret-investigation of potential mothers, and that's amazing. Because it's so much easier to prove maternity, isn't it?


Cons
Conventional Voice: Millie's narrative voice is preppy, bright, fun--all of that. So this critique is by no means saying this book is hard to read. It just means that, with so many contemporary first person narrators fitting this same style, her narrative voice doesn't stand out. If you're looking for a new perspective, this isn't it--even if it remains entertaining.

Overwhelming Plots: There are a lot of plots going on in this book. There's the whole I-want-to-go-to-pre-college plot which spirals into the reverse-Mamma-Mia plot. But that plot also leads to a rivals-at-an-internship plot, featuring a romantic subplot, and each of the potential mothers has a specific plot wrapped up in her as well. It is often overwhelming and hard to find what the actual goal is--for Millie as well as the reader.

Overlooking Abandonment: This biggest and most glaring problem with this book is that it ultimately overlooks the issue of abandonment. Millie was, quite literally, dumped on her father's doorstep as a newborn. Sure, she wants to find her mother. Of course she wants to find her mother, but that doesn't mean everything will or should be forgotten and forgiven. There's a wound here that isn't touched on in this book. It's brushed under the rug because of reasons, and that's not a good thing at all. Abandonment, even (and perhaps especially) as a newborn, has an effect, and that effect needs to be discussed.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
6/10

Those looking for a world wrapped up in the arts like the one in Jen Larsen's The Big Reveal should check out this new up-and-coming Broadway star. Those who love a bit of tense romance set in NYC like Ben Philippe's Charming as a Verb should check out this new mortal-enemies-to-lovers subplot.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced review copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

As a baby Millie was given to her father to raise by himself. She has never met her mother nor does she know who she is. After a disagreement with her dad, Millie decides to find her mom as a way to get what she wants. When things don't go exactly as planned Millie is taken on a journey to understanding herself, her parents and the parts of love that sometimes mean letting go.

What a truly wonderful story! It wasn't long before I was drawn into the dramatic life of Millie Price. She is incredibly charming with a heart full of sass. Her story is as heartwarming as it is entertaining.


While I personally wouldn't consider this a romance, even though it does have a romance in it, I would recommend it to those who enjoy their romance as a side (but totally fitting) story rather than the main plot point. Combining musical theatre, family drama, enemies to lovers romance, and adorable friendships this book has something for everyone.

I loved Lord’s other book, Tweet Cute, so I was super excited about this one. I didn’t love it. It was pretty immature. Way more immature than I was expecting. The main character was a bit obnoxious, and the way Lord handled her trying to find her birth mother wasn’t done in a super tasteful manner. All in all I wasn’t a big fan.

Millie Price’s dream is to be a Broadway star and there is nothing that will get in her way! Fueled by boundless determination and big emotions, drama often abounds in her life as she navigates the trials and tribulations of drama student life in addition to grappling with the idea that the mother she doesn’t know may be able to understand her in ways her quiet father does not. After he stands in the way of a special opportunity, she decides the only way around him is to find her mother who will surely understand her aspirations and support her wholeheartedly. With three maternal possibilities, it should be easy to figure out, right? Right…

Emma Lord does it again This ode to all things high school musical theater is such a fun read! Between dragging her geocaching best friend around to befriend potential moms, her theater arch nemesis showing up inconveniently, and an accidental internship interview turned competition, there is never a dull moment.!

5 stars for this adorable and heartwarming YA novel! When You Get the Chance will be released on January 4, 2022 and I highly recommend picking up a copy!

Millie Price is just a touch dramatic. She loves all things musical theater and aspires to be a Broadway star. In this Mamma Mia inspired novel Millie is on the hunt to find her birth mother and along the way she grows even closer to her single dad. Their relationship is put to the test when all of his exes start popping back up, after Millie tracked them all down by reading an old LiveJournal of her dad's. As Millie spends the summer trying to figure out which woman is her mom she grows closer to her sworn enemy, Oliver, the stage manager of the theater productions at her school. Along with her best friend, Teddy, Millie is determined to find her mom and launch herself on the path to stardom.

