I thought this book was cute! There were definitely some parts where I felt like things were moving slow, but it definitely picked up towards the end. I loved both Andie and Milo’s characters, and am so glad that they got their happy ending together! I also find Andie and her ‘fix it’ personality to be super relatable. Overall I would definitely recommend this on if you’re looking for something easy and cute to read!
Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Begin Again is like listening to the lyrics of a Taylor Swift song: bittersweet and relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed this tender and sweet read. There is romance but it is not the sole focus of the story, which is always a nice change in YA Contemporary. The characters are well-developed and flawed. I loved the interactions, the banter, and sarcasm used. The story focused more on family issues and building up the courage to face the situations head on. I loved the development of Andie's friendships with Shay, Valeria, and Milo.

While I adored the writing and the heartfelt teachings Emma Lord provides us, the story itself did have a predictable side. I could see the little twists of betrayal from a mile away. Even though it was predictable, I would still recommend Begin Again. I've been having a hard time finding the motivation to finish a book and Begin Again really helped me with my reading slump.

I do have a pet peeve and that is "cute cursing". Andie uses her favorite foods instead of saying a curse word. It is probably one of the most annoying things to read because the other characters in the book will say a curse but Andie will be like "unicorn cream cheese bagel", or some iteration of that.

I love Emma Lord's Tweet Cute and When You Get the Chance is super adorable. I'll need to go back and read You' Have a Match soon. I highly recommend checking out Emma Lord's style of writing as it keeps you engaged and invested in the characters and their story.

4.5 stars

⭐️Rating: 3/5
⚠️TW: Parent Death, Cheating
❣️Tropes: College Romance, Slow Burn
Would I recommend this book?: If you like chick-lit feeling books, yes!


Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley im exchange for an honest opinion. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!


Review:

Overall the writing is pretty good with a few parts I would consider really good. All the main players in the store are clearly and well established early on which I appreciate. There were a few sections that dragged a little and I had to step away to refresh interest.

The story definitely portrays a very charming version of the college experience which kept it lore lighthearted and fun (great for escapism!) though sometimes it felt more high school. However this sorta made sense given Andie is a freshman and therefore just out of high school. Andie herself is a bit corny, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing but should be noted. For example the whole “doesn’t curse, just says silly words” thing got old pretty quick. She’s definitely a bit Quirky(tm) in addition to being a “fix everything” type of character. Romance wise the slow development of the relationship between Andie and Milo was worth investing in. Throughout the book I was ultimately rooting for the two of them.

Adored the sweet tale. Couldn't get enough, almost wishing for more at the end of the story. Maybe an epilogue to fill us in on how they're doing?

Emma Lord’s books are the absolute epitome of charming, and Begin Again continues that trend.

This is a heartfelt coming of age story that follows college freshman Andie Rose as she navigates a new campus after transferring mid year. While she didn’t transfer specifically for her longtime boyfriend who goes to this school, it’s certainly a perk for them to finally stop being long distance…however, surprising him with the transfer backfires when she learns he transferred to her old school in order to be closer to her.

However, the romance aspect of this book is not really the focus. Instead, Lord uses this setup to dive deeply into Andie’s character. There’s a really realistic, thoughtful portrayal of what it’s like to lose a parent at a young age; Andie’s mom died when Andie was pretty young, and throughout the book it becomes clear how much this has shaped her as she attempts to find her own voice. There’s also a really great found family in the friend group Andie builds, and the side characters were all funny & enjoyable.

The book was a little predictable, but not in a bad way. I did sort of feel like the characters seemed too young/naive to be college freshmen; I kind of would have preferred this to be a high school boarding school setting instead.

Overall, this was a really fun read with lots of deeper introspection nicely embedded within. I definitely recommend it if you are in need of a light romance with a lot of depth.

Thank you to the author & publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

*Begin Again by Emma Lord comes out January 24, 2023, and I highly recommend it. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the digital copy of the ARC in exchange for my review.*

Andie Rose has been dreaming of Blue Ridge State since she was a baby. It was where her parents met, where her mom started a legacy, and where Andie knows she's meant to be. So when she doesn't get in originally, Andie is heartbroken--especially because her long-term boyfriend, Connor, does. After spending her first semester at community college, Andie shows up at Blue Ridge ready to surprise Connor with news of her transfer, only to find that he transferred too, back to their hometown to be with her.

