It took me awhile to get into the story, but it was really cute. The best part was all of the Taylor Swift references!

I really liked this one! I'd loved Lord's debut, Tweet Cute, so I expected to, but I was still pleasantly surprised. This one was so much fun!

My favorite thing about it was definitely the friend group. They were so amazing. I loved every single one of them, and even the side characters were compelling. I loved that the focal point of Begin Again wasn't the romance, instead it was the connections Andie made. All of the connections felt so real, and I loved reading about them.

I also really loved the romance. Or really, not the romance. I loved Milo. He was such an adorable character! From his RA restrictions to his coffee addiction, he always made me smile. He was amazing.

Although I'll admit that Andie did irritate me at times (seriously, just curse. If I have to read "cinnamon toast crunch" instead of "shit" one more time, I'm gonna have to scream). I still really liked this one, and I'd definitely recommend it!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Emma Lord writes a story that is easily shared with your teenager. In her novel, Begin Again, she addresses grief, parental relationships, teenage relationships, and the first year of college. You root for almost all of the characters and want the best for them!

I really enjoyed this book! While a few aspects were a bit cheesy for my taste, I really liked the overall direction of the story and characters. The college setting brought me back to my collegiate days, so it felt a bit nostalgic reading it. Would definitely recommend!

So it took me a bit to get into this one, but I know that I would've devoured this one as a teenager. I loved the mix-up of Andie surprising Connor at school and then finding out he transferred over to her school and wanted to surprise her.

I loved the side characters and the amount of growth that Andie made in her life throughout the story. I wasn't the biggest fan of Andie sometimes (I don't know why but her nonswearing swear words got on my nerves sometimes), but she kind of grew on me. The grandmas were hilarious and I would totally watch them if they were on TV!

The ribbons, radio station, and overall college experience were a fun setting for this story and allowed for some very funny moments.

Some parts were a little unrealistic but it totally works with the genre and I would've loved it as a teen. I would definitely recommend this to my students!

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press!

This was my second book by this author, and while I did like it more than the first, it did have its drawbacks for me.

Andie is an 18-year-old who has secretly transferred from her local community college to her dream state college where her high school boyfriend attends, only to find out he has transferred back to the community college.

Following her mother’s death, Andie was basically raised by her grandmothers while her father worked out of town. She grew up idolizing her vivacious, outspoken mom and wants to follow in her footsteps which includes having her college choice/experience. She makes new friends at college and eventually comes to realize that some of her past relationships may not have been good for her. As she begins to let her own unique light shine, she is also forced to re-think how she views her mom and how much she has influenced Andie’s life even in death.

I liked the premise here of a young woman striking out on her own while attempting to find herself amid her mother’s legacy. I also liked the supporting (also VERY supportive) characters…her roommate, the dorm’s RA, her tutor, her stats professor, her father and her grandmas. But Andie herself could be a bit grating, and listening to her inner thoughts, while sometimes insightful, was also frustrating. She would make decisions in her head but not necessarily carry them out in life. She was easily swayed, and I spent some eye-rolling time just wanting a steadfast decision from her. Yes, she was young, and I empathized with her issues/struggles, but I felt there were too many pages devoted to her waffling and indecision.

Overall, some good, some could have been better.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing the free early arc of Begin Again for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Emma Lord- first off: how dare you? Second: Thank you for showing a struggling relationship with a parent and the complex emotions and feelings that come with trying to repair the relationship. I feel seen and understood in a way I never have when it comes to that dynamic. Thank you.

Now, to the important stuff- this was incredible!! I loved the found family, the “forbidden” romance, the need to be a fixer, the banter and fun. Just all of it! This made my heart sing. It was just so dang good! Emma has an incredible way of pulling you into a story and never wanting to leave. Simply put: this is another knockout from Lord!

hmmm this took me quite a while to get through and i honestly wasn’t a big fan! i knew this was a romance but i feel like there was barely any romance in it 😭 there were so many other things going on that it took away from the romance in my opinion! it was just a pretty slow read for me. and i couldn’t stand that the main character used foods as curse words, that was so cringey omg. loved the taylor swift references though!

thank you st. martin’s press and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Yet *again*, Emma Lord has put together a fluffy and heartwarming story. I was excited to see this one was set in college, and I feel like it managed that setting well, while still having a pretty YA tone. There were a few awkward “remember? i’m a teen!” moments but not many.

Yes yes, Emma loves a dark haired snarky boy it’s fine I do too, I embrace it. Bonus points that this one works at a bagel shop! Overall plot meshed pretty well with individual character arcs and the pace was good. Covering a whole semester of school in one book can be fairly hit or miss.

A side detail that I enjoyed was the main character’s roommate, Shay, is on bookstagram. It is always a little fun to read a book that touches on publishing *by* someone who knows about publishing, and takes a second to tell you some of how they feel about it… through the characters of course. It was nice to see Emma recognize the book community, especially Black book reviewers and ones who emphasize reading diversely.

