Begin Again is a completely enjoyable, breath of fresh air in the Young Adult genre. The way Emma Lord crafted Andie's journey and the challenges she faced when her "Plan A" went out the window, reminds all that while life isn't always perfect there is always another way.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of this book.

Begin Again was a sweet, slow moving, coming of age (yet in college) young adult novel. For those of you who want to know the heat level in the romance, this was definitely on the tepid side. It really was more a self-discovery novel with a side of romance. I enjoyed the pace and all of the diverse characters. If you’re in the mood for a slow moving story that is heavy on the sweet, this might be the book for you!

I really liked this book! It has great characters, a cute story and is a quick feel-good read. After reading this book I added more Emma Lord books to my to-be-read list!

I liked reading Andie Roses plan and then seeing how much different real life turns out to be. There is a twist in the middle with her boyfriend that I didn't see coming, but changes the storyline for the better in so many ways!

This book is such a fun rom-com and definitely worth the read. I hope they make a movie out of this book because I would definitely watch it!

This is the third book I read by Emma Lord and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed Begin Again - it was the perfect first read of the year. I really appreciate how each of her books takes on a different topic while making the characters really relatable. I feel for the characters in this book and would love to see a sequel to know more of what happens with Andie and Milo as they continue to grow together. Highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the ARC.

I was providing both the audio and digital arc of this book via Netgalley. Thank you to Macmillan Young Listeners and Wednesday Books for allowing me the chance to review this book. As always all opinions are my own. I swapped back and forth between the print and audio version of the book and enjoyed both.

Georgina Sadler did a great job with the narration. She gave each character their own voice, which I always appreciate in a book with lots of characters. Andie has a semi-large friend group here and the narrator does a good job making sure they each have a distinct accent or voice so you know who is speaking during dialogue.

Despite this being set in a college environment this is very much a coming of age story. I'll admit I struggled in the beginning with the immaturity of the characters, then I remembered they are freshman in college and thought back to my freshman year and realized I was being a bit harsh with my expectations. The characters were doing exactly what 18-20 years old college students do in college. They are discovering new friends, figuring out life, and discovering who they are and who they want to be. I actually think the author did a good job making the characters relatable to a younger audience.

This follows Andie as she begins her second semester of college. She has recently from community college to Blue Ridge, which happens to be the place where her parents went. She has big plans, and wants to learn more about her mom as she participates in activities her mom founded when she went to school there. Andie wants to be a self-help guru, and her psychology major and natural tendency to fix everyone's problems seem to be a good fit for her plans. Andie does admit that she's a bit of a hypocrite when it comes to dealing with her own problems as she'd rather help others fix their issues than deal with her own. I felt that her 'fixer' tendencies were a bit over the top at times, but it is critical to her character growth arc and she has to stumble a few times along the way until she finds her own path. I loved the side characters and felt they were well developed. I really enjoyed getting to know Andie's friend group who become her found family. They aren't afraid to tell her what she needs to hear, even when she doesn't want to hear it. I really appreciated seeing them all grow and find their way. I was initially worried that Andie was making all of her choices for the wrong reasons, but I was pleasantly surprised as she slowly started to come out of her shell and started to do things for herself not for the shoes she was trying to fill.

This was a really cute YA coming of age with a little romance and a little comedy. I think this will be perfect for a younger audience as it addresses a lot of topics teens and college age students face.

I will read absolutely anything Emma Lord writes, and this may be my favorite yet. This is a coming of age story about Andi. Its about her friendships and relationships and finding herself. And of course there is a cute, grumpy R.A. involved so that makes it even more fun to read. I loved Andi and Milo both and absolutely loved their slow burn romance. This was a great read.

4 1/2 stars

A new Emma Lord book....I'm there. Her young adult romances are fresh and sweet with original storylines. Begin Again was another fun addition to her book collection.

Main character, Andie Rose is always looking to help "fix" things and people. When she arrives at Blue Ridge State after being delayed a semester, she is looking forward to surprising her boyfriend. Except the surprise is on her when she finds out he's transferred out of BRS and back to the community college in their hometown. With all her carefully made plans thrown in a tailspin, Andie has to rebuild her plan. Fortunately, she makes friends easily and is quickly pulled into the "fold" at the college with many different friends. However, she has a close knit friend group that functions somewhat like a family.

Andie's initial goal for being at Blue Ridge State was to follow in the footsteps of her beloved mother who passed away years ago. The sentimentality she feels has her chasing things that might have been her mother's dreams but may or may not truly be Andie's. It's a long road of discovery for her to find out who she really is when there are other people putting their own expectations on her, like her boyfriend, Connor. In addition, it's made even tougher when Andie puts tough expectations on herself to be "everything" to everyone. She's setting herself up for failure on all fronts. Fortunately, she has good friends and a dreamy RA/friend named Milo to help her work through it all. This truly is a lovely book of self discovery, coming to terms with loss and deciding how to move forward.