I loved this! Millie and her dad had such a cute relationship, and I feel like father-daughter relationships aren't written about very often. This was refreshing and a fun read about a teenage girl who is trying to find her mom and figure out herself. I liked all the side characters that feature in Millie's life and how her hate for Oliver grows into romance as the book progresses. It's a very sweet high school romance but it isn't the main plot point because Millie finding out who her mom is features as the overall plot. Millie puts herself into hilarious and new situation as she runs around NYC trying to figure out which woman is her mom. Is it dancer Farrah, aspiring actress Steph or musical theater nerd Beth? In the end she strengthens her relationship with her dad and the epilogue was just perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better way to end the book and a satisfying ending always something I want out of my books. Emma Lord is becoming one of my must read authors and I can't wait to see what she comes out with next!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC in exchange for honest review. As always all opinions are my own.

4 stars

This is my third and thus far favorite read from Emma Lord, and I expect this one will be a crowd pleaser in general!

Millie Price, the m.c., is both a queen of high school drama and a drama queen, and it's the combination of these factors that sets this plot in motion. When Millie gets accepted to a prestigious program and discovers that her father is less than enthusiastic about her plans, she goes on a pretty enjoyable adaptation of her own Mamma Mia (WHO IS MILLIE'S MAMA?!) that keeps the events moving quickly and the readers engaged. All Millie knows is that her biological mother dropped her off to her father (who is WONDERFUL) and her aunt 17 years ago. She has no clue who her mother is, but the thought that they could share a love for drama - as well as an impassioned demeanor that she clearly didn't get from her dad's side of the family - sends her on a hunt through her dad's past and through modern day NYC for this potential missing piece. Of course, what makes this such a great read is not just Millie's at times cringey antics. It's her complex relationships with her dad and aunt, her friendships, her budding romance (this is a cute side gig), and especially her self-discovery process.

I know there's a big fan base for YA theater kid novels, and full disclosure, I am NOT in it. As a result, I came into this one with cautious optimism, and I am not disappointed in any way. Lord has created a balanced and well paced coming-of-age piece for a character who is pretty solid on her own but who is - more importantly for readers' purposes - surrounded by other intriguing folks. I really enjoyed this one and will be recommending it to students for a long time to come.

I love this book even more than I love Lord's other books, which is really saying something. (The theater references, the Tweet Cute callbacks, the geocaching- I love). Lord's characters have such authentic voices. The language is realistic, but not gratuitous. Romance is light but not cheese-y. I loved how Millie accepts her "Millie Moods", but in the end learns a little more about understanding and embracing her emotions. Sad I have to wait until January to recommend it to people!

I’ve been a huge fan of Emma Lord’s books since her debut, but I was especially excited when I heard about her next release! I love the Mamma Mia! film and knew that this book would be so much fun. In When You Get a Chance, a future Broadway star takes a chance and sets out to find her birth mother—and herself along the way.

Millie is ecstatic when she gets into Madison, a theater precollege that will allow her to pursue her Broadway dreams a year early; however, the only issue is that her father doesn’t want her to go. When she and her best friend, Teddy, stumble over his old LiveJournal that contains clues about the mother who abandoned her on her dad’s doorstep, she takes it as a sign to find her mother and get her to side with her. There’s Steph, an actress and executive assistant to a ruthless talent agent whom Millie ends up interning for alongside her rival, Oliver; Beth, a fellow Broadway fan whose daughter, Chloe, might be her half-sister; and Farrah, a dance teacher who immediately crushes on Millie’s aunt.

The plot was so fun, as expected! Lord has a talent for writing outlandish plots and making them feel believable and unforced but still with the maximum amount of drama and chaos. I got this sense in her debut, Tweet Cute, but I definitely felt it for this book. She doesn’t hesitate to lean into the Mamma Mia! of it all, with Millie being a huge fan of the musical and an ABBA song always seemingly playing in almost every chapter. Still, Millie interacting with all three candidates (of being her mother) felt natural to me.