Begin Again left me cozy, and ready for Emma Lord’s next book.



Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday books for this ARC.

I know Emma Lord is a popular author, and I’m sure her fans will love this book as well. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me. This book is a college romance and setting heavy. While there were a few scenes that made me laugh and the author worked on adding depth to her characters, I just couldn’t connect. Andie wasn’t likable and honestly it felt weird that her life goal was a self-help book. It just felt a little too arrogant somehow, as she thought she had the answers to everyone’s problems.

A few other things I disliked:
1. I don’t think it’s cute how Milo calls her “new kid,” especially after they get together.
2. Switching from one love interest to another, and saying “I love you to both” within a short time frame, is just a little too much for me.
3. The grand ribbon reveal was underwhelming.
4. It felt like the author was trying to make the college sound edgy with “the knight’s watch” and “secret societies” but it just wasn’t.

This book was almost so relatable it was mundane. I will continue to read Emma Lord, because I did enjoy it and there were emotional moments, but it was nothing that I will remember for a long time. This is difficult, because it's an ARC and I'm struggling to find a lot to say about it. It was comfortable, it was sweet, and it was relatable. But it could have been more.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a arc copy of the book, which did not influence my rating.

Thank you Wednesday Books for the digital ARC. Emma Lord writes such relatable characters. The main 4 of this book, Andie, Milo, Shay, and Val, are flawed but fabulous. I would absolutely want to be friends with them. Begin Again felt like a comfort blanket, one that I refused to let go of. I inhaled this one in just over a day. For those looking for a fun YA romance and friendship story, this one absolutely fits the bill.

An immersive dive into self reflection for Andie. The story explores family and who they are in regards to who you are. I liked the way she found her people and how that impacted her life.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of "Begin Again" by Emma Lord.

This is my second Emma Lord book and it did not disappoint. Andie Rose has transferred colleges mid year, which is almost unheard of, to be with her boyfriend. who has transferred back to their home town at the same time. This comedy of errors sets off a thoughtful, fun, and lovely contemporary romance story.

The backstory for these characters takes center stage over the romance which is great and I loved the twists and turns that Lord has added to this story that just keep you guessing once the reveals start. Not everything goes the way that you think it will but in no way was I angry about this. This book was fun and enjoyable as a quick two day read that made me want to read again.

4 stars.

I was drawn by this cover and was excited to dive in. In practice, though, I have to be honest that YA is no longer my personal taste. I did not finish the book. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book from Emma Lord! This is the third of hers that I've read and it doesn't disappoint with all of the cozy college vibes.

Andie is a problem-solver and advice-giver that transfers to Blue Ridge State to follow in her mother's footsteps and surprise her long-distance boyfriend is already going there. Once she arrives, she realizes that her boyfriend has transferred to her old school to be with her, she's having a hard time transitioning to her new school, and everything seems to fall apart from there. Rather than prioritizing herself, she focuses on fixing the problems of all of her friends and peers, which eventually all come to a head and force her to reevaluate her life and choices (and leads to a cute new romance or two).

This is a really sweet story all about the value of family and friends that I think is true to the experience of starting over. My only complaint is that the main character curses in the form of foods she likes, which always makes me roll my eyes. Otherwise, a solid read!

Andie has just transferred to a new university where her boyfriend is attending, but more importantly, where her deceased mother attended and hosted an illegal college radio station kicking off years' of legacy. Andie wants to follow in those footsteps, but she quickly realizes that her boyfriend also switched schools, the classes are much harder than she'd anticipated, her distant father reaches out to try to reignite a relationship after he left her after Andie's mother died, and she struggles to find her own place at the school that she feels is haunted by her mother's footsteps. In the process, Andie meets Milo, her grumpy RA and the new radio station host in the role her mother once held, and the two of course grow closer as Andie struggles with her long-distance relationship.

This book actually made me tear up a couple of times, because of the father-daughter relationship issues which is pretty much a guarantee at making me cry. Andie also dealt with a lot of anxiety and panic issues, which was pretty relatable and I appreciated reading that her character was struggling with that. My favorite part of the book, however, is the relationship between Andie and Milo. I thought it was well-developed and sweet. Andie's friends Shay and Valeria also didn't feel like one-note side characters, and they each had a story of their own that was deserved. 3.5/5 stars.

Each Emma Lord book is cure for all of your troubles, sadnesses, pains, dark moods! Their promising, heartfelt plots provide pure happiness, joy, positive energy! You get healed after reading a few chapters!

I think I loved this book more than her previous works! I enjoyed to read the fresh perspective to the college life! There were no regular cliches in this book. Characters are flawed, making mistakes, dealing with their own baggages and all of them are so much likable.

Ribbon scavenger hunts, trivia nights, vampire games, pirate radio station honoring the new host a.k.a new Knight, snow fights, dreamy bagel combinations…I loved each of them! I just wished to teleport to the past to enjoy this kind of fabulous college experience!