AUDIOBOOK: In addition to reading the ebook, I also received an early release of the audiobook. The narration was spot on and really helped me to immerse myself in the storyline. Andie is a complex character and the narrator captures her emotions well. 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC and ALC. I voluntarily chose to read and listen to each of these and review them. The opinions contained within are my own.

I quite liked Begin Again. Andie Rose was a likeable lead for this sweet friends-to-lovers story. She has dreamed of attending the college where her mom went and started a pirate radio show for most of her life, and she can't wait to join her boyfriend Connor there when she transfers in at mid-year. They have been having a tough time with the long distance thing, and she is certain that everything will be perfect again once she shows up on his doorstep to surprise him. Unfortunately, Connor has done the same thing - transferred mid-year to the community college that Andie had been attending.

Andie has her life planned down to the minute, it seems, and Connor's transfer is the beginning of the unraveling of all of her plans... Will she be able to get things back on track? Will she roll with the punches and shift to a new set of plans? And what's with her RA Milo's seafoam green eyes? He seems to be everywhere.

The personal development of the characters, along with their back stories, help to make Andie and her friends engaging and interesting. I wanted to know what would happen between them, how things would turn out, whether Andie would stay rigidly devoted to her life goals or be flexible and allow for modifications on the way.

A story of love and starting over, Begin Again is a satisfying, lovely read. I would read it again, and I would absolutely recommend it to others.

*I received a digital ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this story of Andie's start at her dream college and the learning more about herself and her dreams. Emma Lord writes characters and relatable situations which draws the reader in right from the start! Reading this story, brought me back to my first year at college and the complexities that came with it. Andie's friends throughout this story as those that you want rooting for and supporting each other! This book was such a heartwarming read! Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

It’s only the first day of school, and Andie Rose’s perfectly curated plan has already gone awry.

In Emma Lord’s “Begin Again,” Andie transfers from her local community college to the uber-competitive Blue Ridge State — her dream school that happens to be the same school her boyfriend, Connor, attends — only to find out Connor has transferred to her community college. Her bookish roommate, Shay, needs a to declare a major and Andie needs help passing statistics. To top it all off, Andie finds herself in a unique position giving people advice on her school’s pirate radio show — the same one her mother founded when she went to Blue Ridge.

Then there’s Milo, Andie’s overly-exhausted and over-caffeinated resident advisor, who throws her for a loop. As Andie deals with her strained relationship with Connor, her and Milo’s friendship continues to grow; they bond over the loss of a parent and their love for bagels. Both Milo and Andie are extremely family-oriented: Milo’s siblings make frequent appearances, as do Andie’s two grandmothers who raised her, which allows for the perfect balance of platonic and romantic relationships needed in a YA novel.


With a long-distance relationship hanging by a thread, a new job and advice to give, Andie learns that her usual fix-it attitude can’t fix everything in her new life at college.

“Begin Again” is a delightful and comforting read. As her fourth YA novel, Lord’s writing is consistently heartfelt and filled with delicious descriptions of food. This is her first novel to focus on college-aged characters, which is refreshing, if not relatable to everyone. Lord delicately discusses college finances and the issues surrounding financial aid that the characters confront. Milo’s passion for the lack of work-study jobs available to students at Blue Ridge is admirable. Though it’s a fictional university, Blue Ridge’s situation certainly reflects the struggling state of financial aid programs at schools across the country.

The characters in “Begin Again” are charming, especially Andie and Milo, who go through their own self-growth journeys. As a first-year transfer student at a super competitive state school, Andie feels inadequate compared to her peers, something many college students can relate to since feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome are common in college students. Andie faces the same struggle of paying the high costs of college tuition that most students encounter, while also balancing an overwhelming academic workload with working at the local bagel shop like many working-class college students.

Fans of NPR and podcasts will appreciate the radio show aspect of “Begin Again.” The secret show on campus called “The Knights’ Watch” is where students get all the dirt on Blue Ridge. Andie faces anonymity and early mornings as the show’s “Squire” doing what she does best: helping people with their problems (while simultaneously ignoring her own). As she grapples with her mother’s legacy on the show, Andie creates a legacy for herself by creating the life she always wanted, with the support of her family and new friends at college.

Andie’s college experience won’t be everyone’s experience, but it’s still entertaining to read. With a slow-burn romance, a lovable friend group and an overarching theme of starting over woven throughout the story, “Begin Again” is the perfect book to read in the new year.