I loved Millie’s character and her growth throughout the story. She’s ambitious and loud, always determined to achieve her goals, clearly seen in this plot to find her mom so she can go to a theater precollege. It was a feat in and of itself that I wasn’t annoyed by Millie as a theater kid at any point of the story (sorry to any theater kid reading this…but also not…); instead, I enjoyed the chaos her character added. I always love a good, chaotic book, and this one was no exception!

In middle school, an embarrassing (to Millie, at least) video of her performing went semi-viral in the theater community. Since then, she’s sought to wipe out all existence of “Little Jo,” the character she was playing and what casting agents would condescendingly call her. Instead, she’s gone through “phases,” such as Goth Millie, Hippie Millie, and so on; these are, effectively, costumes that allow her to deflect. While she’s always been sure of her dream, there are still parts of herself that she has to find, and I really liked this journey.

Even with a chaotic plot and protagonist, this book was still so heartfelt. Millie is extremely close with her dad and her aunt Heather, who’ve co-parented her her entire life. I found their talks to be so heartwarming; they’re both so supportive of Millie, and while she wants to know who her mother is, she clearly has two great parents already. Finding your mom turns out to be more of an emotional journey than Millie expects, which she grows to realize over the course of the story, and I really loved the ending where she has to face her emotions and think about why she really wanted to find her.

I also really liked the friendships in this book! Millie has been close with Teddy, her neighbor, their entire lives; they’re partners-in-crime and always will be. I really liked reading about how close they are, with her trekking around the city with him to find geocaches and him patiently listening to all of her obsessions. She also befriends and mentors Chloe, her potential half-sister. Millie also unexpectedly connects with all three of her potential mothers in some way. Farrah and Steph particularly help her get through bad moments, as does Georgie, Steph’s and Millie’s boss.

The romance was so cute! Millie and Oliver have been rivals since the day they met, but it was fully cemented by the fact that Oliver talked their theater director out of doing Mamma Mia! their freshman year. They haven’t been able to do it since due to the rights being unavailable, and since then, Millie and Oliver have been imbued in a legendary feud. When they’re forced to be co-interns, however, they begin to see eye-to-eye, with Millie beginning to see that Oliver has helped her and her plans more than she previously realized. I really liked their scenes together, and their conversations had me laughing at times.

Speaking of laughing, I loved the writing in this story. Again, I’ve loved this author’s books, particularly for the humor and dialogue. She writes with a unique voice, and I always find so much joy reading her books.

Full of love and heart, When You Get the Chance took a chaotic, Mamma Mia!-esque plot and turned it into an emotional journey. I loved the protagonist’s character development, as well as the relationships and the romance in this story. If you like Mamma Mia! and/or Lord’s previous novels, I think you’ll definitely enjoy When You Get the Chance as well!

I haven’t read a YA novel in awhile. This was the perfect one to whet my appetite for more. If you love musicals, you’re going to love all the references, particularly to Mamma Mia. The main character, Millie, spends most of the book getting to know three women who may or may not be her mother. The way to finding out is a wild ride with plenty of warm moments too. The story wraps up a bit too neatly, but who doesn’t like a happy ending?

There’s a lot to love about this YA book about a theater kid pulling a Mama Mia to find her mother. The relationships between Millie and her dad, her aunt, her best friend, and all the other folks in her life are well developed and really sweet. I thought the story drug on a bit at times, but overall it was an enjoyable read. Any musical theater fan will love all the references and in jokes as well.

Thanks to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the early copy. All opinions are my own.

Loved this so much! Emma Lord has become a YA favorite for me. This book has everything I love: Broadway, food, NYC, enemies to lovers, great friendships and family, a super fun premise and retelling, and really distinct voice. I work in NYC theater, so I loved all of the musical and industry references that Lord packed in. This was so delightful and entertaining the whole way through, while also making me emotionally invested.