Andie is high achiever heroine, a fixer who focuses other people’s problem : she has an anonymous column giving advises to people to solve their problems. But this is a kind of mechanism to avoid her own problems: her resentment to her father, her yearning for mother, her rocky relationship with her boyfriend.

She worked hard and transferred to the college her parents graduated! The same college her boyfriend Connor attends: lately they get estranged because of long distance but now they can have their fresh start! Or not! Because Connor also gets transferred to the community college at their hometown where Andie previously attended!

This setback cannot break Andie’s enthusiasm to compete at scavenger hunts to collect more ribbons, honoring her mothers memory. She believes Connor will be back at next semester so she collects extra ribbons for him, too.

Her suspicions and insecurities to be part of the Blue Ridge community slowly diminish with the help of very supportive roommate Shay and their caffeine addict, charming RA Milo.

She even finds herself at college’s legendary pirate radio station accompanying legendary Knight as his squire: giving advises to the students who ask for her help!

Andie’s self growth, finding her true purpose, true love, making peace with her past are the best parts of the book.
Milo was spectacular hero! I have to admit at some parts I even loved him more than Andie! He was kind, mature, loyal, smart, playful.

I smiled and I also dabbed my tears! The book is genuine, heartwarming! I wanted to give long hugs to each character!

I highly absolutely extremely recommend it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Wednesday Books for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Content Warning: grief, death of a parent

I am a fan of Emma Lord ever since Tween Cute! I think it’s safe to say she’s an auto-read author for me. Here’s what I thought about Begin Again:

+ I feel like there isn’t enough books set in college and I loved that this one is, with Andie entering her dream college as a freshman transfer. So she didn’t get in right away, worked hard to get in and did it on her own merit which is admirable. And we watch Andie try to keep up with classes, class activities, have a social life and she struggles, which is so relatable. It reminded me of being in college and the struggles of being away from home, old friends, making new friends and enjoying college life.

+ Andie is an interesting character because she is grieving her mom, has a strained relationship with her father, and was basically raised by her awesome grandma’s after her mom’s death and things fall apart. She’s a capable young woman, who wants to make her mother proud but is struggling to find her own way. She’s a “fix-it” person because she hides from problems she doesn’t want to face but I found that relatable. The other characters like Milo, Shay and Valeria were wonderful.

+ So Andie has a boyfriend she’s known since childhood – they have a close bond until college happens. Andie meets Milo, her RA, and their friendship grows while Andie is learning more about herself and her relationship with her boyfriend, Connor. On the other Milo is dealing with his own heartbreak and family drama. I like how their friendship grows into something else – it’s very sweet. They make a good couple.

+ Things got emotional for Andie and her father at the end of this book and I almost cried. I love how it’s more than a story about a girl going to college and wanting to honor her mom’s memory. I could feel her emotional struggles, and it was so nice to see her make friends who had her back and how in the end a conversation with her dad really helps heals some festering wounds between them.

~+ The only thing that maybe would bother some readers is how Andie has a boyfriend but starts falling for Milo. Honestly, having been in a long distance college relationship before – I related to her feeling 100%. How do you quit someone you’ve known your whole life and made future plans with? And yet…how do you not if it means being happier with who you are? I’m glad it’s a realistic situation.

Tropes: first year in college

Why you should read it:
*sweet romance between Andie and Milo
*set in college, first year transfer student, realistic situations – challenges, making friends, falling in love
*emotional story about Andie, her mom’s memory and healing with her dad

Why you might not want to read it:
*Andie does have a boyfriend but I think things stay pretty friendly and innocent between her and Milo until she ends things with Connor.

My Thoughts:

I loved this one! I just liked seeing Andie grow and shed the things that she didn’t need to hang onto (Connor) and try and find herself at the college of her dreams. Her meeting Milo was icing on the cake because how amazing is he? I love that they both had their own issues to deal with and they do before coming together. There was an emotional scene between Andie and her dad that almost made me cry. I think this had a little bit of everything, a character with growth, new friends, college fun and struggles, family issues and romance. I will continue to read whatever this author writes!

I think Emma Lord has hit her stride with this book. I enjoyed the clever whit of "Tweet Cute" but was not a fan of "You Have a Match" so I skipped her 3rd. The premise of this was nostalgic for me and freshman college books are frequent purchases for me (being in a high school) so I was excited to try her again.
I found Andie to be very well adjusted and very mature for a college freshman. She's a great character for teens to read: she picks great friends and puts in the effort to BE a GOOD friend. She draws people out, she uses her strengths without apology or embarrassment. Her character GROWS without doing a 180 change. Great message on rebuilding relationships after losing a loved one and giving space for people that have disappointed you in your life to grow and change too.
The romance element is very respectful and very sweet.
Great read!
Thank you so much for the ARC!