Undeterred, Andie settles into her new dorm, quickly befriending her R.A., Milo, and her roommate, Shay. Her and Connor will just do another semester of long distance, and then he'll transfer back to Blue Ridge. It will be fine! But Andie quickly realizes that nothing is that easy. Second semester freshmen are the only ones allowed to compete for ribbons, a Blue Ridge tradition started when Andie's mom was a freshmen. All semester freshmen participate in challenges to earn ribbons--blue, yellow, and red--and at the end, students with enough ribbons can enter the secret society attached to each color. Of course, with Connor gone, Andie now has to collect enough ribbons for two.

Beyond the ribbons, Andie's also juggling new friends, living away from home, an absent (but trying) father, work-study, a brutal statistics class, and the gnawing feeling that her boyfriend isn't being entirely truthful.
In Connor's absence, Andie's new friends quickly fill the empty space. Shay, her book loving roommate who can't figure out a major; Valeria, her stats tutor with a complicated situationship; and Milo, her over-caffeinated, grumpy, lovable R.A. who just happens to be the Knight, the host of the underground radio station her mother started. As Andie's life becomes overwhelmed with her favorite pastime, fixing people, Milo constantly works to keep Andie grounded, and focused on what's most important. Yet Andie can't help but continue to spread herself too thin: she has to get enough ribbons for her and Connor, she has to find a major for Shay, she has to wean Milo off caffeine so he sleeps, she has to guide Valeria in her relationship, she has to answer emails sent to the Knight asking for advice, she has to pick up shifts at Bagelopolis, she has to, she has to, she has to.

But as the semester drags on, it becomes clear Andie can't handle everything. Will Connor finally prove himself a worthy boyfriend and help assuage her insecurities? Or will Andie's new friends at Blue Ridge be the ones to show Andie her worth?

I really enjoyed this book. As the jacket says, this is such a clear example of a Just Kiss Already! romance, and I was on the edge of my seat waiting for it from page 1. I love books in the new adult category, perhaps because I'm in college myself, and this book captured the essence of being in a new place without your family and safety nets for the first time. The cast of characters Lord created really sets this book apart from others--Shay, Milo, and Valeria are amazing friends, and Milo's entire family of a million siblings was a great running gag. Even Lord's imagery of Blue Ridge State was beautiful, and it made me want to visit the arboretum and walk the grounds, or go down the street to Bagelopolis for some Eternal Darkness.

Overall, this is a classic, new-adult rom-com. Lord hits all the tropes, mades the reader feel all the emotions, and, as I prefer, has an actual substantial storyline alongside the romance that makes you think about the plot and characters for days after you finish the book.

This book hit me in all the feels! It is the perfect college coming-of-age story with some tender themes I definitely related to from my college experience. Andie goes to college with a detailed, solid plan of what she wants to do through college and beyond, but plans often change, especially as she discovers new things about herself. (This was exactly me in college.)

This book also has wonderful friendship growth, family connection, learning how to navigate the academic curve, and a slow-burn adorable romance. The book is relatable in so many ways. I would say it focuses more on Andie's personal journey than romance, but it's still a lovely read that you won't want to put down.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 5
Overall: 4

Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for the ARC.

Trigger/Content Warnings: cheating, parent cancer death (off page), parent car wreck death (off page), parent abandonment, kissing

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Emma Lord’s YA books always get me right in the feels. Eminently readable, skillfully written, characters that navigate complicated situations with humanity & grace, these books are always winners for me.

Begin Again continues that trend for me, this time in a college setting as Andie Rose arrives at her dream school as a freshman transfer.

Despite the fact that Andie’s contending with a lot—including a long distance relationship with a longtime boyfriend, a somewhat fractured relationship with her dad, & the legacy of her mother—this book is hopeful & graceful & even helped me feel like my own life experience was somewhat relatable in its discussions of family grief.

The wrap up to one of the elements of this story could have used some more time & attention IMO but overall this is a sweet, sincere, & lovely story—interspersed with moments of humor (shout-out to the grandmas!) that I flipped through the pages quickly of.

4.5⭐️. Out 01/24.

CWs: Death of mom. Emotionally abandoned by dad. Cheating manipulative bf. The other lead was cheated on too.

[ID: an ebook sits on an open hardback on an orange ottoman. To the left is a string of turtles plant.]