I've loved Emma Lord's books in the past and was thrilled when I got the chance to read this ARC. Unfortunately, I don't think this one was for me. I had a hard time taking the whole ribbon hunt seriously, and we spend so much time inside of Andie's head that all of the plot "twists" were shockingly predictable. Every time a question arose in the story about something, I guessed with complete accuracy the answer several chapters before that answer came to fruition. It made for a very boring read. The book fell into tired tropes, which left me taken aback. Emma Lord's books are anything but run-of-the-mill, yet that's exactly what this book was. Had her name not been on the cover, I wouldn't have known she'd written it.

Some of the writing definitely sparkled; the comic moments made me smile and even chuckle at times, and Emma Lord does a fantastic job of getting to the heart of her characters. She'll always get five stars from me on that part of her writing, but for this book overall I can't give her more than three.

Emma Lord continues to bring imaginative and relatable new stories and characters to her books. One of my favorite aspects of Lord's writing is that romantic relationships are an element of the plot but not the point of the book. The main characters demonstrate personal growth and self-discovery in a way that feels celebrated and encouraged. I think this is an especially important focus for the age group her books are directed toward. I love seeing strong female characters come into their own, accept their flaws, and love themselves. It seems like Lord's protagonists come to love themselves without expecting perfection.

In Begin Again, Andie is starting out fresh. She's had a small set back when she didn't get in to her first choice college for fall semester, but after a semester of buckling down at the community college, she's been accepted as a transfer student and is ready to make her mark at Blue Ridge State.

It's not just that it's Andie's dream school. It's BEEN her dream school since she can remember. Her parents both went to this school, they met here, they had magic here, both in their relationship and in how the college made it's mark on their lives. That and her mom died when Andie was young so it feels like this is the best way for her to connect to her mom when she can't be there. She may be putting a bit of pressure on herself.

Andie meets a core group of friends almost immediately - she has a knack for bringing people together. And as the semester goes on she juggles a long-distance boyfriend, a group of new friends, classes, and what her friends have affectionately dubbed her "fix-it" problem. Because there isn't a problem that Andie doesn't want to help someone solve, she will bend over backward to help someone out and sometimes at the detriment to herself.

This only skims the surface of the depth of the novel and Andie's start to college - romantic relationships, friendships, relationships between children and parents, grief, manipulation, all of these challenges are met and tackled throughout the story. I really enjoyed getting to know all the players in this novel and can't wait to see what great piece Emma Lord puts out next.

But a perk of my recent insomnia these past couple of weeks is that I have been clearing out my netgalley. I read Begin Again a couple of nights ago and just loved it. It is the story of a college freshman, Andie, who transferred to her dream college second semester (and to be with her boyfriend) only to find that her boyfriend transferred to the community college to be with her. Once you get past that annoying miscommunication, this book was just so endearing. As Andie is at a new school alone, she makes new friends and finds her way, hitting some bumps along the way. I feel like I watched her grow up as she learned to stand on her own two feet, how to hit rock bottom and get back up, how to repair fractured relationships and how to follow her heart. It was a warm fuzzy kind of book with a witty dialogue, quirky characters scenes to make us all miss those college days and so many reasons to want to hug the book. And it made me crave a bagel….

Begin Again was such an enjoyable book to read! I don't read a lot of YA but I will always pick up the new Emma Lord! This book had me reminiscing about college and the fun times freshman year.

Andie has just transferred to Blue Ridge State which was her parent's college and where her boyfriend is attending. When she arrives on campus to surprise him she finds out he transferred to community college. While she needs to adjust to her brilliantly laid plans and struggles a little to fit in (as a transfer) her RA and roommate help her adjust.

Definitely check this one out and if you have anyone heading off to college this is the perfect book for them to read.

Also, I had to laugh while reading this because I was like umm this sounds like a UVA as the college (down to the bagel shop) so I had to laugh when I saw that's where Emma Lord went. I didn't go there but I go to my office in Charlottesville for work a bunch and my coworkers went there. Don't you love it when you're reading and you catch those little things!

That High School to College transition is a tough one and I enjoyed how Begin Again explored the complex themes of finding your people and figuring out who you are. The book doesn’t shy away from heavier topics like grief and complex family dynamics either.

Andie is a planner and a fixer, and it takes her some time to realize that desire to help others often comes at the expense of her own needs (not like I would know anything about that myself!) She’s flawed and frustrating at times, but has a big heart!

Author Emma Lord does a really great job adding fun details throughout the book, which I found really engaging. I wanted to go to some of these fun ribbon events and definitely would be down to try some of those bagels!