3.5 stars rounded up. This was overall an enjoyable read and pleasantly nostalgic for those of us past our college days. I have mixed feelings on our protagonist Andie, who was in some ways very relatable and in others a caricature of a Trying Too Hard YA protagonist. The most disappointing part of the book was that a big piece of Andie's character development frustratingly came from external factors rather than her own personal maturation and decision-making. I did love the setting, the friendships, and the LI.

Begin Again is a perfect cozy feel good read. A romcom plot set in a quirky college town with the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains as a back drop. Main Character, Andie Rose, makes a plan to surprise her boyfriend by transferring mid year to the college he is attending. From their hyjinx ensue. If you are in college or spent some of your best years in college making friends that felt like family, this book will no doubt resonate with you. Nostalgic in the best way.

Despite its romcom cozy feel. This novel has emotionally tender moments when the protagonist is wrestling with figuring out where she belongs in the world and what she is meant to do. She likes to help solve everyone else’s problems, but will she be able to get the the root of her own?

This story of self discovery, intimate friendship, and the bond of family through thick and thin, will leave you smiling with a tear or two in your eyes.

Rating: 4.5/5

From the first chapter I was hooked, meeting Andie I knew I was in for some strong character development. I got that and more, Andie was leaving her hometown to pursue her studies in Blue Ridge State where she would find herself after being lost in her mother’s footsteps. Shay, Andie’s dorm roommate would love that bookstagram is an actual thing and the book community is thriving! Milo my favorite character he had some character development with Andie’s help. I knew when Milo brought Andie to his family house their crushes on each other would grow even more. I shipped it so much, they’re dynamic was chefs kiss. I always wanted one of them to just kiss each other and get out the friend zone. Of course, she couldn’t because Connor. I despise him, such a jerk. I enjoyed watching Andie grow and find her path, make her own choices and of course leave Connor. No boyfriend is worth your grades dropping so low just so they can go to the college of your dreams. Milo embraced and empowered her to find herself and focus on her instead of helping others all the time.

I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley!

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

While arriving at Blue Ridge State halfway through her freshman year wasn’t what she envisioned, Andie Rose nonetheless excited to start her new college career at the place where her parents met. However, there’s some bumps ahead of her once she arrives. Her boyfriend just transferred, she doesn’t know how to help her new roommate and friend Shay pick out a major, and Andie needs to get as many ribbons as she can to join the same secret society as her mom. As she continues to find her way through Blue Ridge State with the help of some new friends and R.A. Milo, Andie realizes that this may be her chance to start again.

Begin Again was a solid book. I absolutely love all the traditions that Blue State Ridge had to offer were written in the book. It really made the campus energy feel alive and how you almost kind of wanted to be in on the fun. Andie was a pretty good MC, and I did enjoy rooting for her throughout the book. Though the whole transfer mix-up in the beginning was pretty annoying, there were no other major parts of the book that I had an issue with.

While the book didn’t live up to the expectations I originally had for it, I did enjoy reading Begin Again. If anyone here is interested in books with big college traditions with a MC trying to rediscover themself, Begin Again is the book for you.

I loved so many things about this book !!! I had to put it down for 2 months, and picked up right where I left off. Surprisingly, I hadn't forgotten a single detail. And that sais a lot! Here are a few of my favorites details from this book :

• strong theme of found family
• the MC discovering so many things about herself she had buried away
• how the MC finally started making decisions for herself and respecting her own needs, instead of for others or to follow in her mother's footsteps
• reconnecting with estranged family members and making up for lost time

SPOILER :

The whole time I felt like something was off with Connor and the more I got through the book, the more I told myself that we'd know by now and that I was wrong. WELL I WASN'T.

This book brought me back to my Sarah Dessen days, when I just started reading YA in high school. Now I’m much older and Emma Lord is the reason why I keep reading this genre and New Adult (which, I’m happy to see incorporates college students)! I loved seeing Andie find her place- literally where she wants to be, who she wants to be… and who she wants to be with. I adored her friends and Milo, and would read more in this world in a heartbeat if given the chance. This book was a breath of fresh air with heart, humor, depth, and the perfect amount of romance. Highly recommend!

As always, thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review:)

Im going to be honest, I liked tweet cute, but I did not LOVE it.
However, Emma Lord did a great job with this book, and I really enjoyed myself!