I didn’t fly through this book like I typically do with YA, for me it was a little slow. It does all come together and I appreciated the overall message.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Emma Lord has proven year after year that she can write a YA book that is a must-read, and BEGIN AGAIN may just be my favorite yet! Thanks to NetGalley + Wednesday Books I was given an advance copy to read and review in exchange for my honest thoughts & I LOVED it. Every year I look forward to kicking off my young adult reading with Emma's books and Begin Again had such a wonderful message and theme.

After originally not getting in freshman year, Andie has been accepted to Blue Ridge State as a mid-year transfer, following in her mother's footsteps and on her way to fulfilling her personal life plan. As soon as she arrives, her plans go awry, from her long-distance relationship with her boyfriend Connor to the pressures of catching up, she suddenly finds herself as The Squire on the secret student broadcast and has to find a way to manage her schoolwork and finding her own voice.

"Anything worth doing starts with a mess."

As someone with a fix-it personality, she soon finds herself taking on TOO much and losing herself a bit along the way. With the help of her RA, Milo, her roommate, and friends, Andie discovers who she is once she gives up helping others over herself, inspired by her parent's past and the love of those around her to begin again. (SWOON!)

Her roommate SHAY was a favorite with her bookstagram and attitude, it is so rare for me to find characters with my name, it's always such a welcome surprise! Andie's friends, the families introduced, and the floormates all added to the story that made me feel like I was a part of her school experience! From the after-school activities to the events in the common room, Lord perfectly captures what it's like to be on campus and trying to find your way.

The setting truly made the book as well, the campus was so well thought out from the work-study program (if you're reading this one, prepare to NEED bagels in your life ASAP), the dorm rooms and the bar they play trivia at, to the closet The Knight broadcasts from, each location was so easy to see in my mind!

I don’t know if it’s because this is my first YA of the year, but this book just did absolutely everything for me. It kept a smile on my face the entire time, even through the rough patches. I didn’t want to put it down, which is honestly he’s for my wondering brain.

I absolutely adored Andie and Milo and of course Shay and Valeria. I loved this friend group that they built. It feels so entirely college, the way these people that you maybe wouldn’t have connected with otherwise suddenly become your whole world. It really brought me back to my own college experience. My heart has an absolute soft spot for Milo. He’s constantly grumpy and sleepy but he’s so sweet from the first moment he meets Andie. You can tell right away that he does so many things out of this genuine kindness. I also loved how much family was involved in this book, both Andie’s and Milo’s. They both have a conflict with a family member and they definitely help and encourage each other along the way. I would have loved to see more of Andie with Milo’s family at the end, but you can tell all the Flynn’s have definitely brought her into the fold.

The college very much feels like a character and it once again made me feel nostalgic for my college days. Also, the grandmas! I adored the grandmas.

STUNNING. So I have loved Emma Lord ever since I read Tweet Cute several years ago and have been luck enough to have gotten to read an ARC of each of her new books since then.

Begin Again is the exact book that I needed when I was a freshman in college. Andie thinks she has her whole life figured out, is an obsessive people pleaser, and is having the hardest time letting go of a relationship that is not serving her any longer. Milo is such a gem of a main male character and can only hope for the best for Andie!! He is so kind and the little family that is formed is so wholesome I'm obsessed with them all.

There are a few small Big League Burger mentioned (the restaurant chain from Tweet Cute) and I love that. Thinking about a world with both Andie and Pepper in it?! power couple.

5 stars, read this book. It is my new second favorite Emma Lord (TC is obviously number 1 forever)

This was such a fun young adult romcom. I loved the campus setting and Andie wanting to experience things her mother did when she went to Blue Ridge State. The beginning was clever with the miscommunication between Andie and her boyfriend Connor both transferring schools to be near each other. That’s the kind of miscommunication that works in a romance!

The best part of the book, in my opinion, was Milo. I loved his character and found him relatable as a college student. His friendship with Andie was adorable, and I just wanted them to get together the entire book. I loved how he named his family’s chickens and remembered which one was which. Milo’s character is someone I could see myself being friends with when I was in college.

This is my third book by Emma Lord and probably my favorite. I thought she did a great job of developing these characters and doing so in a funny and heartwarming way. The story was unique, and I loved that she showed how it’s not always easy to get good grades in college and figure out who you want to be at the same time.

I listened along to the audiobook while reading, and I thought Georgina Sadler was the perfect narrator to this story. She brought these characters to life in a charming way.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this as always with Emma Lord’s books! I wish that Connor would have been completely out of the picture sooner and was irate at how her dad treated her while dealing with grief. I get it, grief isn’t easy. But also your child lost her mother and then father because you were so selfish!! anyways, I devoured this one and can’t wait for Emma’s next book