If you are pretty type A, and you are proud of it this book IS FOR YOU!
Andie was so relatable to me, and I find that hard especially in YA for me to connect with the main character.
I think Emma Lord does an amazing job with dealing with how changes and revelations are dealt with. I also love how she emphasizes that even though we grow and change that doesnt necessarily mean we have to change who we are to our core to change. I also really enjoyed the scavenger hunt aspect! I think it was done uniquely

this was a SLOW burn, and usually I am not the biggest fan of slow burns, but I think it was done very well and it gave angst which i enjoy when it is a slow burn.
This was a grumpy x sunshine romance which I LOVE!

100% read this is you are a Taylor Swift girly, because a lot of those references went over my head, but luckily I have TS fan friends, so it ended up making sense!

While thankfully not everyone loses their mother at a young age, I found that Emma Lord’s Begin Again was devoid of extreme dramatics, which quite honestly, is a good thing. Every element of the story is something that I have heard about, even the on-campus pirate radio.
The scene is set for a coming of age story in which Andie Rose starts college following in the footsteps of her beloved deceased mother, trying to keep her memory alive by being as much as her as possible, only to find that while she does carry her mother with her, all she needs to be in Andie.
There are a few themes here that come together quite nicely. The transition from high school to college, an unhealthy romance, a father whose grief made him a little absent but who is trying hard to return in his daughter’s life, and trying to balance out the legacy and dreams of our parents with our own, building on them but in our own unique way. The romance takes a backseat to the coming of age story, which I really appreciates, and I found myself laughing at some of Andie’s antics.
The main question I was left with is: Why am I doing the things that I am doing? Is it out of habit? Andie found herself in a relationship because it seemed perfect, even as a pert of her felt how uneven and healthy it is. Is it because it’s expected of us? Andie finds herself pushing to be like her mother, even as part of her leans into a very Andie flavoured options. Even as an adult, I found these questions very interesting to ask myself, and I did find myself tweaking some of the things I have been stuck doing. The power of fiction to create individual change is real!

I really enjoyed the college setting of this book. Andie’s quest to get ribbons to join one of the campus’s secretly societies had a lot of fun parts that made me smile. I was definitely rooting for Andie and all of her found family at Blue Ridge State!

3.5 stars rounded up

Begin Again follows Andie Rose as she transfers to her dream college (in part to be with her boyfriend, Connor, and in part to follow in her deceased mother's footsteps). However, Connor transferred to Andie's community college to be with her. Andie finds herself struggling to keep her head above water, struggling with classes and her relationship. She does meet a solid group of friends, including love cynic and sleep-deprived Milo. As Andie finds herself growing closer to Milo, she has to reconsider her list of priorities and figure out how to navigate life for herself.

Not many contemporary stories can throw me a plot twist, but this one actually did. Some parts were predictable, of course, but I did find myself gasping at some points. Also for a romance book, this definitely has more of a romance subplot, in my opinion. The first 30% dragged for me, and I struggled to get into it, but once more action started happening, the easier it got.

I WANT A MILO. I did not get a Milo in my college experience.

This is definitely YA, although with the ages of the characters it easily could've been NA, so it definitely bridges the gap for the older YA crowd who doesn't necessarily want NA content but wants an older protagonist/cast of characters. Speaking of:

Andie-I did not mind her. I think she had some unnecessary internal monologues that took up some page time, but I think she shows a lot of growth throughout the book. I wanted some more time with her and Milo, as the tension felt underdeveloped (granted, this does help avoid the cheating trope, which is always a plus). But because of that, the relationship with Connor dragged on. For someone occupying so much of her mental space, he barely plays a part until he causes problems.

Milo-I think every person attracted to men deserves a Milo. Sarcastic, snarky, with a heart of gold? And some beautiful curls? Yes please. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A Milo after midnight. But I do feel like we were robbed of him, it seemed like his tension with Andie didn't really grow until it burst but was established, maintained, and then popped like a balloon. But I will excuse it because I adore him.

Shay-Black lesbian reader who champions books by marginalized authors--a bit on the nose, but hey, she's amazing and has no clue what she wants to do--felt. Except I knew what I wanted to major in. We never find out though what she's going to major in?? I just realized that. Her relationship with Val was very cute!

Val-Deserves the world. A bi, Latina writer who's shy about her work? No wonder she and Shay fit together so well. She definitely had character growth and was a very sweet addition

In conclusion, the All-Knighters are precious, I want to join them, and I want to time travel and redo my college experience after reading this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me this e-arc in exchange for my honest review!:)

I was sold on this one because of the cute cover and the Taylor Swift song for a book title 😍

This is a YA romance that takes place on a college campus. I usually don't like main characters in YA books, but Andie was just the right amount of young and adult for my taste.

Read this if you're into college relationships, especially long-distance relationships!

It was a pretty cute read, overall I'd recommend.

Thank you so much to Wednesday Books/ St Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book! It will be available for purchase on Jan 24th.

3.5 stars! Rounded up for GR

Emma Lord must be a pseudonym for Britney Spears because oops, she did it again. In 2020, a book called Tweet Cute by our very own Emma Lord came out and I devoured it. I thought no book she put out again could ever come close to Tweet Cute and it was true…until Begin Again. While it still doesn’t surpass Tweet Cute for me, it’s pretty damn close. Begin Again is YA Rom-Com that explores themes of found family, following in a parent’s footsteps, meanwhile finding yourself in a college environment, it’s become my top 5 of the year.

The Synopsis (from Goodreads):
As usual, Andie Rose has a plan: Transfer from community college to the hyper competitive Blue Ridge State, major in psychology, and maintain her lifelong goal of becoming an iconic self-help figure despite the nerves that have recently thrown her for a loop. All it will take is ruthless organization, hard work, and her trademark unrelenting enthusiasm to pull it all together.
But the moment Andie arrives, the rest of her plans go off the rails. Her rocky relationship with her boyfriend Connor only gets more complicated when she discovers he transferred out of Blue Ridge to her community college. Her roommate Shay needs a major, and despite Andie’s impressive track record of being The Fixer, she’s stumped on how to help. And Milo, her coffee-guzzling grump of an R.A. with seafoam green eyes, is somehow disrupting all her ideas about love and relationships one sleep-deprived wisecrack at a time.
But sometimes, when all your plans are in rubble at your feet, you find out what you’re made of. And when Andie starts to find the power of her voice as the anonymous Squire on the school’s legendary pirate radio station–the same one her mom founded, years before she passed away–Andie learns that not all the best laid plans are necessarily the right ones.
Filled with a friend group that feels like family, an empowering journey of finding your own way, and a Just Kiss Already! romance, Begin Again is an unforgettable novel of love and starting again.



The REVIEW
Emma Lord Must be Brittney Spears because Oops, She Did It Again. I love Emma Lord's books. While Tweet Cute remains my favorite of hers, Begin Again is a close second!

Here what I loved:

The Writing
As with all her books, her characters always have this energetic and humorous voice which is fun to fly through.

The Setting
Begin Again is set in a college environment where the main character is a freshman at Blue Ridge State. I have just started college myself and have found the transition a little difficult on the social front and a little on the academic front so it was nice to see Andie make the most of her experience despite everything. She actually makes college look fun.
The Friendships
During her experience she meets Milo, her RA, and Shay, her roommate and Val and they call themselves the All Knighters. I loved the bond they formed and how they immediately became good friends. Together, they created their own little found family (one of my favorite tropes).

The Romance
I also love the budding relationship between Milo. They were great as friends for a good chunk of the book so when they started getting together it felt believable and quite enjoyable. They were always there for each other.

The Characters
Andie is also a great character (besides one quirk which I'll talk about later). She loves to help people with their problems and even though she has the Fixer personality, she has people's best interest at heart. For example, through out the book she tries to help her roommate Shay figure out her major.
Shay is iconic. She loves to read and runs a Bookstagram which I haven't seen a character in a book do in a while or ever, come to think of it. She also tells it like it is!
Valerie, the sweet yet fierce bi-con who helps Andie with her struggles in Statistics. She is also a writer!
Milo, the grump who loves Black Coffee to literal death with a sweet side of sunshine to friends and family.
They all form this iconic group called the All-Knighters.

The Themes
On top of that this book deals with topics such as grief abandonment and finding yourself so you can grow into your own person. Andie lost her mother to cancer in her earlier teen years. After that her father flat out abandoned her so she lived with her sweet Grandma's. A few years later, she ends up at the same college her mother went to. While there, Andie feels this need to live up to the legacy her mother left behind while dealing with her grief. Because of that, she participates in the Ribbon Scavenger Hunt which I believe her mother created. The whole book is about her figuring out who she is and what she wants in life.
What I didn’t like as much:
There's not much I didn't like. The only thing I can think of is that the main character does this thing where instead of cursing, she substitutes it out for other words. In this case, her favorite foods. For example, saying "Cool Ranch Doritos" in place of "Shit."

Conclusion

Overall I really loved this book and would recommend it to anybody but especially to those who are entering college or any new environment and want to fit in.